Annual Members Meeting with Election of Board Members and Vote on Proposed Change to By-Laws, and May Public Program

A House Restored: The Tragedies and Triumphs of Saving a New England Colonial
A slideshow lecture by Lee McColgan

Sunday, May 5, 2024
2:00 PM
Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room
Watertown Free Public Library
123 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472

Old houses share their secrets only if they survive.  Trading the corporate ladder for a stepladder, Lee McColgan commits to preserving the ramshackle South Shore Loring House, built in 1702, using period materials and methods and on a holiday deadline.  His enchantment withers as he discovers the massive repairs it needs.  McColgan's journey examines our relationship to history through the homes we inhabit, beautifully articulating the philosophy of preserving the past to find purpose for the future.

Mr. McColgan has worked on Boston's Old North Church, Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House and other buildings.  His work has appeared in Architectural Digest, The Boston Globe and The Wall Street Journal.

This event is free and open to the public.  Parking is free in the library lot on Sundays.  For more information, please contact Joyce at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

This program is funded by a 2023 grant from the Watertown Community Foundation.

Special Public Program

Sally Ride – America's First Woman Astronaut
An Historical Women Performance by Sheryl Faye

Tuesday, April 16, 2024
4:00 PM
Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room
Watertown Free Public Library
123 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472

Sally Ride is glued to the classroom television as astronaut John Glenn blasts off into space.  "I want to do that," she quietly says to herself, only to be reminded that girls can't be astronauts.  They can't be shortstop for the LA Dodgers, either, another early aspiration, so she sets her sights on tennis, learning teamwork and good sportsmanship.

Her insatiable curiosity leads to a passion for science and children will join in Sally's discoveries through fun, interactive experiments, all of which they can perform again at home.  As she matures, she studies the wonders of the universe and finally, when girls can, she becomes America's first woman astronaut and a passionate advocate for STEM.  Her compelling story will ignite students' curiosity and inspire them to dream, dare and develop their own gifts and talents to the fullest.  This performance is appropriate for a grade K-5 audience, but all are welcome.

Ms. Faye attended Emerson College, where she received a BFA in acting.  She is currently touring eleven one-woman shows throughout the United States, performing for a variety of organizations.  Sheryl has received numerous awards for her stage and film work.

This event is free and open to the public.  For more information, please contact Joyce at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

This program is funded by a 2023 grant from the Watertown Community Foundation.

March Public Program

Jordan Marsh: New England's Largest Store
A slideshow lecture by Anthony Sammarco

Sunday, March 24, 2024
2:00 PM
Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room
Watertown Free Public Library
123 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472

Anthony Sammarco will reveal the fascinating history of Boston's beloved Jordan Marsh.  The retailer opened its first store, which sold assorted dry goods, on Milk Street in 1851.  Do you remember the blueberry muffins and the Enchanted Village?

Referred to as the "Balzac of Boston History" by the Boston Globe, Anthony Mitchell Sammarco is a Boston native, noted historian and author of over seventy books on the history and development of Boston, topics on which he lectures widely.

This event is free and open to the public.  Parking is free in the library lot on Sundays.  For more information, please contact Joyce at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

This program is funded by a 2023 grant from the Watertown Community Foundation.

November Public Program

Revolutionary Decisions – Allegiance: The Life and Times of William Eustis
A slideshow lecture by Tamsen George

Sunday, November 12, 2023
2:00 PM
Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room
Watertown Free Public Library
123 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472

William Eustis's (1753-1825) adventures as a young apprentice to Dr. Joseph Warren took him from the genteel society of Boston to the bloody siege lines at Bunker Hill.  He also served as surgeon in the Continental Army in the Hudson Highlands with General George Washington.  At West Point, he was in the room when Benedict Arnold's treachery was discovered.  Later, as Governor of Massachusetts, he cleared the way for consideration of construction of the Cape Cod Canal.  Although little known today, Eustis was an eyewitness to many important events.

Following a career in cultural education and historic preservation, Tamsen George became executive director of the Shirley-Eustis House Association.  While there, she realized that much was known about British Royal Governor William Shirley, builder of the estate, but little was known about a later owner of the home and unsung patriot William Eustis.  After retirement, Ms. George launched a period of discovery that led to authorship of Allegiance: The Life and Times of William Eustis, which addresses his extraordinary experiences with the difficult decisions and issues of his day.  Tamsen resides on Cape Cod, served as president of Falmouth Museums on the Green for more than six years and is currently a member of the Falmouth Historical Commission.

This event is supported in part by a grant from the Watertown Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

This program is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Joyce at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..