WATERTOWN, a city of Wisconsin, on the line between Dodge and Jefferson counties, on Rock river, and on the Fond du Lac and Rock River railroad, 40 miles E. by N. from Madison. It is finely situated on both sides of the river, at the Great Bend, where its course is changed from N. W. to nearly due S. The rapids above the town have a fall of 24 feet, from which abundant water-power may be derived. Watertown is the largest place in the county. It contains several churches, 2 or 3 newspaper offices, 1 bank, 2 select schools, 6 dry-good stores, about 20 other stores, and a variety of manufactories, among which are 3 flouring mills, 4 saw mills, 1 iron foundry with a machine shop, 1 pottery, 1 woollen factory, 4 manufactories of farming implements, 6 of wagons, and 5 of cabinet ware. A plank-road extends to Milwaukee, and railroads are in progress to Milwaukee and Madison. Settled in 1836. Population in 1850, 1451; in 1853, about 4000. (Baldwin's New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States..., 1854)
WATERTOWN, City, is situated on both sides of Rock river, at the line between Dodge and Jefferson county, on the old stage route, half way (40 miles) between Madison and Milwaukee, and 12 miles north of Jefferson. It is connected with Milwaukee by a plank road, and is a point in the charters of several rail roads. The location of Watertown, in the heart of an excellent fanning country, its good hydraulic power, access to market, and the energy and spirit of its inhabitants, cannot fail to have it continue, as it now is, one of the largest and most important inland towns in the State. The following are some of the statistics of the place taken in May, 1853:— Watertown now contains 4,000 inhabitants; with 6 dry good, 11 grocery, 2 drug, and 3 hardware stores, 15 taverns, 1 tobacconist, 2 bakeries, 3 meat markets, and 2 livery stables, 7 blacksmith, 6 waggon, 2 joiner, 2 jewelry, 4 tin, 6 cabinet, 1 chair, 1 machine, and 5 shoe shops; 1 fork and hoe, 1 plough, 1 door and sash, and 1 saleratus factory; 3 flouring and 4 saw mills; 1 fanning mill and 2 harness maker's shops; 2 book stores, 2 barber's shops, 1 gunsmith, 1 tannery, 1 furnace, 1 pottery, 1 oil mil, 1 carding machine, 1 rake and cradle, factory, 1 woollen and yarn factory, 2 printing offices, 6 school houses, 2 select schools, Jones's Exchange bank, and several lawyer's offices. (John Warren Hunt, Wisconsin Gazetteer..., Madison, 1853)