Franklin County, New York

Franklin County, New York
Seal
Location in the state of New York
New York's location in the U.S.
Founded	1808
Seat	Malone
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	1,697 sq mi (4,395 km²) 1,631 sq mi (4,224 km²) 66 sq mi (171 km²), 3.89%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	51,599 31/sq mi (12/km²)
Website	www.franklincony.org

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. Its county seat is Malone.

Much of Franklin County is within the Adirondack Park.

History

When counties were established in New York in 1683, the present Franklin County was part of Albany County. This was an enormous county, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present State of Vermont and, in theory, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean. This county was reduced in size on July 3, 1766 by the creation of Cumberland County, and further on March 16, 1770 by the creation of Gloucester County, both containing territory now in Vermont. On March 12, 1772, what was left of Albany County was split into three parts, one remaining under the name Albany County. One of the other pieces, Charlotte County, contained the eastern portion.

In 1784, the name "Charlotte County" was changed to Washington County to honor George Washington, the American Revolutionary War general and later President of the United States of America.

In 1788, Clinton County was split off from Washington County. This was a much larger area than the present Clinton County, including several other counties or county parts of the present New York State.

Franklin County is part of Macomb's Purchase of 1791.

In 1799, Clinton County was reduced in size by the splitting off of Essex County . In 1802, Clinton County was reduced in size by a part of Clinton and two other counties being taken to form the new St. Lawrence County.

In 1808, Franklin County was split off from Clinton County.

In the late 1800s, Franklin County was home to three of the largest resort hotels in the Adirondacks, Paul Smith's Hotel, Loon Lake House, and Rainbow Inn.

The history of Franklin County is preserved at the Franklin Historical and Museum Society in Malone, New York.

Read and Listen to the Oral history of Franklin County in the late 19th early 20th Centuries

Geography

Lake Flower in Saranac Lake

Franklin County is in the northeastern part of New York State. The northern edge is the border with Canada.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,697 square miles (4,395.2 km²), of which 1,631 square miles (4,224.3 km²) is land and 66 square miles (170.9 km²) (3.89%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Clinton County, New York - east
• Essex County, New York - southeast
• Hamilton County, New York - southwest
• St. Lawrence County, New York - west
• Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry United Counties, Ontario - northwest
• Le Haut-Saint-Laurent Regional County Municipality, Quebec - north

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1810	2,617		—
1820	4,439		69.6%
1830	11,312		154.8%
1840	16,518		46.0%
1850	25,102		52.0%
1860	30,837		22.8%
1870	30,271		−1.8%
1880	32,390		7.0%
1890	38,110		17.7%
1900	42,853		12.4%
1910	45,717		6.7%
1920	43,541		−4.8%
1930	45,694		4.9%
1940	44,286		−3.1%
1950	44,830		1.2%
1960	44,742		−0.2%
1970	43,931		−1.8%
1980	44,929		2.3%
1990	46,540		3.6%
2000	51,134		9.9%
2010	51,599		0.9%
Source

As of the census of 2000, there were 51,134 people, 17,931 households, and 11,798 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile (12/km²). There were 23,936 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 84.03% White, 6.63% Black or African American, 6.20% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 2.07% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. 4.01% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 31.0% were of French, 13.6% Irish, 10.6% American, 9.8% French Canadian, 9.2% English and 5.4% German ancestry according to Census 2000. 94.6% spoke English, 2.3% Spanish and 2.0% French as their first language.

There were 17,931 households out of which 32.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.50% were married couples living together, 11.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.20% were non-families. 28.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.00% 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 3.00.

In the county the population was spread out with 22.80% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 33.20% from 25 to 44, 21.80% from 45 to 64, and 12.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 121.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 126.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,517, and the median income for a family was $38,472. Males had a median income of $29,376 versus $22,292 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,888. About 10.10% of families and 14.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.60% of those under age 18 and 13.90% of those age 65 or over.

With its sparsely populated nature, its local courts tend to be pretty quiet. The highways, prisons, and tourism, do create some work for the justices though.

Towns and Villages

• Bangor (town)
• Bellmont (town)
• Bombay (town)

The Heron Marsh at the Paul Smiths Adirondack Park Visitor Information Center

A guideboat on Upper St. Regis Lake in Brighton.

Raquette Pond in Tupper Lake.

• Brandon (town)
• Brighton (town)
• Brushton (village)
• Burke (town)
• Burke (village)
• Chateaugay (town)
• Chateaugay (village)
• Constable (town)
• Dickinson (town)
• Duane (town)
• Fort Covington (town)
• Franklin (town)
• Harrietstown (town)
• Malone (town)
• Malone (village)
• Moira (town)
• Reynoldston, New York (historical mill town)
• Santa Clara (town)
• Saranac Lake (village)
• Skerry, New York (hamlet)
• Tupper Lake (village)
• Tupper Lake (town)
• Waverly (town)
• Westville (town)

→ Label in parentheses is official level of political organization.

Native reservations

• St. Regis Mohawk Reservation

Education

Franklin County is home to North Country Community College and Paul Smith's College. North Country Community College is sponsored by and serves Franklin and Essex counties, with campuses in Malone - Saranac Lake & Ticonderoga.

See also

• North Country Community College
• Cure Cottages of Saranac Lake
• Adirondack Canoe Classic
• List of counties in New York
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Franklin County
• Church Street Historic District
• Adirondack County, New York - a proposed new county

External links

• Franklin County webpage
• Franklin County Historical and Museum Society
• Franklin County at the Open Directory Project
• Franklin County history pages
• Franklin County historical information
• History of a Mill Town
• Oral History of Franklin County Listen to and read the history of Franklin County NY in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries