How did the North Country get its Name?

The North Country: geographical classification, or deeper meaning?

Story by Christine Thompson
Photos Courtesy of Jackie Murphy

The North Country name is a topic unclear not only to non-North Country residents, but to the locals as well. Is the North Country the Adirondacks and up? Is it not including the Adirondacks? How far does it go, where does it stop, and what does it include? While the answers to these questions aren't necessarily defined, theories are out there. But while trying to explore these theories, it's also interesting to address the issue of the originality of the North Country title.

The name "North Country" isn't unique to the New York State northern region. With Vermont, New Hampshire, California, Maine and perhaps more, North Country has become a general classification.

So, what about the North Country in New York makes it noteworthy of this classification? Plattsburgh historian, Addie Shields has her thoughts. When randomly asked individuals whom either live in the North Country or spend a significant time in the area were asked, they believed it was limited to the Adirondack region. Recently North Country Public Radio featured an interview with Neal Burdick where he briefly discussed his theory on where the North Country name came from.

Burdick addresses how North Country has become an all encompassing classification of northern New York, one in need of strict definitions to make the region clear. The North Country region, being classified the way it is, according to the interview Burdick had with National Public Radio host Gregory Warner, seems to insult our Northern Canadian neighbors by leaving them out of the North Country classification. Jason Leach, a student at Plattsburgh State University College, an Albany area resident, and active North Country region kayaker said "from Exit 23 up is the North Country." Exit 23 is just past Lake George on Interstate 87.

It's clear that various individuals have different ideas of what the North Country region is. So the next question is, where did the North Country name come from? According to Shields, the North Country classification was never coined by actual residents of the area. In an interview with Shields, she discussed the many historical factors leading to this name. "March 1781, was Soldiers Bounty Act which induced soldiers to join the army on the part of the rebels. The soldiers would receive land based on how long they served and the rank they rose to."

According to Shields this led to the settlement of land in the so-called North Country. The North Country originally started as the region beyond Fort Edward after the American Revolution. This name came from individuals living below this area. "The North Country is the isolated land north of the Adirondacks," Shields said, but also mentioned her struggle in trying to classify the region as either just this, or including the Adirondacks.

Because of this isolation at the time, the Clinton Country area suffered a great disadvantage in development and New York had limited financial resources. Land was the only thing they had to work with. The geographic classification of the North Country more specifically is "land north of the Adirondacks, bordered on the east by Lake Champlain and to the west we are traverse to the west by Indians and settlers going to the St. Lawrence River," Shields said.

"The North Country is the isolated land north of the Adirondacks"

It appears the North Country title is based more on geographic classification than some underlying unique characteristics of the region. Simply, the North Country is the northern part of the state. The 42nd degree parallel borders off the northern part of New York, and the Adirondacks shelter the North Country region classifying it as St. Lawrence Country, Franklin Country and Clinton County, according to Shields. While the attempt to understand the North Country title, and the justifications behind this classification provide concrete evidence, the term is still somewhat subjective.

What does the North Country mean to you?

North Country Interesting facts:

Olympic training center is located in Lake Placid.

Did you know Poland, Russia, and Norway are places in the Adirondacks?

There are six major ski resorts in the North Country area.

Lake Champlain is home to its own "Loch ness monster" named Champ.