This bird's-eye view map of Watertown, New York was drawn by J. C. Kimball and published by Burleigh Litho. Co. in 1891. Watertown, county seat for Jefferson County, is located on the Black River, about 20 miles south of the Thousand Islands. It was settled in the early 1800s as a manufacturing center because of the many falls of the river. The town with its ample water power source attracted several entrepreneurs and Watertown soon housed a number of paper mills and manufacturing works. The first portable steam engine was produced here in 1847. The railroad reached Watertown in 1851, bringing with it other business ventures, and the town soon prospered well enough to fund such public works projects as an improved water system and the development of Thompson Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, the creator of New York City's Central Park. Watertown's telephone system was installed in 1879.
This panoramic map from 1891 shows buildings, railroad routes and clearly labeled streets.
Features numbered references to the following locations:
1. Baptist Church
2. Emanuel Congregational Church
3. First Methodist Episcopal Church
4. First Presbyterian Church
5. Free Methodist Church
6. Grace Episcopal Church
7. Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church
8. St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church
9. State Street Methodist Episcopal Church
10. Stone Street Presbyterian Church
11. Trinity Episcopal Church
12. Trinity House Church
13. Universalist Church
14. Mission of the Redeemer, Episcopal
15. High School
16. Public Schools
17. County Jail
18. State Armory
19. County Clerk's Office
20. U.S. Post Office
21. City Opera House
22. R. W. & O. R. R. Depot
23. Y. M. C. A. Building
23. Washington Hall
24. City Hospital
25. Henry Keep Home
26. Orphan Asylum
27. Woodruff House
28. American Hotel
29. Otis House
30. Kirby House
31. Crowner House
32. Romang House
33. City Hotel
34. Oakland House
35. Central House
36. Watertown Steam Engine Co.
37. Taggart Bros. Co. Paper Mill
38. Union Carriage & Gear Co.
39. W. R. Baker Manufacturing Co.
40. Watertown Nickel Plating Works
41. Watertown Thermometer Co.
42. City Flouring Mills
43. W. W. Burdick & Co., Coal Dealers
44. Sloat & Greenleaf, Manufacturers
45. Zimmerman & Hardiman, Mfr's
46. York & Starkweather, Mfr's
47. Ryther Mfg Co.
48. James B. Wise Mf'g Building
49. Electric Light & Motor Co.
50. Watertown Woolen Mills
51. Eames Vacuum Brake Co.
52. J. E. Collins, Mf'r
53. Excelsior Flouring Mills.
54. Roblin Folsom & Co., Mfr's
55. Union Flouring Mills
56. Knowlton Bros' Paper Mills
57. Harmon Machine Co.
58. Hitchcock Lamp Co.
59. Marcy, Buck & Riley. Coal Dealers
60. Eames & Neuroth, Mfr's
61. Gifford Mf'g Co.
62. H. H. Babcock, Carriage Mfr
63. Nill & Jess Model Bakery
64. Nill & Jess Manufacturing Bld'g
65. Watertown Spring Wagon Co.
66. Crescent Flouring Mills
67. The Bagley & Sewall Co., Founders & Machinists
68. Excelsior Carriage Co.
69. Remington Paper Co.
70. Watertown Paper Co.
71. Davidson Marble Co.
72. City Waterworks Pump House
73. Spirit Level Mfr'y
74. Sanitarium
75. Smith Building
76. Commercial Arcade Building
77. Insurance Building
78. Paddock Arcade Bld'g
79. American Arcade Bld'g
80. Flower Building
81. Re-Union Office
82. Watertown Daily Times
82. Watertown Reformer & Weekly Times
83. Herald Office
84. Watertown Post
85. W. W. Greene & Son, Florists
86. Fred A. Bennett, Florist
87. Geo N. Sayles, Vegetable Gardener &c.
88. Bethany Chapel, Methodist Episcopal
89. Hope Chapel, Presbyterian
90. Zion A. M. E. Chapel
91. Spiritual Temple
92. Dillon House