Gouverneur, New York
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Gouverneur (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell) is a town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,551.<ref>US Census 2020 Results, QuickFacts, Gouverneur town, St. Lawrence County, New York https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/gouverneurtownstlawrencecountynewyork accessed September 21, 2023</ref> That was down from 7,085 in 2010.<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> The town is named after statesman and landowner Gouverneur Morris.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
The Town of Gouverneur contains a village named Gouverneur. The town is near the southwestern border of St. Lawrence County and is southwest of Canton, the county seat.
History
The region was first settled around 1805.
The Town of Gouverneur was formed in 1810 from part of the Town of Oswegatchie (previously an area called "Town of Cambria").
Like many other settlements in the county, the town's growth was hindered by the War of 1812, although rapid growth resumed soon after.<ref>Hough, Franklin B. (1853) "A history of St. Lawrence and Franklin counties, New York: from the earliest period to the present time"</ref>
In 1850, the community of Gouverneur set itself off from the town by incorporating as a village.
The town economy was based in part on mining marble, talc, and zinc.
The United States Post Office was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.<ref name="nris">Template:NRISref</ref>
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 72.4 square miles (187.6 km2), of which 71.5 square miles (185.3 km2) is land and 0.9 square mile (2.3 km2) (1.24%) is water.
The Oswegatchie River flows through the town in two directions, westward in the south and eastward in the north.
U.S. Route 11, New York State Route 58, and New York State Route 812 converge at Gouverneur village. NY-58 and NY-812 are conjoined southwest of the village, and US-11 and NY-812 are conjoined northeast of the village. Due to the low area population and relatively little through traffic, the area's highways and the Gouverneur Town Court experience relatively light traffic flow.
Climate
Demographics
2020 census
As of the census of 2020, the town had a population of 6,551 and 2,405 households. The population density was 91.1 inhabitants per square mile (35.2/km²), and there were 2,784 housing units at an average density of 39.1 per square mile (15.1/km²).
The racial makeup of the town was 83.5% White, 4.9% Black or African American, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino of any race, and 5.7% from other races or two or more races.
The average household size was 2.4, and the median age was 38.8 years.
The median household income was $44,933, and the per capita income was $24,200. Approximately 23.4% of the population lived below the poverty line.
Education (ACS 2019–2023 estimates)
Approximately 82.3% of residents aged 25 and over had at least a high school diploma, and 21.0% held a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Communities and locations in Gouverneur
- Elmdale – A hamlet in the northwestern part of the town on NY-58 and the Oswegatchie River.
- Gouverneur – The Village of Gouverneur is on US-11 at the Oswegatchie River, near the eastern town line.
- Halls Corners – A hamlet in the northern part of the town, south of North Gouverneur.
- Little Bow – A hamlet northwest of Gouverneur village.
- Natural Dam – A hamlet on NY-58 west of Gouverneur village, where Gouverneur Morris once had a summer home. The name arose due to a large rock, partially blocking the Oswegatchie River.
- North Gouverneur – A hamlet in the northern part of the town west of County Road 11.
- Reservoir Hill – An elevation by the town line, east of Gouverneur village.
- Staplin Corners – A hamlet in the northern part of the town, north of North Gouverneur.
Notable people
- Phil Hanlon (b. 1955), mathematician and former president of Dartmouth College
- Brian Leonard (b. 1984), former running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Edward John Noble (1882–1958), developer and marketer of Life Savers
- Thomas Lee Pangle (b. 1944), political scientist
- William R. Rowley (1824–1886), American Civil War general
- Lillian Tait Sheldon (1865–1925), composer
- Tudi Wiggins (1935–2006), Canadian actress in daytime television dramas
- James Franklin Wiley, member of the Wisconsin State Senate
References
External links
Template:Gouverneur Morris Template:St. Lawrence County, New York