St. Lawrence County
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St. Lawrence County is a
county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...
in the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
of
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...
. As of the 2020 census, the population was 108,505. The
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
is
Canton Canton may refer to: Administrative divisions * Canton (administrative division), territorial/administrative division in some countries * Township (Canada), known as ''canton'' in Canadian French Arts and entertainment * Canton (band), an It ...
. The county is named for the
Saint Lawrence River The St. Lawrence River (, ) is a large international river in the middle latitudes of North America connecting the Great Lakes to the North Atlantic Ocean. Its waters flow in a northeasterly direction from Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St. Lawrenc ...
. This was as named by early French
explorer Exploration is the process of exploring, an activity which has some Expectation (epistemic), expectation of Discovery (observation), discovery. Organised exploration is largely a human activity, but exploratory activity is common to most organis ...
Jacques Cartier Jacques Cartier (; 31 December 14911 September 1557) was a French maritime explorer from Brittany. Jacques Cartier was the first Europeans, European to describe and map the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the shores of the Saint Lawrence River, wh ...
for the
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
saint In Christianity, Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of sanctification in Christianity, holiness, imitation of God, likeness, or closeness to God in Christianity, God. However, the use of the ...
Lawrence of Rome Saint Lawrence or Laurence (; 31 December 225 – 10 August 258) was one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome under Pope Sixtus II who were martyred in the persecution of the Christians that the Roman emperor Valerian ordered in 258. ...
, as he visited the river on the saint's
feast day The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context does n ...
. The county is part of the
North Country North Country may refer to: Places * North Country, Cornwall, England * North Country, the northern third of New Hampshire, U.S. **Great North Woods Region (New Hampshire) *North Country (New York), a region of Upstate New York ** North Country Co ...
region of the state. St. Lawrence County comprises the Ogdensburg- Massena, NY Micropolitan Statistical Area and is New York's largest county by area.


History

When counties were established by England in the
Province of New York The Province of New York was a British proprietary colony and later a royal colony on the northeast coast of North America from 1664 to 1783. It extended from Long Island on the Atlantic, up the Hudson River and Mohawk River valleys to ...
in 1683, the present St. Lawrence County was part of Albany County. This was an enormous territory, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present State of
Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...
and, in theory, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean. The county was reduced in size on July 3, 1766, by the creation of
Cumberland County Cumberland County may refer to: Australia * Cumberland County, New South Wales * the former name of Cumberland Land District, Tasmania, Australia Canada *Cumberland County, Nova Scotia United Kingdom * Cumberland, historic county *Cumberl ...
, and further on March 16, 1770, by the creation of Gloucester 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. The other two were called Tryon County (later renamed
Montgomery County Montgomery County may refer to: Australia * The former name of Montgomery Land District, Tasmania United Kingdom * The historic county of Montgomeryshire, Wales, also called County of Montgomery United States * Montgomery County, Alabama * Montg ...
) and Charlotte County (later renamed Washington County). Tryon County contained the western portion (and, since no western boundary was specified, theoretically extended west to the Pacific). The eastern boundary of Tryon County was approximately five miles west of the present city of
Schenectady Schenectady ( ) is a City (New York), city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the United States Census 2020, 2020 census, the city's population of 67,047 made it the state's ninth-most populo ...
, and the county included the western part of the
Adirondack Mountains The Adirondack Mountains ( ) are a massif of mountains in Northeastern New York which form a circular dome approximately wide and covering about . The region contains more than 100 peaks, including Mount Marcy, which is the highest point in Ne ...
and the area west of the West Branch of the
Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is the longest free-flowing (undammed) river in the Eastern United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for a ...
. The area then designated as Tryon County included what are now 37 counties of New York State. The county was named for
William Tryon Lieutenant-General William Tryon (8 June 172927 January 1788) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator who served as governor of North Carolina from 1764 to 1771 and the governor of New York from 1771 to 1777. He also served durin ...
, colonial governor of New York. Charlotte County contained the eastern portion of Albany County. In 1784, following the peace treaty that ended 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 the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
, the name "Charlotte County" was changed to Washington County to honor
George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
, 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 the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
general and later
President of the United States of America The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...
. Tryon County was changed to
Montgomery County Montgomery County may refer to: Australia * The former name of Montgomery Land District, Tasmania United Kingdom * The historic county of Montgomeryshire, Wales, also called County of Montgomery United States * Montgomery County, Alabama * Montg ...
to honor the general,
Richard Montgomery Richard Montgomery (2 December 1738 – 31 December 1775) was an Irish-born American military officer who first served in the British Army. He later became a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and ...
, who had captured several places in Canada and died trying to capture the city of
Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
. It replaced the name of the British governor, hated by the rebels. In 1788,
Clinton County Clinton County may refer to: *Counties named for George Clinton, first and third Governor of New York, and later the fourth Vice President of the United States: **Clinton County, New York ** Clinton County, Ohio *Counties named for DeWitt Clinton, ...
was split off from Washington County. This was a much larger area than the present Clinton County, including part of what would later become St. Lawrence County, as well as several other counties or county parts of the present New York State. In 1789, the size of Montgomery County was reduced by the splitting off of Ontario County from Montgomery. The actual area split off from Montgomery County was much larger than the present county, also including the present Allegany, Cattaraugus,
Chautauqua Chautauqua ( ) is an adult education and social movement in the United States that peaked in popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s. The Cha ...
,
Erie Erie is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in Pennsylvania and the most populous in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a population of 94,831 ...
, Genesee,
Livingston Livingston or Livingstonemay refer to: Businesses * Livingston Energy Flight, an Italian airline (2003–2010) * Livingston Compagnia Aerea, an Italian airline (2011–2014), also known as Livingston Airline * Livingston International, a North Am ...
,
Monroe Monroe or Monroes may refer to: People and fictional characters * Monroe (surname) * Monroe (given name) * James Monroe, 5th President of the United States * Marilyn Monroe, actress and model Places United States * Monroe, Arkansas, an unincorp ...
, Niagara, Orleans,
Steuben Steuben or Von Steuben most commonly refers to Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben (1730–1794), Prussian-American military officer, or to a number of things named for him in the United States. It may also refer to: Places *Steuben Township, Marshall C ...
,
Wyoming Wyoming ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States, Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho t ...
, Yates, and part of Schuyler and Wayne Counties. St. Lawrence County is part of
Macomb's Purchase Macomb's Purchase is a large historical area of northern New York in the United States purchased from the state in 1791 by Alexander Macomb, a merchant who had become wealthy during the American Revolutionary War. He acted as a land speculator, sel ...
of 1791. In 1791, Herkimer County was one of three counties split off from Montgomery (the other two being Otsego, and Tioga County). This was much larger than the present county, however, and was reduced by a number of subsequent splits. The first was the splitting off in 1794 of
Onondaga County Onondaga County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 476,516. The county seat is Syracuse. The county is part of the Central New York region of the state. Onondaga County is the core of the ...
. This county was larger than the current Onondaga County, including the present
Cayuga Cayuga often refers to: * Cayuga people, a native tribe to North America, part of the Iroquois Confederacy * Cayuga language, the language of the Cayuga Cayuga may also refer to: Places Canada *Cayuga, Ontario United States * Cayuga, Illinois ...
, Cortland, and part of Oswego Counties. This was followed by the splitting off in 1798 from Herkimer County of two portions: one, Oneida County, was larger than the current Oneida County, including the present
Jefferson Jefferson may refer to: Names * Jefferson (surname) * Jefferson (given name) People * Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States * Jefferson (footballer) * Jefferson (singer) or Geoff Turton (born 1944), British s ...
,
Lewis Lewis may refer to: Names * Lewis (given name), including a list of people with the given name * Lewis (surname), including a list of people with the surname Music * Lewis (musician), Canadian singer * " Lewis (Mistreated)", a song by Radiohe ...
, and part of Oswego Counties; another portion, together with a portion of Tioga County, was taken to form
Chenango County Chenango County is a county located in the south-central section of the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 47,220. Its county seat is Norwich. The county's name originates from an Oneida word meaning 'large bull ...
. In 1799, Clinton County was reduced in size by the splitting off of Essex County from Clinton County. In 1802, parts of Clinton, Herkimer, and Montgomery counties were taken to form the new St. Lawrence County. At that time Ogdensburg was the county seat. In 1828 the county seat was moved to
Canton Canton may refer to: Administrative divisions * Canton (administrative division), territorial/administrative division in some countries * Township (Canada), known as ''canton'' in Canadian French Arts and entertainment * Canton (band), an It ...
. The selection of Canton as the county seat was a compromise by the state legislature to end competition between factions supporting Ogdensburg and
Potsdam Potsdam () is the capital and largest city of the Germany, German States of Germany, state of Brandenburg. It is part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. Potsdam sits on the Havel, River Havel, a tributary of the Elbe, downstream of B ...
for the county seat.


Earthquake

On September 5, 1944, a 5.8magnitude earthquake centered in Massena struck the county. The earthquake was felt from Canada to Maryland, and from Maine to Indiana. The earthquake was the strongest earthquake in New York State history.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (5.0%) is water. It is the largest county by area in the state of New York. It is larger than either of the states of Rhode Island (1544.9 square miles) or the state of Delaware (2488.72 square miles). St. Lawrence County is part of the
North Country North Country may refer to: Places * North Country, Cornwall, England * North Country, the northern third of New Hampshire, U.S. **Great North Woods Region (New Hampshire) *North Country (New York), a region of Upstate New York ** North Country Co ...
region. Part of the county is in the
Adirondack Park The Adirondack Park is a park in northeastern New York (state), New York protecting the Adirondack Mountains. The park was established in 1892 for "the free use of all the people for their health and pleasure", and for watershed protection. At , ...
. It includes much of the
Oswegatchie River The Oswegatchie River is a river in northern New York (state), New York that flows from the Adirondack Mountains north to the Saint Lawrence River. The Oswegatchie River begins at Partlow Lake in Hamilton County, New York. The river continues t ...
,
Cranberry Lake Cranberry Lake is on the east branch of the Oswegatchie River in the Adirondack Park in New York in the United States. It is the third largest lake in the Adirondack Park (after Lake George and the Great Sacandaga Lake). About 75 percent of the ...
and Lake Ozonia. The Port of Ogdensburg in St. Lawrence County is the only U.S. port on the
St. Lawrence Seaway The St. Lawrence Seaway () is a system of rivers, locks, canals and channels in Eastern Canada and Northern United States that permits oceangoing vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes of North America, as far inland ...
. This waterway allows ships and vessels to pass through the St. Lawrence River and on to the
Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes spanning the Canada–United States border. The five lakes are Lake Superior, Superior, Lake Michigan, Michigan, Lake Huron, H ...
.
Ogdensburg Harbor Light Ogdensburg Harbor Light is a privately owned lighthouse on the St. Lawrence River, listed on the National Park Service's Maritime Heritage Program as Lighthouse to visit. and as one of New York's Historic Light Stations. In 2016 it was listed on ...
is listed in the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
, and in the
National Register of Historic Places listings in St. Lawrence County, New York List of the National Register of Historic Places listings in St. Lawrence County, New York This is intended to be a complete list of historic properties and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places in St. Lawrence County ...


Adjacent counties

*
Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry United Counties, Ontario The United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry (SDG) is a county and census division in the Canadian province of Ontario, that comprises three historical counties. The county's administrative office is located within the City of Cornwall, ...
, Canada – north *
Leeds and Grenville United Counties, Ontario The United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, commonly known as Leeds and Grenville, is a county and census division in Ontario, Canada, in the Eastern Ontario subregion of Southern Ontario. It fronts on the St. Lawrence River and the internat ...
, Canada – northwest * Franklin County – east *
Herkimer County Herkimer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 60,139. Its county seat is Herkimer. The county was created in 1791 north of the Mohawk River out of part of Montgomery County. It is name ...
– south * Hamilton County – south * Lewis County – southwest * Jefferson County – west


Demographics

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, there were 113,931 people, 40,506 households, and 26,936 families residing in the county. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...
was . There were 49,721 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 94.51%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 2.38%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.87%
Native American Native Americans or Native American usually refers to Native Americans in the United States. Related terms and peoples include: Ethnic groups * Indigenous peoples of the Americas, the pre-Columbian peoples of North, South, and Central America ...
, 0.71% Asian, 0.03%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 0.69% 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), ...
, and 0.51% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 1.79% of the population. 16.9% were of
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
, 16.1% Irish, 13.9% American, 11.6% English, 8.1%
French Canadian French Canadians, referred to as Canadiens mainly before the nineteenth century, are an ethnic group descended from French people, French colonists first arriving in Canada (New France), France's colony of Canada in 1608. The vast majority of ...
, 7.9% German and 7.6% Italian ancestry according to Census 2000. 95.6% spoke only English, while 3.2% spoke French and 1.2% Spanish at home. There were 40,506 households, out of which 31.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.50% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 10.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.50% were non-families. 26.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.99. In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.40% under the age of 18, 13.80% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 13.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 103.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.10 males. The median income for a household in the county was $30,356, and the median income for a family was $34,510. Males had a median income of $30,135 versus $24,253 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the county was $14,728. About 12.30% of families and 19.90% 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 21.30% of those under age 18 and 10.30% of those age 65 or over.


2020 Census


Education


School districts

There are 17 school districts with territory in St. Lawrence County. 17 of those centered in the county are under the jurisdiction of th
St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES Supervisory District
along with
Harrisville Central School District Harrisville may refer to the following places: Australia * Harrisville, Queensland, a town and locality in the Scenic Rim Region New Zealand * Harrisville, New Zealand United States * Harrisville, Indiana * Harrisville, Maryland * Harrisville, Mi ...
in
Lewis County, New York Lewis County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of New York, situated between the Adirondack Mountains and the Tug Hill Plateau, within the state's North Country region. As of the 2020 census, the county had a p ...
. *
Brasher Falls Central School District Brasher can refer to: * Brasher (surname), people and fictional characters with the name * Brasher, New York, a town * Brasher, a UK boot manufacturer owned by the Pentland Group See also * Brasher Doubloon, a rare, privately minted American ...
: St. Lawrence Central School, Brasher Falls * Canton Central School District: Hugh Williams Senior High School, Canton * Clifton-Fine Central School District: Clifton-Fine Central School, Star Lake * Colton-Pierrepont Central School District: Colton-Pierrepont Central School, Colton * Edwards-Knox Central School District: Edwards-Knox Central School, Russell * Gouverneur Central School District: Gouverneur Junior/Senior High School, Gouverneur *
Hammond Central School District Hammond may refer to: People * Hammond Innes (1913–1998), English novelist * Hammond (surname) * Justice Hammond (disambiguation) Places Antarctica * Hammond Glacier, Antarctica Australia *Hammond, South Australia, a small settlement in Sout ...
: Hammond Central School, Hammond * Hermon-Dekalb Central School District: Hermon-Dekalb Central School, Dekalb Junction *
Heuvelton Central School District Heuvelton is a small rural, incorporated, village located in St. Lawrence County in the state of New York, United States. It is approximately southeast of the city of Ogdensburg, in the Town of Oswegatchie. It is the only village in the town. ...
: Heuvelton Central School, Heuvelton * Lisbon Central School District: Lisbon Central School, Lisbon * Madrid-Waddington Central School District: Madrid-Waddington Central School, Madrid *
Massena Central School District Massena Central School District is a school district headquartered in Massena Village, Massena Town, New York. Located in St. Lawrence County, the district includes Massena Village and a piece of the Akwesasne census-designated place. Text list/ ...
: Massena Senior High School, Massena * Morristown Central School District: Morristown Central School, Morristown * Norwood-Norfolk Central School District: Norwood-Norfolk Central School, Norfolk * Ogdensburg City School District:
Ogdensburg Free Academy Ogdensburg Free Academy is a public high school in Ogdensburg, New York. It consists of around 750 or more students in the 7th through 12th grade. The famous Golden Dome is located on State Street and attracts residents from across the North Cou ...
, Ogdensburg * Parishville-Hopkinton Central School District: Parishville-Hopkinton Central School, Parishville * Potsdam Central School District:
Potsdam High School Potsdam High School is a public four-year high school located in Potsdam, New York. It is operated by the Potsdam Central School District. Extracurriculars Athletics As of 2022, the school offered a variety of sports teams that include bas ...
, Potsdam Other school districts with territory in the county include:
Text list
/ref> *
Alexandria Central School District Alexandria ( ; ) is the second largest city in Egypt and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile River delta. Founded in 331 BC by Alexander the Great, Alexandria grew rapidly and became a major ce ...
* Brushton-Moira Central School District *
Harrisville Central School District Harrisville may refer to the following places: Australia * Harrisville, Queensland, a town and locality in the Scenic Rim Region New Zealand * Harrisville, New Zealand United States * Harrisville, Indiana * Harrisville, Maryland * Harrisville, Mi ...
* Indian River Central School District *
Salmon River Central School District Salmon River Central School District is a school district headquartered in Fort Covington (CDP), New York. Much of the district is in Franklin County. There, it includes the census-designated place of Fort Covington and portions of the CDP of ...
* St. Regis Falls Central School District * Tupper Lake Central School District All public high schools in St. Lawrence County compete in the
New York State Public High School Athletic Association The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) is the governing body of interscholastic sports for most public schools in New York (state), New York outside New York City.http://www.nysphsaa.org/ ''nysphsaa.org'', accesse ...
br>Section X Northern Athletic Conference


Universities and colleges

Saint Lawrence County is home to
St. Lawrence University St. Lawrence University is a private liberal arts college in the village of Canton in St. Lawrence County, New York. It has roughly 2,100 undergraduate and 100 graduate students. Though St. Lawrence today is nonsectarian, it was founded in 1 ...
,
State University of New York at Potsdam The State University of New York at Potsdam (SUNY Potsdam or simply Potsdam) is a public college in Potsdam (village), New York, Potsdam, New York, United States. Founded in 1816, it is the northernmost member of the State University of New Yo ...
,
Clarkson University Clarkson University is a private research university with its main campus in Potsdam, New York. Clarkson has additional graduate programs and research facilities in the New York Capital District. It was established in 1896 and enrolled over 4 ...
, the SUNY-ESF Ranger School, and the
State University of New York at Canton The State University of New York at Canton (SUNY Canton) is a public college in Canton, New York, United States. It is part of the State University of New York. The college offers bachelor's degrees, associate degrees, and certificate programs. ...
.


Politics

Prior to the 1992 presidential election, St. Lawrence County was a traditionally Republican county, supporting the Democrats only in their sweep of New York State counties in
1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 – In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patria ...
. From 1992 through the 2012 election, St. Lawrence County swung Democratic, posting double-digit victories for Democratic candidates, most notably in
1996 1996 was designated as: * International Year for the Eradication of Poverty Events January * January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...
when
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
won the county by 28-point margin over
Bob Dole Robert Joseph Dole (July 22, 1923 – December 5, 2021) was an American politician and attorney who represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996. He was the Party leaders of the United States Senate, Republican Leader of th ...
. The first Republican victory in the county since 1988 came in
2016 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...
when
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
carried the county by an eight-point margin. In 2020, it was one of only a few counties in Upstate New York where Trump improved his margin, this time carrying it by over 10 points. Trump improved on his margin again in 2024, this time performing better than any candidate from any political party since 1984.


Media


Radio

* 1340 WMSA, Massena * WVLF-FM Mix 96.1 * WRCD-FM 101.5 The Fox *
WSNN WSNN (99.3 FM) is a radio station broadcasting an 1980's hits format. It is licensed to Potsdam, New York, United States. The station is owned by Timothy D. Martz, through licensee Martz Communications Group Inc. History The station original ...
(99.3, Potsdam) *
WPDM WPDM (1470 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Potsdam, New York, United States, the station is owned by Timothy D. Martz, through licensee Martz Communications Group Inc. History On May 18, 2015, WPDM change ...
(1470, Potsdam) * WSLU (89.5, Canton)


Transportation


Airports

The following public use airports are located in the county:St. Lawrence County Public and Private Airports, New York
. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
*
Massena International Airport Massena International Airport (Richards Field) is in St. Lawrence County, New York. It is east of the village of Massena. The airport sees one airline, subsidized by the Essential Air Service program. Federal Aviation Administration records ...
(MSS) – Massena *
Ogdensburg International Airport Ogdensburg International Airport is a public airport located in the town of Oswegatchie, southeast of Ogdensburg, in St. Lawrence County, New York. It is owned by the Ogdensburg Bridge & Port Authority, which also owns and operates the Ogd ...
(OGS) – Ogdensburg *
Potsdam Municipal Airport Potsdam Municipal Airport , also known as Damon Field, is a village owned, public use airport located two nautical miles (4  km) east of Potsdam, a village in the Town of Potsdam, St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. It is in ...
(PTD) –
Potsdam Potsdam () is the capital and largest city of the Germany, German States of Germany, state of Brandenburg. It is part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. Potsdam sits on the Havel, River Havel, a tributary of the Elbe, downstream of B ...
*
Moores Airport Moores Airport is a privately owned, public use airport in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. It is located three nautical miles (6  km) north of Degrasse, a hamlet in the Town of Russell. Facilities and aircraft Moo ...
(1E8) – Degrasse


Communities


Larger settlements

† - County Seat ‡ - Not Wholly in this County


Towns

* Brasher *
Canton Canton may refer to: Administrative divisions * Canton (administrative division), territorial/administrative division in some countries * Township (Canada), known as ''canton'' in Canadian French Arts and entertainment * Canton (band), an It ...
*
Clare Clare may refer to: Places Antarctica * Clare Range, a mountain range in Victoria Land Australia * Clare, South Australia, a town in the Clare Valley * Clare Valley, South Australia Canada * Clare (electoral district), an electoral district * Cl ...
* Clifton * Colton * De Kalb * De Peyster * Edwards *
Fine Fine may refer to: Characters * Fran Fine, the title character of ''The Nanny'' * Sylvia Fine (''The Nanny''), Fran's mother on ''The Nanny'' * Officer Fine, a character in ''Tales from the Crypt'', played by Vincent Spano Legal terms * Fine (p ...
* Fowler * Gouverneur *
Hammond Hammond may refer to: People * Hammond Innes (1913–1998), English novelist * Hammond (surname) * Justice Hammond (disambiguation) Places Antarctica * Hammond Glacier, Antarctica Australia *Hammond, South Australia, a small settlement in Sout ...
*
Hermon Mount Hermon ( / ALA-LC: ('Mountain of the Sheikh', ), , ) is a mountain cluster constituting the southern end of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range. Its summit straddles the border between Syria and Lebanon and, at above sea level, is the ...
* Hopkinton *
Lawrence Lawrence may refer to: Education Colleges and universities * Lawrence Technological University, a university in Southfield, Michigan, United States * Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States Preparator ...
*
Lisbon Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
*
Louisville Louisville is the most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeast, and the 27th-most-populous city in the United States. By land area, it is the country's 24th-largest city; however, by populatio ...
* Macomb *
Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
* Massena * Morristown *
Norfolk Norfolk ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in England, located in East Anglia and officially part of the East of England region. It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and eas ...
* Oswegatchie * Parishville * Piercefield * Pierrepont *
Pitcairn The Pitcairn Islands ( ; Pitkern: '), officially Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, are a group of four volcanic islands in the southern Pacific Ocean that form the sole British Overseas Territory in the Pacific Ocean. The four islan ...
*
Potsdam Potsdam () is the capital and largest city of the Germany, German States of Germany, state of Brandenburg. It is part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. Potsdam sits on the Havel, River Havel, a tributary of the Elbe, downstream of B ...
* Rossie *
Russell Russell may refer to: People * Russell (given name) * Russell (surname) * Lady Russell (disambiguation) * Lord Russell (disambiguation) ** Bertrand Russell *Justice Russell (disambiguation) Places *Russell Island (disambiguation) *Mount Russel ...
*
Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
* Waddington


Hamlets

* Balmat *
Conifer Conifers () are a group of conifer cone, cone-bearing Spermatophyte, seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the phylum, division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a sin ...
* Crary Mills *
Helena Helena may refer to: People *Helena (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name) *Katri Helena (born 1945), Finnish singer * Saint Helena (disambiguation), this includes places Places Greece * Helena ...
* Massena Center * Morley * Newton Falls *
Pyrites The mineral pyrite ( ), or iron pyrite, also known as fool's gold, is an iron sulfide with the chemical formula Fe S2 (iron (II) disulfide). Pyrite is the most abundant sulfide mineral. Pyrite's metallic luster and pale brass-yellow hue ...
* Rooseveltown * South Colton * Wanakena * Chase Mills


See also

*
List of counties in New York There are 62 county (United States), counties in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. The first 12 counties were created in 1683 soon after the British took over the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam; two of these counties were later a ...
*
National Register of Historic Places listings in St. Lawrence County, New York List of the National Register of Historic Places listings in St. Lawrence County, New York This is intended to be a complete list of historic properties and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places in St. Lawrence County ...
* St. Lawrence County Public Transportation


References


External links


St. Lawrence County webpage



Further reading

* {{coord, 44.50, -75.07, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-NY_source:UScensus1990
Saint Lawrence County, New York St. Lawrence County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 108,505. The county seat is Canton. The county is named for the Saint Lawrence River. This was as named by early French explorer Jacq ...
Populated places established in 1802