It has been said that history is but a record of human events. So the history of Watsontown is a record of the activities of the men and women who lived their days of usefulness and died in our midst. The aims and aspirations of the men who owned and developed this ground who laid it out in lots who developed our resources built our industries constructed our public works and transformed this bit of Pennsylvania from a wilderness into a healthy and prosperous hive of industry constitute the history of Watsontown. Surely those of us who have added our mite to the building of this ideal community can with pardonable pride, say: If you would see our monument look about you.

A few years later these lands were purchased by John Watson, Sr., who in 1796, laid out the road or lane beginning at the river, at the foot of what is now Front or First Street, and extending in an easterly direction on the Housegger and Hunsicker line to where the Old Academy or Watsontown Home now stands. This was the first road or street laid out in what afterwards became Watsontown and was for many years known as Main Street until that name was very properly transferred to the long principal street of the present borough and the name Front, and subsequently Firs Street, was given to this first of streets.

Immediately following the opening of this road Mr. Watson sold small lots of land fronting on the road to several purchasers, among them being James Watson (not, however, a relative of the proprietor), who erected on the north side of what is now Front Street, near where the residence of F. E. Kirk now stands, a slab shanty for the sale of whiskey. From this building, and a few others of the like construction, the community was given the name of "Slabtown". In this connection it should be noted that Watsontown early developed a strong antiapathy to the liquor traffic, for we find it reported that when John Watson discovered a place for the sale of intoxicating liquors he became so incensed that he sold no more lots, but continued in possession and ownership of his entire estate, embracing about 1050 acres, until the time of his death, when it was divided among his three sons, David, John, and George, who evidently being not quite so conscientious as their father, continued to sell lots whenever a purchaser could be found.

We should not, however, gain the impression that a "tippling house" was the first evidence of society in our midst. Tradition tells us that the first church erected within the confines of what is now Northumberland County was a crude building of logs erected in 1775 on the old burying ground at the southern end of the present Borough, where Watsontown Park is now located. This was known as the Warrior Run Church, was Presbyterian in denomination, and was the parent of the present Warrior Run Presbyterian Church about three miles east of Watsontown.