Port Henry, New York
Encyclopedia
Port Henry is a village
in Essex County
, New York
, United States
. The population was 1,152 at the 2000 census.
The Village of Port Henry lies on the east side of the Town of Moriah
and is approximately one hour's drive (45 miles or 72 km) south of Plattsburgh
. It is 33 miles (53.1 km) south-southwest of Burlington, VT, 97 miles (156.1 km) north of Albany, NY, and 102 miles (164.2 km) south of Montreal, Quebec.
for veterans of the Seven Years War (also known as the French and Indian War
). Although a mill was built in 1765, no other European-American settlers arrived until 1785, after the American Revolutionary War
. The Iroquoian-speaking Mohawk
and Oswegatchie, members of the Seven Nations of Canada
, were still living in the town until after 1800. Most of the Iroquois from the territory of New York had been resettled in Canada, forced out of New York and the United States due to their alliance with the British during the war.
In the early years, timber
harvesting was a major industry and 20 mills were located in the area. The first dock was built on Lake Champlain by 1820 for shipping lumber to other ports.
Early settlers discovered iron
ore a few miles inland. Its extraction and processing became an important industry in the township for about one hundred and fifty years. A blast furnace
constructed in 1822 in Port Henry was one of the first in the United States, and Republic Steel
established major operations in the county. The village residents used Lake Champlain and the Hudson River
to transport its ore and products to major markets such as Albany
and New York City
. Later a railroad connected the village to markets.
The Village of Port Henry was incorporated in 1869.
By the end of the 19th century, residents harvested smelt from the lake for the restaurant trade, by ice fishing
. This became important winter recreation and continues to attract tourists.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), of which, 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (18.92%) is water.
The village is located on the west shore of Lake Champlain
at the north end of Bulwagga Bay and is in the Adirondack Park.
Port Henry is located on conjoined New York State Route 9N
and New York State Route 22
(North/South Main Street) at the junction of County Road 4 (Broad Street).
Was named Port Henry in honor of Henry Huntington of Rome, New York.
of 2000, there were 1,152 people, 491 households, and 295 families residing in the village. The population density
was 958.7 people per square mile (370.7/km²). There were 596 housing units at an average density of 496.0 per square mile (191.8/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.66% White, 0.52% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.61% from other races
, and 0.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.30% of the population.
There were 491 households out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.0% were married couples
living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.9% were non-families. 33.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the village the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $29,306, and the median income for a family was $40,556. Males had a median income of $34,821 versus $20,703 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $17,455. About 12.2% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.6% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.
, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Port Henry, operating its Adirondack
daily in both directions between Montreal and New York City.
A few miles south of Port Henry, the Champlain Bridge
(Route 17) connected Crown Point to Vermont. In 2009, the bridge was demolished. A temporary ferry service, operated by the Lake Champlain Transportation Company
and funded by the States of New York and Vermont currently provides access to Vermont. The new bridge at Crown Point is scheduled to open in August 2011.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in Essex County
Essex County, New York
Essex County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 39,370. Its name is from the English county of Essex. Its county seat is Elizabethtown...
, 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 1,152 at the 2000 census.
The Village of Port Henry lies on the east side of the Town of Moriah
Moriah, New York
Moriah is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 4,879 at the 2000 census.The Town of Moriah is in the eastern part of the county. It is south-southwest of Burlington, VT, south of Plattsburgh, north of Albany, NY, and south of Montreal, Quebec...
and is approximately one hour's drive (45 miles or 72 km) south of Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh (city), New York
Plattsburgh is a city in and county seat of Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 19,989 at the 2010 census. The population of the unincorporated areas within the Town of Plattsburgh was 11,870 as of the 2010 census; making the population for the immediate, urban Plattsburgh,...
. It is 33 miles (53.1 km) south-southwest of Burlington, VT, 97 miles (156.1 km) north of Albany, NY, and 102 miles (164.2 km) south of Montreal, Quebec.
History
Port Henry is in a tract of land set aside by the British CrownThe Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
for veterans of the Seven Years War (also known as the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
). Although a mill was built in 1765, no other European-American settlers arrived until 1785, after the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. The Iroquoian-speaking Mohawk
Mohawk nation
Mohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint...
and Oswegatchie, members of the Seven Nations of Canada
Seven Nations of Canada
The Seven Nations of Canada were a historic confederation of Canadian First Nations living in and around the Saint Lawrence River valley beginning in the eighteenth century. They were allied to New France and often included substantial numbers of Roman Catholic converts. During the Seven Years War...
, were still living in the town until after 1800. Most of the Iroquois from the territory of New York had been resettled in Canada, forced out of New York and the United States due to their alliance with the British during the war.
In the early years, timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
harvesting was a major industry and 20 mills were located in the area. The first dock was built on Lake Champlain by 1820 for shipping lumber to other ports.
Early settlers discovered iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
ore a few miles inland. Its extraction and processing became an important industry in the township for about one hundred and fifty years. A blast furnace
Blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore and flux are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions...
constructed in 1822 in Port Henry was one of the first in the United States, and Republic Steel
Republic Steel
Republic Steel was once the third largest steel producer in the United States.The Republic Iron and Steel Company was founded in Youngstown, Ohio in 1899....
established major operations in the county. The village residents used Lake Champlain and the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
to transport its ore and products to major markets such as Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Later a railroad connected the village to markets.
The Village of Port Henry was incorporated in 1869.
By the end of the 19th century, residents harvested smelt from the lake for the restaurant trade, by ice fishing
Ice fishing
Ice fishing is the practice of catching fish with lines and fish hooks or spears through an opening in the ice on a frozen body of water. Ice anglers may sit on the stool in the open on a frozen lake, or in a heated cabin on the ice, some with bunks and amenities.-Locations:It is a popular pastime...
. This became important winter recreation and continues to attract tourists.
Geography
Port Henry is located at 44°2′43"N 73°27′40"W (44.045238, -73.461011).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 village has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), of which, 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (18.92%) is water.
The village is located on the west shore of Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
at the north end of Bulwagga Bay and is in the Adirondack Park.
Port Henry is located on conjoined New York State Route 9N
New York State Route 9N
New York State Route 9N is a north–south state highway in northeastern New York, United States. It extends from an intersection with U.S. Route 9 , NY 29, and NY 50 in the city of Saratoga Springs to a junction with US 9 and NY 22 in the Clinton County village of...
and New York State Route 22
New York State Route 22
New York State Route 22 is a north–south state highway in eastern New York in the United States. It runs parallel to the state's eastern edge from the outskirts of New York City to a short distance south of the Canadian border. At , it is the state's longest north–south route and...
(North/South Main Street) at the junction of County Road 4 (Broad Street).
Was named Port Henry in honor of Henry Huntington of Rome, New York.
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 1,152 people, 491 households, and 295 families residing in the village. 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 958.7 people per square mile (370.7/km²). There were 596 housing units at an average density of 496.0 per square mile (191.8/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.66% White, 0.52% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.61% 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 0.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.30% of the population.
There were 491 households out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.0% 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, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.9% were non-families. 33.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the village the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $29,306, and the median income for a family was $40,556. Males had a median income of $34,821 versus $20,703 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 village was $17,455. About 12.2% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.6% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Port Henry, operating its Adirondack
Adirondack (Amtrak)
The Adirondack is a passenger train operated daily by Amtrak between New York City and Montreal. The trip takes approximately 11 hours to cover a published distance of , traveling through the scenic Hudson Valley and the Adirondack Mountains...
daily in both directions between Montreal and New York City.
A few miles south of Port Henry, the Champlain Bridge
Champlain Bridge (United States)
The Champlain Bridge was a long vehicular bridge in the United States that traversed Lake Champlain between Crown Point, New York and Chimney Point, Vermont. It was opened to traffic in 1929 as a toll bridge; the tolls were removed in 1987...
(Route 17) connected Crown Point to Vermont. In 2009, the bridge was demolished. A temporary ferry service, operated by the Lake Champlain Transportation Company
Lake Champlain Transportation Company
The Lake Champlain Transportation Company provides car and passenger ferry service at four points on Lake Champlain in the United States. From 1976 to 2003, it was owned by Burlington, Vermont, businessman Raymond C. Pecor, Jr. who is Chairman of the company's board...
and funded by the States of New York and Vermont currently provides access to Vermont. The new bridge at Crown Point is scheduled to open in August 2011.
External links
- "Moriah, NY", Essex County Historical Society, Adirondack History Center Museum
- Van Slooten Harbour Marina is located in Port Henry, NY