St. Lawrence County, New York

St. Lawrence County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

Etymology - Origin of County Name

after the river, named by Cartier in honor of Saint Laurent, on whose birthday the river was discovered

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

History

St. Lawrence County, distant from New York 350, from Albany NW. 206 miles. Greatest length on the St.. Lawrence river, which bounds it on the N., 66 miles; greatest breadth 64. This county is larger by 1,000 square miles than any other in the state. That portion of it bordering upon the St. Lawrence, and extending 30 or 40 miles into the country, is agreeably diversified, waving in gentle swells and broad valleys, with extensive tracts of champaign. The soil is warm, rich, and productive, and equal to any of the uplands of the state. The southeastern part is broken arid mountainous. These mountains abound with fine iron ore. The county is comparatively unsettled, but is now filling up rapidly. Since 1820, the population has more than trebled. This county extends 75 miles along the St. Lawrence, The many large streams, with their branches, furnish some internal navigation, with superabundance of hydraulic power. The St. Lawrence has a good sloop navigation from Lake Ontario to Ogdensburg. From Ogdensburg to Montreal, the navigation is dangerous on account of the rapids. This river is studded with numberless islands, rendering the scenery highly picturesque and beautiful. Wheat is raised upon the new lands, but there is danger of its being winter-killed in the long and almost unmitigated frosts. Rye, grass, and all the summer crops flourish luxuriantly; and it is obvious that the great source of wealth here will be found in grass farming and the culture of sheep. The county is divided into 25 towns. (Historical Collections of the State of New York, Past and Present, John Barber, Clark Albien & Co., 1851)

The State’s largest county is one of contrasts. Whether one expresses its vastness by likening it to “one half the size of Massachusetts,” or “more than twice the size of Rhode Island,” its 2,880 square miles of variety are immediately apparent. The Adirondacks, within a section of the protected Adirondack Park; numerous lakes with expansive Black Lake heading recreation variety; the rivers including the majestic St. Lawrence, offer endless kinds of sport and fun. Ridges of rock outcroppings, 2,000 ft. high peaks, alternate with rolling farmlands. Full History at NYSAC

Neighboring Counties:

• Albany County, NY to the south
• Fulton County, NY to the west
• Hamilton County, NY to the northwest
• Montgomery County, NY to the southwest
• Rensselaer County, NY to the southeast
• Schenectady County, NY to the southwest
• Warren County, NY to the north
• Washington County, NY to the east

Cities and Towns:

County Resources:

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