Minden, New York | |
|---|---|
 Location inMontgomery County and the state ofNew York | |
| Coordinates:42°55′51″N74°40′26″W / 42.93083°N 74.67389°W /42.93083; -74.67389 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Montgomery |
| Government | |
| • Type | Town Council |
| • Town Supervisor | Cheryl Reese (R) |
| • Town Council | |
| Area | |
• Total | 51.44 sq mi (133.22 km2) |
| • Land | 51.00 sq mi (132.08 km2) |
| • Water | 0.44 sq mi (1.14 km2) |
| Elevation | 531 ft (162 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 4,166 |
| • Density | 81.7/sq mi (31.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code | 13339 (Fort Plain) |
| Area code | 518 |
| FIPS code | 36-057-47614 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0979223 |
| Website | townofminden |
Minden is atown inMontgomery County,New York, United States. The population was 4,166 at the2020 census.[2] The town is located at the western edge of the county and south of theMohawk River, which forms its northern border. It possessed a post office from 1802 to 1903.[3]
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The area was first settled by Europeans around 1748. It was probably named afterMinden in Germany.[4] Among the early European settlers in the 18th century werePalatine Germans; these Protestants had come to New York as refugees from religious warfare. Their passage was paid by QueenAnne's government in exchange for their work at camps along the Hudson River, producing naval stores for England.
During theAmerican Revolution, rebel colonists constructed a small fort in 1778 atFort Plain village. In 1780, the village was attacked byTories and allied natives. They burned and sacked the community, but were not able to overcome the defenders at the fort.
Following the war, the town of Minden was formed in 1798 from the town ofCanajoharie. It was part of a rural area that was important for agriculture and dairy farming.
In 1985, a former farm in Minden was found to be the site of acocaine processing lab set up at a former dairy farm by theCali cartel based inColombia. The drug lab was shut down following a state police and federal investigation of an explosion at the site, and theU.S. Marshals Service took control of the property.[5]
Minden is in western Montgomery County, bordered to the north and northeast by theMohawk River/Erie Canal, to the west byHerkimer County, to the south byOtsego County, and to the southeast by the town ofCanajoharie. The village ofFort Plain is in the eastern corner of Minden, next to the Mohawk River.
TheNew York State Thruway (Interstate 90) follows the course of the Mohawk River across the northern part of the town. The closest access points are Exit 29 to the east atCanajoharie village and Exit 29A to the west servingLittle Falls.New York State Route 5S crosses the town, leading northwest 17 miles (27 km) toMohawk village and southeast through Fort Plain to Canajoharie.State Route 80 cross the center of the town, leading southwest toU.S. Route 20 inSpringfield and leading east through Fort Plain and across the Mohawk River to end atNelliston.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the town of Minden has a total area of 51.4 square miles (133 km2), of which 51.0 square miles (132 km2) are land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2), or 0.86%, are water.[1] Most of the town is drained byOtsquago Creek, which flows east across the center of town and joins the Mohawk River at Fort Plain. The southern end of town is drained byBowmans Creek, a tributary ofCanajoharie Creek which joins the Mohawk at Canajoharie village.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 1,954 | — | |
| 1830 | 2,567 | 31.4% | |
| 1840 | 2,507 | −2.3% | |
| 1850 | 4,623 | 84.4% | |
| 1860 | 4,412 | −4.6% | |
| 1870 | 4,600 | 4.3% | |
| 1880 | 5,100 | 10.9% | |
| 1890 | 5,198 | 1.9% | |
| 1900 | 4,541 | −12.6% | |
| 1910 | 4,645 | 2.3% | |
| 1920 | 4,366 | −6.0% | |
| 1930 | 4,232 | −3.1% | |
| 1940 | 4,376 | 3.4% | |
| 1950 | 4,656 | 6.4% | |
| 1960 | 4,560 | −2.1% | |
| 1970 | 4,691 | 2.9% | |
| 1980 | 4,743 | 1.1% | |
| 1990 | 4,474 | −5.7% | |
| 2000 | 4,202 | −6.1% | |
| 2010 | 4,297 | 2.3% | |
| 2020 | 4,166 | −3.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[6] | |||
As of thecensus[7] of 2000, there were 4,202 people, 1,685 households, and 1,142 families residing in the town. The population density was 82.3 inhabitants per square mile (31.8/km2). There were 1,902 housing units at an average density of 37.3 per square mile (14.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.57%White, 0.10%African American, 0.19%Native American, 0.43%Asian, 0.29% fromother races, and 0.43% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 1.33% of the population.
There were 1,685 households, out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.8% weremarried couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $28,333, and the median income for a family was $33,654. Males had a median income of $27,813 versus $21,437 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $15,099. About 9.0% of families and 12.0% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 13.9% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
