Editing Lyme, New York

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Lyme
|official_name            = Town of Lyme
|settlement_type          = [[Administrative divisions of New York#Town|Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

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|pushpin_map              = New York#USA
|pushpin_label            = Lyme
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<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[New York (state)|New York]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in New York|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Jefferson County, New York|Jefferson]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = [[Town Council]]
|leader_title             = [[Town Supervisor]]
|leader_name              = Scott Aubertine ([[United States Democratic Party|D]])
| leader_title1           = [[Town Council]]
| leader_name1            = {{Collapsible list
 |title       = Members' List
 |frame_style = border:none; padding: 0;
 |title_style = <!-- (optional) -->
 |list_style  = text-align:left;display:none;
 |1           = • Michael Countryman ([[United States Republican Party|R]])
 |2           = • Warren A. Johnson ([[United States Republican Party|R]])
 |3           = • Donald Bourquin ([[United States Republican Party|R]])
 |4           = • Anne Harris ([[United States Republican Party|R]])
}}
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref  = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2016">{{cite web|title=2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2016_Gazetteer/2016_gaz_place_36.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=July 5, 2017}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 278.29
|area_land_km2            = 144.65
|area_water_km2           = 133.63
|area_total_sq_mi         = 107.45
|area_land_sq_mi          = 55.85
|area_water_sq_mi         = 51.60

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2010 United States Census|2010]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 2185
|population_density_km2   = 14.88
|population_density_sq_mi = 38.53

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|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 76
|elevation_ft             = 249
|coordinates              = {{coord|44|3|58|N|76|10|27|W|region:US-NY|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = 
|postal_code              = 
|area_code                = 
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 36-045-43863
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0979173
|website                  = {{URL|www.townoflyme.com}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 2016
|pop_est_footnotes = <ref name="USCensusEst2016"/>
|population_est = 2152
}}
'''Lyme''' is a [[Administrative divisions of New York#Town|town]] in [[Jefferson County, New York|Jefferson County]], [[New York (state)|New York]], United States. The population was 2,185 at the 2010 census.<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web| url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0600000US3604543863| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Lyme town, Jefferson County, New York| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| accessdate=August 30, 2018| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213161656/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0600000US3604543863| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref>  The settlements of [[Chaumont, New York|Chaumont]] and [[Three Mile Bay, New York|Three Mile Bay]] are located within the town.  Lyme is in the western part of Jefferson County and is northwest of [[Watertown (city), New York|Watertown]].

== History ==
A prehistoric occupation area from the [[Middle Woodland Period]] is known as the [[Point Peninsula complex]].

A common belief is that early explorers visited this town during the 16th century.

Settlement began around 1802. Due to the large expanse of low-lying land, there was a great deal of sickness in the town.

During the [[War of 1812]], the inhabitants built a fort, but tore it down after visiting British officials assured them no harm would come to them if they removed fortifications.

Residents Ira Polley (Polly) and Chauncey Bugby (later Buckby) were active combatants supporting the [[Republic of Canada]] and Canadian independence in the [[Patriot War]] (1837). They were captured and sentenced to exile to [[Van Diemen's Land]] ([[Tasmania]]) in Australia. Both men were subsequently released but elected to remain in Australia, married, and have numerous descendants today.

The town of Lyme was organized from part of the town of [[Brownville, New York|Brownville]] in 1818. In 1849, the northern part of Lyme was used to form the town of [[Cape Vincent, New York|Cape Vincent]].

The hamlet of [[Chaumont, New York|Chaumont]] set itself off from the town in 1874 by incorporation as a [[village (New York)|village]].

[[District School No. 3 (Chaumont, New York)|District School No. 3]] at Putnam Corners, [[Evans-Gaige-Dillenback House]], [[Getman Farmhouse]], and [[Lance Farm]] were added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1990.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town of Lyme has a total area of {{convert|277.1|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|144.6|km2|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|132.6|km2|order=flip}}, or 47.83%, are water.<ref name="Census 2010"/> The western boundary of Lyme is [[Lake Ontario]], but most of the coastline comprises the shoreline of Chaumont Bay, which is entirely within Lyme.

[[New York State Route 12E]] is an east-west highway through Lyme.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1820= 1724
|1830= 2872
|1840= 5472
|1850= 2939
|1860= 2702
|1870= 2465
|1880= 2277
|1890= 2175
|1900= 2200
|1910= 1955
|1920= 1642
|1930= 1585
|1940= 1462
|1950= 1458
|1960= 1448
|1970= 1550
|1980= 1695
|1990= 1701
|2000= 2015
|2010= 2185
|estyear=2016
|estimate=2152
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2016">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2016.html|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|accessdate=June 9, 2017}}</ref>
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 2,015 people, 813 households, and 573 families residing in the town.  The population density was {{convert|35.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 2,183 housing units at an average density of {{convert|38.9|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 97.42% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.14% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.40% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.10% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.15% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.79% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.79% of the population.

There were 813 households, out of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.5% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.7% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 27.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.5 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $37,569, and the median income for a family was $43,068. Males had a median income of $32,554 versus $23,333 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $19,522.  About 6.2% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.

== Communities and locations in Lyme ==
*'''Ashland Flats [[New York State Wildlife Management Areas|Wildlife Management Area]]''' &ndash; A conservation area by the northern town line.
*[[Chaumont, New York|Chaumont]] &ndash; A village at the shore of Chaumont Bay on NY-12E. The village is on the south side of the Chaumont River, which empties into Chaumont Bay at that location.
*'''Chaumont Bay''' &ndash; A large bay of Lake Ontario, entirely within the town, enclosed by Point Peninsula and the mainland.
*'''Cherry Island''' &ndash; An island southwest of Point Salubrious.
*'''Clines Point''' &ndash; A location on the eastern side of Point Peninsula.
*'''Fir Island''' &ndash; A small island near the tip of Point Salubrious.
*'''Herrick Grove''' &ndash; A lakeside [[Hamlet (New York)|hamlet]] located on the south side of Three Mile Point, northwest of Chaumont village.
*'''Horse Creek''' &ndash; A stream flowing past the south side of Chaumont.
*'''Independence Point''' &ndash; A peninsula projecting into Chaumont Bay southwest of Chaumont village.
*'''Isthmus-Flanders Road''' &ndash; Area that transitions between the mainland and Point Peninsula.
*'''Long Point''' &ndash; A location on the northeastern shore of Point Peninsula. 
*[[Long Point State Park – Thousand Islands|Long Point State Park]] &ndash; A state park on the northeastern side of Point Peninsula.
*'''Point Peninsula''' &ndash; A peninsula connected to the remainder of the town by a narrow [[isthmus]], called "The Isthmus." 
*'''Point Peninsula''' &ndash; A hamlet on the southeast shore of Point Peninsula on County Road 57. [[Union Hall (Chaumont, New York)|Union Hall]] and [[United Methodist Church (Chaumont, New York)|United Methodist Church]] were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.<ref name="nris"/>
*'''Point Salubrious''' &ndash; A peninsula south of Chaumont village. [[Point Salubrious Historic District]] was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.<ref name="nris"/>
*'''Sawmill Bay''' &ndash; A small bay south of Chaumont.
*'''Shangra-La''' &ndash; A commercial camping area on the eastern side of Point Peninsula facing Chaumont Bay.
*'''Three Mile Bay''' &ndash; A lakeside hamlet (and [[census-designated place]]) located on an arm of Chaumont Bay called Three Mile Bay. [[The Row (Lyme, New York)|The Row]], [[Old Stone Shop]], [[Taft House (Chaumont, New York)|Taft House]], [[Taylor Boathouse]], and [[Three Mile Bay Historic District]] were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.<ref name="nris"/>
*'''Three Mile Creek''' &ndash; A stream in the northern part of Lyme that flows into Three Mile Bay.
*'''Three Mile Point''' &ndash; A peninsula enclosing Three Mile Bay on the south.
*'''Toad Hole Cove''' &ndash; A small bay at the southwestern part of Point Peninsula.

== Adjacent towns and areas ==
The town is southeast of the town of [[Cape Vincent, New York|Cape Vincent]] and west of the towns of [[Brownville, New York|Brownville]] and [[Clayton, New York|Clayton]]. The western side of the town is defined by Lake Ontario.

==References==
<references />

==External links==
* [http://www.townoflyme.com Town of Lyme official website]
* [http://www.chaumontchamber.com Chaumont - Three Mile Bay Chamber of Commerce]
* [https://archive.today/20130201072507/http://history.rays-place.com/ny/lyme-ny.htm Early Lyme history]
* [http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyjeffer/lyme.htm Lyme historical/genealogy links]
* [http://www.lymecommunityfoundation.org Lyme Community Foundation]

{{Jefferson County, New York}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Jefferson County, New York]]
[[Category:Towns in New York (state)]]