Watertown.

Watertown. 1. Town (1990 pop. 20,456), Litchfield co., W Conn.; set off from Waterbury and inc. 1780. Synthetic textiles, thread, plastics, chemicals, mattresses, and brass goods are among its manufactures. A method for processing silk thread developed there (1849) and led to the foundation of a major silk industry in the 19th cent. Portions of a state park and a state forest are in Watertown. 2. Town (1990 pop. 33,284), Middlesex co., E Mass., on the Charles River; settled 1630, inc. 1785. An industrial suburb of Boston, its manufactures include machinery, electronic equipment, precision instruments, clothing, and food products. A federal arsenal, built in 1816, was greatly enlarged during the two world wars; most of it is owned by the town, but the U.S. government has retained a section for research. The Perkins School for the Blind (est. in Boston 1829) moved to Watertown in 1912. 3. City (1990 pop. 29,429), seat of Jefferson co., N N.Y., on the Black River, in a dairy region; settled c.1800, inc. as a city 1869. The falls on the river (more than 100 ft/30 m high) provide power for its many small industries. Talc, lead, zinc, and iron are mined in the area. Watertown also attracts tourists as a result of its proximity to Canada, the Adirondacks, and the Thousand Islands resort area. A county historical museum is in the city. The Camp Drum military reservation (national guard) and an air force station are nearby. 4. City (1990 pop. 17,592), seat of Codington co., NE S.Dak., on the Big Sioux River; inc. 1885. It is the distribution, shipping, and trading center for an extensive agricultural area. Light industries and tourism add to Watertown's economy. Two large lakes adjoining the city provide recreation. 5. Industrial city (1990 pop. 19,142), Dodge and Jefferson counties, SE Wis., at the falls of the Rock River; inc. 1854. Manufacturing is diverse, and its agricultural market is economically important. Carl Schurz lived there. His wife, Margarethe, established (1856) the first U.S. kindergarten there; it has been restored and moved to the grounds of the Octagon House (c.1849), the city's historical museum. Northwestern College is in Watertown.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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