Watson is a
town
A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city.
The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
in
Lewis County,
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
New York may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* ...
, United States. The population was 1,802 at the 2020 census.
The town is named after early landowner James Watson. The town is at the eastern border of the county and is east of
Lowville, the county seat.
History
The area of Watson was first settled ''circa'' 1815. The town was formed from the town of
Leyden
Leiden ( ; ; in English and archaic Dutch also Leyden) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. The municipality of Leiden has a population of 127,046 (31 January 2023), but the city forms one densely connecte ...
in 1821. Parts of Watson were later taken to form the towns of
Greig (1828),
Diana
Diana most commonly refers to:
* Diana (name), given name (including a list of people with the name)
* Diana (mythology), ancient Roman goddess of the hunt and wild animals; later associated with the Moon
* Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–1997), ...
(1830),
Croghan (1841) and
New Bremen (1848).
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the town has a total area of , of which are land and , or 2.56%, are water.
The eastern town line is the border of
Herkimer County, and the western town line is partly defined by the
Black River.
The
Beaver River, a tributary of the Black River, flows through the northern part of the town. The eastern section of Watson is inside the
Adirondack Park
The Adirondack Park is a park in northeastern New York (state), New York protecting the Adirondack Mountains. The park was established in 1892 for "the free use of all the people for their health and pleasure", and for watershed protection. At , ...
.
Demographics
As of the
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2020, there were 1,802 people, 774 households, and 500 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 1,296 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 94.89%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.17%
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.05%
Native American, 0.17%
Asian, 0.00%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, and 4.67% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or
Latino of any race were 0.94% of the population.
There were 774 households, out of which 153 had children under the age of 18 living with them, 438 were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 129 had a female householder with no husband present, and 274 were non-families. 69 of all households were made up of individuals, and 47 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average family size was 2.68.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 19% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 20.72% from 25 to 44, 32.24% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.2 years.
The median income for a household in the town was $68,364, and the median income for a family was $70,203. 9.2% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
.
Communities and locations in Watson
*
Beaver Lake – A
lake
A lake is often a naturally occurring, relatively large and fixed body of water on or near the Earth's surface. It is localized in a basin or interconnected basins surrounded by dry land. Lakes lie completely on land and are separate from ...
in the northeastern part of the town by the town line.
*Bushes Landing – A
hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...
east of Watson Village on County Road 26 and near the Black River.
*Chase Lake – A lake south of Sperryville.
*Crystal Dale – A location near the northern town line, located north of Petries Corners on County Road 26.
*Eagle Falls – A location on the Beaver River in the northern part of the town.
*
Francis Lake – A lake near the eastern town line, south of Beaver Lake.
*Moshier Falls – A location at the eastern town line in Herkimer County.
*Number Four – A location in the northeastern part of the town, west of Beaver Lake on County Road 26.
*Petries Corners – A hamlet in the southern section of the town, northeast of Watson village on County Road 26.
*Pine Grove – A hamlet near the southern town line, southeast of Watson village. The
Pine Grove Community Church was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
in 2009.
*
Soft Maple Reservoir – An artificial lake at the town line by Eagle Falls.
*Sperryville – A hamlet in the southern part of the town, inside the Adirondack Park.
*
Stony Lake – A lake east of Sperryville.
*Watson – The hamlet of Watson is on County Road 26 in the southwestern part of the town by the Black River.
References
External links
*
Early history of Watson, NY
{{authority control
Towns in Lewis County, New York
Towns in New York (state)