Editing Rouses Point, New York

{{Use American English|date = February 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Rouses Point, New York
|settlement_type          =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Rouses_Point_Lake_Street.jpg
|imagesize                = 275px
|image_caption            = Northbound US 11 along Lake Street at the intersection with Chapman Street
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Clinton County New York incorporated and unincorporated areas Rouses Point highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 260px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Clinton County, New York|Clinton County]] and the state of [[New York (state)|New York]].

<!-- 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        = [[Clinton County, New York|Clinton]]
|subdivision_type3        = [[Town (New York)|Town]]
|subdivision_name3        = [[Champlain, New York|Champlain]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=September 20, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 6.40
|area_land_km2            = 4.53
|area_water_km2           = 1.87
|area_total_sq_mi         = 2.47
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.75
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.72

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 2195
|population_density_km2   = 484.38
|population_density_sq_mi = 1254.29

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 34
|elevation_ft             = 112
|coordinates              = {{coord|44|59|15|N|73|22|3|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 12979
|area_code                = [[Area code 518|518]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 36-63979
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0963048
|website                  = {{URL|www.rousespointny.com}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
}}
'''Rouses Point''' is a [[village (New York)|village]] in [[Clinton County, New York|Clinton County]], [[New York (state)|New York]], United States, along the [[45th parallel north|45th parallel]]. The population was 2,209 at the 2010 census.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US3663979| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212185042/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US3663979| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Rouses Point village, New York| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=December 4, 2014}}</ref> The village is named after Jacques Rouse, a [[French Canadian]] soldier who fought alongside the Americans during [[American Revolutionary War|their war for independence]].<ref>Eloise A. Briere, J'aime New York, 2nd Edition: A Bilingual Guide to the French Heritage of New York State</ref> The village is on the western shore of [[Lake Champlain]] at the source of the [[Richelieu River]]. Also located in the northeastern corner of the town of [[Champlain, New York|Champlain]], it is north of the city of [[Plattsburgh (city), New York|Plattsburgh]] and is on the [[Canada–United States border]].

== History ==
{{moresources|section|date=April 2025}}
[[File:Towards Lake Champlain on Hwy 11.jpg|thumb|Towards Lake Champlain on Hwy 11]]
Rouses Point was first settled around 1783 by [[Canadians|Canadian]] and [[Nova Scotia]]n refugees who were granted land in the [[Canadian and Nova Scotia Refugee Tract]] in reward for their services during the [[American Revolution]].

[[File:Town_Clock_Rouses_Point_1783.jpg|thumb|Est. 1783]]

[[Steamboat]]s were a booming business on this part of the lake; the second commercial steamboat in the world was launched on Lake Champlain, with Rouses Point as its first port-of-call. Steamboat traffic continued on the lake for the next 100 years until displaced by the [[railroad]]. Edward Thurber built the first frame house in 1818. President [[James Monroe]] stayed there. 
[[File:Thurber Monroe Underground Railroad Plaque.jpg|thumb|Commemorative Plaque]]

After an unnamed first fort (sometimes called "Fort Blunder") was mistakenly built 1.2&nbsp;km north of Island Point in Canada, [[Fort Montgomery (Lake Champlain)|Fort Montgomery]] was built here between 1844 and 1871 to guard Lake Champlain against possible invasion from British Canada.  The fort was never completed and was briefly garrisoned by the U.S. Army during the [[American Civil War]]. In 1816, the first stone house built from "Fort Blunder" was a house of worship for Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians. It is still standing as a family home.

[[File:Rouses Point NY Homes.jpg|thumb|Rouses Point homes]]

By 1860, Rouses Point had a variety of shops and tradespeople such as loggers, bakers, tailors, carpenters, blacksmiths, prostitutes, and hatters. Its location on the Canada–U.S. border made it an important stop on the [[Underground Railroad]], through which many African American slaves escaped to freedom.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Caudell|first1=Robin|title=Rouses Point receives national Underground Railroad recognition|url=http://www.pressrepublican.com/news/out_and__about/rouses-point-receives-national-underground-railroad-recognition/article_4629dbea-df67-598b-ab8c-c840166823d4.html|access-date=October 25, 2017|publisher=[[Press-Republican]]|date=April 7, 2011}}</ref>

Rouses Point became an incorporated village in 1877, and grew to a population of over 2,000 by 1892. The [[Delaware and Hudson Railway]] opened a station, connecting the village to [[New York City]] and [[Montreal]]. During [[Prohibition in the United States|Prohibition]] (1923–33), the village's proximity to the Canada–U.S. border made it popular with those who wanted to smuggle illegal alcohol across the border. [[Rum-running]] became common, and three [[Speakeasy|speakeasies]], one called "The Bucket of Blood", operated nightly. [[Organized crime]] visited the area, bringing with it the usual vices.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}

During [[World War II]], the community was the scene of substantial shipments of war materials to points north by water and rail.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gooley |first=Lawrence P. |date=2011-10-24 |title=Rouses Point: History at the Canadian Border - |url=https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2011/10/rouses-point-history-at-the-canadian-border.html |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=The Adirondack Almanack |language=en-US}}</ref>
[[File:Rouses Point Marina.jpg|thumb|Rouses Point Marina]]
[[Wyeth]], a pharmaceutical company, formerly employed over 1,000 people.<ref>{{Cite news|title=A Company Town Contemplates Life Without the Company|last=Foderaro|first=Lisa W.|date=May 21, 2006|work=New York Times|page=A35L|via=Gale: Science in Context}}</ref>

==Geography==

[[File:Rouses Point NY sign US11.jpg|thumb|left|The sign for Rouses Point on U.S. 11]]
Rouses Point, located at {{Coord|44|59|15|N|73|22|3|W|type:city}} (44.987531, -73.367634),<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> is the northernmost village in [[New York (state)|New York]] in terms of the center of population.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the village has a total area of {{convert|6.4|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|4.6|km2|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|1.9|km2|order=flip}}, or 29.18%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

The [[Rouses Point-Lacolle 223 Border Crossing]] is a port of entry with [[Quebec]] at the [[Canada–United States border]]. The village is on the western shore of [[Lake Champlain]], by the [[U.S. Route 2 in Vermont|U.S. Route 2]] and [[U.S. Route 11 in New York|U.S. Route 11]] intersection. U.S. 2 leads east across the [[Rouses Point Bridge]] into [[Vermont]]. [[New York State Route 9B]] enters the village from the south, and [[New York State Route 276]] enters the village from the northwest.

[[File:Rouses Point NY to Vermont bridge.jpg|thumb|Rouses Point NY to Vermont bridge]]

The intersection of U.S. 2 and U.S. 11 is the western terminus of the eastern segment of U.S. 2. Approximately 8/10ths of a mile to the north U.S. 11 ends at the Canada–U.S. border.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 1266
|1880= 1485
|1890= 1856
|1900= 1675
|1910= 1638
|1920= 1700
|1930= 1920
|1940= 1846
|1950= 2001
|1960= 2160
|1970= 2250
|1980= 2266
|1990= 2377
|2000= 2277
|2010= 2209
|2020= 2195
|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|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</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 2,277 people, 978 households, and 604 families residing in the village. The population density was {{convert|1,281.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,062 housing units at an average density of {{convert|597.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the village was 97.19% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.70% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.40% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.44% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.04% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.18% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.05% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.36% of the population.

There were 978 households, out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 23.8% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.1 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $39,167, and the median income for a family was $49,931. Males had a median income of $36,250 versus $30,064 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the village was $20,539. About 6.8% of families and 9.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 14.2% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.

== Education ==
The village is within the Northeastern Clinton Central School District<!--UNI 21250-->.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st36_ny/schooldistrict_maps/c36019_clinton/DC20SD_C36019.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Clinton County, NY|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2024-10-16}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st36_ny/schooldistrict_maps/c36019_clinton/DC20SD_C36019_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref> There is one elementary school in Rouses Point, housing grades K-5. Students from grades 6-12 attend Northeastern Clinton Central Middle/High School in [[Champlain (town), New York|Champlain]].

Dodge Memorial Library is located on Lake Street (Route 9B/[[U.S. Route 11 in New York|U.S. 11]]).

[[File:Rouses_Point_Public_Library.jpg|thumb|Dodge Memorial Library]]

==Local information==
Also found on Lake Street is the Rouses Point Civic Center, which houses village council meetings, an ice rink, and from time to time serves as a small convention floor.

[[File:Rouses Point Train Station and Historic Center.jpg|thumb|Rouses Point Train Station and Historic Center]]

==Transportation==
[[Amtrak]], the U.S. national passenger rail system, provides service to Rouses Point, operating its [[Adirondack (train)|''Adirondack'']] daily in both directions between [[Montreal]] and [[New York City]]. The [[Rouses Point (Amtrak station)|Rouses Point station]] is the closest station on the U.S. side of the [[Canada–United States border|international boundary]], and U.S. immigration officials board southbound trains at the station for entry formalities.

== In popular culture ==

Rouses Point's Amtrak station plays an important role in the final episode of ''[[The Americans]]'', but the scene was not recorded there.

==Sites of interest==
* [[Fort Montgomery (Lake Champlain)|Fort Montgomery]]; also known as "Fort Blunder"

[[File:Point au Fer Marker.jpg|thumb|Point au Fer Historical Marker]]

*  Pointe au Fer, discovered by French explorer [[Samuel de Champlain]] in 1609, site of an 18th century battle in 1760 when it became under British control until interrupted in 1775 by the [[American Revolution]] and then retaken. Famous visitors have included: [[Benjamin Franklin]], [[Ethan Allen]], Sir [[Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester|Guy Carleton]], and [[Babe Ruth]].  It's today primarily a conservation area with camping ground overlooking [[Lake Champlain]], as well as a public hunting ground in season.

==Notable people==
*[[Elizabeth Marney Conner]] (1856–1941), dramatic reader and educator
*[[Jesse Boulerice]] (born 1978), former [[National Hockey League|NHL]] player for four teams

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Rouses Point, New York}}

* [https://www.rousespointny.com/ Village of Rouses Point official website]

{{Clinton County, New York}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Villages in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Villages in Clinton County, New York]]