North Elba 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 Essex 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 7,480 at the 2020 census.US Census 2020 Results, QuickFacts, North Elba town, Essex County, New York https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/northelbatownessexcountynewyork North Elba is on the western edge of the county. It is by road southwest of

Plattsburgh Plattsburgh is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, New York, United States, situated on the north-western shore of Lake Champlain. The population was 19,841 at the 2020 census. The population of the surrounding (and separately in ...

, south-southwest of

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

, and north of Albany. While it is only west-southwest of

Burlington, Vermont Burlington, officially the City of Burlington, is the List of municipalities in Vermont, most populous city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the county seat, seat of Chittenden County, Vermont, Chittenden County. It is located south of the Can ...

, one would have to either take a ferry across

Lake Champlain Lake Champlain ( ; , ) is a natural freshwater lake in North America. It mostly lies between the U.S. states of New York (state), New York and Vermont, but also extends north into the Canadian province of Quebec. The cities of Burlington, Ve ...

, or drive around it. The entirety of the

village A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban v ...

of Lake Placid is located within the boundaries of North Elba, as is part of the village of Saranac Lake.

History

The town was first settled around 1814. In 1840 there were six families in the future North Elba, which was formed from part of the town of Keene in 1849. The

abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world. The first country to fully outlaw slavery was Kingdom of France, France in 1315, but it was later used ...

John Brown John Brown most often refers to: *John Brown (abolitionist) (1800–1859), American who led an anti-slavery raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, in 1859 John Brown or Johnny Brown may also refer to: Academia * John Brown (educator) (1763–1842), Ir ...

, attracted by the views of local abolitionist

Gerrit Smith Gerrit Smith (March 6, 1797 – December 28, 1874), also spelled Gerritt Smith, was an American social reformer, abolitionist, businessman, public intellectual, and philanthropist. Married to Ann Carroll Fitzhugh, Smith was a candidate for P ...

, came to the town in 1849 to found a community for former black slaves. Smith was trying to resettle free blacks on land in the area, but it was not suitable for family farming. Brown left from his farm for the raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859. A visitor in 1861 noted that in North Elba there was "a school house, which serves for this purpose, for a church, and a town hall." At that time, when the village of Lake Placid did not exist, a map of 1858 reveals that North Elba was at that time also a hamlet, centered at the intersection of what are today (2021) New York State Route 73 and Adirondack Loj roads. The town and its village, Lake Placid, were the site of the

1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident (1932), Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort ...

and

1980 Winter Olympics The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially the XIII Olympic Winter Games and also known as Lake Placid 1980, were an international multi-sport event held from February 13 to 24, 1980, in Lake Placid, New York, United States. Lake Placid was elected ...

. Barngalow and the Larom-Welles Cottage were 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 1992.

Notable people

, the famous abolitionist, who was executed after his conviction of treason, sedition, and murder by the state of Virginia, is buried on his family's farm in North Elba, as is his son Watson Brown. Twelve other participants in Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, including his son Oliver, were moved in 1899 to a common grave near Brown's. *

Melvil Dewey Melville Louis Kossuth "Melvil" Dewey (December 10, 1851 – December 26, 1931) was an American librarian and educator who invented the Dewey Decimal system of library classification. He was a founder of the Lake Placid Club, a chief librarian a ...

, inventor of the Dewey Decimal System, founded a resort in the town.

Geography

North Elba town hall Lake Placid NY 2024-07-09 19-36-55

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 3.03%, is water. Some of the High Peaks of 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 , ...

are in the southern part of town. The West Branch of the Au Sable River flows out the northeastern corner of the town. The western town line is the border of Franklin County. New York State Route 73 and New York State Route 86 are east–west highways in the town that intersect at Lake Placid village.

Sites

* North Country Community College * The Adirondack Scenic Railroad traverses the town *

John Brown Farm State Historic Site The John Brown Farm State Historic Site includes the home and final resting place of abolitionist John Brown (1800–1859). It is located on John Brown Road in the town of North Elba, 3 miles (5 km) southeast of Lake Placid, New York, whe ...

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 8,661 people, 2,944 households, and 1,675 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 3,991 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 85.71%

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 ...

, 10.10%

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 ...

, 0.40% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.20%

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 ...

, 1.82% from other races, and 0.90% 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 6.51% of the population. There were 2,944 households, out of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% 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, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.1% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.90. In the town, the population was spread out, with 17.6% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 39.6% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 146.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 158.2 males. The median income for a household in the town was $35,329, and the median income for a family was $44,828. Males had a median income of $27,787 versus $23,356 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 $19,259. About 7.3% of families and 10.9% 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 11.9% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in North Elba

*Buck Island – An island in Lake Placid. * Lake Placid – A lake in the north-central part of the town. * Lake Placid – A

near the center of the town at the junction of NY-73 and

NY-86 New York State Route 86 (NY 86) is a long state highway located within Adirondack Park in northern New York (state), New York, in the United States, linking Franklin County, New York, Franklin County to Essex County, New York, Essex C ...

. *Lake Placid Airport (LKP) – A general aviation airport south of Lake Placid village. *Mirror Lake – A small lake adjacent to Lake Placid village. *Moose Island – An island in Lake Placid north of Buck Island. *North Elba – 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 North Elba is southeast of Lake Placid village on NY-73. * Ray Brook – A hamlet between Saranac Lake and Lake Placid villages on NY-86. ** Federal Correctional Institution, Ray Brook – A federal prison near Ray Brook hamlet. It is a medium security facility for male prisoners. During its construction, it was used as an Olympic village for competitors. *Round Lake – A small lake, east of North Elba village. * Saranac Lake – A village, a part of which is at the western border of the town on NY-86. *

Timbuctoo ''Timbuctoo'' is a series of 25 children's books, written and illustrated by Roger Hargreaves, better known for his ''Mr. Men'' and ''Little Miss'' series. It was published from 1978 to 1979, with selected reprints in 1993 and 1999. The books ...

(1850–1870) – a failed community of Black farmers, brought there by John Brown *Undercliff – A hamlet on the northwestern shore of Lake Placid. *Whiteface – A hamlet on the southwestern shore of Lake Placid.

References

External links

Town of North Elba official website

{{authority control Towns in Essex County, New York Towns in New York (state) 1849 establishments in New York (state) African Americans in New York (state)