Minerva, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Minerva, New York
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St. Mary's Church at Irishtown, a hamlet in Minerva
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Location in Essex County and the state of New York
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| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Essex |
| Government | |
| • Type | Town Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 160.27 sq mi (415.11 km2) |
| • Land | 156.74 sq mi (405.96 km2) |
| • Water | 3.53 sq mi (9.14 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,499 ft (457 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 773 |
| • Density | 4.93/sq mi (1.90/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
12851
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| Area code(s) | 518 |
| FIPS code | 36-031-47669 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0979224 |
Minerva is a small town located in Essex County, New York, United States. In 2020, about 773 people lived there. The town gets its name from Minerva, the Roman goddess known for wisdom. Minerva is in the southwestern part of Essex County. It's about 93 miles (150 km) north of Albany, the capital of New York.
Contents
History of Minerva
The first people settled in Minerva around 1804. This area, in the southeast part of town, has always been where most of the people live. The town of Minerva was officially created in 1817. It was formed from a part of the nearby Town of Schroon. Later, in 1828, another part of Minerva became part of the Town of Newcomb. Then, in 1870, Minerva grew bigger by adding more land from the Town of Schroon.
Famous People from Minerva
Minerva has been home to some interesting people:
- Solomon Northup (1808 – c. 1863) was born in Minerva. He was a free African-American man who was kidnapped and forced into slavery for 12 years. He later regained his freedom. He wrote a famous book about his experiences in 1853. This book was made into a PBS movie in 1984 and a major film in 2013.
- Winslow Homer was a well-known painter from the 1800s. He enjoyed visiting Minerva for several summers.
- Grace Hudowalski was the ninth person and the first woman to climb all 46 of the highest mountains in the Adirondack High Peaks. She grew up right here in Minerva.
Geography and Nature
Minerva covers a total area of about 160.3 square miles (415.1 km2). Most of this is land, with about 3.5 square miles (9.1 km2) being water, like lakes and rivers.
The northern part of the Hudson River forms some of the town's border to the southwest. The western edge of Minerva touches Hamilton County. The southern edge borders Warren County. Two rivers, the Indian River and the Boreas River, flow into the Hudson River in the southwestern part of Minerva.
New York State Route 28N is the main road that goes through Minerva. It's also known as the Roosevelt Marcy Memorial Highway.
Population and Community Life
Minerva has a small but steady population. Here's how the number of people living in Minerva has changed over the years:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 271 | — | |
| 1830 | 358 | 32.1% | |
| 1840 | 455 | 27.1% | |
| 1850 | 586 | 28.8% | |
| 1860 | 903 | 54.1% | |
| 1870 | 908 | 0.6% | |
| 1880 | 1,162 | 28.0% | |
| 1890 | 979 | −15.7% | |
| 1900 | 1,052 | 7.5% | |
| 1910 | 848 | −19.4% | |
| 1920 | 610 | −28.1% | |
| 1930 | 567 | −7.0% | |
| 1940 | 505 | −10.9% | |
| 1950 | 681 | 34.9% | |
| 1960 | 700 | 2.8% | |
| 1970 | 733 | 4.7% | |
| 1980 | 781 | 6.5% | |
| 1990 | 758 | −2.9% | |
| 2000 | 796 | 5.0% | |
| 2010 | 809 | 1.6% | |
| 2020 | 773 | −4.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 796 people living in Minerva. About 27.7% of the households had children under 18. The average age of people in Minerva was 42 years old.
Communities and Places in Minerva
Minerva is made up of several smaller communities and interesting spots:
- Aiden Lair – A place near the northern border of the town, along NY-28N.
- Lake Balfour – A lake located south of Aiden Lair.
- Camps Baco and Che-Na-Wah – These are brother and sister summer camps found on Lake Balfour.
- Boreas River – A small village in the northeastern part of town.
- Chain Lakes – A group of connected lakes on the western border of the town.
- Hewitt Pond – A lake located east of Aiden Lair.
- Irishtown – A small village on County Road 24.
- Leonardsville – A village located east of Minerva, on Trout Brook Road.
- Loch Muller – A village northeast of Minerva.
- Minerva – This is the main village in the southern part of the town, on NY-28N. It's a popular spot for tourists.
- Minerva Lake – A small lake created around 1932 by building a dam on Jones Brook. It's east of Minerva village.
- Mink Lake – A small lake near the southern border of the town.
- Moose Pond – A small lake in the northwestern part of Minerva.
- Moose Pond Club – A village in the northwestern part of the town.
- Morse Corners – A former community that was near Minerva village.
- Northwoods Club – A village in the southwestern part of the town, close to Mink Lake.
- Olmstedville – A village southeast of Minerva village. The Minerva Central School and the Minerva Fire & Rescue station are located here.
- Pudding Hollow – A village northwest of Minerva village, along NY-28N.
- Stillwater – A village southeast of Moose Pond Club.
See also
In Spanish: Minerva (Nueva York) para niños
