Depauville, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Depauville, New York
Census-designated place
Depauville, New York Location in New York Show map of New York Depauville, New York Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Jefferson
Town	Clayton
Area
• Total	9.82 sq mi (25.44 km2)
• Land	9.82 sq mi (25.44 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	305 ft (93 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	488
• Density	49.68/sq mi (19.18/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	13632
Area code(s)	315
FIPS code	36-20302
GNIS feature ID	0948332

Depauville is a small community known as a hamlet and a census-designated place (CDP). It is located in the southern part of the town of Clayton, within Jefferson County, New York, United States. In 2020, about 488 people lived there.

The Story of Depauville

In 1784, the Oneida people gave most of their land to New York State. However, they kept a special area of about 100 square miles. This land was meant as a gift for Pierre Penet. After Penet passed away, who owned the land became unclear. People started settling there without permission as early as 1785.

Early Settlement and Naming

One of these early settlements was called Catfish Falls. It was located at the start of the Chaumont River. The name came from a 25-foot waterfall in the area. The people who lived there were often called "Catfish People." They cleared trees to mark the edges of their settlement.

In 1816, a merchant named Francis Depau bought several pieces of land in this area, including Catfish Falls. He later renamed the settlement "Depauville" after himself.

Depauville's Manufacturing Past

In the early 1800s, Depauville was a busy place for making things. The settlement had a gristmill, which ground grain, and a sawmill, which cut wood. Lumber was a very important product for the region.

Depauville also produced limewater, which is used in building. They made almost 1,000 barrels in just two years, which was a first for the county. Around 1868, the Depauville Steamboat Company started. They built large boats called side-wheel steamboats. One boat, the M. W. Wright, was built in 1968. It was 70 feet long and 14 feet wide, weighing about 43 tons. People wondered if such a big ship could travel in the shallow Chaumont River before reaching Lake Ontario.

Community Growth and Challenges

Depauville created its first Fire District in 1932. During the Great Depression, a camp for the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was located here. The CCC was a program that helped young men find work. Their main office was in Sackets Harbor, with ten camps in total.

On July 15, 1995, Depauville was hit by a microburst, which is a strong downdraft of wind that caused damage. In 1996, the Clayton Fire District was formed. This brought the Depauville Fire Department and the Clayton Fire Department together, but each kept its own identity. In January 1998, Depauville experienced a very bad natural disaster. It was called the Ice Storm of 1998. For 36 hours, freezing rain fell, damaging homes and properties. Roads became blocked, and many people were without power and food for weeks.

Where is Depauville?

Depauville is located in the northern part of Jefferson County. It is in the southern area of the town of Clayton. The community covers about 25.4 square kilometers (9.8 square miles) of land.

The hamlet of Depauville is found where New York State Route 12 meets County Roads 11 (Sylvia Street), 12 (Overbluff Road), and 179 (Caroline Street). Route 12 goes north about 7 miles to the village of Clayton on the St. Lawrence River. It also goes southeast about 14 miles to Watertown, which is the main town of the county. Most of the village is on the south side of the Chaumont River.

Fun Things to Do in Depauville

Depauville has community events at its two churches, the fire department banquet hall, and the public library. There is also a small town market and a bar called the Depauville Hotel.

The Depauville Hotel is a popular stop for snowmobile riders in the winter. It is a meeting point for snowmobile trails that go north to Clayton and even to Gouverneur. Other trails go west to Chaumont, which leads to Lake Ontario.

Depauville is a great place for hunting and fishing. Salmon swim up the Chaumont River from Lake Ontario during their spawning season. The beautiful Thousand Islands region is only a 10-minute drive north on State Route 12.

People of Depauville

In 2000, there were 512 people living in Depauville. There were 178 households, and 137 of them were families. The population density was about 52 people per square mile. Most of the people were White (99.22%).

About 44.9% of households had children under 18 living with them. Many households (60.1%) were married couples. The average household had about 2.88 people.

The population was spread out by age. About 32.2% of people were under 18. About 9.0% were 65 years old or older. The average age was 32 years.

See also

In Spanish: Depauville para niños