Orleans (Town)

From Jefferson County NY Wiki

Town of Orleans

The Town of Orleans was formed from part of the Town of Brownville in 1821. Named after the commune of Orléans in France. Located in the northern part of the county and is north of Watertown.


Early Settlement

(The following excerpt taken from Our County And Its People: A Descriptive Work on Jefferson County, New York; Edited by Edgar C. Emerson, The Boston History Company,1898.)


Orleans was also formed wholly from Brownville in 1831. A part of its territory was annexed to Pamelia in 1829, and the whole of Clayton was taken off in 1833. The town comprised three-fifths of Penet's Square, and was originally settled by squatters, who occupied the land without color of title; which fact becoming generally known, induced other settlement of the same character until the region was well filled with families of the poorer class. This, together with the fact that there was a question as to the validity of the titles from Penet, delayed permanent settlement for several years. In 1817 settlers under approved title began coming in, for the lands were good and sold at reasonable prices. Roderic C. Frazier, Peter Pratt, Dr. Reubin Andrus and Samuel and Daniel Ellis are mentioned among the first permanent settlers. A portion of Wells Island is within this town.


Communities and locations in the town

  • Collins Landing – A community on the southern shore of the St. Lawrence River, across from Wellesley Island.
  • DeLaFarge Corners – A hamlet on the eastern town line on County Road 3.
  • Fishers Landing – A hamlet and census-designated place in the northern part of town by the St. Lawrence River, on Routes NY-12 and NY-180.
  • Grenell – A community on Wellesley Island north of Thousand Islands Park.
  • Grandview Park – a community on the northwestern tip of Wellesley Island.
  • La Fargeville – A hamlet and census-designated place at the intersection of Routes NY-180 and NY-411, along with County Road 181.
  • Omar – A hamlet in the northern part of the town on Route 180. The community was once called "Mudges Mills".
  • Stone Mills – A hamlet in the southwestern corner of the town on Route 180.
  • Thousand Island Park – A hamlet on the southwestern tip of Wellesley Island by South Bay.
Geographical features and other locations
  • American Narrows – A narrow channel of the St. Lawrence River that flows between Wellesley Island and the mainland of New York.
  • Barlow Corners – A location in the southeastern corner of the town on County Road 15.
  • Chaumont River – A stream in the southern part of Orleans, flowing past La Fargeville.
  • Collins Landing Wildlife Management Area – A conservation area by the St. Lawrence River.
  • Crow Island – A small island by the north shore of Wellesley Island.
  • Dewolf Point State Park – a state park on Wellesley Island by Lake of the Isles.
  • Eel Bay – A bay at the western end of Wellesley Island.
  • Fineview – A location on the south shore of Wellesley Island on County Road 100.
  • Getman Corners – A location in the southeastern part of the town on County Road 15.
  • Grass Point State Park – A state park in the northern part of the town, off NY-12.
  • Moore Landing – A location on the southern shore of Wellesley Island.
  • Mullet Creek – A stream entering the St. Lawrence River at Fishers Landing.
  • Lake of the Isles – A bay formed by two arms of Wellesley Island.
  • Orleans Corners (or "Orleans Four Corners," formerly "Shantyville") – A location in the eastern part of the town on NY-411 at County Road 15.
  • South Bay – A bay on the southwestern corner of Wellesley Island.
  • Waterson Point State Park – A state park on the northern shore of Wellesley Island.
  • Wellesley Island State Park – A state park on Wellesley Island.
  • Wellesley Island – An island in the St. Lawrence River, partly in the town of Orleans.