A couple of weeks ago, I celebrated my nine-year anniversary as director of Watertown Tourism. When you’re in the day-to-day of planning, promoting, collaborating, and cheering on a community, it’s easy to forget just how much can change in nearly a decade. But wow, what an amazing nine years it has been for the city of Watertown. Truly transformative.
From unforgettable events to passionate people, from brand-new businesses to revitalized longtime favorites, and the incredible progress that has transformed our city — there was so much to think about that I started writing it all down. The list was so inspiring, I thought I’d share some highlights. I take no credit for the list below. In some cases, I was a direct participant or at minimum, an advocate, while in others I was an excited observer. In no particular order, let’s revisit a few of the key moments that have shaped Watertown over the last nine years.
Santa House
Within a couple of weeks of starting my position in 2016, the new Santa House was unveiled to the public. Seeing the community’s generosity in bringing that project to life, I could feel a shift that we were ready to invest in meaningful experiences. It was a small glimpse of the exciting things to come.
While we’re on the topic of Christmas, the Watertown Main Street Program also worked to secure funding for new holiday decorations on Main and Church Streets. A city’s holiday décor is a big (and expensive) deal! I love driving through unfamiliar cities and enjoying their holiday best.
Sharp Corner Park
The revitalization of Sharp Corner killed two birds with one stone. It greatly improved the visuals of a sad entry into the downtown, and more importantly, it provided a much safer intersection. This corner looks nothing the same, and took a great deal of planning, grant writing, and support through donations.
Watertown Public Library Expansion and Renovation
The $10 million expansion and renovation was made possible through both public and private support, and it still gives me goosebumps to think about. The Watertown Public Library is a gem that is utilized by many hundreds of people each day, and not just for books (although, yay books!). The expansion includes nine new meeting rooms and a beautiful community space that can accommodate 140 guests. As expected, the spaces are well utilized. Upstairs, the Talk, Read, Play Center continues to shine as a destination for families near and far, offering a vibrant place to learn, explore, and play every day of the week.
Bentzin Family Town Square
The Town Square is another recent public/private success story. Another multi-million dollar project, it opened to the public in 2023 and has been a downtown hub since. The water feature is popular with families in the summertime, and the long list of scheduled events has been entertaining residents and visitors year-round. Concerts, markets, paint nights, and more can be enjoyed. The Square is located alongside the Rock River, and includes a new kayak launch, giving visitors a completely new way to enter downtown Watertown.
Interurban Trail
I’m not supposed to have favorites, but the Interurban Trail is undeniably that. The trail was constructed on the old trolley/street car line that ran from Milwaukee to Watertown in the early 1900s. In more recent years, it was owned by WE Energies, and used for utility purposes only. Other than vehicle tracks on the path, it was overgrown and not for public use. Years of planning, fundraising, and grant writing have made the paved, off-road trail a reality. A new trailhead was constructed in Watertown that includes restrooms, a bottle filling station, a bike repair area, and parking stalls. The trail runs from the trailhead on Clark and Humboldt Streets, to Oconomowoc – over nine miles through the beautiful countryside.
Octagon House Museum Additions
The beloved Octagon House Museum underwent two major additions in the last decade. In 2019, the tour center located on the museum grounds was completely demolished. In its place, a new multifunctional facility was constructed to act as the gift shop, accommodate museum tickets sales, and to provide historic displays. It also acts as a gathering space for the public to rent.
Then, in August of 2025, the museum opened another substantial addition with the expansion of the First Kindergarten in America, adding a new interactive classroom for hands-on learning, complete with portraits that speak and teach!
Watertown Airport Runway Expansion Project
You might think a runway expansion only affects a few, but it could be an economic development game-changer to the area. Creating a longer runway and clearance, allows for larger aircraft to fly in and out of the airport, which positions Watertown to attract corporate business, increase hangar/facility demand, and support economic development in the region. While it’s not 100% completed, the rerouting of streets has taken place, checking a major portion of the project off the list. The airport also added a cool monument in recent years.
Schultz Family YMCA
Just this month, Watertown proudly opened a new brand new YMCA. This state-of-the-art facility brings the latest in fitness equipment and programs that build a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all – including visitors!
More projects
Additional public and private investments have filled the city with color and excitement. Building facades have been made new, beautiful murals are popping up, and over 100 new events entertain the public each year (WOW!).
Restoration of the Schempf building took place over several years.
3rd Street Blocktoberfest
What’s to come
The Watertown Veteran’s Council has been working hard to bring an 80% scale replica of the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Wall to Watertown as a permanent installation. The project received immediate support, and will be installed and opened in spring of 2026. The memorial will serve as a sacred space for families, friends, and future generations to reflect and remember, 24 hours a day, fully illuminated. The Wall will be located at Aero Park, where construction has already begun.
An inclusive park has been proposed for Riverside Park, with fundraising underway. Designed with input from parents, kids, educators, caregivers, and community leaders, this one-of-a-kind recreation area will set a new standard for inclusivity in our region.
Non-Tourism Related Progress
In addition to tourism destinations, the city has made incredible progress in other areas, too. Entire neighborhoods are in the process of being built, a brand new fire station was recently opened, and the Watertown Humane Society recently concluded a major expansion and renovation.
In closing
I’m in awe of my city. Each and every project above required careful planning, fundraising, public input, approvals, and execution. It’s been a busy and exhilarating nine years, and I get excited thinking about the next nine for Watertown.
About the Author: Robin Kaufmann
