Further Description of Watertown as
it Appeared Previous to the Confla-
gration of 1849.

"The present block where John W. Spratt's store is on Public Square," said Mr. A. J. Fairbanks, in continuing his description of the town as it appeared before the fire in 1849, "was the same then as now.  Where the Hubbard block now stands was formerly the printing office of the Watertown Register, edited by Benjamin Cory, afterwards by Noble.  The present rear and side walls of the Hubbard block composed part of the Register building.  The paper was published a great many years .  On the corner where the Commercial block now is was formerly a brick yard.  John Kemp, father of John W. Kemp, had a small marble-working shop on that corner, and during the campaign of 1840 there was an Immense log cabin built right on that corner, where all the public meetings were held.  Beyond this there were some old buildings hauled in from other places.  The old Universalist church, a stone building on the site of the present one, caught fire from sparks of a fire on Sterling street, and before the firemen could get to it, had burned to the ground.  The hill was leveled and the present brick church was built.  On the east end of the square, where Harbottle's building is, stood a long, low, one-story building occupied by Frederick W. White as a cabinet shop.  On the opposite corner where the Streeter block is, was a vacant lot.  Two two-story buildings stood close together there, one occupied by A. J. Peck as a candle store, and another as a leather store.  The next west was a one-story building occupied by L. L. Soper, gun-maker.  Next was the story and a- half residence of N. W. Streeter.  Next came the two-story tavern occupied by a man named Hall and afterwards by Clark Hewitt, who died recently.  Hewitt married Hall's widow.  That is the way he came there.  Next was the brick building which laid on the side towards the river, and was occupied as a tenement.  Next was a harness shop, owned by Alanson Bissell, a wooden building.  Then came the old Mansion house, three stories, a stone building.  Luther Gilson was the landlord for many years.  It was the headquarters, during the Patriot war, for the refugees, and a great many of their plans were laid there.  It was afterwards a sort of a tenement building, and it was also headquarters for the democrats.  Next came the grocery store of Pierson Munday.  Overhead were the office of the Jeffersonian, a newspaper.  Alvin Hunt, editor.  Next was the hardware store of Norris M. Woodruff.  On the corner, where the Watertown National bank is, was a wooden building owned by William Ruger and occupied for various purposes.  On the site of the Safford block there was a brick building, all painted in checks, called the checkered store, owned by Dr. Safford.  Adjoining this was the two-story wooden building, for a time occupied by Pierre Mathivet, a French druggist, and afterwards by Newcomb as a watch store.  Where Bush, Bull & Roth is was a three-story brick building occupied in part by William Wood, a merchant, and the upper part was occupied as offices.  Below this was the old brick two-story building formerly the Jefferson county clerk's office; afterwards an Insurance office, and office occupied by George C. Sherman as a law office, and latterly it was turned into a store.  A two-story wooden building below that belonged to Chauncey Calhoun and was occupied by stores.  Beyond this was the residence of Chauncey Calhoun in the rear of the lot.  Next was the two-story wooden dwelling of Mr. Wilkins, justice of the peace; Squire Wilkins they called him.  Next beyond that was the dwelling of Peleg Burchard, formerly county clerk.  Next was the dwelling occupied for a time by Thomas White, afterwards by Charles Clark.  Next was the old wooden building, formerly a printing office that was partly destroyed by fire, owned by Seth A. and Dorephus Abbey, and never occupied after that.  Next came the Trinity church, a large wooden structure, tin spire, one of Upjohn's (architect of New York) designs.  This was destroyed by fire in 1849.  Next was the old Jefferson county clerk's office, one-story building.  This building stopped the fire from extending northward in 1849, by its fire-proof roof.  On the present site of the Crowner house was the two-story wooden hotel, formerly occupied by Heman Millard, formerly sheriff, and subsequently by John D. Crowner, who built the present Crowner house.  The present City hotel was erected by Stephen Boon. 

On the corner of Arsenal and Court streets there was a three-story stone building built by Jason Fairbanks and partly occupied by him.  Other stores in that block were Joseph Goodale's drugs, afterwards Kemp & Walton in the same business; Luther G. Hoyt, grocer; Wittgenstein & Co., liquor store.  The next was a two-story white residence owned by a non-resident and unoccupied for years.  Next was the hardware store of W. H. Robinson.  Then came the tailor shop of Clark and Van Wormer and another one by John Muckle.  The next was Fairbanks' boarding house; then the residence of Samuel Way, carman.  On the site of the Kirby house in the rear of the lot was an old, fine residence formerly occupied in early days by Dr. Paul Hutchinson, and later by Mr. Ferrin.  Then came the residence of Joseph Goodale which stands today to all appearances the same as it was then.  On the site of E. E. Herrick's residence, which was then quite a hill, stood the famous Whittlesey residence afterwards the residence of Hon. Judge Calvin McKnight.  This house was removed southerly and it was destroyed by fire in 1849.  

West from the American corner stood the American barns and Buckley's stage stables.  They occupied the place where Bergevin's livery is now.  About where G. R. Hanford's store is at present was the blacksmith shop, a wooden building occupied by a man named Hose.  That was taken down and rebuilt by a bruick building, occupied by two brothers named Fish.  Beyond this, west, was the vacant lot where all the circuses used to be--that is the present postoffice lot.  Next, the present residence of R. P. Flower, was the two-story, stone residence of Norris M. Woodruff.  That was taken down and rebuilt as at present.  Next west beyond that was the residence of Luther G. Hoyt, for many years justice of the peace.  It was a long, low, one-story building, built in 1815, by Captain Seth Otis.  On the site of the court house was the two-story wooden dwelling built by Gen. Corse.  It was afterwards occupied by Samuel Buckley.  This building was afterwards removed to Massey street where Ernest Hinrich, the cabinet maker, lives now.  It was a very fine house.  Benedict street at that time was not opened.  On the corner where J. R. Ross lives this same dwelling, which has been remodeled, however, was built by a man named Gilbert, a merchant tailor and afterwards used as a residence by Samuel F. Bates for a number of years.  Beyond this there was nothing except the old state arsenal, which was demolished in 1851. 

On the corner of Massey and Arsenal street on the north side, was a one-story brick school-house built in 1816.   Hon. Chas. Mason was one of the teachers and one of the last teachers--the last, I think--was Justin W. Weeks, the present crier of the county and circuit court.  Next east, coming down town was the  Methodist church, a stone building, erected in 1826 and demolished in about 1852.  Next in line was the old brown dwelling occupied by Samuel Way, an old carman whom everybody knew in those days.  Next was the present John Wingle.  This was the former residence of George C. Sherman, and afterwards it was occupied by a French family and, at last, as a French school for a number of years by Monsieur DeLaudy.  The next was the brown house on the site of D. W. Baldwin's house, where Hon. Charles R. Skinner lived, formerly occupied by Wooster Sherman and after by Justice of the Peace Marenus Gilbert.  The next was the old Trowbridge mansion, now the Decker place.  This is one of the oldest houses in the city.  It has been remodeled.  For a great many years it was occupied by Dr. Amasa Trowbridge.  Next in line is the present residence of Mrs. Budd; that house was built by a man named Prior, afterwards occupied by Perley G. Keyes.  On the site of the armory was the residence of Jason Fairbanks.  This was erected in 1815 and occupied by him about 40 years.  The next was a building that was erected by Samuel Buckley and afterwards owned by W. H. Sigourney.  On the site of the opera house was the two-story brick building for many years the residence of Hon. David Bucklin, a prominent lawyer in early days.  Next below that was an old wooden building called Columbia hotel.  This was occupied by Elnathan Lucas and afterwards by John T. Copeland, and it was burned in 1849. Massey street was formerly called Madison street, and there were no buildings with the exception of one or two on the west side.  It was all meadow there.  It was on the west side of Massey street in the vicinity of Orchard, between Arsenal and Coffeen, that Silas Wright made his great speech in 1844, which made possible the election of James K. Polk to the presidency of the United States.  That speech did it.  There is no question about it. 

On Franklin and State streets there are old dwellings existing, with some improvements.  The fartherest (sic) one on State street, which was then considered out of town--was the place where Fred Emerson lived until recently.  Factory street remains comparatively unchanged.  The old stone buildings about half way down are unchanged.  The railroad being built through that street stopped all improvements.  The vicinity of Factory square in the early days was the busiest part of the town.  All demonstrations were held there---8th January balls and 4th of July celebrations.  Everybody used to go down there for a hurrah.  North Watertown, except in the vicinity of the lower bridge, was comparatively unsettled.  It was a meadow, no buildings there at all.  There was no connection by bridge except to Beebee island.  There was no bridge across the north branch of the river, at that time.  The  little iron bridge that crosses by Knowltons' mill used to be below Graves' mill on the other side of the Graves' mill building. 

                                                  A CORRECTION.

Richard H. Huntington corrects Mr. Fairbanks in some particulars by making the following statement:

Silas Marvin built and lived in the stone house now occupied by Dr. Farmer.  The next building north was of stone and built by Dyer Huntington and was occupied by him for a drug, paint, oil and glass store.  North of that was a lane enclosed by a high gate.  The next building was a two-story frame dwelling house, built and occupied by Dyer Huntington and family, he owning at that time all the land now covered by the Agricultural building and the property occupied by the "World's" store.