Rotterdam (town), New York
Encyclopedia
Rotterdam is a town in Schenectady County
, New York
, United States
. The population was 28,316 at the 2000 census.
The town of Rotterdam is in the south-central part of the county. It was founded by Dutch settler
s, who named it after the port of Rotterdam
in the Netherlands, where many emigrants last touched European grounds. The town borders the city of Schenectady
.
The lands now known as Rotterdam became Schenectady's third ward when that city was incorporated in 1798. Rotterdam retained that status when the county of Schenectady was chartered in 1809. during this period, a council of aldermen and assistants from each of the 4 wards governed the city of Schenectady. In May 1819, the city council recommended that the third and fourth wards be separated out as towns, and on December 31, a petition to the state legislature was drafted. The legislation was passed on April 14, 1820, the final day of the legislative session, creating the town of Rotterdam.
The Dellemont-Wemple Farm
was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1973 and the Enlarged Double Lock No. 23, Old Erie Canal
in 2008.
The Mabee House
, at the Mabee Farm Historic Site, oldest surviving house in the Mohawk Valley, was added to the National Register of Historic Places May 22, 1978. it is a property of the Schenectady County Historical Society
, being donated by a last descendent in his particular line, Mr. George Eugene Franchere on January 29, 1993, the 287th anniversary of the original deed. It is currently being operated as a living history museum, conducts school programs, and events for the public.
defines the northeast town line. The New York State Thruway
passes through the town.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 36.5 square miles (94.5 km²), of which, 36.0 square miles (93.2 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (1.40%) is water.
Town Board
Supervisor, Francis Del Gallo (D)
Deputy Supervisor, Robert Godlewski (D)
Board Member, Nicola DiLeva (D)
Board Member, Matthew Martin (D)
Board Member, Gerard Parisi (R)
http://www.rotterdamny.org/
of 2000, there were 28,316 people, 11,544 households, and 8,092 families residing in the town. The population density
was 787.0 people per square mile (303.9/km²). There were 11,990 housing units at an average density of 333.3 per square mile (128.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.26% White, 0.95% Black or African American
, 0.16% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races
, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.97% of the population.
There were 11,544 households out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples
living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $46,267, and the median income for a family was $54,542. Males had a median income of $37,536 versus $27,527 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $21,457. About 2.8% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.2% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
Schenectady County, New York
Schenectady County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 154,727. It is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Schenectady. The name is from a Mohawk Indian word meaning "on the other side of the...
, 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 28,316 at the 2000 census.
The town of Rotterdam is in the south-central part of the county. It was founded by Dutch settler
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
s, who named it after the port of Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
in the Netherlands, where many emigrants last touched European grounds. The town borders the city of Schenectady
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
.
History
Situated near the eastern end of NYState's Heritage Corridor at what is known as the "Gateway to the West," the town of Rotterdam is closely linked with the early developement of Schenectady. In 1661, Aren't Van Curler from Nykerk, Holland, and 14 other proprietors cleared and settled the area that became the city of Schenectady. At that time the present town of Rotterdam served as the outlying farmlands and wood lots for the settlers. with few exceptions, these settlers made their homes in the stockade in Schenectady but went to their farmlands during the daytime.The lands now known as Rotterdam became Schenectady's third ward when that city was incorporated in 1798. Rotterdam retained that status when the county of Schenectady was chartered in 1809. during this period, a council of aldermen and assistants from each of the 4 wards governed the city of Schenectady. In May 1819, the city council recommended that the third and fourth wards be separated out as towns, and on December 31, a petition to the state legislature was drafted. The legislation was passed on April 14, 1820, the final day of the legislative session, creating the town of Rotterdam.
The Dellemont-Wemple Farm
Dellemont-Wemple Farm
Dellemont-Wemple Farm is a historic farm complex located at Rotterdam in Schenectady County, New York. The complex consists of the farmhouse, Dutch barn, chicken house, and family cemetery. The brick, gambrel roofed Dutch style farmhouse was built about 1790 and sits on a stone foundation...
was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1973 and the Enlarged Double Lock No. 23, Old Erie Canal
Enlarged Double Lock No. 23, Old Erie Canal
Enlarged Double Lock No. 23, Old Erie Canal is a historic Erie canal lock located at Rotterdam in Schenectady County, New York. It was built in 1841-1842 as part of the First Enlargement. It is built entirely of large cut limestone blocks, laid regular ashlar, and mortared with hydraulic cement...
in 2008.
The Mabee House
Mabee House
Dating from the 17th century, the Mabee House at the Mabee Farm Historic Site is the oldest house still standing in the Mohawk Valley. It is located in the town of Rotterdam, N. Y., in the hamlet of Rotterdam Junction, New York, along New York State Highway 5S, about six miles west of the city of...
, at the Mabee Farm Historic Site, oldest surviving house in the Mohawk Valley, was added to the National Register of Historic Places May 22, 1978. it is a property of the Schenectady County Historical Society
Schenectady County Historical Society
The Schenectady County Historical Society, located in Schenectady, New York, was established on July 14, 1905, under the Membership Corporation Laws of the State of New York. The Society is an independent not-for-profit corporation, not a unit of government...
, being donated by a last descendent in his particular line, Mr. George Eugene Franchere on January 29, 1993, the 287th anniversary of the original deed. It is currently being operated as a living history museum, conducts school programs, and events for the public.
Geography
The Mohawk RiverMohawk River
The Mohawk River is a river in the U.S. state of New York. It is the largest tributary of the Hudson River. The Mohawk flows into the Hudson in the Capital District, a few miles north of the city of Albany. The river is named for the Mohawk Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy...
defines the northeast town line. 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...
passes through the town.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 36.5 square miles (94.5 km²), of which, 36.0 square miles (93.2 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (1.40%) is water.
Government
Rotterdam Town Board consists of five members, including the Supervisor who is a voting member.Town Board
Supervisor, Francis Del Gallo (D)
Deputy Supervisor, Robert Godlewski (D)
Board Member, Nicola DiLeva (D)
Board Member, Matthew Martin (D)
Board Member, Gerard Parisi (R)
http://www.rotterdamny.org/
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 28,316 people, 11,544 households, and 8,092 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 787.0 people per square mile (303.9/km²). There were 11,990 housing units at an average density of 333.3 per square mile (128.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.26% White, 0.95% 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...
, 0.16% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.21% 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 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.97% of the population.
There were 11,544 households out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% 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, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $46,267, and the median income for a family was $54,542. Males had a median income of $37,536 versus $27,527 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 $21,457. About 2.8% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.2% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in Rotterdam
- Antonia Hills
- Colonial Manor – A well-sized community between Cold Brook and South Schenectady, with housing developed in the 1950s by Charles Juracka.
- Carman – A relatively small community anchored by Carman Park.
- Cold Brook – A well-sized suburbSuburbThe word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
an community placed on the former Campbell Family estate. - Lower Rotterdam Junction – A hamlet south of Rotterdam Junction on Route 5S.
- PattersonvillePattersonville-Rotterdam Junction, New YorkPattersonville-Rotterdam Junction is a census-designated place in Schenectady County, New York, United States. The population was 918 at the 2000 census....
– A hamlet in the northern part of the town on the town line. - RotterdamRotterdam (CDP), New YorkRotterdam is a census-designated place in the town of Rotterdam in Schenectady County, New York, United States. It is a suburb of Schenectady...
– A large suburbSuburbThe word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
an community west of Schenectady. - Rotterdam JunctionPattersonville-Rotterdam Junction, New YorkPattersonville-Rotterdam Junction is a census-designated place in Schenectady County, New York, United States. The population was 918 at the 2000 census....
– A hamlet near the Mohawk River on Route 5S. - Schonowe
- South Schenectady
- Eldorado Acres
- Sunrise Estates/Caroline Manor
See also
- Rotterdam (CDP)Rotterdam (CDP), New YorkRotterdam is a census-designated place in the town of Rotterdam in Schenectady County, New York, United States. It is a suburb of Schenectady...
, New YorkNew YorkNew 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... - Pattersonville-Rotterdam JunctionPattersonville-Rotterdam Junction, New YorkPattersonville-Rotterdam Junction is a census-designated place in Schenectady County, New York, United States. The population was 918 at the 2000 census....
, New YorkNew YorkNew 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...