Otsego, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Otsego, New York
Town
Otsego County map with the Town of Otsego in Red
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Otsego
Area
• Total	59.05 sq mi (152.94 km2)
• Land	53.89 sq mi (139.57 km2)
• Water	5.16 sq mi (13.37 km2)
Elevation	1,381 ft (421 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	3,641
• Density	69.10/sq mi (26.68/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	13337
Area code(s)	607
FIPS code	36-55695
GNIS feature ID	0979329

Otsego is a town located in the north-central part of Otsego County, New York, United States. In 2020, the town had a population of 3,641 people. The town is named after Lake Otsego, which forms part of its eastern border.

History of Otsego

Early Settlement and Founding

A missionary named Gideon Hawley arrived in this area in 1753. Later, in 1788, William Cooper bought a large piece of land. This land is now partly where Cooperstown is located. Major settlement in the area began around 1788.

The Town of Otsego was officially formed in 1788. At that time, it was part of Montgomery County. It is the oldest town in Otsego County.

Famous People from Otsego

Many interesting people have connections to the Town of Otsego:

• James Fenimore Cooper (1789–1851): He was a famous author. He lived much of his life in Cooperstown and passed away there.
• Daniel DeWitt Tompkins Davie (1816–1877): This American photographer was born in Otsego.
• Isaac Singer (1811–1875): He was an inventor who worked at a machine shop in Fly Creek in the 1830s. His future business partner's family, the Clarks, have been very generous to Cooperstown for a long time.
• Jane Lippitt Patterson (1829–1919): She was a writer and editor.
• Sarah Maria Clinton Perkins (1824-1905): She was a social reformer and newspaper editor.
• David Shipman (1730–1813): He was known as "Leatherstocking" and "Deerslayer" in James Fenimore Cooper’s novels. He lived in a log cabin in the Town of Otsego, on the east bank of Oaks Creek.

Geography of Otsego

Land and Water Areas

The Town of Otsego covers a total area of about 57.8 square miles (150 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 54.2 square miles (140 square kilometers), is land. The remaining 3.6 square miles (9.3 square kilometers) is water.

Otsego Lake forms most of the town's eastern border. Canadarago Lake makes up part of its western border.

Main Roads and Highways

Several important roads run through the town:

• New York State Route 80 (NY-80) runs along the western shore of Otsego Lake.
• New York State Route 28 (NY-28) enters Cooperstown from the south.
• In Cooperstown, NY-80 and NY-28 join together and head towards Fly Creek.
• After Fly Creek, NY-28 and NY-80 separate when they meet New York State Route 205 in the western part of Otsego.
• NY-80 then joins NY-205 and continues west. NY-28 goes northward out of the town.

Population and Demographics

Population Changes Over Time

The population of Otsego has changed over the years. Here's a look at how many people have lived in the town during different census years:

Quick Facts from 2000 Census

In the year 2000, there were 3,904 people living in Otsego. The population density was about 72 people per square mile (27.8 people per square kilometer). The median age of people in the town was 44 years old. About 22% of the population was under 18 years old.

Communities and Locations in Otsego

The Town of Otsego includes several smaller communities and interesting spots:

• Brookwood Point – A piece of land that sticks out into Otsego Lake, north of Cooperstown.
• Cattown – A small village located west of Fly Creek and Oaksville on NY-80.
• Chalk Lake – A small lake found west of Fly Creek.
• Chestnut Hill – A raised area located east of the corner of Goose Street and Bailey Road.
• Cooperstown – This is the county seat (the main town for the county). Most of the Village of Cooperstown is inside the town of Otsego.
• Fitch Hill – A raised area near Pierstown on Armstrong Road.
• Five Mile Point – A piece of land that sticks out into Otsego Lake, close to the northern town line.
• Fly Creek – A small village west of Cooperstown, located on the shared NY-28/NY-80 road. Several historic places here are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Hutter Point – A piece of land that sticks out into Otsego Lake, north of Five Mile Point.
• Index – A small village south of Cooperstown on NY-28. Part of it is also in the Town of Hartwick.
• King Hill – A raised area on the northern town line, partly within the town.
• Leatherstocking Falls – A waterfall found on Leatherstocking Creek near the eastern town line.
• Metcalf Hill – A raised area northeast of Fitch Hill.
• Mud Lake – A small lake located west of Fly Creek.
• Muskrat Pond – A small lake located northwest of Fitch Hill.
• Oaksville – A small village west of Fly Creek on NY-28/80.
• Pail Shop Corners – A small village north of Fly Creek.
• Panther Mountain – A raised area on the eastern shore of Canadarago Lake.
• Pierstown – A small village near the western side of Otsego Lake.
• Red House Hill – A raised area on the west side of Otsego Lake near Five Mile Point.
• Six Mile Point – A piece of land that sticks out into Otsego Lake, north of Hutter Point.
• Snowdon – A small village near the western town line on NY-80.
• Taylortown – A location north of Pail Shop Corners, at the corner of County Route 26 and Honey Joe Road.
• Three Mile Point – A piece of land that sticks out into Otsego Lake, south of Five Mile Point.
• Toddsville – A small village southwest of Cooperstown. Part of it is also in the Town of Hartwick.
• Tunnicliff Hill – A raised area north of Snowdon.
• Twelve Thousand – A location in the very northwestern corner of the town.
• Whalen Hill – A raised area in the southwestern corner of the town. Part of it is also in the town of Hartwick.
• Wileytown – A small village in the southwestern part of the town on NY-205.

See also

In Spanish: Otsego (Nueva York) para niños