PLATTS'BURG. A village and the county seat of Clinton County, N. Y., 167 miles north by east of Albany; on Lake Champlain, at the mouth of the Saranac River, and on the Dela ware and Hudson and the C'hateaugay railroads (Map: New York, G 1). It is picturesquely situ ated on Cumberland Bay, which afford, a fine harbor, and is an attractive resort, as well as the centre of a large territory popular in summer. Plattsburg is the seat of a State Normal and Training School. and has a public library and four other libraries. The Plattsburg Barracks (q.v.) are among the largest in the United States. There are also to he mentioned the Federal Gov ernment building, the court-house and jail, and Homes for aged women and the friendless. The Catholic Summer School of America (q.v.) con venes at Cliff Haven, two miles south of the vil lage. Plattsburg is a port of entry for the Champlain customs district, the trade of which in 1901 comprised exports valued at $7,714,000 and imports to the amount of $3.7G3.000. It controls extensive lumber interests, and among its industrial establishments are lumber mills, wood pulp mills, foundries and machine shops, flouring and woolen mills, a manufactory of sewing machines, etc. The various industries,
in the census year of 1900. represented a total capital of $2,210,000, and had products valued at $1,455,000. The water-works are owned and operated by the municipality. Population, in 1890, 7010; in 1900, 8434.
Plattsburg was settled in 1784 by a company from Poughkeepsie and Long Island headed by Zephaniah Platt and was incorporated in the fol lowing year. Off Valcour Island, near by, on Oc tober 11, 1776, occurred the first naval battle ever fought between British and American fleets, Ben edict Arnold (q.v.) being in command of the lat ter and Sir Guy Carleton of the former. Arnold was defeated. During the War of 1812 Platts burg was the headquarters of the United States forces on the northern frontier, and on Septem ber 11, 1814, in Plattsburg Bay, Commodore Mc Donough defeated a British fleet in the famous battle of Lake Champlain (see CHAMPLAIN ) , while on the land General Macomb repulsed a superior British force. In 1849 and again in 1867 Plattsburg suffered severely from fire, the greater part of the business portion being de stroyed each time. Consult Palmer, History of Plattsburgh (Plattsburgh, 1877).