Editing Westville, New York

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{other places|Westville (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Westville, New York
|settlement_type          = [[Administrative divisions of New York#Town|Town]]
|pushpin_map              = New York
|pushpin_label            = Westville
|pushpin_label_position   = bottom <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location within the state of New York
|pushpin_mapsize          = 
|image_map                = 
|mapsize                  = 
|map_caption              = 
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =
|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        = [[Franklin County, New York|Franklin]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = [[Town Council]]
|leader_title             = [[Town Supervisor]]
|leader_name              = Rod J. Lauzon ([[United States Democratic Party|D]])
|leader_title1             = [[Town Clerk]]
|leader_name1              = Ann F. Brady ([[United States Democratic Party|D]])
| leader_title2           = [[Town Council]]
| leader_name2            = {{Collapsible list
 |title       = Members' List
 |frame_style = border:none; padding: 0;
 |title_style = <!-- (optional) -->
 |list_style  = text-align:left;display:none;
 |1           = • Michael Armstrong ([[United States Democratic Party|D]])
 |2           = • Vince Cartier ([[United States Democratic Party|D]])
 |3           = • Dean Fleury ([[United States Democratic Party|D]])
 |4           = • Robert H. Reynolds ([[United States Democratic Party|D]])
}}
|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           = 90.16
|area_land_km2            = 90.13
|area_water_km2           = 0.04
|area_total_sq_mi         = 34.81
|area_land_sq_mi          = 34.80
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.01
|population_as_of         = [[2010 United States Census|2010]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 1819
|population_density_km2   = 20.07
|population_density_sq_mi = 51.99
|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|55|56|N|74|23|2|W|region:US-NY|display=inline,title}}
|area_code                = 
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 36-033-81215
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0979630<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|www.townofwestvilleny.org}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 2016
|pop_est_footnotes = <ref name="USCensusEst2016"/>
|population_est = 1809
}}

'''Westville''' is a [[Administrative divisions of New York#Town|town]] in [[Franklin County, New York|Franklin County]], [[New York (state)|New York]], United States. As of the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]], the town had a population of 1,819.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0600000US3603381215| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Westville town, Franklin County, New York| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American FactFinder| accessdate=June 15, 2016| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213132728/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0600000US3603381215| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref> Westville is on the northern border of the county, northwest of [[Malone, New York|Malone]].

== History ==
[[File:Westville NY Fire Department.jpg|thumb|left|Westville Fire department]]

{{unreferenced section|date=November 2021}}

The area was first settled ''circa'' 1800. The town of Westville was formed from the town of [[Constable, New York|Constable]] in 1829. The community has always been chiefly a farming community, with rich clay soils in the north and sandy soils in the southern part of the town. The Salmon River meanders through the township and was important to its early industry and its agriculture. In the 19th century, Westville was largely settled by Scottish and English people who had migrated from [[Vermont]] and other parts of [[New England]]. The only churches in the community were [[Protestantism|Protestant]], the [[Presbyterian Church]] at Westville Corners and [[Methodist Episcopal Church|Methodist-Episcopal]] at Westville Center.

Around the time of the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], there was an influx of [[French Canadians]] into [[northern New York]], and some took up farming in the community. In the 19th century and early 20th century, there were several small industries in the community, a [[gristmill]], a butter factory, a [[Starch mill|starch factory]], and several [[sawmill]]s. Most of these industries were located on the Salmon River. Over time,{{when|date=August 2012}} the industries disappeared and left only farming as the stable economic activity, as it is today.

==Geography==
The north town line is the international border with [[Canada]] (province of [[Quebec]]). According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|90.2|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.04|sqkm|order=flip|2}}, or 0.04%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

[[New York State Route 37]] intersects [[New York State Route 122]] at Westville Center.

The Salmon River, a tributary of the [[St. Lawrence River]], flows northward through the town.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1830= 619
|1840= 1028
|1850= 1301
|1860= 1635
|1870= 1658
|1880= 1687
|1890= 1376
|1900= 1237
|1910= 1121
|1920= 1028
|1930= 880
|1940= 831
|1950= 877
|1960= 1287
|1970= 1299
|1980= 1491
|1990= 1620
|2000= 1823
|2010= 1819
|estyear=2016
|estimate=1809
|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 1,823 people, 671 households, and 503 families residing in the town.  The population density was {{convert|52.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 766 housing units at an average density of {{convert|22.0|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 96.98% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.66% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.82% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.16% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], and 1.37% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.82% of the population.

There were 671 households, out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.9% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.7 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $32,452, and the median income for a family was $36,964. Males had a median income of $28,167 versus $20,291 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $15,809.  About 9.4% of families and 12.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 15.7% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.

== Communities and locations in Westville==
[[File:Westville Center Sign NY37 at NY122 West Terminus.jpg|thumb|left|Sign for Westville Center on NY&nbsp;37]]
*'''Westville''' &ndash; A [[hamlet (place)|hamlet]] in the northern part of the town on NY-37 at County Road 20.  It was formerly called "West Constable" and "Westyville."
*'''Westville Center''' &ndash; A hamlet at the junction of NY-37, NY-122, and County Road 19, south of Westville.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.townofwestvilleny.org/ Town of Westville official website]
* [http://history.rays-place.com/ny/westville-ny.htm Early history of Westville]
* [http://www.reynoldstonnewyork.org/category/oral-history-of-franklin-county-in-the-late-19th-early-20th-century/westville-new-york/  Read or Listen to the Oral History of Westville]
* [http://www.westvillehistory.net/ Westville Historical Organization]

{{Franklin County, New York}}

{{authority control}}

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