Peaked at 1,952 in 1930; 924 people lived here in 2020.
16 censuses, 1860–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Alexandria Bay’s Wikipedia page.
On the map
Alexandria Bay on the map, 1903 to 1982
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Alexandria Bay. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1903Alexandria Bay sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Alexandria Bay.
By decade
Alexandria Bay, decade by decade
7 decades in the archive, from the 1860s to the 1990s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Settlement began around 1817. By 1836, the community had about 25 dwellings.
The George C. Boldt Yacht House, Church of Saint Lawrence, Cornwall Brothers' Store, Holland Library, Ingleside, and Longue Vue Island are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Battle of Cranberry Creek was fought nearby in 1813 during the War of 1812.
In its heyday as a late 19th century and early 20th century resort, its main access was via steamer from Clayton, NY. Its nearest rail connection was Redwood on the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad's Rochester line bound for Ogdensburg.
Passages that mention Alexandria Bay, cut from the printed page as they were published.
A history of Jefferson County in the state of New York1854 · page 81Read the page →
Read the text
Alexandria Bay was selected by Cadwallader Child, in 1804, while surveying a road from the Friends Settlement to the St. Lawrence, as an eligible site for a port, and accordingly a reservation of a mile square was made by Mr. Le Ray, for a village, which was surveyed out for that purpose by Edmund Tucker, about 1818. Mr. Le Ray erected a tavern and ware house, and for many years a thriving lumber trade was carried on, which continued as long as the supply lasted. This consisted of oak
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
A history of Jefferson County in the state of New York1854 · page 323Read the page →
Read the text
A line of roads from Alexandria Bay to WTatertown, was projected and mostly finished, consisting of the Theresa and Alexandria Bay Plank Road, 12 miles long; completed December 5, 1849, and the Theresa Plank Road, towards Evans' Mills, of which about 4 miles were completed July 6, 1852. The Theresa and Clayton Plank Road (16 miles 56 chains 60 links) between these places, was recorded May 21, 1849, and completed June 25, 1850. This road passes through La Fargeville.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Jefferson County, New York1878 · page 515Read the page →
Read the text
The establishment of the post-office at Theresa was in the year 1822, upon the creation of the post-route from Champion to Alexandria Bay, by way of Evans' Mills and this village. The first postmaster was Ebenezer Lull. The mail-service was weekly, and performed on horseback by Sidney I. Jones, the first mail-carrier. The office was kept at Lull's store. The second postmaster was Anson Ranney, then Alexander Salisbury, under whom the office was re-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Alexandria Bay, 1839 to 1930
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikimedia Commons (18), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
1864
1870
1870
1880
1897–1924
1897–1924
1898
1898
1898
1898
1909
1917
1995
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
