Glens Falls, New York

City of Glens Falls
City
Nickname:  Hometown U.S.A.
Glens Falls, New York located in southern Warren County in eastern New York State.
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Warren
Incorporated	1908
Government
• Mayor	LeRoy B. Akins, Jr
Area
• City	3.9 sq mi (10.2 km2)
• Land	3.8 sq mi (9.9 km2)
• Water	0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2)  2.54%
• Urban	35.35 sq mi (91.55 km2)
Elevation	344 ft (105 m)
Population  (2000)
• City	14,354
• Density	3,752.2/sq mi (1,477.0/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	12801, 12804
Area code	518
FIPS code	36-29333
GNIS feature ID	0951223
Website	http://www.cityofglensfalls.com

Glens Falls, 1841

Glens Falls is a city in Warren County, New York, United States. It is part of the Glens Falls, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,354 at the 2000 census. The name is taken from a large waterfall in the Hudson River, located at the southern border of the city.

Glens Falls is located in the southeast corner of Warren County, surrounded by the Town of Queensbury to the North, East, and West, and by the Hudson River and Saratoga County to the South. Glens Falls is known as "Hometown U.S.A.", a title given to it by Look Magazine in 1944. The city has also referred to itself as the "Empire City."

History

The area was originally called "Chepontuc" (Iroquois; "difficult place to get around"), also referred to as the "Great Carrying Place," but was renamed "The Corners" by settlers. In 1766 it was renamed Wing's Falls for Abraham Wing, leader of the group of Quakers that established the permanent settlement. Wing's claim to the name of the village was transferred to Colonel Johannes Glen of Schenectady in 1788, either on collection of a debt, as a result of a game of cards, or in exchange for hosting a party for mutual friends, depending on which local legend is believed. Colonel Glen was delighted to change the name of the town to "Glen's Falls", sometimes spelled "Glenn's", which was later abbreviated to "Glens Falls".

A post office was established in 1808. Glens Falls became an incorporated village in 1839, and was re-incorporated in 1874 and 1887. The city charter was granted in 1908 at which time, the city became a separate entity from the Town of Queensbury into which it had formerly been incorporated as its largest village.

As a halfway point between Forts Edward and William Henry, the falls was the site of several battles during the French-Indian War and the Revolutionary War. The hamlet was mostly destroyed by fire twice during the latter conflict, forcing the Quakers to abandon the settlement until the war ended in 1783. Fire also ravaged the town in 1864, 1884, and 1902.

Historic and noteworthy sites in Glens Falls

Glens Falls has two Historic Districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the equivalent New York State Register of Historic places. The Fredella Avenue historic district includes a series of unique concrete block structures. The Three Squares Historic District comprises the majority of the Central Business District. In addition, several individual structures are listed, some below. Glens Falls does not have a local preservation law protecting these historic resources from demolition or alteration.

The Oldest Building in Glens Falls - In 1864 there was a massive fire that destroyed most of buildings in the central business district. The oldest building in Glens Falls, located in the downtown area, is one of the few buildings in the city that predates 1864. The stone and brick structure at the bottom of the hill was erected circa 1815 and served as Calvin Robbin's Blacksmith Shop.

The Feeder Canal - Across from this historic canal is a hydro-electric power-plant on the Hudson River at Glens Falls. The canal was created circa 1820 to feed water into the Champlain Canal. During the early 19th Century the New York State Canal System served a crucial portion of the state's economy. In Glens Falls, lime, marble, lumber, and agricultural products were shipped from the docks at the base of Canal Street.

Fort Amherst Road - Located near this road is the location where Fort Amherst once was. The fort is no longer extant, however portions of the wood foundations were known as late as 1880. The fort constituted a block house marking the half-way point on the road between Fort Ann and Fort William Henry at the head of Lake George. This Fort system, erected by the British, was built to secure the northern territories of the colony from incursions from the French during the French and Indian War. A restored fort house complex is available for viewing in the nearby town of Fort Ann.

Civil War Monument - A limestone obelisk located in the intersection of Glen, South, and Bay streets, only soldiers from the Civil War are listed on the monument. Many battles of the war are listed.

Quaker Meeting House - The Quaker Meeting House, an Italianate edifice on Ridge St. was built in 1875, and originally contained no heating system.

DeLong House - Presently the home of the Glens Falls/Queensbury Historical Association and the Chapman Historical Museum. A Greek Revival and Second Empire edifice on the corner of Glen and Bacon Streets. A Queen Anne style Carriage Barn also sits on the property.

Glens Falls Hospital - Founded in the summer of 1897 by a group of twelve local physicians, the Glens Falls Hospital was meant to serve the entire Upper Hudson River Valley. Solomon A. Parks generously donated his home in Glens Falls for the original hospital. The present structure has been extensively modified, enlarged, and modernized several times to better serve the needs of the community, and currently serves as the fast-response trauma center for the region. The hospital is now the area's biggest employer.

Charles R. Wood Theater - This theater opened in 2003 on Glen Street, in the heart of Glens Falls. A former Woolworth store for years, it is now the home of the Adirondack Theatre Festival during the summer months, and introduces culture and theatre into the surrounding community. The theater is named for the late Mr. Wood, who was a successful local entrepreneur and founder of The Great Escape theme park, located between Glens Falls and Lake George.

The Hyde Collection - The center among a triplet of revival type residences constructed for the daughters of Samuel Pruyn, the Hyde is today a world class museum of European, American, and contemporary art. The principal collection is presented in its original domestic context as a private collection.

First Presbyterian Church [1] - The fifth house of worship of this Congregation chartered in 1803 was constructed in 1929. It was designed by Ralph Adams Cram and is considered an example of Gothic revival.

St. Mary-St. Alphonsus Regional Catholic School, formerly known as St. Mary's Academy, is located on the corner of Warren and Church streets. This example of neo-Gothic architecture is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was designed by renowned architect Ralph Adams Cram. It features a Great Hall with a two-story stained glass window designed by Henry Lee Willett Studios of Philadelphia.

Crandall Public Library - While the library has existed since 1893, it did not have its own permanent home until 1931, with the completion of the library building in City Park, on property willed to the library by local entrepreneur Henry Crandall. The building was designed by Charles A. Platt; it was renovated and expanded in 1969, and is presently undergoing a major renovation and expansion involving the demolition of the 1969 addition. The library is a part of the Southern Adirondack Library System.

Geography

Glens Falls is located at 43°18′44″N 73°38′54″W (43.312104, -73.648250).Template:GR

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.2 km² (3.9 sq mi). 9.9 km² (3.8 sq mi) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 sq mi) of it (2.54%) is water.

The city is located on the Hudson River, in the Adirondack foothills, at the border of Saratoga County, New York.

Demographics

City Park

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 14,354 people, 6,267 households, and 3,415 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,447.0/km² (3,752.2/sq mi). There were 6,811 housing units at an average density of 686.6/km² (1,780.4/sq mi). The racial makeup of the city was 96.54% White, 1.30% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.33% from other races, and 1.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.39% of the population.

There were 6,267 households out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.3% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.5% were non-families. 36.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,222, and the median income for a family was $42,266. Males had a median income of $29,283 versus $21,606 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,137. About 12.0% of families and 14.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.7% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.

Finance and industry

The Glens Falls region is a major producer of medical devices. CR Bard, a manufacturer of medical devices, is the second-largest employer in the region (after the Glens Falls Hospital). Glens Falls is home to NAMIC/VA, another medical device maker, previously a regional office of Pfizer and Boston Scientific Corporation. Glens Falls is also a principle provider of medical services for a vast region from Saratoga County to the south, extending northward to the central Adirondacks. These services are centered around the Glens Falls Hospital, a 450 bed facility located downtown. Glens Falls services veterans medical needs with a VA outpatient facility.

Danfloss Flomatic Corporation is headquartered on Pruyn's Island in Glens Falls. The company is a leading manufacturer of industrial and municipal valves. Also located on Pruyn's Island is Umicore, a Belgium based company manufacturing silver-based contact materials.

Finch Pruyn & Company, headquartered at the base of Glen Street hill, is a major regional employer and a manufacturer of specialty paper and forest products. It is by far the largest taxpayer in the City of Glens Falls, owning property assessed at $60-million in 2006, according to city records. In mid-June 2007, Finch Pruyn & Company announced it had sold all of its assets, including 161,000 acres (652 km²) of forestland in the Adirondacks, to Atlas Holdings of Greenwich, Conn. Atlas then turned around and sold all of the forestland to The Nature Conservancy.

The Glens Falls Cement company is now a part of Lehigh Northeast, itself a division of HeidelbergCement, one of the world's largest cement producers.

Glens Falls has an old and prevalent history in the finance sector of the region. Arrow Financial Corporation, headquartered downtown is a publicly traded multi-bank holding company for Glens Falls National Bank & Trust Company (1851) and Saratoga National Bank and Trust Company. Evergreen Bank, N.A., formerly the First National Bank of Glens Falls, originated in 1853, and is now owned by banking conglomerate TD Banknorth. Advantage Capital Partners, a venture capital firm has it's New York offices downtown.

Culture, media and entertainment

Print
The Post Star is a daily newspaper printed in Glens Falls with a circulation of approximately 31,500 (34,500 on Sundays). The paper, currently owned by Iowa-based Lee Publications, covers Glens Falls and Saratoga as well as the surrounding towns. It has been continuously published since 1909.

The Chronicle is a free weekly newspaper, with a summer distribution up to 37,000. Circulation at other times of the year ranges from 25,000 to 31,000. Locally owned by founder and Glens Falls native Mark Frost and published since 1980, the paper is widely distributed to many surrounding communities. Its parent company, Lone Oak Publishing, also publishes books and a number of local magazines. The paper also sponsors a book fair every October.

Television
TV8 is an independent television station broadcasting from downtown studios. It features a variety of locally produced programming, including a nightly weekday news program, North News 8, anchored by former CNBC anchor Kevin McCullough.

Network TV stations are also available from the Albany/Schenectady/Troy DMA of which Glens Falls is part. Networks include ABC, CBS, CW, FOX, NBC, PBS and many cable networks made available by Time Warner Cable.

Radio
Local radio broadcasters include: WWSC 1450 AM, WENU 1410 AM and WMML 1230 AM; WLJH 90.7 FM, WGFR 92.7 FM (college radio station), WCQL 95.9 FM, WCKM 98.5 FM, WKBE 100.3 FM, WNYQ 101.7 FM, and WFFG 107.1 FM (these last three all owned by Pamal Broadcasting). WAMC 90.3 FM is the public radio station.

Arts & Theater
The Greater Glens Falls area has a rich history of theatrical productions. The Charles Wood Theater is home to the Adirondack Theater Troop, a professional theatrical production company. The theater provides numerous artistic and cultural presentations throughout the year. The Glens Falls Community Theatre produces theatrical productions in Glens Falls for nearly 75 years. LARAC, the Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council, promotes the arts in the Glens Falls region having an annual arts festival and a gallery open year round at the Lapham Carriage House adjacent to City Park.

Music in Glens Falls is highlighted by the fact that the city has a professional orchestra, the Glens Falls Symphony, which has been performing classical repertoire for 30 years. The orchestra is currently under the direction of Maestro Charles Peltz.

Glens Falls has three museums. The Hyde Collection is a world class European and American art collection situated in it's original home context with modern gallery spaces. The Chapman Historical Museum is operated by the Glens Falls/Queensbury Historical Association and offers local history exhibits, educational programs, and tours of the historic DeLong House. The World Awareness Children's Museum is currently undergoing a relocation to Warren Street in a new facility where it's programming of international childhood experiences and artwork will be permanently housed.

Food & Cuisine
Glens Falls features the "New Way Lunch hotdog", a grilled hotdog topped with a proprietary meatsauce, onions and mustard. The concoction is locally known as a "dirt dog" due to the appearance of the sauce, and the nickname of the establishment which serves it as "Dirty John's." New Way lunch has been serving the dish on South Street since 1919.

'Literary and Film References'

Glens Falls and the natural formation of the bedrock beneath it served as inspiration to James Fenimore Cooper in his historical novel The Last of the Mohicans. Glens Falls is referred to in Jim Harrison's Legends of the Fall. Ian Fleming's novel The Spy Who Loved Me features scenes in Glens Falls. Julia Spencer-Fleming's mystery novels are set in Millers Kill, NY, a fictional town in the Glens Falls area, based on the neighboring town of Hudson Falls. The 1982 film Basket Case was partially filmed in Glens Falls. In The Sopranos, Carmela Soprano (Edie Falco) briefly mentions Glens Falls in the final season. In 2007, the movie Love Conquers Paul was filmed at various location in Glens Falls.

Transportation

Rail
Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Glens Falls at the station in nearby Fort Edward, operating its Adirondack daily in both directions between Montreal and New York City. Amtrak has designated the stop as Fort Edward-Glens Falls.

Road
Interstate 87 - Interstate freeway running through the western end of the city. This portion of the highway is known to locals as the Adirondack Northway. Visitors typically use exits 17N,18,19, or 20 to access Glens Falls. U.S. Route 9 - Runs through the central business district, north, through town, and into Queensbury This is a historically significant corridor, once a plank stagecoach toll road to Lake George, and prior to that the military road during the French and Indian War connecting Fort Edward and Fort William Henry. New York State Routes 32 and 9L merge with US9 at Centennial Circle, a roundabout in the heart of the City. Glens Falls has a radial street pattern originating from it's colonial settlement

Bus
Regular bus service is provided by the Greater Glens Falls Transit System. The system serves the greater region in Glens Falls and Queensbury six days a week. Greyhound Lines provides national service with a terminal on Elm Street.

Air
Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport (IATA: GFL, ICAO: KGFL), formerly the Warren County Airport, provides convenient access to the Glens Falls region for small and charter aircraft.

Schools and education

The Glens Falls City School District operates Glens Falls High School at 10 Quade Street near Sherman Avenue in Glens Falls. The school has been recently renovated and modernized with a new third floor addition, new rooms, and new computers. The Glens Falls High School has a variety of athletic programs, most notable of which are the basketball team, lacrosse, soccer[2], ice hockey, track & field, football, and field hockey. Other programs include tennis, wrestling, cross country running, bowling, swimming & diving, alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, softball and baseball. All GFHS Athletic teams carry the name "Indians." (Glens Falls Indians). The boys' basketball team were state finalists in 2003 and 2007. The field hockey team were state champions in 2000 and 2001 and state finalists in 1999 and 2006. The boys' ice hockey team were state champions in 1990 and 1991. They were finalists in 2000 and semi-finalists in 1989, 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2005. The City School District also operates a middle school and three neighborhood elementary schools (Sanford Street School, Big Cross School, and Kensington Elementary School).

The Glens Falls Common School District also operates an independent public elementary school, Abraham Wing Elementary School, named for a founder of Glens Falls.

Located in downtown Glens Falls, Saint Mary's-Saint Alphonsus Regional Catholic School serves children in pre-kindergarten through grade eight as a regional parochial school.

City government

Glens Falls City Hall

Glens Falls, since incorporation as a city in 1908 has had a strong mayor charter. Currently the city has five wards for local city council elections. The city is represented in the Warren County Board of Supervisors with an additional five wards. Departments of the City include: Cemetery, Community, Fire, Police, Public Works, Purchasing, Recreation, Controller, Assessment, Civil Service, Clerk, Water & Sewer, and Buildings and Codes. Historical Mayors of Glens Falls as a city:

• Charles W. Cool 1908-09
• Samuel D. Kendrick 1910-11
• W. Irving Griffing 1912-15, 1920-21
• Edward Reed 1916-20 (died in office)
• Julius Jacobson 1920 (interim)
• Charles W. Cool 1922-23
• Charles H. Hitchcock 1924-25
• Orville C. Smith 1926-31
• Earle H. Stickney 1932-33, 1936-39
• W. Irving Griffing 1934-35
• John Bazinet 1940-49
• Milton G. Tibbitts 1950-51, 1954-57
• J. Ward Russell 1952-53, 1958-61
• Harry Helm 1962-63
• James E. Wallace 1964-65
• James J. Donnelly 1966-69
• Robert J. Cronin 1970-77
• Edward M. Bartholomew 1978-85
• Francis X. O'Keefe 1986-93
• Vincent J. DeSantis 1994-97
• Robert A. Regan 1998-2005
• LeRoy B. Akins, Jr 2006-

Noteworthy persons

Having been born or resided in Glens Falls:

• J Allard, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft, creator of Xbox.
• Charles Reed Bishop (1822-1915), Husband of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop Paki of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Confidant of Hawaiian Royalty.
• Joseph Bruno, Majority Leader of New York State Senate.
• John Alden Dix Governor of New York, 1911-1912.
• Jeffrey Downer, Film and Television Producer
• 'Hacksaw' Jim Duggan, legendary Professional Wrestler of Mid-South, WWF & WCW fame.
• Fred Dustin, early 20th century writer on the American West.
• Ferris Greenslet, Editor of the Atlantic Monthly 1902-07.
• Charles Evans Hughes, Governor of New York (1907-1910), Presidential candidate (1916), and Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court (1930-1941).
• Dave LaPoint, retired Major League Baseball pitcher and 1982 World Series Champion.
• Betty Little, State Senator.
• Teo Macero, jazz producer
• Norma Fox Mazer, Author
• Barry Melrose, ESPN Hockey Anchor and former Co-owner of Adirondack Frostbite UHL Hockey Team.
• Lorrie Moore, O. Henry Award winning author.
• Algernon Sidney Paddock, Secretary of Nebraska Territory and Governor of Nebraska; United States Senator.
• Dave Palmer, retired Major League Baseball pitcher.
• Robert P. Patterson, United States Undersecretary of War (Truman Administration)
• Edward C. Prescott, 2004 Nobel Prize in Economics, Glens Falls High School class of 1958.
• Rachael Ray, Celebrity cook, author and television host.
• Misty Blue Simmes, Professional womens wrestling champion
• Gerald B. H. Solomon, United States Representative from New York (1979-1999).
• Seneca Ray Stoddard, Photographer and Cartographer.
• Kate White, editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan Magazine.

Regional events

The Adirondack Balloon Festival
A balloon festival has been held in the Glens Falls area, with events at the Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport and Crandall Park, in mid to late September every year since 1973. Organized by local resident Walt Grishkot, the event is free to the public, and generally lacks commercialism.

Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council (LARAC) Festival
The LARAC June Arts Festival is considered the first major summer event in the Glens Falls region and it draws crowds of more than 25,000. With the juried art and craft show as its centerpiece, the LARAC June Arts Festival also offers live entertainment by regional performers, food concessions by local non-profits, and activities for the whole family. It is free and open to the public, 10 am-5 pm both days and is held rain or shine.[3]

Northcountry Microbrew Festival
The Northcountry Microbrew Festival began as a charity fund raising event to benefit the Downtown Glens Falls area. Each year, a different charity is chosen to receive the proceeds. The event takes place at the historic Queensbury Hotel in downtown Glens Falls.

New York State Boy's Public High School Basketball Tournament & Federation Basketball Tournament
The New York State Boys' Public High School Basketball Tournament and the Federation Basketball Tournament of Champions is held annually at the Glens Falls Civic Center

The Adirondack Stampede
A Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) sanctioned, charity, rodeo.

Recreation and sport facilities

The City of Glens Falls operates a number of parks, most prominenty City Park and Crandall Park. In addition there are a number of neighborhood playgrounds.

The Glens Falls Civic Center[4] opened in 1979 and hosts sports and entertainment events in downtown Glens Falls. This versatile multi-purpose complex includes an arena for sporting events, concerts, family activities, dance, theater and trade shows as well as banquet facilities. The Civic Center includes 4,806 permanent arena seats focused on an ice hockey/basketball-type arena and the ability to accommodate an audience of up to 7,800 people for concerts and other events. East Field is located in the east side of the city and is home to the Glens Falls Golden Eagles, of the New York Collegiate Baseball League; the Greenjackets semi-pro football team; and the Glens Falls High School Indians. It was also previously home to the Glens Falls White Sox and Glens Falls Tigers of the Eastern League, the Glens Falls Redbirds of the New York-Penn League and the Adirondack Lumberjacks of the Northeast League/Northern League East.

The Glens Falls YMCA features many different recreational activities for people of all ages. The YMCA is currently undergoing construction and renovations to make it better than ever. Plans have been made for the addition of an indoor running track, a new swimming pool for non-competitive swimmers, a youth fitness center, and more. The expansion will be done in three phases. The first phase includes an arts and crafts room, youth fitness center, and group exercise and family activity rooms. Phase two is the construction of the indoor track, and phase three the new Lifetime Pool, which will have shallower, warmer water for the elderly and small children. Phase one and two are now complete, and Phase three has not yet started. The YMCA has received about 250 grants from individuals, foundations, and companies to cover the cost of the expansion.

The Glens Falls Tennis and Swim Club is a private membership club offering recreational and competition tennis since 1965 at the city's eastern boarder.[5]

Sister cities

• - Saga, Japan

External links

• City of Glens Falls, New York
  • City Centennial website
• Glens Falls on Myspace
• Glens Falls Police Department
• Charles R. Wood Theater
• Glens Falls Hospital
• The Corners: Glens Falls Community History Project