Greenwich 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 o ...

in the southwestern part of Washington 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 town is located on the western border of the county. The population was 4,896 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. Greenwich features several homes that were a part of the

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. ...

. The Town of Greenwich contains a

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 ...

, also named

Greenwich Greenwich ( , ,) is a town in south-east London, England, within the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is situated east-southeast of Charing Cross. Greenwich is notable for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich ...

History

The Horicon tribe is believed to be part of the early native population of the town. Greenwich, N

Families began settling the area around 1763. The town was originally part of five

land patent A land patent is a form of letters patent assigning official ownership of a particular tract of land that has gone through various legally-prescribed processes like surveying and documentation, followed by the letter's signing, sealing, and publi ...

s: Saratoga, Kettlehuyn, Cuyler, Campbell, and Argyle. The Town of Greenwich was formed from part of the Town of Argyle in 1803. In 1809, the community of Whipple City incorporated as a village and adopted the name Union Village. In 1867, the name was changed to Greenwich. Greenwich views itself as having been an important location along the Underground Railroad. A historical marker was placed in Mowry Park detailing the locations of former safe houses. The Greenwich and Johnsonville Railroad brought rail service to the area in 1870. The Coffin Site was 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 1980.

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 th ...

, the town has a total area of 44.4 square miles (114.9 km²), of which 44.0 square miles (114.0 km²) is land and 0.4 square mile (0.9 km²) (0.81%) is water. It lies within the Cambridge valley region in between the

Adirondack Mountains The Adirondack Mountains (; a-də-RÄN-dak) form a massif in northeastern New York with boundaries that correspond roughly to those of Adirondack Park. They cover about 5,000 square miles (13,000 km2). The mountains form a roughly circular ...

and Green Mountain Range of

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provin ...

. The western town line is defined by the

Hudson River The Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor between Ne ...

, with Saratoga County on the opposite shore.

New York State Route 40 New York State Route 40 (NY 40) is a north–south state highway in eastern New York in the United States. It is long and runs from NY 7 in the city of Troy north to NY 22 in the town of Granville. NY 40 also passe ...

(NY 40) is a north–south highway passing through the center of the town. NY 29 is an east–west highway located near the southern town line and Batten Kill River. NY 40 and NY 29 join near Middle Falls.

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2000, there were 4,896 people, 1,927 households, and 1,358 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 RosenberPopu ...

was 111.3 people per square mile (43.0/km²). There were 2,101 housing units at an average density of 47.7 per square mile (18.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.81%

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 ...

, 0.31%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

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 ens ...

, 0.06% Native American, 0.82% Asian, 0.04%

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 O ...

, 0.18% from other races, and 0.78% 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 for ...

or Latino of any race were 0.65% of the population. There were 1,927 households, out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.5% 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 ...

living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.5% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.01. In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.9% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males. The median income for a household in the town was $39,138, and the median income for a family was $47,260. Males had a median income of $34,964 versus $26,629 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 $19,913. About 5.8% of families and 8.4% 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 ...

, including 7.5% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education

A majority of Greenwich falls within the Greenwich Central School District. The district has three school buildings on of land. It serves around 1,300 students and employs 99 administrators and teachers. It was established in 1945 as a consolidation of rural school districts with the

union free school district A Union Free School District is a school district in New York State governed by a board of education; in principle, it may contain multiple primary schools and a single high school, though in practice there are Union Free School Districts that do ...

in Greenwich village. Small areas of Greenwich fall within the Schuylerville, Argyle, and Salem Central school districts. The school district is currently ranked #1,521 in the country according to U.S. News & World Report in 2014 earning a Silver medal award

The school district is currently ranked #10 in the Capital District according to the Capital District Business Review

The Adirondack School of Northeastern New York provides private secondary education for grades 7 through 12.

Notable people

* Susan B. Anthony - Civil rights activist spent her childhood in Greenwich. * Chester A. Arthur - Lived in Greenwich for five years in his youth before becoming 21st President of the United States. * John Lourie Beveridge - Born in Greenwich in 1824, Brigadier General in Civil War and subsequently became 16th Governor of Illinois. * LeRoy Earl Brophey Sr. - Minnesota state reptresentative and lawyer * Henry T. Clarke, Sr. - Nebraska territorial legislator * George Henry Corliss - Inventor of the Corliss steam engine; grew up in Greenwich. * David Edward Cronin - Painter and illustrator was born in Greenwich. *

Laura Don Anna Laura Fish (February 20, 1852 – February 10, 1886),Fish, Lester Warren - ''The Fish Family in England and America,'' 1948, p. 45 better known by the stage name Laura Don, was an American actress, stage manager, playwright and artist who die ...

, born Anna Laura Fish - actress-manager and playwright, died at her parents' Greenwich residence in 1886. * Eastbound Jesus - Northern Rock band formed in Greenwich. *

Kim Gannon James Kimball "Kim" Gannon (November 18, 1900 – April 29, 1974) was an American songwriter, more commonly a lyricist than a composer. Biography Gannon was born in Brooklyn, New York to an Irish-American family from Fort Ann in upstate New ...

- Trained as a lawyer, became a lyricist and co-wrote the holiday favorite I'll Be Home for Christmas. Returned to Greenwich and is buried here. * David Greenberger - Visual, performing, and recording artist, creator of ''The Duplex Planet'', currently residing in Greenwich. * Daniel Hall - Wisconsin state legislator. *

Hal Ketchum Hal Michael Ketchum (April 9, 1953November 23, 2020) was an American country music singer and songwriter. He released eleven studio albums from 1986 to 2014, including nine for divisions of Curb Records. Ketchum's 1991 album ''Past the Point of ...

- Country music star and member of the

Grand Ole Opry The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a weekly American country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM. Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment (a div ...

was born in Greenwich. * James Howard Kunstler - American author, social critic, public speaker, and blogger currently residing in Greenwich. * Grandma Moses - Renowned American folk artist; was born on a farm in the Town of Easton. *

Phantogram (band) Phantogram is an American music duo from Greenwich, New York, formed in 2007 and consisting of multi-instrumentalists and vocalists Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter. The band define their music as electronic rock, dream pop, electronica and trip h ...

- electronic music duo, formed in Greenwich. * James Hutchinson Woodworth - 12th Mayor of

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rock ...

. * Roy Arenella - Photographer, collagist, mail artist, currently residing in Greenwich. * Amanda Podolec - Jeweler, metalsmith and artist currently residing in Greenwich shopapjdesings.com

Communities and locations in the town

Communities and inhabited locations

* Bald Mountain – A

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

west of the

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher ...

by the same name in the western part of the town. A former lime "

mining town A mining community, also known as a mining town or a mining camp, is a community that houses miners. Mining communities are usually created around a mine or a quarry. Historic mining communities Australia * Ballarat, Victoria * Be ...

", the hamlet is known more today for its farming than its mining. * Battenville – A hamlet on the southern town line, located by the Batten Kill. * Carters Pond State Wildlife Management Area – A conservation area in the vicinity of Carter Pond, south of Cassayuna. * Cossayuna – A hamlet located south of Cossayuna Lake in the northern part of the town. Originally known as ''Hog Hollow'' and later as ''Lakeville'', the hamlet was settled in 1765 and was likely its first center of trade. * Center Falls – A hamlet (previously known as ''Franklin'' and as ''Hardscrabble'') east of Greenwich village on NY 29 by the Batten Kill. * Clarks Mills – A hamlet in the southwestern corner of the town by the Batten Kill. * East Greenwich – The town's oldest hamlet, located in the southeastern part of the town located along the Batten Kill. Once known as ''Slab City'', it has been home to several factories. *

– A village at the south town line and Batten Kill. The village is partially in Greenwich and partially in the town of Easton. * Middle Falls – A hamlet west of Greenwich village on NY 29. Though it once bore the names ''Arkansaw'' and ''Galesville'', the hamlet has been known by its present name since 1875. The name is derived from a 45-foot (14 m) natural

waterfall A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in several ...

of the nearby Batten Kill. * North Greenwich – A hamlet near the northern town line. The community was formerly known as ''Antioch'' and ''Reid's Corners''. The hamlet played an important role in the early town. A school was built ''circa'' 1800 and a

post office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional se ...

was established in 1850. The hamlet served as a

stagecoach A stagecoach is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. It is strongly sprung and generally drawn by four horses although some versions are dra ...

stop between Albany and

Whitehall Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London. The road forms the first part of the A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea. It is the main thoroughfare running south from Trafalgar Square towards Parliament Sq ...

. * Thomson – A hamlet northwest of Clarks Mills, by the Hudson River. The hamlet's notoriety has transitioned since its establishment from that of saw milling to paper milling.

Geographical features

* Batten Kill – A river that defines the southern town line. * Cossayuna Lake – A

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

on the northern town line. Its eastern shore defines part of the town's northern border. Lying mostly in the town of Argyle, only a small portion of the lake, its southern tip, lies within Greenwich. * Hartshorn Brook – A

tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drai ...

of the Batten Kill. * McDougall Lake – A small lake, also partially within the town of Salem. * Slocum Creek – A small tributary of the Hudson River.

References

External links

Town of Greenwich Official Website
{{authority control Glens Falls metropolitan area Towns in Washington County, New York Populated places on the Underground Railroad Underground Railroad in New York (state)