Georgetown, New York
Georgetown is a small town in Madison County, New York, on the county’s southern border. As of 2020, 648 people lived there, a decline from 974 in 2010. The town covers about 40 square miles, with a small amount of water, and it sits along the Otselic River, which drains toward the Tioughnioga and Chenango rivers. The southern edge of Georgetown borders Chenango County, and two state routes, NY-26 and NY-80, cross the town, connecting it to nearby towns. It is about 16 miles to Madison and 36 miles to Whitney Point by road.
Georgetown’s history begins with settlement around 1803; the area was once called Slab City. It was organized as a town in 1815, formed from part of DeRuyter. A notable house was built on Muller Hill in 1808 by a reputed French nobleman, but it burned in the early 20th century and the land later became a state forest. In the 19th century most residents were farmers, and the town was connected to the wider country by two railroads, the West Shore and the New York and Oswego Midland Railway. The population reached a peak of about 1,490 in 1880, then declined as farming diminished with industrialization.
In the mid-20th century, Georgetown was home to Camp Georgetown, a minimum-security prison that operated from 1960 to 2011. The Spirit House in the town was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.
Georgetown’s population and economy have historically been rural, with farming playing a major role. For reference, the 2000 census recorded 946 residents, with an average household size around 2.8 and a median household income near $38,000, and some residents living in poverty.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 08:46 (CET).