At the end of July in the same year, 1630, Sir Richard
Saltonstall led a second and permanent settling party of 115
households to Watertown. Several theories compete as to why he
gave it the name. Valerie still thinks he made a mistake. Maybe
she’d prefer “Pigs-go-suck.” At least seven of our
ancestral families came with Saltonstall.
Near Watertown Square on the north bank of
the Charles stands today a handsome Founders’
Monument, featuring a life-size statue of Saltonstall. Neither the
Square nor the Monument apparently marks the location of
Sir Richard’s Landing. Which,
as it turns out, is credited to two different
places, nearby.
