Clarendon 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 Orleans County, New York, United States. The population was 3,648 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from Clarendon,

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...

. The Town of Clarendon is in the southeast part of the county. New York State Route 31A and New York State Route 237 intersect in the town.

History

The town was first settled ''circa'' 1811. The Town of Clarendon was created in 1820 from the town of

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

, before Orleans County was established. It was originally known as "Farwell's Mills," a name derived from one of the first settlers, who arrived in 1810. Clarendon was once noted for its quarries and cement plants. In late 2006, a stone church was demolished, due to a disagreement between the current owner and the town board. This historical church was built circa 1830 and served the community until 1980 when the church's contents were sold off. shortly after it was turned into an antiques & book shop. The church was a landmark for Clarendon for many years. The present owner of the property where the church once stood has retained the original bell which was manufactured in

Troy, New York Troy is a city in and the county seat of Rensselaer County, New York, United States. It is located on the western edge of the county, on the eastern bank of the Hudson River just northeast of the capital city of Albany, New York, Albany. At the ...

by the Meneely Bell Company. Sometime around 1990 the volunteer fire department, which at the time stood next to the church, burned almost to the ground. The Butterfield Cobblestone House and Clarendon Stone Store are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

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 , all land. The east town line is the border of Monroe County ( Town of Sweden). The southern boundary is the border of Genesee County, ( Town of Byron). The Clarendon-Linden fault system is named in part for Clarendon; the fault produces a prominent rise in the topography just west of Route 237.

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 3,392 people, 1,230 households, and 928 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 1,331 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 96.46%

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 ...

, 0.94%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.41% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.62% from other races, and 1.06% 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 1.62% of the population. There were 1,230 households, out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.3% 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, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.5% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.15. In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.5% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.4 males. The median income for a household in the town was $46,667, and the median income for a family was $52,064. Males had a median income of $34,432 versus $22,545 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 $18,553. About 2.6% of families and 8.1% 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 10.8% of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Clarendon

*Bennetts Corners – A hamlet east of Clarendon village on NY 31A. *Clarendon – This

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 ...

, the original Farwell settlement, is centered on the intersection of NY 31A and NY 237. *Honest Hill – A hamlet south of Clarendon village on NY 237. *Manning – A hamlet, also previously known as "West Clarendon" or "Mudville," is located on NY 31A west of Clarendon village.

Notable people

* Carl Akeley, (1864-1924), noted taxidermist, conservationist, and inventor. Akeley Hall in the

American Museum of Natural History The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) is a natural history museum on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. Located in Theodore Roosevelt Park, across the street from Central Park, the museum complex comprises 21 interconn ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

is named after him. * Lemuel Cook, (1759-1866), last verifiable surviving veterans of the American Revolutionary War, moved to Clarendon in 1832, died there in 1866, and is buried there. * Joseph Glidden, (1813-1906), businessman and inventor of barbed wire, lived in Clarendon prior to 1843. * James Taylor Lewis, (1819-1904), attorney and politician, served as the ninth

Governor of Wisconsin The governor of Wisconsin is the head of government of Wisconsin and the commander-in-chief of the state's Wisconsin Army National Guard, army and Wisconsin Air National Guard, air forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the ...

References

External links

Town of Clarendon website

{{authority control Rochester metropolitan area, New York Towns in Orleans County, New York Towns in New York (state)