Hogansburg, New York facts for kids

Hogansburg (called Tekahswen’karó:ros by the Mohawk people) is a small community in New York State. It's located in Franklin County, near the border with Canada. Hogansburg sits where the St. Regis River meets the Saint Lawrence Seaway. It is also right next to the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation, which is land belonging to the Mohawk people.

History of Hogansburg

Before it was called Hogansburg, this community had other names. It was first known as St. Regis Mills. Then, in the early 1800s, it was called Gray's Mills. This name came from William Louis Gray. He was a man who had been captured and raised by the Mohawk people in the area. William Gray became a very important person in the community.

How Hogansburg Got Its Name

The name Hogansburg comes from Michael Hogan. He was an Irish ship captain. He became very rich from trading goods in places like India. Michael Hogan came back to the United States in 1805 with his wife from India. He bought a large piece of land, about 20,000 acres (81 square kilometers). This land included the area that became the Town of Bombay. The town was named after his wife's hometown, Mumbai.

Michael Hogan's son, William, also became an important leader. He served as a supervisor in the local government. In 1822, he was chosen to be part of the New York Assembly, which makes laws for the state. Later, in 1829, he became a judge. In 1830, he was even elected to the United States Congress.

Early Developments and Mills

In 1817, Michael Hogan leased the land for Hogansburg from the Mohawk people. This land was part of their St. Regis Mohawk Reservation. As part of the agreement, Hogan promised to provide a ferry service across the St. Regis River. A year later, in 1818, Hogan also built a grist mill. A grist mill is a place where grain is ground into flour.

Over time, more mills and dams were built in the area. One dam was built in 1929 on the St. Regis River. Its purpose was to create hydroelectric power. This means it used the force of the river's water to make electricity.

Impact of the Dam on Fish

However, this dam caused a big problem for the local fish. It blocked the path of fish like salmon and walleye. These fish usually travel up and down the river to lay their eggs. Because they couldn't pass the dam, the fish populations went down. This was very hard for the Mohawk people. They had depended on these fish for a long time as a main source of food.

Eventually, the dam became too expensive to run. So, in 2016, the Mohawk people took the dam apart. This allowed the fish to travel freely again. It opened up more than 250 miles (400 kilometers) of river for them.