Past photos of Watertown.

[Kurt Hyneman]

This first link  has panoramas of Public Square when the trolley tracks were present and one photo of the backside of Bagley&Sewall and Watertown Carriage Co. building. When you click a title from the list, then click the photo to enlarge it.

These are from American Memories in the Library of Congress.

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/S?ammem/pan:@field(SUBJ+@od1(New+York++State+--Watertown+))
 
This link displays homes and some businesses that were abandoned in 1941, when the government bought out the "Lost Villages" that became Pine Camp. There are 99 photos here. These were depression era photos and I have to admit life looked pretty grim at that time.
 
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/f?fsaall:0:./temp/~ammem_Dcdm:
 

[WWR]

I'm keeping this bumped up because I want to come back to it several more times without searching.

Thanks Kurt.

[tree68]

Neat stuff.  I'm having more fun searching the base website.  Many, many images there, including these from the Thousand Islands. 

[Kurt Hyneman]

Yeah...I haven't been through it all yet tree. Did you find these yet of the old roundhouse on drum?

http://tinyurl.com/yzegjzn

And here's a couple shots of the old Armory Bill on Arsenal St. They are from the south and west sides.

[gunslinger]

I'll "sticky" this for a bit, that way folks can find it.  Very cool stuff, Kurt! 

[Wiener]

Thanks Kurt, I always wondered what the power canal looked like completely, those are great.

[chattykathy]

Thanks Kurt. Awesome site.....

[tree68]

Did you find these yet of the old roundhouse on drum?

Yep.  Some of those Drum pictures aren't all that old, relatively speaking.  I remember some of those buildings.  (And next to Bill, I'm just a whippersnapper....   )

[suzanne]

      WOW!!!  WOW!!! and many more WOWS!!!

     Thanks so very much to Kurt and Tree for the SPECTACULAR picture links and to Gunny ...it's so nice when we are both on the same team  ... for giving  this post a "sticky".

    I just spent a delightful period of time going through all of the pictures and wishing they were much larger and in full color, but am very grateful for the vision they provided into the past.

    RE:  Watertown, N. Y., waterfront and factories (3rd photo from Kurt's post), what a great panoramic view when once scrolls (is that the correct term???) to the right!!!  But, I am unable to figure out where the person who took the picture was standing, and what buildings are today in those spots.

    RE:  http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/f?fsaall:0:./temp/~ammem_Dcdm:    I get an error message when I try to access this link.

    RE:  The 2nd photo at the link Tree posted...."Rusticating in Sleepy Hollow", isn't the term "rusticating" just wonderful???  It is so "yesteryear", and reminds me of when people's lives were not so rush, rush, rush.

     And while I thoroughly enjoyed all of the photos taken in the 1,000 Islands area, I especially drooled over the ones of Bonnie Castle and its interior.

    Expect that Marc, or AJR have these photos listed somewhere on links available to us, but there are also some old pictures of Watertown at  http://www.watertown-ny.gov/index.asp?NID=414   (look to the left of the screen for more photos to click on)

    Two of my favorites were the last two at http://www.watertown-ny.gov/index.asp?NID=469    They are of the magnificent train station that was, SADLY!!!! torn down many years ago (think in the 1950's).  I can remember being there many times as a child..to catch a Greyhound bus, or to take the train.  Another connection for me is knowing that my grandfather (on my father's side) was one of the teamsters who drew material to help with the construction of that beautiful structure.

[tree68]

RE:  Watertown, N. Y., waterfront and factories (3rd photo from Kurt's post), what a great panoramic view when once scrolls (is that the correct term???) to the right!!!  But, I am unable to figure out where the person who took the picture was standing, and what buildings are today in those spots.

Based on Kurt's comment on that picture, you can't find the buildings because most of them no longer stand.  Unless I miss my guess, the bridges are Pearl Street.  The photographer would have been standing on the north shore of the river, near present day East Street. 

Two off my favorites were the last two at http://www.watertown-ny.gov/index.asp?NID=469    They are of the magnificent train station that was, SADLY!!!! torn down many years ago (think in the 1950's).  I can remember being there many times as a child..to catch a Greyhound bus, or to take the train.  Another connection for me is knowing that my grandfather (on my father's side) was one of the teamsters who drew material to help with the construction of that beautiful structure.

IIRC, that was the second station at that location.  Trains through the station used Factory Street to and from the north (many of us can remember freight trains running down the middle of Factory Street), over the long-abandoned track that ran out Water Street, then turned and crossed Pearl Street Road before rejoining the mainline at Calcium (still known as "Roots" on the railroad).

For those not familiar with the location of the staion, it was behind the Woodruff Hotel, on the site of the present day J.B.Wise parking lot.

Waterman Drive, which links Factory Street with Coffeen Street, is built on the old RR right of way.

[chattykathy]

Once again, thanks Kurt. Also, thanks tree for that info. It's pictures of the past that want  me to gather my things and enter a time machine, and just  go back for a few days and explore.

[LarryTheCableGuy]

   Oddly enough, I actually remember going to a dance at the old Armory on Arsenal St. WWR and GrayGhost were probably there too, but I didn't know them back then.
   

   Speaking of power canals, there was one that ran from the LeRay St. swamp, between Cooper and Davidson Sts., down to the river. You can still see parts of the "depression" where it once was, in some of the back yards on Cooper St. (my old neighborhood).

   Great photos, and thanks for the links.

[bcg]

Did you find these yet of the old roundhouse on drum?

Yep.  Some of those Drum pictures aren't all that old, relatively speaking.  I remember some of those buildings.  (And next to Bill, I'm just a whippersnapper....   )

Pick #4 shows a pretty modern pick up parked next to it. Still though, pretty neat stuff.

[tree68]

Here are some scans of prints I picked up a couple of years ago.  The first two appear to have been taken from postcards.

1.  The NYC station ca 1914.  Note the Empsall building center rear and the old city hall on the far right.

2.  View northeast over the NYC station ca 1908.  I'm guessing this was probably taken from the Hotel Woodruff.  A number of buildings still standing today can be spotted.

The next three views are all from the same print - it's to big to fit into the scanner all at once.   They show downtown Watertown "BUR" (before urban renewal).  There is some overlap.  This picture also looks northeast, a little more east that the previous shot.

Left
Center
Right

At the corner of Mill and Factory, you may be able to spot a small white two story building.  While its final days were spent as a gas station, it was in fact, built as a railroad station for the Carthage, Watertown, and Sackets Harbor Railroad.  Another station of the CW&SH that many may be familiar with still stands - as a microbrewery in Sackets Harbor.

The CW&SH line crossed present day I-81 just south of Exit 45, running roughly behind Staples.  Another portion of the CW&SH line today serves as a trail alongside the Black River, between the Ridge Road and NYS 3 at Black River.  You can follow the line on satellite images.

The rail line from Carthage to Newton falls was an extension of the CW&SH, and even today the mileposts on theline are measured from Sackets Harbor.

[AJR II]

Hope you don't mind, Tree.. I spliced together your 3 part scan into one. It's a great print, first color photo I've seen of downtown before Urban Renewal.

http://jeffco.wikispaces.com/file/view/Mar020006.jpg/124802185/Mar020006.jpg

[tree68]

Hope you don't mind, Tree.. I spliced together your 3 part scan into one. It's a great print, first color photo I've seen of downtown before Urban Renewal.

http://jeffco.wikispaces.com/file/view/Mar020006.jpg/124802185/Mar020006.jpg

Not a bit.  I'm not sure where the image originated or I'd point us there.

[Finally Happy]

I love seeing photos off "Old Watertown".  You can see some of the buildings that still stand. 

[Steve Bradley]

Here are some scans of prints I picked up a couple of years ago.  The first two appear to have been taken from postcards.

1.  The NYC station ca 1914.  Note the Empsall building center rear and the old city hall on the far right.

2.  View northeast over the NYC station ca 1908.  I'm guessing this was probably taken from the Hotel Woodruff.  A number of buildings still standing today can be spotted.

The next three views are all from the same print - it's to big to fit into the scanner all at once.   They show downtown Watertown "BUR" (before urban renewal).  There is some overlap.  This picture also looks northeast, a little more east that the previous shot.

Left
Center
Right

At the corner of Mill and Factory, you may be able to spot a small white two story building.  While its final days were spent as a gas station, it was in fact, built as a railroad station for the Carthage, Watertown, and Sackets Harbor Railroad.  Another station of the CW&SH that many may be familiar with still stands - as a microbrewery in Sackets Harbor.

The CW&SH line crossed present day I-81 just south of Exit 45, running roughly behind Staples.  Another portion of the CW&SH line today serves as a trail alongside the Black River, between the Ridge Road and NYS 3 at Black River.  You can follow the line on satellite images.

The rail line from Carthage to Newton falls was an extension of the CW&SH, and even today the mileposts on theline are measured from Sackets Harbor.

View 2 could be from possibly the Empsall building at the back end or even mine on Court St. It's a beautiful picture. I should go up and take a picture of what it looks like today. I've been spending a lot of time up there lately working on the building... It's quite a view if anyone would like to take a peek, just let me know...

[Steve Bradley]

The third view is a great shot of Court St. too. It's neat to see the 2 big trees behind my building are still there. A favorite roost for the crows this time of year!! lol

[Steve Bradley]

These are some of the same views today as well as some views from the front of my building... Quite a change, eh?

[Steve Bradley]

Here's a new one...

[Marc]

I'd love to do a panoramic shot from the top of your building someday, Mr. Bradley. 

The only problem I have with taking panoramics from the top of a building is getting a high enough vantage for the camera to "see" over the edge of it for a nice full view.

[Kurt Hyneman]

This photo is of the entrance to the NY Central R.R. station. It faced the backside of the Hotel Woodruff.  The attached smaller building to the right, I believe is where REA Express was and they loaded their delivery trucks at those loading docks.

The second one is of the Empsall building. It appears there is scaffolding erected and they were working on the face. To the right I think the sign with the He showing was Herr's, a womens clothing store and to the left you can make out the old Kamargo Furniture store sign.

[WWR]

Empsall Picture -

I'm trying to remember my cars from back then but it appears that the one in front is a 37 Chevy and the black one is a 35 Buick Coupe?

To the left of Kamargo's would have been the Globe Store or Carl's Auto Parts?  No the globe was on Arsenal Street.  Musta been Carl's.

[tree68]

No the globe was on Arsenal Street. 

Perhaps in an earlier incarnation.  The only Globe I'm familiar with is/was on Court Street, near Coffeen.

[WWR]

No the globe was on Arsenal Street. 

Perhaps in an earlier incarnation.  The only Globe I'm familiar with is/was on Court Street, near Coffeen.

Yupper.  You're right.  I thought of that later as I was driving.

[bigbore45]

would any one know were the roswel flower drinking and water fountain went? i see it alot in pictures of public square. i also wrote in about wallings airport of from washington st ,across from the old smith farm,i have the sign that hung on the building.

[hillaryperson]

Look at peoples' impression of us now:

http://www.kunstler.com/eyesore_200908.html

[hodad]

Look at peoples' impression of us now:

http://www.kunstler.com/eyesore_200908.html

I agree, compared to the past we are an eyesore now.

[tree68]

Look at peoples' impression of us now:
http://www.kunstler.com/eyesore_200908.html

I agree, compared to the past we are an eyesore now.

I love how people take words out of context (it's advertising a hamburger, for goodness sake) and use them to illustrate the point they're trying to make.

Taking a look at some of the old pictures of any city will provide plenty of squalor.