Watertown is located 13 miles (21 kilometers) southwest of the U.S. Army base at Fort Drum; it is the service and shopping destination for personnel there and their families.

[not verified in body] 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.

[5] In 1791, New York City resident Alexander Macomb purchased the land of Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence and Oswego county.

Will settle very fast, if laid in lots and sold to settlers.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.

He and the other pioneers chose the area due to the Black River, which flowed west into Lake Ontario about 5 mi (8.0 km) away.

[13][14] Due to its proximity to Lake Ontario, Watertown became a popular location for transporting supplies into Canada, which helped its economy.

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.

[7] The Paddock Arcade, built in 1850 according to European and US models, is the oldest continuously operating enclosed mall in the United States.

[11] By the mid-19th century, entrepreneurs had built paper mills and major industries, including one to manufacture the first portable steam engine in 1847.

Watertown claims that Rodman native Frank W. Woolworth 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.

[citation needed] 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 economic center of the country kept moving west following the development of the frontier and a shift of population into the Midwest.

[7] Little Trees were developed in Watertown in 1951;[18] 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.

As Chicago boomed, it attracted many of the younger people from upstate New York for its business and professional opportunities.

In 2006, the city began a $7.4 million project that restored multiple buildings as well as fixing roads and walkways.

[31] Since Watertown is situated near the eastern edge of Lake Ontario, it receives much lake-effect snow, averaging 116.4 inches (296 cm) of snowfall in the winter.

[36][37] Because the city is located 30 miles (48 km) from the Canada–United States border via the Thousand Islands Bridge, shopping by Canadian visitors is an important part of the local economy.

[11] 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 Watertown Rapids of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League have played here starting in 2017, following several professional teams.

Sixteen years later, the village trustees were empowered by an act of the Legislature to borrow up to $2,000 ($61,000 in modern dollars[50]) to improve the fire department.

[55] Jefferson Community College (JCC) is located in the northwestern part of the city and serves as the only institution of higher education within a 50-mile (80 km) radius.

[56] The local newspaper, the Watertown Daily Times, is published seven days a week and serves Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Lewis counties.

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.

[citation needed] In 2001, United Communications entered into an agreement with Smith Broadcasting to operate a Fox network affiliate with low-power transmitters in Watertown and Massena.

[61] U.S. Route 11 runs from eastern New Orleans, Louisiana, to its northern terminus at the Canada–United States border in Rouses Point, New York.

[67] Joseph Mullin was born in Ireland and grew up in Watertown, and went on to be Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 19th district.

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