Lyme, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lyme
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| Town of Lyme | |
 Lyme
Location in New York
Lyme
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Jefferson |
| Government | |
| • Type | Town Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 107.45 sq mi (278.29 km2) |
| • Land | 55.85 sq mi (144.65 km2) |
| • Water | 51.60 sq mi (133.63 km2) |
| Elevation | 249 ft (76 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 2,185 |
| • Estimate
(2016)
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2,152 |
| • Density | 38.53/sq mi (14.88/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| FIPS code | 36-045-43863 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0979173 |
Lyme is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. It's a place where about 2,185 people lived in 2010. You can find the smaller communities of Chaumont and Three Mile Bay inside Lyme. The town is located in the western part of Jefferson County, to the northwest of Watertown.
Contents
History of Lyme
People have lived in the Lyme area for a very long time. Scientists know about a special area from the Middle Woodland Period (a time before Europeans arrived) called the Point Peninsula complex.
Some people believe that early explorers visited this town way back in the 1500s.
The first permanent settlers arrived around 1802. Back then, there was a lot of low-lying land, which unfortunately led to many people getting sick.
During the War of 1812 (a war between the United States and Great Britain), the people of Lyme built a fort. However, they tore it down after British officials promised them they would be safe if they removed their defenses.
Two residents, Ira Polley and Chauncey Bugby, were involved in the Patriot War in 1837. This was a conflict where some Canadians wanted to be independent from British rule. Polley and Bugby were captured and sent far away to Van Diemen's Land (which is now Tasmania in Australia). Both men were later set free but chose to stay in Australia, where they got married and have many family members living there today.
The town of Lyme was officially created in 1818 from a part of the town of Brownville. Later, in 1849, the northern part of Lyme was used to form the new town of Cape Vincent.
The small community of Chaumont became its own official village in 1874.
Several historic buildings and places in Lyme were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. This list recognizes important historical sites in the United States. These include District School No. 3 at Putnam Corners, the Evans-Gaige-Dillenback House, Getman Farmhouse, and Lance Farm.
Geography of Lyme
Lyme covers a total area of about 277 square kilometers (about 107 square miles). Almost half of this area, about 132 square kilometers (51 square miles), is water! The western edge of Lyme is along Lake Ontario, which is one of the Great Lakes. Most of the coastline is actually the shore of Chaumont Bay, a large bay completely within Lyme.
New York State Route 12E is a main road that runs from east to west through the town of Lyme.
Population of Lyme
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 1,724 | — | |
| 1830 | 2,872 | 66.6% | |
| 1840 | 5,472 | 90.5% | |
| 1850 | 2,939 | −46.3% | |
| 1860 | 2,702 | −8.1% | |
| 1870 | 2,465 | −8.8% | |
| 1880 | 2,277 | −7.6% | |
| 1890 | 2,175 | −4.5% | |
| 1900 | 2,200 | 1.1% | |
| 1910 | 1,955 | −11.1% | |
| 1920 | 1,642 | −16.0% | |
| 1930 | 1,585 | −3.5% | |
| 1940 | 1,462 | −7.8% | |
| 1950 | 1,458 | −0.3% | |
| 1960 | 1,448 | −0.7% | |
| 1970 | 1,550 | 7.0% | |
| 1980 | 1,695 | 9.4% | |
| 1990 | 1,701 | 0.4% | |
| 2000 | 2,015 | 18.5% | |
| 2010 | 2,185 | 8.4% | |
| 2016 (est.) | 2,152 | −1.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
According to the census in 2000, there were 2,015 people living in Lyme. These people lived in 813 households, and 573 of those were families. The town had about 35.9 people per square mile.
Most of the people in Lyme were White (97.42%). A smaller number were African American (1.14%), Native American (0.40%), or Asian (0.10%). Some people were from other races or from two or more races. About 0.79% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 27.4% of the households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (60.4%) were married couples living together. The average household had 2.46 people.
The population was spread out by age. About 22.7% were under 18, and 17.6% were 65 or older. The average age in the town was 43 years old.
Communities and Locations in Lyme
Here are some of the interesting communities and places you can find in Lyme:
- Ashland Flats Wildlife Management Area – This is a special area set aside to protect wildlife, located near the northern border of the town.
- Chaumont – A village located on the shore of Chaumont Bay, right on NY-12E. The Chaumont River flows into Chaumont Bay here.
- Chaumont Bay – A very large bay that is part of Lake Ontario. It's completely within the town of Lyme and is surrounded by Point Peninsula and the main land.
- Cherry Island – A small island located southwest of Point Salubrious.
- Clines Point – A spot on the eastern side of Point Peninsula.
- Fir Island – Another small island, this one is close to the very tip of Point Salubrious.
- Herrick Grove – A small community, called a hamlet, by the lake. It's on the south side of Three Mile Point, northwest of Chaumont village.
- Horse Creek – A stream that flows past the south side of Chaumont.
- Independence Point – A piece of land that sticks out into Chaumont Bay, southwest of Chaumont village.
- Isthmus-Flanders Road – This is the area that connects the main land to Point Peninsula. An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger landmasses.
- Long Point – A location on the northeastern shore of Point Peninsula.
- Long Point State Park – A state park found on the northeastern side of Point Peninsula.
- Point Peninsula – This is a large piece of land that is almost an island, connected to the rest of the town by a very narrow strip of land called "The Isthmus."
- Point Peninsula – Also a hamlet (small community) on the southeast shore of the Point Peninsula, along County Road 57. The Union Hall and United Methodist Church here were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
- Point Salubrious – Another peninsula, located south of Chaumont village. The Point Salubrious Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
- Sawmill Bay – A small bay located south of Chaumont.
- Shangra-La – A place for camping and other activities on the eastern side of Point Peninsula, facing Chaumont Bay.
- Three Mile Bay – A lakeside hamlet and a census-designated place (a community identified for census purposes). It's located on an arm of Chaumont Bay also called Three Mile Bay. Several historic places here, including The Row, Old Stone Shop, Taft House, Taylor Boathouse, and the Three Mile Bay Historic District, were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
- Three Mile Creek – A stream in the northern part of Lyme that flows into Three Mile Bay.
- Three Mile Point – A peninsula that helps enclose Three Mile Bay on its south side.
- Toad Hole Cove – A small bay located in the southwestern part of Point Peninsula.
Neighboring Towns and Areas
Lyme is located southeast of the town of Cape Vincent. It is also west of the towns of Brownville and Clayton. The western border of Lyme is along the beautiful waters of Lake Ontario.
See also
In Spanish: Lyme (Nueva York) para niños
