Watertown, Connecticut is a small town with a population of about 23,000 located in Litchfield County. Despite the fact that there's not much to do in this little suburb, it's a pretty OK place to grow up. Whether you left as soon as you got the chance, or have stayed here for most of your life, here are a few things you know to be true if you grew up in good ol' Watertown:
1. The first sign of summer is when you hear Teddy's music coming up your street.
Whether it was him driving on your street or showing up at a baseball game, buying ice cream from Teddy was always your favorite part of summer as a kid.
2. You remember when Cafe Napoli was open.
Back in the day, Cafe Napoli was where the majority of your friends hung out. Live music, food, somewhere to go after school, whatever it was you were there a lot. Moment of silence please for this now-closed childhood memory.
3. You grew up on trips to Quassy.
It was no Six Flags, but it was close. And by close I mean local. I still have nightmares about the Mad Mouse.
4. You remember when Heminway was just for sixth graders, or even before then when it was a high school.
I personally went to Heminway when it was just sixth grade and for that reason it was my favorite school year of my childhood. Before then, it was a high school. Either way it's no longer a school, sadly.
5. As a kid you either marched in the Memorial Day parade or watched from the side.
Whether you were a boy scout, girl scout, soccer player, softball player, band member, etc. you've probably marched in the Memorial Day parade. If not, you watched from the sidelines but it was still just as entertaining.
6. You loved going to the Bethlehem Fair every year.
Fried Oreos, rides, cows, bunnies, the Bethlehem Fair had it all. Even though you loved going as a kid, you go when you can as an adult and you still love it.
7. You remember when Rite Aid on Main Street was Brooks.
Back in the day (a few years ago, but you get it).
8. Whether you had a game there yourself or went to go watch a sibling, you've made countless trips to Vets.
Vets was a big part of your childhood. Whether it be to play a game, use the playground, or just walk around, it was one of the many places you frequented growing up in Watertown.
9. You've probably swam at Crestbrook.
Whether you went for camp or went because you didn't have a pool, you've probably gone to Crestbrook a few times as a kid.
10. You've been around through countless school renovations.
Swift, Polk, Judson and the high school have all seen their fair share of renovations even though you still remember what they looked like before.
11. If there's anything Watertown is good for, it's that it has endless options of nail salons and pizzerias.
You can get a different kind of pizza every night of the week, if that's something you plan on doing.
12. As a kid and as an adult, Carvel is where you go for your ice cream.
Thankfully, Carvel has been around for a while. Sure, you can take an extra few minutes to go to Rich's, or Arethusa, or Popey's, but Carvel is always a good option. You've seen it through its renovation where it combined with G's Burgers, but it hasn't really changed since you were a kid. And it will probably be there for a long time.
13. You've made plenty of trips to Black Rock.
Whether it be to hike, fish, or swim, you've made plenty of trips to Black Rock as a kid, and probably still do as an adult.
14. Hearing about the old Pizza Hut becoming a Taco Bell has been the most exciting news in the town for a while.
This says a lot about Watertown, but that's part of its charm isn't it?
15. You can't go to the store without running into someone you know.
Stop and Shop, Adams, CVS, wherever you may need to go to run some errands, you can't complete them without running into someone you know. Small town problems?
Ultimately, you've seen Watertown through its fair share of changes but when it comes down to it, it has always been the same. And it will always be home.
