Bleecker is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

in Fulton County,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

, United States. The population was 533 at the 2010 census. The name is from Barent Bleecker, one of the original landowners of the region. Bleecker is north of the cities of Gloversville and Johnstown, in the northern part of the county.

History

The first permanent settlements began ''circa'' 1800 at Lindsleys Corners, although land sales took place before then. The town was established in 1831 from part of the town of Johnstown, but did not arrive at its current dimensions until 1842. Part of Bleecker was returned to Johnstown in 1841, and another part was added to the town of Caroga in 1842. Lumbering and tanning were important early industries. Around 1860 the maximum population, approximately 1,060, was attained; following this zenith, for decades it went into decline, though the community has grown since reaching a nadir of 190, a figure tabulated at the 1940 census.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 3.85%, is water. The northern town line is the border of Hamilton County. The town is inside the

Adirondack Park The Adirondack Park is a park in northeastern New York (state), New York protecting the Adirondack Mountains. The park was established in 1892 for "the free use of all the people for their health and pleasure", and for watershed protection. At , ...

Demographics

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 573 people, 232 households, and 173 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 429 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.08%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.17% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.35% from other races, and 0.52% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 0.35% of the population. There were 232 households, out of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.9% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 3.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 16.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.80. In the town, the population was spread out, with 19.7% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 32.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.4 males. The median income for a household in the town was $40,000, and the median income for a family was $43,333. Males had a median income of $31,875 versus $22,212 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the town was $19,851. About 3.8% of families and 4.2% 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 none of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Bleecker

*Bleecker – The

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

of Bleecker in the southeastern part of the town on County Road 112. *Bleecker Center – A hamlet northwest of Bleecker village on County Road 112. *Bowlers Corners – A location south of Lindsley Corners, located on County Road 145. * Chase Lake – A

lake A lake is often a naturally occurring, relatively large and fixed body of water on or near the Earth's surface. It is localized in a basin or interconnected basins surrounded by dry land. Lakes lie completely on land and are separate from ...

in the northeastern section of the town, named after an early settler, William Chase, who built the first grist mill. *Lindsley Corners – A hamlet northeast of Bleecker village, located on County Road 125. The first house in Bleecker was purportedly constructed here. * Mountain Lake – A small lake near the southern town line. * Peck Lake – A large lake in the southwestern part of the town. *Peters Corners – A hamlet north of Bleecker village, located on County Road 125. *Pinnacle – A location east of Lindsley Corners; also the name of a mountain in the northwestern part of the town. *Stony Creek – A stream flowing out the eastern side of Bleecker. *Vandenburgh Pond – A small lake east of Bleecker village.

References

External links

Bleecker history

Town of Bleecker official website

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