Valley Falls, New York
Encyclopedia
Valley Falls is a village
in Rensselaer County
, New York
, United States
. The population was 491 at the 2000 census. The village lies on the boundary of the towns of Pittstown
and Schaghticoke
, but is mostly in the northwest part of Pittstown.
By 1863 Valley Falls had established itself as a mini-industrial center. In addition to the aforementioned Thompson textile mill, the village also had a blacksmith shop, farrier
shop, foundry
, wainwright
shop, cooperage, vineyard, three general stores, and two hotels. At this time only a single rail line (Troy & Boston RR) from Troy came through the southern limit of the village heading to Johnsonville, New York
. Later, a second rail line from Schaghticoke would follow the Hoosic River past Thompson's Mill also heading to Johnsonville. By the early 1970s the southern rail line was completely abandoned and had been largely dismantled; the northern line still functions to this day. However, with the closing of the Thompson mill the train no longer stops in Valley Falls.
The Hoosic River
unequally divides the village. The majority of the village is on the southern side of the Hoosic in the township of Pittstown and the "Village Annex" on the northern side is in the township of Schaghticoke.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), of which, 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (4.35%) is water.
of 2000, there were 491 people, 179 households, and 132 families residing in the village. The population density
was 1,119.6 people per square mile (430.9/km²). There were 191 housing units at an average density of 435.5 per square mile (167.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.35% White, 1.43% Native American, 0.81% Asian, and 0.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.61% of the population.
There were 179 households out of which 42.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were married couples
living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the village the population was spread out with 30.8% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $56,250, and the median income for a family was $59,583. Males had a median income of $34,808 versus $28,750 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $20,989. About 7.2% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
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 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 491 at the 2000 census. The village lies on the boundary of the towns of 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...
and Schaghticoke
Schaghticoke (town), New York
Schaghticoke is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, USA. The population was 7,456 at the 2000 census. The Schaghticoke is a native tribe original to the area. The town is on the northern border of the county, north of Troy...
, but is mostly in the northwest part of Pittstown.
History
In 1871, Industrialist James Thompson built a textile mill in the village. Nearly all village residents worked in the mill and school kids ran home when the mill's lunch whistle sounded. After its height of operation in the 1970s it entered a decade of decline. The mill had been vacant for at least 10 years when went up in flames in the early morning hours on April 22, 2009.By 1863 Valley Falls had established itself as a mini-industrial center. In addition to the aforementioned Thompson textile mill, the village also had a blacksmith shop, farrier
Farrier
A farrier is a specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of horses' hooves and the placing of shoes on their hooves...
shop, foundry
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
, wainwright
Wainwright
A wainwright is a tradesperson skilled in the making and repairing of wagons . The word is the combination of the archaic words "wain" and "wright" .In places:*Canada...
shop, cooperage, vineyard, three general stores, and two hotels. At this time only a single rail line (Troy & Boston RR) from Troy came through the southern limit of the village heading to Johnsonville, New York
Johnsonville, New York
Johnsonville is a hamlet located in the northern part of Pittstown, New York. It was named for its settler, William Johnson.- History :Johnsonville is considered a "railroad town" due to the importance of the railroad in the history of the area; however, it was an important industrial area even...
. Later, a second rail line from Schaghticoke would follow the Hoosic River past Thompson's Mill also heading to Johnsonville. By the early 1970s the southern rail line was completely abandoned and had been largely dismantled; the northern line still functions to this day. However, with the closing of the Thompson mill the train no longer stops in Valley Falls.
Geography
Valley Falls is located at 42°54′3"N 73°33′45"W (42.900846, -73.562495).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...
unequally divides the village. The majority of the village is on the southern side of the Hoosic in the township of Pittstown and the "Village Annex" on the northern side is in the township of Schaghticoke.
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 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), of which, 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (4.35%) is water.
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 491 people, 179 households, and 132 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 1,119.6 people per square mile (430.9/km²). There were 191 housing units at an average density of 435.5 per square mile (167.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.35% White, 1.43% Native American, 0.81% Asian, and 0.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.61% of the population.
There were 179 households out of which 42.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% 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, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the village the population was spread out with 30.8% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $56,250, and the median income for a family was $59,583. Males had a median income of $34,808 versus $28,750 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 $20,989. About 7.2% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.