Watertown-Fort Drum, NY MSA
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Jefferson County is a county on the northern border of the U.S. state of
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
. As of the 2020 census, the population was 116,721. Its county seat is Watertown. The county is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America. It is adjacent to Lake Ontario, southeast from the Canada–US border of Ontario. Jefferson County comprises the Watertown- Fort Drum, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2014, it elected Colleen M. O'Neill as the first woman county sheriff in the state. She had served with the New York State Police for 32 years. The popularity of the area as a summer tourist destination results in a dramatic increase of population during that season. The United States Army's
10th Mountain Division The 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) is a light infantry division in the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. Formerly designated as a mountain warfare unit, the division was the only one of its size in the US military to re ...
is based at Fort Drum. The base had a total population of nearly 13,000 according to the 2010 census.


History

When counties were established in the Province of New York in 1683, the present Jefferson County was part of Albany County. This was an enormous county, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present State of Vermont and, in theory, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean. This county was reduced in size on July 3, 1766, by the creation of
Cumberland County Cumberland County may refer to: Australia * Cumberland County, New South Wales * the former name of Cumberland Land District, Tasmania, Australia Canada *Cumberland County, Nova Scotia United Kingdom *Cumberland, historic county *Cumberlan ...
, and further on March 16, 1770, by the creation of Gloucester County, both containing territory now in Vermont. On March 12, 1772, what was left of Albany County was split into three parts, one remaining under the name Albany County. One of the other pieces, Tryon County, contained the western portion (and thus, since no western boundary was specified, theoretically still extended west to the Pacific). The eastern boundary of Tryon County was approximately west of the present city of Schenectady, and the county included the western part of the Adirondack Mountains and the area west of the West Branch of the
Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock (village), New York, Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of N ...
. The area then designated as Tryon County now includes 37 counties of New York State. The county was named for William Tryon, colonial governor of New York. In the years subsequent to 1776, most of the Loyalists in Tryon County fled to Canada. In 1784, following the peace treaty that ended the American Revolutionary War, the name of Tryon County was changed to
Montgomery County Montgomery County may refer to: Australia * The former name of Montgomery Land District, Tasmania United Kingdom * The historic county of Montgomeryshire, Wales, also called County of Montgomery United States * Montgomery County, Alabama * Mon ...
to honor the general,
Richard Montgomery Richard Montgomery (2 December 1738 – 31 December 1775) was an Irish soldier who first served in the British Army. He later became a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and he is most famous for l ...
, who had captured several places in Canada and died attempting to capture the city of Quebec, replacing the name of the hated British governor. In 1789, the size of Montgomery County was reduced by the creation of Ontario County from Montgomery. The area split off from Montgomery County was much larger than the present county, as it was later divided to form the present Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie,
Genesee Genesee, derived from the Seneca word for "pleasant valley", may refer to: Geographic features Canada * Genesee, Alberta, an unincorporated community United States * Genesee, California *Genesee, Colorado *Genesee County, Michigan *Genesee C ...
,
Livingston Livingston may refer to: Businesses * Livingston Energy Flight, an Italian airline (2003–2010) * Livingston Compagnia Aerea, an Italian airline (2011–2014), also known as Livingston Airline * Livingston International, a North American custom ...
, Monroe,
Niagara Niagara may refer to: Geography Niagara Falls and nearby places In both the United States and Canada *Niagara Falls, the famous waterfalls in the Niagara River *Niagara River, part of the U.S.–Canada border *Niagara Escarpment, the cliff ov ...
, Orleans,
Steuben Steuben or Von Steuben most commonly refers to Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben (1730–1794), Prussian-American military officer, or to a number of things named for him in the United States. It may also refer to: Places *Steuben Township, Marshall C ...
, Wyoming,
Yates Yates may refer to: Places United States *Fort Yates, North Dakota *Yates Spring, a spring in Georgia, United States *Yates City, Illinois * Yates Township, Illinois *Yates Center, Kansas * Yates, Michigan * Yates Township, Michigan * Yates, Misso ...
, and parts of Schuyler and Wayne counties. Jefferson County is part of Macomb's Purchase of 1791. In 1791, Herkimer County was one of three counties split off from Montgomery (the other two being Otsego, and Tioga County). This was much larger than the present county, however, and was reduced by a number of subsequent splits. The first one of these, in 1794, produced Onondaga County. This county was larger than the current Onondaga County, including the present
Cayuga Cayuga often refers to: * Cayuga people, a native tribe to North America, part of the Iroquois Confederacy * Cayuga language, the language of the Cayuga Cayuga may also refer to: Places Canada * Cayuga, Ontario United States * Cayuga, Illinois ...
and Cortland Counties, and part of Oswego County. Oneida County (as well as a part of Chenango County), was split off from Herkimer County in 1798. Jefferson County was split off from Oneida County in 1805. In 1817, Carleton Island, captured from the British in the War of 1812, was annexed to the county. During the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the county was largely developed for agriculture. By the early 20th centuries, Watertown was a city with the highest per capita number of millionaires in the United States. Local industrialists had made early fortunes from industries driven by water power. Mills were established along the falls of the Black River from the first half of the nineteenth century. In 2019, Jefferson County and much of the rest of the
North Country North Country may refer to: Places * North Country, Cornwall, England * North Country, the northern third of New Hampshire, U.S. ** Great North Woods Region (New Hampshire) * North Country (New York), a region of Upstate New York ** North Country ...
was identified as one of the most politically tolerant communities in America, according to an analysis by PredictWise.


Geography

According to the
U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the county has an area of , of which is land and (32%) is water. It is the fourth-largest county in New York by area. Jefferson County is in New York State's northern lobe, adjacent to the area where the Saint Lawrence River exits Lake Ontario. It is northeast of
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 northwest of Utica. The county is at the international border with Canada. The Black River, which empties into Lake Ontario, is an important waterway in the county. Part of the
Tug Hill Plateau Tug Hill, sometimes referred to as the Tug Hill Plateau, is an upland region in northern New York State, famous for heavy winter snows. The Tug Hill region is east of Lake Ontario, north of Oneida Lake, and west of the Adirondack Mountains. The r ...
is in the southern part of the county. The county contains part of the Thousand Islands in the St. Lawrence River, including such large islands as Carleton Island, Grindstone Island, and Wellesley Island.


Adjacent counties

*
St. Lawrence County St. Lawrence County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 108,505. The county seat is Canton. The county is named for the Saint Lawrence River, which in turn was named for the Christian saint L ...
– northeast * Lewis County – southeast * Oswego County – southwest * Leeds and Grenville United Counties, Ontario – north * Frontenac County, Ontario – northwest


Major highways

* Interstate 81 * Interstate 781 *
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 ...
* New York State Route 3 * New York State Route 3A * New York State Route 12 * New York State Route 12E *
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 ...
* New York State Route 26 * New York State Route 37 * New York State Route 180


Demographics


2020 Census


2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 111,738 people, 40,068 households, and 28,127 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 54,070 housing units at an average density of . The county's racial makeup was 88.71% White, 5.83% Black or African American, 0.53% Native American, 0.92%
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 ...
, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 2.05% from other races, and 1.82% from two or more races. 4.19% of the population were 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 ...
of any race. 93.2% spoke English and 3.5% Spanish as their first language. 21.9% were of English, 14.1% Irish, 12.8% German, 8.5% French and 8.5% Italian ancestry according to the 2010 American Community Survey. There were 40,068 households, of which 37.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.60% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 10.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.80% were non-families. 24.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.07. 26.50% of the county's population was under age 18, 11.80% was from age 18 to 24, 31.30% was from age 25 to 44, 19.10% was from age 45 to 64, and 11.30% were age 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 107.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.50 males. The county's median household income was $34,006, and the median family income was $39,296. Males had a median income of $28,727 versus $21,787 for females. The county's per capita income was $16,202. About 10.00% of families and 13.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.80% of those under age 18 and 9.20% of those age 65 or over.


Education

Jefferson Community College in Watertown provides higher education within the county.


Communities


Larger Settlements

† - County Seat †† - Former Village


Towns

* Adams * Alexandria *
Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,
* Brownville *
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 ...
* Champion * Clayton * Ellisburg *
Henderson Henderson may refer to: People *Henderson (surname), description of the surname, and a list of people with the surname *Clan Henderson, a Scottish clan Places Argentina *Henderson, Buenos Aires Australia *Henderson, Western Australia Canada *He ...
* Hounsfield * Le Ray * Lorraine * Lyme * Orleans * Pamelia * Philadelphia * Rodman *
Rutland Rutland () is a ceremonial county and unitary authority in the East Midlands, England. The county is bounded to the west and north by Leicestershire, to the northeast by Lincolnshire and the southeast by Northamptonshire. Its greatest len ...
* Theresa * Watertown * Wilna * Worth


Hamlet

* Sanfords Four Corners


Government

Legislative authority is vested in the county Board of Legislators, which consists of 15 members each elected from single member districts for two-year terms. As of 2018, there are 14 Republicans and 1 Democrat.


Law enforcement

the
sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...
is Colleen M. O'Neill. O'Neill is the first female sheriff elected in the state, and was first elected in 2014. In 2012, the Sheriff's Office was the subject of three unrelated
sexual harassment Sexual harassment is a type of harassment involving the use of explicit or implicit sexual overtones, including the unwelcome and inappropriate promises of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. Sexual harassment includes a range of actions fro ...
lawsuits by a female deputy and two other women.


Sites of interest

*
Antique Boat Museum The Antique Boat Museum is a located in the 1000 Islands on the St. Lawrence River, in Clayton, New York, United States. The Antique Boat Museum is the premier freshwater boating museum in North America. The ABM's collections hold over 320 uniqu ...
* Boldt Castle *
Burnham Point State Park Burnham Point State Park is a state park located on the St. Lawrence River in the Town of Cape Vincent in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The park is approximately north of Watertown. The park was established in 1898 as part of ...
* Canoe-Picnic Point State Park *
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 ...
* Carleton Island *
Cedar Point State Park Cedar Point State Park is a state park located on Cedar Point in the Town of Cape Vincent in Jefferson County, New York. The park is located on Route 12E on the St. Lawrence River. The park was established in 1898 as part of the St. Lawrenc ...
* Clayton *
Dewolf Point State Park Dewolf Point State Park is a state park on Wellesley Island in the St. Lawrence River. The park is situated within the Town of Orleans in Jefferson County, New York. The park was established in 1898 as part of the St. Lawrence Reservation. P ...
*
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 ...
*
Fairview Manor Fairview Manor also known as Longue Vue Manor, Our Lady of Fairview, and Fairview Manor Restaurant and Lodge, is a historic home located at Clayton in Jefferson County, New York. It was built in 1937 as a summer retreat for Carl Zimmerman. It ...
* Fort Drum *
Grass Point State Park Grass Point State Park is a state park located in the Town of Orleans in Jefferson County, New York. The park is located along the St. Lawrence River by NY 12 and NY 180, between Clayton and Alexandria Bay. Park description Grass Point Stat ...
* Grenadier Island *
Grindstone Island Upper Schoolhouse Grindstone Island Upper Schoolhouse is a historic one-room school building located on Grindstone Island, Clayton, Jefferson County, New York. It was built in 1885, and is a 1 1/2-story, three bay by one bay, frame building on a granite foundation ...
*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Jefferson County, New York List of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Jefferson County, New York This is intended to be a complete list of properties and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Jefferson County, New York. The ...
* Orleans *
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 ...
*
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 ...
* Public Square Historic District * Roswell P. Flower Memorial Library * Sackets Harbor * Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site * Thousand Islands * Thousand Islands National Park * Tibbetts Point Lighthouse *
Union Hotel (Sackets Harbor, New York) Union Hotel, also known as Barrow's Hotel, is a historic hotel located at Sackets Harbor in Jefferson County, New York. It is a -story stone building, 51 feet by 69 feet, over a full basement. The original structure was built in 1817–1818. The ...
* Watertown *
Wellesley Island State Park Wellesley Island State Park is a state park located on Wellesley Island in the St. Lawrence River in the Town of Orleans in Jefferson County, New York. The park is divided into sections that are on different parts of the island. It has the lar ...


See also

* List of counties in New York


References


Further reading

*


External links


Jefferson County webpage
*
Guide to historical information



Jefferson County NY Wiki
{{authority control New York (state) counties 1805 establishments in New York (state) Populated places established in 1805 Thousand Islands