Watertown (town), New York
Encyclopedia
Watertown is a town
in Jefferson County
, New York
, United States
. The population is 4,470.
The Town of Watertown is located in the southeast part of the county. Part of the City of Watertown
borders the town.
The area is served by Watertown International Airport
, which is located west of the town and city in the Town of Hounsfield
.
.
Watertown was established as a town in 1800 before the formation of Jefferson County, while still in Oneida County
, New York
. The Towns of Rutland
, New York
(1802) and Hounsfield
, New York
(1806) were soon formed from part of Watertown.
The town was first settled in 1800 around the time of the first permanent US military presence in the region, which was established at nearby Sackets Harbor
to guard the international border and to fight smuggling
in the St. Lawrence region.
In 1816, the community of Watertown set itself off from the town by incorporating as a village. It became a city in 1869.
, the town has a total area of 36.1 square miles (93.4 km²), of which, 36.0 square miles (93.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (0.19%) is water.
The land area of the city is 9 square miles (23.3 km²).
As of the 2000 census, the town of Watertown population was 4,482 and the City of Watertown
, which is within the town of Watertown, population was 26,705. References to "Watertown, New York" usually apply to the city rather than to the town.
The Town of Watertown is in the north central part of the county. The town surrounds the city on three sides. The Town of Pamelia
forms the northern boundary.
The Black River
forms the northern town boundary.
Interstate highway 81
passes through the west part of the town. US Route 11 is a north-south highway in through the town. New York State Route 3
, New York State Route 12
, New York State Route 12F
, New York State Route 126
, and New York State Route 232
are east-west highways through Watertown. Many of these highways converge in the City of Watertown.
Three full-power television station
s WPBS
, WWNY (CBS) and WWTI
(ABC) currently serve the Watertown area.
of 2000, there were 4,482 people, 1,407 households, and 1,018 families residing in the town. The population density
was 124.6 people per square mile (48.1/km²). There were 1,502 housing units at an average density of 41.7 per square mile (16.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 83.94% White, 11.24% Black, 0.33% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.39% from other races
, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.85% of the population.
There were 1,407 households out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.2% were married couples
living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.3% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 37.6% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 143.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 158.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $41,961, and the median income for a family was $46,563. Males had a median income of $35,475 versus $21,638 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $21,786. About 3.8% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.6% of those under age 18 and 1.7% of those age 65 or over.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Jefferson County
Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,229. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, and president at the time the county was created in 1805...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population is 4,470.
The Town of Watertown is located in the southeast part of the county. Part of the City of Watertown
Watertown (city), New York
Watertown is a city in the state of New York and the county seat of Jefferson County. It is situated approximately south of the Thousand Islands. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 27,023, an increase of 1.2% since 2000. The U.S...
borders the town.
The area is served by Watertown International Airport
Watertown International Airport
Watertown International Airport is a public airport located in the town of Hounsfield, five miles west of the central business district of Watertown, a city in Jefferson County, New York, USA...
, which is located west of the town and city in the Town of Hounsfield
Hounsfield, New York
Hounsfield is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 3,466 at the 2010 census. The name of the town is from Ezra Hounsfield, a land agent and land owner....
.
History
Numerous sites of the aboriginal habitation were found by early surveyors of this region. The region was later part of Macomb's PurchaseMacomb's Purchase
Macomb's Purchase is a large historical area of northern New York, USA purchased from the state in 1791 by Alexander Macomb, who had become rich as a merchant in the American Revolution.-History and geography:...
.
Watertown was established as a town in 1800 before the formation of Jefferson County, while still in Oneida County
Oneida County, New York
Oneida County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 234,878. The county seat is Utica. The name is in honor of the Oneida, an Iroquoian tribe that formerly occupied the region....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The Towns of Rutland
Rutland, New York
Rutland is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 3,060 at the 2010 census.The Town of Rutland is in the eastern part of the town and is east of Watertown. Rutland is south of Fort Drum.- History :...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(1802) and Hounsfield
Hounsfield, New York
Hounsfield is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 3,466 at the 2010 census. The name of the town is from Ezra Hounsfield, a land agent and land owner....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(1806) were soon formed from part of Watertown.
The town was first settled in 1800 around the time of the first permanent US military presence in the region, which was established at nearby Sackets Harbor
Sackets Harbor, New York
Sackets Harbor is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 1,386 at the 2000 census. The village was named after land developer and owner Augustus Sackett, who founded it in the early 19th century.The Village of Sackets Harbor is within the western part of the...
to guard the international border and to fight smuggling
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
in the St. Lawrence region.
In 1816, the community of Watertown set itself off from the town by incorporating as a village. It became a city in 1869.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 36.1 square miles (93.4 km²), of which, 36.0 square miles (93.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (0.19%) is water.
The land area of the city is 9 square miles (23.3 km²).
As of the 2000 census, the town of Watertown population was 4,482 and the City of Watertown
Watertown (city), New York
Watertown is a city in the state of New York and the county seat of Jefferson County. It is situated approximately south of the Thousand Islands. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 27,023, an increase of 1.2% since 2000. The U.S...
, which is within the town of Watertown, population was 26,705. References to "Watertown, New York" usually apply to the city rather than to the town.
The Town of Watertown is in the north central part of the county. The town surrounds the city on three sides. The Town of Pamelia
Pamelia, New York
Pamelia is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 3,160 at the 2010 census. The town is named after Pamelia Williams, the wife of a landowner and developer....
forms the northern boundary.
The Black River
Black River (New York)
The Black River is a blackwater river that empties into the eastern end of Lake Ontario on the shore of Jefferson County, New York in the United States of America...
forms the northern town boundary.
Interstate highway 81
Interstate 81
Interstate 81 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Island at the Canadian border, where the Thousand Islands Bridge connects it to Highway 401, the main freeway...
passes through the west part of the town. US Route 11 is a north-south highway in through the town. New York State Route 3
New York State Route 3
New York State Route 3 is a major east–west state highway in New York, United States, that connects central New York to the North Country region near the Canadian border via Adirondack Park. The route extends for between its western terminus at an intersection with NY 104A in the Cayuga...
, New York State Route 12
New York State Route 12
New York State Route 12 is a state highway extending for through central and northern New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 11 in the town of Chenango in the Southern Tier. The northern terminus is at NY 37 near the village of...
, New York State Route 12F
New York State Route 12F
New York State Route 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 11 and NY 12 in the city of Watertown...
, New York State Route 126
New York State Route 126
New York State Route 126 is a state highway in the North Country of New York in the United States. It proceeds in a roughly northwest to southeast direction between NY 12 at the eastern city line of Watertown in central Jefferson County and NY 812 in the village of Croghan in...
, and New York State Route 232
New York State Route 232
New York State Route 232 is a short state highway in northern New York, USA. This highway is entirely within the southwest part of the Town of Watertown in Jefferson County...
are east-west highways through Watertown. Many of these highways converge in the City of Watertown.
Three full-power television station
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
s WPBS
WPBS-TV
WPBS-DT and WNPI-DT are a Public Broadcasting Service member Public television station serving northern New York. Originating in the Watertown/Potsdam region, its primary audience includes Kingston, Ottawa and most of eastern Ontario....
, WWNY (CBS) and WWTI
WWTI
WWTI is the ABC-affiliated television station for Upstate New York's North Country. Licensed to Watertown, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 21 from a transmitter on Hayes Road in Copenhagen. The station can also be seen on Time Warner Cable channel 5 and in high...
(ABC) currently serve the Watertown area.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 4,482 people, 1,407 households, and 1,018 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 124.6 people per square mile (48.1/km²). There were 1,502 housing units at an average density of 41.7 per square mile (16.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 83.94% White, 11.24% Black, 0.33% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.39% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.85% of the population.
There were 1,407 households out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.2% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.3% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 37.6% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 143.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 158.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $41,961, and the median income for a family was $46,563. Males had a median income of $35,475 versus $21,638 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $21,786. About 3.8% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.6% of those under age 18 and 1.7% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in the Town of Watertown
- Burrville (formerly "Burrs Mills") – A hamletHamlet (place)A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
near the east town line on NY-12. The name is from Captain John Burr and his family, early settlers. The community was an early rival for another community which became the City of Watertown. - Dry Hill – A hamlet south of the City of Watertown and location of a skiing area. The name is based on the relatively low level of the water tableWater tableThe water table is the level at which the submarine pressure is far from atmospheric pressure. It may be conveniently visualized as the 'surface' of the subsurface materials that are saturated with groundwater in a given vicinity. However, saturated conditions may extend above the water table as...
in the area (making it very difficult to draw a successful water wellWater wellA water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
in the area). - East Watertown – A hamlet near the east town line on NY-126.
- Fields Settlement – A location at the west town line on County Road 63.
- Huntingtonville – A hamlet in the northeast corner of the town by the Black River. It is now a suburb of the city.
- North Watertown – A former location in the town, north of the Black River.
- Rices – A hamlet in the southeast part of the town on Route 232 by Interstate 81.
- Rices Junction – A location northeast of Rice on Route 232.
- WatertownWatertown (city), New YorkWatertown is a city in the state of New York and the county seat of Jefferson County. It is situated approximately south of the Thousand Islands. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 27,023, an increase of 1.2% since 2000. The U.S...
– The City of Watertown borders the north central part of the town. - Watertown Center – A hamlet on US-11 at County Road 116 south of the City of Watertown. Watertown Center is the location of the town government.