Jefferson County

Jefferson County, NY is located near the Canadian border (approximately 70 miles north of Syracuse) and includes the Thousand Islands. It is the home to beautiful outdoors as well as shopping and much history. The county consists of twelve-hundred square miles of land with a population of 116,000+ as of July 2021 (census link). Jefferson County was created around 1805 from the County of Oneida and named after Thomas Jefferson (for more history see entries below).

Jefferson County's major city is Watertown with a population of over 27,000+. The county also includes numerous townships, villages, and hamlets. All townships have a historian and a clerk, and some villages have a clerk and historian; who may be the same person as the township's. Some villages are so small that they are considered hamlets and are governed by a larger village or township.

Fort Drum, the military installation and home of the 10th Mountain Division, is also situated in Jefferson County. Jefferson Community College is the main collegial institution in Jefferson County.

Adjacent counties are St. Lawrence, Lewis, and Oswego with the country of Canada on the north. The western border of the county is the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario, and other major rivers in the county are the Black River and the Indian River.



Jefferson County Maps
Multiple maps including interactive zoomable one, political divisions, etc.

Watertown
The county seat and largest city in the Jefferson County.

Jefferson County Timeline
A chronological list of the major events in Jefferson County's history.

County Agencies
County agencies including fire, police, ambulance, mental health and others.

Politics in Jefferson County
The political scene, mayors of Watertown, etc.

Education
Schools and education in the area.

The Stores of Watertown
Stores and shopping.

Entertainment & Recreation
Outdoor and indoor, fun, entertainment, recreation, parks, trails, etc. Revisit the past with a look at old Movie Theaters and Drive-Ins, as well as a look at what exists today for Entertainment & Recreation!

Jefferson County also has a multitude of trail systems. For a list see the external site NNY Trails.

Historic Structures in Jefferson County
Historic and interesting buildings and structures, both still standing as well as long-gone.

Prehistory
11,500 years of human history on one page. Makes all the rest seem kinda trivial when you think about it.

History
A brief history of Watertown and Jefferson County.

Jefferson County Battles and Conflicts
Military (and otherwise) battles, skirmishes, and conflicts which took place in Jefferson County

Jefferson County's Restaurants & Nightlife
Listing of restaurants, diners, bars, taverns, and dance clubs.

Notable Personalities Living and Dead
Enjoy discussing all of the Notable Personalities Living and Dead in Watertown.

Famous Jefferson County Visitors
Many famous persons have visited Watertown, the Thousand Islands, Camp Drum/Fort Drum and other Jefferson County environs.

Disasters and Catastrophes, Natural or Otherwise
Disasters and Catastrophes in the North Country.

Notorious Jefferson County Crime
Crime and punishment in Jefferson County

Agriculture & Farming
Agriculture and Farming in Jefferson County, covering both the past and today.

Inventions, Discoveries and Ideas
From Jefferson County.

Jefferson County Fables and Legends
A listing of local legends and folklore, hauntings and ghost stories, and the supernatural



Towns, Cities, Villages, Hamlets in Jefferson County
A complete list of Jefferson County's political divisions.

TV, Radio, and Other Media
Local TV, radio, and other media and their histories.

Highways and Roads of Jefferson County
Major highways and roads in or traveling through the county

Name Origins
Origins of names and original names of locations

Historical Glossaries and References
Explanations and modern day equivalents

Local Links
Local websites categorized by both local and general interest.