Westport, New York | |
---|---|
Motto: "A gateway to the Adirondack Mountains" | |
Coordinates: 44°11′N73°26′W / 44.183°N 73.433°W | |
Country | United States |
State | New York |
County | Essex |
Government | |
• Type | Town Council |
• Town Supervisor | Michael K. Tyler (R) |
• Town Council | Members' List |
Area | |
• Total | 66.81 sq mi (173.03 km2) |
• Land | 58.17 sq mi (150.66 km2) |
• Water | 8.64 sq mi (22.37 km2) |
Elevation | 226 ft (69 m) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 1,320 |
• Estimate (2016) [2] | 1,285 |
• Density | 22.09/sq mi (8.53/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
ZIP Code | 12993 |
Area code | 518 |
FIPS code | 36-031-80775 |
GNIS feature ID | 0979625 [3] |
Website | www |
Westport is a town in Essex County, New York, United States overlooking Lake Champlain. The population was 1,320 at the 2020 census. [4]
The town is on the eastern border of the county and is 41 miles (66 km) south of Plattsburgh and 103 miles (166 km) south of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. [5] Westport is inside the Adirondack Park.
Westport is the birthplace of the Adirondack chair. [6]
The Essex County Fair is held in the town. [7] The Essex County Fairgrounds was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. [8]
In 1642, Jesuit missionary Isaac Jogues was tortured by Iroquois at Coles Bay. He survived and was eventually saved by merchants from New Amsterdam.
The town was founded by William Gilliland in 1764 who surveyed an area in the southern part of the town and was granted 2,300 acres (9.3 km2); he also established the neighboring towns of Elizabethtown, named for his wife, and Willsboro. Gilliland originally called his patent "Bessboro" after his little daughter. [9] The original settlement, which may have supplied wood to Benedict Arnold's troops, was completely destroyed during the American Revolutionary War in connection with British General John Burgoyne's march from Canada to Saratoga. The first permanent settlement was in 1785. [10]
The town of Westport was established in 1815 from part of the town of Elizabethtown. The community of Westport in the center of town incorporated as a village in 1907. The community abandoned its status as an incorporated village on December 31, 1992.
By the mid-nineteenth century, Westport was a fashionable resort town. Its social scene was regularly reported on in The New York Times and by the Boston press. Like many other East Coast resorts, its popularity gradually declined, starting in the 1930s, as first automobiles and then airplanes made possible a wider selection of vacation sites. Since the 1950s, however, Westport's lakeshore property has steadily increased in value. Although once most of the "summer people" stayed for weeks, now distinctions are not as clear: there are "year-round summer people" whose livelihood stems from outside Westport, weekenders whose principal residence is fairly close by (for example, Albany, which is two hours distant by car), and commuters to workplaces as distant as Plattsburgh, New York, or Middlebury, Vermont.
Westport is home to Camp Dudley, YMCA, the oldest summer camp in continuous operation in the United States, founded in 1885 by Sumner F. Dudley, who moved to Westport in 1891. Meadowmount, the summer school for string players founded by Ivan Galamian, is 8 miles (13 km) northwest of the center of town, in the town of Lewis. Westport is known as the ice fishing capital of Essex County.
Westport is home to one of the only two professional theatres in the Adirondacks proper, the second being Pendragon Theatre in Saranac Lake. The Depot Theatre was founded in 1979 and operates out of the historic Amtrak railway station. The 136-seat, air-conditioned theatre hosts plays and musicals on its main stage during the summer months, as well as an annual gala.
The Camp Dudley Road Historic District, Champlain II Shipwreck, Essex County Fairgrounds, First Congregational and Presbyterian Society Church of Westport, Lake View Grange No. 970, and Vergennes canal boat are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [11] [12]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 66.8 square miles (173.0 km2), of which 58.2 square miles (150.7 km2) is land and 8.6 square miles (22.4 km2), or 12.93%, is water. [13]
The eastern town line is formed by Lake Champlain and the border of Vermont. The town is inside the Adirondack Park.
New York State Route 9N, New York State Route 22, and County Route 44 are north-south highways in Westport. NY-9N and NY-22 become conjoined in Westport village. Interstate 87, the Northway, passes across the northwestern part of Westport, with access from Exit 31 (NY-9N).
Several sites on the Lake Champlain Birding Trail are located in Westport: [14] [15]
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1820 | 1,095 | — | |
1830 | 1,513 | 38.2% | |
1840 | 1,932 | 27.7% | |
1850 | 2,352 | 21.7% | |
1860 | 1,981 | −15.8% | |
1870 | 1,577 | −20.4% | |
1880 | 1,737 | 10.1% | |
1890 | 1,864 | 7.3% | |
1900 | 1,727 | −7.3% | |
1910 | 1,867 | 8.1% | |
1920 | 1,492 | −20.1% | |
1930 | 1,534 | 2.8% | |
1940 | 1,657 | 8.0% | |
1950 | 1,597 | −3.6% | |
1960 | 1,565 | −2.0% | |
1970 | 1,453 | −7.2% | |
1980 | 1,439 | −1.0% | |
1990 | 1,446 | 0.5% | |
2000 | 1,362 | −5.8% | |
2010 | 1,312 | −3.7% | |
2016 (est.) | 1,285 | [2] | −2.1% |
U.S. Decennial Census [16] |
As of the census [17] of 2000, there were 1,362 people, 593 households, and 381 families residing in the town. (Note that since the census excludes summer residents, the figures in this section are for year-round residents only.) The population density was 23.3 inhabitants per square mile (9.0/km2). There were 887 housing units at an average density of 15.2 per square mile (5.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.7% White, 0.2% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.0% of the population.
There were 593 households, out of which 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 29.3% 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 2.30 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.1% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 29.2% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $40,000, and the median income for a family was $49,917. Males had a median income of $31,042 versus $26,550 for females. The per capita income for the town was $22,063. About 5.2% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.
Westport is served by the Bouquet Valley Central School. The Westport Central School merged with the Elizabethtown-Lewis Central School in 2019; high school students from Westport, Elizabethtown, and Lewis were relocated to the former Elizabethtown-Lewis School building, while elementary students moved into the former Westport campus. The new school district mascot is a Griffin (a combination of the previous two mascots of Lion and Eagle). Westport also has a branch of the Cornell University Cooperative Extension and is the mailing address of the Meadowmount School of Music (see above). Additionally, the Depot Theatre (above) runs a summer apprentice program for children ranging from elementary school to high school age.
Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Westport, operating its Adirondack daily in both directions between Montreal and New York City. A bus connection is available from Westport to Lake Placid. The Amtrak station also houses the Depot Theatre.
On August 28, 2006, at approximately 6:45 p.m. local time, a Greyhound bus traveling from New York City to Montreal overturned on the Adirondack Northway in Westport after suffering a blown tire, killing five and injuring 48. [18]
Westport is in a rural area in the Adirondack Park, and so most of its access to medical care is via the ferry operated by Lake Champlain Transportation Company. The nearest emergency department is Elizabethtown Community Hospital, a 25-bed rural hospital 9 miles (14 km) to the west, with eight doctors on its active medical staff. [19] About 30 miles (48 km) by car to the northeast in Burlington, accessible via ferry, is the emergency department of University of Vermont Medical Center, a large, full-service hospital affiliated with the University of Vermont. During times when the ferry from Essex is not running, the nearest full-service emergency department is at CVPH Medical Center, in Plattsburgh, 41 miles (66 km) north of Westport. Slightly closer, though a slower drive over rural roads, is Porter Hospital in Middlebury, Vermont, accessible via the bridge at Crown Point.
Elizabethtown Community Hospital operates a small satellite clinic in Westport.
Some notable Westport residents, past and present, include:
Clinton County is the northeastern most county in the northeastern corner of the state of New York, in the United States and bordered by the Canadian province of Quebec. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 79,843. Its county seat is the city of Plattsburgh. The county lies just south of the border with the Canadian province of Quebec and to the west of the State of Vermont. The county is named for George Clinton, the first Governor of New York, who later was elected as Vice President. He had been a Founding Father who represented New York in the Continental Congress. Clinton County comprises the Plattsburgh, New York Micropolitan statistical area. The county is part of the North Country region of the state.
Essex County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 37,381. Its county seat is the hamlet of Elizabethtown. Its name is from the English county of Essex. Essex is one of only 2 counties that are entirely within the Adirondack Park, the other being Hamilton County. The county is part of the North Country region of the state.
Au Sable, or Ausable, is a town in Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 3,146 at the 2010 census. The name is from the Ausable River that flows through the town and means "of sand".
Crown Point is a town in Essex County, New York, United States, located on the west shore of Lake Champlain. The population was 2,024 at the 2010 census. The name of the town is a direct translation of the original French name, Pointe à la Chevelure.
Elizabethtown is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 1,163 at the 2010 census. The county seat of Essex County is the hamlet of Elizabethtown, located in the northern part of the town. The name is derived from Elizabeth Gilliland, the wife of an early settler.
Essex is a town in Essex County, New York, United States overlooking Lake Champlain. The population was 621 at the 2020 census. The town is named after locations in England.
Keene is a town in central Essex County, New York, United States. It includes the hamlets of Keene, Keene Valley, and St. Huberts, with a total population of 1,144 as of the 2020 census
Lewis is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 1,382 at the 2010 census. The town is named after Morgan Lewis, the governor of New York at the time the town was established.
Moriah is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. Lying within the Adirondack Park, it is situated in the eastern part of the county, 47 miles (76 km) by road south-southwest of Burlington, Vermont, 55 miles (89 km) south of Plattsburgh, 115 miles (185 km) north of Albany, and 116 miles (187 km) south of Montreal, Quebec. The population was 4,798 at the 2010 census.
Port Henry is a hamlet in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 1,194 at the 2010 census.
Ticonderoga is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 5,042 at the 2010 census. The name comes from the Mohawk tekontaró:ken, meaning "it is at the junction of two waterways".
Putnam is a town in northern Washington County, New York, United States. It is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town population was 567 at the 2020 census. The town is named after Israel Putnam, a hero of the American Revolution.
Ferrisburgh is a town in Addison County, Vermont, United States. It was founded June 24, 1762. The population was 2,646 at the 2020 census. The town is sometimes spelled Ferrisburg.
Keeseville is a hamlet in Clinton and Essex counties, New York, United States. The population was 1,815 at the 2010 census. The hamlet was named after the Keese family, early settlers from Vermont. It developed along the Ausable River, which provided water power for mills and industrial development.
Champlain is a town in Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 5,754 at the 2010 census. The town is located on the western shore of Lake Champlain, near the northern end of Lake Champlain and is on the U.S./Canadian border.
Ticonderoga is a hamlet in the southeast part of the town of Ticonderoga, in Essex County, New York, United States. The name is derived from the Haudenosaunee term for "between the two waters", the two waters being Lake George and Lake Champlain. The hamlet became a census-designated place (CDP) in 2008. As of the 2010 census, the population was 3,382, out of a total 5,042 residents in the town of Ticonderoga.
New York State Route 22 (NY 22) is a north–south state highway that parallels the eastern border of the U.S. state of New York, from the outskirts of New York City to the hamlet of Mooers in Clinton County near the Canadian border. At 337 miles (542 km), it is the state's longest north–south route and the third longest state route overall, after NY 5 and NY 17. Many of the state's major east–west roads intersect with, and often join, NY 22 just before crossing into the neighboring New England states, where U.S. Route 7 (US 7), which originally partially followed NY 22's alignment, similarly parallels the New York state line.
New York State Route 9N (NY 9N) is a north–south state highway in northeastern New York in the United States. It extends from an intersection with U.S. Route 9 (US 9), NY 29, and NY 50 in the city of Saratoga Springs to a junction with US 9 and NY 22 in the Clinton County hamlet of Keeseville. At 143.49 miles (230.92 km) in total length, NY 9N is the longest letter-suffixed route in the state. It is concurrent with its parent route for 1 mile (1.6 km) in the village of Lake George and for three blocks in the hamlet of Elizabethtown.
Westport is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Westport in Essex County, New York, United States. The population of the CDP was 518 at the 2010 census, or 39.4% of the total population of the town of Westport.