Antwerp (town), New York

Antwerp is a town in Jefferson County, New York, USA. The population was 1,793 at the 2000 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.

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

Much of Antwerp is in the Fort Drum Military Reservation.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 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/sq mi (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 of Antwerp

*Antwerp -- The Village of Antwerp is 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 -- Part of the military reservation is 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.

References

External links

* [http://history.rays-place.com/ny/antrerp-ny.htm Early history of Antwerp, NY]