Gilbertsville, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gilbertsville, New York
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Village
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Gilbertsville Post Office, March 2010
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 Gilbertsville, New York
Location in New York
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| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Otsego |
| Town | Butternuts |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.00 sq mi (2.60 km2) |
| • Land | 1.00 sq mi (2.60 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,093 ft (333 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 308 |
| • Density | 307.08/sq mi (118.61/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
13776
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| Area code(s) | 607 |
| FIPS code | 36-28959 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0951099 |
Gilbertsville is a small village in Otsego County, New York, United States. In 2020, about 308 people lived there.
The village is part of the larger town of Butternuts. It is located to the west of Oneonta, another town in New York.
Contents
Geography of Gilbertsville
Gilbertsville is located at a specific point on the map: 42.469492 degrees north and 75.320980 degrees west. This helps us find it precisely.
The village covers a total area of about 1 square mile (2.6 square kilometers). All of this area is land, with no large bodies of water inside the village limits.
Major roads like New York State Route 51 (Marion Avenue) pass through Gilbertsville. Other important local roads include County Highways 4 and 8.
The village is also situated near the Butternut Creek, a local waterway.
Population and People of Gilbertsville
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 476 | — | |
| 1910 | 455 | −4.4% | |
| 1920 | 419 | −7.9% | |
| 1930 | 362 | −13.6% | |
| 1940 | 377 | 4.1% | |
| 1950 | 456 | 21.0% | |
| 1960 | 522 | 14.5% | |
| 1970 | 552 | 5.7% | |
| 1980 | 455 | −17.6% | |
| 1990 | 388 | −14.7% | |
| 2000 | 375 | −3.4% | |
| 2010 | 399 | 6.4% | |
| 2020 | 308 | −22.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
According to the census in 2000, there were 375 people living in Gilbertsville. These people lived in 164 households, and 103 of these were families.
The population density was about 374 people per square mile. This means there were 374 people living in each square mile of the village.
About 25% of the households had children under 18 living with them. Many households (51.8%) were married couples.
The age of the people in the village varied. About 24.3% were under 18 years old. About 24% were 65 years or older. The average age was 43 years old.
The median income for a household in the village was $39,000. This means half the households earned more and half earned less than this amount.
History of Gilbertsville
Early Beginnings
Gilbertsville was the very first settlement in the town of Butternuts. It was named after Abijah Gilbert, who owned land there. He was from Nuneaton, England.
Saving the Village: The Dam Dispute
For many years in the 20th century, Gilbertsville faced a big challenge. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wanted to build a large dam on the Butternut Creek. This dam would have flooded the valley, creating a three-mile-long lake. Sadly, this would have meant the village of Gilbertsville would be underwater.
The people of Gilbertsville had seen other communities in the nearby Catskills disappear due to similar projects. They were determined not to let this happen to their home.
The idea for the dam first came up before World War I. But it was delayed by the war and the Great Depression. It was brought up again in 1935 after a big flood. However, World War II caused another delay.
In the early 1950s, the dam project was approved again by the U.S. Congress. This put Gilbertsville in danger once more. The local community decided to fight back. They started a protest to show state and federal leaders how bad the project would be. This protest lasted from the 1950s through the 1970s.
During this time, people started studying the buildings in Gilbertsville. They found that many famous architects had designed or worked on the village's structures. This showed how special the village's architecture was.
Because of these findings, scholars joined the protest. They suggested that several buildings in the village center should be added to the Department of the Interior's National Register of Historic Places. They hoped this recognition would help protect the village from the dam.
A group called the Committee for the Historic Preservation of Gilbertsville was formed. They worked hard to prepare all the documents and photos needed for the nominations. Experts came to look at the buildings. They realized that the entire village was special and deserved to be a Historic District. This would offer even stronger protection.
The committee asked the community for help, and many volunteers stepped up. Over seven years, 19 volunteers researched and documented 194 individual buildings. They also included reports for cemeteries, parks, and bridges.
The committee created a pamphlet describing the importance of the Historic District. It included photos and was given to the congressional committee deciding on the dam's funding.
They also studied a century of weather history in the area. They found that the Butternut Creek area did not flood significantly when the larger Susquehanna River did. This showed the dam might not be needed for flood control in that specific spot.
All these efforts paid off! In 1979, Congress decided to remove the funding for the dam project. The threat to Gilbertsville was finally gone.
In May 1983, the entire village of Gilbertsville was officially recognized as a Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. This was a huge victory for the community.
Architecture of Gilbertsville
Gilbertsville is known for its beautiful and historic buildings. Here are some of the notable architectural sites:
- Gilbertsville Historic District – This is the entire historic area of the village. It was first listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and expanded in 1982.
- Overlook Park – This park is over 100 years old. It sits next to a stone arch bridge and is surrounded by old stone buildings.
- Gilbertsville Academy & Collegiate Institute – Built in 1839 in the Greek Revival style. It was a school until 1935.
- Presbyterian Church – This church was built in 1888 in a Picturesque style.
- Tianderah – Built in 1887, this large stone house overlooks the village. It was designed by architect William Ralph Emerson.
- Gilbert Block – This building was constructed between 1893 and 1895. It has a Neo-Tudor Style design and now holds shops and art studios.
- The Gilbertsville Free Library – Originally a school built in 1818, it became a library in 1888. It was the first Free Association Library in Otsego County.
- The Major's Inn – Construction started in 1896 and finished in 1917. This large building has a medieval English Tudor and Gothic style. Today, it serves as a cultural center for the community.
- Gilbertsville Water Works – This historic water works facility was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.
See also
In Spanish: Gilbertsville (Nueva York) para niños
