Ballston, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ballston
Town
Town of Ballston
Location within Saratoga County
Ballston Location in New York
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Saratoga
Named for	Eliphalet Ball
Area
• Total	30.04 sq mi (77.80 km2)
• Land	29.58 sq mi (76.60 km2)
• Water	0.46 sq mi (1.20 km2)
Elevation	404 ft (123 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	11,831
• Density	399.97/sq mi (154.45/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	12019
Area code(s)	518
FIPS code	36-04220
GNIS feature ID	0978707

Ballston is a town located in Saratoga County, New York, United States. In 2020, about 11,831 people lived there. The town gets its name from Eliphalet Ball, a Presbyterian minister. He moved to the area from Westchester County, New York in 1770. Ballston is in the southern part of Saratoga County, just north of Schenectady.

History of Ballston

The Ballston area was first settled by Europeans around 1763. By 1775, it became a special "District" within Albany County.

In 1780, groups called Loyalists attacked the northern part of the town. They captured several people and took them to Canada as prisoners. The area was first known as "Ball's Town" or "Ballton." The official town of Ballston was formed in 1785. The original land was owned by the McDonald brothers. Rev. Eliphalet Ball bought the land from them. He even paid them a barrel of rum to name the town after himself! Over time, "Ball's Town" became "Ballston."

Early settlers were sometimes worried about attacks from the Mohawks. The Mohawks had lived in the region for a long time. They were not happy about European buildings being built on their sacred lands. One important historical spot in Ballston is Indian Rock. This is a large boulder where Mohawk tribesmen were said to have taken captives.

Ballston Lake is a long, narrow lake in the southern part of the town. It is about 3.7 miles (6 km) long. Native people called it "Shanantaha" or "Sha-nen-da-ho-ra." Early white settlers knew it as Long Lake. This lake was once part of the Mohawk River during the Ice Age. Archeologists have found old tools and items around the lake. These show that people lived there as far back as 3,500 BCE. For a long time, the exact depth of Ballston Lake was a mystery. This was because of many underwater caves.

Geography of Ballston

The town of Ballston covers a total area of about 30.0 square miles (77.8 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 29.6 square miles (76.6 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.4 square miles (1.2 square kilometers), is water.

Ballston shares its borders with several other towns:

• To the west is the Town of Charlton.
• To the north is Milton.
• To the east is Malta.
• To the south are Clifton Park and a small part of Glenville in Schenectady County.

Important roads in Ballston include:

• New York State Route 50 (Saratoga Road), which runs north and south.
• New York State Route 67, which runs east and west in the northeastern part of Ballston.

Population and People

According to the census in 2000, there were 8,729 people living in Ballston. These people lived in 3,243 households, and 2,425 of these were families. The population density was about 294.8 people per square mile.

Most of the people in Ballston were White (97.49%). There were also smaller numbers of African American, Native American, and Asian residents. About 1.33% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

In 2000, about 36.4% of households had children under 18 living with them. The average household had 2.59 people. The average family had 3.02 people.

The population was spread out by age:

• 26.0% were under 18 years old.
• 5.9% were between 18 and 24.
• 27.7% were between 25 and 44.
• 24.9% were between 45 and 64.
• 15.4% were 65 years or older.

The average age in the town was 39 years.

By the 2010 census, the population had grown to 9,776 people. The racial makeup was similar, with 96.1% White, 1.1% African-American, 0.2% Native American, and 1.0% Asian. About 1.9% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Places in Ballston

The town of Ballston includes several smaller communities and locations:

• Ballston Center – A small community south of Ballston Spa on NY-50.
• Ballston Creek – This is the stream that flows out of Ballston Lake.
• Ballston Five Corners – An old historic spot south of Ballston Spa.
• Ballston Spa – A village that has a smaller part located within the town of Ballston.
• Burnt Hills – A community at the southwestern end of Ballston Lake on NY-50.
• Ballston Lake – The long, narrow lake in the southeastern part of the town.
• Ballston Lake – A community located at the southern end of the lake.
• East Hills – A community on the eastern border of the town, located on NY-67.
• Garrison Manor – A place in the southern part of the town, west of Burnt Hills.

Transportation

Several important roads help people travel through Ballston:

• Interstate 87 and US Route 9 run north and south along the eastern edge of the town.
• NY Route 50 runs north and south through the middle of the town.
• NY Route 67 runs east and west through the town.

In the past, the Delaware and Hudson Railroad ran passenger trains through Ballston Spa. These trains went from Albany all the way to Rouses Point, near the Canadian border. The last local passenger train service to Rouses Point ended around 1961. The last local train stopping in Ballston Spa ended around 1962 or 1963.

Today, a special path called the Zim Smith Trail runs through Ballston. This is a rail trail for bicycles and walking. It goes from Ballston Spa southeast, through Round Lake, and ends near Mechanicville. This trail follows the old path where D&H trains used to run.

See also

In Spanish: Ballston (Nueva York) para niños