Colton

History

The first land patents were issued in 1776. The first settlement took place in March 1824 near Colton village, in the northern part of the town, by Abel Brown and his son, James Brown. Saw mills were established on the Raquette River, in addition to a starch factory built in 1844. Colton was organized in 1843 from part of the town of Parishville. Additional land from Parishville was added to Colton in 1851, and Colton was increased in 1876 from territory taken from the town of Hopkinton. The Zion Episcopal Church and Rectory was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. The Hepburn Library of Colton was added in 2012.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (5.04%) is water. Colton is the largest town in St. Lawrence County, which in turn is the largest county in New York state. The southern town line is the border of Hamilton and Herkimer counties. The Raquette River flows through the western part of the town. The town is in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains. Most of the town, the southern part, is inside the Adirondack Park. New York State Route 56 intersects New York State Route 68 at Colton village. New York State Route 3 intersects NY-56 in the east-central part of the town at Sevey Corners.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  3,888
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,316
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  3,019
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  2,515
• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  2,362
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,356
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,336
• White-breasted Nuthatch

  Sitta carolinensis Latham, 1790 · Aves
  2,206

Largest nearby schools

• LAWRENCE AVENUE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
  Elementary · POTSDAM · 551 students · 13.8:1 ratio
• COLTON-PIERREPONT CENTRAL SCHOOL
  Other · COLTON · 373 students · 10.7:1 ratio
• POTSDAM SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
  High · POTSDAM · 372 students · 10.6:1 ratio
• A A KINGSTON MIDDLE SCHOOL
  Middle · POTSDAM · 368 students · 11.2:1 ratio
• PARISHVILLE-HOPKINTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
  Elementary · PARISHVILLE · 176 students · 9.3:1 ratio
• PARISHVILLE-HOPKINTON JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
  High · PARISHVILLE · 169 students · 8.4:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.5 — 2026-04-26
  6 km SE of Lowville, New York
• M 2.5 — 2025-01-01
  6 km SSE of Fort Covington Hamlet, New York
• M 2.5 — 2024-06-05
  10 km S of Franklin, Canada
• M 3.1 — 2024-02-01
  6 km WNW of Huntingdon, Canada
• M 2.8 — 2023-12-11
  8 km NNW of Canton, New York
• M 2.5 — 2022-07-27
  2 km SSW of Saint Regis Falls, New York