Waterford | |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Town of Waterford | |
 Waterford Harbor on theMohawk River | |
 Interactive map of Waterford | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Saratoga |
| Area | |
• Total | 7.4 sq mi (19.2 km2) |
| • Land | 6.6 sq mi (17.0 km2) |
| • Water | 0.85 sq mi (2.2 km2) |
| Population (2023) | |
• Total | 8,106 |
| • Density | 1,230/sq mi (477/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 12188 |
| Area code | 518 |
| FIPS code | 36-78977 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0979619 |
| Website | Town of Waterford |
Waterford is atown inSaratoga County,New York, United States. The population was 8,106 at the 2023 census.[1] The name of the town is derived from its principal village, also calledWaterford. The town is located in the southeast corner of Saratoga County and north-northwest ofTroy at the junction of theErie Canal and theHudson River.
The village of Waterford is the oldest incorporated village in the United States, having been incorporated in 1794 before the town was formed. Waterford has been host to "Canal Fest" and "Tugboat Roundup" celebrations for many years.[citation needed]
The town of Waterford was formed from the town ofHalfmoon in 1816.
During theindustrial revolution, Waterford became a desirable location for manufacturing due to its position at the confluence of theHudson River andMohawk River, as well as theChamplain Canal andErie Canal and three railroad lines.[2] Fortunes were made here by industrialists such as the brothers Hugh and Canvas White, the Knickerbocker, Kavanaugh, Button, Breslin, and King families.[2] The Eddy family was a major influence on the area; Isaac Newton Eddy established theFranklin Ink Works, manufacturer of printing inks, in 1831.[2] His son George Washington Eddy established theHudson and Mohawk Foundry, which produced stoves, iron castings, and steam car wheels.[2] Another sonOliver Tarbell Eddy was a painter and inventor of an early typewriter.[2]
TheNorthside Historic District,Ormsby-Laughlin Textile Companies Mill,Peebles (Peobles) Island, andWaterford Village Historic District are listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.[3]
The Village of Waterford is located at42°47′28″N73°40′47″W / 42.791127°N 73.679758°W /42.791127; -73.679758,[4] in the southeastern corner of the Town.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 7.4 square miles (19.2 km2), of which 6.6 square miles (17.0 km2) is land and 0.9 square mile (2.2 km2) (11.59%) is water.[citation needed]
The eastern town line, defined by theHudson River, is the border withRensselaer County, and the southern town line, defined by theMohawk River, is the border withAlbany County. The easternmost section and locks of theErie Canal pass through the town and connect with theHudson River. TheWaterford Flight series of locks is one of the steepest in the world.[5][6]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 1,184 | — | |
| 1830 | 1,473 | 24.4% | |
| 1840 | 1,824 | 23.8% | |
| 1850 | 2,683 | 47.1% | |
| 1860 | 3,260 | 21.5% | |
| 1870 | 3,631 | 11.4% | |
| 1880 | 4,328 | 19.2% | |
| 1890 | 5,286 | 22.1% | |
| 1900 | 6,157 | 16.5% | |
| 1910 | 6,128 | −0.5% | |
| 1920 | 4,552 | −25.7% | |
| 1930 | 5,667 | 24.5% | |
| 1940 | 5,709 | 0.7% | |
| 1950 | 6,052 | 6.0% | |
| 1960 | 7,231 | 19.5% | |
| 1970 | 7,644 | 5.7% | |
| 1980 | 7,194 | −5.9% | |
| 1990 | 8,695 | 20.9% | |
| 2000 | 8,515 | −2.1% | |
| 2010 | 8,423 | −1.1% | |
| 2020 | 8,208 | −2.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7][8] | |||
As of the 2010 census, there were 8,423 residents of the Town of Waterford. The racial makeup of the town was 94.8% White, 1.3% African-American, 0.1% Native American, and 1.5% Asian; in addition, 1.8% of residents were Hispanic or Latino.[10]
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Municipalities and communities ofSaratoga County, New York,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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