Editing Prattsville (town), New York

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

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|image_map                = Greene County NY Prattsville town highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 
|map_caption              = Location in [[Greene County, New York|Greene County]] and the state of [[New York (state)|New York]].
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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        = [[Greene County, New York|Greene]]
|government_footnotes     = 
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|established_title        = 
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<!-- 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|access-date=July 5, 2017}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 54.56
|area_land_km2            = 54.28
|area_water_km2           = 0.27
|area_total_sq_mi         = 21.07
|area_land_sq_mi          = 20.96
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.11

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = <ref>US Census Bureau, 2020 census, Prattsville town, Greene County, New York https://www.census.gov/search-results.html?searchType=web&cssp=SERP&q=Prattsville%20town,%20Greene%20County,%20New%20York Accessed, November 6, 2022</ref>
|population_total         = 774
|population_density_sq_mi =

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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              = 469
|elevation_ft             = 1539
|coordinates              = {{coord|42|18|54|N|74|25|0|W|region:US-NY|display=inline}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 12468
|area_code                = [[Area code 518|518]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 36-039-59751
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0979396
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
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|population_density_km2 = 12.67
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'''Prattsville''' is a [[Administrative divisions of New York#Town|town]] in [[Greene County, New York|Greene County]], [[New York (state)|New York]], United States. The town is in the northwestern part of the county. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 774.<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web| url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US3603959751| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Prattsville town, Greene County, New York| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| access-date=December 29, 2016}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>US Census Bureau, 2020 census, Prattsville town, Greene County, New York https://www.census.gov/search-results.html?searchType=web&cssp=SERP&q=Prattsville%20town,%20Greene%20County,%20New%20York Accessed, November 6, 2022</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Prattsville New York 1844 drawing cropped.jpg|thumb|left|An 1844 [[lithograph]] of the town]]
[[File:Zadock Pratt clean.jpg|thumb|left|[[Zadock Pratt]] is credited with raising the town to prominence in the 1800s, and the town was subsequently named after him.]]
The area of the town was first settled around 1763, and the region was then called "Schoharie Kill". An attempt during the [[American Revolution]] by the British and their [[Loyalist (American Revolution)|Loyalist]] allies to drive the settlers out was thwarted when they were defeated by the settlers.

Prattsville was established in 1824 from the town of [[Windham, New York|Windham]]. Some of the town was lost to form the town of [[Ashland, Greene County, New York|Ashland]] in 1848.

Prattsville was later named after [[Zadock Pratt]], a [[United States House of Representatives|congressman]] and prominent citizen. Pratt built a [[tannery]] larger than any other in the world at the time, helping it become a major town in [[upstate New York]]. His life is depicted through a series of stone carvings called [[Pratt Rock]] which he commissioned during his lifetime.

The 1830 population of the town was 830. When Pratt built his tannery, it created a vast number of jobs, and the population grew to 1,989 by 1850. However, by 1845 all of the [[hemlock bark]] had been non-sustainably extracted from the forests for {{convert|10|mi|0}} around, and Pratt was forced to close the tannery. No Hemlock re-plantings had been undertaken by Pratt. The jobs that were lost could not be replaced, and the town's population dwindled to 1,314 by 1875.<ref>{{cite book| last=Stradling| first=David| title=Making Mountains: New York City and the Catskills| publisher=[[University of Washington Press]]| year=2008| pages=34, 35| isbn=978-0-295-98747-7| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V7sKd6PS-fEC}}</ref> The [[Old Episcopal Manse]] was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 2000, and the [[John and Martinus Laraway Inn]] was added in 2012.<ref name="nps">{{cite web| url=http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/listings/20120727.htm| title=National Register of Historic Places| date=July 27, 2012| work=Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 7/16/12 through 7/20/12| publisher=National Park Service}}</ref><ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2009a}}</ref>

On August 28, 2011, [[Hurricane Irene]] caused record flooding in the town by [[Schoharie Creek]], causing major damage and destroying large areas of the town. Every structure on the strip that comprises Main Street was partly or fully destroyed, including all 22 of the town's businesses. Eleven houses collapsed in the flood, fifteen were condemned and torn down, and more than 100 homes were so damaged that the residents couldn't return to them, but there were no fatalities.<ref name=":0">{{cite news| last=Dean| first=Josh| title=Please God Stop the Rain| url=https://nymag.com/print/?/news/features/prattsville-hurricane-irene-2012-8/| newspaper=New York Magazine| date=August 19, 2012}}</ref> It received widespread national news coverage because the town had nearly been washed away.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.timesunion.com/default/photo/Hylan-Boulevard-in-Prattsville-just-down-from-1567493.php |title=Photo of Hylan Boulevard in Prattsville |publisher=Times Union |date=September 1, 2011 |access-date=September 14, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.timesunion.com/default/photo/Across-Main-Street-from-the-Morses-in-1567495.php |title=Photo of across Main Street from the Morses |publisher=Times Union |date=September 1, 2011 |access-date=September 14, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Vielkind |first=Jimmy |url=http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/We-thought-we-were-going-to-die-2150370.php |title=We thought we were going to die |publisher=Times Union |date=September 1, 2011 |access-date=September 14, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Waldman |first=Scott |url=http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Survival-is-town-s-greatest-test-2163960.php |title=Survival is town's greatest test |publisher=Times Union |date=September 10, 2011 |access-date=September 14, 2012}}</ref> Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo labeled Prattsville as the place in New York State hardest hit by the storm.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/27/nyregion/a-year-after-tropical-storm-irene-hope-and-uncertainty-in-prattsville-ny.html?pagewanted=all|title = In Small Town Hit by a Storm, Hope, Despair and a Mudfest|newspaper = The New York Times|date = August 27, 2012|last1 = Rosenberg|first1 = Noah}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|19.7|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|19.6|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.1|sqmi|km2}}, or 0.51%, is water.

The town is in the [[Catskill Mountains]]. The northern town line is the border of [[Schoharie County, New York|Schoharie County]], and the western town line is the border of [[Delaware County, New York|Delaware County]].

[[Schoharie Creek]], a tributary of the [[Mohawk River]], flows northward through the town past the [[Prattsville (CDP), New York|hamlet of Prattsville]].

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=right
|1840= 1613
|1850= 1989
|1860= 1511
|1870= 1240
|1880= 1118
|1890= 876
|1900= 775
|1910= 781
|1920= 830
|1930= 706
|1940= 848
|1950= 825
|1960= 790
|1970= 721
|1980= 666
|1990= 774
|2000= 665
|2010= 700
|2020= 774
|estyear= 
|estimate= 
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2016">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2016.html|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|access-date=June 9, 2017}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=[https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html U.S. Decennial Census]<ref>US Census Bureau, 2020 census, Prattsville town, Greene County, New York https://www.census.gov/search-results.html?searchType=web&cssp=SERP&q=Prattsville%20town,%20Greene%20County,%20New%20York Accessed, November 6, 2022</ref>
}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 665 people, 253 households, and 182 families residing in the town.  The population density was {{convert|33.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 406 housing units at an average density of {{convert|20.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 98.95% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.30% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.15% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], and 0.60% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.35% of the population.

There were 253 households, out of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.7% were non-families. 22.1% 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 2.61 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.9% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $30,655, and the median income for a family was $33,571. Males had a median income of $35,313 versus $17,917 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $14,962.  About 4.9% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 16.3% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

==Climate==
{{Weather box
|location = Prattsville, New York
|single line = Yes
|Jan high F = 31
|Feb high F = 33
|Mar high F = 41
|Apr high F = 53
|May high F = 65
|Jun high F = 73
|Jul high F = 78
|Aug high F = 76
|Sep high F = 68
|Oct high F = 58
|Nov high F = 46
|Dec high F = 35
|year high F = 55
|Jan low F = 9
|Feb low F = 9
|Mar low F = 18
|Apr low F = 29
|May low F = 39
|Jun low F = 47
|Jul low F = 51
|Aug low F = 50
|Sep low F = 43
|Oct low F = 33
|Nov low F = 26
|Dec low F = 15
|year low F = 31
|Jan precipitation inch = 4.29
|Feb precipitation inch = 2.87
|Mar precipitation inch = 4.45
|Apr precipitation inch = 4.67
|May precipitation inch = 4.82
|Jun precipitation inch = 4.29
|Jul precipitation inch = 4.18
|Aug precipitation inch = 3.50
|Sep precipitation inch = 4.62
|Oct precipitation inch = 4.46
|Nov precipitation inch = 5.17
|Dec precipitation inch = 4.09
|year precipitation inch = 23.30
|source 1 = Weather.com<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/12468|title=Monthly Averages for Prattsville, New York (12468)|publisher=[[The Weather Channel]]|access-date=August 9, 2009}}</ref>
|date=August 2010
}}

== Communities and locations in Prattsville ==
*'''Four Corners''' &ndash; A [[hamlet (New York)|hamlet]] on the eastern town line, northeast of Prattsville village.
*'''Pratt Rocks''' &ndash; A collection of rock carvings east of Prattsville village.
*'''[[Prattsville (CDP), New York|Prattsville]]''' &ndash; The hamlet of Prattsville is in the southern part of the town on Route 23. It was incorporated as a village in 1883, but later abandoned that status.
*'''Red Falls''' &ndash; A hamlet in the southeastern part of the town on Route 23.

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.townofprattsville.com Town of Prattsville official website]
* [http://www.prattmuseum.com Pratt Museum]

{{Coord|42|18|53|N|74|25|59|W|type:city_region:US-NY|display=title}}

{{Greene County, New York}}

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[[Category:Towns in Greene County, New York]]
[[Category:Towns in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Prattsville, New York| ]]