Berlin, New York
Berlin, New York | |
|---|---|
 The center of Berlin viewed from eastbound Plank Road | |
 Location inRensselaer Countyand the state ofNew York. | |
| Coordinates:42°41′N73°22′W/ 42.683°N 73.367°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Rensselaer |
| Government | |
| • Town Supervisor | Robert C. Jaeger |
| Area | |
| • Total | 59.91 sq mi (155.18 km2) |
| • Land | 59.60 sq mi (154.35 km2) |
| • Water | 0.32 sq mi (0.83 km2) |
| Elevation | 961 ft (293 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 1,808 |
| Time zone | UTC-5(Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4(EDT) |
| ZIP code | 12022 |
| Area code | 518 |
| FIPS code | 36-06189 |
| GNISfeature ID | 0978727 |
Berlin/ˈbɜːrlɪn/is atowninRensselaer County,New York,United States. The population was 1,808 at the 2020 census.[3]The town is named afterBerlininGermany,although natives pronounce the name differently, with the accent on the first syllable.
The town of Berlin is located on the eastern border of the county and is often pronounced with an emphasis on the first half of the name.
History
[edit] |
The town was first settledcirca1765. It was named a town in 1806 and formed from the town of Petersburgh, one of the manyNew Yorktowns with a German name. On July 25, 1962, Berlin was a site to the 1962 Berlin Explosion, Where a Semi-Truck full of 7000 gallons of propane crashed and blew up in the town killing 10 including the truck driver.[4]
Geography
[edit]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau,the town has a total area of 59.9 square miles (155 km2), of which 59.7 square miles (155 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (0.45%) is water.
The highest point isBerlin Mountain,2,818 feet (859 m) above sea level, near theMassachusettsborder in theTaconic Mountains.The Taconic Mountains form a barrier in the eastern part of the town so that no existing road connects the town to Massachusetts. The western portion of the town is part of theRensselaer Plateau.[5]
The eastern town line is the border of Massachusetts.
Berlin is home to the source of thePoesten Kill,which begins atDyken Pond,in the northwestern corner of the town.
Adjacent towns and areas
[edit]
The Town ofStephentownis to the south, and the Town ofPetersburghlies to the north. The Town ofSand Lake,and the Town ofPoestenkillare at the western town line, and the Towns of Williamstown and Hancock inBerkshire County,Massachusetts are on the eastern border.
Economy
[edit]Going back in time, Berlin had its economic roots as a center for dairy farming, however many of the farms have been subdivided in the last decades of the 20th century. The town now serves primarily as a bedroom community for the Albany, NY capital district, but retains some notable industries.
Like many small communities, Berlin has relied on one or two key employers for economic growth. These have primarily included W.J. Cowee, LLC, a manufacturer of wood products, and the Henry J. Seagroatt Co., a producer and distributor of flowers and supplies. In neighboring Petersburgh, NY, the high tech industry is represented by Taconic, a worldwide manufacturer of PTFE and dielectric materials.
Demographics
[edit]| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 1,986 | — | |
| 1830 | 2,019 | 1.7% | |
| 1840 | 1,794 | −11.1% | |
| 1850 | 2,005 | 11.8% | |
| 1860 | 2,223 | 10.9% | |
| 1870 | 2,088 | −6.1% | |
| 1880 | 2,202 | 5.5% | |
| 1890 | 1,704 | −22.6% | |
| 1900 | 1,677 | −1.6% | |
| 1910 | 1,615 | −3.7% | |
| 1920 | 1,305 | −19.2% | |
| 1930 | 1,359 | 4.1% | |
| 1940 | 1,402 | 3.2% | |
| 1950 | 1,409 | 0.5% | |
| 1960 | 1,329 | −5.7% | |
| 1970 | 1,562 | 17.5% | |
| 1980 | 1,696 | 8.6% | |
| 1990 | 1,929 | 13.7% | |
| 2000 | 1,901 | −1.5% | |
| 2010 | 1,880 | −1.1% | |
| 2020 | 1,808 | −3.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[6][7] | |||
As of thecensus[8]of 2000, there were 1,901 people, 729 households, and 500 families residing in the town. Thepopulation densitywas 31.9 inhabitants per square mile (12.3/km2). There were 1,034 housing units at an average density of 17.3 per square mile (6.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.42%White,0.05%Native American,0.32% fromother races,and 1.10% from two or more races.HispanicorLatinoof any race were 2.00% of the population.
There were 729 households, out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% weremarried couplesliving together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.9% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $34,875, and the median income for a family was $42,464. Males had a median income of $30,500 versus $26,088 for females. Theper capita incomefor the town was $17,733. About 9.7% of families and 16.0% of the population were below thepoverty line,including 19.0% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in Berlin
[edit]- Berlin– Thehamletof Berlin on NY State Route 22. It was formerly called "North Berlin" after it was settledcirca1800.
- Bucks Corner– A hamlet at the junction of County Routes 40 and 41 in the western part of the town.
- Center Berlin– A hamlet south of Berlin village, on NY State Route 22.
- Cherry Plain– A hamlet in the southern part of the town on NY State Route 22.
- Cherry Plain State Park– Astate parkin the southwestern part of the town.
- Dyken Pond– A small lake located in the northwestern part of the town.
- Round Pond– A privatepondin the western part of the town.
- Spring Lake– A privatelakein the western part of the town.
Climate
[edit]Thisclimaticregion is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to theKöppen Climate Classificationsystem, Berlin has ahumid continental climate,abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.[9]
References
[edit]
- ^"2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedJuly 5,2017.
- ^ab"Population and Housing Unit Estimates".RetrievedJune 9,2017.
- ^U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 census results.https:// census.gov/search-results.html?searchType=web&cssp=SERP&q=Berlin%20town,%20Rensselaer%20County,%20New%20York
- ^"60th Anniversary of 1962 Berlin NY Tragedy Explosion".RetrievedJuly 25,2022.
- ^"Rensselaer Plateau Association - Maps".Archived fromthe originalon December 24, 2013.RetrievedAugust 26,2013.
- ^"Census of Population and Housing".Census.gov.RetrievedJune 4,2015.
- ^U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 census results.https:// census.gov/search-results.html?searchType=web&cssp=SERP&q=Berlin%20town,%20Rensselaer%20County,%20New%20York
- ^"U.S. Census website".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedJanuary 31,2008.
- ^Climate Summary for Berlin, New York
Further reading
[edit]- Anderson, George Baker (1897).Landmarks of Rensselaer County New York.Syracuse, New York: D. Mason and Company.OCLC1728151.
- Hayner, Rutherford (1925).Troy and Rensselaer County New York: A History.New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc.OCLC22524006.
- Sylvester, Nathaniel Bartlett (1880).History of Rensselaer Co., New York with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers.Philadelphia: Everts & Peck.OCLC3496287.
- Weise, Arthur James (1880).History of the Seventeen Towns of Rensselaer County from the Colonization of the Manor of Rensselaerwyck to the Present Time.Troy, New York: J. M. Francis & Tucker.OCLC6637788.
External links
[edit]
42°41′N73°22′W/ 42.683°N 73.367°W
Municipalities and communities ofRensselaer County, New York,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| Villages | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other hamlets | ||
