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Fort Covington, New York

Fort Covington is a town in Franklin County, New York, United States. The population was 1,531 at the 2020 census. The name is derived from a War of 1812 fortification. The original name of the town was French Mills.

The town is on the county's northern border, which is also the Canada–United States border.

History
The area of what is now Fort Covington was settled during the 1790s by people from southern Canada and Vermont, who were drawn to the area by a need for people to work at the mills located on the Salmon River. The village was first named French Mills. In July 1813, a blockhouse was built here to shelter wounded soldiers and to provide a winter headquarters.

In 1817, French Mills was re-named to Fort Covington, named after Brigadier General Leonard Covington, who had been mortally wounded during the Battle of Chrysler's Farm on November 11, 1813, in the War of 1812. In 1833, the western part of Fort Covington was made into the town of Bombay.

The Fort Covington–Dundee Border Crossing was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014 as the U.S. Inspection Station–Fort Covington, New York.

Geography
Fort Covington is in northwestern Franklin County, in northern New York. It is bordered to the west by the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation. The northern town line is the international border with Canada (province of Quebec). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 95.1 km2, all land.

New York State Route 37 crosses the middle of the town, leading west to Massena and southeast to Malone.

Quebec Route 132 serves the area via Dundee Road and Water Street.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,645 people, 621 households, and 466 families residing in the town. The population density was 44.8 PD/sqmi. There were 706 housing units at an average density of 19.2 per square mile (7.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 87.13% White, 0.36% African American, 10.81% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.30% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.22% of the population.

There were 621 households, out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.7% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $31,532, and the median income for a family was $39,205. Males had a median income of $26,369 versus $22,011 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,932. About 10.3% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.3% of those under age 18 and 13.9% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Fort Covington

 * Cooks Corner – A hamlet by the southern town line at the junction of County Roads 3 and 32.
 * Fort Covington – The hamlet of Fort Covington was once a village within the town, incorporated in 1889, but abandoned that status in 1976. The community is located at the junction of NY-37 and County Road 42 and is a port of entry. The area around the hamlet comprising the northern half of the entire town is now listed as the Fort Covington Hamlet census-designated place.
 * Fort Covington Center – A hamlet near the southern town line on County Road 42.
 * Pike Creek – A stream flowing northward through the town toward the St. Lawrence River.
 * Salmon River – A stream flowing through the town.

Notable people

 * George Hyer, Wisconsin newspaperman, farmer and politician
 * A. Warren Phelps, Wisconsin businessman and politician

title: Fort Covington, New York


text:
Franklin, Franklin County, New York

Franklin is a town located in Franklin County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 1,140.

The town is in the southeastern part of the county, in the Adirondack Region of New York.

History
The first settlement in the town was Franklin Falls (1827). This community burned in 1852.

The town of Franklin was founded in 1836 from part of the town of Bellmont. The town was used to relocate former slaves, in part the work of Gerrit Smith, an abolitionist, and in part the result of Civil War veterans inviting freed slaves to return home with them.

The Loon Lake Mountain Fire Observation Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.

Geography
Franklin is the third-largest town in Franklin County. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 453.8 km2, of which 439.8 km2 is land and 14.0 km2, or 3.08%, is water. The Saranac River, a tributary of Lake Champlain, flows through the southeastern corner of the town.

Franklin is in the Adirondack Park. The eastern town line is the border of Clinton County, and the southern town boundary is the border of Essex County.

New York State Route 3 runs diagonally from southwest to northeast across Franklin. Saranac Lake is 15 mi to the southwest, and Plattsburgh is 34 mi to the northeast. Malone, the Franklin County seat, is 34 mi to the northwest via County Road 26 and NY Route 30.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,197 people, 473 households, and 324 families residing in the town. The population density was 7.0 people per square mile (2.7/km2). There were 982 housing units at an average density of 5.8 per square mile (2.2/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.08% White, 0.50% African American, 1.34% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.17% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.42% of the population.

There were 473 households, out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.2% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $40,598, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $32,000 versus $23,472 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,955. About 5.0% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Franklin

 * Alder Brook – A hamlet in the eastern part of the town, southeast of Sugarbush.
 * Franklin Falls – A hamlet in the southeastern corner of the town on County Road 48, previously known as "McLenathan Falls."
 * Forestdale – A hamlet in the southeastern corner of the town, east of Franklin Falls.
 * Goldsmith – A hamlet in the eastern part of the town, located north of Sugarbush.
 * Hunters Home – A former location in the town in its northeastern corner.
 * Lake Kushaqua – A small lake near the state campground at Buck Pond.
 * Loon Lake – A lake in the central part of the town by County Road 26.
 * Loon Lake – A hamlet on the eastern side of Loon Lake, located on County Road 26.
 * Merrillsville – A hamlet near the center of the Town of Franklin, southeast of Loon Lake on County Road 26. The Merrillsville Cure Cottage was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.
 * Molasses Corners – A location on the northern side of Loon Lake on County Road 26.
 * Onchiota – A hamlet in the southwestern part of the town on County Road 60.
 * Rainbow Lake – A lake and hamlet partly in the western side of the town.
 * Sugarbush – A hamlet on NY-3 near the eastern town line.
 * Two Brooks – A hamlet near the eastern town line, north of Sugarbush.
 * Union Falls – A hamlet at the eastern town line, mostly in Clinton County.
 * Union Falls Pond – A lake north of Franklin Falls in the southeastern part of the town.
 * Vermontville – A hamlet and seat of the town government. It is located near the southern town boundary on NY-3. It was named for the many settlers who had migrated from Vermont.
 * White Fathers – A location southwest of Loon Lake, on Lake Kushaqua, now a ghost town. The name derives from the White Fathers of Africa, a Catholic missionary group. They bought the Stony Wold Sanitarium and in the late 1950s or early 1960s adapted it for use as a seminary to train priests. The Seminary was operated until the early 1970s, as was Camp Lavigerie during the summers.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Franklin, Franklin County, New York


text:
Harrietstown, New York

Harrietstown is a town in Franklin County, New York, United States. The total population was 5,254 at the 2020 census, In 2010 3,879 of the town's residents lived in the village of Saranac Lake on the eastern side of the town.

Harrietstown is in the southeastern corner of Franklin County and is south of the town of Brighton.

History
The area around Saranac Lake was first settled circa 1819. Harrietstown was formed from the town of Duane in 1841. At the end of the 19th century, it became the location for sanatoria for the treatment of lung diseases, taking advantage of the clear mountain air.

By 1900, the area became a tourist area, assisted by the winter carnivals begun in 1898.

Ames Cottage, Baird Cottage, Camp Intermission, Church Street Historic District, Colbath Cottage, Cottage Row Historic District, Distin Cottage, Drury Cottage, Ellenberger Cottage, Feisthamel-Edelberg Cottage, Feustmann Cottage, E. L. Gray House, Hillside Lodge, Hooey Cottage, Hopkins Cottage, Jennings Cottage, Johnson Cottage, Leis Block, Leis Cottage, Magill Cottage, McBean Cottage, Morgan Cottage, Noyes Cottage, Radwell Cottage, Ryan Cottage, Sarbanes Cottage, Schrader-Griswold Cottage, Seeley Cottage, Sloan Cottage, Smith Cottage, Stonaker Cottage, and Walker Cottage are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography
Harrietstown is inside the Adirondack Park and is the largest town by area in Franklin County. According to the United States Census Bureau, it has a total area of 553.4 km2, of which 509.9 km2 is land and 43.5 km2, or 7.87%, is water.

The southern town line is the border of Hamilton County and Essex County. The eastern town boundary is also on the border of Essex County. The village of Saranac Lake is on the eastern border of the town, primarily in Harrietstown but extending east into the towns of St. Armand and North Elba in Essex County.

New York State Route 3 runs east–west through the town, while New York State Route 30 and New York State Route 86 traverse the town, running north–south. NY-3 and NY-30 join in the western part of the town. New York State Route 186 connects NY-3 to NY-86 in the northern part of the town.

All of Lower Saranac Lake, most of Middle Saranac Lake, and the southern end of Upper Saranac Lake occupy a band across the central part of the town. They are drained by the Saranac River, which flows east through Oseetah Lake, then north through the village of Saranac Lake before exiting the town to the northeast and draining to Lake Champlain. The Raquette River, which flows northwest to the St. Lawrence River near Massena, crosses the southwestern part of Harrietstown.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,575 people, 2,544 households, and 1,340 families residing in the town. The population density was 28.3 PD/sqmi. There were 3,417 housing units at an average density of 17.4 per square mile (6.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.22% White, 0.52% African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.22% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.06% of the population.

There were 2,544 households, out of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.8% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.3% were non-families. 39.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.8% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $31,838, and the median income for a family was $45,505. Males had a median income of $32,833 versus $25,407 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,529. About 7.4% of families and 12.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.3% of those under age 18 and 20.1% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Harrietstown

 * Adirondack Regional Airport (SLK) – An airport in the northeastern part of the town that services the Saranac Lake region
 * Axton Landing – A hamlet in the southern section of the town by the Raquette River and south of NY-30
 * Coreys – A location in the southern part of the town, north of Axton Landing
 * Eagle Island – A prominent island in Lower Saranac Lake
 * Fish Creek Ponds – A location on the western side of Upper Saranac Lake
 * Follensby Pond – A lake by the western town line
 * Harrietstown – A hamlet near the eastern town boundary on NY-86 and east of the airport
 * Lake Clear – A lake near the western town line
 * Lake Clear – A hamlet near the western town line on NY-30, south of the likewise-named lake
 * Lake Clear Junction – A hamlet east of Lake Clear on NY-30
 * Lake Colby – A hamlet north of Saranac Lake village on NY-86
 * McMasters Crossing – A hamlet south of Lake Clear on County Road 50
 * Lower Saranac Lake – A lake southwest of Saranac Lake village
 * Middle Saranac Lake – A lake in the southern part of the town, mostly within the town
 * Oseetah Lake – A lake on the eastern town line, south of Saranac Lake village
 * Saranac Lake – Part of the Village of Saranac Lake is at the eastern town line at the junction of NY-3 and NY-86
 * Upper St. Regis – A location on NY-30 by the northern town line
 * Upper Saranac Lake – The southern end of the lake is in the western part of the town
 * Wawbeek – A hamlet on NY-30 by the junction of County Road 45 at the western side of Upper Saranac Lake

title: Harrietstown, New York


text:
Moira, New York

Moira is a town in Franklin County, New York, United States. The population was 2,934 at the 2010 census. Moira is located on the western border of Franklin County and is west of Malone. The town was named for the Earl of Moira. The correct pronunciation of Moira is moʊ-aɪ-rʌ (or moh-I-ruh).

History
Settlement began circa 1803. The town was formed in 1828 from the town of Dickinson. The Ogdensburg and Lake Champlain Railroad was founded in 1849 as the Northern Railroad, running from Ogdensburg through Moira to Rouses Point. In 1883, the Northern Adirondack Railroad was built from Moira south to St. Regis Falls, a major lumbering area. In 1885, the railroad was extended southwards to Santa Clara, and by 1890 it was extended further south, eventually reaching Tupper Lake.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 117.1 km2, all land.

U.S. Route 11 is an east-west highway across the town. US-11 intersects New York State Route 95, a north-south highway ending in the hamlet of Moira.

The western town line is the border of St. Lawrence County.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,857 people, 1,130 households, and 775 families residing in the town. The population density was 63.2 PD/sqmi. There were 1,286 housing units at an average density of 28.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.07% White, 0.49% African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.14% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.70% of the population.

There were 1,130 households, out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were non-families. 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $26,393, and the median income for a family was $33,047. Males had a median income of $29,779 versus $19,866 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,270. About 14.5% of families and 18.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.8% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Moira

 * Alburg – A hamlet at the southern town line on County Road 5.
 * Brushton – The Village of Brushton is east of Moira hamlet on US-11 at County Road 8. It was formerly known as "Brush's Mills."
 * Irish Corners – A hamlet on the southern town boundary on County Road 5, east of Alburg.
 * Moira – The hamlet of Moira at the junction of US-11 and NY-95.

title: Moira, New York


text:
Santa Clara, New York

Santa Clara is a town in Franklin County, New York, United States. The population was 332 at the 2020 census, down from 345 at the 2010 census. The name was derived from the wife of an early town businessman, John Hurd.

The town is in the southwestern part of the county, southwest of the village of Malone and west of the village of Saranac Lake. The town is within the Adirondack Park. It includes the 58 ponds of the Saint Regis Canoe Area, presently the only Canoe Wilderness Area in the park, as well as most of 4700 acre Upper Saranac Lake.

History
The town of Santa Clara was formed from part of the town of Brandon in 1888. An addition from Brandon was added to Santa Clara in 1896.

William Rockefeller began buying property in the town around 1896 in order to establish an estate, used by members of his family during the summer.

The St. Regis Mountain Fire Observation Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 496.5 km2, of which 451.7 km2 is land and 44.8 km2, or 9.02%, is water.

Santa Clara is the second largest town in the county. The southern part of the town is dominated by numerous lakes.

New York State Route 458 is a north–south highway in Santa Clara. New York State Route 30 crosses the southern section of the town.

The St. Regis River, a northward-flowing tributary of the St. Lawrence River, flows out the western town line.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 395 people, 155 households, and 119 families residing in the town. The population density was 2.3 people per square mile (0.9/km2). There were 953 housing units at an average density of 5.4 per square mile (2.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.20% White, 0.25% African American, 1.77% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.76% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races.

There were 155 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.2% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.6% were non-families. 20.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.1% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 31.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $42,083, and the median income for a family was $45,750. Males had a median income of $30,000 versus $24,688 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,683. About 8.3% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Santa Clara

 * Bay Pond – A hamlet in the south-central part of the town. It was a former Rockefeller summer home.
 * Brandon – A former community, located north of Bay Pond. It became part of the Rockefeller estate and its buildings were removed.
 * Derrick – A hamlet west of Saranac Inn.
 * Everton – A former community, abandoned after the forests had been stripped.
 * Floodwood – A hamlet west of Saranac Inn near the western town line.
 * Kildare – A hamlet west of Saranac Inn near the western town boundary.
 * Madawaska – A hamlet near the eastern town line.
 * Madawaska Pond – A lake near the center of the town.
 * Middle Saranac Lake – Part of the lake is in the southeastern corner of the town.
 * Meno – A location northeast of Madawaska.
 * The Saint Regis Canoe Area – A 19000 acre wilderness area with 58 ponds (no motorized vehicles are allowed).
 * Santa Clara – the hamlet of Santa Clara is near the western town line in the northern part of the town on NY-458.
 * Saranac Inn (also "Upper Saranac") – A hamlet in the southern part of the town.
 * Saranac Inn Station – A location east of Saranac Inn.
 * Spring Cove – A hamlet near the western town boundary, south of Santa Clara village.
 * Upper Saranac Lake – Most of the lake is in the southern part of the town.
 * Weller Pond – A large pond in the southern part of the town.

title: Santa Clara, New York


text:
Waverly, Franklin County, New York

Waverly is a town in Franklin County, New York, United States. The population was 1,022 at the 2010 census. The town is on the western border of the county, southwest of Malone.

History
The town of Waverly was formed in 1880 from part of the town of Dickinson. Half its area was lost to the town of Altamont (the present-day town of Tupper Lake) in 1890. The St. Regis Falls area was a major lumber producer, and the Northern Adirondack Railroad was built from Moira, connecting the area to the Ogdensburg and Lake Champlain Railroad.

The Azure Mountain Fire Observation Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 327.4 km2, of which 324.0 km2 is land and 3.4 km2, or 1.02%, is water.

The western town line is the border of St. Lawrence County. The town is within the Adirondack Park. The St. Regis River flows through the northern part of the town, past the hamlet of St. Regis Falls, the largest settlement in the town.

New York State Route 458 is an east–west highway through the northern section of the town.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,118 people, 449 households, and 294 families residing in the town. The population density was 8.9 people per square mile (3.4/km2). There were 854 housing units at an average density of 6.8/sq mi (2.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 99.19% White, 0.27% Native American, and 0.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.27% of the population. There were 449 households, out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.04. In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.5% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males. The median income for a household in the town was $26,591, and the median income for a family was $31,875. Males had a median income of $29,688 versus $18,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,023. About 12.2% of families and 15.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.7% of those under age 18 and 21.6% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Waverly

 * St. Regis Falls — A hamlet on the Saint Regis River.
 * Dexter Lake

title: Waverly, Franklin County, New York


text:
Westville, New York

Westville is a town in Franklin County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 1,819. Westville is on the northern border of the county, northwest of Malone.

History

The area was first settled circa 1800. The town of Westville was formed from the town of Constable in 1829. The community has always been chiefly a farming community, with rich clay soils in the north and sandy soils in the southern part of the town. The Salmon River meanders through the township and was important to its early industry and its agriculture. In the 19th century, Westville was largely settled by Scottish and English people who had migrated from Vermont and other parts of New England. The only churches in the community were Protestant, the Presbyterian Church at Westville Corners and Methodist-Episcopal at Westville Center.

Around the time of the Civil War, there was an influx of French Canadians into northern New York, and some took up farming in the community. In the 19th century and early 20th century, there were several small industries in the community, a gristmill, a butter factory, a starch factory, and several sawmills. Most of these industries were located on the Salmon River. Over time, the industries disappeared and left only farming as the stable economic activity, as it is today.

Geography
The north town line is the international border with Canada (province of Quebec). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 90.2 km2, of which 0.04 sqkm, or 0.04%, is water.

New York State Route 37 intersects New York State Route 122 at Westville Center.

The Salmon River, a tributary of the St. Lawrence River, flows northward through the town.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,823 people, 671 households, and 503 families residing in the town. The population density was 52.4 PD/sqmi. There were 766 housing units at an average density of 22.0 per square mile (8.5/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.98% White, 0.66% African American, 0.82% Native American, 0.16% Asian, and 1.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.82% of the population.

There were 671 households, out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.1% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.9% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $32,452, and the median income for a family was $36,964. Males had a median income of $28,167 versus $20,291 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,809. About 9.4% of families and 12.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.7% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Westville

 * Westville – A hamlet in the northern part of the town on NY-37 at County Road 20. It was formerly called "West Constable" and "Westyville."
 * Westville Center – A hamlet at the junction of NY-37, NY-122, and County Road 19, south of Westville.

title: Westville, New York


text:
Bleecker, New York

Bleecker is a town in Fulton County, New York, United States. The population was 533 at the 2010 census. The name is from Barent Bleecker, one of the original landowners of the region.

Bleecker is north of the cities of Gloversville and Johnstown, in the northern part of the county.

History
The first permanent settlements began circa 1800 at Lindsleys Corners, although land sales took place before then.

The town was established in 1831 from part of the town of Johnstown, but did not arrive at its current dimensions until 1842. Part of Bleecker was returned to Johnstown in 1841, and another part was added to the town of Caroga in 1842.

Lumbering and tanning were important early industries. Around 1860 the maximum population, approximately 1,060, was attained; following this zenith, for decades it went into decline, though the community has grown since reaching a nadir of 190, a figure tabulated at the 1940 census.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 153.9 km2, of which 148.0 km2 is land and 5.9 km2, or 3.85%, is water.

The northern town line is the border of Hamilton County. The town is inside the Adirondack Park.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 573 people, 232 households, and 173 families residing in the town. The population density was 10.0 people per square mile (3.9/km2). There were 429 housing units at an average density of 7.5 per square mile (2.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.08% White, 0.17% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.35% from other races, and 0.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.35% of the population.

There were 232 households, out of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.9% were married couples living together, 3.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 16.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.80.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 19.7% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 32.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $40,000, and the median income for a family was $43,333. Males had a median income of $31,875 versus $22,212 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,851. About 3.8% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Bleecker

 * Bleecker – The hamlet of Bleecker in the southeastern part of the town on County Road 112.
 * Bleecker Center – A hamlet northwest of Bleecker village on County Road 112.
 * Bowlers Corners – A location south of Lindsley Corners, located on County Road 145.
 * Chase Lake – A lake in the northeastern section  of the town, named after an early settler, William Chase, who built the first grist mill.
 * Lindsley Corners – A hamlet northeast of Bleecker village, located on County Road 125. The first house in Bleecker was purportedly constructed here.
 * Mountain Lake – A small lake near the southern town line.
 * Peck Lake – A large lake in the southwestern part of the town.
 * Peters Corners – A hamlet north of Bleecker village, located on County Road 125.
 * Pinnacle – A location east of Lindsley Corners; also the name of a mountain in the northwestern part of the town.
 * Stony Creek – A stream flowing out the eastern side of Bleecker.
 * Vandenburgh Pond – A small lake east of Bleecker village.

title: Bleecker, New York


text:
Caroga, New York

Caroga is a town in Fulton County, New York, United States. The population was 1,205 at the 2010 census. The town was named after a local creek.

Caroga is in the northern part of the county, northwest of Gloversville and Johnstown.

History
The town was first settled circa 1783.

The town was created in 1842 from parts of the towns of Bleecker, Johnstown, and Stratford.

The name of the town is an altered spelling of Garoga [Creek], which flows south from the town towards the Mohawk River.

The industry of the early town was based on lumber and tanning. By 1890, the population was 624.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 140.6 km2, of which 131.1 km2 is land and 9.5 km2, or 6.73%, is water.

Caroga is inside the Adirondack Park. The northern town line is the border of Hamilton County.

New York State Route 10 is a north–south highway in Caroga. It leads north to Piseco Lake in the town of Arietta and south to Canajoharie on the Mohawk River. New York State Route 29A is an east–west highway intersecting NY-10 near Pine Lake and then running southward as a conjoined highway to Caroga Lake. NY 29A leads southeast to Gloversville and west to Salisbury. New York State Route 10A branches off NY-10 to the southeast near Bradtville, providing a route to Johnstown, the Fulton County seat.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,407 people, 588 households, and 392 families residing in the town. The population density was 27.7 PD/sqmi. There were 1,794 housing units at an average density of 35.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.86% White, 0.07% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, and 0.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.21% of the population.

There were 588 households, out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.9% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $34,911, and the median income for a family was $36,852. Males had a median income of $26,452 versus $22,067 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,048. About 6.7% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.1% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Caroga

 * Bradtville – A location near the southern town line on NY-10.
 * Camelhump – A mountain located east of Kane Mountain.
 * Canada Lake – A hamlet north of the water body of the same name.
 * Canada Lake – A lake located south of the community of Canada Lake and north of Caroga Lake, near the center of the town.
 * Caroga Creek – A stream flowing southward through the town.
 * Caroga Lake – A hamlet between East Caroga Lake and West Caroga Lake on NY-10.
 * East Caroga Lake – A lake in the south-central part of the town, linked to West Caroga Lake.
 * Glasgow Mills – A hamlet in the southwestern section of the town.
 * Green Lake – A lake located by the hamlet of Canada Lake.
 * Kane Mountain – A mountain located north of the hamlet of Canada Lake.
 * Lily Lake – A lake located southwest of Canada Lake.
 * Newkirk (formerly "Newkirks Mills") – A hamlet southwest of Caroga Lake hamlet on NY-10. It was once the principal settlement in the town.
 * Nine Corner Lake – A lake located northwest of Canada Lake.
 * North Bush – A hamlet in the southern part of the town on County Road 137, and was the location of the first school in the town.
 * Pine Lake – A lake north of Canada Lake and east of NY-10.
 * Pine Mountain – A mountain located east of Pine Lake.
 * Royal Mountain – A skiing area near the southern town line.
 * Sheeley Mountain – A mountain located east of Kane Mountain.
 * Stewart Lake – A lake located north of Wheelerville.
 * Stoner Lakes – Three linked lakes by the northern town line.
 * West Caroga Lake – A lake in the south-central part of the town linked to East Caroga Lake.
 * West Lake – A lake located west of the hamlet of Canada Lake. It is connected to Canada Lake.
 * Wheelerville – A hamlet north of Caroga Lake hamlet on NY-10.

title: Caroga, New York


text:
Ephratah, New York

Ephratah is a town in Fulton County, New York, United States. The population was 1,682 at the 2010 census. It is named after Ephrath, a biblical town in what is now Israel.

The town of Ephratah is in the southwestern part of the county and is west of Gloversville and Johnstown.

History
The region was first settled circa 1720. The Stone Arabia patent, granted in 1723, comprised much of the southern part of Ephratah.

The town name, suggested by earlier inhabitant Anthony Beck, suggests abundance in bearing fruit, in his prophecy of a great city to be built there in the future.

The town was formed in 1827 from the town of Palatine in Montgomery County, before the creation of Fulton County. On the formation of Fulton County in 1838, part of Ephratah was returned to Palatine.

Notable people

 * John Dwight Bullock, Wisconsin State Assemblyman, was born in the town.
 * Sir William Johnson, colonial official, owned a large tract in the town.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 102.2 km2, of which 101.5 km2 is land and 0.7 km2, or 0.70%, is water.

The southern town line is the border of Montgomery County. The northern part of Ephratah is in the Adirondack Park.

New York State Route 10 is a north-south highway that intersects New York State Route 67, an east-west highway in the southern part of the town, at Ephratah village. Route 10 leads north to Piseco Lake in the Adirondacks and south to Canajoharie on the Mohawk River. Route 67 leads east to Johnstown and west to St. Johnsville on the Mohawk. New York State Route 29 is an east-west highway through the middle of the town; it leads east to Johnstown and west to Dolgeville.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,693 people, 625 households, and 473 families residing in the town. The population density was 43.2 PD/sqmi. There were 720 housing units at an average density of 18.4 per square mile (7.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 99.00% White, 0.35% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.06% from other races, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.12% of the population.

There were 625 households, out of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.2% were non-families. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.8% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $33,810, and the median income for a family was $36,324. Males had a median income of $28,566 versus $21,607 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,656. About 10.4% of families and 15.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.7% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Ephratah

 * Dempster Corners – A location in the northwestern part of Ephratah on County Road 119.
 * Ephratah – The hamlet of Ephratah was founded c. 1803 and is on NY-10 by Garoga Creek.
 * Fical Corners – A location in the western part of the town, north of Lassellville on County Road 119.
 * Garoga – A hamlet in the northern section of the town adjacent to Garoga Creek and on NY-29.
 * Garoga Creek – A stream running southward through the town from the town of Caroga, north of Ephratah. The creek is a tributary of the Mohawk River.
 * Lassellsville – A location in the western part of the town on NY-29.
 * Rockwood – A location in the northeastern part of the town on Garoga Creek and NY-10. It was called "Pleasant Valley" after being settled around 1800.
 * Scotchbush – A hamlet in the western part of the town, northeast of Lassellville.
 * Spook Hill – An elevation by Ephratah village where Beck claims to have seen a great city in the future where the current village existed.
 * St. Johnsville Reservoir – A small reservoir east of Scotchbush.

title: Ephratah, New York


text:
Gloversville, New York

Gloversville is a city in the Mohawk Valley region of Upstate New York, United States. The most populous city in Fulton County, it was once the hub of the United States' glovemaking industry, with over 200 manufacturers there and the adjacent city of Johnstown. In 2020, Gloversville had a population of 15,131.

History
Settlers of European descent came to the Gloversville area as early as 1752.

The region, historically known as "Kingsborough", was acquired by Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet, who established tremendous influence with the Native Americans of the area, which translated into control of the Mohawk Valley region. It was due to Johnson where the Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy remained allied with England during the French and Indian War. In reward, Johnson was granted the Kingsborough Tract, a large parcel of land which was settled by Scottish Highlanders. Some of the Highlanders were so loyal to Johnson that after the Revolutionary War, they followed his son to Canada.

In 1752, Arent Stevens purchased land in the area. Puritans from New England settled there at the end of the 18th century, utilizing the houses and cleared land that had been left behind when the Highlanders emigrated. By 1803, according to Rev. Elisha Yale, the population of Kingsborough consisted of "233 families and about 1,400 souls. Of the families, 191 are of English descent, twenty-three Scotch, fourteen Dutch, and five Irish."

In 1852 Gloversville had a population of 1,318 living on 525 acres in 250 small wood-frame houses centered on the "Four Corners" formed by the intersection of Main and Fulton Streets. The proximity of hemlock forests to supply bark for tanning made the community a center of leather production early in its history: there were already 40 small glove and mitten factories there by 1852. The city would become the center of the American glovemaking industry for many years. From 1890 to 1950, 90% of all gloves sold in the United States were made in Gloversville.

Upon the establishment of a United States post office in 1828, "Gloversville" became the official name of the community. Prior to that Gloversville had been known as "Stump City" because of the large number of trees that had been cut down. In 1853, Gloversville incorporated as a village, and then in 1890 as a city. The city grew rapidly, and the population swelled from 4,000 in 1877 to 13,864 in 1890.

Glove-making operations had gradually changed from being home-based to being factory-based, and large tanneries and glove shops employed nearly 80% of the residents of Gloversville area. Home workers sewed the gloves from leather which had been cut in factories. Related businesses, such as box makers, sewing machine repairmen, and thread dealers opened to serve the industry.

Until 1936, Gloversville had a very active electric interurban line, the Fonda, Johnstown and Gloversville Railroad. It ran from Gloversville, through Johnstown, along the Mohawk River to Amsterdam, then to Scotia, then across the Mohawk River, and into downtown Schenectady to the New York Central station. In 1932, in a bold move during the Great Depression it acquired unique bullet cars in an attempt to revive the economy. Freight operation continued through this era. Gloversville also became the main headquarters for the Schine movie industry in the mid-20th century.

From the 1950s onwards, the decline of the glove industry left the city more and more deindustrialized and financially depressed, with many downtown storefronts abandoned and store windows covered with plywood. Many houses were abandoned when some people moved out of town to find jobs elsewhere. The city's population peaked at 23,634 in 1950 and had since fallen to 15,665 people in 2010. In 2018, redevelopment plans of downtown Gloversville were revealed. In 2019, Mayor Vincent DeSantis (D) proposed economic revitalization plans. On June 5, 2020, the Regan Development Corporation, based in Ardsley, New York, proposed plans to develop a new commercial space and apartment complex for the city. The city, along with the Fulton County Center for Regional Growth, also began expanding digital marketing to attract new residents and businesses from throughout New York State in efforts to diversify.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.3 km2, of which 0.02 sqkm, or 0.17%, is water. New York State Route 29A (Fulton Street) is an east–west road through the city. New York State Route 30A is a north–south highway along the eastern edge of the city, leading south 4 mi into Johnstown and northeast 5 mi to Mayfield at the southwestern end of Great Sacandaga Lake. Another north–south highway, New York State Route 309 (Bleecker Street), has its southern terminus at NY-29A in the center of Gloversville.

Cayadutta Creek, a tributary of the Mohawk River, flows southward through the city.

The city sits in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains and therefore is within a climatic transition zone. Gloversville experiences the warmer summer temperatures common throughout the Capital Region, Hudson Valley, and Mohawk Valley while experiencing generally more copious precipitation throughout the year than the Capital Region. This manifests in commonplace rolling thunderstorms throughout the summer months and snowfall amounts more akin to the lake-pocked higher elevations of the Adirondacks in the winter months.

Neighborhoods
The neighborhoods of Gloversville include Kingsboro, Saint Thomas Square, Bleecker Square, as well as Downtown.

Parks and Recreation
Gloversville is home to over 10 parks and public spaces, with the largest being Herman Meyers Park. Meyers Park sits on 50 acres of wooded land close to the center of the city on land donated to the city from Max Meyers in honor of his father, Herman Meyers.

One of the most notable parks in the city is Trail Station Park, which is home to many events in the city year round. The Annual Easter Egg Hunt, Fallfest, and Railfest all take place in the park, as well as concerts in the summer. As of early 2020, expansions to the park have been planned. In her trip to Gloversville on November 28, 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul announced $495,000 will be set aside from the Downtown Revitalization Grant that Gloversville won in 2022.

Other parks and public spaces in the city include Union Street Park, Kingsboro Park, Darling Field, Melchoir Park, Estee Park, Ashley Park, Spring Street Park, Castiglione Memorial Park, Elk Street Park, South Main Street Piazza, and Parkhurst Field. Located between Temple and Union Streets, Union Street Park contains the city's ice rink in the winter and a full sized football field in the summer. On Kingsboro Ave and State Street is Kingsboro Park, which hosts a World War 2 Monument. Melchoir Park sits in between Park Drive and Kingsboro Ave on the eastern part of the city, containing a fountain and several sculptures. Ashley Park and Spring Street Park both have ADA accessible playground equipment. Elk Street Park (aka The Cage) and Darling field both have basketball courts, while Darling Field also has tennis courts. The Cage is located on Fulton and Elk in the center of the city, while Darling Field is in the northeastern part of the city on Kingsboro and Newman Streets.

Demographics
According to the 2020 census, 15,131 people and 6,232 households reside in the city. The population density was 2,998.6 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 88.2% White, 1.7% African American, 1.2% Native American, 0.7% Asian, and 6.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.6% of the population.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.4% under the age of 18, 7.6% under the age of 5, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older in 2020. Females were 50.4% of the population, males 49.6%.

Gloversville's median age in 2018 was 40.5, higher than the national average of 38 in 2019. The estimated median household income from 2016 to 2020 was $38,620 and the per capita income was $21,973. The city's median value for housing units was $76,500 in 2020. An estimated 21.5% of the city lived at or below the poverty line.

Religion
According to Sperling's BestPlaces, less than 30% of Gloversville's residents have a religious affiliation as of 2020, far lower than the 70% who have a religious affiliation across Fulton County as a whole, making Gloversville one of the least religious places in the US. The largest religion that does exist in Gloversville and its surrounding area is Christianity, mainly served by the Roman Catholic, Episcopal, United Methodist and Presbyterian churches. Conservative evangelical churches in the area are the Southern Baptist Convention and Assemblies of God. The second largest religious group is Judaism, followed by adherents of eastern religions including Hinduism and Buddhism.

Economy
The city of Gloversville was once a major center for the glovemaking industry in the United States, with over 200 glovemaking companies in the city at its peak. Since the 1950s, and accelerating in pace during the 1980s and 1990s, it has increasingly struggled with deindustrialization. Gloversville has also suffered from a declining population, poverty, drugs, and violent crime. During the late 2010s and early 2020, the city has proposed numerous economic redevelopment plans to stem its decline.

From 1931–2005, the town was also the home of a record-pressing plant that was founded by Brunswick Radio Corporation. In 1953, the plant was owned by American Decca Records, which became MCA Records in 1973 and merged with the PolyGram family of labels in 1999 to become Universal Music.

Education
Gloversville falls entirely within the Gloversville Enlarged School District All of Gloversville ESD's schools are within city limits, with the exception of Meco Elementary, which is in the Town of Johnstown within 0.5 mi of the city's western border. Nearby Fulton–Montgomery Community College is located in the Town of Johnstown.

Transportation
The city owns and operates the Gloversville Transit System (GTS). GTS runs bus service in the City of Gloversville, as well as the cities of Johnstown and Amsterdam.

Trailways serves a downtown terminal on West Fulton Street.

Privately owned Glove City Taxi also operates in the cities of Gloversville and Johnstown.

Sports
Parkhurst field, formerly the A.J.&G. field, located on Harrison Street is home to the Gloversville Little League. As of November 2022, Parkhurst field is undergoing a multi-million-dollar renovation.

Gloversville is also served by the Kingsboro Golf Course on the north side of the city. Kingsboro Golf Course is a 9-hole course with a restaurant and event center on site. In 2012, Pine Brook Golf Course, a 9-hole course near the south-west edge of the city closed. Its further development has been up in the air.

Media
The city and area are primarily served by The Leader-Herald, a regional newspaper that is headquartered there. Gloversville lies within the Capital Region's media market. In addition to stations licensed to Albany, Gloversville is also served by radio stations WENT (1340 AM) and WFNY (1440 AM), and television station WFNY-CD (channel 16).

Notable people

 * Actress Elizabeth Anne Allen, who played Amy Madison on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, was born and raised in Gloversville.
 * Actor Mischa Auer (1905–1967) is buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery in Gloversville.
 * Ambassador Samuel D. Berger (1911–1980) was born and grew up in Gloversville. He was President John F. Kennedy's first Ambassadorial appointment (to Korea), and later served as Deputy Ambassador to Vietnam.
 * Helen Broderick (1891–1959) film and stage actress, most known for Fifty Million Frenchmen and Top Hat. Her husband, Lester Crawford (1885–1962), was an American film actor. They are the parents of film star Broderick Crawford and resided for a period of time on Temple Street in the late 1930s and 1940s. All are buried at Fern Dale Cemetery in Johnstown.
 * Actress Betty Buehler was raised in Gloversville.
 * Harvard University physician, pathologist, and immunologist Albert Coons grew up in Gloversville. Coons devised the technology of immunofluorescence microscopy and received the prestigious Albert Lasker Award in 1959 for his achievements in medical science.
 * Kenneth F. Cramer, United States Army, Major General and Chief of the National Guard Bureau, was born in Gloversville.
 * Physicist William A. Edelstein, one of the key developers of MRI scanning, was born in Gloversville.
 * In 1899, Samuel Goldwyn immigrated to the US from Poland through England to Canada. He eventually made his way to Gloversville. Having been trained in glovemaking in Hamburg by relatives, he worked as a glove maker and commissioned salesman for the Elite Glove Company.
 * Eugene Goossen (1921–1997), an art historian, was born in Gloversville.
 * Hall of Fame harness racing driver Billy Haughton was born in Gloversville.
 * Casey Johnston (born 1987), fitness writer and influencer
 * Lucius Littauer, five-term member of the United States House of Representatives, first-ever football coach for the Harvard Crimson football team, philanthropist, and convicted smuggler, was born in Gloversville. In 1891, he provided the founding donation for Nathan Littauer Hospital, which was named in honor of Lucius' father, and which continues to serve the Gloversville area.
 * Actress Nicole Maines, who played Nia Nal aka Dreamer on Supergirl, was born in Gloversville.
 * Patrick Peterson, distance runner for the Atlanta Track Club based out of Atlanta, Georgia. Formerly of the Iowa State Cyclones, where he was an All-American, and of Sacred Heart University in Connecticut, where Peterson won multiple New England titles.
 * Artist Frederic Remington was a one-time resident of Gloversville.
 * Pulitzer Prize winning author Richard Russo (Empire Falls, The Risk Pool) was raised in Gloversville. The city and its residents were the inspiration for many of his characters and locations in his novels, especially his novel Mohawk.
 * David Smukler (1914–1971), NFL football player
 * Harriet Mabel Spalding (1862–1935) was a litterateur and poet.
 * Opera singer Sharon Sweet was born and raised in Gloversville.

Historic places of interest

 * Gloversville contains two historic districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP):
 * Downtown Gloversville Historic District - Primarily on North and South Main Street and East and West Fulton Street
 * Kingsboro Historic District - A small district consisting of the houses which face Veterans Park, the Kingsboro Assembly of God church, the Kingsboro Cemetery, the Fulton County Museum building, and several other properties.
 * There are also a number of individual landmarks listed on the NRHP:
 * First United Methodist Church - currently unused
 * Gloversville Armory - used by the New York Army National Guard
 * Gloversville Free Library - now the Gloversville Public Library
 * Gustav Levor House

title: Gloversville, New York


text:
Symmetric matrix

In linear algebra, a symmetric matrix is a square matrix that is equal to its transpose. Formally,

Because equal matrices have equal dimensions, only square matrices can be symmetric.

The entries of a symmetric matrix are symmetric with respect to the main diagonal. So if $$a_{ij}$$ denotes the entry in the $$i$$th row and $$j$$th column then

for all indices $$i$$ and $$j.$$

Every square diagonal matrix is symmetric, since all off-diagonal elements are zero. Similarly in characteristic different from 2, each diagonal element of a skew-symmetric matrix must be zero, since each is its own negative.

In linear algebra, a real symmetric matrix represents a self-adjoint operator represented in an orthonormal basis over a real inner product space. The corresponding object for a complex inner product space is a Hermitian matrix with complex-valued entries, which is equal to its conjugate transpose. Therefore, in linear algebra over the complex numbers, it is often assumed that a symmetric matrix refers to one which has real-valued entries. Symmetric matrices appear naturally in a variety of applications, and typical numerical linear algebra software makes special accommodations for them.

Example
The following $$3 \times 3$$ matrix is symmetric: $$A = \begin{bmatrix} 1 & 7 & 3 \\   7 & 4 & 5 \\    3 & 5 & 2  \end{bmatrix}$$ Since $$A=A^\textsf{T}$$.

Basic properties

 * The sum and difference of two symmetric matrices is symmetric.
 * This is not always true for the product: given symmetric matrices $$A$$ and $$B$$, then $$AB$$ is symmetric if and only if $$A$$ and $$B$$ commute, i.e., if $$AB=BA$$.
 * For any integer $$n$$, $$A^n$$ is symmetric if $$A$$ is symmetric.
 * If $$A^{-1}$$ exists, it is symmetric if and only if $$A$$ is symmetric.
 * Rank of a symmetric matrix $$A$$ is equal to the number of non-zero eigenvalues of $$A$$.

Decomposition into symmetric and skew-symmetric
Any square matrix can uniquely be written as sum of a symmetric and a skew-symmetric matrix. This decomposition is known as the Toeplitz decomposition. Let $$\mbox{Mat}_n$$ denote the space of $$n \times n$$ matrices. If $$\mbox{Sym}_n$$ denotes the space of $$n \times n$$ symmetric matrices and $$\mbox{Skew}_n$$ the space of $$n \times n$$ skew-symmetric matrices then $$\mbox{Mat}_n = \mbox{Sym}_n + \mbox{Skew}_n$$ and $$\mbox{Sym}_n \cap \mbox{Skew}_n = \{0\}$$, i.e. $$\mbox{Mat}_n = \mbox{Sym}_n \oplus \mbox{Skew}_n, $$ where $$\oplus$$ denotes the direct sum. Let $$X \in \mbox{Mat}_n$$ then $$X = \frac{1}{2}\left(X + X^\textsf{T}\right) + \frac{1}{2}\left(X - X^\textsf{T}\right).$$

Notice that $\frac{1}{2}\left(X + X^\textsf{T}\right) \in \mbox{Sym}_n$ and $\frac{1}{2} \left(X - X^\textsf{T}\right) \in \mathrm{Skew}_n$. This is true for every square matrix $$X$$ with entries from any field whose characteristic is different from 2.

A symmetric $$n \times n$$ matrix is determined by $$\tfrac{1}{2}n(n+1)$$ scalars (the number of entries on or above the main diagonal). Similarly, a skew-symmetric matrix is determined by $$\tfrac{1}{2}n(n-1)$$ scalars (the number of entries above the main diagonal).

Matrix congruent to a symmetric matrix
Any matrix congruent to a symmetric matrix is again symmetric: if $$X$$ is a symmetric matrix, then so is $$A X A^{\mathrm T}$$ for any matrix $$A$$.

Symmetry implies normality
A (real-valued) symmetric matrix is necessarily a normal matrix.

Real symmetric matrices
Denote by $$\langle \cdot,\cdot \rangle$$ the standard inner product on $$\mathbb{R}^n$$. The real $$n \times n$$ matrix $$A$$ is symmetric if and only if $$\langle Ax, y \rangle = \langle x, Ay \rangle \quad \forall x, y \in \mathbb{R}^n.$$

Since this definition is independent of the choice of basis, symmetry is a property that depends only on the linear operator A and a choice of inner product. This characterization of symmetry is useful, for example, in differential geometry, for each tangent space to a manifold may be endowed with an inner product, giving rise to what is called a Riemannian manifold. Another area where this formulation is used is in Hilbert spaces.

The finite-dimensional spectral theorem says that any symmetric matrix whose entries are real can be diagonalized by an orthogonal matrix. More explicitly: For every real symmetric matrix $$A$$ there exists a real orthogonal matrix $$Q$$ such that $$D = Q^{\mathrm T} A Q$$ is a diagonal matrix. Every real symmetric matrix is thus, up to choice of an orthonormal basis, a diagonal matrix.

If $$A$$ and $$B$$ are $$n \times n$$ real symmetric matrices that commute, then they can be simultaneously diagonalized by an orthogonal matrix: there exists a basis of $$\mathbb{R}^n$$ such that every element of the basis is an eigenvector for both $$A$$ and $$B$$.

Every real symmetric matrix is Hermitian, and therefore all its eigenvalues are real. (In fact, the eigenvalues are the entries in the diagonal matrix $$D$$ (above), and therefore $$D$$ is uniquely determined by $$A$$ up to the order of its entries.) Essentially, the property of being symmetric for real matrices corresponds to the property of being Hermitian for complex matrices.

Complex symmetric matrices
A complex symmetric matrix can be 'diagonalized' using a unitary matrix: thus if $$A$$ is a complex symmetric matrix, there is a unitary matrix $$U$$ such that $$U A U^{\mathrm T}$$ is a real diagonal matrix with non-negative entries. This result is referred to as the Autonne–Takagi factorization. It was originally proved by Léon Autonne (1915) and Teiji Takagi (1925) and rediscovered with different proofs by several other mathematicians. In fact, the matrix $$B=A^{\dagger} A$$ is Hermitian and positive semi-definite, so there is a unitary matrix $$V$$ such that $$V^{\dagger} B V$$ is diagonal with non-negative real entries. Thus $$C=V^{\mathrm T} A V$$ is complex symmetric with $$C^{\dagger}C$$ real. Writing $$C=X+iY$$ with $$X$$ and $$Y$$ real symmetric matrices, $$C^{\dagger}C=X^2+Y^2+i(XY-YX)$$. Thus $$XY=YX$$. Since $$X$$ and $$Y$$ commute, there is a real orthogonal matrix $$W$$ such that both $$W X W^{\mathrm T}$$ and $$W Y W^{\mathrm T}$$ are diagonal. Setting $$U=W V^{\mathrm T}$$ (a unitary matrix), the matrix $$UAU^{\mathrm T}$$ is complex diagonal. Pre-multiplying $$U$$ by a suitable diagonal unitary matrix (which preserves unitarity of $$U$$), the diagonal entries of $$UAU^{\mathrm T}$$ can be made to be real and non-negative as desired. To construct this matrix, we express the diagonal matrix as $$UAU^\mathrm T = \operatorname{diag}(r_1 e^{i\theta_1},r_2 e^{i\theta_2}, \dots, r_n e^{i\theta_n})$$. The matrix we seek is simply given by $$D = \operatorname{diag}(e^{-i\theta_1/2},e^{-i\theta_2/2}, \dots, e^{-i\theta_n/2})$$. Clearly $$DUAU^\mathrm TD = \operatorname{diag}(r_1, r_2, \dots, r_n)$$ as desired, so we make the modification $$U' = DU$$. Since their squares are the eigenvalues of $$A^{\dagger} A$$, they coincide with the singular values of $$A$$. (Note, about the eigen-decomposition of a complex symmetric matrix $$A$$, the Jordan normal form of $$A$$ may not be diagonal, therefore $$A$$ may not be diagonalized by any similarity transformation.)

Decomposition
Using the Jordan normal form, one can prove that every square real matrix can be written as a product of two real symmetric matrices, and every square complex matrix can be written as a product of two complex symmetric matrices.

Every real non-singular matrix can be uniquely factored as the product of an orthogonal matrix and a symmetric positive definite matrix, which is called a polar decomposition. Singular matrices can also be factored, but not uniquely.

Cholesky decomposition states that every real positive-definite symmetric matrix $$A$$ is a product of a lower-triangular matrix $$L$$ and its transpose, $$A = LL^\textsf{T}.$$

If the matrix is symmetric indefinite, it may be still decomposed as $$PAP^\textsf{T} = LDL^\textsf{T}$$ where $$P$$ is a permutation matrix (arising from the need to pivot), $$L$$ a lower unit triangular matrix, and $$D$$ is a direct sum of symmetric $$1 \times 1$$ and $$2 \times 2$$ blocks, which is called Bunch–Kaufman decomposition

A general (complex) symmetric matrix may be defective and thus not be diagonalizable. If $$A$$ is diagonalizable it may be decomposed as $$A = Q \Lambda Q^\textsf{T}$$ where $$Q$$ is an orthogonal matrix $$Q Q^\textsf{T} = I$$, and $$\Lambda$$ is a diagonal matrix of the eigenvalues of $$A$$. In the special case that $$A$$ is real symmetric, then $$Q$$ and $$\Lambda$$ are also real. To see orthogonality, suppose $$\mathbf x$$ and $$\mathbf y$$ are eigenvectors corresponding to distinct eigenvalues $$\lambda_1$$, $$\lambda_2$$. Then $$\lambda_1 \langle \mathbf x, \mathbf y \rangle = \langle A \mathbf x, \mathbf y \rangle = \langle \mathbf x, A \mathbf y \rangle = \lambda_2 \langle \mathbf x, \mathbf y \rangle.$$

Since $$\lambda_1$$ and $$\lambda_2$$ are distinct, we have $$\langle \mathbf x, \mathbf y \rangle = 0$$.

Hessian
Symmetric $$n \times n$$ matrices of real functions appear as the Hessians of twice differentiable functions of $$n$$ real variables (the continuity of the second derivative is not needed, despite common belief to the opposite ).

Every quadratic form $$q$$ on $$\mathbb{R}^n$$ can be uniquely written in the form $$q(\mathbf{x}) = \mathbf{x}^\textsf{T} A \mathbf{x}$$ with a symmetric $$n \times n$$ matrix $$A$$. Because of the above spectral theorem, one can then say that every quadratic form, up to the choice of an orthonormal basis of $$\R^n$$, "looks like" $$q\left(x_1, \ldots, x_n\right) = \sum_{i=1}^n \lambda_i x_i^2$$ with real numbers $$\lambda_i$$. This considerably simplifies the study of quadratic forms, as well as the study of the level sets $$\left\{ \mathbf{x} : q(\mathbf{x}) = 1 \right\}$$ which are generalizations of conic sections.

This is important partly because the second-order behavior of every smooth multi-variable function is described by the quadratic form belonging to the function's Hessian; this is a consequence of Taylor's theorem.

Symmetrizable matrix
An $$n \times n$$ matrix $$A$$ is said to be symmetrizable if there exists an invertible diagonal matrix $$D$$ and symmetric matrix $$S$$ such that $$A = DS.$$

The transpose of a symmetrizable matrix is symmetrizable, since $$A^{\mathrm T}=(DS)^{\mathrm T}=SD=D^{-1}(DSD)$$ and $$DSD$$ is symmetric. A matrix $$A=(a_{ij})$$ is symmetrizable if and only if the following conditions are met:
 * 1) $$a_{ij} = 0$$ implies $$a_{ji} = 0$$ for all $$1 \le i \le j \le n.$$
 * 2) $$a_{i_1 i_2} a_{i_2 i_3} \dots a_{i_k i_1} = a_{i_2 i_1} a_{i_3 i_2} \dots a_{i_1 i_k}$$ for any finite sequence $$\left(i_1, i_2, \dots, i_k\right).$$

title: Symmetric matrix


text:
Northampton, Fulton County, New York

Northampton is a town in Fulton County, New York, United States. The population was 2,670 at the 2010 census. The name comes from an original land patent. Northampton is in the northeastern corner of the county and is northeast of Gloversville. The town is known for the village of Northville, a major Adirondack community; and the Great Sacandaga Lake, which composes around 40% of the town.

History
The town is derived from the Northampton Patent of 1741. and was formed from part of the northern part of the town of Broadalbin in 1799.

In 1930, the Sacandaga Reservoir was created, submerging some of what was once dry land and swamp area beneath the surface of the lake.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 89.9 km2, of which 54.7 km2 is land and 35.3 km2, or 39.20%, is water.

The northern town line is the border of Hamilton County, and the eastern town line is the border of Saratoga County.

The northwestern end of Great Sacandaga Lake (formerly called the Great Sacandaga Reservoir) is in the town, where the Sacandaga River enters the lake at the village of Northville. When the Great Sacandaga Lake was formed, several island were created. The town is cut into three parts on account of the lake.

Northampton lies within the Adirondack Park.

New York State Route 30 is a north–south highway passing through the town.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,760 people, 1,163 households, and 782 families residing in the town. The population density was 131.1 PD/sqmi. There were 1,962 housing units at an average density of 93.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.26% White, 0.33% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.25% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.09% of the population.

There were 1,163 households, out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.8% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $37,420, and the median income for a family was $44,896. Males had a median income of $32,900 versus $20,938 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,997. About 6.2% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.9% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Northampton

 * Carpenters Corners – A hamlet on the southeastern border with Northville, located on County Road 113.
 * Fairchilds Corners – A location southeast of Carpenters Corners.
 * Fish House – A hamlet in the southeastern corner of the town. It is separated from the rest of the town by Great Sacandaga Lake. It was first settled around 1762 as a fishing retreat for Sir William Johnson. The Godfrey Shew House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.
 * Hampton Point – A projection into the lake, southwest of Northville.
 * Hunters Creek – A stream north of Northville.
 * Kenyon Islands – Two islands in the Great Sacandaga Lake.
 * Mead Island – An island in Great Sacandaga Lake near the shoreline.
 * Northville – A village located where the Sacandaga River enters Great Sacandaga Lake and is just east of NY-30. It is the primary settlement in the town.
 * Northville Pond – A lake located in the village of Northville.
 * Sacandaga Park – A hamlet on the western shore of Great Sacandaga Lake and on NY-30, near the junction of County Road 143. The Sacandaga Railroad Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.
 * Sweets Crossing – A hamlet in the western part of the town on NY-30.
 * Tamarack Swamp – A swamp on the town line, west of Sweets Crossing.
 * Woodward Lake – A small lake west of Northville.

Notable person

 * Julia Colman (1828–1909), American temperance educator, activist, editor and writer

title: Northampton, Fulton County, New York


text:
Northville, Fulton County, New York

Northville is a village in the northern part of the town of Northampton in Fulton County, New York, United States, northeast of Gloversville. The population was 993 at the 2020 census. It lies within Adirondack Park and serves as the southern terminus for the Northville-Placid Trail.

History
The site of the village was first settled around 1786, but areas south of the village were settled around 1762. The village was once on high ground between the Sacandaga River and Hunters Creek. When the river was dammed in 1930 to form the Sacandaga Reservoir, now called Great Sacandaga Lake, the river valley became an arm of the lake. The village now lies on a peninsula surrounded by the lake, with three bridges connecting it on the west, east and south. The arm of the Great Sacandaga Lake to the east is known locally as Northville Lake or the "Little Lake".

Main Street was surveyed and laid out in 1797, and the first store was opened there in 1800, and other stores followed soon thereafter. The population, however, grew slowly: by 1807 there were only seven families living on Main Street. The first brick building in the settlement was constructed in 1819.

A post office was opened in 1824 and in 1827 adopted the name "Northville." By 1835 Northville had become a regional financial center, and began to attract fishermen, hunters and tourists around 1850. A map published in 1868 showed that the village was mainly concentrated on Main Street, although there was a residential development on Bridge and First Streets, and a cluster of industrial buildings on Mechanic Street. Second, Third, Fourth, Centre and Grove Streets had been laid out but were largely empty.

The village was incorporated in 1873, within the town of Northampton. At that time the lumber industry, with its associated milling, cooperage, tanning and woodenware industries, has created a boomtown in Northville and in the hamlet of Sacandaga Park, across the Sacandage River. There were hotels and entertainment halls, and the area was connected by railroad when the Gloversville and Northville (G&N) was completed in 1875 Three years later, the village's population had reached 1,000.

In the late 19th century, The development of the Sacandaga Park resort by the Fonda, Johnstown, and Gloversville (FJ&G) nearby Northville helped Northville's economy grow, as tourists flocked to the "Coney Island of the North". Hotels were built and the FJ&G built a new railroad station on River Street. Guests of the park would use the train service to take day trips to Northville. Businesses and industry also grow, and the village's population had almost doubled by 1880. Hunter's Creek was dammed to create a reservoir and watermains were installed on the main streets, becoming available to the public in 1891, and the village's first bank opened in 1895.

Northville continued to grow and prosper into the early 20th century. Development spread into streets that had been empty, new streets were laid out, and the population continued to grow.

The Conklingville Dam, built to control flooding on the Hudson River, of which the Sacandaga River was a tributary, was finished on March 27, 1929, bringing about the creation of the Great Sacandaga Lake. The lake came to the edge of the village, while other nearby locations, like Sacandaga Park, were fully or partially flooded. The village became a peninsula, and was now further away from connecting roads, but the reservoir did not fundamentally change the physical character of the village. The timing was unfortunate, coming as it did at the beginning of the Great Depression, and the village struggled to recover its economy in its new isolated condition. The growth of new kinds of tourism helped, as did a new emphasis on the history of the village.

The Northville Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 3.6 km2, of which 2.7 km2 is land and 0.9 km2, or 24.89%, is water.

The village is located at 43°13.5′N 74°10.5′W in the Adirondack Park on a northern extension of the Great Sacandaga Lake. The Sacandaga River enters the lake to the west of the village. The river and lake are part of the Hudson River watershed.

The village is just east of New York State Route 30, connected to the highway by a bridge over the Sacandaga River, and is also served by County Roads 143, 149, and 153. Route 30 leads north 29 mi to Speculator in the Adirondacks and Route 30 leads south to Route 30A, 24 mi to the village of Fonda on the Mohawk River.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,139 people, 495 households, and 316 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,070.9 PD/sqmi. There were 598 housing units at an average density of 562.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 98.07% White, 0.44% African American, 0.70% Asian, 0.53% from other races, and 0.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.40% of the population.

There were 495 households, out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $37,566, and the median income for a family was $44,792. Males had a median income of $30,391 versus $21,771 for females. The per capita income for the village was $17,808. About 10.1% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.4% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Northville is home to Northville High School, which is operated by the Northville Central School District.

In popular culture

 * Northville was the setting of a 1997 two-part episode of the television series The X-Files. In the two episodes, "Tempus Fugit" and "Max", a passenger plane carrying a former alien abductee, crashed into the ground near the village of Northville. The X-Files team investigates and soon discovers a UFO at the bottom of the Great Sacandaga Lake. The production was not filmed in Northville, although the production crew did contact the village government for specific information regarding police vehicles, maps, etc.

title: Northville, Fulton County, New York


text:
Oppenheim, New York

Oppenheim is a town in Fulton County, New York, United States. The town is in the southwestern corner of the county and is east of Utica. The population was 1,924 at the 2010 census.

History
The town was first settled circa 1791 by Palatine Germans from Oppenheim, Germany. The town of Oppenheim was established in 1808 from the town of Palatine in Montgomery County, before the formation of Fulton County. In the 1810 U.S. Federal Census, the name of the town was spelled, "Upenheim." When Fulton County was formed in 1838, the south part of Oppenheim was used to form the town of St. Johnsville, which remained in Montgomery County.

The early occupations of townspeople were associated with dairy and cheese-making activities.

Beaversprite, a nature refuge, was founded in Oppenheim in the 1930s.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 146.2 km2, of which 145.4 km2 is land and 0.8 km2, or 0.54%, is water.

The northern part of the town is in the Adirondack Park. The western town line is the border of Herkimer County, and the southern town boundary is the border of Montgomery County.

East Canada Creek is a stream defining the western town line. The creek flows out of the Adirondacks to join the Mohawk River, south of Oppenheim.

New York State Route 29 is an east-west highway across Oppenheim. New York State Route 331, a north-south highway, intersects NY 29 at Oppenheim village.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,774 people, 685 households, and 493 families residing in the town. The population density was 31.5 PD/sqmi. There were 858 housing units at an average density of 15.2 per square mile (5.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.31% White, 0.73% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 0.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.68% of the population.

There were 685 households, out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $31,284, and the median income for a family was $34,306. Males had a median income of $26,289 versus $19,427 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,504. About 9.7% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.8% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Oppenheim

 * Crum Creek – A hamlet near the southern town line on NY 331 and Crum Creek; and a stream that flows through the town southward through the town. The former Crum Creek Evangelical Lutheran Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.
 * Doxtater Corner – A hamlet in the northwestern part of the town, northeast of Rasbach Corners.
 * Dolgeville (formerly "Brocketts Bridge") – Part of the village of Dolgeville is at the western town line at East Canada Creek and NY 29.
 * Ingham Mills – A hamlet on the western town boundary on County Road 108.
 * Kringsbush – A hamlet by the south town line in the southwestern part of the town.
 * Kyser Lake – A wide part of the East Canada Creek, north of Ingham Mills.
 * Lotville – A hamlet in the northern part of the town, located between Doxtater Corners and Phipps Corners.
 * Middle Sprite – A hamlet by the northern town boundary, inside the Adirondack Park.
 * Oppenheim – The hamlet of Oppenheim at the junction of NY 29 and NY 331, west of Crum Creek.
 * Phipps Corners – A location east of Lotville and north of Oppenheim hamlet.
 * Rasbach Corners – A hamlet in the northwestern part of the town, east of Dolgeville.

title: Oppenheim, New York


text:
Perth, New York

Perth is a town in Fulton County, New York, United States. The population was 3,646 at the 2010 census. It is in the southeastern corner of the county, north of Amsterdam. The town is named after Perth, Scotland.

History
The land was first settled circa 1772 by pioneers from Scotland. The town of Perth was formed from part of the town of Amsterdam in 1838, when Fulton County was created. In 1842, the size of the town was increased by the annexation of land from the towns of Broadalbin and Mayfield.

Notable people

 * Robert P. Aitken (1819–1873), Michigan State Representative and Civil War veteran.
 * Mike Tyson, boxer, was a one-time resident of the Tryon School for Boys in the town.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 67.6 km2, of which 0.07 km2, or 0.11%, is water.

Perth is east of Johnstown, the Fulton County seat. The eastern town line is the border of Saratoga County, and the southern town line is the border of Montgomery County. The city of Amsterdam is 5 mi south of the center of Perth.

New York State Route 30 is a north-south highway which passes through Perth.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,638 people, 1,318 households, and 951 families residing in the town. The population density was 139.6 PD/sqmi. There were 1,416 housing units at an average density of 54.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 91.51% White, 6.40% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.58% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.52% of the population.

There were 1,318 households, out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.2% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 31.0% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $39,932, and the median income for a family was $46,181. Males had a median income of $30,032 versus $23,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,870. About 5.9% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.0% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Perth

 * Beyers Corners – A hamlet in the eastern part of Perth on County Road 132.
 * Chuctenunda Creek – A stream flowing through the southeastern section of Perth to Amsterdam.
 * Perth (formerly "Perth Center") – The hamlet of Perth is in the north-central part of the town on NY-30.
 * Stairs Corners – A hamlet in the eastern part of the town on County Road 126.
 * West Galway – A hamlet by the eastern town line. This part of Perth was settled circa 1774.
 * West Perth – A hamlet by the western town boundary on County Road 107.

title: Perth, New York


text:
Stratford, New York

Stratford is a town in Fulton County, New York, United States. The population was 610 at the 2010 census. The town is in the northwestern corner of the county, northeast of the village of Dolgeville. It was named after Stratford, Connecticut.

History
The town comprises patents of various pre-Revolutionary grants, including part of the extensive land grants of Sir William Johnson. Settlement began circa 1800, by settlers from Connecticut. The town was formed in 1805 from the town of Palatine while still part of Montgomery County. Part of the town was removed in 1842 to create part of the town of Caroga.

The population of Stratford was 353 in 1810.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 198.6 km2, of which 193.9 km2 is land and 4.6 km2, or 2.34%, is water.

The northern town line is the border of Hamilton County, and the western town boundary is the border of Herkimer County, partially delineated by East Canada Creek. The town is in the Adirondack Park.

New York State Route 29A is an east-west highway in Stratford.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 640 people, 237 households, and 167 families residing in the town. The population density was 8.5 people per square mile (3.3/km2). There were 525 housing units at an average density of 7.0 per square mile (2.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.19% White, 1.09% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.31% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.56% of the population.

There were 237 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.5% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.2% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $27,813, and the median income for a family was $33,125. Males had a median income of $26,103 versus $20,526 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,120. About 20.1% of families and 24.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.8% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Stratford

 * Ayers Creek – A stream flowing into the East Canada Creek at Stratford village.
 * Ayers Lake – A lake north of Pleasant Lake.
 * Bliss Corner – A hamlet southeast of Stratford village. It is named after one of the first settlers.
 * Emmonsburg – A hamlet on the western town line by the East Canada Creek, located at the junction of County Roads 104 and 119. The community was formerly known as "Hart's Bridge" and "Whitesburg."
 * Knappville – A hamlet north of Stratford village.
 * Middle Sprite – A hamlet on the southern town line, taking its name from Middle Sprite Creek.
 * Oregon – A hamlet in the northwestern section of the town, north of Knappville.
 * Pleasant Lake – A lake in the eastern part of the town, north of NY-29A.
 * Spectacle Lake – An irregularly shaped lake by the northern town line.
 * Stewart Landing – A hamlet in the southeastern part of the town.
 * Stratford – The hamlet of Stratford is located at the western town line on NY-29A. Part of the community is in the town of Salisbury in Herkimer County.  It was once called "Deveraux" and "Nicholsville."

title: Stratford, New York


text:
Alabama, New York

Alabama is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The town is in the northwestern part of the county. New York State Routes 63 and 77 intersect in the town. The population was 1,869 at the 2010 census. The town is named after the state of Alabama.

History
French fur trader William Poudrit set up a trading post in what is now the Tonawanda Indian Reservation. A form of his name, "Poodry," is current among the Native Americans. The town was first settled around 1806 in West Alabama. The Town of Alabama was established in 1826 from a part of the Town of Pembroke and the Town of Shelby (Orleans County). The town was originally called the "Town of Gerrysville" after Vice-president Elbridge Gerry. In 1828 the town assumed its current name.

Some of the water from local sour springs, eight in total, was once bottled for medicinal use. A thirty-seven room hotel was erected on the property and named "Spring House". The building burned in 1914. The land is now part of the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 42.8 sqmi, of which 42.5 sqmi is land and 0.2 sqmi  (0.49%) is water.

The Tonawanda Creek flows through the southern part of the town, and Oak Orchard Creek flows through the northern part.

The northern town line is the border of Orleans County and the western town boundary is the border of Erie and Niagara counties.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,881 people, 663 households, and 483 families residing in the town. The population density was 44.2 PD/sqmi. There were 700 housing units at an average density of 16.5 per square mile (6.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 95.16% White, 0.85% African American, 2.23% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, and 1.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.85% of the population.

There were 663 households, out of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.7% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.1% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.36.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.0% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $40,223, and the median income for a family was $45,947. Males had a median income of $32,454 versus $23,456 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,811. About 4.7% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * Charles Dinsmoor, inventor, born in Alabama Center
 * John Rankin Gamble, former US Congressman from Dakota Territory

Communities and locations in the Town of Alabama

 * Alabama (or Alabama Center) – The hamlet of Alabama is centered on the crossroad of Routes 63 and 77, where there is a restaurant on one corner and a small market on another.
 * Basom – This hamlet is on NY-77 where Bloomingdale Road runs off to the west. This community had a railroad station at one time. It was named after an Alabama town supervisor.
 * Indian Falls (formerly "Tonawanda Falls") – A hamlet at the south town line on NY-77. Tonawanda Creek flows through the community and has a spectacular waterfall. Above the falls are rapids which were a source of water power in the early days of the community.
 * Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge – A federal refuge is partly in the northern part of the town.
 * Meadeville – A hamlet inside the Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area, located on Meadeville Road, south of NY-77.
 * Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Area - A conservation area partially in the northern part of the town.
 * South Alabama – A hamlet on NY-63, near the Oakfield border and south of Wheatville. The community was formerly called "Smithville."
 * Tonawanda Reservation of the Seneca tribe - A part of the reservation is inside the west border of the town. Bloomingdale Road passes through the reservation, connecting Basom and Akron.
 * Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area – A New York state conservation area, partially in the northern part of the town.
 * The Alabama Hotel, located at the intersection of 63 and 77, where Spiro Agnew was quoted as saying, after stopping during a campaign swing in 1968, "Really fine wings they have.... really fine"
 * West Alabama – A former hamlet, now a location in the northwest corner of the town on NY-77.
 * Wheatville – A hamlet east of Alabama hamlet by the intersection of Knowlesville and Lockport Roads.
 * Wheatville Station – A location south of South Alabama.
 * White Memorial Game Farm – A former game farm located south of Alabama hamlet on NY-77. Used primarily for raising pheasants, it has been given over to other recreational use.

title: Alabama, New York


text:
Bethany, New York

Bethany is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 1,765 at the 2010 census. The town lies on the southern border of Genesee County. US Route 20 and NYS Route 63 pass through the town.

History
The area was first settled circa 1803. The town of Bethany was formed in 1812 from a partition of the town of Batavia.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 36.1 sqmi, all land.

The southern town line is the border of Wyoming County.

Oatka Creek, a tributary of the Genesee River, flows northward through the town.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,760 people, 636 households, and 499 families residing in the town. The population density was 48.8 PD/sqmi. There were 665 housing units at an average density of 18.4 per square mile (7.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.05% White, 0.80% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.17% from other races, and 1.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.40% of the population.

There were 636 households, out of which 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.5% were non-families. 16.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 106.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $45,450, and the median income for a family was $50,234. Males had a median income of $32,113 versus $24,643 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,693. About 3.2% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Bethany

 * Bethany Center – A hamlet at the intersection of Route 20 and Bethany Center Road. Holds location of the Government Center
 * East Alexander – A hamlet on the west town line.
 * East Bethany – This hamlet is the location of the former post office.
 * Linden – A hamlet in the southwest corner of town.
 * Little Canada – A hamlet northeast of East Bethany on Route 63, formerly called "Bennett's".
 * Suicide Corners – A location on Route 20 and East Road in Bethany Center.
 * Texaco Town – A location near the east town line at the intersection of Route 63 and Route 20.
 * West Bethany – A hamlet on the west town line by the town of Alexander.

title: Bethany, New York