Historical Commission

Demolition Delay Process

The Historical Commission implements the Demolition Delay Ordinance. If a building that is 50 years old or more is proposed for demolition or for substantial demolition, the Commission follows a two-step process. The first step is a preliminary review by the Chair and another member to determine if a public hearing before the full Commission is necessary. The second step, if necessary, is a public hearing at a Commission meeting. Links to the Demolition Delay Ordinance, the Demolition Delay Regulations, and the Required Documents for Public Hearing are below.

If a public hearing on your application is necessary, you must have filed one hard copy and an electronic copy of all required documents in the Preservation Office, by noon of the Filing Deadline set for the next month's meeting. Please contact the Preservation Office once you have determined you will be filing documents for a review under the Demolition Delay Ordinance to confirm the Filing Deadline for your case or with any other questions.

When the Historical Commission determines that a building is significant and should be preserved, it can delay demolition for up to 24 months. This period allows the Commission, the owner, and the community to explore avenues to preserve all or part of the building or mitigate its loss.

NEW! Historic Properties Survey of the Southside Completed

The Historical Commission is pleased to announce that a historic properties survey of the Southside is now available for those interested in its rich history. The Southside’s development from farmsteads to a busy mixed-use neighborhood is traced in the survey.

The full report, including information about the history of individual buildings, is available. [The link to study is coming soon.] A hard copy can be read the Watertown Free Public Library, (ask at the Reference Desk).

Along with City funds, Watertown obtained a matching grant from the Massachusetts Historical Commission (using federal funds from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior) to conduct the study.

Historical Preservation Awards

The Historical Commission announced its 2025 Historical Preservation Awards at a ceremony on June 5, 2025, attended by over 75 people. The awards ceremony is held every two years to honor individuals, organizations and projects that have shown leadership in historic preservation in Watertown. To learn more about the winners and their achievements, see this presentation (PDF).

Historic Plaque Program

Did you know that you can order a historic plaque to display on your home which identifies the year it was built, the architect or builders name, or the name of the original owner? You can access the historic plaque application (PDF). A member of the commission will conduct the research on your home if you are not aware of the history of your home already.

How a former Commission Chair documented historic buildings and areas

This article written by David Russo (PDF), former Chair of the Historical Commission. Russo wrote this article about his experience preparing 226 inventory forms for registration with the Massachusetts Historical Commission, through the resources available at the Mount Auburn Cemetery. The article appeared in the Spring 2017 edition, Volume I of Sweet Auburn, a Magazine of the Friends of Mount Auburn. In 2021, Russo was given the Bay State Legacy Award by the Massachusetts History Alliance for his research and documentation of Watertown’s historic buildings and areas.

Commission vs. Society

The Watertown Historical Commission was established by the City as a regulatory commission. We are an all-volunteer commission which is part of the City government, appointed by the City Manager.

A common misconception is that we are the Historical Society of Watertown, a private non-profit organization. You can contact them by phone at 617-923-6067 or in person at 28 Marshall Street, Watertown, MA 02472.