New Plaque Installed in Watertown Square, Replacing a Stolen One

Watertown Square has a new historical plaque, though it may seem a bit familiar to those who know the plaques around town.

The plaque, which sits on the curve as Galen Street turns right into Charles River Road, was installed on April 20, and it replaces an old one stolen in April 2010 said Joyce Kelly of the Historical Society of Watertown. Several were taken from around town at that time.

Since then, a subcommittee including members of the Historical Commission, the Historical Society and town officials have been looking to replace the missing plaques, Kelly said. They used photos of the missing ones to provide the wording on the plaques.

"This particular plaque, for Benjamin Robbins Curtis, was replaced by the Historical Society of Watertown through funds received via the Harvard/O'Neill Community Enrichment Foundation," Kelly said. "The granite plaque was created by Newton Memorial Art."

Additional work had to be done because the plaque did not fit flushly against the stone, Kelly said.

Funds for that work came through a Watertown Community Foundation Mini River Grant.

The Historical Society will be conducting an unveiling of the plaque and a walk of that area of the Charles River on June 16 at 1 p.m. with a rain date June 23, Kelly said.