Massena (town), New York

Massena
—  Town  —
Massena Location of Massena in New York
Coordinates: 44°55′49″N 74°53′33″W / 44.93028°N 74.8925°W / 44.93028; -74.8925Coordinates: 44°55′49″N 74°53′33″W / 44.93028°N 74.8925°W / 44.93028; -74.8925
Country	United States
State	New York
County	St. Lawrence
Incorporated	1802
Government
- Type	Town council
- Town supervisor	Joseph D. Gray
Population (2000 Census)
- Total	13,121
ZIP code	13662
Area code(s)	315
Website	http://www.massena.ny.us/

Massena is a town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The town is on the northern border of the county and is nicknamed "The Gateway to the Fourth Coast". The population was 13,121 at the 2000 census.^[1] The town of Massena contains a village also called Massena. The town and its village are named after a hero of the Napoleonic Wars.

Massena is home to an Alcoa plant, and a former Reynolds Metals Company plant, now called Alcoa East (temporarily idled in July 2009). Massena is also home to a former General Motors aluminum engine-casting plant that is one of the most polluted sites once owned by the company.^{[2][dead link]}The New York Power Authority also operates a hydroelectric power generating dam, the St. Lawrence-FDR Power Project, on the St. Lawrence River adjacent to Massena.

History

The town was first settled circa 1792. The land was leased from native Mohawk who called the area, "Nikentsiake, "where the fish live." Unlike much of northern New York, Massena was not completely in the Macomb's Purchase.^{[citation needed]}

Massena was one of the first towns of the county and was incorporated with the county in 1802. The town is named after one of Napoleon's field marshals, André Masséna, who commanded around that time. Parts of Massena later separated to form other towns in the county, including Hopkinton in 1805, Louisville in 1810, and Brasher in 1825.^{[citation needed]}

The economy of early Massena was partly based on health spas, but the modern town is involved in power production, aluminum production at ALCOA and the commerce of the St. Lawrence Seaway.^{[citation needed]}

The town suffered natural disasters in 1944 (earthquake) and in 1998 (ice storm).

Massena was a scene for a "blood libel" accusation against the 100 or so Jewish residents living in the city in 1928. This story made headlines in local newspapers.

Main article: Massena blood libel

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 56.1 square miles (145 km²), of which 44.7 square miles (116 km²) is land and 11.5 square miles (30 km²)(20.43%) is water.

The north town line of Massena is the international border of Canada, defined partly by the St. Lawrence River. The eastern town line is the border of Franklin County.

The Raquette River and the Grasse River flow eastward and parallel across the town with the Raquette River being the more southerly. Both are tributaries of the St. Lawrence River.

New York State Route 37, New York State Route 37B, New York State Route 131 are east-west highways across the town. Of these, NY-131 follows the most northern route, along the south bank of the St. Lawerence River. New York State Route 420 is a north-south highway that intersects NY-37 in Massena village. New York State Route 37C intersects NY-37 in the eastern corner of the town.

Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 13,121 people, 5,510 households, and 3,454 families residing in the town. The population density was 293.7 inhabitants per square mile (113.4 /km²). There were 5,880 housing units at an average density of 131.6 per square mile (50.8 /km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.80% White, 0.30% Black or African American, 3.25% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.07% of the population.

There were 5,510 households out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the town the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $31,391, and the median income for a family was $38,696. Males had a median income of $37,484 versus $20,819 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,111. About 14.9% of families and 17.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.4% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Massena

• Barnhardt Island – An island in the St. Lawrence River northeast of Massena village. The island is at the international border and is the northermost point of land in New York.
• Long Sault Island ("Isle au Long Saut") – An island in the St. Lawrence River north of Massena village.
• Massena – A village at the west town line on both banks of the Grasse River.
• Massena Center – A hamlet northeast of Massena village.
• Massena Power Canal – A waterway connecting the Grasse River to the St. Lawrence River.
• Massena Springs – A hamlet south of Massena village by the Raquette River. The community was the site of health resorts and hotels based on sulphurous spring water.
• Raquette River – A hamlet east of Massena village, located by the Raquette River. It was first settled around 1804.
• Robert Moses State Park – A state park in the northern part of the town.
• Rooseveltown – A hamlet near the eastern town line by the Raquette River.
• Wiley Dondero Canal – A waterway constructed as part of the St. Lawrence power project.

Transportation

The town is served by Massena International Airport, located east of Massena village, south of NY-37.

Radio

• 1340 WMSA www.1340wmsa.com
• WVLF-FM Mix 96.1 www.mymix961.com
• WRCD-FM 101.5 The Fox www.1015thefox.com

Resources

Some of the town's main employers are Dwight D. Eisenhower Lock, Robert Moses-Robert H. Saunders Power Dam, ALCOA, Massena Memorial Hospital, Highland Nursing Home, and St. Regis Nursing Home.

Notable residents

• Zach Bogosian, National Hockey League player
• Jim Deshaies, former Major League Baseball player, television color analyst.
• Alan Haskvitz, National Teachers Hall of Fame educator lived in Massena for ten years.^[3]
• Mike Hurlbut, retired professional hockey player, collegiate ice hockey coach
• Bid McPhee, former Major League Baseball player and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame^[4]
• Hal Smith, actor ^[5]

See also

• Andre Massena, Napoleonic general.
• Massena, Iowa, another community, named after Massena, NY.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
2. ^ http://www.freep.com/article/20090807/BUSINESS01/908070382
3. ^ National Teachers Hall of Fame web site
4. ^ Reichler, Joseph L., ed (1979) [1969]. The Baseball Encyclopedia (4th edition ed.). New York: Macmillan Publishing. ISBN 0-02-578970-8. 
5. ^ Michaud, John D. III, ed (2004) [2004]. More than Otis: No Bull! A Salute to Hollywood Actor Hal J. Smith (1st edition ed.). Massena, New York: Stubbs Printing. 

External links

• Rays-Place.com - Early Massena history
• NorthCountryNow.com - Massena information
• Google Map of Massena
• mymassena.com - Massena Local Online Community
• Massena Historic Map
• Massena blood libel story

44°55′59″N 74°53′31″W / 44.933°N 74.892°W / 44.933; -74.892