Stony Creek, New York
Encyclopedia
Stony Creek is a town in the southwest part of Warren County
, New York
, United States
. It is northwest of the city of Glens Falls
and is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 743 at the 2000 census. The town is named for a stream that flows through it. Stony Creek is within the Adirondack Park.
Stony Creek was established as a town in 1852 from a remainder of the Town of Warrensburg
called "Athol."
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, when a tannery existed at the confluence of Roaring Branch and Stony Creek near the center of town, the peak population of 1,250 was attained. During that time extensive logging was done in western Stony Creek. Once many of the hemlock trees were taken out, and tanning practices changed, the tannery closed and Stony Creek's population decreased significantly and has remained at lower levels since then.
The center of town – referred to by residents as the "four corners" (where the roads from nearby towns Hadley and Warrensburg intersect and continue on to Wilcox Lake/Harrisburg and Lens Lake, both of which teriminate at those destinations) – includes the main business and social area of town. The Stony Creek Inn, the Creek Center Mercantile and the Post Office now occupy three of the four corners and a small park adjacent at Roaring Branch occupies the fourth. Tavern 16 is a more recent addition to the four corners, just a few doors down from the Mercantile and on the banks of Stony Creek itself.
The Stony Creek Inn, currently owned by Dorothy Bartell and John Fickel since 1980, has been a mainstay of Stony Creek for more than 100 years, providing a few rooms on the second floor, a popular bar, music on weekend evenings (mostly country, square dancing, folk and rock and roll), food, and a weigh station during hunting season. Over the years the Stony Creek Inn has attracted numerous musicians from around the northeast, and is a kind of destination for many New York and New England residents seeking an out-of-the-way place to relax and listen to music. Notably, the Stony Creek Band got its start at the Inn in the 1970s, when fiddlers and folk musicians regularly jammed for many hours into the evenings, and has continued to play together ever since, cutting records and becoming significantly popular across the Northeast.
The Creek Center Mercantile, formerly "Winslow's Store" and "Floyd's Mall" named after Floyd Winslow, its now deceased but longtime owner, has been for many years the main general store in town. The Mercantile is closed but owned by Floyd's daughter's family, the Harringtons. Both the Winslows and Harringtons have lived in Stony Creek for many generations.
Prior to the Post Office, the third corner of the four corners was occupied by the Stony Creek Lodge (also known as "Ethel's" after its proprietor), the counterpart of the Stony Creek Inn. Like the Inn, the Lodge included a bar, a stage for music, and was a destination for locals, hunters, and those just traveling through. The Lodge burned down in July 1990.
Tavern 16 is a small bar built, owned and operated since the early 1990s by Henry ("Hank") and Toni Soto. Tavern 16 features impressive handcrafted woodwork, a collection of local art, and a very popular pool table (overseen by Henry Soto, Hank's father and area pool shark) and juke box. Hank is lead guitarist in the Stony Creek Band.
In addition to the four corners, the other main area of activity in Stony Creek is the John T. O'Neill Green Meadows Park (aka "rec field") which is situated just west of the four corners and along Stony Creek itself. The rec field includes a swimming hole (below a small low-head dam on Stony Creek), basketball court, softball diamond and backstop, a large pavilion under which every Tuesday night in July and August the town presents Music in the Park, playground and covered area with picnic tables.
The "rec" field is also the site of the longrunning annual Mountain Festival. In the past, the original Mountain Days celebrated the 100th anniversary of the town and paid homage to the area's rich logging tradition, attracting thousands of attendees. It included competitions such as the greased pole climb (where competitors stood on each others' shoulders to get to the top of a debarked, greased pole where a $100 bill was nailed), chainsaw and bandsaw speed competitions, wood chopping competitions, axe throwing competitions, and greased pig chases. In recent years Mountain Days now called Mountain Festival has become a more traditional and smaller festival, with music, food and activities for kids and stands selling various local arts and crafts. The festival continues to grow with added attractions each year.
The Methodist Episcopal Church
was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 2010.
, the town has a total area of 83.2 square miles (215.5 km²), of which, 82.4 square miles (213.4 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) of it (1.01%) is water.
The south town line is the border of Saratoga County
. The east town line is marked by the Hudson River
, and the west town line is the border of Hamilton County
.
and Hadley
in Saratoga County. The west town line is shared by the town of Wells
in Hamilton County. To the north is the town of Thurman
and the east town line is shared with the town of Warrensburg.
of 2000, there were 743 people, 297 households, and 204 families residing in the town. The population density
was 9.0 people per square mile (3.5/km²). There were 513 housing units at an average density of 6.2 per square mile (2.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.31% White, 0.94% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.13% from other races
, and 1.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.48% of the population.
There were 297 households out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples
living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 107.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $32,946, and the median income for a family was $36,111. Males had a median income of $28,393 versus $23,929 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $14,654. About 10.4% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.6% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.
Warren County, New York
Warren County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Glens Falls, New York, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 65,707. It is named in honor of General Joseph Warren, an American Revolutionary War hero of the Battle of Bunker Hill...
, 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...
. It is northwest of the city of Glens Falls
Glens Falls, New York
Glens Falls is a city in Warren County, New York, United States. Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,700 at the 2010 census...
and is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 743 at the 2000 census. The town is named for a stream that flows through it. Stony Creek is within the Adirondack Park.
History
The town was first settled around 1795.Stony Creek was established as a town in 1852 from a remainder of the Town of Warrensburg
Warrensburg (town), New York
Warrensburg is a town in Warren County, New York, USA. It is centrally located in the county, west of Lake George. It is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town population was 4,255 at the 2000 census. Like the county, the town is named after General Joseph Warren. U.S....
called "Athol."
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, when a tannery existed at the confluence of Roaring Branch and Stony Creek near the center of town, the peak population of 1,250 was attained. During that time extensive logging was done in western Stony Creek. Once many of the hemlock trees were taken out, and tanning practices changed, the tannery closed and Stony Creek's population decreased significantly and has remained at lower levels since then.
The center of town – referred to by residents as the "four corners" (where the roads from nearby towns Hadley and Warrensburg intersect and continue on to Wilcox Lake/Harrisburg and Lens Lake, both of which teriminate at those destinations) – includes the main business and social area of town. The Stony Creek Inn, the Creek Center Mercantile and the Post Office now occupy three of the four corners and a small park adjacent at Roaring Branch occupies the fourth. Tavern 16 is a more recent addition to the four corners, just a few doors down from the Mercantile and on the banks of Stony Creek itself.
The Stony Creek Inn, currently owned by Dorothy Bartell and John Fickel since 1980, has been a mainstay of Stony Creek for more than 100 years, providing a few rooms on the second floor, a popular bar, music on weekend evenings (mostly country, square dancing, folk and rock and roll), food, and a weigh station during hunting season. Over the years the Stony Creek Inn has attracted numerous musicians from around the northeast, and is a kind of destination for many New York and New England residents seeking an out-of-the-way place to relax and listen to music. Notably, the Stony Creek Band got its start at the Inn in the 1970s, when fiddlers and folk musicians regularly jammed for many hours into the evenings, and has continued to play together ever since, cutting records and becoming significantly popular across the Northeast.
The Creek Center Mercantile, formerly "Winslow's Store" and "Floyd's Mall" named after Floyd Winslow, its now deceased but longtime owner, has been for many years the main general store in town. The Mercantile is closed but owned by Floyd's daughter's family, the Harringtons. Both the Winslows and Harringtons have lived in Stony Creek for many generations.
Prior to the Post Office, the third corner of the four corners was occupied by the Stony Creek Lodge (also known as "Ethel's" after its proprietor), the counterpart of the Stony Creek Inn. Like the Inn, the Lodge included a bar, a stage for music, and was a destination for locals, hunters, and those just traveling through. The Lodge burned down in July 1990.
Tavern 16 is a small bar built, owned and operated since the early 1990s by Henry ("Hank") and Toni Soto. Tavern 16 features impressive handcrafted woodwork, a collection of local art, and a very popular pool table (overseen by Henry Soto, Hank's father and area pool shark) and juke box. Hank is lead guitarist in the Stony Creek Band.
In addition to the four corners, the other main area of activity in Stony Creek is the John T. O'Neill Green Meadows Park (aka "rec field") which is situated just west of the four corners and along Stony Creek itself. The rec field includes a swimming hole (below a small low-head dam on Stony Creek), basketball court, softball diamond and backstop, a large pavilion under which every Tuesday night in July and August the town presents Music in the Park, playground and covered area with picnic tables.
The "rec" field is also the site of the longrunning annual Mountain Festival. In the past, the original Mountain Days celebrated the 100th anniversary of the town and paid homage to the area's rich logging tradition, attracting thousands of attendees. It included competitions such as the greased pole climb (where competitors stood on each others' shoulders to get to the top of a debarked, greased pole where a $100 bill was nailed), chainsaw and bandsaw speed competitions, wood chopping competitions, axe throwing competitions, and greased pig chases. In recent years Mountain Days now called Mountain Festival has become a more traditional and smaller festival, with music, food and activities for kids and stands selling various local arts and crafts. The festival continues to grow with added attractions each year.
The Methodist Episcopal Church
Methodist Episcopal Church (Stony Creek, New York)
Methodist Episcopal Church is a historic Methodist Episcopal church located at Stony Creek, Warren County, New York. It was built in 1858-59 and is a vernacular Greek Revival style frame church with a gable roof. It is 32 feet wide and 48 feet deep and sits on a stone foundation. It features a...
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 2010.
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 83.2 square miles (215.5 km²), of which, 82.4 square miles (213.4 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) of it (1.01%) is water.
The south town line is the border of Saratoga County
Saratoga County, New York
Saratoga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 219,607. It is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Ballston Spa...
. The east town line is marked by the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
, and the west town line is the border of Hamilton County
Hamilton County, New York
Hamilton County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is named after Alexander Hamilton, the only member of the New York State delegation who signed the United States Constitution in 1787 and later the first United States Secretary of the Treasury. Its county seat is Lake Pleasant...
.
Adjacent towns and areas
The south town line borders the towns of DayDay, New York
Day is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 920 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Eliphaz Day, a noted lumberman.The Town of Day is in the northwest part of the county and is northeast of Amsterdam....
and Hadley
Hadley, New York
Hadley is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 1,971 at the 2000 census. The town was named after Hadley, Massachusetts.The Town of Hadley is in the northern part of the county and is west of Glens Falls....
in Saratoga County. The west town line is shared by the town of Wells
Wells, New York
Wells is a town in Hamilton County, New York, United States. The population was 737 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Joshua Wells, a land agent, who built the first mills in the area....
in Hamilton County. To the north is the town of Thurman
Thurman, New York
Thurman is a town in the western part of Warren County, New York, United States. It is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town population was 1,199 at the 2000 census. The town is named after John Thurman, an early landowner...
and the east town line is shared with the town of Warrensburg.
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 743 people, 297 households, and 204 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 9.0 people per square mile (3.5/km²). There were 513 housing units at an average density of 6.2 per square mile (2.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.31% White, 0.94% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.13% 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 1.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.48% of the population.
There were 297 households out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% 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, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 107.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $32,946, and the median income for a family was $36,111. Males had a median income of $28,393 versus $23,929 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 $14,654. About 10.4% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.6% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in Stony Creek
- Bakertown – A location in the western part of the town.
- Harrisburg – A hamlet in the southwest part of the town on Harrisburg Road and adjacent to Harrisburg Lake.
- Knowelhurst – A hamlet in the north-central part of the town on Harrisburg Road.
- Stony Creek – A hamlet in the southeast part of the town on Harrisburg Road by a stream called Stony Creek.
- Wilcox Lake – A lake near the west town line.