Preserving the History of Watertown, CT
since 1945
The Watertown History Museum, formerly the Watertown Historical Society, was organized in 1945 with the objective of collecting local history.
Settled in 1701, this area, originally known as Wooster-Westbury, was incorporated as the Town of Watertown in May of 1780. From those early families, our community has certainly grown. The many documents and artifacts collected by the Society needed storage and display space, and from 1968 to 2016, the Fire District generously donated the second floor of its building at 22 Deforest Street as a museum site. After several years in storage, we are proud to open our new home at 401 Main Street to visitors and guests.
The primary goal of the society has always been to preserve Watertown history. The collection illustrates the town’s expansion in all districts, including Oakville, Guernseytown, Winnemaug, Linkfield, etc. We are available for research (see Research Requests), and we offer several Digital Collections.
For answers to any specific questions related to our collection, Watertown history, or Membership, please email us directly using our “Contact Us” page. Thank you!
I grew up as Julia Garside lining very happily in my home at 103 Nova Scotia Hill Rd.
Watertown gave me a WONDERFUL childhood.
Come see our new Main Street exhibit some time, you will love it!
My grandfather was a farmer who lived on Guernsey Town Road until sometime in the 1890s or early 2000s, when he moved his family to Claremont, NH. I’m looking forward to visiting your new location this summer and discussing the donation of a few items of Watertown history.
Great Nancy, please contact me: Curator@watertownhistorymuseum.org, so that we may arrange a tour.
My 3rd great grandparents: Truman Dailey and wife Julina Lewis settled in Watertown after their wedding in 1834. Truman died of consumption in December 1849, leaving Julina a widow with 2 sons to raise. Julina lived as a widow from 1849-1897; always dressed in black. My grandmother, Gladys Louise Dailey, knew her great grandmother Julina. She, along with her: father, mother, and uncle. Her property is noted on a Watertown map between 1834-1897.
Mimi (Gladys) always said that Julina was short and stern. She lived 90 years. Her father died in 1820, and for the next 14 years she helped her mother raise and care for the family. She married at 27, lost her first son before he was 18 months old. George died of consumption at 42 and Lewis of consumption at 26. Her grandsons, Howard and Truman were the sons of George and his first wife Waite Jane Patterson. They were raised by Waite and her 2nd husband, Francis D. Brown.
I treasure her clothes and the picture I have of her.