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Franklin County, New York

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Franklin County is a county on the northern border of the U.S. state of New York. To the north across the Canada–United States border are the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, from east to west. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 47,555.[1] Its county seat is Malone.[2] The county is named in honor of United States Founding Father Benjamin Franklin.[3] The county is part of the North Country region of the state.

Franklin County
County
Broadway Street, in Saranac Lake
Broadway Street, in Saranac Lake
Flag of Franklin County
Flag
Official seal of Franklin County
Seal
Map of New York highlighting Franklin County
Location within the U.S. state of New York
Map of the United States highlighting New York
New York's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 44°36′N 74°19′W / 44.6°N 74.31°W / 44.6; -74.31
Country United States
State New York
Founded1808
Named forBenjamin Franklin
SeatMalone
Largest villageMalone
Area
 • Total1,697 sq mi (4,400 km2)
 • Land1,629 sq mi (4,220 km2)
 • Water68 sq mi (180 km2)  4.0%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total47,555 Decrease
 • Density28/sq mi (11/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district21st
Websitewww.franklincountyny.gov

Franklin County comprises the Malone, NY Micropolitan Statistical Area. Much of Franklin County is within Adirondack Park. Within the border of the county is the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation, or Akwesasne in the Mohawk language. Its population was nearly 3,300 in the 2010 census. The people are linked by community and history with the Mohawk of the Akwesasne reserve across the river, spanning the border of Quebec and Ontario. The Mohawk have had authority under the Jay Treaty to freely cross this international border.

History

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This area was long occupied by Iroquoian-speaking peoples. In historic times, a group of primarily Mohawks established a village south of colonial Montreal across the St. Lawrence River; they had been trading with French colonists and many had converted to Catholicism. They were the easternmost nation of the Iroquois League of Five Nations, known in their language as the Haudenosaunee.

After the English conquered the Dutch in the New York area, they established counties in 1683, in the eastern part of New York province and what is now Vermont. Both groups had settled primarily in Albany and along the Hudson River, a major waterway linking the upriver fur trade with the market of Manhattan. The first counties were very large in geographic area, taking in low-density populations. Gradually new counties were formed as colonial settlement increased, but most settlers stayed east of the middle of the Mohawk Valley, as the Iroquois nations controlled the lands beyond that. Historically the French, Dutch and English all traded with the Mohawk, the easternmost of these nations.

The area of the present Franklin County was part of Albany County when it was established in 1683. This was an enormous county, including the northern part of what became 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. 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.

 
Franklin County Fairgrounds

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

Following the American Revolutionary War, the United States forced the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois Confederacy, to cede most of their lands in New York and Pennsylvania, as most had been allies of Great Britain, which had lost to the new United States. After the war, New York State sold off 5 million acres of former Iroquois territory at very low prices, seeking to attract settlers to develop farms and businesses. Land speculators quickly took advantage of the sales. Franklin County was part of the huge speculative 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.

Franklin County organized

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In 1808, Franklin County was split off from Clinton County and organized.[4] It was named after United States Founding Father Benjamin Franklin. In the early decades many landowners basically were subsistence farmers.

In the late 1880s and 1890s, both the Delaware and Hudson and New York Central railroads were constructed into the Town of Franklin. The Chateaugay branch of the Delaware and Hudson served the hamlet of Onchiota, which developed for the lumber industry. For more than 12 years, a major tract north of Saranac Lake was harvested and millions of feet of timber were shipped out from here.[5]

The railroads carried the timber and products to market, and the industry flourished into the early 20th century until much of the timber was harvested. Several lumber mills operated in this area for decades,[6] including Kinsley Lumber Company,[7] Baker Brothers Lumber Company,[8] and one owned by the Dock and Coal Company. The latter mill was dismantled in 1917 and shipped to Florida to be used in the lumber industry there.[5] The population declined as the lumber industry pulled out of the area.[citation needed]

The railroads contributed to the Town of Franklin becoming a destination for summer travelers. 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 the Rainbow Inn. Due to the construction of highways and restructuring in the railroad industry, passenger service was ended to this remote area in the mid-20th century.[6]

The history of Franklin County is preserved at the Franklin Historical and Museum Society in Malone, New York.[9]

Ray Fadden (Mohawk), with his wife, Christine, and son, John, was the founder and curator of the Six Nations Indian Museum located in Onchiota, a census-designated place in the Town of Franklin.[10] He built the structure from logs he had milled himself. The family-owned museum features more than 3,000 artifacts primarily from the Iroquoian nations, and interprets their culture.[11] They were a prominent confederacy in New York of Six Nations by 1722, and they controlled much of the state west of colonial settlements in Albany and Schenectady.[citation needed]

Geography

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Lake Flower in Saranac Lake

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,697 square miles (4,400 km2), of which 1,629 square miles (4,220 km2) is land and 68 square miles (180 km2) (4.0%) is water.[12] It is the fourth-largest county in New York by land area. Franklin County is in the northeastern part of New York State. The northern edge borders Quebec and Ontario provinces of Canada.

The Upper, Middle and Lower Saranac lakes are located within the county. These are part of the natural resource attractions in the area. Lower Saranac Lake extends into neighboring Essex County to the southeast. Loon Lake is also located in the county, as is its namesake community.

Adjacent counties and municipality

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18102,617—
18204,43969.6%
183011,312154.8%
184016,51846.0%
185025,10252.0%
186030,83722.8%
187030,271−1.8%
188032,3907.0%
189038,11017.7%
190042,85312.4%
191045,7176.7%
192043,541−4.8%
193045,6944.9%
194044,286−3.1%
195044,8301.2%
196044,742−0.2%
197043,931−1.8%
198044,9292.3%
199046,5403.6%
200051,1349.9%
201051,5990.9%
202047,555−7.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]
1790-1960[14] 1900-1990[15]
1990-2000[16] 2010-2020[1]

2020 census

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Franklin County Racial Composition[17]
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 38,559 81.1%
Black or African American (NH) 1,686 3.54%
Native American (NH) 4,102 8.63%
Asian (NH) 191 0.4%
Pacific Islander (NH) 0 0%
Other/Mixed (NH) 1,630 3.41%
Hispanic or Latino 1,387 2.92%

2000 census

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As of the census[18] of 2000, there were 51,134 people, 17,931 households, and 11,798 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 inhabitants per square mile (12/km2). There were 23,936 housing units at an average density of 15 units per square mile (5.8/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.

Education

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K-12 school districts include:[19]

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 Saranac Lake (village) - Malone (town) and Ticonderoga.

Transportation

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Entering Franklin County on US11 in the Town of Moira

The area has no public transportation but roads extend through the county. Scheduled train service by the New York Central from Lake Clear to Malone ended in 1956.[20][21]

On April 24, 1965, the New York Central ran its final passenger train on the Adirondack Division from Lake Placid, through Lake Clear to Utica.[22][23]

Airports

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The following public use airports are located in the county:[24]

Communities

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Larger settlements

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# Location Population Type Area
1 ‡Akwesasne About 12,000 CDP/Territory Northwest
2 †Malone 5,911 Village North
3 ‡Saranac Lake 5,406 Village Adirondack Park
4 Tupper Lake 3,667 Village Adirondack Park
5 Fort Covington 1,308 CDP Northwest
6 Chateaugay 833 Village North
7 Paul Smiths 671 CDP Adirondack Park
8 Brushton 474 Village North
9 St. Regis Falls 464 CDP Adirondack Park
10 Burke 211 Village North

† - County Seat

‡ - Not Wholly in this County

Towns

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Hamlets

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Native reservations

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  • St. Regis Mohawk Reservation is international, extending across the border into Quebec, Canada. Also known as the Akwesasne reserve, the community was founded in the mid-1700s, when all the territory was part of New France. Citizens of Akwesasne have rights for free passage across the border.

Notable person

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Politics

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United States presidential election results for Franklin County, New York[26]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 9,668 50.18% 9,253 48.02% 347 1.80%
2016 8,221 48.50% 7,297 43.05% 1,434 8.46%
2012 5,740 36.02% 9,894 62.09% 300 1.88%
2008 6,676 38.11% 10,571 60.34% 273 1.56%
2004 8,383 45.77% 9,543 52.10% 390 2.13%
2000 7,643 43.80% 8,870 50.83% 938 5.38%
1996 5,072 30.94% 8,494 51.81% 2,828 17.25%
1992 6,635 36.13% 7,654 41.68% 4,076 22.19%
1988 9,135 53.14% 7,928 46.11% 129 0.75%
1984 10,617 62.22% 6,400 37.51% 47 0.28%
1980 7,620 46.77% 7,281 44.69% 1,391 8.54%
1976 8,846 54.77% 7,248 44.87% 58 0.36%
1972 10,959 67.40% 5,266 32.39% 35 0.22%
1968 8,314 53.29% 6,678 42.80% 610 3.91%
1964 4,846 27.96% 12,467 71.94% 16 0.09%
1960 9,385 48.48% 9,946 51.38% 27 0.14%
1956 13,003 71.33% 5,226 28.67% 0 0.00%
1952 12,212 64.89% 6,591 35.02% 17 0.09%
1948 8,993 55.17% 6,799 41.71% 510 3.13%
1944 9,225 53.25% 8,060 46.53% 39 0.23%
1940 11,446 54.61% 9,479 45.23% 33 0.16%
1936 11,521 56.26% 8,799 42.97% 158 0.77%
1932 9,422 47.45% 10,318 51.96% 117 0.59%
1928 9,495 49.86% 9,501 49.89% 49 0.26%
1924 9,352 64.43% 4,364 30.07% 799 5.50%
1920 9,786 70.58% 3,825 27.59% 254 1.83%
1916 5,146 57.59% 3,593 40.21% 197 2.20%
1912 3,930 46.82% 2,711 32.30% 1,752 20.87%
1908 5,999 64.13% 2,935 31.37% 421 4.50%
1904 6,699 67.60% 2,869 28.95% 342 3.45%
1900 6,313 68.49% 2,666 28.92% 238 2.58%
1896 6,118 69.29% 2,490 28.20% 221 2.50%
1892 5,498 62.19% 2,999 33.93% 343 3.88%
1888 5,757 64.79% 3,028 34.08% 101 1.14%
1884 4,638 60.02% 2,948 38.15% 142 1.84%

Franklin County typically voted Republican for presidential candidates, until the election of Bill Clinton in 1992. However, there was one notable exception to the county's longtime Republican dominance: in 1928, when New York Governor Al Smith, a Roman Catholic who appealed to the county's predominantly French Canadian population, narrowly carried the county over Republican Herbert Hoover despite Hoover's landslide victory nationwide. Clinton carried the county by a five-point margin in 1992, and increased his lead in 1996 with a more than 20-point victory. The county remained reliably Democratic for twenty years, giving Barack Obama margins of 22.2% in 2008 and 26.1% in 2012. In 2016, Donald Trump became the first Republican since 1988 to carry Franklin County.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Franklin County, New York". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 131.
  4. ^ A Gazetteer of New York State, Horace Spafford, first edition 1814, p. 78
  5. ^ a b "MUSHROOM TOWN TO BE DESERTED" Archived January 21, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, Plattsburgh Sentinel, April 24, 1917. Accessed January 20, 2018.
  6. ^ a b "Historic Saranac Lake: Onchiota; Nathan Brown, "The first Franklinites" Archived January 21, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, Adirondack Daily Enterprise, January 17, 2009. Accessed January 20, 2018.
  7. ^ "A $10,000 FIRE / KINSLEY LUMBER CO'S SAWMILL AT ONCHIOTA DESTROYED" Archived January 21, 2018, at the Wayback Machine Plattsburgh Daily Press, April 17, 1899. Accessed January 20, 2018.
  8. ^ "Baker Brothers' Lumber Company's Mill at Onchiota Destroyed" Archived January 21, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, Plattsburgh Sentinel and Clinton County Farmer, August 12, 1904. Accessed January 20, 2018.
  9. ^ Oral history of Franklin County in the late 19th-early 20th Centuries Archived April 4, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Reynolds Stone New York website; includes transcriptions.
  10. ^ Ray Cook, "Through Our Eyes: A Mohawk Remembers the World Trade Center Job Site" Archived January 22, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, Indian Country Today Media Network, September 11, 2017. Accessed January 20, 2018.
  11. ^ "The Six Nations Indian Museum: Mohawk Oneida Onondaga Cayuga Seneca & Tuscarora Indians. Artifacts emphasis on the culture of the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy". sixnationsindianmuseum.com. Archived from the original on January 8, 2018.
  12. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on May 19, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  13. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  14. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  15. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 19, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  16. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  17. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Franklin County, New York".
  18. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  19. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Franklin County, NY" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved October 16, 2024. - Text list
  20. ^ Maitland C. DeSormo, "Adirondack Daily Enterprise," November 14, 1969, "The Fabulous History of Our Fabulous Railroads" https://localwiki.org/hsl/Railroads
  21. ^ New York Central schedule, 1906
  22. ^ New York Central timetable, October 1964, Table 8, last timetable showing service.
  23. ^ Gove, William. Logging Railroads in the Adirondacks, Syracuse, NY: 2006, pg. 71.
  24. ^ Franklin County Public and Private Airports, New York Archived October 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved June 13, 2013.
  25. ^ "BEAMAN, Fernando Cortez, (1814 - 1882)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  26. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018.

Further reading

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44°36′N 74°19′W / 44.60°N 74.31°W / 44.60; -74.31

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