Cape Vincent (town), New York
Encyclopedia
Cape Vincent is a town in Jefferson County
, New York
, USA
. The population was 2,777 at the 2010 census.
The Town of Cape Vincent is located in the northwest part of the county. In the town is a village also called Cape Vincent
. Both town and village are northwest of Watertown
.
During the War of 1812
, Cape Vincent was an armed camp to oppose the British forces in adjacent Kingston
, Ontario
.
The town was formed in 1849 from the north part of the Town of Lyme
. In 1895, the community of Cape Vincent set itself apart by incorporating as a village. By that time, the region was becoming a famous tourist area due to the Thousand Islands
.
In 1935, the East Charity Shoals Light was erected at the entrance to the Seaway.
, the town has a total area of 89.9 square miles.
The northwest border is the St. Lawrence River and the western border is Lake Ontario
. Much of the town is a peninsula
projecting into Lake Ontario, where the lake enters the river. The south part of the peninsula is in the neighboring Town of Lyme. On the opposite shore of the river, including some of the river islands, is Canada
.
New York State Route 12E
is an important highway, running in part along the St. Lawrence River before turning southeast at Cape Vincent village.
of 2000, there were 3,345 people, 867 households, and 601 families residing in the town. The population density
was 59.2 people per square mile (22.9/km²). There were 2,783 housing units at an average density of 49.3 per square mile (19.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 70.64% White, 21.88% African American
, 0.39% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 6.28% from other races
, and 0.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.27% of the population.
There were 867 households out of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% were married couples
living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the town the population was spread out with 13.2% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 43.3% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 216.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 251.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $37,330, and the median income for a family was $43,558. Males had a median income of $42,361 versus $22,308 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $16,375. About 8.5% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.0% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.
Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,229. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, and president at the time the county was created in 1805...
, 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...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 2,777 at the 2010 census.
The Town of Cape Vincent is located in the northwest part of the county. In the town is a village also called Cape Vincent
Cape Vincent (village), New York
Cape Vincent is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 760 at the 2000 census.The Village of Cape Vincent is in the northern part of the Town of Cape Vincent and is northwest of Watertown.- History :...
. Both town and village are northwest of Watertown
Watertown (city), New York
Watertown is a city in the state of New York and the county seat of Jefferson County. It is situated approximately south of the Thousand Islands. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 27,023, an increase of 1.2% since 2000. The U.S...
.
History
The town was first explored in the 17th Century by French explorers and missionaries. At that time it was home to the Onondaga tribe. Modern settlement began in 1801 at Millens Bay.During 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...
, Cape Vincent was an armed camp to oppose the British forces in adjacent Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
The town was formed in 1849 from the north part of the Town of Lyme
Lyme, New York
Lyme is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 2,185 at the 2010 census.The Town of Lyme is in the northwest part of the county and is west of Watertown.- History :...
. In 1895, the community of Cape Vincent set itself apart by incorporating as a village. By that time, the region was becoming a famous tourist area due to the Thousand Islands
Thousand Islands
The Thousand Islands is the name of an archipelago of islands that straddle the Canada-U.S. border in the Saint Lawrence River as it emerges from the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. They stretch for about downstream from Kingston, Ontario. The Canadian islands are in the province of Ontario, the...
.
In 1935, the East Charity Shoals Light was erected at the entrance to the Seaway.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 89.9 square miles.
The northwest border is the St. Lawrence River and the western border is Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
. Much of the town is a peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
projecting into Lake Ontario, where the lake enters the river. The south part of the peninsula is in the neighboring Town of Lyme. On the opposite shore of the river, including some of the river islands, is Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
New York State Route 12E
New York State Route 12E
New York State Route 12E is a state highway located entirely within the northwestern part of Jefferson County in northern New York, USA. Officially, the southern terminus of NY 12E is at NY 12 in the city of Watertown; however, its signed terminus is at NY 12F in the village of...
is an important highway, running in part along the St. Lawrence River before turning southeast at Cape Vincent village.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 3,345 people, 867 households, and 601 families residing in the town. The population density
Population 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 59.2 people per square mile (22.9/km²). There were 2,783 housing units at an average density of 49.3 per square mile (19.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 70.64% White, 21.88% African American
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...
, 0.39% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 6.28% 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 0.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.27% of the population.
There were 867 households out of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% 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, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the town the population was spread out with 13.2% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 43.3% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 216.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 251.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $37,330, and the median income for a family was $43,558. Males had a median income of $42,361 versus $22,308 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 $16,375. About 8.5% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.0% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in the Town of Cape Vincent
- Burnham Point State ParkBurnham Point State ParkBurnham Point State Park is on the St. Lawrence River in the Town of Cape Vincent in Jefferson County, New York.Open mid-May to Labor Day, the park offers a boat launch, dockage, fishing, hunting, pavilions, picnic tables, playground, a campground with tent and trailer sites.-External links:*...
– A park on the St. Lawrence River across the channel from the eastern shores of Carlton Island. - Carleton IslandCarleton IslandCarleton Island is located in the St Lawrence River in upstate New York. It was the location of Fort Haldimand, controlled by the British during the American Revolution, and of great strategic importance, as well as being a center of shipbuilding. The ruins of the fort can still be seen at the...
– An island in the St. Lawrence River opposite Burnham Point State Park. It was the site of the earliest settlement in Jefferson County, known as "King's Garden" where a fort was built in the late 17th century. - Cedar Point State ParkCedar Point State ParkCedar Point State Park is located on Cedar Point in the Town of Cape Vincent in Jefferson County, New York. The park is located on Route 12E on the St...
– A state park on the St. Lawrence River near the east town line. - Cape VincentCape Vincent (village), New YorkCape Vincent is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 760 at the 2000 census.The Village of Cape Vincent is in the northern part of the Town of Cape Vincent and is northwest of Watertown.- History :...
– The Village of Cape Vincent is in the northwest part of the town on NY-12E. It had a railroad station from 1852 until the mid 20th century. - Dablon Point – A headland on Lake Ontario between Mud Bay and Wilson Bay.
- Fox Island – An 263 acres (1.1 km²) islandIslandAn island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
in Lake Ontario, southeast of Grenadier Island; once owned by former New York Governor Horace WhiteHorace WhiteHorace White was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was the 37th Governor of New York in 1910.-Life:...
; island auctioned off August 24, 2007 for $3.78 million to Vance Wilson, who claims he will keep the estate as it currently is. - Fuller Bay – A bayBayA bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
of Lake Ontario at the west end of Cape Vincent peninsula. - Grenadier IslandGrenadier Island, New YorkGrenadier is a relatively small island, approximately in size, long and wide. It is located two miles out from Mud Bay in Cape Vincent, New York. It was visited by General Wilkinson and his troops after retreating from the St...
– A large island in Lake Ontario west of Cape Vincent. It was an important military installation in the War of 1812. - Kents Creek – A stream flowing southwest to enter Lake Ontario at Mud Bay.
- Millins Bay – A location northeast of Sunnybank on NY-12E.
- Mud Bay – A bay of Lake Ontario at the west end of Cape Vincent peninsula.
- Ponds Corners – A location at the junction of County Roads 8 and 56 in the southwest part of the town.
- Rosiere – A hamlet near the southeast town line on County Road 4. One of the former stations on the old Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad.
- St. Lawrence – A hamlet near the east town line on County Road 4. It was originally called "St. Oars' Corners," "Gotham's Corners," and "Crane's Corners."
- Sunnybank – A hamlet located on the south bank of the St. Lawrence River, northeast of Cape Vincent village on NY-12E.
- Tibbets Point – A headland on Lake Ontario, north of Wilson Point. The lighthouse marking the entrance to the St. Lawrence Seaway is now a youth hostelHostelHostels provide budget oriented, sociable accommodation where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed, in a dormitory and share a bathroom, lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex, although private rooms may also be available...
operated by Hostelling InternationalHostelling InternationalHostelling International, formerly known as International Youth Hostel Federation , is the federation of more than 90 national youth hostel associations in more than 80 countries who have over 4,500 affiliated hostels around the world....
USA. - Warren Settlement-- A hamlet on County Road 4 near the town center. It was settled around 1825 by members of the Warren family.
- Wilson Bay – A bay of Lake Ontario at the west end of Cape Vincent peninsula.
- Wilson Point – A headland on Lake Ontario at the north headland of Wilson Bay.