Whitehall (village), New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Whitehall
Village
Main Street Historic District
Location in Washington County and the state of New York.
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Washington
Area
• Total	6.79 sq mi (17.59 km2)
• Land	5.64 sq mi (14.61 km2)
• Water	1.15 sq mi (2.98 km2)
Elevation	157 ft (48 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,465
• Density	437.13/sq mi (168.76/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	12887
Area code(s)	518
FIPS code	36-81622
GNIS feature ID	0971145

Whitehall is a small village in Washington County, New York, United States. It's part of the larger Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2010, about 2,614 people lived here.

Whitehall is special because it sits right where the border of Vermont meets the southern tip of Lake Champlain.

A Glimpse into Whitehall's Past

How Whitehall Began

Whitehall Armory

Whitehall was first settled in 1759. It was called "Skenesborough" back then. A man named Major Philip Skene started the community. He built military barracks nearby and then decided to create a town.

Skenesborough was the very first settlement on Lake Champlain. It quickly became an important place for trade. It was also a key stop on one of the main routes between the English and French colonies.

Whitehall During the Revolutionary War

The American Revolutionary War brought a lot of action to Skenesborough. On May 9, 1775, American forces surprised Major Skene and his small group of soldiers. They were on their way to attack Fort Ticonderoga.

In 1776, General Philip Schuyler built a small fleet of ships right here. These ships were later used by Benedict Arnold in the Battle of Valcour Island. This important event is why Whitehall is known today as the birthplace of the United States Navy.

During the War of 1812, Whitehall continued its shipbuilding tradition. The village built many ships for naval battles on Lake Champlain.

The Champlain Canal Connection

Whitehall is also the northern end of the Champlain Canal. This canal is a waterway that connects the Hudson River to Lake Champlain. It made Whitehall an even more important place for trade and travel.

Exploring Whitehall's Special Places

Whitehall has many interesting historic sites and museums to visit. They help tell the story of this unique village.

• Skenesborough Museum
• USS Ticonderoga (a replica of a historic ship)
• Skene Manor
• Lock 12 of the Champlain Canal (a cool place to see how boats move through the canal)
• Main Street Historic District
• Judge Joseph Potter House
• US Post Office-Whitehall
• Whitehall Armory

Where is Whitehall Located?

Whitehall is a village with a total area of about 4.8 square miles (12.5 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Major roads like U.S. Route 4 and NY Route 22 meet in the village. As mentioned, it's also where the Champlain Canal begins its journey north to Lake Champlain.

People of Whitehall

How Many People Live Here?

The population of Whitehall has changed over the years. Here's a quick look at how many people have lived in the village:

In 2000, there were 2,667 people living in Whitehall. About 25.9% of the population was under 18 years old. The average age of people in the village was 38 years.

Getting Around Whitehall

Train Travel

Amtrak, which is the national passenger train system, has a stop in Whitehall. You can take the Adirondack train from Whitehall. This train travels daily between Montreal in Canada and New York City.

Famous People From Whitehall

• Oliver Bascom (1815–1869), a politician.
• Henry G. Burleigh, who was a United States Representative from New York.

See also

In Spanish: Whitehall (villa) para niños