Oppenheim is a
town
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares an ori ...
in
Fulton County Fulton County is the name of eight counties in the United States of America. Most are named for Robert Fulton, inventor of the first practical steamboat:
*Fulton County, Arkansas, named after Governor William Savin Fulton
*Fulton County, Georgia
*F ...
,
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. The town is in the southwestern corner of the county and is east of
Utica. The population was 1,924 at the 2010 census.
History
The town was first settled ''circa'' 1791 by
Palatine Germans
Palatines (german: Pfälzer), also known as the Palatine Dutch, are the people and princes of Palatinates ( Holy Roman principalities) of the Holy Roman Empire. The Palatine diaspora includes the Pennsylvania Dutch and New York Dutch.
In 1709 ...
from
Oppenheim
Oppenheim () is a town in the Mainz-Bingen district of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The town is a well-known wine center, being the home of the German Winegrowing Museum, and is particularly known for the wines from the Oppenheimer Krötenbru ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. The town of Oppenheim was established in 1808 from the town of
Palatine
A palatine or palatinus (in Latin; plural ''palatini''; cf. derivative spellings below) is a high-level official attached to imperial or royal courts in Europe since Roman times. in
Montgomery County, before the formation of Fulton County. In the 1810 U.S. Federal Census, the name of the town was spelled, "Upenheim." When Fulton County was formed in 1838, the south part of Oppenheim was used to form the town of
St. Johnsville, which remained in Montgomery County.
The early occupations of townspeople were associated with dairy and cheese-making activities.
Beaversprite
Beaversprite is a nature reserve in Fulton County, New York, with parts in St. Johnsville, Oppenheim, and Dolgeville. It was founded by Dorothy Richards, known as the "Beaver Woman" or "Beaver Lady", and her husband. She tamed beavers in the san ...
, a nature refuge, was founded in Oppenheim in the 1930s.
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 the ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.54%, is water.
The northern part of the town is in the
Adirondack Park
The Adirondack Park is a part of New York's Forest Preserve in northeastern New York, United States. The park was established in 1892 for “the free use of all the people for their health and pleasure”, and for watershed protection. The park ...
. The western town line is the border of
Herkimer County
Herkimer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 60,139. Its county seat is Herkimer. The county was created in 1791 north of the Mohawk River out of part of Montgomery County. It is named af ...
, and the southern town boundary is the border of Montgomery County.
East Canada Creek
East Canada Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed October 3, 2011 river in upstate New York (state), New York, United States. It is a tributary of the Mohawk River ...
is a stream defining the western town line. The creek flows out of the Adirondacks to join the
Mohawk River
The Mohawk River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed October 3, 2011 river in the U.S. state of New York. It is the largest tributary of the Hudson River. The Mohawk f ...
, south of Oppenheim.
New York State Route 29
New York State Route 29 (NY 29) is a state highway extending for across the eastern portion of the U.S. state of New York. The western terminus of the route is at NY 28 and NY 169 in Middleville, Herkimer County. The easte ...
is an east-west highway across Oppenheim.
New York State Route 331
New York State Route 331 (NY 331) is a north–south state highway located in the Mohawk Valley of New York in the United States. The route extends for from an intersection with Kennedy Road in the Montgomery County town of St. Johns ...
, a north-south highway, intersects NY-29 at Oppenheim village.
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 incl ...
of 2000, there were 1,774 people, 685 households, and 493 families residing in the town. 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 RosenberPopul ...
was 31.5 people per square mile (12.2/km
2). There were 858 housing units at an average density of 15.2 per square mile (5.9/km
2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.31%
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 on ...
, 0.73%
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 ...
, 0.17%
Native American, 0.23%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.11% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.45% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 0.68% of the population.
There were 685 households, out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% 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 t ...
living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $31,284, and the median income for a family was $34,306. Males had a median income of $26,289 versus $19,427 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 town was $13,504. About 9.7% of families and 12.4% 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 t ...
, including 14.8% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in Oppenheim
*Crum Creek – (1) A
hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
near the southern town line on NY-331 and Crum Creek; and (2) A stream that flows through the town southward through the town. The former
Crum Creek Evangelical Lutheran Church was 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 v ...
in 2010.
*Doxtater Corner – A hamlet in the northwestern part of the town, northeast of Rasbach Corners.
*
Dolgeville (formerly "Brocketts Bridge") – Part of the Village of Dolgeville is at the western town line at East Canada Creek and NY-29.
*Ingham Mills – A hamlet on the western town boundary on County Road 108.
*Kringsbush – A hamlet by the south town line in the southwestern part of the town.
*Kyser Lake – A wide part of the East Canada Creek, north of Ingham Mills.
*Lotville – A hamlet in the northern part of the town, located between Doxtater Corners and Phipps Corners.
*Middle Sprite – A hamlet by the northern town boundary, inside the Adirondack Park.
*Oppenheim – The hamlet of Oppenheim at the junction of Routes NY-29 and NY-331, west of Crum Creek.
*Phipps Corners – A location east of Lotville and north of Oppenheim hamlet.
*Rasbach Corners – A hamlet in the northwestern part of the town, east of Dolgeville.
References
External links
Town of Oppenheim official website
{{authority control
Towns in Fulton County, New York