Depauville

History

In 1784, the Oneida people ceded all territory to the state of New York except for a tract of land around known as Penet Square. The Oneida considered the tract as a gift to Pierre Penet. After Penet's death, rights of land ownership were blurred and squatters occupied the territory as early as 1785. Catfish Falls was a settlement at the head of the Chaumont River, named after the waterfall within the settlement. The squatters that inhabited this area were often called "Catfish People", marking their settlement from the clearing of trees establishing its boundaries. In 1816, merchant Francis Depau purchased several lots in Penet Square including Catfish Falls, later renaming the settlement "Depauville" after himself. Depauville during the early 1800s was a site of manufacturing; the settlement contained a gristmill and sawmill. Lumber was a profitable resource for the region. Depauville also produced limewater, nearly 1,000 barrels after two years of production, a first for the county. under the same umbrella with the Clayton Fire Department, although each retained its identity. Depauville in January 1998 witnessed one of the most destructive natural disasters that Jefferson County had ever endured, the Ice Storm of 1998, 36 hours of freezing rain that left damaged homes and properties, impassable roadways and many people powerless and hungry for weeks.

Geography

Depauville is located in northern Jefferson County at (44.143189, -76.057757), in the southern part of the town of Clayton. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all land. Depauville hamlet is located at the junction of New York State Route 12 and County Roads 11 (Sylvia Street), 12 (Overbluff Road), and 179 (Caroline Street). Route 12 leads north to the village of Clayton on the St. Lawrence River and southeast to Watertown, the county seat. The village is mostly on the south bank of the Chaumont River.

Race & ethnicity