Watertown dates to 1836, and 31% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 96% of U.S. towns · #6 of 362 in Wisconsin. What drives it
15 places in town are on the National Register, among them five historic districts with 346 buildings between them. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1884 on, and the census since 1850.
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1837.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Watertown’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Watertown is more historic than 96% of U.S. towns, #6 of 362 in Wisconsin. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its age lowest.
A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Watertown’s overall grade.
Wisconsin towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Wisconsin town has 3.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Watertown’s 158 sits above most of its state (97% of Wisconsin towns have fewer) while its 359 historic buildings outnumber those of 96% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.0 points). Two sources give 1836.
Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Watertown’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Watertown was first settled by Timothy Johnson, who built a cabin on the west side of the Rock River in 1836. He was born in Middleton, Middlesex County, Connecticut, on June 28, 1792. A park on the west side of the city is named in his honor. The area was settled to utilize the power of the Rock River, which falls 20 feet (6.1 m) in two miles (two 10-foot (3.0 m) dams). In contrast, the Rock River falls only 34 feet (10 m) in 58 miles (93 km) upstream from Watertown. The water power was first used for sawmills, and later prompted the construction of two hydroelectric dams, one downtown (where the river flows south) and one on the eastern edge of the city (where the river flows north).
Passages that mention Watertown, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The history of Jefferson county, Wisconsin, containing ... biographical sketches ..1879 · page 339Read the page →
Read the text
ber. In 1841, James Rogan erected another saw-mill on the west side of the river, which was, in the fall of 1812, purchased by Cole, Bailey & Co., who, in 1843, built what was long known as the " old yellow grist-mill." The population at that time numbered about two hundred, and the site of the present city of Watertown was laid out in blocks and lots, Milo Jones, still living, a resident of Fort Atkinson, being the surveyor. It might be stated here, the claim is made in Watertown that the first death in the county occurred near that place, in January, 1837, being that of Thomas Bass, thus contradicting the generally accepted belief that E. Foster, Sr., who died near Fort Atkinson, October 10, 1837, was the first to depart this life in Jefferson County.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The history of Jefferson county, Wisconsin, containing ... biographical sketches ..1879 · page 620Read the page →
Read the text
XELSON W. PIERCE, Agent of the M. & St. P. R. R. Co. at Watertown Junction, and proprietor of the Railway Eating House and Hotel ; born at Kingston, N. J., April 10, 1848 ; he was in the employ of the Camden & Amboy Railway Co. for three years prior to coming to Watertown in 1866 one year, he was at Watertown Station ; for the last twelve years, he has been agent at the Junction, and for four years, he has carried on the hotel and eating-house. Sept. 9, 1869, he married Miss >Liry Mitchell daughter of Thomas Mitchell, a native of England, who came to America about the year 1836, worked ic New York State a short time, and afterward for a short period in Ohio ; then came to Watertown, anc was for many years engaged in farming on Sec. 11, Watertown Township, where he died. Mrs. Pierce
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Watertown, 1836 to 1943
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
In 1836, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Watertown’s post office opened in 1837, and the census of 1850 counted 1,451 people here.
How does Watertown rank for history?
Watertown is more historic than 96% of U.S. towns, #6 of 362 in Wisconsin. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Watertown?
15 listings: 10 buildings, among them the Octagon House (listed 1971, the first), and 5 historic districts with 346 contributing buildings. 359 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Watertown?
31% of Watertown’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.0 points), against a typical 12% for a Wisconsin town; the median home was built in 1969.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (1), Wikidata (5), the National Register of Historic Places (15), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
