North Greenbush, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
North Greenbush
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| Town of North Greenbush | |
| Etymology: From being the northern half of the old town of Greenbush; Greenbush from the Dutch Greenen Bosch, meaning "pinewood" for the pine forests of the area |
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Location in Rensselaer County and the state of New York.
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Location of New York in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Rensselaer |
| Incorporation as town | 1855 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 18.91 sq mi (48.97 km2) |
| • Land | 18.55 sq mi (48.03 km2) |
| • Water | 0.36 sq mi (0.94 km2) |
| Elevation | 531 ft (162 m) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 13,929 |
| • Density | 737/sq mi (284/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes |
12144, 12180, 12198
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| Area codes | 518, 838 |
| FIPS code | 36-083-52100 |
| FIPS code | 36-52100 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0979287 |
| Wikimedia Commons | North Greenbush, New York |
| Website | www.townofng.com |
North Greenbush is a town located in Rensselaer County, New York, in the United States. It's in the western part of the county. In 2020, about 13,929 people lived there.
The town has three main communities called hamlets: Wynantskill in the northeast, Defreestville in the south, and Snyder's Lake in the east. Each of these hamlets has its own unique feel. This makes it a bit tricky for North Greenbush to have one main identity. For example, parts of the town belong to four different school districts. Only one small schoolhouse actually has the town's name! There are also two fire departments and three different ZIP Codes.
North Greenbush is home to some important places. You can find the southern part of the Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) campus here. This includes the Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, where the Tri-City ValleyCats minor league baseball team plays. The RPI Tech Park, La Salle Institute, and the New York State National Guard Armory are also in North Greenbush.
Contents
History of North Greenbush
North Greenbush was once part of a large area called the Manor of Rensselaerswyck. It was also part of Albany County before Rensselaer County was created in 1791. The town of North Greenbush was officially formed on February 23, 1855. It was created from the old town of Greenbush, at the same time as the town of Clinton (which is now called East Greenbush). Back then, North Greenbush was bigger than it is today. It included parts of what are now the northern section of the city of Rensselaer and the southern part of the city of Troy.
Early Settlements
The very first settlers arrived in the early 1620s in an area called Bath. This area later became part of Rensselaer in 1902. Some people might have settled in what is now North Greenbush in the 1600s. However, most of the important early settlements happened just before the Revolutionary War.
The first communities in the town were Bath, Wynantskill, and Defreestville.
- In 1874, Bath became a village, but it was later added to Rensselaer in 1902.
- Wynantskill, in the northeast, was settled around the late 1700s. A Dutch Reformed Church was built around 1794, and a post office opened in 1820.
- Defreestville was first called Blooming Grove. Around 1830, its name was changed to Defreestville to avoid confusion with another town in Orange County. It was named after David M. De Freest, whose family owned a local tavern.
Today, Defreestville and Wynantskill are still important hamlets in the town. Snyder's Lake also became a key community in the 1900s. It started as a place for summer homes and still doesn't have a main downtown area.
Modern Development
In the 1900s, North Greenbush started to grow more. Better roads and transportation led to more homes, offices, and stores. This growth was mostly for people who used cars. In 1931, US Route 4 was widened and straightened. This helped connect Troy and East Greenbush. Older, winding parts of the road became what is now Bloomingrove Drive.
Starting in the 1940s and 1950s, new suburban areas began to replace farms and local shops. Big national stores started to appear. This growth was also helped by the building of Interstate 90 (I-90) and the Patroon Island Bridge in the 1960s. This made it easy to travel to Albany from North Greenbush. Even though I-90 was built, North Greenbush didn't have a direct exit until 1996. That's when Exit 8 was built, connecting US 4 and NY Route 43 to the highway.
In the 1970s, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) started developing the RPI Tech Park on Route 4. This park helps new businesses grow. Today, it has over 1,000,000 square feet of office space. There are plans for a new highway to connect Exit 8 through the RPI Tech Park to US 4 near Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC).
Not everyone has been happy with all the new development. In the late 1990s, there was a big effort to build a computer chip factory at the RPI Tech Park. At first, the town didn't have much opposition. But over time, more people became concerned about traffic and the environment. In October 1999, the North Greenbush town council decided to stop the project.
Another example of local opposition happened after I-90's Exit 8 was built. This area was perfect for new stores. A developer proposed building a large shopping center there. This led to lawsuits and an attempt by Defreestville residents to become a village to stop the project. The developer and some landowners then tried to have the area added to the nearby city of Rensselaer, where the development might have been more welcome.
The Defreest Homestead is an important historic building in the area. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.
Geography of North Greenbush
North Greenbush covers about 19 square miles (48.97 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water. The western part of the town has steep slopes and deep valleys. The clay cliffs along the river are about 100 to 200 feet high. The central and eastern parts of the town have gentler rolling hills and valleys.
The Hudson River forms the western border of the town. However, there isn't public access to the river in North Greenbush right now. The Wynants Kill is a good-sized creek in the northeastern part of the town. Snyder's Lake, near the eastern border, is the largest lake in the town and is open to the public.
North Greenbush shares its western border with Albany County. The city of Albany has a small border with the town. The rest of the western border in the Hudson River is shared with the village of Menands (which is part of the town of Colonie). To the north, North Greenbush borders Troy and the town of Brunswick. To the east are the towns of Poestenkill and Sand Lake. Most of the southern border is shared with East Greenbush. The northern part of the city of Rensselaer is partly surrounded by North Greenbush in the southwest.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 2,170 | — | |
| 1870 | 3,058 | 40.9% | |
| 1880 | 4,131 | 35.1% | |
| 1890 | 4,768 | 15.4% | |
| 1900 | 4,719 | −1.0% | |
| 1910 | 1,293 | −72.6% | |
| 1920 | 1,425 | 10.2% | |
| 1930 | 2,215 | 55.4% | |
| 1940 | 3,223 | 45.5% | |
| 1950 | 4,913 | 52.4% | |
| 1960 | 8,161 | 66.1% | |
| 1970 | 10,513 | 28.8% | |
| 1980 | 10,396 | −1.1% | |
| 1990 | 10,891 | 4.8% | |
| 2000 | 10,805 | −0.8% | |
| 2010 | 12,075 | 11.8% | |
| 2020 | 13,929 | 15.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
According to the census from 2000, there were 10,805 people living in North Greenbush. There were 4,161 households, and 2,916 families. The population density was about 578 people per square mile.
About 30% of households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (57.5%) were married couples. About 25.2% of households were made up of people living alone. About 11.9% of people living alone were 65 years old or older. The average household had 2.47 people, and the average family had 2.97 people.
Looking at the ages of people in the town:
- 22.6% were under 18 years old.
- 5.8% were between 18 and 24.
- 27.7% were between 25 and 44.
- 25.0% were between 45 and 64.
- 18.8% were 65 years old or older.
The average age in the town was 41 years.
Notable Person
- John Evert Van Alen: A person who served as a U.S. Representative.
Communities and Locations in North Greenbush
- Defreestville – This is a hamlet in the southwest part of the town. It's located where US 4 and NY 43 meet. The community is named after the local DeFreest family. The Sharpe Homestead and Cemetery and John Evert Van Alen House are historic places here.
- Snyders Corner – This hamlet is north of Snyder's Lake and southeast of Wynantskill. It's at the meeting point of West Sand Lake and Snyders Corner roads.
- Snyder's Lake – This hamlet covers most of the eastern side of North Greenbush.
- Wynantskill – This hamlet is on the northern border of the town, in its northeastern corner.
See also
In Spanish: North Greenbush para niños
