Watervliet, New York
Encyclopedia
Watervliet is a city in Albany County
in the US state of New York
. The population was 10,254 as of the 2010 census
. Watervliet is north of Albany
, the capital of the state, and is bordered on the north, west, and south by the town of Colonie. The city is also known as "the Arsenal City".
arrived in the area of Watervliet around 1609. The area was first settled in 1643 as part of the Rensselaerswyck patroonship, under the direction of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. In 1710 Derrick van der Heyden operated a ferry from the Bleeker Farm (near 16th Street) across the Hudson River to Troy. Troops during the Revolutionary War
used this ferry in 1777 on their way to Bemis Heights and Stillwater
for the Battle of Saratoga
. In 1786 a second ferry was started at Ferry Street (today 14th Street) over to Troy. The town of Watervliet
was founded in 1788 and included all of present-day Albany County except what was in the city of Albany
at the time. Because so many towns had been created from the town of Watervliet, it is regarded as the "mother of towns
" in the county. In 1816 the first post office
was erected, corner of River and Ferry streets (Broadway and 14th Street), it took the name Watervliet.
The location of the future city was taken by the village of Gibbonsville (1824) and its successor West Troy, and the hamlet of Washington (later Port Schuyler). The farm owned by John Bleeker, stretching north from Buffalo Street (Broadway and 15th Street) to the farm owned by the Oothout family near 25th Street was purchased by Philip Schuyler, Isais Warren, Richard P. Hart, Nathan Warren, and others in 1823; they named it West Troy. Gibbonsville was the farm of James Gibbons (which he purchased in 1805), which stretched from North Street (8th Street) to Buffalo Street (15th Street). Washington was settled sometime before 1814 and was the area south of Gibbonsville and today the area of Watervliet south of the Arsenal; it became known as Port Schuyler in 1827. Although Gibbonsville and West Troy sat side-by-side (West Troy laying on Gibbonsville's northern boundary), there was a rivalry between the two and each named and laid out their streets with no regard to the street names and grids of the other. In 1824 Gibbonsville became incorporated as a village, and in 1836 this was repealed when West Troy became incorporated as a village including Gibbonsville and Port Schuyler; and in 1847 the Watervliet post office changed its name to West Troy. In 1830 Gibbonsville had 559 people, West Troy 510, and Port Schuyler 450.
In 1865 all of what is today Watervliet was included in the Capital Police Force within the Troy District, this regional attempt at consolidation of municipal police failed and in 1870 the West Troy Police Force was organized.
By 1895 the town of Watervliet was reduced to the present-day city of Watervliet (village of West Troy at the time), town of Colonie, and the village/town of Green Island
. Colonie would split off in 1895, and the city of Watervliet was incorporated in 1896 at the same time that Green Island became a town of its own.
In the early 19th century Watervliet became a major manufacturing community much like its neighbors Cohoes
and Troy, thanks to bell foundries. The first was located on Water Street (Broadway), between 14th and 15th streets, by Julius Hanks, and the first bell foundry in Gibbonsville was established in 1826 by Andrew Menelly, Sr. This would be the genesis of the Meneely Bell Foundry
, which made thousands of bells that are still in use today from Iowa
to the Czech Republic
.
In 1813 the US Federal Government purchased from James Gibbons 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) in Gibbonsville, in 1828 another 30 acres (121,405.8 m²), along with later purchases from S.S. Wandell and others. This land was used as the site for the Watervliet Arsenal
, founded in 1813 during the War of 1812
, it is the oldest Federal arsenal
in the country; and is the sole manufacturing facility for large caliber cannon
. John Morrissey
, heavy-weight boxing champion and New York State Assemblyman was once employed at the Arsenal.
The main route of the Erie Canal
from Buffalo
to Albany ran through Watervliet, and because the canal bypassed the city of Troy, the business community of Troy decided that a "short cut" was needed for convenient access to the Erie Canal without having to go through the Albany Basin. A side-cut to the Hudson was located at Watervliet's present-day 23rd Street (the Upper Side cut) finished in 1823, and another just south of the Arsenal (the Lower Side cut). A weigh station and a center for paying canal boat operators was located here as well. As a result of canal boat crews being paid at the end of their trip, the areas around the side cut was once famous for gambling, saloons, and prostitution; there were more than 25 saloons within two blocks, with names like The Black Rag and Tub of Blood. The neighborhood around the side cut had the nickname of "Barbary Coast of the East", Buffalo
being the "Barbary Coast of the West". In the 1880s Watervliet had a reputation for over 100 fights a day and a body once in the week in the Canal.
Also linking Watervliet to the transportation network of the region was the Watervliet Turnpike and the Albany and Northern Railway
. The Watervliet Turnpike Company in 1828 built present-day New York State Route 32
from the northern boundary of Albany north to the northern limit of Gibbonsville (now Broadway and 15th Street). The Albany and Northern Railway was built 1852 connecting Watervliet to Albany, with a depot on Genesee Street; a few years later a new depot was built on Canal Street (Central Avenue) but was abandoned in favor of returning to the original location in 1864.
The current mayor of Watervliet is Michael Manning, elected to his first term in 2007. Mr. Manning, a Democrat
, defeated incumbent Mayor Robert Carlson in a rare Democratic primary election in September 2007. Mr. Carlson had served as mayor of Watervliet for ten years.
.
Birthplace of Medal of Honor
recipient, T/Sgt. Peter J. Dalessondro
.
Songwriter Tony Romeo, writer of "I Think I Love You
" by The Partridge Family
.
Professional Wrestler Foxx Vinyer, graduated from Watervliet High School in 2003.
, the city has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (10.07%) is water.
Watervliet is on the west bank of the Hudson River
. It is bordered on three sides by the town of Colonie; to the north by the hamlet of Maplewood, on the west by Latham
and the hamlet of Mannsville, and on the south by the hamlet of Schuyler Heights. To the northeast is the town and village of Green Island. The Hudson River to the east is the boundary between Albany County and Rensselaer County
, in Rensselaer County it is the city of Troy that borders Watervliet. The city is mostly flat but begins an extreme slope in the center of its most westerly edge, especially between the Watervliet Arsenal and 19th Street
, an area once called "Temperance Hill".
of 2000, there were 10,207 people, 4,665 households, and 2,547 families residing in the city. The population density
was 7,608.0 people per square mile (2,941.0/km²). There were 5,116 housing units at an average density of 3,813.3 per square mile (1,474.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.00% White, 3.87% African American, 0.18% Native American, 1.34% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.21% from other races
, and 1.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.62% of the population.
There were 4,665 households out of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.9% were married couples
living together, 16.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.4% were non-families. 38.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,910, and the median income for a family was $38,735. Males had a median income of $31,656 versus $26,083 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $18,294. About 12.3% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.7% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.
Albany County, New York
Albany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...
in the US state of 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...
. The population was 10,254 as of the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
. Watervliet is north of 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...
, the capital of the state, and is bordered on the north, west, and south by the town of Colonie. The city is also known as "the Arsenal City".
History
The explorer Henry HudsonHenry Hudson
Henry Hudson was an English sea explorer and navigator in the early 17th century. Hudson made two attempts on behalf of English merchants to find a prospective Northeast Passage to Cathay via a route above the Arctic Circle...
arrived in the area of Watervliet around 1609. The area was first settled in 1643 as part of the Rensselaerswyck patroonship, under the direction of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. In 1710 Derrick van der Heyden operated a ferry from the Bleeker Farm (near 16th Street) across the Hudson River to Troy. Troops during the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
used this ferry in 1777 on their way to Bemis Heights and Stillwater
Stillwater, New York
Stillwater is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 7,522 at the 2000 census. The town contains a village called Stillwater...
for the Battle of Saratoga
Battle of Saratoga
The Battles of Saratoga conclusively decided the fate of British General John Burgoyne's army in the American War of Independence and are generally regarded as a turning point in the war. The battles were fought eighteen days apart on the same ground, south of Saratoga, New York...
. In 1786 a second ferry was started at Ferry Street (today 14th Street) over to Troy. The town of Watervliet
Watervliet (town), New York
For the Shaker village, see Watervliet Shaker Historic District.The town of Watervliet was a town that at its height encompassed most of present-day Albany County and the majority of the current town of Niskayuna in neighboring Schenectady County, in the state of New York, United States...
was founded in 1788 and included all of present-day Albany County except what was in the city of 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...
at the time. Because so many towns had been created from the town of Watervliet, it is regarded as the "mother of towns
Timeline of town creation in New York's Capital District
The towns and cities of New York's Capital District were created by the US state of New York as municipalities in order to give residents more direct say over local government. The Capital District is an 11 county area, which consists of the counties of Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer, Saratoga,...
" in the county. In 1816 the first post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
was erected, corner of River and Ferry streets (Broadway and 14th Street), it took the name Watervliet.
The location of the future city was taken by the village of Gibbonsville (1824) and its successor West Troy, and the hamlet of Washington (later Port Schuyler). The farm owned by John Bleeker, stretching north from Buffalo Street (Broadway and 15th Street) to the farm owned by the Oothout family near 25th Street was purchased by Philip Schuyler, Isais Warren, Richard P. Hart, Nathan Warren, and others in 1823; they named it West Troy. Gibbonsville was the farm of James Gibbons (which he purchased in 1805), which stretched from North Street (8th Street) to Buffalo Street (15th Street). Washington was settled sometime before 1814 and was the area south of Gibbonsville and today the area of Watervliet south of the Arsenal; it became known as Port Schuyler in 1827. Although Gibbonsville and West Troy sat side-by-side (West Troy laying on Gibbonsville's northern boundary), there was a rivalry between the two and each named and laid out their streets with no regard to the street names and grids of the other. In 1824 Gibbonsville became incorporated as a village, and in 1836 this was repealed when West Troy became incorporated as a village including Gibbonsville and Port Schuyler; and in 1847 the Watervliet post office changed its name to West Troy. In 1830 Gibbonsville had 559 people, West Troy 510, and Port Schuyler 450.
In 1865 all of what is today Watervliet was included in the Capital Police Force within the Troy District, this regional attempt at consolidation of municipal police failed and in 1870 the West Troy Police Force was organized.
By 1895 the town of Watervliet was reduced to the present-day city of Watervliet (village of West Troy at the time), town of Colonie, and the village/town of Green Island
Green Island, New York
Green Island is a coterminous town and village in Albany County, New York, USA some 8 miles north of Albany, New York. Green Island is one of only five such town-village amalgams in New York. The population was 2,620 at the 2010 census...
. Colonie would split off in 1895, and the city of Watervliet was incorporated in 1896 at the same time that Green Island became a town of its own.
In the early 19th century Watervliet became a major manufacturing community much like its neighbors Cohoes
Cohoes, New York
Cohoes is an incorporated city located at the northeast corner of Albany County in the US state of New York. It is called the "Spindle City" because of the importance of textile production to its growth. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 16,168...
and Troy, thanks to bell foundries. The first was located on Water Street (Broadway), between 14th and 15th streets, by Julius Hanks, and the first bell foundry in Gibbonsville was established in 1826 by Andrew Menelly, Sr. This would be the genesis of the Meneely Bell Foundry
Meneely bell foundry
The Meneely Bell Foundry was a bell foundry established in 1826 in West Troy , New York, by Andrew Meneely. Two of Andrew's sons continued to operate the foundry after his death, while a third son, Clinton H. Meneely, opened a second foundry across the river with George H. Kimberly in Troy, New...
, which made thousands of bells that are still in use today from Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
to the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
.
Watervliet Arsenal
The Watervliet Arsenal is an arsenal of the United States Army located in Watervliet, New York, on the west bank of the Hudson River. It is the oldest continuously active arsenal in the United States, and today produces much of the artillery for the army, as well as gun tubes for cannons, mortars,...
, founded in 1813 during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, it is the oldest Federal arsenal
Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, issued to authorized users, or any combination of those...
in the country; and is the sole manufacturing facility for large caliber cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
. John Morrissey
John Morrissey
John Morrissey , also known as Old Smoke, was an Irish bare-knuckle boxer and a gang member in New York in the 1850s and later became a Democratic State Senator and U.S. Congressman from New York, backed by Tammany Hall...
, heavy-weight boxing champion and New York State Assemblyman was once employed at the Arsenal.
The main route of the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
from Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
to Albany ran through Watervliet, and because the canal bypassed the city of Troy, the business community of Troy decided that a "short cut" was needed for convenient access to the Erie Canal without having to go through the Albany Basin. A side-cut to the Hudson was located at Watervliet's present-day 23rd Street (the Upper Side cut) finished in 1823, and another just south of the Arsenal (the Lower Side cut). A weigh station and a center for paying canal boat operators was located here as well. As a result of canal boat crews being paid at the end of their trip, the areas around the side cut was once famous for gambling, saloons, and prostitution; there were more than 25 saloons within two blocks, with names like The Black Rag and Tub of Blood. The neighborhood around the side cut had the nickname of "Barbary Coast of the East", Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
being the "Barbary Coast of the West". In the 1880s Watervliet had a reputation for over 100 fights a day and a body once in the week in the Canal.
Also linking Watervliet to the transportation network of the region was the Watervliet Turnpike and the Albany and Northern Railway
Albany and Northern Railway
The Albany and Northern Railway began life in about 1895 on a stretch of railway from Cordele to Albany, Georgia. The line had originally been built around 1890 by the Albany, Florida and Northern Railway . The AF&N was leased then to the Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railway in 1892...
. The Watervliet Turnpike Company in 1828 built present-day New York State Route 32
New York State Route 32
New York State Route 32 is a north–south state highway that extends for through the Hudson Valley and Capital District regions of the U.S. state of New York. It is a two-lane surface road for nearly its entire length, with few divided and no limited-access sections. From Harriman to Albany,...
from the northern boundary of Albany north to the northern limit of Gibbonsville (now Broadway and 15th Street). The Albany and Northern Railway was built 1852 connecting Watervliet to Albany, with a depot on Genesee Street; a few years later a new depot was built on Canal Street (Central Avenue) but was abandoned in favor of returning to the original location in 1864.
The current mayor of Watervliet is Michael Manning, elected to his first term in 2007. Mr. Manning, a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, defeated incumbent Mayor Robert Carlson in a rare Democratic primary election in September 2007. Mr. Carlson had served as mayor of Watervliet for ten years.
Notable residents
Birthplace of veteran voice actor Joe AlaskeyJoe Alaskey
Joseph "Joe" Alaskey is an American actor, comedian, and voice artist, credited as one of the successors of Mel Blanc in impersonating the voices of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and other characters from Warner Bros. cartoons. He was born in Watervliet, New York.-Other work:Alaskey has also done voices...
.
Birthplace of Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient, T/Sgt. Peter J. Dalessondro
Peter J. Dalessondro
Peter J. Dalessondro was United States Army soldier who earned the United States' highest military honor — the Medal of Honor — on December 22, 1944 for action occurring in the European Theatre of Operations during World War II.-Medal of Honor citationAfter the war:After returning home...
.
Songwriter Tony Romeo, writer of "I Think I Love You
I Think I Love You
"I Think I Love You" is a 1970 single by The Partridge Family, featuring David Cassidy, composed by songwriter Tony Romeo. The song was released at the same time as the debut of the network television sitcom The Partridge Family. During the show's first season the song was featured on the show...
" by The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family is an American television sitcom about a widowed mother and her five children who embark on a music career. The series originally ran from September 25, 1970 until August 31, 1974, the last new episode airing on March 23, 1974, on the ABC network, as part of a Friday-night lineup...
.
Professional Wrestler Foxx Vinyer, graduated from Watervliet High School in 2003.
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 city has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (10.07%) is water.
Watervliet is on the west bank of 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...
. It is bordered on three sides by the town of Colonie; to the north by the hamlet of Maplewood, on the west by Latham
Latham, New York
Latham is a hamlet in Albany County, New York, United States. It is located along U.S. Route 9 in the town of Colonie, a dense suburb north of Albany.-History:...
and the hamlet of Mannsville, and on the south by the hamlet of Schuyler Heights. To the northeast is the town and village of Green Island. The Hudson River to the east is the boundary between Albany County and Rensselaer County
Rensselaer County, New York
Rensselaer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 159,429. Its name is in honor of the family of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original Dutch owner of the land in the area. Its county seat is Troy...
, in Rensselaer County it is the city of Troy that borders Watervliet. The city is mostly flat but begins an extreme slope in the center of its most westerly edge, especially between the Watervliet Arsenal and 19th Street
New York State Route 2
New York State Route 2 is a state highway in the Capital District of New York, United States. It extends from an interchange with Interstate 87 and NY 7 in the hamlet of Latham within the town of Colonie to the Massachusetts state line, where it continues to Boston as Route 2....
, an area once called "Temperance Hill".
Location
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 10,207 people, 4,665 households, and 2,547 families residing in the city. 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 7,608.0 people per square mile (2,941.0/km²). There were 5,116 housing units at an average density of 3,813.3 per square mile (1,474.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.00% White, 3.87% African American, 0.18% Native American, 1.34% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.21% 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 1.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.62% of the population.
There were 4,665 households out of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.9% 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, 16.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.4% were non-families. 38.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,910, and the median income for a family was $38,735. Males had a median income of $31,656 versus $26,083 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 city was $18,294. About 12.3% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.7% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.