Latinos have been residents of the City of Amsterdam, New York since the post-WWII mass migration of Puerto Ricans to the mainland U.S.A. The original settlers arrived as workers in the area's once booming textile industry.A half hour's drive west of NY's Capital District, Amsterdam sits on a slope rising above the Mohawk River. It's was a major transport point for the movement of goods along New York's famed Erie Canal system. The City's current population of 17,500 (est.) is down 1/3rd from its 1990 count. It serves as the urban hub for Montgomery County (48K pop) and the largely rural Mohawk Valley.
Latinos comprise 20-25% of the city's residents and are about 10% of the county population.
The above photo* is of the Camacho family (1953), Amsterdam, NY.
* Courtesy of NYS Legacies Project
Links:
Amsterdam's Centro Civico marks its 20th year
