LOCATION
Jefferson County is located in northern New York State, approximately 60 miles north of Syracuse. The County borders Lake Ontario to the west, the St. Lawrence River to the north, St. Lawrence County to the northeast, Lewis County to the east, and Oswego County to the south.
Jefferson County is part of the "North Country" of New York State and shares the distinction of being part of the famed, "Thousand Islands Region", an international recreation and tourism destination comprised of over 1,800 picturesque islands in the St. Lawrence River Valley. The major portion of the Thousand Islands Region is located in Jefferson County between the United States mainland and the Canadian Province of Ontario.
The major geographic features of Jefferson County include the St. Lawrence River Valley/Thousand Islands Region in the north, the Lake Ontario lowlands in the west, the Tug Hill Plateau in the southeast, the Black River Valley which bisects the county east to west, and the Theresa Lakes Region in the northeast. The County encompasses 1,293 square miles, making it the ninth largest county in the State. Elevation ranges from a high of 1,700 feet above mean sea level in the Tug Hill region, to a low of 244 feet above mean sea level along the shoreline.
Aside from its major population centers (City of Watertown, Fort Drum, and the larger villages) the County is primarily rural in character, with its major land uses reflected in open spaces, agriculture, and forests.
Jefferson County's climate is characterized as humid-continental. Winters are long and relatively cold; spring is cool and short; summers are warm and moderate, autumn is also warm, but usually short.
The climate is influenced by the proximity of Lake Ontario, particularly during winter. The relatively warm lake water provides moisture to air masses moving across from the west, which often results in "lake effect" snowfalls primarily in the southern half of the county. The County seat, Watertown, is referred to as "Snowtown USA". Average annual snowfall is 101 inches in Watertown, but approaches 200 inches in the snowbelt areas. The average total annual precipitation is 40 inches.
The lake also has a moderating effect on temperatures, reducing the extremes of cold in winter and heat in summer. In winter, the average temperature is 21 degrees Fahrenheit, while in summer the average temperature is 68 degrees Fahrenheit. The average relative humidity in the afternoon is 60 percent. The sun shines 65 percent of the time in summer and 40 percent of the time in winter.
The County's population, according to the 2000 U.S. Census, is 111,738. The major population center within the County is the City of Watertown with a 2000 population of 26,705. Between 1980 and 1990, Jefferson County experienced a 26 percent increase in population and was the fastest growing county in New York State. The largest factor for this growth was the activation of the U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Fort Drum, which is located in the north eastern portion of the County. For more information about Jefferson County's demographic trends, visit Census Highlights.
Attracted by the abundant waterpower afforded by the Black River, industrially minded pioneers from New England settled in the center of the County and established a manufacturing and trading center. The City of Watertown was thus established and soon became the County seat. Jefferson County was created by enactment of the New York State Legislature on March 28, 1805 and was named after the then serving President of the United States.
Yankee ingenuity overcame inadequate transportation and communication facilities to establish a prosperous agricultural, industrial, and mercantile tradition. Jefferson County has been world famous for its manufacturing tradition: cotton and woolen yarns, carriages, sewing machines, water pumps, oil lamps, portable steam engines, railroad brakes, plows, emery grinders, paper machinery, cylinder printing presses, high pressure hydraulic pumps, and turbine starting systems are just a few of the examples. Throughout its history, Jefferson County has demonstrated a resiliency and ingenuity in the face of change. The genesis of Arbor Day, the Dewey Decimal System, the Five and Dime Store (Woolworth's), Philadelphia Cream Cheese, and Thousand Islands Dressing, were all developed in Jefferson County.
Jefferson County's economy has traditionally been resource based, with many economic opportunities afforded by its water, agricultural and forest resources. Dairy farming, food processing, and papermaking are major industries in the County with a long tradition. In addition, railroad equipment, industrial machinery, and medical equipment manufacturing are also substantial contributors to the County's economy. Jefferson County is a regional administrative center for State government programs and also benefits from being the home of the 10th Mountain Division and ("The New") Fort Drum . The expansion of Fort Drum in the 1980's has brought a boom in construction and trade. Jefferson County's economy is favorably blessed by its location adjacent to large Canadian markets.
The natural beauty of the County led to the development of a tourism industry, particularly in the Thousand Islands region which became known at the turn of the century as the "Millionaires' Playground". Today, Jefferson County offers four seasons of recreation for the outdoor sports enthusiast. With world renown sport fishing, boating, and winter recreation opportunities, the economic impact of tourism is substantial.