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Clinton County, New York

Coordinates:44°44′N73°41′W/ 44.74°N 73.68°W/44.74; -73.68
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Clinton County
County
Clinton County Courthouse
Clinton County Courthouse
Flag of Clinton County
Flag
Official seal of Clinton County
Seal
Map of New York highlighting Clinton County
Location within the U.S. state ofNew York
Map of the United States highlighting New York
New York's location within theU.S.
Coordinates:44°44′N73°41′W/ 44.74°N 73.68°W/44.74; -73.68
CountryUnited States
StateNew York
Founded1788
Named forGeorge Clinton
SeatPlattsburgh
Largest cityPlattsburgh
Area
• Total1,117.53 sq mi (2,894.4 km2)
• Land1,037.85 sq mi (2,688.0 km2)
• Water80 sq mi (200 km2) 7.1%
Population
(2020)
• Total79,843Decrease
• Density71/sq mi (27/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5(Eastern)
• Summer (DST)UTC−4(EDT)
Congressional district21st
Websitewww.clintoncountygov

Clinton Countyis acountyin the north-easternmost corner of thestateofNew York,in the United States and bordered by the Canadian province ofQuebec.It is the northeastern most county in New York. As of the2020 United States Census,the population was 79,843.[1]Itscounty seatis the city ofPlattsburgh.[2]The county lies just south of theborderwith theCanadian provinceofQuebecand to the west of theStateofVermont.The county is named forGeorge Clinton,the firstGovernor of New York,who later was elected asVice President.He had been aFounding Fatherwho represented New York in theContinental Congress.Clinton County comprises the Plattsburgh, New YorkMicropolitan statistical area.The county is part of theNorth Countryregion of the state.

History[edit]

George Clinton,namesake of Clinton County. First Governor of New York, Vice President underThomas JeffersonandJames Madison,and representative of New York in the Continental Congress

When counties were established in New York State in 1683, the present Clinton County was part ofAlbany County.This was an enormous county, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present state ofVermontand, in theory, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean. This county was reduced in size on July 3, 1766, by the creation ofCumberland County,and further on March 16, 1770, by the creation ofGloucester 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. One of the other pieces,Charlotte County,contained the eastern portion.

In 1784, the name "Charlotte County" was changed toWashington Countyto honorGeorge Washington,theAmerican Revolutionary WarGeneral and later the firstPresident of the United States of America.

In 1788, Clinton County split off from Washington County.

In 1799,Essex Countysplit from Clinton County.

In 1802, parts of Clinton,Herkimer,andMontgomery countiesformed the newSt. Lawrence County.

In 1808,Franklin Countysplit from Clinton County.[3]

Geography[edit]

Clinton County lies at thenortheast corner of New York state.Its northern border abuts theCanadian provinceofQuebec.Its eastern border abuts the state ofVermont(across Lake Champlain). The encompassing region is referred to as theAdirondack Coast.[4]

TheSaranac Riverflows easterly through the central part of the county, discharging into Lake Champlain atPlattsburgh,and theGreat Chazy Riverflows northeastward through the upper part of the county, discharging into Lake Champlain atCoopersville.TheAusable Riverforms a large part of the southern county line.[5]The county's highest point isLyon Mountain,in the town of Dannemora, at 3,830 ft (1,170 m) ASL.[6]According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,117.53 square miles (2,894.4 km2), of which 1,037.85 square miles (2,688.0 km2) is land and 79.67 square miles (206.3 km2) (7.1%) is water.[7]

Adjacent counties and municipalities[edit]

Protected areas[edit]

Lakes[edit]

  • Chazy Lake[5]
  • Fern Lake
  • Lake Champlain(along east border)
  • Mead Reservoir
  • Military Pond
  • Miner Lake
  • Mud Pond
  • Newberry Pond
  • Patterson Reservoir
  • Silver Lake
  • Slush Pond
  • Taylor Pond
  • Union Falls Pond (part)
  • Upper Chateaugay Lake

Government and politics[edit]

United States presidential election results for Clinton County, New York[9]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 16,514 46.60% 18,364 51.82% 559 1.58%
2016 14,449 45.01% 15,059 46.91% 2,597 8.09%
2012 11,115 36.26% 18,961 61.85% 580 1.89%
2008 12,579 37.73% 20,216 60.64% 542 1.63%
2004 15,330 45.44% 17,624 52.24% 782 2.32%
2000 13,274 43.44% 15,542 50.86% 1,743 5.70%
1996 9,759 33.58% 15,386 52.95% 3,915 13.47%
1992 13,455 42.06% 12,881 40.27% 5,652 17.67%
1988 15,702 54.97% 12,670 44.36% 191 0.67%
1984 19,549 64.22% 10,804 35.49% 90 0.30%
1980 13,120 48.79% 11,498 42.76% 2,272 8.45%
1976 15,433 56.94% 11,555 42.63% 115 0.42%
1972 17,048 63.60% 9,703 36.20% 53 0.20%
1968 11,951 51.58% 10,153 43.82% 1,064 4.59%
1964 6,078 24.82% 18,398 75.12% 16 0.07%
1960 11,154 44.70% 13,782 55.24% 15 0.06%
1956 16,295 70.46% 6,833 29.54% 0 0.00%
1952 14,535 64.50% 7,963 35.34% 37 0.16%
1948 9,694 49.07% 9,357 47.37% 704 3.56%
1944 8,775 46.66% 9,996 53.15% 35 0.19%
1940 10,369 47.56% 11,378 52.19% 53 0.24%
1936 10,521 48.85% 10,898 50.60% 119 0.55%
1932 8,263 42.67% 11,027 56.94% 75 0.39%
1928 7,824 41.68% 10,888 58.00% 59 0.31%
1924 7,918 57.80% 5,138 37.51% 642 4.69%
1920 9,062 67.70% 4,110 30.71% 213 1.59%
1916 4,986 53.68% 4,130 44.47% 172 1.85%
1912 3,903 44.74% 3,323 38.09% 1,497 17.16%
1908 5,474 55.54% 3,866 39.22% 516 5.24%
1904 6,327 59.06% 3,988 37.23% 397 3.71%
1900 6,326 58.81% 4,287 39.86% 143 1.33%
1896 6,005 65.35% 3,074 33.45% 110 1.20%
1892 5,135 50.60% 4,773 47.03% 241 2.37%
1888 6,271 56.72% 4,724 42.73% 61 0.55%
1884 5,973 53.44% 5,151 46.08% 54 0.48%

Like much of the North Country region, Clinton County has historically been aRepublicancounty. However, it has voted forDemocraticcandidates at the state and national level in recent times. Since 1996, it has voted for the Democratic candidate for president in every election. In the2008 U.S. presidential election,Barack Obamacarried the county by a 22.9% margin overJohn McCain(Obama won every municipality in the county), and won by a 26.9% margin over McCain statewide.[10]In 2006, bothEliot SpitzerandHillary Clintoncarried the county, winning 63% and 64% of vote, respectively. In 2010, GovernorAndrew Cuomo,and SenatorsChuck SchumerandKirsten Gillibrandwon the county, each receiving more than 60% of the vote.

Republicans still win most local races. The county's Congressional district did not elect a Democrat to Congress until 2009 whenBill OwensdefeatedDoug Hoffmanin thespecial electionto replaceJohn McHugh,who resigned to serve as theObama Administration'sSecretary of the Army.The special election received nationwide attention due to Hoffman, a third-party candidate andTea Partyfavorite, polling higher than the Republican nominee,Dede Scozzafava,which ultimately led to her dropping out of the race and supporting Owens. It had not elected a Democrat to theState SenateorState Assemblyin over a half-century untilBilly Joneswas elected to the State Assembly in 2016.

The Clinton County Legislature is the lawmaking body of the county. It consists of 10 members, each elected fromsingle member districts.[11]As of 2021, the County Legislature consists of five Republicans and four Democrats and a vacancy.[12]

Demographics[edit]

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
17901,615—
18008,514427.2%
18108,002−6.0%
182012,07050.8%
183019,34460.3%
184028,15745.6%
185040,04742.2%
186045,73514.2%
187047,9474.8%
188050,8976.2%
189046,437−8.8%
190047,4302.1%
191048,2301.7%
192043,898−9.0%
193046,6876.4%
194054,00615.7%
195053,622−0.7%
196072,72235.6%
197072,9340.3%
198080,75010.7%
199085,9696.5%
200079,894−7.1%
201082,1282.8%
202079,843−2.8%
US Decennial Census[13]
1790-1960[14]1900-1990[15]
1990-2000[16]2010-2020[1]

2020 census[edit]

Clinton County Racial Composition[17]
Race Num. Perc.
White(NH) 69,251 86.73%
Black or African American(NH) 2,753 3.45%
Native American(NH) 238 0.3%
Asian(NH) 957 1.2%
Pacific Islander(NH) 24 0.03%
Other/Mixed(NH) 3,764 4.71%
HispanicorLatino 2,856 3.6%

2000 census[edit]

As of the2000 United States Census,[18]there were 79,894 people, 29,423 households, and 19,272 families in the county. Thepopulation densitywas 77.0 people per square mile (29.7 people/km2). There were 33,091 housing units at an average density of 31.9 units per square mile (12.3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.33%White,3.58%BlackorAfrican American,0.36%Native American,0.67%Asian,0.02%Pacific Islander,1.10% fromother races,and 0.93% from two or more races. 2.46% of the population wereHispanicorLatinoof any race. 23.7% were of French, 15.0%French Canadian,12.5% American, 11.8% Irish, 7.6% English and 5.5% German ancestry according toCensus 2000.94.1% spoke English, 2.8% French and 1.7% Spanish as their first language.

There were 29,423 households, out of which 32.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.00% weremarried couplesliving together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.50% were non-families. 26.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.98.

The county population contained 23.00% under the age of 18, 12.40% from 18 to 24, 30.60% from 25 to 44, 22.10% from 45 to 64, and 11.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 104.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.60 males.

The median household income was $37,028, and the median income for a family was $45,732. Males had a median income of $33,788 versus $25,520 for females. Theper capita incomefor the county was $17,946. About 9.40% of families and 13.90% of the population were below thepoverty line,including 15.30% of those under age 18 and 11.40% of those age 65 or over.

Education[edit]

TheState University of New York at Plattsburghis located in theCity of Plattsburgh.The county is also served byClinton Community College,which is located in theTown of Plattsburgh.

Infrastructure[edit]

Clinton Correctional Facility,a maximum-security prison is located in the village of Dannemora.Altona Correctional Facilityis a medium-security prison in the town of Altona.

Transportation[edit]

Highways[edit]

Airports[edit]

Rail[edit]

Amtrak'sAdirondack Traintravels through the county, connectingMontrealtoNew York City.Two trains a day (one north and one south) stop in the county inPlattsburghandRouses Point.[21]

Mass transit[edit]

The Clinton County Public Transit runs bus routes that branch from Plattsburgh to towns in the county.[22]

Communities[edit]

Larger settlements[edit]

# Location Population Type Area
1 †Plattsburgh 19,989 City Champlain Shore
2 Dannemora 3,936 Village Mainland
3 Rouses Point 2,209 Village Champlain Shore
4 ‡Keeseville 1,815 CDP Adirondack Park
5 Cumberland Head 1,627 CDP Champlain Shore
6 Peru 1,591 CDP Adirondack Park
7 Morrisonville 1,545 CDP Mainland
8 Plattsburgh West 1,364 CDP Mainland
9 Champlain 1,101 Village Mainland
10 Altona 730 CDP Mainland
11 Chazy 565 CDP Champlain Shore
12 Au Sable Forks 559 CDP Adirondack Park
13 West Chazy 529 CDP Mainland
14 Cadyville 479 CDP Mainland
15 Redford 477 CDP Adirondack Park
16 ††Mooers 442 CDP Mainland
17 Lyon Mountain 423 CDP Adirondack Park
18 Parc 254 CDP Champlain Shore

† - County seat

†† - Former village

‡ - Not wholly in this county

Towns[edit]

Hamlets[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ab"U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Clinton County, New York".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedJanuary 3,2022.
  2. ^"Find a County".National Association of Counties. Archived fromthe originalon May 31, 2011.RetrievedJune 7,2011.
  3. ^A Gazetteer of New York State, Horace Spafford, first edition, 1814, p. 78
  4. ^"GoAdirondack -About The Adirondack Coast".goadirondack.Archived fromthe originalon July 21, 2018.RetrievedJuly 6,2019.
  5. ^abClinton County NY - Google Maps (accessed 6 July 2019)
  6. ^Lyon Mountain, New York. PeakBagger (accessed 6 July 2019)
  7. ^"2010 Census Gazetteer Files".US Census Bureau. Archived fromthe originalon May 19, 2014.RetrievedJuly 6,2010.
  8. ^Miner Lake State Park. stateparks (accessed 6 July 2019)
  9. ^Leip, David."Atlas of US Presidential Elections".uselectionatlas.org.RetrievedOctober 22,2018.
  10. ^US Election Atlas
  11. ^Legislative District Maps
  12. ^(accessed 6 July 2019)
  13. ^"US Decennial Census".US Census Bureau.RetrievedJanuary 3,2015.
  14. ^"Historical Census Browser".University of Virginia Library. Archived fromthe originalon August 11, 2012.RetrievedJanuary 3,2015.
  15. ^"Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990".US Census Bureau.RetrievedJanuary 3,2015.
  16. ^"Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000"(PDF).US Census Bureau.RetrievedJanuary 3,2015.
  17. ^"P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Clinton County, New York".
  18. ^"U.S. Census website".US Census Bureau.RetrievedJanuary 31,2008.
  19. ^I-87 Multimodal Corridor StudyArchivedSeptember 8, 2015, at theWayback Machine,New York State Department of Transportation,Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  20. ^Clinton County Public and Private Airports, New York.Retrieved June 13, 2013.
  21. ^AMTRAK/Plattsburgh, New York station (accessed 6 July 2019)
  22. ^Welcome to Clinton County Public Transit (accessed 6 July 2019)

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toClinton County, New York.

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