Plattsburgh 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 ...

Clinton County, New York Clinton County is a county in the north-easternmost corner of the state of New York, in the United States and bordered by the Canadian province of Quebec. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 79,843. Its county seat is the ci ...

, United States. The population was 11,886 at the 2020 census. The town is named after

Zephaniah Platt Zephaniah Platt (May 27, 1735 – September 12, 1807) was an American politician and lawyer, and founder of the U.S. town of Plattsburgh, New York. Early life Platt was born in Huntington, Province of New York, to Zephaniah Platt (1705-1778). ...

, an early land owner, and it surrounds the separate and more populous city of the same name. The town is in the eastern part of the county, in the North Country region of the

state of New York New York, officially the State of New York, is a state in the Northeastern United States. It is often called New York State to distinguish it from its largest city, New York City. With a total area of , New York is the 27th-largest U.S. state ...

. The region's airport,

Plattsburgh International Airport Plattsburgh International Airport is a county public-use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) south of the central business district of the city of Plattsburgh, within the Town of Plattsburgh in Clinton County, New York, Unit ...

, is located in the southern part of the town.

History

The town was established in 1785, but parts were later removed to form other county towns:

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

(1792),

Beekmantown Beekmantown is a town in Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 5,545 at the 2010 census. The town name is that of William Beekman, an original landowner. It is on the eastern border of the county, just north of Plattsburgh ...

(1820), Saranac (1824), and Schuyler Falls (1848). The village of Plattsburgh was incorporated within the town in 1815, then made a city in 1902. The

Battle of Plattsburgh The Battle of Plattsburgh, also known as the Battle of Lake Champlain, ended the final British invasion of the northern states of the United States during the War of 1812. An army under Lieutenant General Sir George Prévost and a naval squadro ...

was fought in 1814 on Lake Champlain during the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

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 32.68%, is water. The town borders

Lake Champlain , native_name_lang = , image = Champlainmap.svg , caption = Lake Champlain-River Richelieu watershed , image_bathymetry = , caption_bathymetry = , location = New York/Vermont in the United States; and Quebec in Canada , coords = , type = , ...

, separating it from the U.S. state of Vermont across the lake. The

Saranac River Saranac River ( moh, Tsi ietsénhtha) is an river in the U.S. state of New York. In its upper reaches is a region of mostly flat water and lakes. The river has more than three dozen source lakes and ponds north of Upper Saranac Lake; the highes ...

flows eastward through the town to Lake Champlain. The Adirondack Northway ( Interstate 87),

U.S. Route 9 U.S. Route 9 (US 9) is a north–south United States highway in the states of Delaware, New Jersey, and New York in the Northeastern United States. It is one of only two U.S. Highways with a ferry connection (the Cape May–Lewes Ferry, between ...

, and

New York State Route 22 New York State Route 22 (NY 22) is a north–south state highway that parallels the eastern border of the U.S. state of New York, from the outskirts of New York City to the hamlet of Mooers in Clinton County near the Canadian border ...

are north-south highways through the town.

New York State Route 3 New York State Route 3 (NY 3) is a major east–west state highway in New York, in the United States, that connects central New York to the North Country region near the Canada–US border via Adirondack Park. The route extends for be ...

New York State Route 22B New York State Route 22B is a short north-south New York State Route located within Clinton County. Its northern terminus is located at a junction with NY 3 in the hamlet of Morrisonville, near Clinton County Airport. Its southern termi ...

, and

New York State Route 374 New York State Route 374 (NY 374) is a state highway in the North Country of New York in the United States. The route follows a generally northwest to southeast progression; however, the portion of the route within Franklin County runs ...

are east-west highways.

New York State Route 190 New York State Route 190 (NY 190) is a east–west state highway in the North Country of New York in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 374 in the community of Brainardsville wit ...

intersects NY-22B and NY-374 in Plattsburgh.

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 11,190 people, 4,367 households, and 3,091 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 244.9 people per square mile (94.6/km²). There were 4,875 housing units at an average density of 106.7 per square mile (41.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.68%

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 ...

, 1.07%

black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

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 ...

, .38% Native American, .55%

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 ...

, .01%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, .44% 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 .88% 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 ...

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 1.04% of the population. There were 4,367 households, out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.0% 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, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 21.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.94. In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.6% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 25% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males. The median income for a household in the town was $41,713, and the median income for a family was $50,277. Males had a median income of $36,542 versus $25,565 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 $19,385. About 8.8% of families and 11.9% 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 14.2% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in the town

*Cadyville – 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 ...

in the southwestern part of the town, on NY-3 and the Saranac River. *Champlain Park – A hamlet on Cumberland Head in the northeastern part of the town. *Cliff Haven – A neighborhood on the shore of Lake Champlain south of the city of Plattsburgh. *Clinton County Airport (PLB) – A closed airport west of the city by NY-22B. *Colligan Point – A location on the eastern shore of Cumberland Head. * Crab Island – A small island and undeveloped state park in Lake Champlain, east of Cliff Haven. *Cumberland Bay – A bay of Lake Champlain formed by Cumberland Head on its east side. The city of Plattsburgh is sited on the west shore of the bay. * Cumberland Bay State Park – A

state park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural ...

in the northeastern part of the town, on

Cumberland Head Cumberland Head is a census-designated place and region of the town of Plattsburgh in Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 1,627 at the 2010 census. Cumberland Head is a peninsula projecting into Lake Champlain, and includ ...

. *

– A

peninsula A peninsula (; ) is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most, but not all of its borders. A peninsula is also sometimes defined as a piece of land bordered by water on three of its sides. Peninsulas exist on all ...

on the Lake Champlain shoreline, known for its unique style of

Monte Cristo sandwich A Monte Cristo sandwich is an egg-dipped or batter-dipped ham and cheese sandwich that is pan or deep fried. It is a variation of the French ''croque monsieur''. From the 1930s to the 1960s, American cookbooks had recipes for this sandwich un ...

. *Elsinor – A hamlet at the west town line on NY-3 and the Saranac River. *Everest Rabideau Park – A park on Cumberland Head. *Halseys Corners – A hamlet near the city of Plattsburgh by the Northway. *Lawless Corners – A hamlet on the northern town line, north of West Plattsburgh. *Martin Point – A location on the eastern shore of Cumberland Head. * Morrisonville – A hamlet at the south town line on NY-22B and the Saranac River. *

Plattsburgh Plattsburgh ( moh, Tsi ietsénhtha) is a city in, and the seat of, Clinton County, New York, United States, situated on the north-western shore of Lake Champlain. The population was 19,841 at the 2020 census. The population of the surrounding ...

– The city of Plattsburgh is situated in what was once the east-central part of the town. *

– The current airport of the area, located on the site of the former Plattsburgh Air Force Base, south of the city of Plattsburgh. *Pleasant Ridge Corners – A hamlet southwest of the city and north of South Plattsburgh. *Rocky Point – A hamlet on Cumberland Head. *South Junction – A hamlet near Lake Champlain in the southeastern section of the town. *South Plattsburgh – A hamlet by the town line in the southeastern part of the town on NY-22. * Valcour Island – The northern end of the island is in the town. *West Plattsburgh – A hamlet in the north central part of the town on NY-374. *Woodruff Pond – A small lake north of

Census-designated places in the town

* Morrisonville (partially in the town) * Parc * Plattsburgh West

References

External links

Town website

{{authority control Populated places established in 1785 Towns in Clinton County, New York