Historical Documents of the Watertown, Newton, and Sunset Bay Area

As part of the due diligence for this project, we have collected various charts, maps, and reports that have been generated for areas in the Lower Charles River Basin in the past. In the sidebar to the right, there are several sets of documents in approximate chronological order. There is also a Google Drive spreadsheet that is more extensive.

Both Watertown and Newton Yacht Clubs have experienced a decrease in water depth at and near their docks, as well as the rest of the Sunset Bay area. This wide expanse of shallow water in this area is clear in the data that we have measured. In order to understand how this area has changed over time, we have researched the historical archives to generate the list below. Please note that this list, as our other historical archive pages, is a work in progress and are updated as new information comes to light.

• Topographical Plan of the Watertown Arsenal, November 1863, no indication of island even though island of future Squibnocket Park is drawn, 1863
• Watertown Arsenal - General Plan for Improvements, Olmsted Brothers, 1919
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 10, p. 104, item 9, Sept. 1, 1932, Dredging on Charles River near Galen Street Bridge, Watertown, and at the junction of Maple Street and Nonantum Road, Newton, opposite Hyde Brook. Bid accepted, 9/1/1932, 1932
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 12, p. 37, item 4, Aug. 20, 1936, Dredging in the Charles River at Faneuil Valley Brook drain outlet, Brighton District, Boston. Bid accepted., 8/20/1936, 1936
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 12, p. 44, item 2, Sept. 3, 1936, Dredging in Charles River at Faneuil Valley Brook Drain Outlet, Brighton District, Boston. Contract number 260, 9/3/1936, 1936
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 12, p. 66, item 13, Oct. 29, 1936, Dredging in the Charles River at Faneuil Valley Brook Drain outlet. Estimate 1, Contract 260, 10/29/1936, 1936
• Photograph, no WHC Bldg yet, no docks, no reactor, April 3, 1942
• Photograph, no WHC Bldg yet, no docks, no reactor, circa 1959–1962 ???
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 15, p. 194, item 5, June 22, 1944, Watertown Yacht Club asking to lease land on the Charles River at the junction of North Beacon Street and Charles River Rowd, for storage of boats and proposed club house, 6/22/1944, 1944
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 16, p. 18, item 11, Sep. 20, 1945, Watertown Yacht Club asking to lease land on the Charles River at the junction of North Beacon Street and Charles River Rowd, for storage of boats and proposed club house. Voted that WYC submit a plan showing land they wish to use and the land adjacent which might be available for other people who are not members of WYC who might want to store boats., 9/20/1945, 1945
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 16, p. 24, item 13, Oct. 4, 1945, Watertown Yacht Club asking to lease land of the Commission running parallel to North Beacon Street ands easterly from Charles River Road. Revocable permit authorized, a charge of $1 per year, 10/4/1945, 1945
• Plan of Land and Soundings, Watertown Yacht Club, 1946
• House Bill 1384. An Act Providing For The Dredging By The Metropolitan District Commission Of The Charles River For The Purpose Of Providing Access By Boats To The Wharf Located At The Park Adjoining The Galen Street Bridge In The Town Of Watertown., 1947
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 17, p. 135, item 6, Jan. 8, 1948, Watertown Yacht Club submitted for approval construction and plot plans of proposed club house. Plans approved, subject to further approval., 1/8/1948, 1948
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 17, p. 161, item 3, Feb. 26, 1948, Protest against use of land of the Commission on the Charles River, Watertown, for erection of a boat house by the Watertown Yacht Club. Voted that a hearing be given ... and that the permit to WYC be revoked pending the outcome., 2/26/1948, 1948
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 17, p. 170, item 4, Mar. 16, 1948, The Commission viewed the location of the club house of the Watertown Yacht Club on the Charles River in Watertown. Voted that the permit to the WYC for the building presently started on the Charles River be and hereby definitely revoked. , 3/16/1948, 1948
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 17, p. 184, item 5, Apr. 15, 1948, Verbal report recommending that the revocable permit to be grated the Watertwon Yacht Club, Inc., to erect and maintain a club house on the land of the Commission in Watertown, including authority to occupy and use land adjoining the club house site for the hauling and storage of boats... Approved., 4/15/1948, 1948
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 17, p. 200, item 5, May 30, 1948, Voted to lease to the Watertown Yacht Club, Inc. [for 20 years]., 5/30/1948, 1948
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 17, p. 264, item 4, Sep. 2, 1948, Bids were received and opened for dredging and shore improvements, Charles River, Watertown and Newton. Bid accepted. , 9/2/1948, 1948
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 17, p. 279, item 7, Sep. 30, 1948, Contract number 584 ... for proposed dredging and shore improvements, Charles River, Watertown - Newton, Signed., 9/30/1948, 1948
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 17, p. 283, item 11, Oct. 14, 1948, Estimate 2, Contract 584, Charles River Reservation, dredging and shore improvements, Watertown and Newton, 10/14/1948, 1948
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 17, p. 298, item 14, Nov. 18, 1948, Report requesting permission to increase work under contract number 584 ... for dredging and shore improvements, Charles River, Watertown and Newton, 11/18/1948, 1948
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 17, p. 299, item 5, Nov. 18, 1948, Estimate 4, Contract 584, Charles River Reservation, dredging and shore improvements, Watertown and Newton, 11/18/1948, 1948
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 18, p. 8, item 5, Dec. 2, 1948, Estimate 5, Contract 584, Charles River Reservation, dredging and shore improvements, Watertown and Newton, 12/2/1948, 1948
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 18, p. 14, item 7, Dec. 16, 1948, Estimate 6 (final), Contract 584, Charles River Reservation, dredging and shore improvements, Watertown and Newton. Accepted as complete., 12/16/1948, 1948
• Charles River Reservation, Watertown, Proposed Dredging and Shore Improvement, 1948
• House Bill 0785. An Act Relative To The Dredging By The Metropolitan District Commission Of The Charles River For The Purpose Of Providing Access By Boats To The Wharf Located At The Park Adjoining The Galen Street Bridge In The Town Of Watertown., 1948
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 20, p. 151, item 5, Jun. 7, 1951, Dredging river bottom, filling, and constructing roads, bridge piers and abutments and two culverts at Fens Pond, Storrow Memorial Drive, Boston. Bids were received and opened. Held over. , 6/7/1951, 1951
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 20, p. 156, item 3, Jun. 12, 1951, Dredging river bottom, filling, and constructing roads, bridge piers and abutments and two culverts at Fens Pond, Storrow Memorial Drive, Boston. Contraact 699 awarded., 6/12/1951, 1951
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 20, p. 180, item 7, Jul. 3, 1951, Dredging river bottom, filling, and constructing roads, bridge piers and abutments and two culverts at Fens Pond, The James J. Storrow Memorial Drive, Charles River Reservation, Boston. Contraact 699 signed., 7/3/1951, 1951
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 20, p. 210, item 7, Aug. 2, 1951, Estimate 1, Contract 699, Storrow Memorial Drive, dredging of river bottom, constructing roads, bridge piers, etc., at Fens Pond, 8/2/1951, 1951
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 20, p. 234, item 5, Sep. 6, 1951, Estimate 2, Contract 699, Storrow Memorial Drive, dredging of river bottom, constructing culverts, etc., Fens Pond, 9/6/1951, 1951
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 20, p. 261, item 14, Oct. 4, 1951, Estimate 3, Contract 699, dredging river bottom, roads, culverts, etc., at Fens Pond, Storrow Memorial Drive, 10/4/1951, 1951
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 20, p. 277, item 12, Nov. 1, 1951, Estimate 4, Contract 699, dredging river bottom, constructing roads etc., and culverts, at Fens Pond, Storrow Memorial Drive, 11/1/1951, 1951
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 20, p. 299, item 7, Dec. 6, 1951, Estimate 5, Contract 699, dredging river bottom, constructing roads, bridges etc., at Fens Pond, Storrow Memorial Drive, 12/6/1951, 1951
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 21, p. 13, item 6, Jan. 10, 1952, Estimate 6, Contract 699, dredging river bottom, filling, constructing roads, bridges etc., at Fens Pond, Storrow Memorial Drive, 1/10/1952, 1952
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 21, p. 26, item 2, Jan. 30, 1952, Request for extension of time on Contract 699 for dredging river bottom, filling and constructing roads, bridges, piles and abutments and two culverts at Fens Pond, Storrow Memorial Drive, 1/30/1952, 1952
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 21, p. 26, item 3, Jan. 30, 1952, Recommendation for extra work to remove 1500 cubic yards of silty material from Fens Pond to the Charles River under Contract 699, 1/30/1952, 1952
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 21, p. 28, item 8, Feb. 7, 1952, Estimate 7, Contract 699, dredging river bottom, filling, constructing roads etc., and two culverts at Fens Pond, 2/7/1952, 1952
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 21, p. 42, item 6, Mar. 6, 1952, Estimate 8, Contract 699, dredging river bottom, filling, constructing roads, bridges etc., at Fens Pond, Storrow Memorial Drive, 3/6/1952, 1952
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 21, p. 57, item 6, Apr. 3, 1952, Estimate 9, Contract 699, dredging river bottom, filling and constructing roads, bridges etc., at Fens Pond, Storrow Memorial Drive, 4/3/1952, 1952
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 21, p. 94, item 14, May 22, 1952, Estimate 10 (final), Contract 699, dredging river bottom, filling and constructing roads, bridges, piles, and abutments and two culverts at Fens Pond, Storrow Memorial Drive. Contract 699 is accepted as complete. , 5/22/1952, 1952
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 25, p. 79, item 6, Dec. 6, 1956, Report, November 21, relative to request of Watertown Yacht Club for use of island in the Charles River adjacent to the Yacht Club premises; and the possibility of dredging of the Charles River Basin. Approved., 12/6/1956, 1956
• Report Upon Use of the Charles River Basin and Lock for Commercial and Recreational Boating, Metropolitan District Commission Parks Division Progress Report #4, pages 24-31 and 122-3, 1959
• Photograph, 1963?, Boats on dock and mooring field at WYC, reactor present, circa 1963-1967
• Photograph, 1963?, Boats on dock and mooring field at WYC, reactor present, circa 1963-1967
• Photograph, 1963?, Boats on dock at WYC and NYC, mooring field near both WYC and NYC, circa 1963-1967
• Photograph, 1963?, Boats on dock at WYC and NYC, mooring field near both WYC and NYC, circa 1963-1967
• Photograph, Boats on dock and mooring field at WYC, reactor present, June 17, 1963
• Photograph, Boats on dock and mooring field at WYC, reactor present, June 18, 1963
• Photograph, Boats on dock and mooring field at WYC, reactor present, June 18, 1963
• Photograph, Boats on dock and mooring field at WYC, reactor present, June 18, 1963
• Photograph, 1960?, Boats on dock at WHC, reactor present, mooring field not in picture, April 30, 1964
• Photograph, Winter 1967?, no boats in water, reactor present, circa 1939-1982,
• Photograph, Winter 1967?, no boats in water, reactor present, island seems to have 2 parts, circa 1967-1984
• Photograph, Winter 1967?, no boats in water, reactor present, island seems to have 2 parts, circa 1967-1984
• Photograph, Boats on dock at WHC, reactor present, mooring field not in picture, 1967
• Photograph, 1963?, Boats on dock and mooring field at WYC, reactor present, 1970
• MDC Minutes, Vol. 25, p. 117, item 7, Sep. 26, 1973, Request for preliminary approval of Contract No. E-433,removal of silt and sediment in the Charles River from the footbridge near Riverside to the MDC Police sub-station near Norumbega, Auburndale. Referred to Environmental Planning Office, 9/26/1973, 1973
• Photograph from WYC history web page showing mooring field, ?
• Photograph, Boats on dock at WYC and NYC, mooring field near both WYC and NYC, circa 1939-1982
• Photograph, Boats on dock at WYC, reactor present, circa 1939-1982
• Photograph, Boats on dock at WYC and mooring field near WYC, before reactor was built, circa 1942-1959
• Photograph, Boats on dock at WYC and NYC, mooring field near both WYC and NYC, before reactor was built, circa 1942-1959
• Photograph, Boats on dock at WHC, reactor present, mooring field not in picture, circa 1967-1984
• Photograph, Boats on dock at WHC, reactor present, mooring field not in picture, circa 1967-1984
• Photograph, Boats on dock at WYC and NYC, mooring field near NYC only, circa 1967-1984
• Photograph, Boats on dock at WYC, reactor present, circa 1967-1984
• Photograph, Boats on dock at WYC, reactor present, circa 1967-1984
• Photograph, Boats on dock at WYC, reactor present, circa 1967-1984
• Photograph, Boats on dock at WYC, reactor present, circa 1967-1984
• Photograph, Boats on dock at WYC, reactor present, circa 1967-1984
• Photograph, Boats on dock at WYC, reactor present, circa 1967-1984
• Photograph, Boats on dock at WYC, reactor present, circa 1967-1984
• Photograph, Boats on dock at WYC, reactor present, circa 1967-1984
  
  Note that the nuclear reactor at the Watertown Arsenal was constructed in 1959-60, decommissioned in 1970, and removed after 1985.