Watertown, Pacifica
Watertown...Watertown is a lower middle class subrub in east Evergreen. It is located just south of the airport. Incorporated in 1934, it sprang up just as Evergreen did. Slowly though, in the mid 1990s, the area started to deteriorate. This event was known as "The Great Flight" because residents moved from Evergreen Lakefront International Airport to the Evergreen City Airport area, where newer homes and better schools were located. This mass exodus from Watertown left the community struggling to survive. The area has a large immigrant community. It is split between Syrian, Columbian, and Mexican immigrants. This has caused Watertown to be a large melting pot of cultures.
In recent years, the area has been undergoing several revitalization attempts, none of which had any results to speak of. East Evergreen Mall was built in 1987, at the begining of Watertown's demise. It housed 3 department stores at its opening, now only one is in use, a Hechts on the north side of the mall. Sears and Nordstroms left the mall in 2003 and 2005, respectively. This stretch of Airport Blvd is littered with small strip malls, grocery stores, and gas stations.
This is Mall Rd. It ends abruptly at a highway "Sound Barrier." The sound barriers were put up along International Expy. so that visitors to the city would not have to see the poverty that surrounds the airport, that is if they didnt already on their approach. But of course no one in the Evergreen City Council is going to tell you that... ![]()
The intended purpose of the sound barrier is to prevent sound from affecting the neighborhoods by International Expy. But locals see it as the city giving them a cold shoulder, giving travelers the illusion that poverty is non-existant in Pacifica. However, the lobbying power of Watertown is very weak, as many residents have low income jobs and some are not Pacifican citizens. Pacifica President Luis Gonzalez has made several visits to Watertown and federal aid money has been brought in as part of the stimulus for community centers, schools, and other community improvements. Projects like these are occurring all over Pacifica, and as Luis Gonzalez nears the end of his second term as president, he will leave as a very popular man.

This is Airport High School. Contrary to the neighborhood, it is one of the highest ranked schools in the nation, with a dropout rate of only .83%.
Although the economy and neighborhood is relatively poor, all public services are among the best funded in the nation.
Oh my! As we were here, a local grocery store caught on fire! Luckily the local fire department was on it before it spread. It was caused from an air conditioning unit on the roof. The store will probably not be open for another few months, as most of the inside was damaged. Fortunately no one was injured. Looks like these residents have to shop at Save on Foods instead... ![]()
Well thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to comment and rate! ![]()
Adam


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