Laurens 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 Otsego 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 2,424 at the 2010 census. The Town of Laurens is in the southern half of the county, north of the City of Oneonta. There is also a village named

Laurens Laurens may refer to: Places United States * Laurens County, Georgia * Laurens, Iowa, a city * Laurens (town), New York * Laurens (village), New York * Laurens, South Carolina, a city * Laurens County, South Carolina * Fort Laurens, an ...

, located in the town.

History

The town was first settled by

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

ans around 1773. Joseph Mayall arrived in 1773 about one mile north of the present Laurens village. The raiding party responsible for the

Cherry Valley Massacre The Cherry Valley massacre was an attack by British and Iroquois forces on a fort and the town of Cherry Valley in central New York on November 11, 1778, during the American Revolutionary War. It has been described as one of the most horrific f ...

also pillaged part of Laurens and burned some property. The town was formed from the Town of Otsego in 1810. It was named for Revolutionary War hero

Henry Laurens Henry Laurens (December 8, 1792) was an American Founding Father, merchant, slave trader, and rice planter from South Carolina who became a political leader during the Revolutionary War. A delegate to the Second Continental Congress, Laur ...

. A resort developed by the Oneonta Mohawk trolley line called Otsego Park was formerly located in the eastern part of Laurens. Cotton mills once were an industry in Laurens, powered by the water of Gilbert Lake.

Notable people

* Emelyn Elizabeth Gardner, folklorist and English professor *

Mel Gibson Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson (born January 3, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. The recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Mel Gibson, multiple accolades, he is known for directing historical films as well for his act ...

, actor, lived in the hamlet of Mount Vision and attended Laurens Central School before moving to Australia when he was a child. * Perry G. Harrington, Wisconsin State Assemblyman, was born in the town. * Mary Whitcher, a

Shaker Shaker or Shakers may refer to: Religious groups * Shakers, a historically significant Christian sect * Indian Shakers, a smaller Christian denomination Objects and instruments * Shaker (musical instrument), an indirect struck idiophone * Cock ...

trustee, schoolteacher, and author at the

Canterbury Shaker Village Canterbury Shaker Village is a historic site and museum in Canterbury, New Hampshire, United States. It was one of a number of Shaker communities founded in the 19th century. It is one of the most intact and authentic surviving Shaker commu ...

was born in the town.

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 42.7 square miles (110.5 km²), of which 42.6 square miles (110.3 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.3 km²) (0.23%) is water.

Otego Creek Otego Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 8, 2011 tributary of the Susquehanna River in Otsego County, New York. Otego Creek rises in the Town of Otsego an ...

flows southward through the eastern part of Laurens. A sulfur spring is located about one mile north of Laurens village.

New York State Route 205 New York State Route 205 (NY 205) is a north–south state highway in central Otsego County, New York, in the United States. It extends from Interstate 88 (New York), Interstate 88 (I-88) at exit 13 near the city of Oneonta ...

, a north-south highway, follows the course of Otsego Creek.

New York State Route 23 New York State Route 23 (NY 23) is an east–west state highway in the eastern portion of New York (state), New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with New York State Route 26, NY 26 in the Central Ne ...

, an east-west highway, passes through the center of the town.

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 2,402 people, 965 households, and 692 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 1,145 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.04%

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 ...

, 0.25%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

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 ...

, 0.46% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.08%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...

, 0.75% from other races, and 1.29% 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 1.46% of the population. There were 965 households, out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.5% 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, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 21.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.88. In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.8% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 27.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males. The median income for a household in the town was $36,324, and the median income for a family was $40,833. Males had a median income of $30,144 versus $23,235 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 $16,985. About 9.8% 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 ...

, including 16.7% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Laurens

*Butts Corners – A location north of West Laurens on County Road 10. *East Hill – An elevation located east of Laurens. * Gilbert Lake State Park – A state park partly inside the northern town line. *

– The Village of Laurens by the junction of County Roads 10, 11 and 12, near Otsego Creek. * Mount Vision – A hamlet in the northeastern part of town on NY-205. Formerly known as "Jacksonville." *Naylor Corners – A location at the northern town line. The Bassett Family House and Kenyon Residences 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 ...

. *Oneonta Municipal Airport (N66) – The

airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial Aviation, air transport. They usually consist of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surf ...

is approximately three miles north of the City of Oneonta and lies in the southeastern section of the Town of Laurens. *West Laurens – A hamlet at the intersection of NY-23 and County Road 10 near the western town line, once known locally as "Sheepskin".

References

External links

Early map and brief history of Laurens
{{authority control Towns in Otsego County, New York Towns in New York (state)