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East Nassau, New York

East Nassau is a village in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 587 at the 2010 census.

The Village of East Nassau is in the eastern section of the town of Nassau along the Town of Stephentown border by Routes 20 and 66.

History
The community was first known as "Schermerhorn's" after an early inhabitant. East Nassau incorporated as a village in 1998.

The East Nassau Central School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.

Geography
East Nassau is located at 42.52889°N, -73.51611°W (42.528830, -73.515997).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 4.9 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 571 people, 216 households, and 150 families residing in the village. The population density was 116.6 PD/sqmi. There were 255 housing units at an average density of 52.1 /mi2. The racial makeup of the village was 96.32% White, 0.88% African American, 1.58% Asian, 0.18% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.88% of the population.

There were 216 households, out of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.2% were married couples living together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% 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 3.18.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 28.4% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $42,250, and the median income for a family was $48,125. Males had a median income of $35,750 versus $30,893 for females. The per capita income for the village was $24,740. About 2.7% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.4% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government
The village is governed by a Mayor-Council form of government. The mayor is elected every two years during even number years. Village trustees are elected for two year terms that overlap.

The current Mayor is Adam Acquario. Village trustees are Jeff Root, Lydia Davis, Thomas Kernan, and Nick Atchinson (2022).

title: East Nassau, New York


text:
Grafton, New York

Grafton is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 2,051 at the 2020 census. It is believed that the town received its name from Grafton, Vermont, where the first town supervisor, Nathaniel Dumbleton, was originally from. The town is an interior town near the north-central part of the county. NY Route 2 passes across the town.

Grafton is notable for having a Peace Pagoda, built by Nipponzan Myohoji buddhist order in 1993.

History
The town of Grafton was originally a part of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck, and at that time was known as Roxborough. The first settlements are not clear from the ca. 1765-1807 map of the manor. As part of Rennesselaerswyck, the first inhabitants were renters of that estate.

The question of the first settlement of Grafton has never been settled. The names of the first European settlers who built new homes in the wilderness and the date of their coming probably will never be known. In all probability, however, the town was the last in Rensselaer County to be settled. Grafton was formed from the towns of Troy and Petersburgh on March 20, 1807, and even at this comparatively late day it had few inhabitants. Abel Owen is generally believed to have been the first man to enter the rather unattractive mountain wilderness and build himself a home. He was sturdy farmer, an indefatigable laborer, and to encourage further settlement the patroon, Stephen Van Rensselaer III, gave him a grant of 200 acre or more of what was then thought to be the best land in that section adapted to farming. Owen was not long without neighbors, if indeed there were not one or more families located in that vicinity when he built his log house.

There is nothing to show when Mr. Owen moved to Grafton, but from subsequent settlements and other occurrences it is thought that it could not have been very long after the Revolutionary War. Possibly it was several years later, during that war or at its close. Immediately after the period when the colonists were fighting for independence, or beginning with 1784 or 1785, several families leased land in Grafton from the patroon and began the cultivation of the land there. Abel Owen is recorded as a Revolutionary soldier, so the town likely was not settled until the closing years of the war or later. Circa 1786, Owen had at least two neighbors, families names Coon and Demmon being early lessees of the patroon's lands. About 1796 Abel Owen sold his farm to Lemuel Steward and moved with his family to Onondaga County.

Nathaniel Dumbleton, who was first elected to the office of supervisor, moved to the town from Grafton, Vermont, and tradition says that through his influence the town received the name which it has since borne. The first town meeting was held soon after the organization, on the first Tuesday of April 1807 at the house of Nathan Hakes. Two taverns are mentioned by various authorities as the earliest in town. one was located at East Grafton and was built and maintained by Thomas Scriven; the other was located in the western part of the town and was kept by Elijah Terry. The tavern of S. McChesney was opened about the year 1800. The Grafton House was built about 1838 by Stephen Van Rensselaer. It was the most pretentious affair in the town and for many years one of the most prominent taverns in the central part of the county.

About the year 1800 Josiah Litchfield opened a general store at Quackenkill, erecting a saw mill about the same time. S. McChesney, in addition to his tavern, also kept an early store at Quackenkill. Van Rensselaer built a grist mill in 1836 or 1837. These were for many years the principal business enterprises in Grafton.

The first physician to practice in town of whom there is any knowledge was Dr. Rufus S. Waite, a native of Petersburgh, who came to Grafton Center from Brownsville in 1819. He practiced for about forty years and became widely known throughout Rensselaer County. Dr. Amos Allen, also a native of Petersburgh, settled in Grafton in 1846, immediately after his graduation from the Berkshire Medical School. For many years Dr. Allen was the only physician in the town.

When, in pursuance of the school law of 1812–1813, the town voted its first appropriation for the maintenance of the schools at public expense, Jedediah Wellman, Daniel Mills and Thomas West were chosen school commissioners. In the fall of 1813 the town was divided into ten districts, and soon after a common school was maintained in each district. In common with all other towns in the state, the school system was changed from time to time in accordance with legislative enactment. under the system of supervision by town superintendents, Thomas W. potter served in 1844 and 1845, John C. Potter in 1846, Paul K. Davison in 1847 and 1848, Dr. Amos Allen from 1850 to 1853 and Daniel H. Davison from 1854 to 1856.

December 19, 1845, saw a tragedy in Grafton, one of the many taking place in Rensselaer County during the Anti-Rent War, following the death of Stephen Van Rensselaer III. Elijah Smith was shot by an unknown person during one of the numerous struggles which took place between the anti renters and the authorities of the county.

Some of the earlier industries in Grafton are referred to above. Saw mills were among the earliest enterprises, as they were rendered necessary by the presence of an almost unbroken forest over mountain and valley. These mills also sent out large quantities of tan bark, and vast quantities of the wood were reduced to charcoal and sent to nearby markets. As the timber was cleared away the inhabitants began to pay more attention to agriculture, stock raising, and dairying. The manufacture of shirts was begun about 1855 by Caleb W. Scriven, who introduced the first sewing machine in the town. The work was done by his employees at their homes and the product of their toil was sent to New York City. Others who engaged in the business at the early day were the firm of J.H. & A.H. Scriven, Ford & Bennett and their successors. Many families in town found the industry as a profitable one at the time.

The Dickinson Hill Fire Tower was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.

Geography
The town of Grafton is located north of the center of Rensselaer County. It is bounded on the north by Pittstown and Hoosick, on the east by Petersburgh, on the south by Berlin and Poestenkill and on the west by Brunswick. Like Stephentown, it is rectangular in shape. Its surface contains more small lakes and ponds than any other town in the county, and these are the headwaters of many streams flowing in every direction. The town may be said to be the center of the watershed of Rensselaer County.

Grafton possesses the most uneven surface of any town in the county. It is located within the limits of the Rensselaer Plateau and the principal peaks in the town reach an altitude of 1800 feet above the level of the sea. A small portion of the land only is arable, but the hillsides afford excellent grazing. Nevertheless, many of the inhabitants of Grafton have farms which, by years of constant care and cultivation, have been rendered almost as productive as any within the county.

As already stated, ponds and small streams are very abundant. Cranberry Lake, or Cranberry Pond, in the southern part, is the source of the Quacken Kill, which flows by a devious course to the western limits of the town, affording numerous excellent mill sites. In the northern part of the town are several creeks flowing towards the Hoosick Valley. The ponds of Grafton are noted for the purity and high quality of their water, and some of them on this account were once considered as available sources of supply for Troy's drinking water.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 46.0 sqmi, of which 44.9 sqmi is land and 1.1 sqmi (2.35%) is water.

The town is mostly a highland, continuing the Taconics north, or the Berkshires west. The scenic beauty of the area is seen at the Grafton Lakes State Park, a park with four lakes among gentle mountain scenery.

Adjacent towns and areas
The town is south of the Towns of Hoosick and Pittstown.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,987 people, 747 households, and 554 families residing in the town. The population density was 44.3 PD/sqmi. There were 1,059 housing units at an average density of 23.6 /mi2. The racial makeup of the town was 97.99% White, 0.15% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.25% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.45% of the population.

There were 747 households, out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $48,347, and the median income for a family was $53,810. Males had a median income of $38,333 versus $28,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,312. About 4.4% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.7% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Grafton

 * Babcock Lake – A hamlet in the northeastern corner of the town.
 * Dunham Reservoir – A reservoir in the southern section of the town.
 * Dyken Pond- a lake south of Grafton Lakes State Park.
 * East Grafton – A hamlet east of Grafton village on NY-2.
 * Elizabeth Lake – A small lake near Grafton Lakes State Park.
 * Grafton (formerly "Grafton Center" and "Patroons Mill") – The hamlet of Grafton on NY-2 in the central part of the town.
 * Grafton Lakes State Park - A state park near Grafton village, north of NY-2.
 * Quackenkill – A hamlet in the western part of the town on NY-2.
 * Taconic Lake – A private lake and hamlet (Taconic Lake Association) in the southeastern part of the town, off County Road 88 (Taconic Lake Road).

Education
The westernmost part of the town is serviced by Brunswick (Brittonkill) Central School District and the remainder by the Berlin Central School District.

Notable people

 * Sanford M. Green, Michigan jurist and legislator, was born in Grafton.
 * Granville Hicks, author and literary critic.
 * Leah Penniman, farmer and activist.

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

title: Grafton, New York


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Hampton Manor, New York

Hampton Manor is a census-designated place in the town of East Greenbush in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 5,423 at the 2020 census.

Hampton Manor is a suburb of the cities of Rensselaer and Albany. Many of the homes built in Hampton Manor were kit houses from Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Ward.

Geography
Hampton Manor is located at 42.61889°N, -73.72583°W (42.618846, -73.725704).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 0.6 sqmi, of which, 0.6 sqmi of it is land and 0.04 sqmi of it (3.08%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,525 people, 1,040 households, and 690 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 4,002.3 PD/sqmi. There were 1,079 housing units at an average density of 1,710.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.37% White, 1.70% African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.70% Asian, 0.12% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.71% of the population.

There were 1,040 households, out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 32.1% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $42,794, and the median income for a family was $46,818. Males had a median income of $32,022 versus $30,694 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $21,589. None of the families and 1.3% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 4.8% of those over 64.

title: Hampton Manor, New York


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Hoosick, New York

Hoosick is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 6,711 at the 2020 census. It was named from the Hoosic River.

The Town of Hoosick is in the northeastern corner of Rensselaer County.

History
The town of Hoosick was organized in 1788, in Albany County, three years before the creation of Rensselaer County in 1791. The region was formerly the District of Hoosick (1772) and previous to that the Hoosick Patent (1688).

The Battle of Bennington of the American Revolution was fought northeast of Hoosick, on a farm owned by John Green, in the community of Walloomsac.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 63.2 sqmi, of which 63.0 sqmi is land and 0.1 mi2 (0.21%) is water.

The northern town line is the boundary of Washington County, New York, and the eastern town line is the border of Vermont. The Hoosic River is an important waterway in the town.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,759 people, 2,620 households, and 1,823 families residing in the town. The population density was 107.3 PD/sqmi. There were 2,892 housing units at an average density of 45.9 /mi2. The racial makeup of the town was 97.96% White, 0.49% African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.84% of the population.

There were 2,620 households, out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were non-families. 25.6% 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 2.55 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.9% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $41,304, and the median income for a family was $46,442. Males had a median income of $35,899 versus $24,211 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,614. About 5.3% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.5% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Hoosick

 * Buskirk (formerly "Buskirk Bridge") – A hamlet in the northwestern corner of the town on Route 67. The Buskirk Covered Bridge and Brownell–Cornell–Gibbs Farmstead are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
 * Eagle Bridge – A hamlet east of Buskirk on Route 67
 * East Buskirk – A hamlet south of Buskirk on Route 103
 * East Hoosick – A hamlet east of Hoosick Falls near the eastern town line
 * Mapletown – A neighborhood within East Hoosick
 * Hoosick (or "Hoosick Corners") – A hamlet south of Hoosick Falls in the southeastern section of the town. The Breese-Reynolds House, David Mathews House, and Tibbits House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
 * Hoosick Falls – The Village of Hoosick Falls is near the center of the town
 * Hoosick Junction – A location northwest of Hoosick Falls
 * North Hoosick (formerly "St. Croix") – A hamlet north of Hoosick Falls on Route 22
 * Potterville – A hamlet in the southwestern part of the town on Route 7
 * Southwest Hoosick – A hamlet near the western town line and south of West Hoosick
 * Trumanville – A former community, now part of Hoosick Falls
 * Walloomsac – A hamlet east of North Hoosick on Route 67
 * West Hoosick – A hamlet west of Hoosick Falls and near the western town line
 * White Creek Station – A location in the northeastern corner of the town

Notable people
Among the notable natives of Hoosick are:
 * Chester Arthur, US President, lived in Hoosick for a period of time
 * (Big Band Singers) Bob Eberly and Ray Eberle
 * Romulus Whitaker, Indian herpetologist
 * Simon Fraser, born in Mapletown, town of Hoosick. He was an explorer who charted much of what is now British Columbia. A river, mountain, and Simon Fraser University there are named after him.
 * Joshua Furnas, athlete, entrepreneur, advocate
 * Eugene Goossen (1921–1997), art critic and historian, and his wife Patricia Johanson (b. 1940), noted environmental sculptor, in Buskirk hamlet
 * Emory S. Harris, US Marshal for Vermont
 * Annie Hawks (1836–1918), poet, gospel hymnist
 * Andrew Parsons (American politician) (1817-1855) 9th lieutenant governor of Michigan and 10th governor of Michigan
 * Harriet Hoctor, dancer
 * Jenny Holzer, post-modern installation artist, currently resides in Hoosick
 * Phipps W. Lake (1789–1860), member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, was born in Hoosick
 * Grandma Moses (1860–1961), painter whose work was first discovered in a Hoosick Falls drugstore (Thorpe's Pharmacy, at the corner of John Street and New York State Route 22) in 1938, is buried in Hoosick
 * John Palmer (1785–1840), served two non-consecutive terms in the United States Congress
 * William David Thomas (1880–1936), member of the U.S. House of Representatives, the 29th District, from 1933 until his death in Washington, D.C. in 1936. Pharmacist and owner of the Thomas Pharmacy in Hoosick Falls where Grandma Moses' paintings were discovered. Buried at Maplegrove Cemetery in the village.

title: Hoosick, New York


text:
Hoosick Falls, New York

Hoosick Falls is a village in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 3,501 at the 2010 census. During its peak, in 1900, the village had a population of approximately 7,000.

The village of Hoosick Falls is near the center of the town of Hoosick on NY 22. The village center is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Hoosick Falls Historic District. The village has a thriving early-20th century downtown commercial district, and many of the buildings have been restored. Recent commercial additions include a bakery/sandwich shop, a French restaurant, a coffee roastery, an art gallery and bistro, and a barbecue joint with a live music venue.

Painter Grandma Moses is buried in the village. The site of the British entrenchments at the Battle of Bennington, August 6, 1777, is nearby and is maintained as Bennington Battlefield State Historic Site.

History
Although this has been an issue of considerable debate, it's believed the first documented settlers came to Hoosick Falls, on the Hoosic River, around 1746. The French drove the settlers out in 1754 and most of the settlement was burned, but they returned and rebuilt after the French & Indian War ended. Hoosick Falls was incorporated as a village in 1827.

Walter A. Wood Mowing and Reaping Machine Co.
In 1852, a blacksmith named Walter A. Wood began manufacturing a reaper in Hoosick Falls. By the 1890s, the Walter A. Wood Mowing & Reaping Company was the largest farm machinery manufacturer in the world, taking up 85 acres (340,000 m2) on the west bank of the river. The Wood Company closed in 1924, mainly due to the introduction of John Deere's revolutionary self propelled farm equipment. Most of these facilities were used by the Colasta Corporation from the mid 1920s until the late 1950s. This company manufactured radio parts. Later, parts of this site were used as a lumber yard/hardware store. A rash of arson fires in the mid and late 1970s consumed the entire complex. The only buildings still in use today are outside of the main complex, the Interface Solutions Plant (formerly the Wood-Flong Paper Mill), which was Walter A Wood's steel foundry. The original Office Building is still present also.

Along with the Walter Wood plant, Hoosick Falls was a boomtown in the 19th century. Many other businesses came to town, creating growth and prosperity. Hoosick Falls once had factories that made paper, small numbers of appliances, glass, and some nominal soda and beer bottling plants. A large number of rich Victorian homes were built during this period and are still there today, most in good shape. Hoosick Falls also served as a regional center of trade and export. Local farmers and manufacturers would come to town to sell their goods and load them on rail cars bound for New York City or abroad. These goods consisted of manufacturers, grain, milk, livestock, construction materials (mostly slate and brick), paper & pulp, timber and beverages.

Historic Sites
The Estabrook Octagon House, Hoosick Falls Armory, Hoosick Falls Historic District, St. Mark's Episcopal Church, and United States Post Office are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The arts
Hoosick Falls and the region has long been a landing place for artists of various interests. Grandma Moses, the American folk artists who rose to fame after her work was discovered in Thorpe's Pharmacy in downtown Hoosick Falls by a passing New York City art dealer, was born close by and is buried in the Maple Grove Cemetery. Jose De Creeft, the Spanish-born artist and sculptor best known for his sculpture of Alice in Wonderland in New York's Central Park kept a home in the village and is buried there. Jenny Holzer, the American conceptual artist, has lived just outside of the Village for years. Yucel Erdogan, the NYC artist and photographer, operates the 3rd Eye Gallery in a renovated department store in the downtown commercial district.

Murals
Hoosick Falls is noted for its murals and outdoors art displays. The downtown hosts two significant murals, one by local artist Roger Weeden, that depicts the Grandma Moses painting, "Wagon Repair Shop". The second is by regional artist Katie May Erskine, depicting an owl, reflecting the indigenous people's name for the location of the village: The Valley of the Owl.

Plastics Industry
A local company, Dodge Fibers Corporation, started producing Teflon-based products in 1955. This business was quite successful and later sold to larger companies. However, the industry generated chemical pollution, especially PFOA. Concern developed locally in 2014, and in December 2015, the Village advised residents to use bottled water provided for free by Saint-Gobain, the current owner of the plastics facilities. In 2017, the Village constructed a reverse-osmosis carbon filtration water treatment system, and has since provided PFOA-free water to all residents, The NYSDEC unveiled a proposal on December 3, 2021, to construct two new water wells for the town at an estimated cost of $9.7 million. These wells will be located to the south of the town and connected to the existing water treatment plant.

PFOA crisis
The contamination of Hoosick Falls’ water was originally discovered by resident Michael Hickey following the death of his father from an aggressive kidney cancer, which was diagnosed after his retirement from the Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics plant. Hickey noted the elevated rate of cancer diagnoses and deaths in their village, and began looking into the effects of the chemicals used in local manufacturing plants.

Over the years, several manufacturing plants in the area released waste containing perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) into the surrounding environment. PFOA, which belongs to a group of chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used to make household and commercial products, has been shown to cause reproductive, developmental, liver, kidney, and immunological effects in laboratory animals. Much of the focus of investigation and litigation has been on the Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics facility, which is located next to the village water treatment plant and began manufacturing with PFOA in 1999.

Hickey tested water samples from his kitchen sink and businesses in the village, and discovered a PFOA level of 540 parts per trillion, exceeding the existing EPA guideline at the time of 400 ppt by 35%. In 2016, the EPA guideline was updated to 70 ppt following updated studies of the effects on animals and exposed human populations, the amounts in Hoosick exceeded this by 671%. As of June 2022, the EPA lowered the advised levels for PFOA to .004 ppt. The levels of PFOA present in Hoosick Falls’ water in 2014 exceeded this level by almost 135,000%.

The Village Board, which had allegedly denied requests from Hickey to test the water, did not issue a warning to the citizens of Hoosick Falls about the water until 16 months after Hickey’s findings. The EPA issued an advisory against drinking or cooking with the public water supply in November 2015. In December 2015, the Village advised residents to use bottled water provided for free by Saint-Gobain, the current owner of the plastics facilities and the party responsible for the pollution mitigation.

In February 2016 New York State added the Saint-Gobain facility to their Registry of Hazardous Waste Disposal Sites as a Class 2 site. In July 2017, the EPA added the site to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL), which lists priority sites in the United States in need of long-term cleanup efforts.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) is leading the investigation and cleanup of the McCaffrey Street site, with support from the EPA. In June 2016 Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics and Honeywell International were deemed “potentially responsible parties” for the contamination, and entered into a consent order with the NYSDEC. As an interim remedial measure to address the contamination, the two companies installed a granulated activated carbon (GAC) filtration system on the public water supply wells to treat the water in 2016. In 2019, they built a groundwater interceptor trench at the McCaffrey Street site to prevent contaminated groundwater from reaching public water wells.

In order to address the contamination to over 800 private wells, the state installed point-of-entry treatment systems (POET), which treat the water entering the building, reducing contaminants for safe drinking.

While the interim remedial measures addressed the immediate concerns of contaminated water, the corporations were also required to perform a remedial investigation and feasibility study (RI/FS) at the site in order to determine the nature and extent of the contamination and identify and evaluate cleanup alternatives. The NYSDEC reviewed a study submitted by the companies, which proposed five potential long-term water supplies, and opened up the proposal to public comment in the fall of 2019 through email, letters, and two public meetings. On December 3, 2021, the NYSDEC published their decision regarding the long-term water replacement, with two new groundwater supply wells to be developed and existing test wells south of Hoosick Falls to be converted to production wells at an estimated cost of $9.7 million.

In addition to the consent order, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Saint-Gobain and Honeywell, with 3M and DuPont Co. later being accused as well. In July 2021 a preliminary settlement of $65.25 million was reached with Saint-Gobain, which provides current and former residents with compensation for potential health impacts due to exposure, compensation for the loss of property value following the addition of the area to the Superfund National Priorities List, compensation to those who had a private well contaminated ($7.7 million, 12% of total), case expenses and attorney fees ($13.4 million, 20% of total), compensation for the ten main plaintiffs that contributed significantly to the case ($250,000, .4% of total), and establishes a 10-year medical monitoring program ($23 million, 35% of total).

Throughout the court proceedings attorneys for Saint-Gobain and Honeywell moved for the case to be dismissed, claiming that “mere accumulation of elevated levels of PFOA in the blood did not constitute physical injury” and that “in the absence of physical damage, 532 Madison, 96 N.Y.2d 280, 727 9 N.Y.S.2d 49, precludes recovery in tort for harm that is exclusively economic, and that because ‘groundwater is not private property,’ plaintiffs could not base property damage claims on ‘alleged injury to groundwater’. Defendants also urged dismissal of all property claims of plaintiffs who rented their homes, on the theory that they lacked ownership interest, and dismissal of all claims of nuisance, on the theory that private nuisance is by definition a tort that threatens one or a few persons, not one that impacts the whole community”. These motions were denied by U.S. District Senior Judge Lawrence E. Kahn, when the defendants appealed, the denials were upheld by the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

Following the settlement, Lia T. LoBello, as spokesperson for the company, submitted the following statement:"'Saint-Gobain is pleased to have reached a settlement agreement with the plaintiffs in the New York class action lawsuit. Since first learning about the issue of PFAS in Hoosick Falls, the company took a leadership position on this issue and we believe this agreement is indicative of that commitment. The health, safety and wellbeing of both our employees and the communities in which we operate are important to us, and we take that responsibility very seriously.'"

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.7 sqmi, all land.

The village is divided by the Hoosic River.

Hoosick Falls is bisected by NY Route 22. Public transportation to and from the village is provided between Albany and Bennington, Vermont by Yankee Trails World Travel's weekday-running Albany-Bennington Shuttle bus.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,436 people, 1,382 households, and 880 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,998.8 persons per square mile (771.3/km2). There were 1,553 housing units at an average density of 903.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 97.58% White, 0.55% African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.32% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.99% of the population.

There were 1,382 households, out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.05. In the village, the population was spread out, with 25.9% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $36,731, and the median income for a family was $45,829. Males had a median income of $33,750 versus $23,313 for females. The per capita income for the village was $18,062. About 5.1% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.6% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * Bob Eberly and Ray Eberle, brothers and Big Band singers.
 * Private Harris S. Hawthorn, received the Medal of Honor for capturing Gen. Custis Lee (the son of Gen. Robert E. Lee) on April 6, 1865, at the Battle of Sailor's Creek, Virginia; he is buried in the Maple Grove Cemetery.
 * Harriet Hoctor, ballerina, dancer, Broadway theatre and Hollywood actress was born in the village.
 * Jenny Holzer, the conceptual artist, lives and works here.
 * Alexander Ney, the Soviet emigre artist currently lives and works here.
 * Jill Reeve, Former member of the United States women's national field hockey team
 * Grandma Moses, renowned folk artist, lived here in the latter part of her life. Her work was first discovered by an art collector who noticed one of her paintings, many of which depicted Hoosick Falls and its surroundings, hanging in a local drug store.
 * Harry Van Surdam, who "devised one of the first legal forward pass plays ever used by a college team," according to the Oklahoma Daily, in a 1966 article. In 1972, he was placed in the National Football Hall of Fame; the award hangs in the foyer of the Hoosick Falls Central School.
 * Lewis A. Swyer, owner of a construction company that built many historic Albany landmarks, was born and spent early childhood in Hoosick Falls. His company, L.A. Swyer Co. Inc., built Albany landmarks including the Hilton Hotel, Ten Eyck Plaza, Twin Towers, State Street Centre, Bleecker Terrace Apartments, Albany Law School library and Temple Beth Emeth.
 * Jose de Creeft, Spanish sculptor who created the famous statue of Alice in Wonderland in New York City's Central Park, had a house just outside Hoosick Falls. His ashes are buried beneath one of his sculptures in a park along Main street.
 * George Verschoor, Verschoor developed, produced and directed the first four seasons of MTV's groundbreaking series The Real World, which launched the modern non-fiction genre and is one of the longest-running reality programs in history.

title: Hoosick Falls, New York


text:
North Greenbush, New York

North Greenbush is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. North Greenbush is located in the western part of the county. The population was 13,292 at the 2020 census.

The town has three main hamlets, Wynantskill in the northeastern corner, Defreestville in the southern portion of the town, and Snyder's Lake which occupies the majority of the town's eastern end. Each have strong identities and hinder efforts by the town to have a centralized identity. Also hindering a unified town image is that North Greenbush consists of parts of four different school districts, only one of which (a one-room schoolhouse) carries the town's name; two fire departments (Wynantskill and Defreestville); and three ZIP Codes (City of Troy, City of Rensselaer, and Wynantskill). North Greenbush is home to the southern part of the Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) campus, including the Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, home to the Tri-City ValleyCats minor league baseball team; the RPI Tech Park; the La Salle Institute; the New York State National Guard Armory, headquarters for the Rainbow Division; and various Rensselaer County government institutions.

History
North Greenbush was part of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck, and Albany County prior to Rensselaer County's creation in 1791. North Greenbush was created on February 23, 1855, from the town of Greenbush at the same time as the town of Clinton (today East Greenbush). At this time, North Greenbush occupied more than what it does today; it also covered what is now the northern section of the city of Rensselaer and the southern section of the city of Troy.

The earliest settlers, in the early 1620s settled in Bath, a part of the town annexed to Rensselaer in 1902. Some settlement in what is today North Greenbush may have taken place in the 17th century as well, but most significant early settlement occurred just prior to the Revolutionary War. Early settlements in the town were at Bath, Wynantskill, and Defreestville. In 1874 Bath became incorporated as a village, and in 1902 it was annexed to Rensselaer. Wynantskill, in the northeastern corner of the town, was first settled around the end of the 18th century with a Dutch Reformed Church established circa 1794, and a post office was established in 1820. Defreestville was originally called Blooming Grove until approximately 1830, when it was changed due to confusion with another Blooming Grove, in Orange County, it was named Defreestville for David M. De Freest and family who owned a tavern there. Defreestville and Wynantskill continue to be important hamlets in the town. Snyders Lake would, in the 20th century, also become an important community. Snyders Lake was developed as summer residences and continues to lack a central business district.

During the 20th century, North Greenbush would begin to see more development due to an improved transportation infrastructure which led to increased suburban residential, office, and retail growth based on the automobile. In 1931, the road between Troy and East Greenbush was widened and the right-of-way straightened as US Route 4. The older, narrower, winding residential parts of the road were bypassed and is today's Bloomingrove Drive. Starting in the 1940s and 1950s, suburban growth along Route 4 would begin to displace farms and local businesses with national chains with an automobile oriented pattern of growth. This suburban growth would be encouraged by the construction of Interstate 90 (I-90) and the Patroon Island Bridge in the 1960s, making North Greenbush an easy commute to Albany. I-90 would not have a direct exit to North Greenbush until 1996 though, when Exit 8 was constructed connecting US 4 and NY Route 43 to the interstate. In the 1970s Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) began developing the RPI Tech Park on Route 4 as a business incubator, today it has over 1000000 sqft of office space. A connector highway will eventually also go from Exit 8 parallel to US 4 north through the RPI Tech Park and meet US 4 near Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) at the Troy city line.

Not all suburban growth has been well received in the town, however. In the late 1990s, the RPI Tech Park became the focus of regional and statewide push to get a chip fabrication factory (chip fab plant) built. The RPI Tech Park site originally met little opposition from the town. But as time progressed, opposition grew in response to concerns about potential impacts on traffic and the environment. The RPI Tech Park site, which by October 1999 had become one of only nine sites still being marketed by the state, was terminated when the North Greenbush town council voted to terminate the review process. Another instance of NIMBY opposition to development occurred after the construction of I-90's Exit 8 when that location became well-primed for commercial development. Local developer Frank Nigro, with Nigro Company, proposed a high-end shopping center for the northeastern corner of the intersection of routes 4 and 43. This led to lawsuits and a failed push by residents of Defreestville to incorporate as a village in order to stop the development; and a counter-move by the developer and certain landowners to attempt annexation to the neighboring city of Rensselaer where the development would be better received.

The Defreest Homestead was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 19.0 sqmi, of which 18.7 sqmi is land and 0.3 sqmi  (1.74%) is water. The western section of the town is steeply sloped and cut by various ravines; the clay bluffs rise between 100 and 200 ft above the river with little to no flood plain. The central and eastern parts consist of more gently rolling hills and valleys. The Hudson River is the river of the town, though it is inaccessible to the public at this time; the Wynants Kill in the northeastern section is a creek of some respectable size. Snyder's Lake near the eastern border is the largest lake in the town and is accessible to the public.

The west town line is marked by the Hudson River with Albany County on the opposite shore. The city of Albany shares a brief common border with the town, the rest of the western boundary in the Hudson River is shared with the village of Menands within the town of Colonie. To the north is Troy and the town of Brunswick with the towns of Poestenkill and Sand Lake to the east. Most of the southern border is shared with East Greenbush, while the city of Rensselaer's northern section is partially surrounded by North Greenbush in the town's southwestern corner.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 10,805 people, 4,161 households, and 2,916 families residing in the town. The population density was 578.0 PD/sqmi. There were 4,336 housing units at an average density of 232.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.81% White, 1.01% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.76% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.24% from other races, and 1.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.85% of the population.

There were 4,161 households, out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.5% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. Of all households, 25.2% 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 2.47 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the town, the age distribution of the population shows 22.6% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $82,227, and the median income for a family was $62,845. Males had a median income of $40,872 versus $29,743 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,025. About 2.0% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 2.5% of those age 65 or over.

Notable person

 * John Evert Van Alen, U.S. Representative

Communities and locations in North Greenbush

 * Defreestville – A hamlet in the southwestern part of the town at the junction of US 4 and NY 43. The community derives its name from the local DeFreest family. The Sharpe Homestead and Cemetery and John Evert Van Alen House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
 * Snyders Corner – A hamlet north of Snyder's Lake and southeast of Wynantskill at the junction of West Sand Lake and Snyders Corner roads.
 * Snyder's Lake – A hamlet occupying the majority of North Greenbush's eastern side.
 * Wynantskill – A hamlet on the northern town line by the town's northeastern corner.

title: North Greenbush, New York


text:
Petersburgh, New York

Petersburgh is a town located in the northeast section of Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 1,372 at the 2020 census. The town was named after an early settler named Peter Simmons.

History
The area was settled around the middle of the 18th century and was part of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck. The town was created in 1791 from the Town of Stephentown. The size of this town was diminished by the formation of other towns in the county, including the Towns of Berlin and Lansingburgh in 1806, and Grafton and Nassau in 1807.

The Petersburgh United Methodist Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 41.6 sqmi, all land. To the east, the town borders on the states of Massachusetts and Vermont.

The Taconic Mountains cover a large portion of the town, and the Little Hoosick River joins the Hoosic River in the northern part of the town.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,563 people, 587 households, and 433 families residing in the town. The population density was 37.6 PD/sqmi. There were 695 housing units at an average density of 16.7 /mi2. The racial makeup of the town was 98.08% White, 0.19% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.90% Asian, 0.19% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.45% of the population.

There were 587 households, out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.1% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.2% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $45,909, and the median income for a family was $49,125. Males had a median income of $35,500 versus $25,208 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,249. About 9.8% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.8% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations

 * North Petersburgh – A hamlet in the northern part of the town on Routes 22 and 346. The Steller Homestead is found at the intersection of Route 22 and Rabbit College Road. The U.S. Postal Service treats the name as unacceptable in mailing addresses, preferring "Petersburg".
 * Petersburgh (or Petersburg) – A hamlet on Routes 2 and 22, including the town hall. It was formerly called "South Petersburg" and "Rensselaer Mills", and USPS prefers the Petersburg spelling.
 * The following hamlets are not officially recognized by USPS:
 * Petersburgh Junction – By the northern town line.
 * Stillman – Northwest of Petersburgh village on Route 2.

Notable person

 * Lydia Baxter (1809–1874), poet

title: Petersburgh, New York


text:
Pittstown, New York

Pittstown is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 5,540 at the 2020 census. It is in the northern part of the county.

A small part of the northern town line is Rensselaer County's border with Washington County. Moving west, the Hoosic River defines the town's northwestern line to the crux of its border with the town of Schaghticoke, which juts south to form the western town line. The towns of Brunswick and Grafton border to the southwest and southeast, respectively, with the town of Hoosick to the east.

The majority of the town is served by the Hoosic Valley Central School District, while the southern part of the town is serviced by Brunswick (Brittonkill) Central School District, with a portion of the eastern part of the town served by the Hoosick Falls Central School District.

History
The town is one of the original towns in the county and was created in 1788, from a patent dated 1761.

The Coletti–Rowland–Agan Farmstead, Howard–Odmin–Sherman Farmstead, and Tomhannock Methodist Episcopal Church are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography
New York State Route 67 runs along the Hoosic River, which defines the northeast town line.

In western Pittstown, a manmade body of water, the Tomhannock Reservoir, provides water to the residents of the city of Troy.

The Pittstown State Forest is in the southeast corner of the town, where New York State Route 7 runs along the northern edge of the Rensselaer Plateau.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 64.8 sqmi, of which, 61.7 sqmi of it is land (95.2%) and 3.1 sqmi of it is water (4.8%).

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,644 people, 1,993 households, and 1,548 families residing in the town. The population density was 91.4 PD/sqmi. There were 2,142 housing units at an average density of 34.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.84% White, 0.48% African American, 0.44% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.16% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.66% of the population.

There were 1,993 households, out of which 39.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.4% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were non-families. 17.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.8% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $49,968, and the median income for a family was $52,194. Males had a median income of $35,173 versus $28,720 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,578. About 4.3% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Pittstown

 * Boyntonville – A hamlet near the eastern town line on Route 7.
 * East Pittstown – A hamlet near the town line, in the northeastern part of the town.
 * Factory Hollow – A hamlet.
 * Johnsonville – A hamlet in the northern part of the town by the Hoosick River. In 1825, a bridge was built here across the Hoosic River.
 * Little Red Schoolhouse – A hamlet southeast of Valley Falls.
 * Millertown – A hamlet in the northern part of the town, east of Valley Falls. It was also known as "North Pittstown."
 * Raymertown – A hamlet southwest of the Tomhannock Reservoir and in the southwestern part of the town, on Route 7. The community was named after the local Raymer family.
 * Tomhannock – A hamlet northeast of Tomhannock Reservoir. It was once known as "Reeds Hollow."
 * Tomhannock Reservoir – A reservoir in the southwestern part of the town.
 * Valley Falls – The Village of Valley Falls is in the northwestern part of the town.
 * Redemption Christian Academy - Private christian school

title: Pittstown, New York


text:
Rensselaer, New York

Rensselaer is a city in Rensselaer County, New York, United States, and is located on the east side of the Hudson River, opposite Albany and on the western border of Rensselaer County. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 9,210.

The area now known as the City of Rensselaer was settled by the Dutch in the 17th century, who called it t'Greyn Bos, which became Greenbush in English. Rensselaer was an early center of the U.S. dye industry in the United States and home to the country's first aspirin factory. The city became a railroad hub in the 19th century; in 2020, Albany-Rensselaer was the ninth-busiest Amtrak station in the country and the second-busiest in New York State.

Early settlement and growth
The natives of the area called it Petuquapoern and Juscum catick, and the Dutch claimed the land in 1609 based on Henry Hudson's exploration of the Hudson River on board the Dutch ship, Halve Maen. Later the area was called "De Laet's Burg" in honor of one of the directors of the Dutch West India Co. Settlement occurred at least as early as 1628. By 1642, there was a brewery and many farms, also a ferry was established by Hendrick Albertsen running from the mouth of Beaver Creek in Beverwyck (Albany) to the future Rensselaer. Greenbush (originally t'Greyn Bos in Dutch) was the earliest settlement from Dutch times. The hamlet of East Albany was part of the village of Greenbush. The second hamlet that was incorporated was Bath (also Bath-on-Hudson), which was laid out in 1795 and incorporated as a village prior to 1874.

The Van Rensselaer family, who were the feudal landholders of the entire future Rensselaer County, built a residence in the future city of Rensselaer. This property was inherited by Hendrick van Rensselaer, Kiliaen van Rensselaer's grandson, who built Fort Crailo in approximately 1712. It was built on the site of where Dominie Megapolensis built his own house in 1642. Crailo was expanded in 1762–1768. At various times, the grounds were used as a campground for British and colonial troops. It is reportedly the place where, in 1755, British Army surgeon Richard Shuckburgh, quartered in the home, wrote the ditty "Yankee Doodle" to mock the colonial troops who fought with the British in the French and Indian Wars. Fort Crailo was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1961.

The hamlet of Greenbush was a tract of land about one square mile in size, and is that portion of the city between Partition and Mill Street. This was purchased in May 1810 by William Akin, Titus Goodman and John Dickinson from Stephen Van Rensselaer and Stephen N. Bayard, assignees of John J. Van Rensselaer. The village was later incorporated in 1815. A new charter was granted in 1828, which was amended in 1854, and again in 1863, and a new charter in 1871. In 1897, Greenbush was chartered as a city, and its name was changed to Rensselaer. Its limits were extended in 1902 by the annexation of the village of Bath and the western part of the town of East Greenbush.

Industrialization and modernization
In the 19th century, Rensselaer became the site of the Boston & Albany Railroad's (B&A) passenger depot, shops, freight houses, roundhouse, and coach yard. It was the site of transfers between trains of the New York Central Railroad and the B&A. A ferry transported people to and from the Van Rensselaer Island and downtown Albany at Maiden Lane. In 1871, the Maiden Lane Bridge was built replacing the ferry. In 1903, the channel that separated the island from the mainland was filled in with sand dredged from the bottom of the Hudson River. When the NY Central and the B&A merged in 1900 the island's activities became less important, though a new roundhouse and coach yard was built even as many buildings were demolished.

In 1881, the Hudson Riverfront Art Park in Rensselaer was the site of the first recorded major league Grand Slam in baseball history. In 1882, the Hudson River Aniline and Color Works built their first plant in Rensselaer (building 61), however it burned 13 years later. In 1895, Building 61 was rebuilt and at the same time Building 71 was built as well. It was acquired by the Bayer Corporation in 1903, which then built one of the largest and most up-to-date factories of its time in the US and the Rensselaer plant became the American home for the production of brand-name Aspirin. The US government seized the property in 1917 during World War I as enemy property, Bayer being a German company. It would later be owned by the General Aniline and Film Company, and then BASF. In 1927, it was the first plant to produce solid diazo salts in the United States. The plant went through 12 separate owners or subsidiaries in its lifetime, in the 1990s it was the oldest dye plant in continuous operation and also produced more dye than any other plant in the United States. According to a promotional brochure issued around 1993 by the BASF Corporation the Rensselaer plant was the largest North American dyestuffs production facility. The plant was shut down for good on December 28, 2000.

In 1932, next to the BASF plant, the Port of Albany-Rensselaer was built, mostly in neighboring Albany, but also with 35 acre in the southern part of Rensselaer. The docks on the Rensselaer side were built in the 1970s. The 1960s were a major time of change for the city of Rensselaer. In 1967 the current Dunn Memorial Bridge was built between Albany and Rensselaer. Though the bridge was to continue east through Rensselaer, with the South Mall Arterial connecting with Interstate 90 at Exit 8, this extension never materialized. In 1968, the Amtrak station in Albany (Union Station) was relocated to Rensselaer; the Maiden Lane Bridge and all the railroad associated buildings were demolished when in 1969 the Rensselaer City School high/middle school campus was built north of Quackenderry Creek.

In the 2000s, another wave of development has been occurring in Rensselaer. In 2007, U.W. Marx Construction built a brand new campus for the Rensselaer City School District in the Northern section of the city in exchange for waterfront property that the Rensselaer Middle High School had occupied. The new school replaced the Rensselaer Middle High School and Van Rensselaer Elementary, formerly Van Rensselaer High. Doane Stuart occupies the former elementary school. The redevelopment of the waterfront property is named DeLaet's Landing in honor of Johan de Laet. The first $20 million, 96 unit apartment building opened in 2019. Construction began on a second luxury apartment building on the site in September 2021. The former Van Rensselaer High School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.

In January 2023, final approvals were issued to advance the Barnet Mills Apartments redevelopment at the former site of Hilton Center. The project is an undertaking by BBL Construction to revitalize the property along the Hudson River that sits adjacent to the city boat launch and park. It was once home to Barnet Mills, producing wool products for many years. The buildings were last occupied for various artists and specialty businesses.

The City is also currently planning for the construction of a riverfront trail system that spans from the City's Boat Launch to the Hudson Riverfront Art Park over more than a mile of riverfront properties. The grant-funded trail will have multi-modal connections to the Livingston Avenue Bridge, which is a reconstruction project valued at over $400 million that has received state and federal funds.

Library
The Rensselaer Public Library is a member of the Upper Hudson Library System, a resource-sharing consortium consisting of twenty-nine public libraries in the counties of Albany and Rensselaer. In 2009, the library moved from Broadway to its current location on East Street.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.3 sqmi, of which 3.0 sqmi is land and 0.3 sqmi  (9.61%) is water. The city is flat along the western and southern areas but the center and northern areas slope steeply to the east.

The city lies next to the Hudson River with Albany County and the city of Albany on the opposite shore. The town of North Greenbush borders the city to the north, and the town of East Greenbush is on the southern border; both towns border the city on the east, with the dividing line between the two towns meeting Rensselaer in the middle section of the city's eastern boundary. Rensselaer's southern border is even with the city of Albany's southern border; however, the northern border of Rensselaer is slightly south of Albany's corresponding northern border.

Neighborhoods
Northern Rensselaer Hills

 * Eastland Park
 * The Mansions
 * Sterling Ridge

Eastern Rensselaer Hills

 * East Street Neighborhood

Western Rensselaer Hills

 * 1st Street Neighborhood
 * 2nd Street Neighborhood
 * 3rd Street Neighborhood
 * Washington Avenue Neighborhood
 * Broadway Neighborhood

Southern Development Plain

 * Downtown Development District

Hudson River Shoreline

Parks and recreation
Coyne Field

Huyck Memorial Park

Hudson Riverfront Art Park

Waterfront Esplanade at DeLeaet's Landing

Plum Street Park

Walter S. Pratt Memorial Playground (Sprinkler Park)

Hollow Park

First Street Park

Tracy Street Park

Hilton Park Boat Launch

8th Street Park

Eastland Park

Valley View Playground

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 9,392 people, 4,124 households, and 2,457 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,579.2 PD/sqmi. There were 3,713 housing units at an average density of 1,233.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 82.11% White, 12.06% African American, 0.20% Native American, 2.17% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, and 3.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.72% of the population.

There were 3,397 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were married couples living together, 16.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,730, and the median income for a family was $40,688. Males had a median income of $29,685 versus $26,291 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,674. About 9.8% of families and 12.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.0% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The Rensselaer City School District operates the city's public school system which consists of a single campus comprising an elementary, middle and high school. Doane Stuart is the only private school in the city. On September 16, 2009, Doane Stuart opened an interfaith campus at 199 Washington Ave. The campus which houses students in Kindergarten through 12th grade is the former location of Van Rensselaer Elementary school.

Rail
The Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak station is the primary passenger rail station for the Rensselaer, Albany and Troy area. Six Empire Service trains run from Albany-Rensselaer to New York City on weekday mornings and several depart for New York in the evening, returning and terminating at Albany-Rensselaer in the afternoon and late evening. The Ethan Allen, a train supported by Vermont and New York, runs north from New York City through Rensselaer to Rutland, Vermont. The Adirondack runs from New York City through Rensselaer to Montreal. Two Empire Service trains run through Rensselaer to Buffalo and Niagara Falls. The Maple Leaf runs from New York City through Rensselaer to Buffalo and Toronto.

it was Amtrak's ninth-busiest station, as well as the busiest to serve a metro area with a population smaller than 2 million– a distinction it has held since at least 2010. This is primarily due to the large number of passengers who commute to and from New York City. The station is the second busiest in New York State behind Pennsylvania Station (New York City).

One section of Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited long-distance train originates in New York City and one section originates in Boston. The two sections are joined at Albany-Rensselaer and travel on to Chicago as a single train. The eastbound Lake Shore Limited reverses the process at Albany-Rensselaer and splits into two trains for onward travel.

Independent system operator
Although not technically located within the bounds of the city, the New York Independent System Operator's (NYISO) headquarters shares the same zip code. The NYISO, formerly the New York Power Pool, operates and balances energy flows on the state's electric transmission system, administers the electric wholesale market in New York, and develops wholesale market policy with the assistance of stakeholders.

Empire Generating Co
Pursuant to Article X of the Public Service Law, BesiCorp-Empire Development Company LLC. (now operating as Empire Generating Co, LLC) was granted a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need for a 505-megawatt (MW) combined cycle cogeneration plant in 2004. After additional filings, the project became a 670-MW (nameplate) combined cycle natural gas powered plant that went into service in September 2010. There are two combustion turbines whose exhaust creates steam to drive a steam turbine. All of the turbines are manufactured by General Electric. It uses an air-cooled condenser to reduce water draw. It is located on an 88-acre former industrial area that was owned by BASF Corporation between Riverside Avenue and the Hudson River on the west, and the Port Access Highway on the east and south. In 2017, it injected 2,357 GWh of electric energy into the electric transmission system. This is equivalent to operating at full capacity for approximately 40.9% of the year. For comparison, the capital region consumed 11,823 GWh of electric energy in 2017. Its power is sold into the electric wholesale market administered by the NYISO.

A greenway/bikeway path was included in the final plan and was built near the plant. A decommission fund was established in the original order in the amount of $7 million at start of commercial operation. The company argued for a reduction in 2013 based upon overlooked metal salvage values, but the reduction was not granted, nor was an increase in the security amount a month later. In 2017, a 26-ton fan from the air cooled condenser fell on a worker and killed him during routine maintenance. In its 2018-2019 adopted budget, the City of Rensselaer notes a revenue of about $1.1 million from payments in lieu of taxes most of which can be assumed to come from Empire Genering LLC. For comparison, the City of Rensselaer notes a total budget of about $15 million for 2018–2019.

Government
Rensselaer has a mayor-council form of government. The mayor, who is elected every four years, heads the executive branch of city government.

Michael E. Stammel won the mayoral election in November 2019, defeating incumbent Richard Mooney. He was re-elected to a four-year term as mayor on November 2, 2021, after a re-challenge by Richard Mooney.

Rensselaer is in the 20th Congressional district, represented by Paul Tonko (D) in the United States House of Representatives. The city is represented by Chuck Schumer (D) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D) in the United States Senate. On the state level, the city is in the 44th district in the New York Senate, represented by Neil Breslin (D). In the New York Assembly, Rensselaer is in the 108th district, represented by John T. McDonald III (D).

title: Rensselaer, New York


text:
Sand Lake, New York

Sand Lake is a town in south-central part of Rensselaer County, New York, United States. Sand Lake is about 13 miles east of Albany, New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,348. Within the town are three hamlets: Averill Park, Glass Lake and the hamlet of Sand Lake. Its four lakes are a source of recreation. Many commercial enterprises of the 19th century and into the 20th century relied on power generated from the Wynants Kill Creek and Burden Lake mills. The area is known for its fertile soil for grazing and agriculture.

Early history
Sand Lake was first home to Native Americans. In 1629, Kiliaen van Rensselaer acquired a 700,000-acre land grant to establish a Dutch colony, encompassing what later became Sand Lake. Called the Manor of Rensselaerswyck, it was 48 miles across and 24 miles long. In 1664, it became a colony of England and was called the Province of New York. It flipped back to the Dutch in 1672, and returned to the English in 1674.

In the 1750s, Dutch settlers moved into what is now Sand Lake, followed by German pioneers. By 1772, present day Sand Lake was in the Rensselaerwyck District of Albany County. It was held by the English until the Revolutionary War (1775–1783). In 1792, when the town of Rensselaerwyck was divided into two towns, Greenbush and Stephentown. Present day Sand Lake extended into both towns.

In 1805, the Union Meetinghouse was built for worship by Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians. It was the town's oldest public building and was a station on the Underground Railroad.

Town of Sand Lake
The town of Sand Lake was formed from Greenbush and Berlin from an act of the legislature on March 21, 1812, and it was officially made a town on March 1, 1813. Municipal positions were established to be responsible to its citizens, including town clerk, assessors, and more. Calvin Thompson became the first Supervisor. The first postmaster, in 1815, was Daniel M. Gregory. The soil, especially on the eastern lowlands, is fertile for grazing and agriculture, particularly small fruit, strawberries, and other berrys.

A new church building was established for the Trinity Lutheran Church in 1816. The Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church opened in 1816 at the West Sand Lake site. There were a number of changes in the churches and its membership around the 1830s. The present town borders were established on March 2, 1848, when the town of Sand Lake was divided into towns, Sand Lake and Poestenkill. The town was governed by a supervisor, town clerk and four justices of the peace. Town business was conducted in homes and inns for decades.

There were a number of public and private schools established between 1825 and the early 20th century. A one-room schoolhouse operated in Sand Lake from 1895 until 1929.

In 1866, the Wynantskill Improvement Association created three Burden Lakes from Wynantskill Creek. The lake water turned the Burden water wheel that powered commercial enterprises, like mills, of the Industrial Revolution.

The Troy and New England Railway provided electric trolley service into Sand Lake from 1895 to 1925. The nine-mile route ran from Albia (of Troy) east to Averill Park. The town's economy grew with tourism and people who became residents during the summer.

Municipal Home Rule Law was enacted in 1964 by the State Legislature, which gave towns greater powers. In 1968, Rensselaer County revised its form of government, replacing the Board of Supervisors with a County Executive and a County Legislature. In 1972, a town hall was established in the former Presbyterian Church.

The Albert R. Fox House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

Hamlets
Averill Park, Sand Lake, and West Sand Lake are three hamlets within the greater town of Sand Lake.

Averill Park
Averill Park is a hamlet near the center of the town. The Averill post office was established in 1880, with Frank Pettit as first postmaster; the name was changed to Averill Park in 1882. Faith Mills (1829-1966) is one of the textile factories that were established, starting in the early 19th century, along what is now Burden Lake Road. It was powered with water from the Wynantskill. It is located east of West Sand Lake and has a number of retail businesses, two churches, and the Averill Park High School. The main street has businesses from the mid-19th century.

Sand Lake
Sand Lake is the smallest hamlet of Sand Lake. There are several retail business, the Sand Lake Center for the Arts, a post office, town hall, a tavern, cemetery, and an elementary school. Historic and stately houses are found in Sand Lake, with houses further away from one another than the other two hamlets.

West Sand Lake
West Sand Lake is a hamlet in the northwestern corner of the town. In 1793, Bernhard Uhlein, a soldier of the American Revolutionary War, settled here and established a 325-acre farm. He received the land from a land grant from Patroon VanRensselaer. The settlement was first known as Ulinesville. The post office for was established in 1834, with Frost Myers as postmaster.

The community became West Sand Lake in 1838. It is the largest of the three hamlets, with the most residents. There are houses dating back to the early 1800s in the western part of the hamlet. It has a number of retail businesses, schools, banks, two churches and a post office.

Other areas
Sand Lake also has populated places named Maple Grove, Sliter's Corner, and Taborton.

Glass Lake
The Glass Lake area grew up around the Rensselaer Glass Factory that Jeremiah Van Rensselaer founded in 1804. It had homes for 34 workers, a store, school, doctor's office, and more residential and commercial buildings. It is located at Glass Lake, which is the headwaters of the Wynants Kill Creek. A historical marker is located at Routes 43 and 66 at Glass Lake Road.

South Sand Lake
The South Sand Lake post office was established there in 1854, with William Stevens as first postmaster.

Geography
While the surface of the town is undulating in the west, it is quite mountainous in the east, a part of the Rensselaer Plateau. Oak and Perigo hills are about 900 feet above sea level. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 36.2 sqmi, of which 35.2 sqmi is land and 0.9 sqmi  (2.63%) is water.

Lakes
Within Sand Lake, there are four lakes: Burden Lake, Crooked Lake, Crystal Lake, and Glass Lake. The lakes, stocked with many kinds of fresh water fish, draws tourists to the area. Glass Lake is between Crooked and Crystal Lakes. At 123 acres, it is located in Averill Park and Nassau. Burden Lake is located in the southern part of the town of Sand Lake and is partially in the town of Nassau, it is a total of 369 acres. Crystal Lake, formerly called Sand Lake, is the largest lake in the Averill Park hamlet in the town of Sand Lake. It is 66 acres in size. Crooked Lake is located in the southern part of the town of Sand Lake, south of Glass Lake. It is 113 acres. Wynants Kill is a stream that flows from Crooked Lake, through Glass and Burden Lakes, and drains into both Richard Pond and the Hudson River.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,348. In 2010 there were 8,530 people, 3,009 households, and 2,229 families residing in the town. The population density was 226.9 PD/sqmi. There were 3,277 housing units at an average density of 93.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.4% Non Hispanic White, 0.4% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.50% Asian and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino origin were 1.5% of the population. Ancestries: German (25.2%), Irish (22.6%), English (14.6%), Italian (13.8%), French (8.9%), Polish (6.1%).

There were 3,009 households, out of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.6% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% 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 3.08.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.6% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $77,372, and the median income for a family was $97,009. Males had a median income of $67,132 versus $48,321 for females. The per capita income for the town was $36,103. The Median household income for White households is $75,474 compared to $2,157,374 for Asian households and $223,858 for African American households. About 6.7% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * Levancia Holcomb Plumb (1841-1923), business woman, financier, and temperance reformer

title: Sand Lake, New York


text:
Schodack, New York

Schodack is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 12,965 at the 2020 census. The town name is derived from the Mahican word, Escotak. The town is in the southwestern part of the county. Schodack is southeast of Albany, New York.

History
Prior to the arrival of the Dutch, the region was at the heart of the Mahican tribe. The location of their principal village was "Esquatak, the "fireplace of the nation." The town was partly explored by Henry Hudson in 1609.

The town was first settled by Europeans in the 17th century and was part of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck in the New Netherland colony. The town was established in 1795, when Rensselaerwyck was divided. In 1896, part of the town was annexed to provide some territory for the Towns of Nassau and Berlin.

Blink Bonnie, Elmbrook Farm, the Muitzes Kill Historic District, and the Joachim Staats House and Gerrit Staats Ruin  are sites within the Town of Schodack that have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 63.7 sqmi, of which 62.2 sqmi is land and 1.4 sqmi  (2.25%) is water. By area, it is the third largest town in Rensselaer County.

The western town line is the Hudson River with Albany County on the opposite bank. The southern town boundary is the border of Columbia County.

The New York Thruway Ext, Interstate 90, US Route 9, and US Route 20 pass through the town.

The town of East Greenbush is to the north, the towns of Stuyvesant and Kinderhook in Columbia County are to the south, the town of Nassau is to the east, and the town of Coeymans is located across the Hudson River in Albany County in the west.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,536 people, 4,737 households, and 3,500 families residing in the town. The population density was 201.5 PD/sqmi. There were 4,942 housing units at an average density of 79.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.54% White, 0.68% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.38% from other races, and 0.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.49% of the population.

There were 4,737 households, out of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.0% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.1% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $55,176, and the median income for a family was $63,622. Males had a median income of $40,090 versus $31,278 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,560. About 2.3% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Most of the town is encompassed by the Schodack Central School District, which is made up of three schools. Maple Hill High School and Maple Hill Middle school are located in Schodack, while Castleton Elementary school is located a few miles west, in the village of Castleton. A small portion of Schodack is located within the larger East Greenbush Central School District, and Green Meadow Elementary School is located near Schodack Center. Another small area, on Schodack's southern border, is served by the Ichabod Crane Central School District.

Notable people

 * Elizabeth Jessup Eames (1813-1856), writer
 * George McClellan, former US Congressman
 * Jaime Schultz, Major League Baseball pitcher for Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Communities and locations in Schodack

 * Braeside – A hamlet on the west side of Nassau Lake.
 * Brookview – A hamlet northeast of Castleton-on-Hudson along NY 150.
 * Castleton-on-Hudson – A village at the Hudson River in the southwestern part of the town.
 * East Schodack – A hamlet in the northeastern quadrant of the town, formerly known as Scotts Corners.
 * Lower Schodack Island – An island in the Hudson River near Schodack Landing.
 * Morey Park – A hamlet on the north side of Nassau Lake, near the eastern town line.
 * Muitzeskill – A hamlet east of Schodack Landing, named after a local stream. The Muitzes Kill Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
 * Nassau Lake – A lake at the eastern town line, surrounded by the Nassau Lake census-designated place.
 * Rice Corners – A hamlet east of Schodack Center on the Columbia Turnpike near NY 150.
 * Rosecrans Park – A hamlet south of Nassau Lake near the village of Nassau.
 * Schodack Center – A hamlet near the center of the town on Routes 9 and 20.
 * Schodack Landing – A hamlet at the Hudson River in the southwestern part of the town. The Schodack Landing Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.
 * Schodack Island State Park – A state park in the southwestern part of the town.
 * Shivers Corners – A hamlet in the north of East Schodack, near the intersections of East Schodack and Luther roads.
 * South Schodack – A hamlet north of Van Hoesen Station and east of Castleton-on-Hudson.
 * Stony Point – A hamlet near the Hudson River in the western part of the town.
 * Van Hoesen Station – A hamlet at the intersection of South Schodack Road and Van Hoesen Road on the Boston-Albany rail line.

title: Schodack, New York


text:
Stephentown, New York

Stephentown is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 2,791 at the 2020 census. The town, which was originally Jericho Hallow in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, was renamed for Stephen Van Rensselaer. The town is located in the southeastern corner of the county, and has a sign proclaiming it to be the only Stephentown on Earth.

History
Stephentown was first settled around 1765. The town was formed in 1788, from the East Manor of Rensselaerwyck District. The Stephentown pioneers were from New England, primarily Rhode Island and Connecticut.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 58.1 sqmi, of which 58.0 sqmi is land and 0.1 sqmi  (0.16%) is water. The southern town line is the border with Columbia County, New York, and the eastern town boundary is the border of Massachusetts. The western and central portions of the town are part of the Rensselaer Plateau.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 2,903 people, 1,141 households, and 838 families residing in the town. The population density was 49.8 PD/sqmi. There were 1,339 housing units at an average density of 23.1 per square mile (8.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.7% White, 0.31% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.11% of the population.

There were 1,141 households, out of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.2% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.2% 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 25.7% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $59,769, and the median income for a family was $61,347. Males had a median income of $31,535 versus $26,611 for females. The per capita income for the town was $25,352. About 5.7% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.0% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Stephentown

 * Cherry Plain State Park – Only a small southern section of the state park is in the northern part of the town.
 * East Nassau – The eastern section of the Village of East Nassau is located at the western town line.
 * Garfield – A hamlet southwest of Stephentown village.
 * North Stephentown – A hamlet near the northern town line on Route 22.
 * Stephentown – The hamlet of Stephentown is in the eastern part of the town.
 * Stephentown Center – A hamlet northwest of Stephentown village. (It was formerly called "Mechanicville", which now refers to a city in Saratoga County.)
 * Stephentown Flats – A former community south of Stephentown village.
 * West Stephentown – A hamlet near the western town line.
 * Wyomanock – A hamlet south of Stephentown village on Route 22.

Notable people

 * Smith A. Boughton, leader of the Anti-Rent War
 * Ezra S. Carr, California academic
 * Solomon C. Carr, Wisconsin state legislator and farmer
 * Roy Face, Major League Baseball relief pitcher with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers and Montreal Expos, who pioneered the role of the modern closer
 * Brian Holloway, National Football League offensive tackle
 * David Holloway, National Football League linebacker
 * Amaziah B. James, Judge and Congressman from New York
 * Hosea Moffitt, Congressman from New York
 * Zadock Pratt, Congressman from New York
 * Darius Quimby, first peace officer in the United States to be killed in the line of duty

Stephentown Spindle
Pursuant to Section 68 of the Public Service Law, Stephentown Regulating Services LLC (SRS) (now operating as Stephentown Spindle LLC (SS)) was granted a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for a 20-megawatt (MW) flywheel-based energy storage facility in 2009. It went in-service in 2010. There are 200 flywheels set within 20 pods on 5-acres that spin at high rates of speed (8,000 rpm to 16,000 rpm) storing energy as rotational energy. Each flywheel weighs 5 tons. The flywheels are energized by and discharge their energy into the New York State transmission system.

The project was initially financed in 2010 with a $43 million loan from the federal Department of Energy, however, this amount was reduced to $25 million in 2012 when SS acquired the SRS assets. The company does not sell energy into the NYISO's electric wholesale market or capacity market, however, it does receive revenue from the ancillary services market for providing frequency regulation service. The stakeholder-driven policy at the NYISO excludes the facility from providing power into the NYISO's wholesale electric and capacity markets because it does not meet minimum criteria - a minimum of 5 minutes or 1 hour - for sustained energy delivery. The regulation service market in the NYISO provides revenue via two streams, a main regulation capacity price ($/MWh over a five-minute interval in the real-time market) based on a day-ahead and real-time market price, and a movement (performance) award ($/MW). For example, if the facility were able to provide its 20 MW output for 12 hours of the day at an average regulation price of $11 per MWh the facility would receive $963,600 a year. Revenue received from the performance fee, which averaged about $2.30 per MW in Q2 of 2018, is a much smaller proportion of annual revenue.

It is the first commercial flywheel project in the United States to provide frequency regulation service. The only other comparable utility-scale energy storage facilities in New York are NYPA's 1,100 MW pumped storage facility at Blenheim-Gilboa and NYPA's 240 MW Lewiston pumped storage facility at Niagara Falls. For a power comparison, the capital region's peak summer demand was 2,032 MW in 2017.

title: Stephentown, New York