Newton Falls, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Newton Falls, New York
hamlet
Newton Falls, New York Location in New York Adirondack Park
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Saint Lawrence
Area
• Total	3.07 sq mi (7.94 km2)
• Land	2.96 sq mi (7.65 km2)
• Water	0.11 sq mi (0.29 km2)
Elevation	1,496 ft (456 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	4,557
• Density	1,542.13/sq mi (595.49/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	13666
Area code(s)	315
FIPS code	39-55650
GNIS feature ID	976719

Newton Falls is a small community called a hamlet in New York. It is located in the Town of Clifton within Saint Lawrence County, New York. This hamlet is part of the beautiful Adirondack Park.

The community got its name from James Newton. He built a sawmill here in 1894. This sawmill later became the Newton Falls Paper Mill. The paper mill was a big part of the town's history. It closed in 2000 but reopened in 2007. Sadly, it closed again permanently on June 28, 2011.

History of Newton Falls

Newton Falls was built as a "mill town." This means it grew up around a factory, in this case, a paper mill. You can still see some Sears houses on Plank Hill. These houses were ordered from a catalog and built in the town.

In 1925, more than 800 people lived in Newton Falls. For a while, a train called the New York Central ran through the town. It carried both people and goods. This train service stopped by 1946.

Mining in Newton Falls

Until 1978, there was a very large iron mine nearby called Benson Mines. It had a plant that crushed the ore. This mine was a huge employer, with 1200 workers at its busiest time. The processed iron ore was sent out by train.

The Newton Falls Hotel is over 100 years old. It is still standing today, but it is not open to the public.

The Paper Mill Story

The Newton family first opened the paper mill in 1894. In 1920, the mill was bought by two big companies, McGraw-Hill and United Publishers Corporation. They needed the paper for their magazines.

After the iron mine closed in 1978, the paper mill became the biggest employer in Newton Falls. Many people in the hamlet worked there.

Over the years, the mill changed owners several times. In 1984, a Swedish company called Stora Kopparbergs Bergslag bought it. It was later renamed Papyrus Newton Falls, Inc. Then, in 1996, Appleton Papers Inc. bought the mill. They made special paper like carbonless paper.

The mill closed in 2000 because Appleton decided to move its operations closer to its main location in Kimberly, Wisconsin.

However, the community worked hard to bring the mill back. New owners, Dennis L. Bunnell and partners, along with Scotia Investments from Canada, helped. The mill reopened on September 7, 2007, as Newton Falls Fine Paper. Unfortunately, the paper mill closed for good on June 28, 2011.

Geography of Newton Falls

Newton Falls is located at 44°12′43″N 74°59′22″W / 44.21194°N 74.98944°W / 44.21194; -74.98944. This means its exact spot on a map is 44 degrees, 12 minutes, 43 seconds North and 74 degrees, 59 minutes, 22 seconds West.

Population of Newton Falls

According to the 2020 Census, the population of Newton Falls was 4,557 people.

Education in Newton Falls

Students in Newton Falls attend schools in the Clifton-Fine Central School district.