Rouses Point, New York
Rouses Point is a village of 2,414 people in Clinton County, New York.
Why visit Rouses Point
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 9 parks and trails, 4 places to eat and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Rouses Point Bridge, Windmill Point Light, Fort Montgomery and Rouses Point station.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 10°F, and about 80 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Rouses Point
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Rouses Point
Rouses Point is a village in Clinton County, New York, United States, along the 45th parallel. The population was 2,195 at the 2020 census. The village is named after Jacques Rouse, a French Canadian soldier who fought alongside the Americans during their war for independence. The village is on the western shore of Lake Champlain at the source of the Richelieu River.
From the Wikipedia article Rouses Point, New York (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Windmill Point Light
Lighthouse · 1.3 mi
Lighthouse in Vermont, United States
Museums and landmarks6
Fort Montgomery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Fort
Rouses Point station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Amtrak intercity train station in Rouses Point, New York, United States
Rutland Railroad Pumping Station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Building in Alburgh, United States of America
Parks, trails and playgrounds9
Restaurants and cafes4
Ristorante Casa Capitano
Restaurant · Italian · 0.5 mi
216 Lake Street, Rouses Point
Mo-Su 16:30-21:00
Best Friends Family Diner
Restaurant · 0.6 mi
13 Lake Street, Rouses Point
History
Rouses Point was first settled around 1783 by Canadian and Nova Scotian refugees who were granted land in the Canadian and Nova Scotia Refugee Tract in reward for their services during the American Revolution.
Steamboats were a booming business on this part of the lake; the second commercial steamboat in the world was launched on Lake Champlain, with Rouses Point as its first port-of-call. Steamboat traffic continued on the lake for the next 100 years until displaced by the railroad. Edward Thurber built the first frame house in 1818. President James Monroe stayed there.
After an unnamed first fort (sometimes called "Fort Blunder") was mistakenly built 1.2 km north of Island Point in Canada, Fort Montgomery was built here between 1844 and 1871 to guard Lake Champlain against possible invasion from British Canada. The fort was never completed and was briefly garrisoned by the U.S. Army during the American Civil War. In 1816, the first stone house built from "Fort Blunder" was a house of worship for Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians. It is still standing as a family home.
By 1860, Rouses Point had a variety of shops and tradespeople such as loggers, bakers, tailors, carpenters, blacksmiths, prostitutes, and hatters. Its location on the Canada–U.S. border made it an important stop on the Underground Railroad, through which many African American slaves escaped to freedom.
From the History section of Rouses Point, New York on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Map of Rouses Point
30 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°F | 10°F | 2.1 in | 16.9 in |
| Feb | 31°F | 12°F | 1.9 in | 18.3 in |
| Mar | 41°F | 23°F | 2.6 in | 16.2 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 36°F | 3.2 in | 6.2 in |
| May | 69°F | 47°F | 3.2 in | 0.1 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 57°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 63°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 60°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 72°F | 52°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 59°F | 41°F | 3.9 in | 1.2 in |
| Nov | 46°F | 31°F | 2.9 in | 5.0 in |
| Dec | 34°F | 20°F | 2.6 in | 16.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Chazy Hcn (8 mi away), rain and snow from St Albans Radio, NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Clinton County has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2023-07-22: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-20: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2017-07-12: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2013-07-12: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2012-10-28: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Rouses Point Seaplane Base (RSX) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 0 miles away.
- Champlain 3 mi west, about 5 min by car
- Cumberland Head 19 mi south, about 31 min by car
- Plattsburgh 21 mi south, about 34 min by car
- Morrisonville 22 mi southwest, about 36 min by car
- Plattsburgh West 22 mi south, about 36 min by car
- Dannemora 26 mi southwest, about 41 min by car
- Peru 30 mi south, about 48 min by car
- Keeseville 34 mi south, about 55 min by car
- Burlington 35 mi south, about 56 min by car
- Essex Junction 37 mi south, about 59 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Rouses Point NY looking north on US11, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fort Montgomery Rouses Point NY, Mfwills, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Rouses Point station, July 2017, Adam Moss from East Amherst, New York, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Rutland Railroad Pumping Station01, Mfwills, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Rouses Point Bridge, Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.