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Massena, New York
Village
Massena (village), New York is located in New York
Massena (village), New York
Massena (village), New York
Location in New York
Country United States
State New York
County St. Lawrence
Area
 • Total 4.73 sq mi (12.25 km2)
 • Land 4.53 sq mi (11.73 km2)
 • Water 0.20 sq mi (0.52 km2)
Elevation
230 ft (70 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 10,151
 • Density 2,240.84/sq mi (865.11/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
FIPS code 36-46019
GNIS feature ID 0976634
Website https://massena.us/

Massena is a village located in St. Lawrence County, New York, in the United States. It's named after André Masséna, who was a famous general under Napoleon.

The village of Massena is mostly in the southwestern part of the Town of Massena. A small part of it also extends into the Town of Louisville and a tiny bit into the Town of Norfolk. You can find Massena near the northern border of St. Lawrence County.

History of Massena

Early Settlement and Growth

People first settled in the Massena area around 1803. The village grew partly because of nearby springs that were thought to have medicinal properties. André Masséna, for whom the village is named, was one of the first 18 Marshals appointed by Napoleon in France.

Massena is also known as the hometown of Bid McPhee, a famous baseball player who was born there in 1859 and is now in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The voice actor Hal Smith, known for many cartoon voices, also spent a lot of his early life in Massena. He graduated from Massena High School in 1936.

Industrial Development and Changes

In the middle of the 20th century, Massena grew a lot. This was due to the building of the Franklin D. Roosevelt power project and the Eisenhower locks. These projects helped connect the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes through the St. Lawrence River.

Massena became an important manufacturing center in St. Lawrence County. It had plants like the Aluminum Company Of America (Alcoa) and Reynolds Metals (which is now part of Alcoa). There was also a General Motors Powertrain plant, which closed in 2011. The Alcoa East plant was temporarily closed in 2009 but started working again in 2011.

In recent years, the number of people living in Massena has gone down. This is mainly because some of its industries have faced challenges. Efforts began in 2013 to help the community move in a positive direction.

The Robinson Bay Archeological District, an important historical site, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Geography and Location

Land and Water Features

According to the United States Census Bureau, Massena covers about 4.7 square miles (12.2 km²). Most of this area, about 4.5 square miles (11.7 km²), is land. The rest, about 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²), is water.

The village is located along the banks of the Grasse River and the Raquette River. It is also on the shore of the St. Lawrence River.

Nearby Parks and Waterways

Robert Moses State Park is located northeast of the village. The Eisenhower Lock System, which helps ships travel through the St. Lawrence River, was built in 1954 and is located near the State Park.

Major Roads

Several important roads meet in Massena. The east-west highway New York State Route 37B crosses New York State Route 37. Both of these roads also intersect with New York State Route 420, which runs north-south.

Population and People

Historical population
Census Pop.
1820 944
1830 2,070 119.3%
1840 2,726 31.7%
1850 2,870 5.3%
1860 2,925 1.9%
1870 2,560 −12.5%
1880 2,739 7.0%
1890 2,740 0.0%
1900 3,904 42.5%
1910 4,806 23.1%
1920 8,975 86.7%
1930 12,029 34.0%
1940 12,979 7.9%
1950 17,937 38.2%
1960 21,346 19.0%
1970 16,021 −24.9%
1980 14,856 −7.3%
1990 13,826 −6.9%
2000 13,121 −5.1%
2010 10,936 −16.7%
2020 10,151 −7.2%
U.S. Decennial Census
Massena, NY Water tower 2005
The town's water tower.

In 2000, there were 13,121 people living in Massena. The population density was about 293.7 people per square mile. There were 5,880 housing units in the town.

About 39.4% of households had children under 18 living with them. Around 36.1% were married couples living together. The average household had about 2.98 people.

The population was spread out in terms of age. About 23.7% were under 18 years old. Around 18.8% were 65 years or older. The average age in the town was 36 years.

Local Media

Radio Stations

Massena has several radio stations that serve the community:

  • WMSA 1340
  • WVLF-FM Mix 96.1
  • WRCD-FM 101.5 The Fox

There was also a station called WYBG 1050, but it is no longer active.

Education in Massena

The schools in the village are part of the Massena Central School District.

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