Schaghticoke (town), New York

For the village of the same name in this town, see Schaghticoke (village), New York.

Schaghticoke
Town
Location in Rensselaer County and the state of New York. Location in Rensselaer County and the state of New York.
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Rensselaer
Settled	1668
Incorporated	1788
Government
• Town Clerk	Janet Salisbury
Area
• Total	51.9 sq mi (134.3 km2)
• Land	49.9 sq mi (129.3 km2)
• Water	2.0 sq mi (5.1 km2)
Elevation	377 ft (115 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	7,679
• Density	150/sq mi (57/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	12154
Area code(s)	518
FIPS code	36-65486
GNIS feature ID	0979467
Website	Town of Schaghticoke, NY

Schaghticoke /ˈskætᵻkoʊk/ SKAT-ə-kohk is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, USA. The population was 7,679 at the 2010 census. It was named for the Schaghticoke, a Native American tribe formed in the seventeenth century from an amalgamation of remnant peoples of eastern New York and New England. The tribe has one of the oldest reservations in the United States, located in what is now Litchfield County, Connecticut. It has been recognized by the state of Connecticut but has not yet achieved federal recognition.

The town is on the northern border of the county, north of Troy. The town contains a village, also called Schaghticoke, and part of the village of Valley Falls.

History

This area was historically occupied by the Mohican tribe, and later by a mixed group of Mohicans, and remnants of numerous New England tribes who had migrated west seeking to escape European encroachment.

The first permanent settlement by Europeans began around 1668, who were mostly Dutch and English. One of the original county towns, the Town was organized in 1788, after the American Revolutionary War, from a previously established district (1772 in Albany County).

The Knickerbocker Mansion was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 51.9 square miles (134.3 km²), of which, 49.9 square miles (129.3 km²) of it is land and 2.0 square miles (5.1 km²) of it (3.76%) is water.

The north town line is the border of Washington County, and the west town line, defined by the Hudson River, is the border of Saratoga County.

The Hoosic River flows through the town to the Hudson River at the west town line.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1820	2,522		—
1830	3,002		19.0%
1840	3,389		12.9%
1850	3,290		−2.9%
1860	2,929		−11.0%
1870	3,125		6.7%
1880	3,591		14.9%
1890	3,059		−14.8%
1900	2,631		−14.0%
1910	2,780		5.7%
1920	2,177		−21.7%
1930	3,006		38.1%
1940	3,246		8.0%
1950	4,019		23.8%
1960	5,269		31.1%
1970	6,220		18.0%
1980	7,094		14.1%
1990	7,574		6.8%
2000	7,456		−1.6%
2010	7,679		3.0%
Est. 2014	7,658		−0.3%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of the census of 2000, there were 7,456 people, 2,714 households, and 2,103 families residing in the town. The population density was 149.4 people per square mile (57.7/km²). There were 2,823 housing units at an average density of 56.6 per square mile (21.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.57% White, 1.26% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.13% from other races, and 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.66% of the population.

There were 2,714 households out of which 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.2% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were non-families. 17.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the town the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $48,393, and the median income for a family was $57,423. Males had a median income of $40,574 versus $27,078 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,673. About 3.4% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in the town

• East Schaghticoke – A location south of Schaghticoke village.
• Grant Hollow – A hamlet northeast of Troy and Spiegletown on Route 40.
• Hemstreet Park – A location at the west town line at the Hudson River that is a suburb of Mechanicville.
• Melrose – A hamlet northeast of Grant Hollow on Route 40.
• Pleasantdale – A suburban community north of Troy.
• Reynolds – A hamlet in the western part of the town.
• Schaghticoke – A village.
• Schaghticoke Hill – A hamlet south of Schaghticoke village on Route 40.
• Speigletown – A hamlet northeast of Troy on Route 40.
• Valley Falls – A village, a small part of which is located in the town near Schaghticoke village.

External links

• Town of Schaghticoke homepage
• Schaghticoke Fair
• Schaghticoke tribe