Jefferson County, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jefferson County
County
Panoramic view of Boldt Castle on Heart Island
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of New York
New York's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	New York
Founded	1805
Named for	Thomas Jefferson
Seat	Watertown
Largest town	Le Ray
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)
• Total	116,721
• Density	63/sq mi (24/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts	21st, 24th

Jefferson County is a county located in the northern part of New York. It sits right on the border with Canada. In 2020, about 116,721 people lived here.

The main city and county seat is Watertown. The county is named after Thomas Jefferson, who was the third President of the United States of America. Jefferson County is next to Lake Ontario and is part of New York's "North Country" region.

This area is popular for summer tourists. The population grows a lot during the warmer months. Fort Drum, a large United States Army base, is also located here. It is home to the 10th Mountain Division.

In 2014, Colleen M. O'Neill became the first woman county sheriff in New York State. She had worked with the New York State Police for 32 years before that.

History of Jefferson County

When counties were first created in New York in 1683, the land that is now Jefferson County was part of a huge area called Albany County. This county was enormous, stretching across much of New York and even into what is now Vermont.

Over many years, Albany County was divided into smaller parts. In 1772, a large western section became Tryon County. This county was named after William Tryon, who was the colonial governor.

After the American Revolutionary War, the name of Tryon County was changed to Montgomery County. This honored General Richard Montgomery, a hero of the war.

Later, in 1791, Herkimer County was formed from Montgomery County. Then, in 1798, Oneida County was created from Herkimer County.

Finally, in 1805, Jefferson County was officially created. It was split off from Oneida County. In 1817, Carleton Island, which was captured during the War of 1812, became part of Jefferson County.

Geography and Nature

Jefferson County covers a total area of about 1,857 square miles (4,810 km²). About 1,269 square miles (3,287 km²) of this is land, and 589 square miles (1,525 km²) is water. This makes it the fourth-largest county in New York by total area.

The county is in northeastern New York State. It is located where the Saint Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. It's northeast of Syracuse and northwest of Utica. The county also shares an international border with Canada.

The Black River is an important waterway here. It flows into Lake Ontario. Part of the Tug Hill Plateau is in the southern part of the county. Jefferson County also includes some of the beautiful Thousand Islands in the St. Lawrence River. These include large islands like Carleton Island, Grindstone Island, and Wellesley Island.

Neighboring Counties

Jefferson County shares borders with these other counties:

• St. Lawrence County – to the northeast
• Lewis County – to the southeast
• Oswego County – to the southwest
• Leeds and Grenville United Counties, Ontario – to the north (in Canada)
• Frontenac County, Ontario – to the northwest (in Canada)

Main Roads

Many important roads run through Jefferson County. These include:

Population Data

2020 Census Information

The 2020 Census showed the different groups of people living in Jefferson County:

Education in the County

Jefferson Community College in Watertown offers higher education.

Many school districts serve the students in Jefferson County:

Some parts of Fort Drum send their students to the Carthage or Indian River school districts.

Cities, Towns, and Villages

Jefferson County has one city, many towns, and several villages.

City

• Watertown (This is the county seat.)

Towns

Villages

Hamlets

These smaller communities are called hamlets. Many are also recognized as census-designated places.

Places to Visit

Jefferson County has many interesting places to see and explore:

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Jefferson (Nueva York) para niños