Germantown (town), New York

Germantown, New York
Town

Town hall, 2013

Location of Germantown, New York
Coordinates: 42°08′03″N 73°52′16″W / 42.13417°N 73.87111°W / 42.13417; -73.87111Coordinates: 42°08′03″N 73°52′16″W / 42.13417°N 73.87111°W / 42.13417; -73.87111
Country United States
State New York
County Columbia
Established 1788
Government
 • Type Town Council
 • Town Supervisor Roy Brown (R)
 • Town Council
Area
 • Total 13.9 sq mi (36.1 km2)
 • Land 12.1 sq mi (31.3 km2)
 • Water 1.8 sq mi (4.7 km2)
Elevation 249 ft (76 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 1,954
 • Density 161/sq mi (62.3/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 12526
Area code(s) 518 Exchange: 537
FIPS code 36-28772
GNIS feature ID 0978998
Website www.germantownny.org

Germantown is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,954 at the 2010 census.[1] Germantown is located in the southwest part of the county, along the east side of the Hudson River.

History

The first known inhabitants of the area were the Mahican. The first Europeans to buy property in the county were Dutch. Robert Livingston, a Scots immigrant, bought thousands of acres from the Native Americans, before gaining a huge grant from the Crown. He owned a total of 160,240 acres (64,850 ha). He was made lord of the Livingston Manor. In 1710, he sold 6,000 acres (2,400 ha) of his property to Anne, Queen of Great Britain, for use as work camps and resettlement of Palatine German refugees.[2]

Some 1,200 persons were settled at work camps to manufacture naval stores and pay off their passage as indentured labor.[3] Known as "East Camp", the colony had four villages: Hunterstown, Queensbury, Annsbury, and Haysbury.[4] The area was later renamed "Germantown". In 1775 Germantown was formed as a "district".[5] Germantown was one of the seven original towns of Columbia County established by an act passed March 7, 1788. (The others were: Kinderhook, Canaan, Claverack, Hillsdale, Clermont, and Livingston).[6]

In March 1845, a boat-load of people from East Camp, who had been to Hudson to make purchases, was run over first by a scow, and then by the steamboat South America. All nine individuals were lost.[7]

The Barringer–Overbaugh–Lasher House, Clermont Manor, Clermont Estates Historic District, Charles H. Coons Farm, Dick House, German Reformed Sanctity Church Parsonage, Hudson River Heritage Historic District, Stone Jug, and Simeon Rockefeller House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[8][9]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 13.9 square miles (36.1 km2), of which 12.1 square miles (31.3 km2) is land and 1.8 square miles (4.7 km2), or 13.07%, is water. The west town line, marking the center of the Hudson River, is the border of Greene and Ulster counties.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1820891—
18309678.5%
18409690.2%
18501,0235.6%
18601,35332.3%
18701,3933.0%
18801,60815.4%
18901,6834.7%
19001,6860.2%
19101,649−2.2%
19201,424−13.6%
19301,4622.7%
19401,427−2.4%
19501,418−0.6%
19601,5046.1%
19701,78218.5%
19801,9227.9%
19902,0104.6%
20002,0180.4%
20101,954−3.2%
Est. 20141,906[10]−2.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 2,018 people, 831 households, and 546 families residing in the town. The population density was 166.0 people per square mile (64.1/km²). There were 984 housing units at an average density of 81.0 per square mile (31.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.93% White, 1.14% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.40% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.29% of the population.

There were 831 households out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the town the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $42,195, and the median income for a family was $50,885. Males had a median income of $36,806 versus $26,250 for females. The per capita income(which is also known as income per person) for the town was $22,198. About 5.0% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.3% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

Communities and locations in Germantown

References

  1. ↑ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Germantown town, Columbia County, New York". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved December 10, 2014.
  2. ↑ "About Germantown", Town of Germantown
  3. ↑ Knittle, Walter Allen (1965). Early Eighteenth Century Palatine Emigration. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co. ISBN 0-8063-0205-4.
  4. ↑ Otternesss, Philip. Becoming German: The 1709 Palatine Migration to New York, Chap. 5, Cornell University Press, 2013 ISBN 9780801471162
  5. ↑ Ellis, Franklin. Germantown, Columbia County, New York, 1878
  6. ↑ "History", Columbia County
  7. ↑ Ellis, Germantown, "Road Districts, 1808".
  8. ↑ National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  9. ↑ "National Register of Historic Places Listings". Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 12/01/14 through 12/05/14. National Park Service. 2014-12-12.
  10. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  12. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
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