Florida, Montgomery County, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Florida, New York
Town
Location within Montgomery County and the state of New York.
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Montgomery
Area
• Total	51.40 sq mi (133.13 km2)
• Land	50.13 sq mi (129.83 km2)
• Water	1.27 sq mi (3.30 km2)
Population  (2010)
• Total	2,696
• Estimate  (2016)	2,719
• Density	54.24/sq mi (20.94/km2)
Time zone	UTC−05 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04 (EDT)
FIPS code	36-057-26308

Florida is a town located in Montgomery County, New York, in the United States. It sits south of the Mohawk River. In 2010, about 2,696 people lived here. The town got its name from the state of Florida. You can find Florida in the eastern part of Montgomery County, right next to the City of Amsterdam.

History of Florida, New York

Early Days and European Contact

For many centuries, the Mohawk people lived in the area that is now Florida. Europeans first met the Mohawk in 1642. Jesuit missionaries visited a Mohawk village called Tiononderoge.

Later, French forces from Canada attacked the village twice. This happened in 1667 and 1693.

Trading and Fort Hunter

The Dutch and then the English began trading with the Mohawk. Their trading posts were in Albany and Schenectady. In 1710, four Mohawk leaders visited Queen Anne in London. They asked for help against the French. They also wanted Anglican missionaries to teach their people.

Because of this visit, Fort Hunter was built in 1711. It was near Tionondega. The fort had a wooden Anglican chapel, known as Queen Anne's chapel. Some traders and Europeans also started to live near the fort.

William Johnson and the American Revolution

William Johnson came from Ireland. He became an important colonial leader. He learned the Mohawk language and their customs. He was appointed as the British agent to the Iroquois in New York. He built strong relationships with them.

Because of Johnson's influence, the Mohawk and three other Iroquois nations fought with the British. This was during the American Revolution. After the British lost, the United States made the Mohawk and their allies give up most of their land in New York. They then moved to Canada.

Founding of the Town

The town of Florida was officially founded in 1793. This was on the anniversary of Juan Ponce de León discovering Florida. The old "Town of Mohawk" was divided into the towns of Florida and Charleston. A new Town of Mohawk was later created elsewhere.

The Erie Canal and Growth

The Erie Canal was finished in 1825. This made travel and trade much easier through the Mohawk Valley. It connected the area to the Great Lakes and to the Hudson River and New York City. This helped towns and cities along the canal grow a lot.

In 1880, a part of Florida called "Village of Port Jackson" became part of the City of Amsterdam. Port Jackson was an important port on the Erie Canal. It also had a ferry that connected the south side of the Mohawk River to Amsterdam.

Media in Florida

The town of Florida is home to the WVTL Radio studios. You can find them on New York State Route 5.

Geography of Florida

Florida covers about 51.5 square miles (133.13 square kilometers). Most of this area is land. About 1.1 square miles (3.30 square kilometers) is water.

The eastern and southern borders of the town are shared with Schenectady County. The Mohawk River forms the northern border. The Schoharie Creek forms the western border.

The New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) runs through the town. It is located near the Mohawk River. New York State Route 30 is a main road that goes north and south through Florida. New York State Route 161 goes east and west and crosses NY-30. New York State Route 5S runs parallel to the Mohawk River.

Population and People

In 2000, there were 2,731 people living in Florida. These people lived in 1,056 households. About 772 of these were families. The population density was about 54 people per square mile.

About 31.7% of households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (61.4%) were married couples living together. The average household had 2.57 people. The average family had 2.98 people.

The population was spread out by age. About 24.4% were under 18 years old. About 14.6% were 65 years or older. The average age was 40 years.

Communities and Locations in Florida

Here are some of the smaller communities and places you can find in the town of Florida:

• Fort Hunter ("Lower Mohawk Castle") – A small community in the northwestern part of town. It's near where the Mohawk River and Schoharie Creek meet.
• Lost Valley – A spot south of Wellsville, by Schoharie Creek.
• Millers Corner – A community in the southwestern part of the town.
• Mill Point – A place north of Wellsville, by Schoharie Creek. Part of it is also in the Town of Glen.
• Minaville – A community south of South Amsterdam on NY-30.
• Scotch Bush – A community southeast of Minaville on NY-30. It was once known for its natural springs.
• Scotch Church – A location on the southeastern border of the town, east of Scotch Bush.
• Snooks Corner – A place south of Fort Hunter.
• South Chuctanunda Creek – A small river that flows north through Florida into the Mohawk River.
• Wellsville – A community at the western edge of the town, near Schoharie Creek.
• Youngs Corners – A location east of Wellsville.
• Youngs Lakes – These are Oxbow lakes south of Wellsville. They used to be part of the Schoharie Creek.

See also

In Spanish: Florida (condado de Montgomery, Nueva York) para niños