Brunswick, New York
Encyclopedia
Brunswick is a town in Rensselaer County
, New York
, United States
that was originally settled in the early 18th century. During its history, it had been part of Albany County
, Rensselaerswyck, and Troy
, before its incorporation in 1807. It is bordered on the west by the city of Troy; on the north by Schaghticoke and Pittstown
; on the east by Grafton
; and on the south by Poestenkill
and North Greenbush
. The population was 11,664 at the 2000 census. The source of the town's name is not certain, though some claim it comes from the source of its first inhabitants from the province of Brunswick-Lüneburg
in Germany
.
The town was historically agricultural, but began experiencing suburban sprawl in the later decades of the 20th century, which continues currently. Historically, most of the developments have occurred around the town's two major thoroughfares: New York Route 7 and New York Route 2, known locally as Hoosick Road and Brunswick Road, respectively. Brunswick became a popular place to settle in upon the completion of the local highway system in the Capital District
, especially the upgrade of Route 7 into a four-lane highway in the 1980s.
with Pittstown
, it is currently impossible to be more specific about dates without knowing on which side of the town line various individual farms were.
In the records, Haynersville was first called simply "Hosek Road". This is in reference to the public manor road that went north from the manor along the east side of the Hudson to where Troy now is, and then turned east across the area to Hoosick on the Vermont border, (the latter half of the road is basically today's Route 7, and is still known as Hoosick Road).
The Hoosick Road was a vital link to the then frontier settlement at Hoosick
, (settled in 1688), and which formed a link to both Bennington, Vermont and Williamstown
. Until the 1790s, the government at Albany claimed Vermont, and its only practical connection to Vermont was by the Hoosick Road.
German Palatines
had settled in Livingston's Manor
, south of Rensselaer's Manor. Many of these were volunteers during Queen Anne's War
in an expedition against Canada in 1711, led locally by Peter Schuyler, "and several finding the country north of them pleasant and desirable, determined, so soon as convenient after their return and discharge, to locate there". Johannes Jung, Job. Adam Freiderich, Georg Shaffer, Phillip Kelmer, Stephen Froelich, Andreas Bergman, Ludowig W. Schmidt, Job. Schneider, were in an initial group prior to 1715, and Coenraet Ham, Jans Witbeck and Hans Jury Kolemer, came in 1715. The last named individual settled within the manor and therefore within the town.
In 1724, there was another campaign against Canada
, and which produced a similar exodus of discontented veterans from the Livingston Manor to Brunswick, including Johannes Heener (Hayner), Peter Phillips, Peter Lamp-Man, Johannes Heinrich Conrad, and Olrig and Philip Barnet. Paul Dirk (Derrick) and Peter Ham were the first settlers of Center Brunswick. Paul Derrick's manor farm still stands as the rear section of the farmhouse at 936 Hoosick Road.
Of the earliest church records for the Gilead Lutheran Church, consisting of several dated receipts, the earliest is from 1746. Their first minister, Peter Nicholas Sommer, began his ministry at Haynersville and adjoining areas in 1743.
In the 1740s and '50s, van Rensselaer as patroon
of the manor gave land for the erection of a church, and for the support of a minister at Hosek Road, (Haynersville). Barnett also gives the text of a document from 1769 in the records of the Gilead Lutheran Church "When it had pleased the Almighty and Merciful God in His goodness to plant the Evangelical Lutheran Church in this American part of the world also, and especially in the State of New York, during the reign of Queen Anna, and also in this neighborhood and district called Hosek Road, in Rensselaerwyck, Albany County, then more than twenty years ago, a small body of adherents of the above said Lutheran church, disposed to that end did build and erect a prayer and church House to the Honor of God, and for their convenience, upon that lot of ground which our most worthy Patroon generously gave to promote and perpetuate the service of God and for the better maintenance of our preacher, for which purpose he presented us with a Deed of Gift which We acknowledge with heartfelt thanks towards our Good Lord in Heaven, and that in addition He grants us all hereabouts by His grace that we through the permission of the Government are allowed to carry on our pure Lutheran Church service free and without hindrance." Barnett concludes that 'more than twenty years' before 1769 roughly corresponds to Sommer's appointment as minister, and that sometime between 1743 and 1749, the first church in Brunswick was built. It was referred to as the log church, and was probably a simple structure.
From this beginning there was an increase, but not without conflict. "During the wars of 1745 and 1754 between the English and French, all this region north of Albany was marked by frequent atrocities perpetrated by the Savage allies of the French, and
twice at least the majority of the settlers fled from their homes in terror, retiring to Livingston Manor and other points down the river, some of whom never returned." One particularly notorious incident was the burning of Hoosick, outside Brunswick, by the French in August 1754. Matters did not settle until the collapse of the French at Quebec in 1760
. "When these troubles were finally at an end, the inducements offered to settlers by the lord of the Manor attracted many emigrants, not only Germans, but Dutch, English, Scotch, Irish and French as well."
Peace also brought the first tavern in the area, run by a John Tillman, followed by a second tavern in 1772, run by Johannes Hayner, Jr., from which Haynersville, (Hayner's Tavern), eventually got its name.
The first store was opened by Conrad Hayner and Peter Loose at Tamarack, and the first grist mill was built by Johann Heinrich Gross, in 1772, on the Quackenkill.
On the map of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck, drawn in 1767 by John R. Bleecker, there are many names associated with leased parcels, especially in the western part of the town and in Haynersville. The map shows that settlement had mostly been as far east as present day Center Brunswick and Eagle Mills.
By the 1770s, the original log church became inadequate to the needs of the community, as is made clear in this 1789 public plea. "It is about fourteen Years ago, that the said Members of the (Gilead Lutheran) Congregation, whilst the Number of them did increase, so that the Block Meeting House, where they used to serve the Lord, was to small for them, and the said Meeting house was not fit for any Worship, for fear it might brake down and kill them, so that the took a Notion of building a Church, and they begone it in the year 1775. But the disturbance of the War put soon a Stop to it, so that a great many of the said Members were ruin'd & brought to great Distress and Poverty, so that they was oblig'd to leave of building: but now last Year they have begun again, and did their utmost Endeavour to finish the said Church. It was not their Intention in the least at that Time to molest their Neighbours and Fellow Christians with Collections, for it has the appearance last Fall, as if they should have a promising Crop this Harvest, but that Hope is all lost for the most part of the Grane is kill'd with the Frost, and the Rest is destroy'd by the Insects, and now they have such a heavy Debt to pay, which they are not able to discharge out of their own Pokets: So they are obliged to implore all good-minded Christians who has it in their Hearts to promote the kingdom of Christ to assist them and lay some mite for the said Building of the said Church in the Hands of their Fellow Brothers wiiich they have send for that purpose Namely Albertus Simon and Jacob Weager."
the head of navigation on the Hudson, and on the line traversed by the contending forces between New York City and Canada, (the people of Brunswick) naturally suffered many and grievous annoyances from both sides, but principally from the tories. From the first shock of conflict, east of them, in and around Boston, to the battle of Bennington, in sight from high ground and a few miles on the north-east; and the battles just across the river, between the patriot army and that of Burgoyne;
and later, they were in constant dread and danger, many abandoning their homes, where all farm work was virtually given up."
"Emmissaries of the British government came among them, who easily persuaded many of the simple people to side with the royalists, but the majority, principally Germans, espoused the cause of freedom, which made it necessary for such as had joined with the tories to flee the country. This gave rise to the separation of families, the disruption of the harmony hitherto existing in the Church and community, and a deadly enmity which led to acts of violence... When Burgoyne's army approached, and General Schuyler with his forces fell back from Fort Edward to the Islands at the mouth of the Mohawk, the people on this side of the Hudson took refuge in Lansingburgh. Abner Roberts, a member of Gilead and an officer of the Continental army, anxious to visit his home,... and, not apprehending any serious danger, crossed to Lansingburgh and alone rode leisurely away, he had barely leached the top of the hill... when he was ambushed by a band of tories, killed and scalped. Several days afterwards his mutilated remains were found where he had fallen. ... Bald Mountain,... was a favorite resort or rallying point for these predatory bands. From its summit they not only had the advantage of a wide view of the surrounding country, but the valley of the Hudson for miles north and south lay open to observation, the importance of
which, in carrying out their nefarious schemes, they truely appreciated and employed."
. Troy had been organized as a town in 1791. The growing importance of the prospective city, and its requirements led to a separation of Troy from its rural parts: today's Brunswick and Grafton.
The first town meeting was held at the house of Nathan Betts, a local innkeeper, and continued taking place there for another year. The first town supervisor was Flores Bancker, who held the office from 1807 until 1809. The first town clerk was Daniel Wager, who served for one year. The first three justices of the peace were Robert McChesney, Daniel Wagar, and John McManus. In pursuance of laws enacted under the constitution of 1821, justices of the peace were chosen at the general elections or were appointed by the courts. The election of justices at town meetings began in 1831.
The town did not develop quickly under the manorial system. Although agriculturally productive, since residents did not own the land, there was little incentive to develop properties. That changed after the collapse of Rensselaerswyck in the 1840s.
One short term historical figure was Herman Melville
, who in 1840 had been residing with his mother in Lansingburgh, but who taught for a half year at a one room schoolhouse in Brunswick.
Little documentation exists on who took part in the War of 1812
. There was significantly more interest in fighting during the Civil War
, Brunswick having sent more than 125 men to fight during various times of the war.
The main recreational facility of the town is Vanderhyden Lake, an old reservoir for the city of Troy now used for swimming.
s and then Planters' Hoe Company making hoes. Both companies were under the direction of Joseph H. Allen
, who was also supervisor
of Brunswick from 1856 to 1857 and a justice of the peace
in 1861. Allen closed down Planters' in 1862 to serve in the Civil War
. He came out of the war a lieutenant colonel
, a position that was awarded to him specifically by President Lincoln
. Planters' opened up again after his return to the town. He lived in a house on today's Brunswick Road, which still stands.
(BHS) began operations in 1974 and was recognized with a state charter in 1981. It has been housed in the Garfield School
since 1988.
Brunswick remained mostly rural into the mid and late 20th century. The 1990s brought about expansion along Hoosick Road, with the addition of a Wal-Mart
and Price Chopper
, along with subsequent strip mall
s, in 1996. These openings led to interest by developers to build more housing options within the town, which offers quick access to Troy and, subsequently, Interstate 787
and the greater Capital District
. With the new commercial developments, residents wouldn't be required to travel to Troy or other places to shop, offering more reasons to move to the town.
indicated intentions to build a Supercenter near its current site on Hoosick Road (Route 7), which sparked outcry from a significant portion of the town population. Additionally, in late 2006, the town saw proposals for five large housing developments that would have added 1387 new homes to a town that was only seeing an average of 43 new homes per year. These proposals, along with other development plans, brought about much opposition, mainly from an organization called Brunswick Smart Growth, Inc., which began a campaign against rapid and excessive development
.
One of the main issues coming from Brunswick Smart Growth and town residents was concerns regarding overdevelopment of the town in a short period of time; their argument was for "sustainable and positive growth". Many cited the arguable overdevelopment of Clifton Park
, a town located roughly 14 miles (22.5 km) to the northeast. Brunswick Smart Growth became noticeable after many residents placed signs on their lawns.
All of these proposed developments were planned to be rezoned
to waive the usual requirement that each house sit on at least 1 acre (0.404686 ha) of land. Additionally, some town residents were upset about the fact that one of the developments, Highland Creek, was made possible by the sale of 210.3 acres (85.1 ha) of land by town supervisor Philip Herrington and his brother Kenneth, a Rensselaer County legislator. Though, to note, the Herrington brothers are successful dairy farmers (owning the largest dairy farm in Rensselaer County) and own a significant amount of farmland
in the town; the land of the proposed Highland Creek sits on former farmland.
The issue went so far as two lawsuit
s against the town. The first was brought about in October 2006 by Brunswick Smart Growth and a few individual town residents. It claimed that one, the town did not offer enough hearings regarding the planned Highland Creek development, and two, that the land on which Highland Creek would be built had not been properly rezoned for the development (it was zoned for agriculture and never rezoned to allow a residential development). The suit was eventually dismissed by Rensselaer County Supreme Court Judge Christian F. Hummel.
A second suit was filed, this time in the State Supreme Court, in November 2007, again by Brunswick Smart Growth and a few individuals. This time, the suit focused on insufficiencies in the town's comprehensive plan. If the comprehensive plan were deemed inadequate, two proposed developments that had already received approval would lose their approval. This suit was dismissed in August 2009. The town reportedly spent more than $38,000 in legal fees during the two lawsuits.
The planned Wal-mart Supercenter was scrapped in 2007, instead the current Wal-mart received an upgrade; and none of the planned developments have yet been built, though this could have much to do with the late-2000s recession.
The Poesten Kill
winds across Brunswick, and empties into the Hudson in Troy. Its descent in Troy was the site of important water power.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 44.6 square miles (115.5 km²), of which, 44.5 square miles (115.3 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.25%) is water.
houses: Garfield School
and the Little Red Schoolhouse
. In addition, it is home to a well-known cemetery, Forest Park Cemetery, currently under the jurisdiction of the town. It is known by urban legend as being one of the most haunted cemeteries in the United States. A very small portion of the historic Oakwood Cemetery, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, and burial place of Samuel Wilson
, a possible namesake of Uncle Sam
, resides within the northwestern part of the town.
was 261.9 people per square mile (101.1/km²). There were 4,808 housing units at an average density of 108.0 per square mile (41.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.38% White, 0.90% African American, 0.06% Native American, 1.60% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.31% from other races
, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population.
There were 4,613 households out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.9% were married couples
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $56,528, and the median income for a family was $66,374. Males had a median income of $43,093 versus $31,995 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $26,554. About 3.1% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 2.5% of those age 65 or over.
, town board
, two town justices, town clerk and receiver of taxes. Unlike most towns, Brunswick's highway superintendent has been made an appointed position. The current supervisor is Philip H. Herrington (R), who was elected to the position in 1997. The town board is made up of four members, each serving four-year terms, with two seats up for election every odd year. The current members are Patrick E. Poleto (R), Sam Salvi (R), James Sullivan (R), and Daniel Casale (R). The first two members sit in seats that are up for election in November 2013; the latter are up for election in November 2011. The current town justices are G. Lawrence Kronau and Robert Schmidt (R). The town clerk is Susan Quest-Sherman (R). The entirety of town government resides in Brunswick Town Hall on the corner of Town Office Road and Hoosick Road.
by Chuck Schumer (D) and Kirsten Gillibrand
(D). Brunswick is located in New York's 20th congressional district
, which is currently represented by Chris Gibson. The town resides in the 43rd State Senate district, represented by Roy McDonald
(R), and the 108th Assembly district, represented by Timothy P. Gordon
(I
). For Rensselaer County, the county executive
is Kathleen Jimino (R). With respect to the County Legislature, the town is in district 3 and is represented by Kenneth Herrington (R), Richard Salisbury (R), and Thomas M. Walsh, Sr. (R).
are also represented, though with low populations relative to the main two parties. The third parties represented include the Independence Party
, Conservative Party
, Working Families Party
, Green Party
, and Libertarian Party
; the Independence Party significantly outnumbers any other third party.
s: Eagle Mills Fire Department on Brunswick Road in Eagle Mills, Center Brunswick Fire Company on Hoosick Road in Center Brunswick, Brunswick Fire Company, No. 1 on Hoosick Road in Sycaway, Mountain View Fire Company near Wynantskill, and Speigletown Fire Company in Speigletown. Brunswick is also the home to a Troop G station of the New York State Police
. Additionally, Mohawk Ambulance and a sub-residency of the New York State Department of Transportation
are located on Brick Church Road.
Municipal water service
comes from Troy, though a significant portion of the town's population gets its water from wells
. Similarly, the small portion of the population connected to the local sewer system
is serviced by the Rensselaer County Sewer District, though most inhabitants have individual septic systems.
s, a basketball court
, a playground
, and rental space for special events hosted by town residents.
The town is home to three golf course
s: one private, two public. The Country Club of Troy, despite its name, resides completely in Brunswick, near its western border with Troy. Its 18-hole golf course, designed by Walter J. Travis (his last before he died), opened in 1926. The country club
is private. Brunswick Greens, located on Hoosick Road, offers a 9-hole course. Additionally, parts of the Frear Park Municipal Golf Course reside in Brunswick, though most of the course is within Troy city limits, and its organization is overseen by the city. Opened in 1931 as a 9-hole course, Frear was expanded to 18 holes in 1964. Frear was designated the Upper Valley winner for best golf course by Hudson Valley
magazine in 2003.
and continues into Vermont
and Brunswick Road enters Grafton
and continues into Massachusetts
. New York Route 278, Brick Church Road, connects Routes 2 and 7 near the center of the town. New York Route 142, Grange Road, connects Brunswick with Lansingburgh
and New York Route 351, Farm to Market Road, connects Brunswick with Poestenkill
. Going west, Route 7 becomes Hoosick Street in Troy and eventually becomes a four-lane highway on the Collar City Bridge
, intersecting Interstate 787
and ending with a merge onto Interstate 87
, giving Brunswick easy access to the local highway system, and subsequently the greater Capital District
.
The closest airport is Rensselaer County Airport in Poestenkill
, though it is only for small, private planes. The closest commercial airport is Albany International Airport
in Colonie
. Bus service
is not common outside the very western end of the town, which is essentially an extension of the city of Troy. CDTA's
bus 87 stops at Wal-Mart on Hoosick Road, which is the only scheduled stop within Brunswick.
, whose main campus is at Clums Corners. Additionally, Averill Park Central School District
, the Enlarged City School District of Troy, Lansingburgh Central School District, and a very small portion Wynantskill Union Free School District are also within the town.
Active public school buildings within the town are Tamarac Secondary School and Tamarac Elementary School on Brunswick Road (Brittonkill). George Washington Elementary School on Menemsha Lane (Averill Park) is scheduled to close at the end of the 2009-2010 school year.
With the help of local BOCES
, public high school students have the opportunity to attend vo-tech programs, higher-level learning programs, and Tech Valley High School
.
The Capital District
is known for its many places of higher leaning, giving residents the opportunity to receive a higher level degree after high school. Hudson Valley Community College
and the University at Albany are two of the more popular local colleges to attend. Also available are The College of Saint Rose
in Albany, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
and Russell Sage College
in Troy, and Union College
in Schenectady, just to name a few.
Rensselaer County, New York
Rensselaer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 159,429. Its name is in honor of the family of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original Dutch owner of the land in the area. Its county seat is Troy...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
that was originally settled in the early 18th century. During its history, it had been part of Albany County
Albany County, New York
Albany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...
, Rensselaerswyck, and Troy
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
, before its incorporation in 1807. It is bordered on the west by the city of Troy; on the north by Schaghticoke and Pittstown
Pittstown, New York
Pittstown is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 5,644 at the 2000 census. It is in the northern part of the county.A small part of the north town line is Rensselaer County's border with Washington County, New York...
; on the east by Grafton
Grafton, New York
Grafton is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 1,987 at the 2000 census. It is believed that the town received its name from Grafton, Vermont, from where the first town supervisor, Nathaniel Dumbleton, was originally from. The town is an interior town near the...
; and on the south by Poestenkill
Poestenkill, New York
Poestenkill or Poesten Kill may refer to:*Poesten Kill, a creek in Rensselaer County, New York and the namesake of the town and CDP*Poestenkill , New York, a town in Rensselaer County, New York...
and North Greenbush
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 10,805 at the 2000 census....
. The population was 11,664 at the 2000 census. The source of the town's name is not certain, though some claim it comes from the source of its first inhabitants from the province of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Brunswick-Lüneburg
The Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , or more properly Duchy of Brunswick and Lüneburg, was an historical ducal state from the late Middle Ages until the late Early Modern era within the North-Western domains of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, in what is now northern Germany...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
The town was historically agricultural, but began experiencing suburban sprawl in the later decades of the 20th century, which continues currently. Historically, most of the developments have occurred around the town's two major thoroughfares: New York Route 7 and New York Route 2, known locally as Hoosick Road and Brunswick Road, respectively. Brunswick became a popular place to settle in upon the completion of the local highway system in the Capital District
Capital District
New York's Capital District, also known as the Capital Region, is a region in upstate New York that generally refers to the four counties surrounding Albany, the capital of the state: Albany County, Schenectady County, Rensselaer County, and Saratoga County...
, especially the upgrade of Route 7 into a four-lane highway in the 1980s.
Colonial era
The first settlement in Brunswick dates to 1711 to 1715 at Haynersville. Since Haynersville is located just at the current town lineBorder
Borders define geographic boundaries of political entities or legal jurisdictions, such as governments, sovereign states, federated states and other subnational entities. Some borders—such as a state's internal administrative borders, or inter-state borders within the Schengen Area—are open and...
with Pittstown
Pittstown, New York
Pittstown is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 5,644 at the 2000 census. It is in the northern part of the county.A small part of the north town line is Rensselaer County's border with Washington County, New York...
, it is currently impossible to be more specific about dates without knowing on which side of the town line various individual farms were.
In the records, Haynersville was first called simply "Hosek Road". This is in reference to the public manor road that went north from the manor along the east side of the Hudson to where Troy now is, and then turned east across the area to Hoosick on the Vermont border, (the latter half of the road is basically today's Route 7, and is still known as Hoosick Road).
The Hoosick Road was a vital link to the then frontier settlement at Hoosick
Hoosick, New York
Hoosick is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 6,759 at the 2000 census.The Town of Hoosick is in the northeast corner of the county.- History :...
, (settled in 1688), and which formed a link to both Bennington, Vermont and Williamstown
Williamstown, Massachusetts
Williamstown is a town in Berkshire County, in the northwest corner of Massachusetts. It shares a border with Vermont to the north and New York to the west. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,754 at the 2010 census...
. Until the 1790s, the government at Albany claimed Vermont, and its only practical connection to Vermont was by the Hoosick Road.
German Palatines
German Palatines
The German Palatines were natives of the Electoral Palatinate region of Germany, although a few had come to Germany from Switzerland, the Alsace, and probably other parts of Europe. Towards the end of the 17th century and into the 18th, the wealthy region was repeatedly invaded by French troops,...
had settled in Livingston's Manor
Livingston Manor
This article contains information related to Livingston Manor, the 18th century New York estate. Livingston Manor, New York is a town in Sullivan County...
, south of Rensselaer's Manor. Many of these were volunteers during Queen Anne's War
Queen Anne's War
Queen Anne's War , as the North American theater of the War of the Spanish Succession was known in the British colonies, was the second in a series of French and Indian Wars fought between France and England, later Great Britain, in North America for control of the continent. The War of the...
in an expedition against Canada in 1711, led locally by Peter Schuyler, "and several finding the country north of them pleasant and desirable, determined, so soon as convenient after their return and discharge, to locate there". Johannes Jung, Job. Adam Freiderich, Georg Shaffer, Phillip Kelmer, Stephen Froelich, Andreas Bergman, Ludowig W. Schmidt, Job. Schneider, were in an initial group prior to 1715, and Coenraet Ham, Jans Witbeck and Hans Jury Kolemer, came in 1715. The last named individual settled within the manor and therefore within the town.
In 1724, there was another campaign against Canada
Dummer's War
Dummer's War , also known as Lovewell's War, Father Rale's War, Greylock's War, the Three Years War, the 4th Indian War or the Wabanaki-New England War of 1722–1725, was a series of battles between British settlers of the three northernmost British colonies of North America of the time and the...
, and which produced a similar exodus of discontented veterans from the Livingston Manor to Brunswick, including Johannes Heener (Hayner), Peter Phillips, Peter Lamp-Man, Johannes Heinrich Conrad, and Olrig and Philip Barnet. Paul Dirk (Derrick) and Peter Ham were the first settlers of Center Brunswick. Paul Derrick's manor farm still stands as the rear section of the farmhouse at 936 Hoosick Road.
Of the earliest church records for the Gilead Lutheran Church, consisting of several dated receipts, the earliest is from 1746. Their first minister, Peter Nicholas Sommer, began his ministry at Haynersville and adjoining areas in 1743.
In the 1740s and '50s, van Rensselaer as patroon
Patroon
In the United States, a patroon was a landholder with manorial rights to large tracts of land in the 17th century Dutch colony of New Netherland in North America...
of the manor gave land for the erection of a church, and for the support of a minister at Hosek Road, (Haynersville). Barnett also gives the text of a document from 1769 in the records of the Gilead Lutheran Church "When it had pleased the Almighty and Merciful God in His goodness to plant the Evangelical Lutheran Church in this American part of the world also, and especially in the State of New York, during the reign of Queen Anna, and also in this neighborhood and district called Hosek Road, in Rensselaerwyck, Albany County, then more than twenty years ago, a small body of adherents of the above said Lutheran church, disposed to that end did build and erect a prayer and church House to the Honor of God, and for their convenience, upon that lot of ground which our most worthy Patroon generously gave to promote and perpetuate the service of God and for the better maintenance of our preacher, for which purpose he presented us with a Deed of Gift which We acknowledge with heartfelt thanks towards our Good Lord in Heaven, and that in addition He grants us all hereabouts by His grace that we through the permission of the Government are allowed to carry on our pure Lutheran Church service free and without hindrance." Barnett concludes that 'more than twenty years' before 1769 roughly corresponds to Sommer's appointment as minister, and that sometime between 1743 and 1749, the first church in Brunswick was built. It was referred to as the log church, and was probably a simple structure.
From this beginning there was an increase, but not without conflict. "During the wars of 1745 and 1754 between the English and French, all this region north of Albany was marked by frequent atrocities perpetrated by the Savage allies of the French, and
twice at least the majority of the settlers fled from their homes in terror, retiring to Livingston Manor and other points down the river, some of whom never returned." One particularly notorious incident was the burning of Hoosick, outside Brunswick, by the French in August 1754. Matters did not settle until the collapse of the French at Quebec in 1760
Battle of the Plains of Abraham
The Battle of the Plains of Abraham, also known as the Battle of Quebec, was a pivotal battle in the Seven Years' War...
. "When these troubles were finally at an end, the inducements offered to settlers by the lord of the Manor attracted many emigrants, not only Germans, but Dutch, English, Scotch, Irish and French as well."
Peace also brought the first tavern in the area, run by a John Tillman, followed by a second tavern in 1772, run by Johannes Hayner, Jr., from which Haynersville, (Hayner's Tavern), eventually got its name.
The first store was opened by Conrad Hayner and Peter Loose at Tamarack, and the first grist mill was built by Johann Heinrich Gross, in 1772, on the Quackenkill.
On the map of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck, drawn in 1767 by John R. Bleecker, there are many names associated with leased parcels, especially in the western part of the town and in Haynersville. The map shows that settlement had mostly been as far east as present day Center Brunswick and Eagle Mills.
By the 1770s, the original log church became inadequate to the needs of the community, as is made clear in this 1789 public plea. "It is about fourteen Years ago, that the said Members of the (Gilead Lutheran) Congregation, whilst the Number of them did increase, so that the Block Meeting House, where they used to serve the Lord, was to small for them, and the said Meeting house was not fit for any Worship, for fear it might brake down and kill them, so that the took a Notion of building a Church, and they begone it in the year 1775. But the disturbance of the War put soon a Stop to it, so that a great many of the said Members were ruin'd & brought to great Distress and Poverty, so that they was oblig'd to leave of building: but now last Year they have begun again, and did their utmost Endeavour to finish the said Church. It was not their Intention in the least at that Time to molest their Neighbours and Fellow Christians with Collections, for it has the appearance last Fall, as if they should have a promising Crop this Harvest, but that Hope is all lost for the most part of the Grane is kill'd with the Frost, and the Rest is destroy'd by the Insects, and now they have such a heavy Debt to pay, which they are not able to discharge out of their own Pokets: So they are obliged to implore all good-minded Christians who has it in their Hearts to promote the kingdom of Christ to assist them and lay some mite for the said Building of the said Church in the Hands of their Fellow Brothers wiiich they have send for that purpose Namely Albertus Simon and Jacob Weager."
Revolutionary War period
For Town of Brunswick in the Revolutionary War, the excerpts from Barnett cover the history "Situated, as it was, nearthe head of navigation on the Hudson, and on the line traversed by the contending forces between New York City and Canada, (the people of Brunswick) naturally suffered many and grievous annoyances from both sides, but principally from the tories. From the first shock of conflict, east of them, in and around Boston, to the battle of Bennington, in sight from high ground and a few miles on the north-east; and the battles just across the river, between the patriot army and that of Burgoyne;
and later, they were in constant dread and danger, many abandoning their homes, where all farm work was virtually given up."
"Emmissaries of the British government came among them, who easily persuaded many of the simple people to side with the royalists, but the majority, principally Germans, espoused the cause of freedom, which made it necessary for such as had joined with the tories to flee the country. This gave rise to the separation of families, the disruption of the harmony hitherto existing in the Church and community, and a deadly enmity which led to acts of violence... When Burgoyne's army approached, and General Schuyler with his forces fell back from Fort Edward to the Islands at the mouth of the Mohawk, the people on this side of the Hudson took refuge in Lansingburgh. Abner Roberts, a member of Gilead and an officer of the Continental army, anxious to visit his home,... and, not apprehending any serious danger, crossed to Lansingburgh and alone rode leisurely away, he had barely leached the top of the hill... when he was ambushed by a band of tories, killed and scalped. Several days afterwards his mutilated remains were found where he had fallen. ... Bald Mountain,... was a favorite resort or rallying point for these predatory bands. From its summit they not only had the advantage of a wide view of the surrounding country, but the valley of the Hudson for miles north and south lay open to observation, the importance of
which, in carrying out their nefarious schemes, they truely appreciated and employed."
Town incorporation
The present territory of Brunswick was initially a part of the town of TroyTroy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
. Troy had been organized as a town in 1791. The growing importance of the prospective city, and its requirements led to a separation of Troy from its rural parts: today's Brunswick and Grafton.
The first town meeting was held at the house of Nathan Betts, a local innkeeper, and continued taking place there for another year. The first town supervisor was Flores Bancker, who held the office from 1807 until 1809. The first town clerk was Daniel Wager, who served for one year. The first three justices of the peace were Robert McChesney, Daniel Wagar, and John McManus. In pursuance of laws enacted under the constitution of 1821, justices of the peace were chosen at the general elections or were appointed by the courts. The election of justices at town meetings began in 1831.
The town did not develop quickly under the manorial system. Although agriculturally productive, since residents did not own the land, there was little incentive to develop properties. That changed after the collapse of Rensselaerswyck in the 1840s.
One short term historical figure was Herman Melville
Herman Melville
Herman Melville was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, and poet. He is best known for his novel Moby-Dick and the posthumous novella Billy Budd....
, who in 1840 had been residing with his mother in Lansingburgh, but who taught for a half year at a one room schoolhouse in Brunswick.
Little documentation exists on who took part in the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. There was significantly more interest in fighting during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Brunswick having sent more than 125 men to fight during various times of the war.
The main recreational facility of the town is Vanderhyden Lake, an old reservoir for the city of Troy now used for swimming.
Industrial Revolution
The area of Eagle Mills was a significant industrial area during the mid to late 19th century. Many factories sprung up along the banks of the Poesten Kill due to rapids and a waterfall being located in the area. One such enterprise was the Eagle flour mills, which eventually gave the area its name. The building would change hands multiple times before ending up as Millville Manufacturing Company making augerAuger
An auger is a drilling device, or drill bit, that usually includes a rotating helical screw blade called a "flighting" to act as a screw conveyor to remove the drilled out material...
s and then Planters' Hoe Company making hoes. Both companies were under the direction of Joseph H. Allen
Joseph H. Allen
Joseph H. Allen was an industrial businessman, an officer in the Civil War, and a town supervisor of Brunswick, New York. Allen was born in Alburg, Vermont, to parents of British descent and left home at an early age. After several business ventures, he became successful in the auger and hoe...
, who was also supervisor
Town supervisor
Town Supervisor is an elective legislative position in New York towns. Supervisors sit on the town board, where they preside over town board meetings and vote on all matters with no more legal weight than that of any other board member .Towns may adopt local laws that allow them to provide for an...
of Brunswick from 1856 to 1857 and a justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
in 1861. Allen closed down Planters' in 1862 to serve in the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. He came out of the war a lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
, a position that was awarded to him specifically by President Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. Planters' opened up again after his return to the town. He lived in a house on today's Brunswick Road, which still stands.
Late 20th and 21st centuries
The Brunswick Historical SocietyBrunswick Historical Society
Brunswick Historical Society is the local historical society serving the town of Brunswick, New York, United States. It was organized in 1974 and officially chartered in 1981. It moved into its first and current home, the Garfield School in Eagle Mills, in 1988...
(BHS) began operations in 1974 and was recognized with a state charter in 1981. It has been housed in the Garfield School
Garfield School (Brunswick, New York)
The District #2 Schoolhouse, known locally as the Garfield School and also known as Brunswick District No. 2 School, located in Brunswick, New York, United States, is a two-room schoolhouse built and opened in 1881. It hosted local students until the consolidation of Brunswick Central School...
since 1988.
Brunswick remained mostly rural into the mid and late 20th century. The 1990s brought about expansion along Hoosick Road, with the addition of a Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
and Price Chopper
Price Chopper
Price Chopper Supermarkets is a chain of supermarkets headquartered in Schenectady, New York. The chain began operating as Central Markets in Schenectady, New York in 1933 and changed its name to Price Chopper in 1973. It is presently owned by the Golub Corporation and run by Neil and Jerel Golub...
, along with subsequent strip mall
Strip mall
A strip mall is an open-area shopping center where the stores are arranged in a row, with a sidewalk in front. Strip malls are typically developed as a unit and have large parking lots in front...
s, in 1996. These openings led to interest by developers to build more housing options within the town, which offers quick access to Troy and, subsequently, Interstate 787
Interstate 787
Interstate 787 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of New York. I-787 is the main highway for those traveling into and out of downtown Albany. The southern terminus is at the Interstate 87/New York State Thruway exit 23 toll plaza southwest of downtown Albany...
and the greater Capital District
Capital District
New York's Capital District, also known as the Capital Region, is a region in upstate New York that generally refers to the four counties surrounding Albany, the capital of the state: Albany County, Schenectady County, Rensselaer County, and Saratoga County...
. With the new commercial developments, residents wouldn't be required to travel to Troy or other places to shop, offering more reasons to move to the town.
Expanding development and Brunswick Smart Growth
In early 2005, Wal-MartWal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
indicated intentions to build a Supercenter near its current site on Hoosick Road (Route 7), which sparked outcry from a significant portion of the town population. Additionally, in late 2006, the town saw proposals for five large housing developments that would have added 1387 new homes to a town that was only seeing an average of 43 new homes per year. These proposals, along with other development plans, brought about much opposition, mainly from an organization called Brunswick Smart Growth, Inc., which began a campaign against rapid and excessive development
Smart growth
Smart growth is an urban planning and transportation theory that concentrates growth in compact walkable urban centers to avoid sprawl and advocates compact, transit-oriented, walkable, bicycle-friendly land use, including neighborhood schools, complete streets, and mixed-use development with a...
.
One of the main issues coming from Brunswick Smart Growth and town residents was concerns regarding overdevelopment of the town in a short period of time; their argument was for "sustainable and positive growth". Many cited the arguable overdevelopment of Clifton Park
Clifton Park, New York
Clifton Park is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States. According to the United States Census Bureau, the 2009 population estimate for Clifton Park was 36,469. The name is derived from an early land patent...
, a town located roughly 14 miles (22.5 km) to the northeast. Brunswick Smart Growth became noticeable after many residents placed signs on their lawns.
All of these proposed developments were planned to be rezoned
Zoning
Zoning is a device of land use planning used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another...
to waive the usual requirement that each house sit on at least 1 acre (0.404686 ha) of land. Additionally, some town residents were upset about the fact that one of the developments, Highland Creek, was made possible by the sale of 210.3 acres (85.1 ha) of land by town supervisor Philip Herrington and his brother Kenneth, a Rensselaer County legislator. Though, to note, the Herrington brothers are successful dairy farmers (owning the largest dairy farm in Rensselaer County) and own a significant amount of farmland
Arable land
In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow...
in the town; the land of the proposed Highland Creek sits on former farmland.
The issue went so far as two lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
s against the town. The first was brought about in October 2006 by Brunswick Smart Growth and a few individual town residents. It claimed that one, the town did not offer enough hearings regarding the planned Highland Creek development, and two, that the land on which Highland Creek would be built had not been properly rezoned for the development (it was zoned for agriculture and never rezoned to allow a residential development). The suit was eventually dismissed by Rensselaer County Supreme Court Judge Christian F. Hummel.
A second suit was filed, this time in the State Supreme Court, in November 2007, again by Brunswick Smart Growth and a few individuals. This time, the suit focused on insufficiencies in the town's comprehensive plan. If the comprehensive plan were deemed inadequate, two proposed developments that had already received approval would lose their approval. This suit was dismissed in August 2009. The town reportedly spent more than $38,000 in legal fees during the two lawsuits.
The planned Wal-mart Supercenter was scrapped in 2007, instead the current Wal-mart received an upgrade; and none of the planned developments have yet been built, though this could have much to do with the late-2000s recession.
Geography
The town has gently rolling hills, which increase to the East, and some ridges of the Petersburg range are visible to the East. The most conspicuous height in Brunswick is Bald Mountain, also called Mount Rafinesque, which has a commanding view down the Hudson Valley. Bald Mountain also has television and radio broadcast towers.The Poesten Kill
Poesten Kill
The Poesten Kill is a creek in upstate New York located entirely in Rensselaer County, which flows westerly from its source at Dyken Pond in the town of Berlin to its mouth at the Hudson River in the city of Troy...
winds across Brunswick, and empties into the Hudson in Troy. Its descent in Troy was the site of important water power.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 44.6 square miles (115.5 km²), of which, 44.5 square miles (115.3 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.25%) is water.
Communities
Brunswick has a number of unincorporated villages or hamlets in the town.- Center Brunswick was a point of early settlement and is a little north of the center of the town. It was located upon the well-known Hoosick Road (today, New York State Route 7New York State Route 7New York State Route 7 is a 180-mile long New York State Highway that runs from the New York/Pennsylvania border south of Binghamton, New York to the New York/Vermont border east of Hoosick. Most of the road runs along the Susquehanna Valley, closely paralleling Interstate 88 throughout...
). Although called Center Brunswick by inhabitants, the New York State highway department has always insisted that the proper name is Brunswick Center, and that inverted name has also followed into the databases of the digital age.
- Haynersville is situated in the north part of the town. It is adjacent to the old Cooksborough neighborhood in Pittstown and was the post office for that area in 1880. It derives its name from the Hayner families, who operated a tavern there after the French and Indian War. It is also located on the Hoosick Road and was a stopping point for stages that formed an important line between Troy and Bennington. It also is sometimes listed as Haynerville.
- Tamarac, or Tamarack, also known as Platestown, was near a point of quite early business, but much of this died by 1880. It is on a route of considerable former travel from Eagle Mills to Boyntonville, in Pittstown.
- Eagle Mills, in 1880, was the largest and most important business place in the town of Brunswick. In the mid to late 19th century, it was also known as Millville due to its mill work along the Poestenkill Creek. It is located along the former Mud Turnpike, much of which is the present New York State Route 2New York State Route 2New York State Route 2 is a state highway in the Capital District of New York, United States. It extends from an interchange with Interstate 87 and NY 7 in the hamlet of Latham within the town of Colonie to the Massachusetts state line, where it continues to Boston as Route 2....
to Grafton and Williamstown. Water power from the Postenkill was an important source of power for the mills. Hosting this type of industry led to other businesses opening up as well, such as a hotel, a foundry, blacksmiths, shoe shops, a wagon shop, and a vinegar establishment just east of the center of the hamlet. Those have all passed, and now Eagle Mills is mostly a residential community.
- CropseyvilleCropseyville, New YorkCropseyville is a hamlet in Rensselaer County, New York. It comprises the ZIP code of 12052.It is located east of the city of Troy, in the town of Brunswick. It resides in the Brunswick Central School District and Berlin Central School District.-External links:*...
is located along present day Route 2 near its intersection with New York State Route 351New York State Route 351New York State Route 351 is a north–south state highway in central Rensselaer County, New York, in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 43 in the Sand Lake hamlet of West Sand Lake to a junction with NY 2 in the Brunswick hamlet of Cropseyville...
. It was known for its businesses relating to wagons, including a wagon shop and a blacksmith. It has its own post office. Cropseyville once depended on water power from the nearby Quackenkill Creek.
- East Brunswick, also known as Rock Hollow, is located above Cropseyville, on the old Troy and Williamstown Turnpike. It too depended on the Quackenkill for water power. Its most important business was the Lawton twine factory, which was long closed by 1880.
- Clum's Corners was a well-known point of early times. It was on the road from Eagle Mills northeast to Boyntonville in Pittstown. The area is named for O. Clum, a blacksmith in the area. The area was known for wagon work, hosting a wagon shop, blacksmith, and hotel. It was known for fertile flats and fine farming. It is now the site of the regional high school, and has some expanding development and is becoming a retail center.
Landmarks
The town contains two listings on the National Register of Historic Places, both schoolSchool
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
houses: Garfield School
Garfield School (Brunswick, New York)
The District #2 Schoolhouse, known locally as the Garfield School and also known as Brunswick District No. 2 School, located in Brunswick, New York, United States, is a two-room schoolhouse built and opened in 1881. It hosted local students until the consolidation of Brunswick Central School...
and the Little Red Schoolhouse
Little Red Schoolhouse (Brunswick, New York)
The District #6 Schoolhouse, also known locally as the Little Red Schoolhouse or the Lincoln School, located in Brunswick, New York, United States, is a one-room schoolhouse built circa 1830 or 1837 that was home to grades one through eight until the consolidation of Brunswick Central School...
. In addition, it is home to a well-known cemetery, Forest Park Cemetery, currently under the jurisdiction of the town. It is known by urban legend as being one of the most haunted cemeteries in the United States. A very small portion of the historic Oakwood Cemetery, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, and burial place of Samuel Wilson
Samuel Wilson
Samuel Wilson was a meat-packer from Troy, New York whose name is purportedly the source of the personification of the United States known as "Uncle Sam"....
, a possible namesake of Uncle Sam
Uncle Sam
Uncle Sam is a common national personification of the American government originally used during the War of 1812. He is depicted as a stern elderly man with white hair and a goatee beard...
, resides within the northwestern part of the town.
Demographics
As of the 2000 census, there were 11,664 people, 4,613 households, and 3,266 families residing in the town. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 261.9 people per square mile (101.1/km²). There were 4,808 housing units at an average density of 108.0 per square mile (41.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.38% White, 0.90% African American, 0.06% Native American, 1.60% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.31% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population.
There were 4,613 households out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $56,528, and the median income for a family was $66,374. Males had a median income of $43,093 versus $31,995 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $26,554. About 3.1% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 2.5% of those age 65 or over.
Local government
Like all towns of the first class in New York, Brunswick was an elected town supervisorTown supervisor
Town Supervisor is an elective legislative position in New York towns. Supervisors sit on the town board, where they preside over town board meetings and vote on all matters with no more legal weight than that of any other board member .Towns may adopt local laws that allow them to provide for an...
, town board
Town council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
, two town justices, town clerk and receiver of taxes. Unlike most towns, Brunswick's highway superintendent has been made an appointed position. The current supervisor is Philip H. Herrington (R), who was elected to the position in 1997. The town board is made up of four members, each serving four-year terms, with two seats up for election every odd year. The current members are Patrick E. Poleto (R), Sam Salvi (R), James Sullivan (R), and Daniel Casale (R). The first two members sit in seats that are up for election in November 2013; the latter are up for election in November 2011. The current town justices are G. Lawrence Kronau and Robert Schmidt (R). The town clerk is Susan Quest-Sherman (R). The entirety of town government resides in Brunswick Town Hall on the corner of Town Office Road and Hoosick Road.
Federal, state and county representation
Being in the state of New York, Brunswick is represented in the United States SenateUnited States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
by Chuck Schumer (D) and Kirsten Gillibrand
Kirsten Gillibrand
Kirsten Elizabeth Rutnik Gillibrand is an attorney and the junior United States Senator from the state of New York and a member of the Democratic Party...
(D). Brunswick is located in New York's 20th congressional district
New York's 20th congressional district
The 20th Congressional District of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in eastern New York. It includes all or parts of Columbia, Dutchess, Delaware, Essex, Greene, Otsego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties. It includes the...
, which is currently represented by Chris Gibson. The town resides in the 43rd State Senate district, represented by Roy McDonald
Roy McDonald (politician)
Roy J. McDonald is a Republican politician and member of the New York State Senate, representing the 43rd district . Before being elected to the Senate on November 4, 2008, he had served in the New York State Assembly since 2002, representing the 112th District...
(R), and the 108th Assembly district, represented by Timothy P. Gordon
Timothy P. Gordon
Timothy P. Gordon was a member of the New York State Assembly. A member of the Independence Party, Gordon caucused with the Democratic in the Assembly. He was first elected in 2006 to represent the 108th Assembly district, a traditionally Republican district...
(I
Independence Party of New York
The Independence Party is an affiliate in the U.S. state of New York of the Independence Party of America. The party was founded in 1991 by Dr. Gordon Black, Tom Golisano, and Laureen Oliver from Rochester, New York, and acquired ballot status in 1994...
). For Rensselaer County, the county executive
County executive
A county executive is the head of the executive branch of government in a county. This position is common in the United States.The executive may be an elected or an appointed position...
is Kathleen Jimino (R). With respect to the County Legislature, the town is in district 3 and is represented by Kenneth Herrington (R), Richard Salisbury (R), and Thomas M. Walsh, Sr. (R).
Politics
Brunswick has both an organized Democratic Committee and Republican Committee. The legislative branch of Brunswick government has been under Republican control since the late 1990s. Republicans have a comfortable majority in the town: as of April 1, 2009, there were 2670 registered Republicans and 2230 registered Democrats residing in the town. Third partiesThird party (United States)
The term third party is used in the United States for any and all political parties in the United States other than one of the two major parties . The term can also refer to independent politicians not affiliated with any party at all and to write-in candidates.The United States has had a...
are also represented, though with low populations relative to the main two parties. The third parties represented include the Independence Party
Independence Party of New York
The Independence Party is an affiliate in the U.S. state of New York of the Independence Party of America. The party was founded in 1991 by Dr. Gordon Black, Tom Golisano, and Laureen Oliver from Rochester, New York, and acquired ballot status in 1994...
, Conservative Party
Conservative Party of New York
The Conservative Party of New York State is an American political party active in the state of New York. It is not part of any nationwide party, nor is it affiliated with the American Conservative Party, which it predates by over 40 years....
, Working Families Party
Working Families Party
The Working Families Party is a minor political party in the United States founded in New York in 1998. There are "sister" parties to the New York WFP in Connecticut, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Oregon, but there is as yet no national WFP...
, Green Party
Green Party of New York
The Green Party of New York is a ballot-qualified political party in New York, which was founded in 1992. It is a part of the national Green Party movement...
, and Libertarian Party
Libertarian Party of New York
The Libertarian Party of New York is a political party in the United States active in the state of New York. It is the recognized affiliate of the national Libertarian Party....
; the Independence Party significantly outnumbers any other third party.
Services
The town is serviced by five volunteer fire departmentVolunteer fire department
See also the Firefighter article and its respective sections regarding VFDs in other countries.A volunteer fire department is a fire department composed of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction.The first organized force of...
s: Eagle Mills Fire Department on Brunswick Road in Eagle Mills, Center Brunswick Fire Company on Hoosick Road in Center Brunswick, Brunswick Fire Company, No. 1 on Hoosick Road in Sycaway, Mountain View Fire Company near Wynantskill, and Speigletown Fire Company in Speigletown. Brunswick is also the home to a Troop G station of the New York State Police
New York State Police
The New York State Police is the state police force of over 4,600 sworn Troopers for the state of New York. It was established on April 11, 1917 by the New York Legislature, in response to the 1913 murder of a construction foreman named Sam Howell in Westchester County, which at that time did not...
. Additionally, Mohawk Ambulance and a sub-residency of the New York State Department of Transportation
New York State Department of Transportation
The New York State Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S...
are located on Brick Church Road.
Municipal water service
Water supply
Water supply is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisations, community endeavours or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps and pipes...
comes from Troy, though a significant portion of the town's population gets its water from wells
Water well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
. Similarly, the small portion of the population connected to the local sewer system
Sanitary sewer
A sanitary sewer is a separate underground carriage system specifically for transporting sewage from houses and commercial buildings to treatment or disposal. Sanitary sewers serving industrial areas also carry industrial wastewater...
is serviced by the Rensselaer County Sewer District, though most inhabitants have individual septic systems.
Culture and recreation
Brunswick offers a selection of recreation areas for residents and outsiders. Brunswick Town Beach and Park, formerly the Vanderheyden and Brunswick reservoirs, on North Lake Avenue, was bought and developed by the town in 1967 and opened in 1968. Access is free to town residents. The town also hosts a free concert series on Tuesday nights during the summer, located on the lawn of the Brunswick Community Center. Additionally, the Community Center, built on the foundation of the former Lee School, offers tennis courtTennis court
A tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
s, a basketball court
Basketball court
In basketball, the basketball court is the playing surface, consisting of a rectangular floor with tiles at either end. In professional or organized basketball, especially when played indoors, it is usually made out of a wood, often maple, and highly polished...
, a playground
Playground
A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
, and rental space for special events hosted by town residents.
The town is home to three golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
s: one private, two public. The Country Club of Troy, despite its name, resides completely in Brunswick, near its western border with Troy. Its 18-hole golf course, designed by Walter J. Travis (his last before he died), opened in 1926. The country club
Country club
A country club is a private club, often with a closed membership, that typically offers a variety of recreational sports facilities and is located in city outskirts or rural areas. Activities may include, for example, any of golf, tennis, swimming or polo...
is private. Brunswick Greens, located on Hoosick Road, offers a 9-hole course. Additionally, parts of the Frear Park Municipal Golf Course reside in Brunswick, though most of the course is within Troy city limits, and its organization is overseen by the city. Opened in 1931 as a 9-hole course, Frear was expanded to 18 holes in 1964. Frear was designated the Upper Valley winner for best golf course by Hudson Valley
Hudson Valley (magazine)
Hudson Valley is a regional-interest monthly magazine that covers the Hudson Valley. It began publishing in 1971, and works out of offices in Poughkeepsie, approximately in the center of its coverage area .Articles in Hudson Valley are features and lifestyle pieces about...
magazine in 2003.
Transportation
The two major thoroughfares in Brunswick are New York Route 2 and New York Route 7, known locally as Brunswick Road and Hoosick Road, respectively. On the west, both originate in Troy, then pass through the town, and continue into neighboring towns on the east: Hoosick Road enters PittstownPittstown, New York
Pittstown is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 5,644 at the 2000 census. It is in the northern part of the county.A small part of the north town line is Rensselaer County's border with Washington County, New York...
and continues into Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and Brunswick Road enters Grafton
Grafton, New York
Grafton is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 1,987 at the 2000 census. It is believed that the town received its name from Grafton, Vermont, from where the first town supervisor, Nathaniel Dumbleton, was originally from. The town is an interior town near the...
and continues into Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. New York Route 278, Brick Church Road, connects Routes 2 and 7 near the center of the town. New York Route 142, Grange Road, connects Brunswick with Lansingburgh
Lansingburgh, New York
Lansingburgh was the first chartered village in Rensselaer County, New York, USA and was settled around 1763. The name is from Abraham Lansing, an early settler, combined with the Scottish word burgh....
and New York Route 351, Farm to Market Road, connects Brunswick with Poestenkill
Poestenkill (town), New York
Poestenkill is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 4,054 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the Poesten Kill, an important stream in the area. The words "poesten kil" are traditionally supposed to signify "foaming water" or "foaming creek" in Dutch...
. Going west, Route 7 becomes Hoosick Street in Troy and eventually becomes a four-lane highway on the Collar City Bridge
Collar City Bridge
The Collar City Bridge carries NY 7 across the Hudson River connecting Colonie, New York with Troy, by way of passing over Green Island...
, intersecting Interstate 787
Interstate 787
Interstate 787 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of New York. I-787 is the main highway for those traveling into and out of downtown Albany. The southern terminus is at the Interstate 87/New York State Thruway exit 23 toll plaza southwest of downtown Albany...
and ending with a merge onto Interstate 87
Interstate 87
Interstate 87 is a Interstate Highway located entirely within New York State in the United States of America. I-87 is the longest intrastate Interstate highway in the Interstate Highway System. Its southern end is at the Bronx approaches of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City...
, giving Brunswick easy access to the local highway system, and subsequently the greater Capital District
Capital District
New York's Capital District, also known as the Capital Region, is a region in upstate New York that generally refers to the four counties surrounding Albany, the capital of the state: Albany County, Schenectady County, Rensselaer County, and Saratoga County...
.
The closest airport is Rensselaer County Airport in Poestenkill
Poestenkill (town), New York
Poestenkill is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 4,054 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the Poesten Kill, an important stream in the area. The words "poesten kil" are traditionally supposed to signify "foaming water" or "foaming creek" in Dutch...
, though it is only for small, private planes. The closest commercial airport is Albany International Airport
Albany International Airport
Albany International Airport is a public use airport located six nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Albany, in Albany County, New York, United States. It is owned by the Albany County Airport Authority....
in Colonie
Colonie (town), New York
Colonie is a town in Albany County, New York, United States. It is the most populous suburb of Albany, New York, and is the third largest town in area in Albany County, occupying about 11% of the county. Several hamlets exist within the town. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population...
. Bus service
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
is not common outside the very western end of the town, which is essentially an extension of the city of Troy. CDTA's
Capital District Transportation Authority
The Capital District Transportation Authority is a public benefit organization that provides transportation in the Capital District of New York State...
bus 87 stops at Wal-Mart on Hoosick Road, which is the only scheduled stop within Brunswick.
Education
Most of the town sits within the boundaries of Brunswick (Brittonkill) Central School DistrictBrunswick (Brittonkill) Central School District
Brunswick Central School District is a rural fringe central school district located east of the city of Troy whose main campus resides in the town of Brunswick in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The district has two operating school buildings: Tamarac Elementary School and Tamarac...
, whose main campus is at Clums Corners. Additionally, Averill Park Central School District
Averill Park Central School District
Averill Park Central School District is a rural fringe public school district located east of the city of Rensselaer in south central Rensselaer County, New York. The district has five operating school buildings: three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school...
, the Enlarged City School District of Troy, Lansingburgh Central School District, and a very small portion Wynantskill Union Free School District are also within the town.
Active public school buildings within the town are Tamarac Secondary School and Tamarac Elementary School on Brunswick Road (Brittonkill). George Washington Elementary School on Menemsha Lane (Averill Park) is scheduled to close at the end of the 2009-2010 school year.
With the help of local BOCES
Boces
Boces is the second album by Mercury Rev, released in 1993. The band has explained the title as being inspired by the name of the Boards of Cooperative Educational Services in New York State, a vocational school system in the band's home state....
, public high school students have the opportunity to attend vo-tech programs, higher-level learning programs, and Tech Valley High School
Tech Valley High School
Tech Valley High School is a four-year technical high school located just east of Albany, New York, in the town of East Greenbush, in Rensselaer County...
.
The Capital District
Capital District
New York's Capital District, also known as the Capital Region, is a region in upstate New York that generally refers to the four counties surrounding Albany, the capital of the state: Albany County, Schenectady County, Rensselaer County, and Saratoga County...
is known for its many places of higher leaning, giving residents the opportunity to receive a higher level degree after high school. Hudson Valley Community College
Hudson Valley Community College
Hudson Valley Community College, a SUNY associated two-year college, is located in Troy in Rensselaer County, New York. Although about eighty percent of the students are from the local area, the remainder are from other parts of New York, other states and from some 30 countries around the...
and the University at Albany are two of the more popular local colleges to attend. Also available are The College of Saint Rose
The College of Saint Rose
The College of Saint Rose is a private, independent, coeducational college in Albany, New York, founded in 1920 by the Sisters of Saint Joseph. The College enrolls a total of approximately 5,000 students ....
in Albany, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
and Russell Sage College
Russell Sage College
Russell Sage College is a women's college located in Troy, New York, approximately north of New York City in the Capital District. It is one of the three colleges that make up The Sage Colleges...
in Troy, and Union College
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
in Schenectady, just to name a few.
External links
This article incorporates text from History of Rensselaer Co., New York, by Nathaniel Bartlett Sylvester (1880), a publication now in the public domainPublic domainWorks are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
.