Jefferson County, New York

Jefferson County
County
Panoramic view of Boldt Castle on Heart Island
Flag
Location within the U.S. state of New York
New York's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 43°59′N 76°03′W / 43.99°N 76.05°W / 43.99; -76.05
Country	United States
State	New York
Founded	1805
Named for	Thomas Jefferson
Seat	Watertown
Largest city	Watertown
Area
• Total	1,857 sq mi (4,810 km2)
• Land	1,269 sq mi (3,290 km2)
• Water	589 sq mi (1,530 km2)  32%
Population  (2020)[1]
• Total	116,721
• Density	92/sq mi (36/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	21st
Website	www.co.jefferson.ny.us

Jefferson County is a county on the northern border of the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 116,721.^[1] Its county seat is Watertown.^[2] The county is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America.^[3] It is adjacent to Lake Ontario, southeast from the Canada–US border of Ontario.

Jefferson County comprises the Watertown-Fort Drum, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2014 it elected as the first woman county sheriff in the state. She had served with the New York State Police for 32 years.^[4] The popularity of the area as a summer tourist destination results in a dramatic increase of population during that season.

The United States Army's 10th Mountain Division is based at Fort Drum. The base had a total population of nearly 13,000 according to the 2010 census.

History[]

When counties were established in the Province of New York in 1683, the present Jefferson County was part of Albany County. This was an enormous county, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present State of Vermont and, in theory, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean. This county was reduced in size on July 3, 1766 by the creation of Cumberland County, and further on March 16, 1770 by the creation of Gloucester County, both containing territory now in Vermont.

On March 12, 1772, what was left of Albany County was split into three parts, one remaining under the name Albany County. One of the other pieces, Tryon County, contained the western portion (and thus, since no western boundary was specified, theoretically still extended west to the Pacific). The eastern boundary of Tryon County was approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) west of the present city of Schenectady, and the county included the western part of the Adirondack Mountains and the area west of the West Branch of the Delaware River. The area then designated as Tryon County now includes 37 counties of New York State. The county was named for William Tryon, colonial governor of New York.

In the years subsequent to 1776, most of the Loyalists in Tryon County fled to Canada. In 1784, following the peace treaty that ended the American Revolutionary War, the name of Tryon County was changed to Montgomery County to honor the general, Richard Montgomery, who had captured several places in Canada and died attempting to capture the city of Quebec, replacing the name of the hated British governor.

In 1789, the size of Montgomery County was reduced by the creation of Ontario County from Montgomery. The area split off from Montgomery County was much larger than the present county, as it was later divided to form the present Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, Steuben, Wyoming, Yates, and parts of Schuyler and Wayne counties.

Jefferson County is part of Macomb's Purchase of 1791.

In 1791, Herkimer County was one of three counties split off from Montgomery (the other two being Otsego, and Tioga County). This was much larger than the present county, however, and was reduced by a number of subsequent splits. The first one of these, in 1794, produced Onondaga County. This county was larger than the current Onondaga County, including the present Cayuga and Cortland Counties, and part of Oswego County.

Oneida County (as well as a part of Chenango County), was split off from Herkimer County in 1798.

Jefferson County was split off from Oneida County in 1805. In 1817, Carleton Island, captured from the British in the War of 1812, was annexed to the county. During the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the county was largely developed for agriculture.

By the early 20th centuries, Watertown was a city with the highest per capita number of millionaires in the United States. Local industrialists had made early fortunes from industries driven by water power. Mills were established along the falls of the Black River from the first half of the nineteenth century.

In 2019, Jefferson County and much of the rest of the North Country was identified as one of the most politically tolerant communities in America, according to an analysis by PredictWise.^[5][6]

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 1,857 square miles (4,810 km²), of which 1,269 square miles (3,290 km²) is land and 589 square miles (1,530 km²) (32%) is water.^[7] It is the fourth-largest county in New York by area.

Jefferson County is in New York State's northern lobe, adjacent to the area where the Saint Lawrence River exits Lake Ontario. It is northeast of Syracuse, and northwest of Utica. The county is at the international border with Canada.

The Black River, which empties into Lake Ontario, is an important waterway in the county. Part of the Tug Hill Plateau is in the southern part of the county. The county contains part of the Thousand Islands in the St. Lawrence River, including such large islands as Carleton Island, Grindstone Island, and Wellesley Island.

Adjacent counties[]

• St. Lawrence County – northeast
• Lewis County – southeast
• Oswego County – southwest
• Leeds and Grenville United Counties, Ontario – north
• Frontenac County, Ontario – northwest

Major highways[]

Demographics[]

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1810	15,140		—
1820	32,952		117.6%
1830	48,493		47.2%
1840	60,984		25.8%
1850	68,153		11.8%
1860	69,825		2.5%
1870	65,415		−6.3%
1880	66,103		1.1%
1890	68,806		4.1%
1900	76,748		11.5%
1910	80,382		4.7%
1920	82,250		2.3%
1930	83,574		1.6%
1940	84,003		0.5%
1950	85,521		1.8%
1960	87,835		2.7%
1970	88,508		0.8%
1980	88,151		−0.4%
1990	110,943		25.9%
2000	111,738		0.7%
2010	116,229		4.0%
2020	116,721		0.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790–1960[9] 1900–1990[10] 1990–2000[11] 2020[1]

As of the census^[12] of 2000, there were 111,738 people, 40,068 households, and 28,127 families residing in the county. The population density was 88 people per square mile (34/km²). There were 54,070 housing units at an average density of 42 per square mile (16/km²). The county's racial makeup was 88.71% White, 5.83% Black or African American, 0.53% Native American, 0.92% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 2.05% from other races, and 1.82% from two or more races. 4.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 93.2% spoke English and 3.5% Spanish as their first language.

21.9% were of English, 14.1% Irish, 12.8% German, 8.5% French and 8.5% Italian ancestry according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

There were 40,068 households, of which 37.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.60% were married couples living together, 10.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.80% were non-families. 24.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.07.

26.50% of the county's population was under age 18, 11.80% was from age 18 to 24, 31.30% was from age 25 to 44, 19.10% was from age 45 to 64, and 11.30% were age 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 107.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.50 males.

The county's median household income was $34,006, and the median family income was $39,296. Males had a median income of $28,727 versus $21,787 for females. The county's per capita income was $16,202. About 10.00% of families and 13.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.80% of those under age 18 and 9.20% of those age 65 or over.

Education[]

Jefferson Community College in Watertown provides higher education within the county.

Communities[]

Larger Settlements[]

#	Location	Population	Type	Area
1	†Watertown	24,685	City	Center
2	Fort Drum	15,896	CDP	Center
3	Carthage	3,747	Village	Center
4	Calcium	3,491	CDP	Center
5	West Carthage	2,012	Village	Center
6	Clayton	1,978	Village	River Delta
7	Adams	1,775	Village	South
8	Adams Center	1,568	CDP	South
9	Sackets Harbor	1,450	Village	Upper Lakeshore
10	Black River	1,348	Village	Center
11	Philadelphia	1,252	Village	North
12	Brownville	1,119	Village	Center
13	Alexandria Bay	1,078	Village	River Delta
14	Dexter	1,052	Village	Center
15	Theresa	863	Village	North
16	Great Bend	843	CDP	Center
17	Cape Vincent	726	Village	River Delta
18	Antwerp	686	Village	North
19	Chaumont	624	Village	Upper Lakeshore
20	Evans Mills	621	Village	Center
21	††La Fargeville	606	CDP	River Delta
22	Redwood	605	CDP	River Delta
23	Depauville	577	CDP	River Delta
24	Glen Park	502	Village	Center
25	Felts Mills	372	CDP	Center
26	Natural Bridge	365	CDP	North
27	Mannsville	354	Village	South
28	Defereit	294	Village	Center
29	Pamelia Center	264	CDP	Center
30	Ellisburg	244	Village	South
31	Three Mile Bay	227	CDP	Upper Lakeshore
32	Belleville	226	CDP	South
33	Henderson	224	CDP	South
34	Lorraine	174	CDP	South
35	Plessis	164	CDP	North
36	Rodman	153	CDP	South
37	Oxbow	108	CDP	North
38	Herrings	90	Village	Center
39	Fishers Landing	89	CDP	River Delta
40	Thousand Island Park	31	CDP	River Delta

† - County Seat

†† - Former Village

Towns[]

Hamlet[]

• Sanfords Four Corners

Government[]

Legislative authority is vested in the county Board of Legislators, which consists of 15 members each elected from single member districts for two-year terms.^[13] As of 2018, there are 14 Republicans and 1 Democrat.

Jefferson County Board of Legislators

District	Legislator	Party	Residence
1	Robert W. Cantwell III	Republican	Cape Vincent
2	William W. Johnson	Republican	Lyme
3	Philip N. Reed, Sr.	Republican	Orleans
4	Allen T. Drake	Democrat	Theresa
5	Michael Montigelli	Republican	Le Ray
6	Daniel R. McBride	Republican	Wilna
7	John D. Peck	Republican	Champion
8	James A. Nabywaniec	Republican	Le Ray
9	Patrick R. Jareo	Republican	Ellisburg
10	Jeremiah J. Maxon	Republican	Adams
11	Robert D. Ferris	Republican	Watertown
12	Francee A. Calarco	Republican	Watertown
13	Scott A. Gray chairman	Republican	Watertown
14	Corey Y. Grant	Republican	Watertown
15	Anthony J. Doldo	Republican	Watertown

Sites of interest[]

See also[]

• List of counties in New York

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jefferson County, New York.

• Jefferson County webpage
• Jefferson County at Curlie
• Guide to historical information
• Summary history of Jefferson County, NY and its towns

Coordinates: 43°59′N 76°03′W / 43.99°N 76.05°W / 43.99; -76.05