Seniors Enjoy a Stopover in Watertown

 I was watching the weather forecast for the eastern US and noticed the town of Watertown.  Senior travelers can find Watertown, New York (pop. 27,000) approximately 20 miles south of the Thousand Islands and the Canadian border, and 70 miles north of Syracuse on I-81.

The city of was settled in 1800 by pioneers from New Hampshire. They chose the area for the power supplied by the Black River for paper mills and other major industries. Named after the many falls located on the Black River, the city developed early in the 19th century as a manufacturing center.

From years of generating industrial wealth, in the early 20th century Watertown was said to have more millionaires per capita than any other city in the nation. This senior learned that Watertown is the birthplace of the Five and Dime store (Woolworth’s) and the safety pin.

Seniors Find County Fair, Football Franchise and Military Base

The first portable steam engine was manufactured in Watertown and it has the longest continually operating county fair in the country at the Alex Duffy Fairgrounds. The local Red and Black football franchise is the oldest surviving semi-professional team in the United States. Fort Drum military base is northeast of Watertown and the town is a major service and shopping destination for the fort’s 13,000 personnel.

Historic Thompson Park is a large, city-owned public park featuring a zoo, tennis courts, playgrounds, a public pool, picnic areas, large open fields which host various sports and activities, an 18-hole golf course, hiking trails, and many picturesque views of the city.

Me, I’d want to head off to the Burrville Cider Mill,  one of Jefferson County’s oldest establishments. The structure, formerly known as Burr’s Mills, was built in 1801 and was originally used as a sawmill and a gristmill. Electricity, rather than waterpower, now runs the Mill equipment.

 Scenic Area Draws Seniors

Watertown has something for everyone! For the senior outdoors lovers, picturesque scenery of the Adirondacks opens the way to the 1,000 Islands region and Lake Ontario. Boating, fishing, rafting, hiking, camping, and quaint rural atmosphere abounds.

The Greater Watertown-North Country (GWNC) Chamber of Commerce boasts over 1,000 members. See what Best of the Road has to say about Watertown. Many well-known people hail from Watertown, including John Foster Dulles, the former U.S. Secretary of State.

Maybe drop in out of the sky, as the town has its own international airport. Seniors, see for yourself and experience all the amenities the town has to offer. -jeb