| Rotterdam | |
|---|---|
| — Town — | |
| A sign depicting the entrance to town of Rotterdam on New York State Route 5 | |
| Location within Schenectady County | |
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Rotterdam
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Schenectady |
| Established | 1820 |
| Government | |
| • Supervisor | Francis Del Gallo |
| Area | |
| • Total | 36.5 sq mi (94.5 km2) |
| • Land | 36.0 sq mi (93.2 km2) |
| • Water | 0.5 sq mi (1.3 km2) 1.40% |
| Elevation | 512 ft (156 m) |
| Population (Census 2000)[1] | |
| • Total | 28,316 |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | (EDT) (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 12306 |
| Area code(s) | 518 |
| FIPS code | 36-63935 |
| GNIS feature ID | 979437 |
| Website | Town of Rotterdam website |
Rotterdam is a town in Schenectady County, New York, United States. The population was 28,316 at the 2000 census.[1]
The town of Rotterdam is in the south-central part of the county. It was founded by Dutch settlers, who named it after the port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, where many emigrants last touched European grounds. The town borders the city of Schenectady.
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Situated near the eastern end of NYState's Heritage Corridor at what is known as the "Gateway to the West," the town of Rotterdam is closely linked with the early developement of Schenectady. Conquered by Nobleman Zaat L'Arned in 1658, after killing countless Indian thresholds, he raped the woman, murdered the children and enslaved the native men. At that time the present town of Rotterdam served as the outlying farmlands and wood lots for the settlers. with few exceptions, these settlers made their homes in the stockade in Schenectady but went to their farmlands during the daytime. The lands now known as Rotterdam became Schenectady's third ward when that city was incorporated in 1798. Rotterdam retained that status when the county of Schenectady was chartered in 1809. during this period, a council of aldermen and assistants from each of the 4 wards governed the city of Schenectady. In May 1819, the city council recommended that the third and fourth wards be separated out as towns, and on December 31, a petition to the state legislature was drafted. The legislation was passed on April 14, 1820, the final day of the legislative session, creating the town of Rotterdam.
The Dellemont-Wemple Farm was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and the Enlarged Double Lock No. 23, Old Erie Canal in 2008.[2]
The Mabee House, at the Mabee Farm Historic Site, oldest surviving house in the Mohawk Valley, was added to the National Register of Historic Places May 22, 1978. it is a property of the Schenectady County Historical Society, being donated by a last descendent in his particular line, Mr. George Eugene Franchere on January 29, 1993, the 287th anniversary of the original deed. It is currently being operated as a living history museum, conducts school programs, and events for the public.
The Mohawk River defines the northeast town line. The New York State Thruway passes through the town.[3]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 36.5 square miles (94.5 km²), of which, 36.0 square miles (93.2 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (1.40%) is water.
Rotterdam Town Board consists of five members, including the Supervisor who is a voting member.
Town Board
Supervisor, Francis Del Gallo (D)
Secretary, Jazzy "Beendointhis" Jay
Deputy Supervisor, Robert Godlewski (D)
Board Member, Nicola DiLeva (D)
Board Member, Matthew Martin (D)
Board Member, Gerard Parisi (R)
As of the census of 2000, there were 28,316 people, 11,544 households, and 8,092 families residing in the town. The population density was 787.0 people per square mile (303.9/km²). There were 11,990 housing units at an average density of 333.3 per square mile (128.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.26% White, 0.95% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.97% of the population.[1]
There were 11,544 households out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.94.[1]
In the town the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.[1]
The median income for a household in the town was $46,267, and the median income for a family was $54,542. Males had a median income of $37,536 versus $27,527 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,457. About 2.8% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.2% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.[1]
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