Alexandria Bay is a
village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred ...
in
Jefferson County,
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
, United States, within the town of
Alexandria
Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandri ...
. It is located in the
Thousand Islands
The Thousand Islands (french: Mille-Îles) constitute a North American archipelago of 1,864 islands that straddles the Canada–US border in the Saint Lawrence River as it emerges from the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. They stretch for abo ...
region of northern New York. The population of the village was 1,078 at the
2010 United States Census
The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators serving ...
.
It lies near the
Thousand Islands Border Crossing of Canada and the United States.
History
Settlement began around 1817. By 1836, the community had about 25 dwellings.
The
George C. Boldt Yacht House,
Church of Saint Lawrence,
Cornwall Brothers' Store,
Holland Library,
Ingleside, and
Longue Vue Island are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
.
In its heyday as a late 19th century and early 20th century resort, its main access was via steamer from
Clayton, NY. Its nearest rail connection was
Redwood
Sequoioideae, popularly known as redwoods, is a subfamily of coniferous trees within the family Cupressaceae. It includes the largest and tallest trees in the world.
Description
The three redwood subfamily genera are '' Sequoia'' from coasta ...
on the
Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad
The Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad was a railroad that grew, in stages, from Rome, New York to Watertown and then to Ogdensburg, New York and Massena, New York. The original Rome and Watertown Railroad terminated in Cape Vincent, NY o ...
's Rochester line bound for Ogdensburg.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
, the village has a total area of , of which are land and , or 49.77%, are water.
The village is located on the south bank of the
Saint Lawrence River
The St. Lawrence River (french: Fleuve Saint-Laurent, ) is a large river in the middle latitudes of North America. Its headwaters begin flowing from Lake Ontario in a (roughly) northeasterly direction, into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, connecting ...
near the
U.S. and Canada international border.
Keewaydin State Park is southwest of the village.
New York State Route 12
New York State Route 12 (NY 12) is a state highway extending for through central and northern New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 11 (US 11) in the town of Chenango (just nor ...
and
New York State Route 26
New York State Route 26 (NY 26) is a north–south state highway that runs for through Central New York in the United States. Its southern terminus is located at the Pennsylvania state line south of the town of Vestal in Broom ...
intersect at the only stoplight in the village. NY-12 leads northeast (downriver) to
Ogdensburg and southwest to
Clayton. NY-26 has its northern terminus at Alexandria Bay and leads southeast to
Theresa
Teresa (also Theresa, Therese; french: Thérèse) is a feminine given name.
It originates in the Iberian Peninsula in late antiquity. Its derivation is uncertain, it may be derived from Greek θερίζω (''therízō'') "to harvest or rea ...
.
Interstate 81
Interstate 81 (I-81) is a north–south (physically northeast–southwest) Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at I-40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Isla ...
intersects NY-12 southwest of Alexandria Bay, leading south to
Watertown and to
Syracuse
Syracuse may refer to:
Places Italy
* Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa''
* Province of Syracuse
United States
*Syracuse, New York
**East Syracuse, New York
** North Syracuse, New York
* Syracuse, Indiana
*Syracuse, Kansas
*Syracuse, M ...
, and north to the
Thousand Islands Bridge into Canada.
Buildings
The village has a number of properties on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
.
Historic Sites
The following are the historic sites in Alexandria Bay of such significance as to be listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
.
Demographics
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2000, there were 1,088 people, 482 households, and 270 families residing in the village. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was 1,473.9 people per square mile (567.7/km). There were 624 housing units at an average density of 845.3 per square mile (325.6/km). The racial makeup of the village was 99.08%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 0.37% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 0.09%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.09%
Native American, and 0.74% from two or more races.
There were 482 households, out of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.4% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.8% were non-families. 38.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.12 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the village, the population was spread out, with 20.3% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 23.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.9 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $29,338, and the median income for a family was $36,979. Males had a median income of $31,250 versus $21,429 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the village was $16,875. About 11.0% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 16.3% of those under age 18 and 18.7% of those age 65 or over.
According to the 2008-2012
American Community Survey
The American Community Survey (ACS) is a demographics survey program conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census, such as ancestry, citizenship, educati ...
, the total population of Alexandria Bay was 1,999 and 95.5% white. 12.6% of the population over 25 does not have a high school or equivalent degree. Median household income, in 2012 inflation adjusted dollars, was $37,303.
Local attractions
While Alexandria Bay has a relatively low population during the winter months and has no colleges, the late spring, summer, and early fall seasons bring an influx of vacationers and avid boaters that cause the population of the village to exceed 15,000. Several motels and hotels are available in the immediate village area. Boat tours are available of the bay and river area daily.
Boldt Castle is a 120-room mansion on Heart Island, located near Alexandria Bay. The castle was designed by the firm of
W. D. Hewitt and G.W. Hewitt, Architects of
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...
, who also designed
Druim Moir Castle in Philadelphia. Boldt Castle was built at the turn of the century by multi-millionaire
George C. Boldt
George Charles Boldt Sr. (April 25, 1851 – December 5, 1916) was a Prussian-born American hotelier. A self-made millionaire, he influenced the development of the urban hotel as a civic social center and luxury destination.
Life and caree ...
for his wife, Louise, as a testimony of his love for her. Mr. Boldt invested over $2.5 million to build this replica of a
Rhineland
The Rhineland (german: Rheinland; french: Rhénanie; nl, Rijnland; ksh, Rhingland; Latinised name: ''Rhenania'') is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly its middle section.
Term
Historically, the Rhinelands ...
castle.
Boldt planned on presenting it to his wife on Valentine's Day. Work was underway on the eleven buildings that would comprise the castle complex when in January 1904 Louise Boldt died, ending the dreams of a lifetime. George Boldt ordered that all work be stopped and for 73 years the Castle and the other structures on the island were left to the forces of nature. The Thousand Islands Bridge Authority acquired the property in 1977; since that time, several million dollars have been spent rehabilitating and restoring the castle and surrounding structures. Ferries allow access to the castle on an hourly schedule daily.
Every August, 10 days are devoted to "Bill Johnston's Pirate Days", a town-wide festival that features professional performers acting out
pirate
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...
battles and a "siege" of the town by the "Pirate of the Thousand Islands",
Bill Johnston, whom the festival is named after. It is encouraged that attendees dress in pirate attire, as do the actors who line the streets. The festival is also educational, with many groups providing galleries, displays, and informative presentations of the weapons and ships used during the
Golden Age of Piracy.
Economy
The total value of exports of Alexandria Bay, New York was $6.73 billion in 2020.
[ ]
Airport
Maxson Airfield
(FAA LID: 89NY) is a privately owned, private-use general aviation airport located south of the central business district of Alexandria Bay. It once had commercial service provided by Mohawk Airlines. At that time, the airport bore the
IATA
The International Air Transport Association (IATA ) is a trade association of the world's airlines founded in 1945. IATA has been described as a cartel since, in addition to setting technical standards for airlines, IATA also organized tarif ...
airport code AXB.
References
External links
*
Village of Alexandria Bay official websiteAlexBay.org - Alexandria Bay Chamber of Commerce1000 Islands Live - Alexandria Bay News & Resource Site
{{Authority control
Villages in New York (state)
Villages in Jefferson County, New York
New York (state) populated places on the Saint Lawrence River