Jeffrey Edward Graham is a longtime Watertown, New York public figure, broadcaster, small-
business owner, and former mayor whose career has been closely tied to North Country civic
life, local politics, and neighborhood conversation. According to family information, he was born
on May 12, 1955, in California, the son of George and Doris Graham of Rochester, New
York. He has one brother, Bruce George Graham, who is five years older. Public sources
identify him professionally as Jeff Graham, former mayor of Watertown and owner of the Pearl
Street Pub in Watertown.
Graham became widely known in Watertown politics through a long tenure as mayor. North
Country Public Radio reported in 2011 that he was running for a fifth term as mayor, and later
reported that he was reelected to that fifth term. His public style was often described as
independent and media-savvy; North Country Public Radio noted that he hosted his own radio
show, “The Hotline,” and maintained an independent political presence.
After leaving public office, Graham continued to be a familiar voice in local affairs. Spectrum
News reported in 2015 that, after his time as mayor, Graham planned to focus on his radio talk
show and on running the Pearl Street Pub. Other public listings and media references identify
him as a radio talk show host, former mayor of Watertown, and owner of the Pearl Street Pub.
As a business owner, Graham is associated with the Pearl Street Pub, a Watertown
neighborhood tavern. The Greater Watertown North Country Chamber lists the Pearl Street Pub
as a restaurant/bar at 557 Pearl Street, describing it as a “Neighborhood Tavern” with listed
hours Monday through Saturday 8 a.m.–2 a.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.–2 a.m. Corporate filing
summaries for Fort Pearl, Inc. list Jeffrey E. Graham as chief executive officer and show that
Fort Pearl, Inc. was filed in New York on June 24, 2005, with the assumed name Pearl Street
Pub active as of December 2012.
The Pearl Street Pub has also placed Graham in the middle of broader debates affecting small
bars and restaurants. In 2020, WWNY quoted him as Pearl Street Pub owner in a story about
New York bar regulations during the COVID era. In 2025, WWNY again interviewed him as a
Watertown bar owner about a bill allowing bars and restaurants to buy liquor from retail stores in
limited circumstances when they run out of stock.
Graham’s public identity blends politics, broadcasting, and tavern ownership. He has been
described as a “die-hard politico and radio host,” and the Pearl Street Pub has been nicknamed
“the Mayor’s Bar.” In 2026, WWNY referred to the Pearl Street Pub as also known as the
Mayor’s Bar and noted that it was owned by former Watertown mayor Jeff Graham.
Taken together, Jeffrey Edward Graham’s public life reflects a distinctly local kind of leadership:
part elected official, part broadcaster, part tavern keeper, and part civic commentator. Whether atCity Hall, behind a microphone, or at the Pearl Street Pub, he has remained a recognizable
presence in Watertown’s political and social life for decade
6 comments:
What a douche.
You da man Mayor!
Where’s the mention of the 2 pandemic “loans” and the Jeff Smith block grant handout?
They left out my dabbling in state politics as a delegate to the 1992 DNC and US Senate candidate in 2000 on the Independence Party Line. Don't waste your time penning shots at me as I won't clear them.
What about the pet you and Duff had killed?
I like the stuff local people post of FB better. Like it’s a maga bar, or the only bar in town for old queens.
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