Champlain (town), New York
Encyclopedia
Champlain is a town
in Clinton County
, New York
, United States
. The population was 5,754 at the 2010 census. The town is named after Lake Champlain
.
The Town of Champlain is in the northeast part of the county. Within the town are two villages, one of which is also named Champlain
. The other is the village of Rouses Point
.
The lake and the town were named in honor of Samuel de Champlain
, who first surveyed the area in 1609. It was part of Canada until 1763, and became part of the United States in 1783.
The town was formed in 1788, the same year the county was established. In 1799, the town was reduced by the formation of the Town of Chateaugay
(now in Franklin County
). The founding of the towns of Chazy
and Mooers
in 1804 further reduced Champlain.
Champlain is on the border with Canada and contains three border crossings: Champlain, Overton Corners, and Rouses Point. The Champlain Port of Entry on Interstate 87
is one of the four most important commercial gateways on the northern border, connecting Quebec Autoroute 15
from Montreal
to New York City
.
, the town has a total area of 58.8 square miles (152.4 km²), of which 51.2 square miles (132.6 km²) is land and 7.6 square miles (19.7 km²) (12.95%) is water.
Lake Champlain and the Richelieu River
are on the east edge of the town, where the town has a common border with Grand Isle County
, Vermont
. The town line to the north is the international border with Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Quebec
, Canada
.
The 176 miles (283.2 km) Adirondack Northway (Interstate 87) is a major north-south highway that begins at the Canada-United States border
at Champlain and travels south to Albany
, connecting to the New York State Thruway
. U.S. Route 9
parallels I-87, and U.S. Route 11
runs east-west across the town. U.S. Route 2
intersects US-11 by Rouses Point. New York State Route 9B
intersects US-11 in the northeast and US-9 in the southern part of Champlain, providing a highway closer to Lake Champlain. New York State Route 276
partly runs along the international border. Champlain is approximately 30 miles south of Montreal.
of 2000, there were 5,791 people, 2,386 households, and 1,562 families residing in the town. The population density
was 113.1 people per square mile (43.7/km²). There were 2,718 housing units at an average density of 53.1 per square mile (20.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.74% White, 0.52% Black or African American
, 0.29% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races
, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.00% of the population.
There were 2,386 households out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were married couples
living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $37,775, and the median income for a family was $46,113. Males had a median income of $35,198 versus $26,345 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $18,987. About 6.7% of families and 9.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.5% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Clinton County
Clinton County, New York
Clinton County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 82,128. Its name is in honor of the first Governor of New York as a state, George Clinton. Its county seat is Plattsburgh.-History:...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 5,754 at the 2010 census. The town is named after Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
.
The Town of Champlain is in the northeast part of the county. Within the town are two villages, one of which is also named Champlain
Champlain (village), New York
Champlain is a village in Clinton County, New York, USA. The population was 1,101 at the 2010 census. The village is named after nearby Lake Champlain.The Village of Champlain in located in the Town of Champlain and is north of Plattsburgh.-History:...
. The other is the village of Rouses Point
Rouses Point, New York
Rouses Point is a village in Clinton County, New York, United States, along the 45th parallel. The population was 2,209 at the 2010 census. The village is named after Jacques Rouse, an early settler....
.
History
Nearby Lake Champlain was an important military and trade route during the colonial period.The lake and the town were named in honor of Samuel de Champlain
Samuel de Champlain
Samuel de Champlain , "The Father of New France", was a French navigator, cartographer, draughtsman, soldier, explorer, geographer, ethnologist, diplomat, and chronicler. He founded New France and Quebec City on July 3, 1608....
, who first surveyed the area in 1609. It was part of Canada until 1763, and became part of the United States in 1783.
The town was formed in 1788, the same year the county was established. In 1799, the town was reduced by the formation of the Town of Chateaugay
Chateaugay (town), New York
Chateaugay is a town in Franklin County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 2,036. The name is derived from a location in France, which was applied to a local land grant....
(now in Franklin County
Franklin County, New York
Franklin County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 51,599. It is named in honor of American Founding Father Benjamin Franklin...
). The founding of the towns of Chazy
Chazy, New York
Chazy is a town in northeastern Clinton County, New York, in the United States. The population was 4,284 at the 2010 census. The closest city is Plattsburgh, to the south. Chazy is from Canada. The zip code is 12921 and it is in area code 518.- History:...
and Mooers
Mooers (town), New York
Mooers is a town in Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 3,592 at the 2010 census. The town is named after Benjamin Mooers, an early settler....
in 1804 further reduced Champlain.
Champlain is on the border with Canada and contains three border crossings: Champlain, Overton Corners, and Rouses Point. The Champlain Port of Entry on Interstate 87
Interstate 87
Interstate 87 is a Interstate Highway located entirely within New York State in the United States of America. I-87 is the longest intrastate Interstate highway in the Interstate Highway System. Its southern end is at the Bronx approaches of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City...
is one of the four most important commercial gateways on the northern border, connecting Quebec Autoroute 15
Quebec Autoroute 15
Autoroute 15 is a highway in western Quebec, Canada...
from Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 58.8 square miles (152.4 km²), of which 51.2 square miles (132.6 km²) is land and 7.6 square miles (19.7 km²) (12.95%) is water.
Lake Champlain and the Richelieu River
Richelieu River
The Richelieu River is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows from the north end of Lake Champlain about north, ending at the confluence with the St. Lawrence River at Sorel-Tracy, Quebec downstream and northeast of Montreal...
are on the east edge of the town, where the town has a common border with Grand Isle County
Grand Isle County, Vermont
Grand Isle County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of 2010, the population was 6,970. Its shire town is North Hero.Grand Isle County is part of the Burlington-South Burlington, VT Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. The town line to the north is the international border with Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Quebec
Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Quebec
Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle is a municipality in Les Jardins-de-Napierville Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada, located in the administrative area of Montérégie. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 1,537. Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle was established officially in 1855...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
The 176 miles (283.2 km) Adirondack Northway (Interstate 87) is a major north-south highway that begins at the Canada-United States border
Canada-United States border
The Canada–United States border, officially known as the International Boundary, is the longest border in the world. The terrestrial boundary is 8,891 kilometers long, including 2,475 kilometres shared with Alaska...
at Champlain and travels south to Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, connecting to the New York State Thruway
New York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
. U.S. Route 9
U.S. Route 9
U.S. Route 9 is a north–south United States highway in the states of Delaware, New Jersey, and New York in the United States. It is one of only two U.S. highways with a ferry connection ; the other being US 10. US 9 is signed east–west in Delaware and north–south on the rest of...
parallels I-87, and U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 11 is a north–south United States highway extending 1,645 miles across the eastern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 90 in the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge in eastern New Orleans, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at the United...
runs east-west across the town. U.S. Route 2
U.S. Route 2
U.S. Route 2 is an east–west U.S. Highway spanning across the northern continental United States. US 2 consists of two segments connected by various roadways in southern Canada...
intersects US-11 by Rouses Point. New York State Route 9B
New York State Route 9B
New York State Route 9B is a state highway located within Clinton County, New York, in the United States. The route serves as a connector between its parent route, U.S. Route 9 , in the town of Champlain and US 11 in the village of Rouses Point...
intersects US-11 in the northeast and US-9 in the southern part of Champlain, providing a highway closer to Lake Champlain. New York State Route 276
New York State Route 276
New York State Route 276 is a state highway located entirely within Clinton County, New York, in the United States. It connects the town of Champlain to the village of Rouses Point, with both termini situated at intersections with U.S. Route 11 about apart...
partly runs along the international border. Champlain is approximately 30 miles south of Montreal.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 5,791 people, 2,386 households, and 1,562 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 113.1 people per square mile (43.7/km²). There were 2,718 housing units at an average density of 53.1 per square mile (20.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.74% White, 0.52% Black or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.29% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.00% of the population.
There were 2,386 households out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $37,775, and the median income for a family was $46,113. Males had a median income of $35,198 versus $26,345 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $18,987. About 6.7% of families and 9.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.5% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in the Town of Champlain
- Catfish Point – A location on the shore of Lake ChamplainLake ChamplainLake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
by Kings Bay. - ChamplainChamplain (village), New YorkChamplain is a village in Clinton County, New York, USA. The population was 1,101 at the 2010 census. The village is named after nearby Lake Champlain.The Village of Champlain in located in the Town of Champlain and is north of Plattsburgh.-History:...
– The Village of Champlain is in the central part of the town near the US-9 and US-11 intersection. - Chazy River – A stream flowing through the town to King Bay in Lake Champlain.
- Coopersville – A hamletHamlet (place)A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
by the Chazy River on NY-9B. It was also known as "Corbeau" and settled around 1789. - Corbeau Creek – An important tributary of the Chazy River.
- Kings Bay – A bayBayA bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
of Lake Champlain southeast of Rouses Point. - Kings Bay Wildlife Management AreaNew York State Wildlife Management AreasNew York State owns and maintains more than 85 Wildlife Management Areas , with a total area of more than .The Wildlife Management Areas Program is administered by the Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources of the Department of Environmental Conservation...
– A conservation area on the shore of Lake Champalain. - Perry Mills – A hamlet in the northwest part of the town on the Chazy River.
- Point a Fer – A peninsula in Lake Champlain south of Rouses Point.
- Rouses PointRouses Point, New YorkRouses Point is a village in Clinton County, New York, United States, along the 45th parallel. The population was 2,209 at the 2010 census. The village is named after Jacques Rouse, an early settler....
– The Village of Rouses Point is in the northeast part of the town near Lake Champlain. - Scales Point – A location on Lake Champlain by Kings Bay
- Twin Bridges – A location on the western town line at the Chazy River.
Notable residents
- Jehudi AshmunJehudi AshmunJehudi Ashmun was a religious leader and social reformer who became involved in the American Colonization Society...
, born in Champlain, was a religious leader who promoted the settlement of blacks in LiberiaLiberiaLiberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...