Watertown Historical Society: Essay Contest 2009, First Place Winner

The Charles River: The Heart of Watertown
By Jeffrey Conde
The Charles River has always been the heart of the area that became Watertown, Massachusetts. People living here have depended on the Charles River for thousands of years. The river has been an important source of food and water and was used to transport people and goods. Later the river provided vital power for mills and manufacturing. Life would have been much more difficult without the Charles.
Native American cutting tools found along the banks of the Charles date back to 1600 B.C. and are displayed at the Peabody Museum at Harvard University. The Pequossette Tribe lived along the north bank of the river in 1630. They greeted Roger Clapp in May, 1630 when he landed near the site of the present day Perkins School for the Blind. Their exchange of a large Bass for a biscuit is portrayed on the Town of Watertown’s Official Town Seal. (Tougas)
The Charles River was the route for Sir Richard Saltonstall and Reverend George Phillips when they helped to found Watertown as the first inland settlement in Massachusetts in July, 1630. The new colonists treated the Pequossette tribe well and in return the tribe taught the colonists how to plant corn, catch fish, and make shelters. The tribe taught the colonists to dig a hole, plant five seeds of corn, and add a fish for fertilizer. They also showed the colonists how to make a weir to better catch fish. Finally they taught the new arrivals how to bend sticks so that they could be used to build shelters (Hodges).
The river was teeming with fish. The following description is from “Crossroads on the Charles – A History of Watertown, Massachusetts,” by Maud deLeigh Hodges: “Particularly at spawning time, great quantities of bass, salmon, and herring were borne upstream on the tides, many of them pushing their way over the rapids to quiet waters. As many as 100,000 fish could be netted in a day so easily that young boys would wade into the stream and fill buckets of fish.” (Hodges)
Eventually the river provided for many of the needs of the settlers. Thomas Mayhew built America’s first grist mill in 1638 upstream of modern Galen Street. A dam was built and a mill race was dug that diverted water to power the mill. The mill ground Watertown farmer’s corn, wheat, and rye to flour. The river was now helping to provide settlers with fish and flour for food as well as fresh water for irrigation and personal use. Watertown continued to grow along the river during the 1700’s. The Charles allowed easy transportation of goods and people between Watertown and Boston. During the siege of Boston, after the Battles of Lexington and Concord, Paul Revere lived on the south side of the Charles near the rapids and printed currency that paid the Continental soldiers (Watertown).
The river helped Watertown become a leader during the Industrial Age. The river helped power a variety of mills and factories. The Bemis factory was built near Bridge Street and provided the sailcloth that was used on the U.S.S. Constitution during the War of 1812. The famous Crawford Stoves were built by the Walker-Pratt foundry which was located next to the grist mill in Watertown Square. Factories for chocolate, cotton, starch paper, dyes, lace, and shirts all operated on the Charles River in Watertown. There were also factories that manufactured medicine, soap, candles, bobbins, and needles for sewing machines. These mills and factories employed many working class families. The river was now supporting much of Watertown. The farmers relied on the grist mill, the manufacturers relied on the water power, and the workers relied on the factories for employment (Watertown).
The Charles River helped with the defense of America during the Civil War, World War I, and World War 2. President Madison selected the Arsenal site because of its location along the Charles. It was built in 1816 for the storage of munitions. Eventually the Arsenal was expanded and manufactured artillery and other weapons during the World Wars. The Arsenal also performed Materials research until it was finally closed in 1995 (Watertown).
The river attracted “high technology” in late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Sterling Elliot was a brilliant inventor and businessman who lived near the corner of Hunt and Maple Streets in Watertown. He built a tunnel from his house to his bicycle factory on the Charles River below. Mr. Elliot invented the first inflatable bicycle tire. He also invented a four-wheeled pedal vehicle called the Quadricycle. Probably his most famous invention was the steering knuckle which allowed the front wheels of the quadricycle, and later the front wheels of automobiles to turn easily. This invention is still used in cars today! Eventually Elliott sold his factory to the talented twins Francis and Freelan Stanley. The Stanley’s founded the Stanley Motor Carriage Company. They manufactured steam powered automobiles, nicknamed Stanley Steamers, along the Charles from 1897-1917. In 1906 a Stanley Rocket set the world land speed record of 127.7 miles per hour. The Stanley Steamer outsold all gasoline powered automobiles until the Ford Model T finally overtook it (Hodges, 116).
The Lewando’s Dyeing and Cleansing Company began operating along the river in Watertown Square in 1860. Eventually Lewandos became the largest cleaning and dyeing business in the United States. The Lewando’s building still exists and functions as an office building near the Galen Street Bridge (Friends, 45).
All of this industry took a toll on the river. Wastes from the factories were dumped into the river. Eventually fish and wildlife began to die. The people who had gotten so much from the river were not giving back. The river was badly polluted. Some people and organizations like the Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) began to call for a cleanup. In 1995, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) used CRWA studies to begin a clean up that would help restore the Charles to fishable and swim able conditions by 2005. Improvements to wastewater treatment and the elimination of many of the end of pipe discharges have resulted in a large improvement in water quality. According to the “Assessment of Fish Communities and Habitat in the Charles River – Final Report” published by the CRWA in 2003, many fish species are thriving in the river near Watertown. Carp, white suckers, goldfish, pumpkinseeds, banded killifish, tidewater silversides, bluegills, redfin pickerels, largemouth bass, American eel, and redbreast sunfish are all found between the Watertown Dam and the Charles River Dam (Charles). In “The Hidden Charles,” by Mike Tougas, Mr. Tougas states that he sees Blue Herons, mergansers, cormorants, and kingfishers while rowing along the Charles (Tougas). The abundance of fish and birds is encouraging, but we have not met the 2005 goal. Storm water pollution is still a big problem. There is a lot that we can still do to help the Charles.
Presently, the Charles is still helping the people of Watertown. Bike paths allow residents to explore the river and benches allow a scenic picnic. The restoration of the dock area and the founder’s monument will allow Watertown residents to appreciate the beauty of the river while admiring a record of its history. The new Arsenal on the Charles boasts the Arsenal Center for the Arts. The new Community Rowing program will allow residents to enjoy the great river while exercising. Clearly, the Charles provides first class recreational opportunities to everyone in Watertown.
The Charles River was, and always will be, the heart of Watertown. It has helped to feed us, give us water, provide jobs, transport goods, and be a source of recreation and beauty. The history of Watertown is tied to this great river. Glimpses of the past can be seen at the Lewandos building, the Arsenal, and the Bemis Factory. Glimpses of its future can be seen at Community Rowing, the Arsenal Center for the Arts, and the bike paths. Throughout history, the river has been a good friend to the people of Watertown. I can’t imagine Watertown without it.