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Washington County, New York

Washington County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 61,302.[2] The county seat is Fort Edward.[3] The county was named for U.S. President George Washington. The county is part of the Capital District region of the state.

Washington County
County
A farm in Greenwich
A farm in Greenwich
Flag of Washington County
Flag
Official seal of Washington County
Seal
Map of New York highlighting Washington County
Location within the U.S. state of New York
Map of the United States highlighting New York
New York's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 43°18′N 73°24′W / 43.3°N 73.4°W / 43.3; -73.4
Country United States
State New York
FoundedMarch 12, 1772; 252 years ago (1772-03-12)[a] (Took its name on April 2, 1784)
Named forGeorge Washington
SeatFort Edward
Largest villageHudson Falls
Area
 • Total
846 sq mi (2,190 km2)
 • Land831 sq mi (2,150 km2)
 • Water15 sq mi (40 km2)  1.7%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
61,302 [1]
 • Estimate 
(2023)
60,047 Decrease
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district21st
Websitewww.washingtoncountyny.gov

History

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When counties were established in the colony of New York in 1683, the present Washington County was part of Albany County. This was an enormous county, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present state of Vermont and, in theory, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean. This county was reduced in size on July 3, 1766, by the creation of Cumberland County, and further on March 16, 1770, by the creation of Gloucester County, both containing territory now in Vermont.

On March 12, 1772, what was left of Albany County was split into three parts, one remaining under the name Albany County. The other two were called Tryon County (later renamed Montgomery County) and Charlotte County.[a]

On April 2, 1784,[a] Charlotte County was renamed Washington County in honor of George Washington, the American Revolutionary War general and later President of the United States of America.

In 1788, Clinton County was split off from Washington County.[a] This was a much larger area than the present Clinton County, including several other counties or county parts of the present New York State.

In 1791, the Town of Cambridge was transferred from Albany County to Washington County.

In 1813, Warren County was split off from Washington County.[a][4]

In 1994, with the completion of the new municipal center, the county seat was moved from Hudson Falls to Fort Edward.

In 2006, Cambridge Town Supervisor Jo Ann Trinkle made history by being elected as the first chairwoman of the Board of Supervisors.

Historic sites

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Washington County has four historic covered bridges, each listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

Including those, it has a total of 35 sites listed on the National Register. The Lemuel Haynes House is designated as a National Historic Landmark, the highest level of significance.

Geography

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A map of the Appalachian Mountains, highlighting the Great Appalachian Valley. The main mountain regions on either side are named, as are the various local valleys.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 846 square miles (2,190 km2), of which 831 square miles (2,150 km2) is land and 15 square miles (39 km2) (1.7%) is water.[5]

Washington County is a long narrow county located in the northeastern section of the State. It is known for its rich valley farm land and is part of the Great Appalachian Valley (also known simply as the 'Great Valley') which is a long narrow valley strip often between tall mountain ranges. The county transitions from the Taconic Mountains to the Adirondack Mountains, and from the Lake Champlain Valley to Hudson River Valley.

Much of the county is part of the slate valley of the Upper Taconic Mountains (Taghkanic, meaning 'in the trees'). The eastern boundary of Washington County is the New York–Vermont border, part of which is Lake Champlain. This is also the border with New England proper. The northern end of the county is within the 6.1 million acre Adirondack Park. Western boundaries include primarily the Hudson River and Lake George.

Washington County belongs to the following valleys and watersheds: Champlain Valley / Lake George Watershed—02010001 [6] Hudson River Valley / Hudson-Hoosic Watershed—02020003 [6] Waters in the northern part drain into Lake Champlain via Lake George (Horican) or the Mettawee River, and then flow into the Saint Lawrence River (Kaniatarowanenneh). These waters mingle in the Saint Lawrence with waters of all the Great Lakes as they flow northeast into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, and ultimately join the Atlantic Ocean. Meanwhile, the remainder of waters drain south via the Hudson River (Muh-he-kun-ne-tuk or Muhheakantuck), and ultimately flow south into the Atlantic Ocean below New York City. See the approximation of the watershed divide mapped in context of mountains [7] and valleys.[8]

 
Orogenies of the northeast United States

Nearly half of its borders are by long bodies of water. Winding across the bottom of the county is the legendary Batten Kill (Dionondehowa), famous for its worldclass flyfishing, and its marvelous falls (near the Washington County fairgrounds).

Black Mountain, in the Adirondacks, is the tallest peak in Washington County at approximately 2,640 feet (800 meters), and has beautiful views of Lake George, Lake Champlain, the surrounding countryside, and the Adirondacks, Taconic Mountains and Green Mountains. Willard Mountain is a ski center in the southern part of the county.

Adjacent counties

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
179014,077—
180035,574152.7%
181044,28924.5%
182038,831−12.3%
183042,6359.8%
184041,080−3.6%
185044,7508.9%
186045,9042.6%
187049,5688.0%
188047,871−3.4%
189045,690−4.6%
190045,624−0.1%
191047,7784.7%
192044,888−6.0%
193046,4823.6%
194046,7260.5%
195047,1440.9%
196048,4762.8%
197052,7258.8%
198054,7953.9%
199059,3308.3%
200061,0422.9%
201063,2163.6%
202061,302−3.0%
2023 (est.)60,047−2.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11]
1990-2000[12] 2010-2020[2]

As of the census[13] of 2000, there were 61,042 people, 22,458 households, and 15,787 families residing in the county. The population density was 73 inhabitants per square mile (28/km2). There were 26,794 housing units at an average density of 32 units per square mile (12/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.97% White, 2.92% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.84% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. 2.02% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 17.5% were of Irish, 14.1% French, 12.1% English, 11.1% American, 9.0% Italian and 7.7% German ancestry according to Census 2000. 96.9% spoke English and 1.4% Spanish as their first language.

There were 22,458 households, out of which 33.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.20% were married couples living together, 10.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.70% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.80% 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 3.01.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.60% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 29.40% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 14.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 105.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,668, and the median income for a family was $43,500. Males had a median income of $31,537 versus $22,160 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,958. About 6.80% of families and 9.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.30% of those under age 18 and 7.30% of those age 65 or over.

2020 Census

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Washington County racial composition[14]
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 54,605 89.1%
Black or African American (NH) 1,563 2.6%
Native American (NH) 149 0.24%
Asian (NH) 319 0.52%
Pacific Islander (NH) 22 .03%
Other/Mixed (NH) 2,883 4.7%
Hispanic or Latino 1,761 2.9%

Government

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The county government consists of a board of supervisors with weighted votes. Each town supervisor holds a seat on the county government, and their votes are based on the population of their town, with Kingsbury and Fort Edward supervisors having the largest number of votes, and Putnam having the fewest votes. The 2017 weighted vote totals are available on the county website.

Politics

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Gubernatorial elections results
Gubernatorial elections results[15]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2018 62.76% 12,879 31.24% 6,411 6% 1,232
2014 58.26% 8,699 32.59% 4,866 9.15% 1,367
2010 42.03% 7,669 51.98% 9,485 5.99% 1,093
2006 38.62% 7,024 59.51% 10,822 1.87% 340
2002 56.50% 9,491 22.42% 3,767 21.07% 3,541

Prior to 1996, Washington County was a Republican stronghold, with the only time between 1884 and 1992 that a Republican presidential candidate failed to win the county being 1964 when Barry Goldwater lost every county in New York in his statewide and national landslide loss. Since 1996, it has become a bellwether county, but Republican candidate margins of victory have been greater than those by Democratic candidates and broke its bellwether streak in 2020 when Donald Trump won the county. In his 2020 performance, Trump received the highest percentage of the vote for a Republican since 1988 when George H. W. Bush received 62 percent. No Democrat aside from Lyndon B. Johnson in the aforementioned 1964 election has managed to win majority of the county's votes.

United States presidential election results for Washington County, New York[16]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 15,941 56.65% 11,565 41.10% 632 2.25%
2016 13,610 55.49% 9,098 37.09% 1,820 7.42%
2012 11,085 48.00% 11,523 49.89% 487 2.11%
2008 12,533 48.71% 12,741 49.52% 456 1.77%
2004 13,827 55.08% 10,624 42.32% 652 2.60%
2000 12,596 53.47% 9,641 40.93% 1,318 5.60%
1996 8,954 39.72% 9,572 42.46% 4,018 17.82%
1992 10,305 41.00% 8,429 33.53% 6,401 25.47%
1988 14,103 62.64% 8,201 36.42% 211 0.94%
1984 16,580 73.48% 5,909 26.19% 74 0.33%
1980 12,835 58.59% 7,144 32.61% 1,927 8.80%
1976 13,946 65.40% 7,262 34.06% 116 0.54%
1972 16,136 73.80% 5,677 25.97% 51 0.23%
1968 12,694 61.71% 6,806 33.09% 1,069 5.20%
1964 8,160 37.10% 13,826 62.87% 7 0.03%
1960 15,037 64.49% 8,274 35.48% 6 0.03%
1956 18,449 79.30% 4,817 20.70% 0 0.00%
1952 17,551 73.80% 6,210 26.11% 22 0.09%
1948 13,975 68.29% 6,017 29.40% 472 2.31%
1944 13,861 66.03% 7,100 33.82% 31 0.15%
1940 15,960 66.57% 7,977 33.27% 38 0.16%
1936 15,186 65.13% 7,713 33.08% 418 1.79%
1932 14,478 65.26% 7,512 33.86% 194 0.87%
1928 15,499 66.91% 7,221 31.17% 443 1.91%
1924 13,774 71.50% 4,321 22.43% 1,169 6.07%
1920 13,647 75.43% 4,124 22.79% 322 1.78%
1916 7,310 63.77% 3,907 34.08% 246 2.15%
1912 4,593 40.94% 3,555 31.68% 3,072 27.38%
1908 7,933 65.63% 3,593 29.73% 561 4.64%
1904 8,324 67.37% 3,517 28.47% 514 4.16%
1900 8,209 68.34% 3,357 27.95% 446 3.71%
1896 8,139 69.12% 3,239 27.51% 397 3.37%
1892 6,794 59.54% 3,731 32.70% 885 7.76%
1888 8,023 63.21% 4,284 33.75% 386 3.04%
1884 7,337 61.51% 4,222 35.39% 370 3.10%

Transportation

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New York State Route 22 passing through Washington County

Airports

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The following public use airports are located in the county:[17]

Rail

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Amtrak's Adirondack and Ethan Allen Express services each travel through Washington County once a day in each direction on their routes between New York, New York and Montreal, Québec or Burlington, Vermont, respectively. Both routes stop in Fort Edward and the Adirondack additionally serves Whitehall. The Adirondack was temporarily suspended from March 2020 through early April 2023 due to the closure of the Canadian/American border in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and related logistical challenges.[18]

Communities

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Towns

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Villages

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Census-designated places

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Hamlets

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Notable people

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Washington County, or Charlotte County, to give it the title under which it was erected, March 12, 1772, comprised a great slice of Northern New York, mostly west of Lake Champlain, reaching from the Hudson to Canada, a distance of more than 100 miles, extending westward a width of fifty. The name was changed to the present nomenclature April 2, 1784, and there began but a few years later a series of reductions in its area. Clinton County was set off in 1788; the east portion ceded to Vermont in 1790; and Warren was taken from the north part in 1813.[23]

References

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  1. ^ "US Census 2020 Population Dataset Tables for New York". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "2020 US Census: Saratoga, Hamilton, And Warren Counties All Post Population Gains". August 17, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ "History of Warren County, edited by H. P. Smith - Chapter XVI: To the Present Time". sites.rootsweb.com. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  5. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on May 19, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  6. ^ a b US EPA, OW (March 17, 2015). "Surf Your Watershed". US EPA. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  7. ^ US Maps
  8. ^ Archived copy Archived September 10, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  10. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  11. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  12. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  13. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  14. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Washington County, New York".
  15. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections – Sate Data". uselectionatlas.org.
  16. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved October 25, 2018.
  17. ^ Washington County Public and Private Airports, New York. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  18. ^ "Back on track: Amtrak's Adirondack train returns to the North Country". September 7, 2022.
  19. ^ Twelve Years a Slave
  20. ^ 'Wisconsin Blue Book 1909,' Biographical Sketch of Frank J. Kimball, pg. 1107
  21. ^ 'Curtis Mann Dies at Summit,; Milwaukee Weekly Wisconsin, March 3, 1894, pg1
  22. ^ "legislative Manual of Wisconsin 1875,' Biographical Sketch of E. D. Rogers, pg. 473
  23. ^ Sullivan, James; Williams, Melvin E.; Conklin, Edwin P.; Fitzpatrick, Benedict, eds. (1927). "Chapter III. Washington County.". History of New York State, 1523–1927 (PDF). Vol. 2. New York City, Chicago: Lewis Historical Publishing Co. p. 429. hdl:2027/mdp.39015019994048. Wikidata Q114149636.

Further reading

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History

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Watershed/Conservancy

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State agencies

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Museums

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43°19′N 73°26′W / 43.32°N 73.43°W / 43.32; -73.43

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