Watertown is a

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

in, and the county seat of, Jefferson County, New York, United States. It is approximately south of the Thousand Islands, along the Black River about east of where it flows into Lake Ontario. The city is bordered by the town of Watertown to the south, east, and west, and is served by the

Watertown International Airport Watertown International Airport is in the Town of Hounsfield in Jefferson County, New York, United States, west of Watertown. The airport is used for general aviation, but has scheduled passenger service subsidized by the Essential Air Serv ...

and the '' Watertown Daily Times'' newspaper. In the middle of Watertown lies the Public Square Historic District, which was built in 1805 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1984. Watertown is located southwest of the U.S. Army base at Fort Drum; it is the service and shopping destination for personnel there and their families. As of the

2020 United States Census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, the city has 24,685 residents. The area was first surveyed in 1796, and was settled in March 1800 due to the abundant hydropower the Black River provided. The city was designated as the county seat of Jefferson County when it was split off from Oneida County in 1805. Watertown was incorporated as a village in 1816, and became a city in 1869. By then, it was booming as an industrial center for Upstate New York. By the early 20th century the city was said to have more millionaires per capita than any other city in the nation. During the mid 1960s, Chicago attracted many of the younger residents from the area along with their businesses, leading to the demolition of many historic buildings and a steady decline in population. By 2000, the city had lost over 7,000 residents. The city serves as the commercial and financial center for a large rural area. Located from the Canadian border, shopping by Canadian visitors is important to Watertown's economy. The city also receives numerous tourists and summer residents. Watertown, South Dakota, was named in the city's honor.

History

Etymology

Watertown got its name from straddling the Black River. It is unknown which settler chose it, but it is commonly believed to have been a consensus choice in order to attract mills. By 1850, mills manufacturing different products, powered by the Black river, were being built throughout Watertown.

Precolonial and colonial eras

Old Baptist Church (Public Square, Watertown, NY - ca 1865)

In 1791, New York City resident Alexander Macomb purchased the land of Jefferson, Lewis,

St. Lawrence Saint Lawrence or Laurence ( la, Laurentius, lit. " laurelled"; 31 December AD 225 – 10 August 258) was one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome under Pope Sixtus II who were martyred in the persecution of the Christians that the Roman ...

and Oswego county. He sent out multiple surveyors to sell the land to passing settlers. The area of Watertown was first surveyed in 1796 by

Benjamin Wright Benjamin Wright (October 10, 1770 – August 24, 1842) was an American civil engineer who was chief engineer of the Erie Canal and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. In 1969, the American Society of Civil Engineers declared him the "Father of America ...

, who was employed by Macomb to survey the northern and central portions of New York State. Wright made the following statement about the land after returning: In 1798, pioneers Hart Massey, Henry Coffeen, and Zachariah Butterfield built cabins in what is now the Public Square area as part of a large migration into New York from New England after the Revolutionary War. The land was very uneven territory and was leveled out in one of the first

landfill A landfill site, also known as a tip, dump, rubbish dump, garbage dump, or dumping ground, is a site for the disposal of waste materials. Landfill is the oldest and most common form of waste disposal, although the systematic burial of the waste ...

projects in the United States. The area was taken from the nearby town of Mexico in 1800. Coffeen then moved his family into Watertown. He and the other pioneers chose the area due to the Black River, which flowed west into Lake Ontario about away. Their vision was for an industrial center that would draw power from the river. In 1805, settlers cleared the center of town to create Public Square. During the 19th century, several significant buildings were built around it. The area has been designated as a

historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from c ...

, listed on the . Watertown was designated as the

seat A seat is a place to sit. The term may encompass additional features, such as back, armrest, head restraint but also headquarters in a wider sense. Types of seat The following are examples of different kinds of seat: * Armchair (furniture), ...

of Jefferson County after it was split from Oneida County. At that time, Watertown was one of the least populated places in the county. Watertown was incorporated as a village in 1816. In 1869, it reincorporated as a city. Due to its proximity to Lake Ontario, Watertown became a popular location for transporting supplies into Canada, which helped its economy. As industry and businesses flourished, successful residents built substantial retail buildings, churches, and private residences close to the square. After the Embargo Act of 1807 was passed which prohibited trade with Britain and France, which at the time included Canada. The economy suffered as a result and eventually led to smuggling materials into Canada, leading to the War of 1812. During the Civil War, the

35th New York Infantry Regiment The 35th New York Infantry Regiment, the " Jefferson County Regiment", was an infantry regiment of the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service This regiment was accepted by the State May 25, 1861; organized at Elmira, and there muste ...

began in Watertown. The

Paddock Arcade The Paddock Arcade is a 19th-century shopping mall located in Watertown, New York. Built in 1850, it is the second oldest covered shopping mall and the oldest continuously running enclosed shopping mall in the United States. Since it has seen un ...

, built in 1850 according to European and US models, is the oldest continuously operating enclosed mall in the United States. It is also listed on the National Register, as are several mansions and churches, such as the Emma Flower Taylor Mansion and the Trinity Episcopal Church. The drops in the Black at Watertown's location— in the center of town, and over —provided abundant water power for early industry. By the mid-19th century, entrepreneurs had built paper mills and major industries, including one to manufacture the first portable steam engine in 1847. In the late 1940s Watertown saw an influx in population from Irish migration into the area during

the famine The Famine was an American death metal band formed in Arlington, Texas in 2007. They were signed to Solid State Records. History Formation and three-song EP The band initially formed with three of the original members of Embodyment in ...

. In 1849 a fire began in the public square that destroyed most of the surrounding buildings. In 1851, the city was joined to Albany,

Syracuse Syracuse may refer to: Places Italy *Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa'' *Province of Syracuse United States *Syracuse, New York **East Syracuse, New York **North Syracuse, New York *Syracuse, Indiana * Syracuse, Kansas *Syracuse, Miss ...

, and Rochester as well as other major cities of the state with the

Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad The Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad was a railroad that grew, in stages, from Rome, New York to Watertown and then to Ogdensburg, New York and Massena, New York. The original Rome and Watertown Railroad terminated in Cape Vincent, NY on ...

. Other mills were added to the business base, generating revenue to support the city's early public works projects, such as the water system and illuminating gas works in 1853, and a telephone system in 1879. Watertown claims that Rodman native

Frank W. Woolworth Frank Winfield Woolworth (April 13, 1852 – April 8, 1919) was an American entrepreneur, the founder of F. W. Woolworth Company, and the operator of variety stores known as "Five-and-Dimes" (5- and 10-cent stores or dime stores) which featured ...

conceived the idea of his eponymous mercantile chain while working here in 1878. Woolworth, then employed as a clerk in Moore's Store, set up a successful clearance display of low-priced items. This led to his idea of a store specializing in fixed-price, cut-rate merchandise. Woolworth left Watertown and opened his first store in 1879 in Utica. Among the many manufacturing businesses was the Davis Sewing Machine Company, which originated in Watertown. It was the predecessor to

George P. Huffman George Phillips Huffman (September 6, 1862 – December 31, 1897) was an American businessman. His Davis Sewing Machine Company, which began producing bicycles in the late 19th century, was the precursor to the Huffman Manufacturing Company (later ...

's Huffy Corporation, now a maker of bicycles and other sporting goods. In the late 1890s, many new factories and industries were established, increasing the population by over 17,000 in the span of 30 years. The city gained a reputation for gambling and prostitution. Watertown also developed an educated professional class of doctors and lawyers. The economic center of the country kept moving west following the development of the frontier and a shift of population into the

Midwest The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four Census Bureau Region, census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of ...

. In 1920, the city adopted a

city manager A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a "Mayor–council government" council–manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief execu ...

-style of government. After the Wall Street Crash of 1929, many stores shut down and laid off a considerable amount of their workforce, leading to economic hardships until World War II, when Watertown's industries switched from consumer products to war materiel, revitalizing the economy.

Contemporary history

Little Trees were developed in Watertown in 1951; the Car-Freshner Corporation headquarters and manufacturing plant is located in the city. In the 1960s and 1970s, Watertown began a large de-industrialization which destroyed many historic buildings, such as the Hotel Woodruff and old courthouse. Watertown suffered economic and population declines. As Chicago boomed, it attracted many of the younger people from upstate New York for its business and professional opportunities. By the 1980s, unemployment in the area was up 20 percent. In the 21st century, the city serves as a hub for a large rural area. In 2006, the city began a $7.4 million project that restored multiple buildings as well as fixing roads and walkways. The city completed this project in 2008, although more fixes are planned. In early 2019, Watertown was named "The Least Politically Prejudiced Place in America" by

Amanda Ripley Amanda Ripley is an American journalist and author. She has covered high-profile topics for ''Time'' and other outlets, and she contributes to ''The Atlantic''. Her book ''The Smartest Kids in the World'' was a ''New York Times'' bestseller. Bio ...

Geography

Watertown is around northwest of

, south of the Thousand Islands and northwest of New York City. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which are land and (3.45 percent) is water. Before the area was settled, all the land was rough and forested. Elevation was also a problem. The Black River, flowing westward through the city toward Lake Ontario, is a world-renowned

kayaking Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits fac ...

destination. Competition-level kayaking events, such as the Blackwater Challenge, have been held on the river.

Climate

Watertown has a humid continental climate or hemiboreal climate( Köppen: ''Dfb''), with cold, snowy winters and an atypical autumn maximum precipitation regime, this being far more common in areas on the west coasts of landmasses. ''(direct
Final Revised Paper
)'' Unless otherwise noted, all figures cited below are from the GHCN station located closer to downtown. Winters can be very cold: temperatures remain at or below the freezing mark on an average of 54 days annually, and fall to or below on an average 20 nights. Moreover, Watertown is located in plant

hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most wide ...

4b, which means that the temperature is likely to drop below at least once a year. Summers are mild to warm, and temperatures of or above on average occur on only 3.1 days annually. Record temperatures range from a low of on December 29, 1933, up to highs of on July 20 and 27, 1894, although those at the airport have dropped as low as on January 16, 1994. Precipitation averages , and is distributed fairly uniformly throughout the year, with slightly more during autumn and slightly less during spring and late winter. Since Watertown is situated near the eastern edge of Lake Ontario, it receives much

lake-effect snow Lake-effect snow is produced during cooler atmospheric conditions when a cold air mass moves across long expanses of warmer lake water. The lower layer of air, heated up by the lake water, picks up water vapor from the lake and rises up through ...

, averaging of snowfall in the winter.

Demographics

Watertown,_NY_Population_Line_chart_1870-2020

As of the census of 2000, there were 26,705 people, 11,036 households, and 6,500 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 12,450 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 89.13 percent White, 4.95 percent Black or African American, 0.54 percent Native American, 1.16 percent

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.11 percent Pacific Islander, 1.67 percent from other races, and 2.45 percent from two or more races. Hispanic or

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

people of any race were 3.59 percent of the population. In 2009, the population was estimated at 27,489. There were 11,036 households, out of which 31.9 percent had residents under the age of 18 living with them, 40.7 percent were married couples living together, 14.2 percent had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.1 percent were non-families. 34.5 percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.99. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.9 percent under the age of 18, 10.4 percent from 18 to 24, 29.6 percent from 25 to 44, 18.5 percent from 45 to 64, and 15.5 percent who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $28,429, and the median income for a family was $36,115. Males had a median income of $31,068 versus $21,294 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,354. About 14.4 percent of families and 19.3 percent of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.2 percent of those under age 18 and 11.8 percent of those aged 65 or over. As of the

2010 US Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...

, there were 27,023 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the village was 86.25 percent White, 6.04 percent African American, 0.58 percent Native American, 1.83 percent

, 0.18 percent Pacific Islander, 1.33 percent from other races, and 3.79 percent from two or more races. Hispanic or

people of any race were 5.59 percent of the population. As of the

2020 US Census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 24,685 people with 7.9 percent of residents being under the age of 5, 23.5 percent under 18, and 12.9 percent being over the age of 65, with 49.5 percent of residents being female and 50.5 percent being male. There were 10,867 households with 43.3 percent of the houses being made up of individuals. The population density was 2,996.0 per square mile (4821.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.8 percent White, 8.5 percent Black or African American, 1.0 percent Native American, 1.5 percent

, 7.8 percent Hispanic or Latino, 0.1 percent Pacific Islander, or 4.4 percent of two or more races.

Economy

During the 2020 US Census the

median In statistics and probability theory, the median is the value separating the higher half from the lower half of a data sample, a population, or a probability distribution. For a data set, it may be thought of as "the middle" value. The basic fe ...

price for owner-occupied housing units was $133,400, with the median income for a household being $40,253. Because the city is located from the

Canada–United States border The border between Canada and the United States is the longest international border in the world. The terrestrial boundary (including boundaries in the Great Lakes, Atlantic, and Pacific coasts) is long. The land border has two sections: Can ...

via the Thousand Islands Bridge, shopping by Canadian visitors is an important part of the local economy. In the 1980s, unemployment in the area was up 20 percent, and property values rapidly decreased. After Fort Drum was established, Watertown's industry shifted from industrial to consumer products.

Industry

The city contains Factory Square, of factories that were once powered by the Black River. In the 1880s and 1890s, many new factories were established, which began an economic boom. In 1900 3,760 workers were employed in the factories. Immediately adjacent to the factories and river was a prominent saloon district, which became a common location for scams, and the ''Watertown Daily Times'' often referenced workers being scammed by "tinhorn gamblers and short-card men". In fall 2019, the city began a revitalization program for Sewall's Island and Factory Square in hopes of attracting new investments, businesses, and identifying transformational projects in the area. The city was awarded a Strategic Planning and Feasibility Studies grant from the

New York Department of State The New York State Department of State (NYSDOS) is the department of the New York state government under the leadership of the Secretary of State of New York.Executive Law § 90. "There shall be in the state government a department of state. The h ...

to pay for the plan.

Arts and culture

The Roswell P. Flower Memorial Library was built in 1904 as a memorial to Flower by his daughter, Emma Flower Taylor. The area also has a large Amish population.

Historic sites

Trinity Episcopal Church and Parish House

Watertown contains a number of historic buildings and districts. Buildings on the NRHP include the

Paddock Mansion Paddock Mansion is a historic home located at Watertown in Jefferson County, New York. Since 1922, it has been the headquarters of the Jefferson County Historical Society. It was built in 1876 and is a -story brick structure on a high basement i ...

(added December 11, 1979), the Watertown Masonic Temple (added January 23, 1980), and the

Emerson Place Emerson Place is a historic townhouse complex located at Watertown in Jefferson County, New York. It was built in 1904 and is a two-story, flat-roofed, brick, nearly symmetrical set of eleven units in the Colonial Revival style. The long facade o ...

(added April 18, 2003), as well as several buildings inside the Public Square Historic District (added September 7, 1984). The

Jefferson County Courthouse Complex Jefferson County Courthouse Complex is a courthouse complex and national historic district located at Watertown in Jefferson County, New York. The district includes three contributing buildings; the courthouse building (1862), Clerk's Office (1883� ...

is an example of the substantial architecture of the city.

Sports

The

Duffy Fairgrounds The Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds is a multi-purpose facility in Watertown, New York, spanning 67 acres. The stadium capacity is 3,500. It contains the longest-running fair in the United States, The Jefferson County Fair, and was named after Alex ...

is currently home to three sports teams. The Watertown Red & Black of the

Empire Football League The Empire Football League (EFL) is a semi-professional American football league with franchises based primarily in New York State. The league was established in 1969. Many franchises have come and gone including in locations such as Pennsylvania, ...

. The Red & Black are the oldest active semipro football team in the United States, founded in 1896. The Watertown Rapids of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League have played here starting in 2017, following several professional teams. The Watertown Wolves have played at the municipal arena at the fairgrounds since 2012. They are a member of the Federal Prospects Hockey League and have won three titles, in 2015, 2018, and 2022. After first hosting a minor league baseball team in the 1888 Eastern International League, Watertown and Duffy Fairgrounds hosted several others. The

Watertown Bucks Watertown may refer to: Places in China In China, a water town is a type of ancient scenic town known for its waterways. Places in the United States *Watertown, Connecticut, a New England town **Watertown (CDP), Connecticut, the central village ...

of the Can-Am League (1936), the Watertown Athletics of the

Border League The Border League, is the oldest established rugby union league in the World, having been formed in 1901. Currently known as the Booker Border League, after its sponsors, teams from all over the Scottish Borders as well as Berwick RFC from Nor ...

(1946-1951), the

Watertown Pirates The Watertown Pirates were a Short-Season Class-A minor league baseball team located in Watertown, New York. The team played in the New York–Penn League from 1983 to 1998. They played their home games at the Duffy Fairgrounds Ball Park. From ...

(1983-1988) and

Watertown Indians Watertown may refer to: Places in China In China, a water town is a type of ancient scenic town known for its waterways. Places in the United States *Watertown, Connecticut, a New England town **Watertown (CDP), Connecticut, the central village ...

of the

New York-Penn League New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

(1989-1998) played at the Duffy Fairgrounds. Watertown teams were an affiliate of the Boston Bees (1936),

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...

(1983-1988) and Cleveland Indians (1989-1998).

Parks and Recreation

Thompson Park is about of

park A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...

designed by John Charles Olmsted. The park was gifted to the city in 1916. The park contains Zoo New York, which began in 1920 when the Northern New York Trust Company donated two whitetail deer to Thompson Park and the City of Watertown. The following are also located inside the park: * A half-acre () of children's

playground A playground, playpark, or play area is a place designed to provide an environment for children that facilitates play, typically outdoors. While a playground is usually designed for children, some are designed for other age groups, or people ...

* A stone pavilion building with benches * Small stone stairways that serve as a hiking trail * Hills that are often used as sledding areas * The Watertown Golf Club * Tennis courts * Outdoor skating area * Cross-country ski trails

Government

The city's government was created after the village's incorporation in 1816. The act of incorporation provided for the election of five trustees, one for each ward. These extended to the formation of a fire department, the construction of water works and regulation of streets. In 1816, the first village election was held, at which Timothy Burr was chosen President. Sixteen years later, the village trustees were empowered by an act of the Legislature to borrow up to $2,000 ($ in modern dollars) to improve the fire department. In 1835 legislation authorized the construction of a market. In 1852, the boundaries of the village were extended and two wards added, making seven total. The officers consisted of a President, three Assessors, a Clerk, a Treasurer, a Collector and two police constables. Elections were held on the first Monday in March. Watertown is served by the Watertown Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

Education

Watertown is served by the Watertown City School District. The elementary schools are North, Ohio, Knickerbocker, Sherman, and Starbuck. The higher-level schools are H.T. Wiley Intermediate School, Case Middle School, Watertown High School, Immaculate Heart Central Elementary, Intermediate, and Junior and Senior High Schools, the Catholic and secular educational institutions. There is also a Faith Fellowship Christian School. Jefferson Community College (JCC) is located in the northwestern part of the city and serves as the only institution of higher education within a radius. It was started in 1961 and is part of the

State University of New York The State University of New York (SUNY, , ) is a system of public colleges and universities in the State of New York. It is one of the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States. Led by c ...

(SUNY).

Media

The local newspaper, the '' Watertown Daily Times'', is published seven days a week and serves

Jefferson Jefferson may refer to: Names * Jefferson (surname) * Jefferson (given name) People * Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States * Jefferson (footballer, born 1970), full name Jefferson Tomaz de Souza, Brazilian foo ...

and Lewis counties. The ''Fort Drum Mountaineer'' is a weekly newspaper for Fort Drum soldiers and their dependents. The Watertown market is served by four commercial television stations. The oldest is Carthage- licensed, CBS-affiliated WCNY-TV (channel 7), put on the air in 1954 by the publishers of the ''Watertown Daily Times''. The station changed its call letters to

WWNY-TV WWNY-TV (channel 7) is a television station licensed to Carthage, New York, United States, serving as the CBS affiliate for the Watertown area. It is owned by Gray Television alongside low-power, Class A Fox affiliate WNYF-CD (channel 28). B ...

in 1965. After an unsuccessful struggle against the Federal Communications Commission and its directive for newspapers to divest themselves of television stations held within the same market, the ''Daily Times'' sold WWNY-TV to United Communications Corporation of Kenosha, Wisconsin, in 1981. In 2001, United Communications entered into an agreement with Smith Broadcasting to operate a

Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

network affiliate with low-power transmitters in Watertown and Massena. After a year of joint operation, UCC took complete ownership of

WNYF-CD WNYF-CD (channel 28) is a low-power, Class A television station in Watertown, New York, United States, affiliated with the Fox network. It is owned by Gray Television alongside Carthage-licensed CBS affiliate WWNY-TV (channel 7). Both station ...

/WWNY-CD (channel 28). Both WWNY and WNYF were sold to Atlanta-based

Gray Television Gray Television, Inc. is an American publicly traded television broadcasting company based in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1946 by James Harrison Gray as Gray Communications Systems, the company owns or operates 180 stations across the United St ...

in 2019. Watertown is also served by PBS member stations

WPBS-TV WPBS-TV (channel 16) is a PBS member television station in Watertown, New York, United States, owned by the St. Lawrence Valley Educational TV Council. The station's studios are located on Arsenal Street in Watertown, and its transmitter is loc ...

/WNPI-DT (channels 16/18), NBC affiliate

WVNC-LD WVNC-LD (channel 45) is a low-power television station in Watertown, New York, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by SagamoreHill Broadcasting. The station's studios are located at Public Square in downtown Watertown, and its trans ...

(channel 45), which also operates the area's MyNetworkTV affiliate on its LD2 subchannel, and

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

affiliate

WWTI-TV WWTI (channel 50) is a television station in Watertown, New York, United States, affiliated with ABC and The CW Plus. Owned by Nexstar Media Group, the station has studios on Court Street in downtown Watertown, and its transmitter is located on ...

(channel 50), which also operates the area's CW affiliate through The CW Plus.

Radio

Watertown is served by a number of radio stations: * WATN 1240 AM News/Talk *

WBDR WBDR (106.7 FM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Copenhagen, New York, and serving the Watertown area of New York State. It has a CHR/Top 40 radio format and is owned by Community Broadcasters, LLC. Its effective radiated power (ERP) is ...

106.7 FM (Copenhagen) Top 40 *

WBLH WBLH (92.5 MHz, called "TUNES") is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Black River, New York, and serving the Watertown area. It broadcasts a variety hits radio format. WBLH also has a 65 watt FM translator in Watertown, W283CC, ...

92.5 FM (Black River) Classic hits *

WCIZ-FM WCIZ-FM (93.3 MHz) is a commercial radio station in Watertown, New York. It is owned by the Stephens Media Group and airs a classic hits radio format, which leans toward classic rock. Unlike some classic hits stations, WCIZ does not play pop or ...

93.3 FM Classic hits *

WFRY-FM WFRY-FM (97.5 MHz '' Froggy 97'') is a commercial radio station in Watertown, New York. It is owned by the Stephens Media Group and airs a country music radio format. It has the highest power of any radio station in the Watertown radio market, 9 ...

97.5 FM Country music * WJNY 90.9 FM Classical *

WKWV #REDIRECT KWV South Africa (Pty) LTD KWV South Africa (Proprietary) Limited (founded as ''Ko-operatiewe Wijnbouwers Vereniging van Zuid-Afrika'') is one of the leading wine and spirits producers in South Africa. Its brands include Roodeberg, KWV Wi ...

90.1 FM Christian Contemporary (K-Love) *

WNER WNER (1410 AM broadcasting, AM) is a sports radio station in Watertown (city), New York, Watertown, New York, United States. The station is owned by Stephens Media Group (broadcasting), Stephens Media Group. It broadcasts the national programming ...

1410 AM Sports * WOTT 94.1 FM (Calcium) Classic Rock * WRVJ 91.7 FM Public radio *

WSLJ :''See also Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI.'' North Country Public Radio is a National Public Radio member regional radio network headquartered in Canton, New York. The member-supported network is owned by St. Lawrence University and is the Na ...

88.9 FM Public radio *

WTNY WTNY (790 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Watertown, New York. The station airs a talk radio format and is owned by the Stephens Media Group. The studios and offices are on Mullin Street. WTNY broadcasts at 1,000 watts. By day it uses ...

790 AM Talk *

WTOJ WTOJ (103.1 FM) is an adult contemporary music radio station in Carthage, New York. The station plays music from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. The station is known as "Magic 103.1". Station history The station first went onto air in 1983. The sta ...

103.1 FM (Carthage) Adult Contemporary *

WWTJ-LP The following is a list of FCC-licensed radio stations in the U.S. state of New York, which can be sorted by their call signs, frequencies, cities of license, licensees, and programming formats. List of radio stations Defunct * W8XH * WAIH ...

96.9 FM Religious Teaching

Infrastructure

The city is known partially because of its various late 19th century styles of architecture, including

Eastlake Eastlake may refer to: Places ;Australia * Kingston, Australian Capital Territory, formerly called Eastlake ** Eastlake Football Club, an amateur Australian Rules Football Club named after that location ;United States * Eastlake, Lake County, C ...

as seen in the

, Colonial Revival as seen in the

and Queen Anne as seen in the

Emma Flower Taylor Mansion Emma Flower Taylor Mansion is a historic home located at Watertown in Jefferson County, New York. It was built in 1896–1897 and is a massive -story mansion constructed of rock faced, random course Medina sandstone which was hand-cut on site. ...

Transportation

Watertown was the nexus of the Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg Railroad, which was later absorbed into the New York Central Railroad (NYC) network. Watertown sat at the junction of five different lines, as trains from

, Rome, Oswego, and Utica passed through Watertown on their way to points along the St. Lawrence River (principally, Ogdensburg and Massena) and to Canada. The Watertown passenger station, situated along the Black River behind Public Square at what is now J.B. Wise Place, was described as among the finest in the system. With the decline in travel by rail after World War II, however, the last named passenger train with a sleeper section to the town was the ''Iroquois'' in 1961; the train carrying sleepers south from Watertown was the ''Fifth Avenue / Cleveland Limited,'' also ending in 1961. Passenger service to Watertown finally ended in 1964. The station itself was demolished and replaced with a parking lot. Although the rail network is greatly attenuated compared to its peak in the early 20th century,

CSX Transportation CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...

still transports freight by rail through Watertown. Interstate 81 runs through the Watertown area. It is a north-south route that runs from near Dandridge, Tennessee north to Hill Island, Ontario, connecting via the Thousand Islands Bridge and a short connecting road to

Highway 401 King's Highway 401, commonly referred to as Highway 401 and also known by its official name as the Macdonald–Cartier Freeway or colloquially referred to as the four-oh-one, is a controlled-access 400-series highway in the Canadian provin ...

across the Canada–US border. Interstate 81 passes just to the west of the city of Watertown, near Salmon Run Mall. Access to the highway is from Exits 45 ( Route 3), 46 ( Route 12F), and 47 ( Route 12).

U.S. Route 11 {{Infobox road , country=USA , type=US , route=11 , map={{maplink, frame=yes, plain=yes, frame-align=center, frame-width=290, frame-height=330, type=line, from=U.S. Route 11.map , map_custom=yes , map_notes=US 11 in red, US 11E in blue, US 11W in ...

runs from eastern New Orleans, Louisiana, to its northern terminus at the

in Rouses Point, New York. U.S. Route 11 runs north-south through the city of Watertown. Many state highways converge on the city. New York State Route 3 is an east-west route that begins in

Sterling Sterling may refer to: Common meanings * Sterling silver, a grade of silver * Sterling (currency), the currency of the United Kingdom ** Pound sterling, the primary unit of that currency Places United Kingdom * Stirling, a Scottish city w ...

and heads north and east to Watertown. NY 3 interchanges with I-81 at the city line. NY 3 heads east into Watertown, overlapping with both US 11 and NY 12 through downtown prior to leaving the city to the northeast to head through the Adirondacks to

Plattsburgh Plattsburgh ( moh, Tsi ietsénhtha) is a city in, and the seat of, Clinton County, New York, United States, situated on the north-western shore of Lake Champlain. The population was 19,841 at the 2020 census. The population of the surrounding ...

. New York State Route 12 is a north-south route through the city, extending northward to Clayton then following the

St. Lawrence Seaway The St. Lawrence Seaway (french: la Voie Maritime du Saint-Laurent) is a system of locks, canals, and channels in Canada and the United States that permits oceangoing vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes of North Americ ...

Morristown Morristown may refer to: Places Canada *Morristown, Nova Scotia (disambiguation) United States * Morristown, Arizona *Morristown, Indiana ** Morristown station (Indiana) *Morristown, Minnesota ** Morristown Township, Rice County, Minnesota *Morris ...

. A spur, NY 12E, takes a slightly-longer path through

Cape Vincent Cape Vincent is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 2,777 at the 2010 census. The town is in the northwestern part of the county. In the town is a village also called Cape Vincent. Both town and village are ...

before rejoining NY 12.

New York State Route 12F New York State Route 12F (NY 12F) is an east–west state highway in Jefferson County, New York, in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 180 in the town of Hounsfield to a junction with U.S. Route 1 ...

is a spur connecting NY 12 in downtown Watertown to New York State Route 180 near the

Dexter Dexter may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Dexter, the main character of the American animated series ''Dexter's Laboratory'' that aired from 1996 to 2003 * Dexter, a fictional character in the British Diary of a Bad Man#Main, web series ''Diar ...

Adirondack Trailways Trailways of New York is one of the largest privately held transportation companies based in New York State. It employs over 450 people and carries passengers more than 80 million miles annually. TrailwaysNY, as it is known, operates over 150 tr ...

serves both

, to the south, and Potsdam, to the east, on its

run. CitiBus also serves Watertown.

is a county-owned, public-use airport located in Hounsfield, west of Watertown's central business district of Watertown. American Eagle has scheduled flights to and from Philadelphia.

Notable people

Historic

During the late 19th century through the mid 20th century, Watertown became known for its extensive list of politicians born in or who studied in the city, notable examples include

John Foster Dulles John Foster Dulles (, ; February 25, 1888 – May 24, 1959) was an American diplomat, lawyer, and Republican Party politician. He served as United States Secretary of State under President Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1953 to 1959 and was briefly ...

and

Allen Dulles Allen Welsh Dulles (, ; April 7, 1893 – January 29, 1969) was the first civilian Director of Central Intelligence (DCI), and its longest-serving director to date. As head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) during the early Cold War, he ov ...

, who attended

public schools Public school may refer to: *State school (known as a public school in many countries), a no-fee school, publicly funded and operated by the government *Public school (United Kingdom), certain elite fee-charging independent schools in England and ...

in the city. The tallest building in the city, the Dulles State Office Building was named after Foster Dulles, and was built in 1970. Robert Lansing was born in Albany, New York in 1799 and moved to Watertown in 1817. Robert Lansing was born in Watertown and until 1907 he was a member of the law firm of Lansing & Lansing at Watertown and went on to become the 42nd United States Secretary of State.

Joseph Mullin Joseph Mullin (August 6, 1811May 17, 1882) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. Early life Mullin was born near Dromore, County Down, Ireland on August 6, 1811. He came to the United States in 1820 with his parents, and they s ...

was born in Ireland and grew up in Watertown, and went on to be Member of the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

from New York's

19th 19 (nineteen) is the natural number following 18 and preceding 20. It is a prime number. Mathematics 19 is the eighth prime number, and forms a sexy prime with 13, a twin prime with 17, and a cousin prime with 23. It is the third full re ...

district.

was born in Watertown and was a member of the

New York State Senate The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature; the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Its members are elected to two-year terms; there are no term limits. There are 63 seats in the Senate. Partisan com ...

from 1892 until his death in 1897.

Roswell P. Flower Roswell Pettibone Flower (August 7, 1835May 12, 1899) was an American politician who served as the 30th Governor of New York from 1892 to 1894. He also served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1889 to 1891. Biography He was bo ...

was born in Theresa and became Deputy Postmaster of Watertown in 1853, becoming 30th

Governor of New York The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has ...

from 1892 to 1894. The Roswell P. Flower Memorial Library was named after him.

Frank Winfield Woolworth Frank Winfield Woolworth (April 13, 1852 – April 8, 1919) was an American entrepreneur, the founder of F. W. Woolworth Company, and the operator of variety stores known as "Five-and-Dimes" (5- and 10-cent stores or dime stores) which featured ...

was born in

Rodman, New York Rodman is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 1,176 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from a public official, Daniel Rodman. The town is in the southeastern part of the county and is south of Watertown. ...

and attended a business college for two terms in Watertown, New York where he came up for the idea of a

five-and-dime A variety store (also five and dime (historic), pound shop, or dollar store) is a retail store that sells general merchandise, such as apparel, automotive parts, dry goods, toys, hardware, home furnishings, and a selection of groceries. It us ...

Contemporary

Eric Anzalone James Eric Anzalone (born October 6, 1965) is an American singer who was the Leatherman/Biker of the disco supergroup Village People from 1995 to 2017, replacing original member Glenn Hughes. Early life and education Anzalone was born in Da ...

was born in Dayton, Ohio, but grew up in Watertown, he was the leatherman of the group Village People from 1995 to 2017.

Antonio Blakeney Antonio Davon Blakeney (born October 4, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Jiangsu Dragons of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball for the LSU Tigers. High school career Born in Watertow ...

was born in Watertown and became a

shooting guard The shooting guard (SG), also known as the two, two guard or off guard,Shooting guards are 6'3"–6'7"BBC Sports academy URL last accessed 2006-09-09. is one of the five traditional positions in a regulation basketball game. A shooting guard's m ...

for the Cleveland Charge. In May 2021, he was arrested for armed robbery but bonded out of jail. Bob McCreadie was born in Watertown and was a racer at the

Watertown Speedway Watertown Speedway was a 1/2 mile dirt oval raceway located at the Jefferson County fairgrounds in Watertown, New York. Located in the Thousand Islands region, it drew competitors and fans from both sides of the Canada–US border History Au ...

before its closure in 1975.

Mary Gay Scanlon Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...

was born in Watertown and is a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

In popular culture

Watertown has appeared in multiple pieces of media over the years. Writer Fred Exley grew up in Watertown, and he set much of his 1968 novel ''

A Fan's Notes ''A Fan's Notes'' is a 1968 novel by Frederick Exley. Subtitled "A Fictional Memoir" and categorized as fiction, the book is semi-autobiographical. In a brief "Note to the Reader" in the opening pages, Exley writes: "Though the events in this boo ...

'' in the city.

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...

's 1970 concept album '' Watertown'' explores the life of a middle-aged man in Watertown, whose wife has left him and his children. Harry Chapin made a famous quote: "I spent a week there one afternoon" about Watertown. His song " A Better Place to Be" was inspired by a story he heard in Watertown. Chapin mentioned both the quote and the origin of the song on his 1976 album ''

Greatest Stories Live ''Greatest Stories Live'' is a 1976 greatest hits live album by the American singer-songwriter Harry Chapin. It was recorded over three nights at three California venues in November 1975. Certain elements had to be re-recorded in the studio due to ...

''. Watertown was the given setting for the 1990

Bette Midler Bette Midler (;''Inside the Actors Studio'', 2004 born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress, comedian and author. Throughout her career, which spans over five decades, Midler has received List of awards and nominations received by Be ...

film ''

Stella Stella or STELLA may refer to: Art, entertainment, and media Comedy *Stella (comedy group), a comedy troupe consisting of Michael Showalter, Michael Ian Black and David Wain Characters *Stella (given name), including a list of characters with th ...

''. While the movie was filmed in Ontario, several local items were taken there to be shown in the film, including the local daily newspaper, taxi-cabs, and shopping bags from the locally owned Empsall's department store. In the 2005 film '' Robots'', the fictional town of

Rivet Town ''Robots'' is a 2005 American computer animation, computer-animated science fiction film, science fiction adventure film, adventure comedy film produced by Blue Sky Studios and distributed by 20th Century Fox. It was directed by Chris Wedge and wr ...

was rumored to be based on Watertown, where director Chris Wedge lived during his teens. However, Wedge dismissed this in an interview.

References

Citations

* *

External links

*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watertown, New York 1800 establishments in New York (state) Watertown, New York Cities in New York (state) County seats in New York (state) Cities in Jefferson County, New York Populated places established in 1800