Formerly known as Whipple City, Greenwich () is 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 ...

in 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. It is part of the

Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area The Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in Upstate New York, anchored by the city of Glens Falls. It is considered to be a part of the greater Capital D ...

. The village population was 1,777 at the 2010 census. The Village of Greenwich is located at the southern town line of the

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 ...

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 ...

; a small part of the village is in the Town of Easton. The village developed on both sides of the Battenkill River and is served by Route NY-29.

History

This area was settled by European Americans after the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

, as migrants moved into New York from New England. The community was originally named Whipple City after Job Whipple, the owner of a successful cotton mill (1804). In 1809, the community set itself off from the town by incorporating as Union Village. Cotton and textile manufacturing, based on cotton from the

Deep South The Deep South or the Lower South is a cultural and geographic subregion in the Southern United States. The term was first used to describe the states most dependent on plantations and slavery prior to the American Civil War. Following the wa ...

, continued to be a profitable industry in the village for some time through the 19th century. It connected the villagers to the economy of King Cotton. In 1867, the village changed its name to Greenwich. Greenwich, N

An important station 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. ...

was located in Greenwich, and local people helped fugitive slaves reach freedom in upstate New York or Canada. A historical marker, containing a map showing locations of safe houses and commemorating Greenwich's contribution to the Underground Railroad, was dedicated in 2004. United States President Chester A. Arthur attended prep school in Greenwich while his father served here as pastor at Bottskill Baptist Church. The Village of Greenwich Historic District 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 1995.

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 village has a total area of , all land. The Batten Kill, a river in the southern part of the town, has historically provided power. It has attracted many settlements, besides Greenwich village, along its course. New York Route 29 passes through the village from east to west. The northern terminus of New York Route 372 is in the village, where it joins NY-29.

Demographics

The village attained its peak of population in the 1920 census. A decline in manufacturing in the area led to a loss of jobs; in addition, urbanization attracted people to larger cities. 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 1,902 people, 788 households, and 493 families residing in the village. 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 . There were 852 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 98.11%

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 ...

, 0.32%

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 ...

, 0.05% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 0.79% from two or more races. 0.74% of the population were

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. There were 788 households, out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% 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, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.4% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.06. In the village, the population was spread out, with 27.2% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males. The median income for a household in the village was $34,659, and the median income for a family was $42,198. Males had a median income of $31,951 versus $20,795 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 village was $16,592. 8.3% of the population and 4.8% of families 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 ...

. Out of the total population, 7.7% of those under the age of 18 and 9.6% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

References

External links

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