North Elba is a

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an or ...

in Essex County,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * ...

, United States. The population was 8,957 at the 2010 census. North Elba is on the western edge of the county. It is by road southwest of

Plattsburgh Plattsburgh ( moh, Tsi ietsénhtha) is a city in, and the seat of, Clinton County, New York, United States, situated on the north-western shore of Lake Champlain. The population was 19,841 at the 2020 census. The population of the surrounding ...

, south-southwest of

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple-pe ...

, and north of Albany. While it is only west-southwest of

Burlington, Vermont Burlington is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the seat of Chittenden County. It is located south of the Canada–United States border and south of Montreal. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 44,743. It ...

, one would have to either take a ferry across

Lake Champlain , native_name_lang = , image = Champlainmap.svg , caption = Lake Champlain-River Richelieu watershed , image_bathymetry = , caption_bathymetry = , location = New York/Vermont in the United States; and Quebec in Canada , coords = , type = , ...

, or drive around it. The entirety of the

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...

of Lake Placid is located within the boundaries of North Elba, as is part of the village of Saranac Lake.

North Country Community College North Country Community College is a public community college in Saranac Lake, New York. It is part of the State University of New York system. Founded in 1967, the college's main campus is located in Saranac Lake, New York, and it has addi ...

is located in North Elba. The

Adirondack Scenic Railroad The Adirondack Railroad (formerly the Adirondack Scenic Railroad) is a tourist railway serving the Adirondack Park, which plans to operate over trackage of the former New York Central Railroad between Utica and Tupper Lake. The railroad is ...

traverses the town. The John Brown Farm State Historic Site is in North Elba.

History

The town was first settled around 1814. In 1840 there were six families in the future North Elba, which was formed from part of the town of Keene in 1849. The

abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The British ...

John Brown, attracted by the views of local

Gerrit Smith Gerrit Smith (March 6, 1797 – December 28, 1874), also spelled Gerritt Smith, was a leading American social reformer, abolitionist, businessman, public intellectual, and philanthropist. Married to Ann Carroll Fitzhugh, Smith was a candid ...

, came to the town in 1849 to found a community for former black slaves. Smith was trying to resettle free blacks on land in the area, but it was not suitable for family farming. Brown left from his farm for the raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859. A visitor in 1861 noted that in North Elba there was "a school house, which serves for this purpose, for a church, and a town hall." At that time, when the village of Lake Placid did not exist, a map of 1858 reveals that North Elba was at that time also a hamlet, centered at the intersection of what are today (2021) New York State Route 73 and Adirondack Loj Roads The town and its village, Lake Placid, were the site of the

1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident (1932), Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort ...

and

1980 Winter Olympics The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially the XIII Olympic Winter Games and also known as Lake Placid 1980, were an international multi-sport event held from February 13 to 24, 1980, in Lake Placid, New York, United States. Lake Placid was elected ...

Barngalow Barngalow is a historic cure cottage located at Saranac Lake in the town of North Elba, Essex and Franklin County, New York. It was built in 1905 and is a two-story wood-frame structure that was originally a barn and converted to residential ...

and the Larom-Welles Cottage were listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1992.

Notable people

* John Brown, the famous abolitionist, who was executed after his conviction of treason, sedition, and murder by the state of Virginia, is buried on his family's farm in North Elba, as is his son

Watson Brown Watson Brown may refer to: * Watson Brown (American football) Lester Watson Brown (born April 19, 1950) is a retired American football coach and former player. He was most recently the head football coach at Tennessee Technological University, a ...

. Twelve other participants in Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, including his son Oliver, were moved in 1899 to a common grave near Brown's. *

Melvil Dewey Melville Louis Kossuth "Melvil" Dewey (December 10, 1851 – December 26, 1931) was an influential American librarian and educator, inventor of the Dewey Decimal system of library classification, a founder of the Lake Placid Club, and a chief l ...

, inventor of the Dewey Decimal System, founded a resort in the town.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 3.03%, is water. Some of the High Peaks of the

Adirondack Park The Adirondack Park is a part of New York's Forest Preserve in northeastern New York, United States. The park was established in 1892 for “the free use of all the people for their health and pleasure”, and for watershed protection. The park ...

are in the southern part of town. The West Branch of the Au Sable River flows out the northeastern corner of the town. The western town line is the border of Franklin County. New York State Route 73 and New York State Route 86 are east–west highways in the town that intersect at Lake Placid village.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,661 people, 2,944 households, and 1,675 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPop ...

was 57.0 people per square mile (22.0/km²). There were 3,991 housing units at an average density of 26.3 per square mile (10.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 85.71%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 10.10%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of enslav ...

, 0.40% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.20%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Oce ...

, 1.82% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.90% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties form ...

or Latino of any race were 6.51% of the population. There were 2,944 households, out of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.1% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.90. In the town, the population was spread out, with 17.6% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 39.6% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 146.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 158.2 males. The median income for a household in the town was $35,329, and the median income for a family was $44,828. Males had a median income of $27,787 versus $23,356 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $19,259. About 7.3% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 11.9% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in North Elba

*Buck Island – An island in Lake Placid. * Lake Placid – A lake in the north-central part of the town. * Lake Placid – A

near the center of the town at the junction of NY-73 and NY-86. *Lake Placid Airport (LKP) – A general aviation airport south of Lake Placid village. *Mirror Lake – A small lake adjacent to Lake Placid village. *Moose Island – An island in Lake Placid north of Buck Island. *North Elba – The

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Den ...

of North Elba is southeast of Lake Placid village on NY-73. * Ray Brook – A hamlet between Saranac Lake and Lake Placid villages on NY-86. **

Federal Correctional Institution, Ray Brook The Federal Correctional Institution, Ray Brook (FCI Ray Brook) is a medium-security United States federal prison for male inmates that is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a division of the United States Department of Justice. FCI Ray ...

– A federal prison near Ray Brook hamlet. It is a medium security facility for male prisoners. During its construction, it was used as an Olympic village for competitors. *Round Lake – A small lake, east of North Elba village. * Saranac Lake – A village, a part of which is at the western border of the town on NY-86. * Timbuctoo (1850–1870) – a failed community of Black farmers, brought there by John Brown *Undercliff – A hamlet on the northwestern shore of Lake Placid. *Whiteface – A hamlet on the southwestern shore of Lake Placid.

References

External links

Town of North Elba official website

{{authority control Towns in Essex County, New York 1849 establishments in New York (state) African Americans in New York (state) Populated places on the Underground Railroad