Fairfield, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fairfield, New York
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Herkimer County map with the Town of Fairfield in Red
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 Fairfield, New York
Location in New York
Fairfield, New York
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Herkimer |
| Government | |
| • Type | Town Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 41.46 sq mi (107.37 km2) |
| • Land | 41.30 sq mi (106.96 km2) |
| • Water | 0.16 sq mi (0.42 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,060 ft (323 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 1,627 |
| • Estimate
(2019)
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1,522 |
| • Density | 37.75/sq mi (14.58/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
13406
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| Area code(s) | 315 |
| FIPS code | 36-043-24933 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0978950 |
Fairfield is a small town located in Herkimer County, New York, in the United States. In 2010, about 1,627 people lived there. The town got its name from another place called Fairfield, Connecticut.
You can find Fairfield north of the village of Herkimer and east of the city of Utica. The main part of the town, called the hamlet of Fairfield, is right in the middle.
Contents
Exploring Fairfield's Past: A Look at Its History
Before the American Revolution (around 1775-1783), a few people, who were mostly renters, started living in the area that would become Fairfield. However, most of the early settlers arrived after 1785, mainly from New England.
The town of Fairfield was officially created in 1796. It was formed from a part of the nearby town of Norway.
Fairfield Academy: A Center for Learning
From 1802 to 1901, the Fairfield Academy was a very important school in the hamlet of Fairfield. It offered both high school and college-level education. From 1812 to 1841, the Fairfield Medical College, which was part of the academy, trained many doctors. One famous student was Marcus Whitman.
Fairfield's Location and Landscape
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Fairfield covers about 107.4 square kilometers (or 41.46 square miles) in total. Most of this area, about 107.0 square kilometers (41.30 square miles), is land. Only a small part, about 0.4 square kilometers (0.16 square miles), is water.
The western edge of the town is marked by the West Canada Creek. Fairfield is located north of the Mohawk River, but the river does not directly touch the town's border.
Major Roads in Fairfield
Several important roads run through Fairfield:
- New York State Route 29 is a highway that goes from east to west across the town.
- New York State Route 169 is a highway that runs north to south in the western part of Fairfield.
- New York State Route 170 is another north-south highway, found in the eastern part of the town.
- New York State Route 170A is located right at the eastern border of the town.
Who Lives in Fairfield? A Look at the Population
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 2,610 | — | |
| 1830 | 2,265 | −13.2% | |
| 1840 | 1,836 | −18.9% | |
| 1850 | 1,646 | −10.3% | |
| 1860 | 1,712 | 4.0% | |
| 1870 | 1,653 | −3.4% | |
| 1880 | 1,656 | 0.2% | |
| 1890 | 1,553 | −6.2% | |
| 1900 | 1,390 | −10.5% | |
| 1910 | 1,305 | −6.1% | |
| 1920 | 1,337 | 2.5% | |
| 1930 | 1,248 | −6.7% | |
| 1940 | 1,095 | −12.3% | |
| 1950 | 1,204 | 10.0% | |
| 1960 | 1,282 | 6.5% | |
| 1970 | 1,446 | 12.8% | |
| 1980 | 1,455 | 0.6% | |
| 1990 | 1,442 | −0.9% | |
| 2000 | 1,607 | 11.4% | |
| 2010 | 1,627 | 1.2% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 1,522 | −6.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, a census (a count of the population) showed that 1,607 people lived in Fairfield. These people lived in 561 households, and 430 of these were families. The town had about 15 people per square kilometer (39 people per square mile).
Most of the people in Fairfield (98.44%) identified as White. A smaller number identified as African American (0.37%), Native American (0.19%), or from two or more races (1.00%). About 0.25% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
Fairfield Households and Families
Out of the 561 households in 2000:
- 35.8% had children under 18 living with them.
- 64.2% were married couples living together.
- 7.8% had a female head of household with no husband present.
- 23.2% were not families (meaning individuals living alone or unrelated people living together).
- 19.1% of all households were made up of people living alone.
- 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older.
On average, each household had about 2.78 people, and each family had about 3.17 people.
Age and Income in Fairfield
The population in Fairfield was spread out by age:
- 26.3% were under 18 years old.
- 7.0% were between 18 and 24 years old.
- 27.1% were between 25 and 44 years old.
- 25.8% were between 45 and 64 years old.
- 13.8% were 65 years old or older.
The average age in the town was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were about 103.2 males.
In 2000, the average income for a household in Fairfield was $40,104. For families, the average income was $45,069. Men earned an average of $31,992, while women earned an average of $21,944. The average income per person in the town was $15,603. About 9.0% of families and 11.6% of the total population lived below the poverty line. This included 13.7% of those under 18 and 13.0% of those 65 or older.
Communities and Places in Fairfield
Fairfield is home to several smaller communities and notable locations:
- Barto Hill – An elevated area located east of the main hamlet of Fairfield.
- Countryman – A location near the western border of the town, southwest of Fairfield village.
- Dillenbeck Corners – A spot in the southeastern part of the town, found on County Road 70.
- Eatonville – A small community located at the southern edge of the town, along NY-169.
- Fairfield – This is the main hamlet and center of the town. It's located near the middle of the town on NY-29, where it meets County Roads 103 and 142. The Trinity Episcopal Church-Fairfield is a historic building here, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.
- Goodell Corners – A location in the southeastern part of the town, close to the town line, found on NY-170 at NY-170A.
- Middleville – Part of the village of Middleville extends into the western side of Fairfield, at the intersection of NY-29 and NY-169.
- Old City – A small community at the northwestern corner of the town, located on County Road 7.
- Top Notch – An elevated area located south of Goodell Corners. Part of it is also in the Town of Little Falls.
- Welch Corners – A location in the northwestern corner of the town, south of Old City and found on NY-29. The Old City Road Stone Arch Bridge here was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.
Notable People from Fairfield
Fairfield has been home to several interesting people throughout history:
- George Kretsinger (1835–1901) – A brave soldier who received the Medal of Honor during the American Civil War.
- Richard P. Marvin (1803–1892) – A former member of the U.S. Congress.
- Alonzo C. Mather (1848–1941) – The person who founded and led the Mather Stock Car Company.
- Polly Anne Reed (1818–1881) – A talented Shaker artist.
- Richard Sherwood Satterlee (1796-1880) – A brigadier general in the Union Army during the Civil War.
- Robert W. Waterman (1826-1891) – The 17th governor of California from 1887 to 1891.
- Lyman Wight (1796–1858) – An important early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement.
- Mary Bannister Willard (1841–1912) – An editor, someone who worked for the temperance movement (against alcohol), and an educator.
See also
In Spanish: Fairfield (Nueva York) para niños
