Wilna 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 o ...

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. The population was 6,427 at the 2010 census. The town is on the eastern side of the county and is east of Watertown.

History

The town was first settled around 1798 at the location of the future Carthage village. The town of Wilna was officially established in 1813 from part of the town of Le Ray and part of the Lewis County town of Leyden. The origin of the name of the town is obscure, although it is alleged to be named after the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

spelling of

Vilnius Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urba ...

, in commemoration of the French occupation of Vilnius in 1812. Wood's Grist Mill 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 ...

in 1995.

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 town has a total area of , of which are land and , or 1.10%, are water. The Black River flows along the southwest border of the town, and the Indian River is in the north. The northern half of the town's area is within the Fort Drum Military Reservation.

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 ...

and New York State Route 3A are east-west highways.

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 6,235 people, 2,335 households, and 1,639 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 RosenberPopu ...

was 79.0 people per square mile (30.5/km²). There were 2,658 housing units at an average density of 33.7 per square mile (13.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 92.83%

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 ...

, 2.92%

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 ...

, 0.72% Native American, 0.91% Asian, 0.03%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.85% from other races, and 1.73% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 2.10% of the population. There were 2,335 households, out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% 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, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.8% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.08. In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males. The median income for a household in the town was $29,103, and the median income for a family was $35,022. Males had a median income of $29,119 versus $19,655 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 $13,556. About 15.7% of families and 20.4% 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 ...

, including 29.3% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Wilna

Carthage Carthage was the capital city of Ancient Carthage, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classi ...

– A village located at the southern end of the town on NY-3 by the Black River. *Cowan Corners – A location west of Natural Bridge. * Deferiet – A village along the southwestern town line on NY-3A by the Black River. *DeVoice Corners – A location at the intersection of County Routes 40 and 42. *Doolins Crossing – A location by the northwestern town line, within Fort Drum. *Fargo – A location by the Fort Drum reservation boundary on NY-3. * Fort Drum – Part of the military reservation occupies the northern part of the town. *Gates Corners – A location inside Fort Drum on NY-3. * Herrings – 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 ...

and

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, suc ...

on the southwestern town line on NY-3 by the Black River. *Hewitt Park – A location north of Carthage on NY-3. *Hubbards Crossing – A location in the western part of the town, within Fort Drum. *Karter Crossing – A location in the eastern part of Wilna, near North Croghan. *Mt. Quillen – A hill north of Carthage. * Natural Bridge – A hamlet and census-designated place by the eastern town line on NY-3. *North Croghan – A location by the eastern town line on County Road 40. *North Wilna – A location in the northern part of the town, within Fort Drum. *Ormistead Corners – A location in the southeastern part of Wilna on NY-3 at the junction of County Road 42. *Reedsville A location by the northwestern town line, within Fort Drum. *Woods Mills ("Woods Settlement") – A location in the southeastern part of Wilna, located inside Fort Drum.

References

External links

Town of Wilna official website

{{authority control Towns in New York (state) Towns in Jefferson County, New York