Fine 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
St. Lawrence County,
New York, United States. The population was 1,512 at the 2010 census. The town is named after Judge John Fine, a businessman involved in settling the town.
The Town of Fine is in the southern part of the county, south of
Canton.
The
SUNY-ESF Ranger School is in the eastern part of the town, and the Griffin Memorial Forest is also located in the town.
History
The first settlement was begun by Elias Teall, who made a contract on October 24, 1823, with the proprietors of the east half of Scriba, and undertook to secure settlers on the tract. He built a mill on the east branch of the Oswegatchie and made some small improvements; but his undertaking failed. September 6, 1828, James C. Haile made a contract with the proprietors, and built a sawmill and a small grist mill on the Oswegatchie; he induced other settlers to come. In May 1833, he also left the town, his settlers having abandoned him. In February 1834, Arnasa I. Brown contracted with the owners for the Haile improvements and an additional tract of land, and in March of that year moved his family in; his nearest neighbors were ten miles away. A few others joined him, and by 1843 there were 43 or 44 voters.
[Hough, Franklin B. (1853]
''"A history of St. Lawrence and Franklin counties, New York: from the earliest period to the present time"''
/ref>
The little hamlet of Fine is on the east branch of the Oswegatchie River about five miles southeast of South Edwards. It has been locally known as "Smithville" from William P. Smith, who was an early resident there.
The town was organized in 1849 from parts of the Towns of Pierrepont and Russell.
The Fine Town Hall was 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 ...
in 1996.
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 (1.36%) is water.
The town lies within 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 , ...
.
The southern town line is the border of Lewis and Herkimer counties.
New York State Route 3, an east–west highway, crosses the town. New York State Route 58 intersects NY-3 near Fine village.
The east branch of the Oswegatchie River flows in a northwesterly direction from Cranberry Lake, through Fine.
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 ...
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 ...
, 0.68% 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 ...
, 0.68% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.06% from other races, and 0.92% 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 0.37% of the population.
There were 667 households, out of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% 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, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $32,112, and the median income for a family was $38,618. Males had a median income of $38,043 versus $20,875 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 $16,744. About 13.7% of families and 17.3% 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 24.1% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in Fine
* Aldrich – A 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 ...
south of Coffin Mills.
* Briggs – A hamlet near the western town line, west of Coffin Mills.
* Coffins Mills – A hamlet southwest of Oswegatchie village.
* Fine – The hamlet of Fine is in the northern part of the town by the east branch of the Oswegatchie River. It was originally known as "Smithville","Andersonville" and Sarahsburg from an early resident.
* Flat Rock Reservoir – A reservoir located north of Lower Oswegatchie.
* Inlet – A location west of Wanakena.
* Jayville – A hamlet at the western town line, west of Briggs.
* Long Lake – A lake located on the southern town line. Located east of Round Lake.
* Lower Oswegatchie – A hamlet on NY-3, located in the eastern part of the town and north of Oswegatchie village.
* Oswegatchie – A hamlet on NY-3, located in eastern part of the town. This settlement grew to importance as a railroad community.
* Otter Pond – A lake located southeast of Star Lake.
* Round Lake – A lake located near the southern town line.
* Star 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 eastern part of the town.
* Star Lake – A hamlet located on the eastern town line and east of Star Lake on NY-3. Most of the community is in the Town of Clifton. Star Lake is also the location for the Clifton-Fine Central School District.
* Streeter Lake – A small lake located southeast of Star Lake.
* Sucker Lake – A lake located east of Coffins Mills.
* Wanakena – A hamlet located on County Road 61 on an arm of Cranberry Lake in the southeastern part of the town. It is the location of the SUNY-ESF Ranger School.
References
External links
Town of Fine, NY
SUNY-ESF Ranger School
{{authority control
Towns in St. Lawrence County, New York
Towns in New York (state)