Antwerp, New York

Antwerp
Town
Antwerp Location of Antwerp in New York
Coordinates: 44°12′07″N 75°36′57″W / 44.20194°N 75.61583°WCoordinates: 44°12′07″N 75°36′57″W / 44.20194°N 75.61583°W
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Jefferson
Government
• Type	Town Council
• Town Supervisor	John R. Shaw (R)
• Town Council	Members' List • Kenneth Bressett (R) • Walter L. Cooper (R) • Elizabeth A. Lynch (R) • Marjorie Sands (D)
Area
• Total	108.4 sq mi (281 km^2)
Population (2010)
• Total	1,846
• Density	17/sq mi (6.6/km^2)

Antwerp is a town in Jefferson County, New York, USA. The population was 1,846 at the 2010 census. The town is named after Antwerp in Belgium, the home of one of the early investors in the town.

The town of Antwerp contains a village also called Antwerp. The town is at the eastern corner of the county and is northeast of Watertown.

History

Settlement began around 1803 near Oxbow. The town was created from part of the town of Le Ray in 1810. In 1855, the town had the second largest number of cows in New York.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 108.4 square miles (280.9 km²), of which, 106.9 square miles (276.9 km²) of it is land and 1.5 square miles (4.0 km²) of it (1.42%) is water.

The northeast town line is the border of St. Lawrence County, New York. The southeast town line is the border of Lewis County.

The Oswegatchie River flows through the north part of the town and loops back at Oxbow.

U.S. Route 11, a northeast to southwest highway, passes through the town.

Much of Antwerp consists of the Fort Drum Military Reservation.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1820	1,319		—
1830	2,412		82.9%
1840	3,109		28.9%
1850	2,665		−14.3%
1860	3,313		24.3%
1870	3,310		−0.1%
1880	3,414		3.1%
1890	3,095		−9.3%
1900	3,008		−2.8%
1910	2,848		−5.3%
1920	2,569		−9.8%
1930	2,292		−10.8%
1940	2,187		−4.6%
1950	1,781		−18.6%
1960	1,905		7.0%
1970	1,794		−5.8%
1980	1,859		3.6%
1990	1,856		−0.2%
2000	1,793		−3.4%
2010	1,846		3.0%
Est. 2014	1,899	[1]	2.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[2]

As of the census^[3] of 2000, there were 1,793 people, 621 households, and 453 families residing in the town. The population density was 16.8 people per square mile (6.5/km²). There were 717 housing units at an average density of 6.7 per square mile (2.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.99% White, 0.39% Black or African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.39% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.56% of the population.

There were 621 households out of which 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.9% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.32.

In the town the population was spread out with 29.8% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 102.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $34,250, and the median income for a family was $40,192. Males had a median income of $28,824 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,097. About 12.3% of families and 17.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.5% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in the town

• Antwerp – A village centrally located in the town by the Indian River and US-11.
• Bentleys Corners – A location in the western part of the town on County Road 23.
• Bishops Corners – A location in the western corner of the town on County Road 194.
• Fort Drum – A military reservation partly located in the town.
• Halls Corners – A location in the western part of the town on County Road 28.
• Indian River – A stream and canoe trail that flows past Antwerp village.
• Keenes – A hamlet on the northeast town line, partly in St. Lawrence County.
• Nauvoo – A former location in the town on the Indian River.
• New Connecticut – A former location in the town.
• Oxbow – A hamlet by the northeast border on County Road 25, located on the Oswegatchie River. It is the site of the first settlement, a tavern.
• Payne Lake – A small lake in the northern part of the town near Oxbow.
• Rices Corner – A hamlet in the eastern corner of the town and inside Fort Drum on County Road 24.
• Spragueville – A hamlet on the northeast town line on County Road 26, partly in St. Lawrence County. It was formerly called "Spragues Corners."
• Sterlingburgh – A former location in the town near Antwerp village.

Notable residents

"A Friend in Need" from Dogs Playing Poker, by C. M. Coolidge

Artist Cassius Coolidge, noted mainly for his paintings depicting dogs playing cards, was born and raised in Antwerp, started its first bank, and is buried there. He is also credited with inventing carnival cut-outs, the painted backdrops with faces missing, enabling individuals to pose for novelty photos.^[4][5][6]

Albert Woolson, an American Civil War veteran and the last member of the Grand Army of the Republic, was born in Antwerp.^[7]

Charles B. Hoard, businessman and Member of the United States House of Representatives, lived in Antwerp and served as postmaster before relocating to Watertown, New York in the 1840s.^[8]

References

1. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
2. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
3. "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
4. Dogs Playing Poker, Biography, Cassius Coolidge
5. About.com, About Art History, Biography, Cassius Coolidge
6. Cassius Coolidge at Find A Grave
7. Veterans Memorial Hall, Biography, Albert Woolson
8. Charles B. Hoard at Congressional Biography Directory

External links

• Early history of Antwerp, NY