Potter, New York facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Potter, New York
Town
Location in Yates County and the state of New York.
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Yates
Area
• Total	37.24 sq mi (96.45 km²)
• Land	37.24 sq mi (96.45 km²)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km²)
Elevation	889 ft (271 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	1,865
• Estimate (2016)	1,842
• Density	49.47/sq mi (19.10/km²)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
FIPS code	36-59597
GNIS feature ID	0979391

Potter is a small town located in Yates County, New York, in the United States. It's found in the northwest part of the county, just south of the city of Canandaigua. In 2010, about 1,865 people lived here.

Discover Potter: A Town in New York
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Discover Potter: A Town in New York

A Look Back: Potter's History

Potter became its own town on April 26, 1832. Before that, it was part of the Town of Middlesex. The whole area was once called the District of Augusta. The town got its name "Potter's Town" because Arnold Potter, son of Judge William Potter, bought a large piece of land here.

Early Settlers and Their Lives

Many families were among the first to settle in Potter. These included the Perry, Brown, Gilbert, French, Lane, Briggs, Craft, Southerland, and Griffin families. These early settlers helped build the town from scratch.

Around 1805, John Griffin and Riggs ran a business that made potash and whisky. Potash was important for making soap and fertilizer. Later, Richard M. Williams took over the business. He became a judge and focused on making potash. His son, Richard H. Williams, even became a state senator!

Another early settler, Luke Conley, built a distillery in Nettle Valley around 1805. He later sold it to Arnold Potter. Mr. Conley also helped build the first mill in Rochester, New York.

Old Taverns and Meeting Places

Around 1790, a double log tavern (like an old inn or hotel) was opened by Bingham, possibly Col. Luther Bingham. It was a place where people could stay and meet, even before proper roads were built. This tavern was later run by Alben Darby. Many old maps refer to "Darby's Corners," which was an important intersection.

In 1798, Lindsey Warfield started the "Warfield Neighborhood." His house was also used as a tavern and a public meeting place for town meetings. Other early families like the Wesson, Foster, Florence, Southerland, Voorhees, Lamoreaux, and VanWormer families also settled in this area.

The Dutch Settlement at Voak

Around 1800, Dr. Frederic Dutch, who was from Germany, settled in Potter. He bought land that became the hamlet of Voak. Dr. Dutch was a German Lutheran and helped start the German Lutheran Church there. It's important to know it was a German settlement, not a "Dutch" one.

Other Small Settlements

There were also smaller settlements called Moontown and Hoardtown. These were not official villages but areas where many Moon and Hoard families lived. There was a church in this area as early as 1810.

Mills and Shops in Potter

In 1802, Dr. Jareb Dyer bought a large area of land that stretched north of what is now Potter Center. In 1809, Samuel Wyman settled in Nettle Valley, where Enoch Bordwell and George Green built a sawmill.

Sanford Strobridge came to Potter in 1826. He was a wheelwright (someone who builds and repairs wheels and wheeled vehicles) and a chair maker. He later owned a gristmill (a mill for grinding grain) called the "Gully Mill." His son, George, continued to run it. Arnold Potter built the very first sawmill in Potter Center in 1794.

The Strobridge family was very important. Lyman H. Strobridge planted the first vineyard in Potter, starting the tradition of grape growing. George W. Strobridge had a large carriage or wagon shop. This building was later used as a bean plant and then a feed mill before it was torn down in 1968. Next to it was a blacksmith shop run by Eben and Thomas Finch.

Many mills in Potter used water power from Mill Brook. They built dikes to hold back water and power the machinery. Another old sawmill, upstream from the current Tony Hiler residence, was said to have wooden gears instead of metal ones! The wood from this mill was used to build several local houses, including the Hiler house (built in 1850) and the Simmons home (built in 1831).

Businesses in Potter Center

In 1825, Milton Finch opened a public house (tavern) and a blacksmith shop in Potter Center. This tavern was later known as Finch's Tavern and then the McDonald Hotel. Sadly, it burned down in 1879, along with other nearby stores.

Around 1836, Cyrus Daines, James Stout, and Silvernail started the first businesses in Potter Center. Daines opened a blacksmith shop, Stout a shoe shop, and Silvernail a tailor shop. The first general store was run by James Turner, then by Cyrus Daines.

By 1836, Potter Center had a Methodist church, a Baptist church, two blacksmith shops, two wagon shops, a harness shop, and one store. Later, in 1928, a bean plant opened where an old carriage shop used to be.

The Post Office and Historic Places

A Post Office was set up in Potter Center around 1835. It moved around, usually located in the store of whoever was the Postmaster. Richard M. Williams was the first Postmaster. He helped create a mail route connecting several towns, including Potter.

Several buildings in Potter are so important that they are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the James Hobart House, the Arnold Potter House, the Yatesville Methodist Church, and the Roundstone Schoolhouse.

Where is Potter? Geography Facts

Potter covers an area of about 37.2 square miles (96.45 square kilometers), and all of it is land. The northern border of the town touches Ontario County. Potter is located in the famous Finger Lakes region of New York, just north of Keuka Lake.

Two important roads, New York State Route 247 and New York State Route 364, cross paths north of the hamlet of Potter Center. Potter is also home to a large area of rich, dark soil called "muckland," which is great for farming. This muckland covers about 2,000 acres and is mostly owned by Torrey Farms.

Who Lives in Potter? Population Details

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1840	2,245	—
1850	2,194	−2.3%
1860	2,151	−2.0%
1870	1,970	−8.4%
1880	1,940	−1.5%
1890	1,680	−13.4%
1900	1,520	−9.5%
1910	1,495	−1.6%
1920	1,200	−19.7%
1930	1,190	−0.8%
1940	1,109	−6.8%
1950	1,157	4.3%
1960	1,106	−4.4%
1970	1,082	−2.2%
1980	1,436	32.7%
1990	1,617	12.6%
2000	1,830	13.2%
2010	1,865	1.9%
2016 (est.)	1,842	−1.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2000, there were 1,830 people living in Potter. There were 583 households, and 464 of these were families. The population density was about 49 people per square mile.

Many households (43.2%) had children under 18 living with them. Most households (63.5%) were married couples. The average household had about 3.10 people, and the average family had 3.42 people.

The population of Potter includes people of different ages:

34.9% were under 18 years old.
6.8% were between 18 and 24.
28.9% were between 25 and 44.
21.0% were between 45 and 64.
8.3% were 65 years or older.

The average age in Potter was 33 years old. For every 100 females, there were about 102 males.

The median income for a household in Potter was $42,784, and for a family, it was $47,188. The average income per person in the town was $16,696. About 9.7% of the population, including 13.2% of those under 18, lived below the poverty line.

Places and Hamlets in Potter

Cole Corners – A small area in the northeast part of town.
East Potter – A hamlet (a small settlement, smaller than a village) in the northeast corner of the town.
Flint Creek – An important stream that flows through the town.
Potter Center – The main hamlet of Potter, located on NY-364 near Flint Creek.
Rushville – Part of the Village of Rushville is located along the northern border of Potter on NY-247.
Voak – A hamlet in the northeast corner of the town, southeast of East Potter.
Yatesville – A hamlet in the southeast corner of the town.