Old Forge, New York
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Old Forge is 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 ...
(and
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...
) on New York State Route 28 in the
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 ...
of
Webb Webb may refer to: Places Antarctica *Webb Glacier (South Georgia) *Webb Glacier (Victoria Land) * Webb Névé, Victoria Land, the névé at the head of Seafarer Glacier * Webb Nunataks, a group of nunataks in the Neptune Range * Webb Peak (disa ...
in Herkimer 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 756 at the 2010 census. Old Forge was formerly a
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 ...
but dissolved its incorporation in 1936,''Ogdensburg Herald'', "Community Ceases to be a Village", Associated Press, published April 1, 1936, Retrieved Mar. 17, 2016. but it remains the principal community in the region. As one of the western gateway communities 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 , ...
, Old Forge forms an extensive business district, primarily directed at
tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...
especially during the summer months. The local school is the Town of Webb UFSD, a K–12 institution with the Timberwolves as its mascot (changed from Eskimos in 2023). Old Forge often records the lowest winter temperatures in New York. On February 17, 1979, the record low temperature for New York was set in Old Forge at .


History

In 1798, the area including Old Forge came into possession of the Brown family of
Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...
, through a transaction involving
Aaron Burr Aaron Burr Jr. (February 6, 1756 – September 14, 1836) was an American politician, businessman, lawyer, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third vice president of the United States from 1801 to 1805 d ...
. John Francis Brown built a wagon trail from Remsen and attempted to settle about 20 families in the area. The land was unsuitable for farming, these attempts failed, and the area was abandoned by 1803. One of John Brown's daughters, Sarah "Sally" Brown (1773–1846), married in 1801 Charles Frederick Herreshoff II (1763–1819). Together, they moved to the area and attempted to raise sheep, opened an iron mine, and built the first forge. These ventures again failed, and Herreshoff committed
suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...
in 1819. (see Herreshoff family) A few settlers remained, including Nat Foster. The railroad was built in 1888, originally horse-drawn with wooden rails. Before the railroad was completed, the plans were changed to use steam power rather than horses. A station was constructed at nearby Thendara. Old Forge was incorporated as a village in October 1903.''Rome Daily Sentinel'', "Old Forge to be Incorporated", October 5, 1903, Retrieved Mar. 17, 2016. The incorporation would be short-lived, as residents voted to dissolve the village on July 11, 1933, 117 to 96, due to the high cost of government operations.''Rome Daily Sentinel'', "To Dissolve as a Village", July 12, 1933, Retrieved Mar. 17, 2016. A second vote for the final dissolution plan took place on October 21, 1933, also in favor. The
New York Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the superior court in the Judiciary of New York. It is vested with unlimited civil and criminal jurisdiction, although in many counties outside New York City it acts primarily as a court of civil ju ...
, 5th Judicial District, handed down a
court order A court order is an official proclamation by a judge (or panel of judges) that defines the legal relationships between the parties to a hearing, a trial, an appeal or other court proceedings. Such ruling requires or authorizes the carrying o ...
three months later suspending the dissolution process due to a lawsuit claiming the special election in October was illegal based on taxpayer and distribution factors within the plan.''Boonville Herald'', "Appeal is Filed in Old Forge Dissolution Case", February 14, 1935, Retrieved Mar. 17, 2016.''Utica Daily Press'', "Court Holds Up Dissolution of Old Forge", January 10, 1934, Retrieved Mar. 17, 2016. After an appeal to the
New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York is the intermediate appellate court in New York State. The state is geographically divided into four judicial departments of the Appellate Division. The full title of each is, u ...
, Fourth Department, the Village of Old Forge was officially able to dissolve on March 31, 1936.''Utica Observer-Dispatch'', "Friendly Suit in Dissolution Move Possible", February 14, 1935, Retrieved Mar. 17, 2016.


Notable features

Many peaks can be seen from the village, including McCauley Mountain, home of McCauley Mountain Ski Resort. As Old Forge is frequently affected by
lake-effect snow Lake-effect snow is produced during cooler atmospheric conditions when a cold air mass moves across long expanses of warmer lake water. The lower layer of air, heated by the lake water, picks up water vapor from the lake and rises through colde ...
, and with 65% snowmaking capabilities, McCauley averages a base of and 105 days of skiing. Snowfall totals also contribute to the area's other primary winter draw,
snowmobiling A snowmobile, also known as a snowmachine (chiefly Alaskan), motor sled (chiefly Canadian), motor sledge, skimobile, snow scooter, or simply a sled is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on snow. Their engines normally ...
. Dubbed the "Snowmobile Capital of the East" by USA Today, Old Forge controls primary access to more than of groomed trails. These trails, combined with operative sidewalk and limited street use, often ridable frozen lakes (especially the adjoining Fulton Chain of Lakes), and connection to other large trail systems, offer substantial area for the sport. The western terminus of the
Northern Forest Canoe Trail The Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) is a marked canoeing trail in the northeastern United States and Canada, extending from Old Forge in the Adirondacks of New York to Fort Kent, Maine. Along the way, the trail also passes through the state ...
is found near Old Forge. The water trail continues on for approximately 700 miles to the eastern terminal in
Fort Kent, Maine Fort Kent ( French: ''Fort-Kent'') is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States, situated at the confluence of the Fish River and the Saint John River, on the border with New Brunswick, Canada. The population was 4,067 in the 2020 cens ...
. The route was completed in 2006 and runs through both public and private lands. It is based on routes once used by Native Americans and pioneers and is the longest
water trail Water trails (also known as blueways) are marked routes on navigable waterway such as rivers, lakes, canals, and coastlines for recreational use. They allow access to waterways for non-motorized boats and sometimes motorized vessels, inner tube ...
in the United States. The Goodsell House 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 2006. Enchanted Forest Water Safari in Old Forge is New York's largest water theme park as of 2018. View Arts Center is a community center that offers a broad range of activities, including exhibitions, performances, events and workshops, in addition to on-going offerings of yoga, private painting and pottery lessons and group classes.


Airport and dam

Old Forge Airport is a small grass-field airport that is one mile north of the actual town. There are two runways. The airport is unattended and is privately owned. Permission must be obtained before landing. The Old Forge Dam separates the Fulton Chain of Lakes and the Moose River.


Geography and climate

Old Forge is located in northern Herkimer County at , in the southern part of the town of Webb. The community lies within the
Adirondack Mountains The Adirondack Mountains ( ) are a massif of mountains in Northeastern New York which form a circular dome approximately wide and covering about . The region contains more than 100 peaks, including Mount Marcy, which is the highest point in Ne ...
, a southern extension of the
Canadian Shield The Canadian Shield ( ), also called the Laurentian Shield or the Laurentian Plateau, is a geologic shield, a large area of exposed Precambrian igneous and high-grade metamorphic rocks. It forms the North American Craton (or Laurentia), th ...
and an important geologic feature of New York. As with any settlement in Adirondack Park, development both inside and outside the hamlet of Old Forge is somewhat restricted, and land use policies set forth by the Adirondack Park Agency must be observed. 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 CDP has a total area of , of which are land and , or 9.06%, are water. The primary highway passing through Old Forge is New York State Route 28, leading east to
Raquette Lake Raquette Lake is the Source (river or stream), source of the Raquette River in the Adirondack Mountains of New York (state), New York U.S. state, State. It is near the community of Raquette Lake, New York. The lake has of shoreline with pines ...
and southwest to Route 12 at Alder Creek. Old Forge lies along the Moose River at the western end of the Fulton Chain of Lakes. The climate is cool summer
humid continental Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation, dew, or fog to be present. Humidity depe ...
.


Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 756 people, 371 households, and 208 families residing in the CDP. The population density was . The racial makeup of the CDP was 97.0%
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 ...
, 0.4%
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 ...
or
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 ...
, 0.7% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.0%
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 ...
, 0.1% from other races, and 1.6% 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 1.2% of the population. There were 371 households, out of which 19.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% were married couples living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.9% were non-families. 38.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.04 and the average family size was 2.67. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 19.0% under the age of 20, 5.2% from 20 to 24, 19.5% from 25 to 44, 37.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $32,539, and the median income for a family was $62,708. Males had a median income of $32,750 versus $31,761 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $26,662. About 3.3% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.0% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.


Housing

There were 778 housing units at an average density of . 407 units, or 52.3%, were vacant, of which 351 were for seasonal or recreational use. There were 371 occupied housing units in the CDP. 231 were owner-occupied units (61.3%), while 140 were renter-occupied (37.7%). The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.1% of total units. The rental unit vacancy rate was 18.1%.


Transportation

New York Route 28, running northeast–southwest, the commercial center of the village. Old Forge Airport, a private use airport is one mile north of Old Forge. Until 1965, the
New York Central Railroad The New York Central Railroad was a railroad primarily operating in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The railroad primarily connected New York metropolitan area, gr ...
ran passenger service to Thendara station, two miles to the southwest.


Notable people

Old Forge has been home, or at least the summer residence, to many notable people, including former presidents, Olympic athletes, World Cup skiers, and a pioneering female physician. * Lowell Bailey: U.S. Olympic Athlete in Biathlon and World Cup Skier, resided and learned to ski as a youth in Old Forge. * Louie Ehrensbeck: U.S. Olympic Athlete in Biathlon * Patrick Farmer: NCAA and Professional Women's Soccer Coach *
Benjamin Harrison Benjamin Harrison (August 20, 1833March 13, 1901) was the 23rd president of the United States, serving from 1889 to 1893. He was a member of the Harrison family of Virginia—a grandson of the ninth president, William Henry Harrison, and a ...
: 23rd
President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...
built a summer camp named Berkley Lodge * Hank Kashiwa: US National Ski Champion, U.S. Olympic Skier, and Sports Commentator *
Alexandra Waterbury Alexandra Waterbury is an American ballet dancer and fashion model. In September 2018 she began a lawsuit against her former boyfriend and his employer—principal dancer Chase Finlay and New York City Ballet—and several other parties, alleging ...
: model and ballet dancer


References


External links

*
Old Forge Fire DepartmentOld Forge Visitor Information Center
{{authority control Adirondacks Utica–Rome metropolitan area Former villages in New York (state) Census-designated places in Herkimer County, New York Census-designated places in New York (state) Hamlets in Herkimer County, New York