Hebron is a town in Washington County, New York, United States. It is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town population was 1,773 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the same-named community in Connecticut.

Geography

Hebron's beautiful hills and valleys are part of the slate valley of the Upper Taconic Mountains (Taghkanic, meaning 'in the trees'), and part of the Great Appalachian Valley (also known simply as the 'Great Valley'). Thus, many of the main hills, valleys, creeks and roads run diagonal across Hebron in keeping with the general outlay of the Appalachians.

Hebron is notably at once a nexus between valley regions within the 'Great Valley', and also between mountain regions. In Hebron is the nexus of the Champlain and Hudson Valleys (described in greater detail below in the paragraph on watersheds). The taller peaks of the Taconics this far north are on the Vermont side of the border, and begin to dwindle comparatively into foothills in Hebron. Hebron can be described as the foothills between the Adirondack Mountains of New York, and the Taconic and Green Mountains of Vermont. Hebron thus is ironically at once at a high point dividing valleys, and a lowlands dividing mountain areas. In an era of much water pollution, it is a good thing to be on the top end of watersheds. Thus, much of Hebron's battles with water quality are internal.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 56.4 square miles (146.1 km²), of which, 56.2 square miles (145.7 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (0.32%) is water.

The east town line of Hebron is the Vermont Border, and the beginning of New England proper. The town of Salem is adjacent to the south. The towns of Argyle, Hartford and Granville (famous for its colored slate) make up the remaining border on western and northern edges.
NY Route 22 is a north-south highway through the eastern part of the town, running roughly parallel to the Vermont border. Route 30 connects Salem to Hartford through the western part of Hebron, and Route 31, the longest road through Hebron, cuts across diagonally from Route 30 connecting West Hebron to West Pawlet, Vermont.

Hebron is at the threshold between two major watersheds whose waters travel great distances in opposite directions, only to rejoin ultimately in the Atlantic Ocean. The formal valley and watersheds Hebron belongs to are the following: Champlain Valley / Lake George Watershed -- 02010001 ; Hudson River Valley / Hudson-Hoosic Watershed -- 02020003 . Waters in the northernmost part of Hebron drain via the Mettawee River north into Lake Champlain where they mix with waters from Lake George (Horican) and then flow into the Saint Lawrence River (Kaniatarowanenneh). These Hebron waters mingle in the Saint Lawrence with waters of all the Great Lakes as they flow northeast into Hudson Bay, and ultimately join the Atlantic Ocean. Meanwhile, the majority of Hebron waters drain south via Black Creek into the Batten Kill (Dionondehowa) and then the Hudson River ((Muh-he-kun-ne-tuk or Muhheakantuck), and ultimately flow south into the Atlantic Ocean below New York City. The two branches of Black Creek join in West Hebron just west of the village's main street, and just after the waterfall in the West Branch of Black Creek (which is just before Patterson Road). See map . See the approximation of the watershed divide mapped in context of mountains and valleys .

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,773 people, 687 households, and 489 families residing in the town. The population density was 31.5 people per square mile (12.2/km²). There were 906 housing units at an average density of 16.1/sq mi (6.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.18% White, 0.45% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.79% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.47% of the population.

There were 687 households out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.2% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.8% were non-families. 22.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the town the population was spread out with 27.1% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 102.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $37,639, and the median income for a family was $41,680. Males had a median income of $28,150 versus $22,315 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,113. About 7.0% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.7% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.

History

In terms of European American history, Hebron was first known as the district of Black Creek. Parcels of land, called patents, were given by the King of England to soldiers who served in the French War. Few soldiers actually settled in the area, and most of the land came into possession of land speculators who sold parcels to New England and Scotch-Irish settlers for farming. Some of the patents that form the town are Blundell and Sheriff. Originals of these patents are in the National Archives.

The town of Hebron was formed 23 March 1786 and takes its name from Hebron, Connecticut. Its namesake is Hebron, the largest city in the West Bank, 30 km south of Jerusalem.

NY Route 22, the main road on the east side of the town, began as The Great Northern Turnpike, chartered in 1799. There are two mileposts markers remaining in the town, one at 7047 State Route 22, the second just north of Chamberlin Mills Road. A third is just south of the town line with Salem, New York. A peddlers wagon belonging to L. L. Brown (Lorenzo Levi) is in the wagon collection of the Museum of Long Island at Stony Brook.

Hebron Volunteer Fire Company

The West Hebron Volunteer Fire Company was formed in 1947. Willard Bain, a charter member, died in February 2008. The first fire truck, BRUSH 356 was put into service in 1947 and was retired in 2008 after the purchase of a CAFS truck ATTACK 356 in March 2008. in 1968 the East Hebron Fire Company was formed after the homes of Nelson Greene and Alfred "Pug" Getty burned down. Pug donated the land and Nelson lead the group of volunteers that built Station Two. The two companies later merged to form the Hebron Volunteer Fire Company.

The Hebron Volunteer Fire Company First Response Team provides emergency medical services to the town. These firefighters/ EMT's respond to medical and trauma related calls. All first responders are currently licensed as EMT's by the State of New York.

The fire company holds monthly dinners, provides tent and chair rentals, pool fills and has an annual auction as fund raisers.

Hebron Preservation Society

The Hebron Preservation Society was charted by the State of New York in 1975. The Society maintains a museum that consists of two buildings located on the east side of Route 22 in the hamlet of East Hebron. One, a one room school house built in 1845 was acquired from the Salem School District and the other, a small tenant farm house built in the early 1800s was purchased in 1990. The Society published HEBRON: A Century In Review in 1988 with a second edition in 2006. The museum houses a display of school house memorabilia, varied articles, ledgers, books, and family genealogies pertaining to the residents, businesses and organizations in Hebron.

The mailing address is:
Hebron Preservation Society,
PO Box 328,
Salem, NY 12865.

Beauty of Hebron Potato

The Beauty of Hebron Potato variety was promoted by a local seedsman, Edward L. Coy (E.L. Coy). Both Mr. Coy and Mrs. Rachel Campbell of Old Castle Green Road in Hebron took credit for the discovery. The Beauty of Hebron was as the result a naturally fertilized seedling of Garnet Chili. The earliest published reference to the introduction of the Beauty of Hebron is 1876 at an Annual Agricultural Society Meeting in Marblehead, MA. The Beauty of Hebron Potato was introduced by the USDA (Department of Agriculture) to growers in 26 states for tests in 1877. Various major seed companies of the time claimed credit for its commercial introduction. These were J. M. Thornburn of New York City, JJH Gregory of Marblehead, MA, and Peter Henderson of New Jersey.

In 1879 Mr. Coy shipped "Hebron Beauties" to London. The Beauty of Hebron was one of the varieties that restocked the British Isles after the Irish Potato Famine. It spread through out the British Empire to localities such as New Zealand and New Caledonia. It also was a favorite of market and home gardeners in the United States at the turn of the century. In 1946, the USDA was unaware of any commercial production in the United States, however the 1959 Potato Variety Handbook of the American Potato Association lists and describes the Beauty of Hebron. It is believed that most current tissue culture stocks and tubers came from Elmer Hansen of Alberta whom in 1988 provided seed to Will Bownall and Seedsavers.org.

The Beauty of Hebron is listed on the RAFT list of Threatened American Foods. The Beauty of Hebron is maintained at the Canadian Potato Research Center in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, The University of North Dakota Potato Breeding Program, and with a commercial breeder. At the date of this article, 2008, it is unknown if the Beauty of Hebron is in commercial production. Thanks to the efforts of Sally Brillion of the Hebron Preservation Society, the Beauty of Hebron Potato began to be grown by Amateur gardeners in 2006.

Notable local people

Edward L. Coy was born on April 4, 1831, and was for 18 years a breeder of Ayrshire cattle and for 13 years paid attention to the Holstein-Friesian breed; he also originated 18 varieties of the potato, all of which became standard in some section.

He raised more than a half million pounds of cucumber seed, and for two years the Department of Agriculture employed him to establish the type of the 250 varieties of the cucumber that were tested. His farm was on County Road 31 in Hebron.

Mr. Coy initiated the seed industry in Hebron in the 1850s. The 1875 Census notes that he raised 500 pounds of garden seed. He played a major role in the development of the Golden Bantam sweet corn variety. This was the first major yellow sweet corn variety. Prior to the Golden Bantam, yellow corn was felt to be livestock feed. White corn was considered the be the corn for human consumption.

Locations in Hebron

There are six hamlets in the town: Porter, Hebron, East Hebron, West Hebron, North Hebron, and Belcher. The Town Clerk's office is located in West Hebron on County Route 30 as is the Hebron Volunteer Fire Company FireHall and Station One. Station Two is located on NY Route 22 south of the intersection of Sheldon Rd, Chamberlain Mill Road and NY-22. Hebron has no school buildings or town center now, but there were hotels, postal offices, and many schools in the past. Students now go to schools in the surrounding towns, primarily Granville and Salem. The northeastern half of Hebron is in the Granville zipcode 12832, and the bulk of the southwestern half is in the Salem zipcode 12865. In 2008, there was only a country store located at Bedlam Corners in the hamlet of West Hebron. See historical photographs for examples of early stores and hotels .

Communities

• Belcher – a hamlet near the west town line on County Road 30.

• Castle Green – A location near the west town line.

• East Hebron – A hamlet near the east town line on NY-22.

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• North Hebron – A hamlet near the north town line on County Road 31.

• Porter – A community north of East Hebron on NY-22.

• Slateville – A hamlet in the northeast part of Hebron on County Road 31 east of North Hebron.

• Tiplady – A community south of East Hebron on NY-22.

• West Hebron (Chamberlain Mills) – A hamlet in the southwest corner of the town on County Road 31.

Geographical features

• Barkley's Lake – A small lake north of West Hebron.

• Black Creek – A stream parallel to NY-22

• Black Creek Falls – in West Hebron on the West Branch of Black Creek, just before Patterson Hill Road

• Green Pond – A small lake northeast of Slateville.

• Grimes Hill – An elevation in the north part of the town.

• Hebron Mountain – A small mountain overlooking West Hebron from the northeast.

• Irwin Road Pond – A small lake west of East Hebron.

• Pine Hill – An elevation northeast of West Hebron.

• Smith Pond – A small lake south of North Hebron.