Wilna, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wilna, New York
|
|
|---|---|
 Wilna, New York
Location in New York
Wilna, New York
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Jefferson |
| Government | |
| • Type | Town Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 79.32 sq mi (205.43 km2) |
| • Land | 78.42 sq mi (203.11 km2) |
| • Water | 0.90 sq mi (2.32 km2) |
| Elevation | 722 ft (220 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 5,732 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
13619
|
| Area code(s) | 315 |
| FIPS code | 36-045-82348 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0979645 |
Wilna is a small town located in Jefferson County, New York, in the United States. In 2020, about 5,732 people lived there. You can find Wilna on the eastern side of Jefferson County, just east of the city of Watertown.
Contents
The Story of Wilna: History
The area where Wilna is now was first settled around 1798. This was near where the village of Carthage would later be built.
The town of Wilna was officially created in 1813. It was formed from parts of two other towns: Le Ray and Leyden in Lewis County.
No one is completely sure how Wilna got its name. Some people think it was named after "Wilno." This is the German and Polish spelling for Vilnius, a city in Lithuania. This might have been to remember when French soldiers took over Vilnius in 1812.
A historic building called Wood's Grist Mill was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. This means it is an important place to protect.
Wilna's Location and Landscape
Wilna covers a total area of about 205.9 square kilometers (79.3 square miles). Most of this area, about 203.6 square kilometers (78.4 square miles), is land. The rest, about 2.3 square kilometers (0.9 square miles), is water.
The Black River flows along the southwest edge of the town. The Indian River is located in the northern part of Wilna.
A large part of the northern half of Wilna is inside the Fort Drum Military Reservation. This is a training area for the military.
Two main roads, New York State Route 3 and New York State Route 3A, run through the town from east to west.
People and Population in Wilna
The number of people living in Wilna has changed over the years. Here's a look at the population from different census counts:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 648 | — | |
| 1830 | 1,602 | 147.2% | |
| 1840 | 2,591 | 61.7% | |
| 1850 | 2,993 | 15.5% | |
| 1860 | 3,662 | 22.4% | |
| 1870 | 4,660 | 27.3% | |
| 1880 | 4,393 | −5.7% | |
| 1890 | 4,522 | 2.9% | |
| 1900 | 5,172 | 14.4% | |
| 1910 | 6,218 | 20.2% | |
| 1920 | 7,014 | 12.8% | |
| 1930 | 7,322 | 4.4% | |
| 1940 | 7,029 | −4.0% | |
| 1950 | 6,969 | −0.9% | |
| 1960 | 6,809 | −2.3% | |
| 1970 | 6,538 | −4.0% | |
| 1980 | 6,227 | −4.8% | |
| 1990 | 6,899 | 10.8% | |
| 2000 | 6,235 | −9.6% | |
| 2010 | 6,427 | 3.1% | |
| 2020 | 5,732 | −10.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In the year 2000, there were 6,235 people living in Wilna. These people lived in 2,335 households, and 1,639 of these were families. The population density was about 79 people per square mile.
About 35.6% of the households had children under 18 years old living with them. More than half, 53.4%, were married couples. About 24% of all households were made up of people living alone.
The average age of people in Wilna in 2000 was 35 years old. About 28.1% of the population was under 18. About 13% were 65 years old or older.
Places and Neighborhoods in Wilna
Wilna is home to several communities and specific locations:
- Carthage – This is a village at the southern end of the town. It is located on NY-3 by the Black River.
- Cowan Corners – You can find this spot west of Natural Bridge.
- Deferiet – This village is along the southwest town line. It is on NY-3A by the Black River.
- DeVoice Corners – This location is where County Routes 40 and 42 meet.
- Doolins Crossing – This spot is near the northwest town line, inside Fort Drum.
- Fargo – This location is by the Fort Drum boundary on NY-3.
- Fort Drum – A large part of this military base is in the northern area of the town.
- Gates Corners – This location is inside Fort Drum on NY-3.
- Herrings – This is a small community on the southwest town line. It is on NY-3 by the Black River.
- Hewitt Park – This location is north of Carthage on NY-3.
- Hubbards Crossing – This spot is in the western part of the town, inside Fort Drum.
- Karter Crossing – This location is in the eastern part of Wilna, close to North Croghan.
- Mt. Quillen – This is a hill located north of Carthage.
- Natural Bridge – This is a community by the eastern town line on NY-3.
- North Croghan – This location is by the eastern town line on County Road 40.
- North Wilna – This spot is in the northern part of the town, inside Fort Drum.
- Ormistead Corners – This location is in the southeast part of Wilna on NY-3. It is where County Road 42 joins.
- Reedsville – This location is by the northwest town line, inside Fort Drum.
- Woods Mills ("Woods Settlement") – This spot is in the southeast part of Wilna, also inside Fort Drum.
