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The Edmund Fowle House, owned by the Historical Society of Watertown, retains a significant amount of building
fabric dating to the eighteenth century, when the building played a major role during the American revolution. The record
of the historic events that occurred in this house, well documented but not yet compiled or published by the Historical Society,
includes the salient fact that in July of 1775, the second floor of this building was outfitted for the Governor's Council
of the Provincial Congress, and became the setting for key meetings and decisions regarding the Revolution over the course
of the next year.
Reviewing the previous Historic Structures Report of 1988 and the current condition of the building, this
study also included a preliminary look at interior building fabric and paint colors, while assessing handicapped access. This
review concludes that considerable eighteenth century material remains on both floors of the house, justifying a comprehensive
study of finishes and fabric as a prelude to future restoration. A number of improvements have been made since 1988. However,
the exterior gutters, downspouts, and site drainage system are in such poor condition that they represent an active threat
to the house and to its early eighteenth-century clapboards. Inside, one ceiling is in need of immediate attention to forestall
possible collapse.
Providing universal access to the first floor of this house is not an unreasonable undertaking, and the
rear ell and shed extension provide room for an accessible bathroom (a desirable improvement, as the first floor has no bathroom
and the second floor baths compromise the floor configuration).
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