Hoosick, New York
Encyclopedia
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.
The Battle of Bennington
of the American Revolution
was fought in the town northeast of the community of Walloomsac.
, the town has a total area of 63.2 square miles (163.7 km²), of which, 63 square miles (163.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.21%) is water.
The north town line is the boundary of Washington County
, New York
, and the east town line is the border of Vermont
. The Hoosic River
is an important waterway in the town.
of 2000, there were 6,759 people, 2,620 households, and 1,823 families residing in the town. The population density
was 107.3 people per square mile (41.4/km²). There were 2,892 housing units at an average density of 45.9 per square mile (17.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.96% White, 0.49% African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races
, and 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.84% of the population.
There were 2,620 households out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples
living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $41,304, and the median income for a family was $46,442. Males had a median income of $35,899 versus $24,211 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $20,614. About 5.3% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.5% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Rensselaer County
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...
. The population was 6,759 at the 2000 census.
The Town of Hoosick is in the northeast corner of the county.
History
The town is one of the original towns of the county and was created as a town in 1788, before the creation of Rensselaer County. The region was formerly the District of Hoosick (1772) and previously the Hoosick Patent (1688).The Battle of Bennington
Battle of Bennington
The Battle of Bennington was a battle of the American Revolutionary War that took place on August 16, 1777, in Walloomsac, New York, about from its namesake Bennington, Vermont...
of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
was fought in the town northeast of the community of Walloomsac.
Past residents of note
Among the notable natives of Hoosick are:- Chester Arthur, US President lived in Hoosick for a period of time.
- (Big Band Singers) Bob EberlyBob EberlyBob Eberly was a big band vocalist, best-known for his association with Jimmy Dorsey and his duets with Helen O'Connell....
and Ray EberleRay EberleRaymond "Ray" Eberle was a vocalist during the Big Band Era. Eberle sang with the Glenn Miller Orchestra.-Career:... - Simon FraserSimon Fraser (explorer)Simon Fraser was a fur trader and an explorer who charted much of what is now the Canadian province of British Columbia. Fraser was employed by the Montreal-based North West Company. By 1805, he had been put in charge of all the company's operations west of the Rocky Mountains...
- Born in Mapletown, town of Hoosick. He was an explorer who charted much of what is now British Columbia. A river, mountain, and university there are named after him. - Eugene GoossenEugene GoossenEugene C. Goossen was an American art critic and art historian who organized more than 60 art exhibitions, wrote essays for catalogues in addition to books on the subject. He was on the faculty of Hunter College, where he headed the art department.Goossen was born in 1921 in Gloversville, New York...
(1921–1997), art critic and historian, and his wife Patricia JohansonPatricia JohansonPatricia Johanson Patricia Johanson is known for her large-scale art projects that create aesthetic and practical habitats for humans and wildlife...
(b.1940), noted environmental sculptor, in Buskirk hamlet. - Harriet HoctorHarriet HoctorHarriet Hoctor was a ballerina, dancer, actress and instructor from Hoosick Falls, New York. Composer George Gershwin composed a symphonic orchestral piece specifically for Hoctor in the film Shall We Dance .-Family:Born to Timothy Hoctor and Elizabeth Kearny, Harriet Hoctor was one of four...
- Dancer - Jenny Holtzer, famous post-modern installation artist, currently resides in Hoosick.
- Grandma MosesGrandma MosesAnna Mary Robertson Moses , better known as "Grandma Moses", was a renowned American folk artist. She is often cited as an example of an individual successfully beginning a career in the arts at an advanced age. Although her family and friends called her either "Mother Moses" or "Grandma Moses,"...
(1860-1961) - Famous painter whose work was first discovered in a Hoosick Falls drugstore in 1938, is buried in Hoosick. - John PalmerJohn Palmer (1785-1840)John Palmer was a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. He was born in Hoosick, Rensselaer County, New York. After completing preparatory studies, he graduated from Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, studied law, and was admitted to the bar. He then...
(1785–1840), who served two non-consecutive terms in the United States CongressUnited States CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
.
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 63.2 square miles (163.7 km²), of which, 63 square miles (163.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.21%) is water.
The north town line is the boundary of Washington County
Washington County, New York
Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Glens Falls, New York, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,216. It was named for the Revolutionary War general George Washington...
, 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...
, and the east town line is the border of 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...
. The Hoosic River
Hoosic River
The Hoosic River, also known as the Hoosac, the Hoosick and the Hoosuck , is a tributary of the Hudson River in the northeastern United States. The different spellings are the result of varying transliterations of the river's original Algonquian name...
is an important waterway in the town.
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 6,759 people, 2,620 households, and 1,823 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 107.3 people per square mile (41.4/km²). There were 2,892 housing units at an average density of 45.9 per square mile (17.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.96% White, 0.49% African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races
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 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.84% of the population.
There were 2,620 households out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples
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, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $41,304, and the median income for a family was $46,442. Males had a median income of $35,899 versus $24,211 for females. The per capita income
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 $20,614. About 5.3% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.5% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in Hoosick
- Buskirk (formerly "Buskirk Bridge") – A hamletHamlet (place)A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
in the northwest corner of the town on Route 67. - Eagle BridgeEagle Bridge, New YorkEagle Bridge is an unincorporated community in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. It was served by the Rutland and Washington Railroad.Eagle Bridge is also the name used by the United States Postal Service to identify ZIP code 12057...
– A hamlet east of Buskirk on Route 67. - East Buskirk – A hamlet south of Buskirk on Route 103.
- East Hoosick – A hamlet east of Hoosick Falls near the east town line.
- Hoosick (or "Hoosick Corners") – A hamlet south of Hoosick Falls in the southeast part of the town.
- Hoosick FallsHoosick Falls, New YorkHoosick Falls is a village in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 3,182 at the 2010 census, a decline of 254 since 2000. During its peak around 1900, the village had a population of about 7,000...
– The Village of Hoosick Falls is near the center of the town. - Hoosick Junction – A location northwest of Hoosick Falls.
- North Hoosick (formerly "St. Croix") – A hamlet north of Hoosick Falls on Route 22.
- Potterville – A hamlet in the southwest part of the town on Route 7.
- Southwest Hoosick – A hamlet near the west town line and south of West Hoosick.
- Trumanville – A former community, now part of Hoosick Falls.
- Walloomsac – A hamlet east of North Hoosick on Route 67.
- West Hoosick – A hamlet west of Hoosick Falls and near the west town line.
- White Creek Station – A location in the northeast corner of the town.