About Taste of Arlington

Watertown Savings Bank presents A Taste of Arlington, where in one place at one time, you can sample savory morsels and sweet desserts. What better way to dine well on a fall afternoon than to sample food from 18 Arlington eateries? Restaurant booths will be situated inside the Whittemore Robbins House as well as outdoors under a giant tent.

While at the event, we invite you to walk through the historically restored Federal and Colonial Revival mansion known as the Whittemore Robbins House, stroll the grounds and taste for yourself why Arlington has become known as a dining destination to rival Boston. We also invite you to take part in our raffles that will benefit the Robbins Library Children's Room literacy program.

About the Robbins Library and The Children's Room

In 1807, soon after the town was incorporated as West Cambridge, the private West Cambridge Social Library was organized. This library was still in existence in 1835 when Dr. Ebenezer Learned, a physician in Hopkington, N.H. left $100 in his will to establish a juvenile library in West Cambridge. As a young man, Dr. Learned had taught in town and remembered his years here as some of the most pleasant in his life.

This bequest was used to purchase a number of books from Little, Brown and Company which according to legend were then brought to town in a wheelbarrow by the newly appointed librarian, Mr. Jonathan Dexter. The town can be proud that this was the first free continuous children's library in the nation.

When Robbins Library was built, the population of Arlington was 5,600 and the library owned 12,000 volumes. Less than forty years later, in 1930 the population had increased to 36,000 and the library's collection to 40,000. The town therefore appropriated $90,000 to add a wing to house the Children's Room and a public meeting room.

The Robbins Library Children's Room is a busy place. During the year it organizes many activities for children of all ages – babies and toddlers, pres-schoolers, school-aged children and families. Check out its on-line calendar for the most up-to-date schedule of events or, if you're in the library, pick up a copy of Round Robin News.

(text from Robbins Library website)