Water Street

Water Street is a short street running west from the Middlesex Turnpike to Cedar Road on the north side of Nuttings Lake, in Nuttings Lake Park. It was first laid out on the "Plan of Lots, Indian Knoll Terrace, Billerica, Mass., Owned by Frank Dolan," drawn by W. L. Whittemore, civil engineer, dated May 28, 1910 and recorded July 18, 1910 (Plan Book 27, Plan 49). On that plan Water Street runs from Cedar Road east "To Middlesex Turnpike," with Walnut and Pine Avenues to the north and lots running down to "Nutting's Lake" on the south, between land of Dolan and land of Stewart. H. A. Millhouse's "Nuttings Lake Park, Addition, Plan F" of June 1915, recorded October 20, 1915 (Plan Book 32, Plan 91), laid out on land beside the Dolan tract, shows Water Street again between the turnpike and Cedar Road. The street guide of 1930 to 1931 gives "Water (north side Nutting lake) from Old Middlesex Turnpike to Cedar rd." No record explains the name.

At the annual meeting of February 9, 1946 the town voted to accept "Water Street from Turnpike to Cedar Road 400 feet," together with Cedar Road, Walnut Street, Canterbury Street and other streets at the lake. Water Street was not among the streets the selectmen laid out for water mains that August, and the question came back: the warrant for 1953 asked the town to accept "Water Street, Nuttings Lake, west from Middlesex Turnpike about 350 feet," and on March 14, 1953 the meeting accepted it and raised $700 to improve it as a town way. The town's list of accepted streets records both votes, "From Turnpike to Cedar Rd. 400 ft. 2-9-46" and "From Turnpike 350 ft. 3-14-53." The town spent $610 on repairs to Water Street in 1953 and $275 in 1954.

Water Street was hot topped with bituminous concrete in 1972, together with Laurel and Canterbury Streets, and was repaved in fiscal 2003 and again in 2025. It is not among the roads of the 1831 map accepted by the town in 2016.

Historic Buildings

Name	Alternate	Address	Built	Moved	Demolished
Roman Catholic Church		11 Water St	1926		1975

References

1. Annual town meeting, Feb. 9, 1946, Article 49: Water Street from Turnpike to Cedar Road 400 ft accepted
2. Warrant 1953, Articles 123-124: accept Water Street, Nuttings Lake, west from Middlesex Turnpike about 350 ft
3. Annual town meeting March 14, 1953: Water Street accepted, $700 to improve it
4. Highway accounts 1953: Water St. repairs $610
5. Additional roads repaired 1954: Water Street $275
6. Streets Accepted by the Town (printed 1956): Water St. 2-9-46 and 3-14-53
7. Highway Department 1972: Water Street hot topped with bituminous concrete
8. Engineering Division FY2003: Water St among roads repaved