JEFFERSON COUNTY
County Offices
195 Arsenal Street
Watertown 315-785-3075
www.co.jefferson.ny.us
Chamber of Commerce
1241 Coffeen Street
Watertown 315-788-4400
www.watertownny.com
Encompassing one city and 22 towns, Jefferson County is currently one of New York State’s fastest growing counties. Located at the junction of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, the county is 70 miles north of Syracuse and directly south of Ontario, Canada. While dairy farms and other enterprises thrive, Fort Drum Army Base tops the list of major employers with an annual economic impact of $1.4 billion. Limited commercial air travel is available locally at Watertown International Airport, with full service available at Syracuse Hancock International Airport. Interstate 81 and US Route 11 join a strong network of state routes for easy commuting.
Services
Residents of Jefferson County enjoy access to first-rate educational opportunities on every academic level, beginning with outstanding public school districts and options for a private education. Post-secondary education can begin at Jefferson Community College in Watertown, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. Located on a 90-acre residential campus, JCC provides associate degree and certificate program, transfer degrees, and several online degree options. Thanks to Jefferson Higher Education Center’s partnership with other SUNY colleges and universities in the North County Consortium, students can earn bachelors and advanced degrees on campus. Watertown also hosts an office for the Cornell Cooperative Extension. The private Paul Smith’s College, located inside the Adirondack Park, emphasizes experiential learning while SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry is focused on environmental discovery, learning, and sustainability. Nearby Syracuse is home to the acclaimed private institution of Syracuse University, the private LeMoyne College, and SUNY’s Upstate Medical University.
The state-of-the-art healthcare services and facilities serving the county are anchored by the Samaritan Medical Center (SMC) in Watertown. More than 180 skilled professionals are on staff at this 294-bed hospital, providing a full spectrum of inpatient and outpatient services along with many specialties including cancer care and neonatal intensive care. SMC operates several community clinics, satellite testing centers, and long-term care at the 272-bed Samaritan Keep Home. Expanding its long-term care commitment, SMC opened a new 288-bed facility that also offers assisted living at Samaritan Summit Village. Jefferson County is also home to Carthage Area Hospital, a 25-bed rural community hospital with a Critical Access designation that serves 83,000 patients each year in Jefferson and northern Lewis counties. River Hospital in Alexandria Bay is accessible by boat or vehicle and adds a 12-bed acute-care unit, swing-bed unit, ambulatory surgery unit, and primary care clinic. Regionally, Syracuse is home to the nationally ranked Upstate Medical University, the Upstate University Hospital Community Campus, and the Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital as well as Crouse Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center, and the Syracuse Veterans Administration Hospital.
Lifestyle
Rapidly growing Jefferson County is experiencing a true economic boom fueled by Fort Drum expansion, and newcomers are finding a great deal to celebrate in their new home—including premier four-season recreation. The list of parks and preserves begins with 15 of New York State Parks—two that are accessible only by boat and many that offer breathtaking views of Lake Ontario or the Thousand Islands. Nine state forests cover nearly 16,000 acres while the county adds 5,490 acres of forested parcels and thousands of acres of recreational land in 10 wildlife management areas. Developed amenities are equally impressive, including family-oriented centers like New York’s largest water theme park, River Golf Adventures, Old McDonald’s Children’s Farm Village, Alex Bay 500 Go Karts at Sackets Harbor, the Sci-Tech Center of New York, and collegiate sports action at Alex Duffy Fairgrounds.
The City of Watertown serves as the county’s hub of commerce and services, lining historic Public Square with eateries, restaurants, specialty shops, arts and entertainment, and professional offices. The county showcases such gems as the 1886 Paddock Mansion, the incomparable Boldt Castle in Alexandria Bay, the Antique Boat Museum, and the 1903 Roswell P. Flower Memorial Library with marble facade and octagonal dome. The cultural calendar is filled with performances and concerts presented by talented groups like the Little Theatre of Watertown and Lyric Theatre at the dazzling Clayton Opera House. The elegant Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort hosts star-studded entertainment around the four seasons. Historic Thompson Park features a New York State Zoo along with many other amenities. Shoppers will enjoy craft markets, antique centers, and hand-crafted Amish furniture in addition to modern retail centers like Salmon Run Shopping Center. Area highlights include colorful festivals, wine tours, sandy beaches, outdoor concerts, water and winter sports, pick-your-own apples, corn mazes, and scenic drives. With great schools, picturesque residential settings, a lively atmosphere and rich sense of place, Jefferson County is a wonderful place to call home.
COMMUNITIES
Watertown City/Town
City Offices
315-785-7780
www.watertown-ny.gov
Town Hall
315-782-8248
www.townofwatertownny.org
Chamber of Commerce
315-788-4400
www.watertownny.com
Few cities can rival Watertown for uniquely blending historic charm with the finest of modern services. The character of the Public Square is largely defined by 19th and early 20th Century buildings that host a multitude of shops, restaurants, offices, churches, and apartments. The city is proud of its grand mansions, the scenic Veteran’s Memorial Riverwalk, healthy local economy, and cultural enrichment. The presence of Fort Drum Army Base is felt throughout the community, from programs like Adopt-a-10th Mountain Platoon to the cooperative spirit that bonds military and civilian families. Fort Drum has introduced a welcome diversity to the area and a renewed appreciation of Watertown’s great schools, affordable housing, attractive neighborhoods, and first-rate healthcare services. Outdoor enjoyment is unrivaled, from hunting and fishing to boating, rafting, hiking, camping, cycling, winter sports, and exploring nature.
Sackets Harbor Village, Hounsfield Town, Dexter Village, Brownville Village/Town, Pamelia Town
Sackets Harbor Village
315-646-3548
http://sacketsharbor-ny.gov
Hounsfield Town Hall
315-782-6380
www.townofhounsfield-ny.org
Dexter Village Hall
315-639-6260
http://villageofdexterny.com
Brownville Village Hall
315-782-7650
www.villageofbrownvilleny.com
Brownville Town Hall
315-639-6266
https://townofbrownville.com
Pamelia Town Hall
315-785-9793
Chamber of Commerce
315-788-4400
www.watertownny.com
The towns and villages in close proximity to Watertown have the best of all worlds: Local attractions, a warm hometown spirit, and easy access to expanded amenities. Overlooking beautiful Lake Ontario, the picturesque and charming Sackets Harbor Village nestles against Black River Bay. Distinguished as one of New York State’s Heritage Areas, the village features lovely tree-lined neighborhoods that blend with historic attractions. Residents enjoy specialty shops, boutiques, restaurants, a discovery center, a state battlefield site, museums, concerts, art galleries, and wonderful events. The full-service marina of Navy Point Marine combines with nearby beaches and parks to offer picnicking, hiking, camping, golfing, fishing, cycling, and watersports of every kind. Dexter Village at the head of the Seaway Trail is known for outstanding fishing, boating, camping, whitewater rafting, and canoeing. Brownville Town proudly welcomes visitors to the 1815 General Jacob Brown Mansion, while Hounsfield is home to Watertown International Airport.
Adams Town/Village, Ellisburg Town, Lorraine Town, Worth Town, Rodman Town, Henderson Town
Adams Town Hall
315-583-5701
www.townofadams.com
Adams Village Hall
315-232-2632
www.villageofadams.com
Ellisburg Town Hall
315-846-5138
Lorraine Town Hall
315-232-2639
www.townoflorraine.com
Worth Town Hall
315-232-4647
Henderson Town Hall
315-938-5542
www.townofhendersonny.org
Rodman Town Hall
315-232-2522
www.townofrodmanny.org
Chamber of Commerce
315-788-4400
www.watertownny.com
Southern Jefferson County is well known for scenic farming communities and rich agricultural land. Encompassing six townships and more than a dozen sleepy villages and hamlets, this area is dotted with dairy farms and vast acres of recreational land. This region is a paradise for anglers and outdoor sport enthusiasts, with hundreds of miles of interconnected snowmobile and dog sled trails. Southwick’s Beach State Park offers a sandy beach while many other wonderful parks line scenic routes including the famous Seaway Trail. Unique museums depict 19th Century farm life and local shops offer a taste of world championship cheese. More than 150 stores and shops dot the area but the main event happens in August with New York’s largest rummage sale, business bargain days, 150 yard sales, and a large flea market and craft fair.
Alexandria Bay Village, Alexandria Town, Clayton Town/Village, Orleans Town
Alexandria Bay Village Hall
315-482-9902
www.villageofalexandriabay.com
Alexandria Town Hall
315-482-9519
www.townofalexandria.org
Clayton Village Hall
315-686-5552
www.villageofclayton.com
Clayton Town Hall
315-686-3512
http://townofclayton.com
Orleans Town Hall
315-658-9950
www.townoforleans.com
Chamber of Commerce
315-482-9531
www.visitalexbay.org
Alexandria Bay attracts newcomers to a charming, picturesque area surrounding the St. Lawrence Seaway. This outdoor adventurer’s paradise features 1,860 islands that make up the famous 1000 Island Region. Highlights include Scenic View Park with its sandy riverfront beach, Casino Island, Scuba Park, and Minna Anthony Common Nature Center. The grandeur of Boldt Castle on its own heart-shaped island is an incomparable sight. Clayton is home to Thousand Islands Art Center, Thousand Islands Museum, St. Lawrence Art Gallery, and the Antique Boat Museum. Orleans features Thousand Islands Winery, a local agricultural museum, and more campsites than any other site in New York. Residents and visitors alike enjoy attending local festivals and craft fairs as well as fishing, boating, hunting, dirt-track racing, golfing, and cross-country skiing.
Cape Vincent Village/Town, Lyme Town
Cape Vincent Village Hall
315-654-2533
www.villageofcapevincent.org
Cape Vincent Town Hall
315-654-3660
www.townofcapevincent.com
Lyme Town Hall
315-649-2788
www.townoflyme.com
Chamber of Commerce
315-654-2481
www.capevincent.org
Billing itself as “A St. Lawrence River Community,” Cape Vincent also offers access to Lake Ontario. Some of New York’s most breathtaking sunset and waterfront views can be enjoyed from Tibbetts Point Lighthouse, while local parks are ideal for outdoor activities. Cape Vincent has long been a vacationer’s delight but more and more people are discovering the area as a warm, friendly, charming place to call home. Highway connections are excellent via Interstate 81, and “The Cape” is the only remaining community that provides vehicle and passenger ferry to Canada across the St. Lawrence River. Home to wonderful events crowned by the annual French Festival, this area frequently celebrates its historical assets along with its agricultural heritage and natural resources. Lyme Town is home to quaint Chaumont Village where the public library is a focal point of community life and residents enjoy country living near Lake Ontario.
Fort Drum United States Army Base
General Assistance
315-772-4588
www.drum.army.mil
Military Personnel Division
315-772-2130
www.drum.army.mil
Located just nine miles east of Watertown, Fort Drum is home to nearly 35,000 military, family members, and civilian employees of the 10th Mountain Division and its supporting tenants. The Northeast’s largest Army installation, Fort Drum stretches across the towns of LeRay, Philadelphia, Antwerp, and Wilna to serve as a major training center for more than 80,000 troops each year. This expansion installation is the major driver of Jefferson County growth and the largest employer in Northern New York, pouring millions of dollars into local businesses. Military personnel and their families enjoy comprehensive amenities, services, and facilities on base but they also have access to a world of cultural and recreational attractions in nearby Watertown and other communities. In turn, the 10th Mountain Division Band also presents concerts throughout the region.
Carthage Village, Wilna Town, West Carthage Village, Champion Town, Rutland Town
Carthage Village
315-493-1060
http://villageofcarthageny.com
Wilna Town
315-493-2771
www.townofwilna.com
Champion Town
315-493-3240
West Carthage Village
315-493-2552
http://villageofwestcarthage.org
Rutland Town
315-788-3440
Chamber of Commerce
315-493-3590
www.carthageny.info
The picturesque Black River provides a natural asset for Wilna Town’s Carthage Village as well as Champion Town’s West Carthage Village. Committed to preserving their small-town appeal in the face of growth and expansion, both communities offer retail stores, convenient services, and local businesses. Carthage Village invites residents to enjoy the newly renovated recreation building in the village park as well as skateboard park, walking trails, baseball fields, and a large playground. Scenic views are available at Long Falls Park overlooking Black River. The famous Thousand Island Region is nearby and the vast expanse of Adirondack Park is a short drive. Watertown is the closest urban center for expanded amenities and services. Wilna and Champion towns expand the options for a quiet rural lifestyle, with much of Wilna consumed by Fort Drum.
Rutland Town, LeRay Town, Black River Village, Antwerp Village/Town, Philadelphia Town, Theresa Town
LeRay Town Hall
315-629-4052
www.townofleray.org
Black River Village Hall
315-773-5721
www.blackriverny.org
Antwerp Village Hall
315-659-8661
www.villageofantwerp.net
Antwerp Town Hall
315-659-2419
Philadelphia Town Hall
315-642-3421
http://townofphiladelphiany.com
Theresa Town Hall
315-628-5046
www.townoftheresany.com
Chamber of Commerce
315-788-4400
www.watertownny.com
Situated in north-central Jefferson County, LeRay Town features Evans Mills Village and part of the Village of Black River. Settled in the 1800s, this region today serves as the main cantonment for the Fort Drum Army Installation. Driven by Fort Drum expansion, new development is on the rise including attractive homes and suburban developments. Syracuse is 30 minutes to the south but the town is also 30 minutes south of the St. Lawrence River and Canadian border. The bustling urban center of Watertown is just one mile south, while Interstate 81 is available west of LeRay. The rural towns in this area have strong agricultural roots and hometown pride. The entire community of Antwerp Village is listed on the New York Historic Registry and borders Fort Drum. The village is graced by the scenic Indian River, although it is Philadelphia Town that has adopted the slogan “Where the Indian River flows.” Theresa Town features a number of panoramic lakes.
