Watertown History Page by Charlie Crowell

Watertown History Page by Charlie Crowell History of Watertown CT

WATERBURY AMERICAN June 8, 1894The Buel Heminway house mentioned here was on Main Street, the second house right of the ...
05/01/2025

WATERBURY AMERICAN June 8, 1894

The Buel Heminway house mentioned here was on Main Street, the second house right of the Methodist Church. The home was destroyed on Labor Day 1982 when a gas leak caused a massive explosion.

The value of the money and pin stolen ($2.45) would be about $75.00 today.

An alarming clipping from January 19, 1894. This was on the passenger train that ran from Waterbury, to Oakville, then o...
04/30/2025

An alarming clipping from January 19, 1894.

This was on the passenger train that ran from Waterbury, to Oakville, then on to Watertown.

Welton’s Station was a little “flag stop” located behind present-day Ro’s Pizza.

No word on whether local law enforcement got involved.

Here’s an early view of Main Street at the corner of Echo Lake Road. Main Street was very much a residential neighborhoo...
04/30/2025

Here’s an early view of Main Street at the corner of Echo Lake Road. Main Street was very much a residential neighborhood back then, with just a few businesses here and there.

There are no trolley tracks in the road which means this was before 1907.

In 1937, Dr. Harold J. Cleary purchased the old landmark 1870 twelve-room house on the left from Caroline Barton.

Dr. Cleary maintained his medical office and residence in the old house.

When the Thomason Savings Bank bought the property in 1955, the old house was moved back and turned 90° so it faced Echo Lake Road. This made room for a new bank building.

Later, when the bank needed even more space, the old house was demolished.

I received a pile of old Watertown and Oakville postcards from Nancy Woodward a while back and this view was among them.

And again, thank you Nancy!

From the 1931 WHS yearbook, presumably three seniors. They’d each be about 112 years old today.
04/29/2025

From the 1931 WHS yearbook, presumably three seniors. They’d each be about 112 years old today.

Here’s a look at the Methodist Chuch on the corner of Main Street and Cutler Street. This postcard was mailed in 1910. T...
04/29/2025

Here’s a look at the Methodist Chuch on the corner of Main Street and Cutler Street. This postcard was mailed in 1910.

This Chuch was built in 1898, replacing an earlier church on the same site. This “new” church was set back from the road further than the old one.

April 24, 1898 was the date of the last service held at the old Church which was built in 1854. The following day, workers began dismantling it.

Local industrialist Augustus Woolson bought the disassembled church “to be erected again for whatever use he sees fit.”

It never happened.

The Woolsons funded a large part of the new church. They owned the Woolson Manufacturing Conpany on Woolson Street.

The first meeting of the Methodists in Watertown took place on May 29, 1853 in a room of the old Bishop’s Tavern which stood on Main Street near the foot of Academy Hill. The tavern was later moved down Echo Lake Road and later became Daveluy’s Pizza.

While this church was under construction in 1898, the Town Hall was used by the Methodists for church services.

A school bus at the old high school on Heminway Park Road in 1938.
04/29/2025

A school bus at the old high school on Heminway Park Road in 1938.

Seen here is the exterior of the old high school gym as it appeared in the 40s. This would later be Heminway Park School...
04/28/2025

Seen here is the exterior of the old high school gym as it appeared in the 40s. This would later be Heminway Park School. Today it’s the Town Hall. The old gym has been converted into office space.

Built in 1929.

By the late 19th century, the Old Burial Grounds Cemetery on Main Street was considered antiquated and obsolete. It was ...
04/28/2025

By the late 19th century, the Old Burial Grounds Cemetery on Main Street was considered antiquated and obsolete. It was filled to overflowing with bodies dating back to 1741 and not many new burials were taking place.

Among those who were still being interred there were homeless and unidentified people found dead in town (yes, it happened regularly). In other words, the cemetery was becoming a paupers graveyard or "Potter's Field".

As seen here, Frank Baldwin decided to move his family members to the Evergreen Cemetery on North Street. He obviously felt the park-like setting at Evergreen was a more suitable spot.

This didn’t happen often but it did happen. And occasionally bodied would be exhumed and taken to other cemeteries in other towns or states.

This clipping is from December 1, 1893.

A colorized view of 167 Riverside Street in Oakville from the 1940s. See the comments for a current look at this home.
04/27/2025

A colorized view of 167 Riverside Street in Oakville from the 1940s. See the comments for a current look at this home.

Just another day in Watertown, March 24, 1893.
04/27/2025

Just another day in Watertown, March 24, 1893.

An unusual Oakville souvenir. Anyone remember this place?
04/27/2025

An unusual Oakville souvenir. Anyone remember this place?

Here are some views of the old house (later a professional building) on the corner of Main and Heminway Park that was de...
04/26/2025

Here are some views of the old house (later a professional building) on the corner of Main and Heminway Park that was destroyed by fire in April, 2017.

An apartment occupant was later accused of operating a drug factory upstairs to the rear of the building which caused to fire.

The structure was sufficiently damaged to warrant demolition.

Built about 1905.

My mother teaching local history to local kids back in 1989. When she was teaching 3rd grade at South School in the late...
04/25/2025

My mother teaching local history to local kids back in 1989.

When she was teaching 3rd grade at South School in the late 60s, the Watertown Board of Education ruled that 3rd graders must be taught a bit about Watertown’s history.

Searching for material to use, she visited the Oakville Library but the librarian told her there was no such information available and recommended she check with the historical society.

The old folks running the historical society at the time were thrilled to see her as they were looking for younger people to get involved.

The rest is history. Mom was immediately elected to an office and was soon the president and curator of the museum.

Later, when the position of “Official Town Historian” was created, she held that one too.

Along the way, she wrote a book, published countess articles, was deeply involved in saving The Academy and the Nova Scotia Schoolhouse, won awards, had a hiking trail named for her, and much more.

She also lectured about local history on an ongoing basis to civic groups and school classes as seen here.

It was a 40+ year adventure and the work she did still benefits the town today.

Florence T. Crowell (1922-2019)

Here’s another class from South School courtesy of Laurie Bourque. This one is a kindergarten class 1963-64. There is no...
04/24/2025

Here’s another class from South School courtesy of Laurie Bourque. This one is a kindergarten class 1963-64.

There is no central collection of these photos. The Watertown History Museum has some, I have some from Judson School because my father was principal there for 25 years, but generally they only pop up occasionally and sporadically.

Again, thanks Laurie!

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