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city in Jefferson County, New York, United States
North America > United States of America > Mid-Atlantic > New York (state) > North Country > Watertown (New York)

Watertown is a small city in New York's North Country, and the seat of Jefferson County.

Understand

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Settlers came here in the early 1800s to use the power from the Black River for industry. On April 13, 1852 Frank Winfield Woolworth was born in the tiny village of Rodman, ten miles south of Watertown; he attended business college in the city and worked as a stockboy in a general store on Watertown's Public Square in 1873 before attempting to launch his own "five-cent store" in Utica in 1878. That short-lived effort fared poorly, but a Woolworth "five and dime" in Lancaster (Pennsylvania) in 1879 succeeded.

Watertown is only a few miles from Fort Drum, home of the US Army 10th Mountain Division, the region's largest employer. It is home to various manufacturing industries (the "Car Freshener" scented air freshener is a local invention) and to Jefferson Community College.

Get in

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Watertown is about 75 mi (121 km) north of Syracuse on US 11 or Interstate 81 (exits 45, 46, and 47). Adirondack Trailways Service and Greyhound provide bus service, while the closest Amtrak stations are in Rome or in Syracuse.

The closest major airport is Syracuse Hancock International (SYR IATA) a little over 70 mi (110 km) to the south.

There is no direct scheduled transportation from Watertown to Canada, despite its proximity (Kingston and Brockville are each an hour away by road).

Get around

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Map
Map of Watertown

By bus

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  • CitiBus. Provides a limited local bus service on three daytime routes. 
The Public Square is beautiful during the spring and summer
  • 1 Public Square (Downtown) (US 11 and US 12 will take you directly to the Public Square from the entrance of the city.). The Public Square is the city hub of Watertown, and contains numerous local businesses, and a beautiful oval-shaped mini-park with benches, a large fountain, and a gazebo. Public Square (Q7257629) on Wikidata Public Square (Watertown, New York) on Wikipedia (updated Aug 2022)
  • New York State Zoo at Thompson Park, ☏ +1 315 755-0894. Apr-Oct: daily 10AM-5PM. 32-acre Thompson Park Zoo exhibits species that are or were native to New York State, including wolverines, black bears, eagles, mountain lions, Canada lynx and grey wolves. $9/adult. 
The Flower Memorial Library is unique and historic, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
  • 2 Roswell P. Flower Memorial Library (US 11 and US 12 will take you directly to the Public Square from the entrance of the city.), ☏ +1 315-785-7705, fax: +1 315-788-2584. M-W 9AM-8PM, Th F 10AM-6PM, Sa 9AM-5PM. Closed on Sundays. The Flower Memorial Library is the only library in Watertown, and it is one of the most beautiful in the North Country. The library was built in 1905, dedicated to the 30th Governor of New York, and has two stone lions in the front. Inside, it has paintings, and wonderful architecture that will probably make you feel very relaxed. It also has Wi-Fi! Roswell P. Flower Memorial Library (Q7370120) on Wikidata Roswell P. Flower Memorial Library on Wikipedia (updated Aug 2022)
  • Washington Street Arboretum, 200 block of Washington Street. Over 30 different varieties and species of trees. 
  • Black River. Kayaking and whitewater rafting. Three rafting companies (Adirondack, Bob's, Hudson), seven miles of whitewater, fourteen sets of class III and IV rapids. Riverfront walking trails at the Veteran's Memorial Riverwalk, Waterworks and Marble Street Park; bike, hike or fish along the shoreline. 
  • Dry Hill Ski Area, 18160 Alpine Ridge Rd, ☏ +1 315 782-8584, toll-free: +1-800-379-8584, fax: +1 315 782-1741. Wintertime tubing, snowboarding and downhill skiing. 
  • Thompson Park, entrances off Gotham St, Academy St and Franklin St. Daily 7AM-9PM. A historic Olmsted Creation with scenic views, children's playground, pool, golf course, zoo, picnic area. On or near the 4th of July, the Potsdam-based Orchestra of Northern New York presents the 1812 overture with cannons as a concert in the park, followed by fireworks. 

Events

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  • Farmers' Market, Washington Street (by City Hall). Open Wednesdays; everything from fresh fruit & vegetables to arts & crafts, 
  • Salmon Run Mall, 21182 Salmon Run Mall Loop West, ☏ +1 315 788-9210. M-Sa 9:30AM-9PM, Su 11AM-6PM. Mall with stores including Target, Lowe's, near I-81, popular with Canadian cross-border shoppers. 

Drink

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  • 1812 on the River by 1812 Brewing Co. (formerly Maggie's on the River), 500 Newell St, Watertown 13601, ☏ +1 315 405-4239. Sports bar and restaurant, casual. 
  • Water is plentiful in the region.

Sleep

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Connect

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Postal service is available from USPS at 232 Commerce Park Drive 13601-9900 (phone +1 315-786-5900); commercial parcel receiving service is available from the UPS store at 968 Bradley Street (phone +1 315 755-2028, fax 755-2030).

Wi-fi is available at most fast food and coffee shop chains, or at the public library.

Go next

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Routes through Watertown
Ends at ← Thousand Islands ←  N  S  → Pulaski → Syracuse
Champlain ← Potsdam ←  N  S  → Pulaski → Syracuse
Sterling ← Sackets Harbor ←  W  E  → Tupper Lake → Plattsburgh
Morristown ← Clayton ←  N  S  → Utica → Binghamton


This city travel guide to Watertown is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
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