Herkimer (village), New York
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- See also: German Flatts
| Herkimer, New York | |
  Herkimer, New York
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Herkimer |
| Area | |
| - Total | 2.5 sq mi (6.6 km²) |
| - Land | 2.4 sq mi (6.3 km²) |
| - Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²) |
| Elevation | 384 ft (117 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 7,498 |
| - Density | 3,107.1/sq mi (1,199.7/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 13350 |
| Area code(s) | 315 |
| FIPS code | 36-34121 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0952621 |
Herkimer is a village in Herkimer County, New York, USA. It had a population of 7,498 as of the 2000 census. The village is named after the Herkimers who settled in this area, the most notable one being Nicholas Herkimer, a general of the Tryon County militia, who died from wounds received at the Battle of Oriskany in the American Revolutionary War.
As of 2000, the United States Census Bureau classified the village as a suburb of Utica, 11 miles to the west, and as part of the Utica/Rome metropolitan statistical area (MSA). The Town of Herkimer surrounds the village, and together they are referred to as "The Herkimers." Three referendums have proposed to unite the two Herkimers, but have all been narrowly defeated.
The village is the only municipality in the nation to be represented by three governments of the same name: the village of Herkimer, in the town of Herkimer, in the county of Herkimer. The village is also the county seat.
Herkimer County Community College, located in the northwest part of the village, was founded in 1966 by the Herkimer County Board of Supervisors.
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[edit] History
[edit] German Flatts
In 1700, the region was part of the territory of the Iroquois Mohawk Native American tribe. Only winding paths through the wilderness and the Mohawk River linked one Mohawk village to another at that time. Palatine Germans first arrived in New York State in August 1708, and in the Mohawk Valley as early as 1712.
In 1722, in response to the request by the German Palatine leaders Joseph Petrie and Conrad Richert, the Palatines were granted a lease to purchase land from the Indians in the vicinity of where the West Canada Creek flows into the Mohawk. After the land was surveyed in 1723, most of the original settlers arrived between 1723 and 1725. The Burnestfield patent, granted April 13, 1725, assigned one hundred acre lots to about ninety individuals. This area was originally known as Burnetsfield, named in honor of the Governor. It was also referred to as Stone Ridge, The Flats, The Falls, and most commonly, because of the mostly German population and the flat topography, as German Flatts.
Shortly after 1722, a blockhouse and a church were erected in the village, at the present site of the Reformed Church. The first know minister was Reverend George Michael Weiss who served from 1735 to 1742. He was followed in 1751 by the Elder Rosencrantz, who was succeeded by his son Reverend Abraham Rosencrantz, who latter serving until his death in 1796.
A schoolhouse was erected in 1745.
During the French and Indian War the town was twice attacked, by the French and their native allies on November, 1757 (Attack on German Flatts (1757)) and April, 1758 (Attack on German Flatts (1758). In 1758, the settlement on the south side of the river and Fort Herkimer was attacked, and about 30 settlers were killed. Captain Nicholas Herkimer held the command of the fort, and he assembled all the settlers he could within the fort.
During the Revolutionary War, the town was attacked multiple times by loyalists. One of these raids was by the Butler's Rangers in September, 1778. (see Attack on German Flatts (1778)) The village was defended by Fort Dayton.
The town was attacked by the last time on July 15, 1782 by about five hundred Tories and Iroquois. Two residents were killed, the rest managed to reach the safety of the fort. Fifty horses were taken and fifteen killed, 180 cattle were taken and thirteen killed, thirteen houses and two barns were burnt.
[edit] Herkimer
The name of the village was changed to Herkimer when the New York Surveyor-General Simeon DeWitt accidentally reversed the town name with Herkimer when he made his survey in 1788. It was decided it was easier to change the town names than to change his survey.
By 1797, the village had a courthouse, jail, and the Reformed Dutch Church, and about 40 houses and a population of about 250.
The village was incorporated in 1807. Its charter was amended in 1832 to enlarge the village. In 1875, the village dispensed with its special charter and organized the village under the state law of the time.
[edit] Geography
Herkimer is located at (43.026207, -74.990304)[1].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.6 km²), and 6.2 km² (2.4 sq mi) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 sq mi) of it (4.72%) is water.
Herkimer is at the confluence of the Mohawk River and its tributary, West Canada Creek. The Plantation Island Wildlife Management Area is on the opposite shore of West Canada Creek.
The Village of Herkimer is located in Central New York State, at the exact midpoint between Syracuse and Albany. It is Exit 30 on the New York State Thruway (Interstate 90). New York State Route 5 and New York State Route 28 intersect and combine briefly in the village.
[edit] Geological information
The Herkimer/Middleville area is a favorite collecting area for rockhounds because of its vast deposits of large quartz crystals known as "Herkimer diamonds." Although the minerals are not true diamonds and not generally used as gemstones, they have become popular as small trinkets. The minerals formed in Cambrian age limestone and dolostone, probably from ground water action after the original formation of the rock in an ancient sea. There are several commercial mines that cater to tourists. Customers can break up rock, or screen the soil, which has weathered from this rock. The crystals are resistant to weathering themselves.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 7,498 people, 3,184 households, and 1,687 families residing in the village. The population density was 3,107.1 people per square mile (1,201.2/km²). There were 3,528 housing units at an average density of 1,462.0/sq mi (565.2/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 96.15% White, 1.23% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 1.24% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.49% from other races, and 0.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.37% of the population.
There were 3,184 households out of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.6% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.0% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.8% 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 2.87.
In the village, the population was spread out with 19.2% under the age of 18, 15.3% from 18 to 24, 22.5% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 22.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.9 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $24,762, and the median income for a family was $38,892. Males had a median income of $30,266 versus $19,438 for females. The per capita income for the village was $16,498. About 8.1% of families and 14.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.5% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] References
- ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
- Village of Herkimer municipal Web site
- Herkimer High School Yearbook Online
- US GenWeb Project - Town of Herkimer
- The Evening Telegram - village newspaper
- Herkimer (village), New York is at coordinates Coordinates:
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