What is the setting of The Risk Pool by Richard Russo?

The main setting for The Risk Pool is the town of Mohawk, New York. It is a fictional town in upstate New York near Albany, but it shares many real-life characteristics of small towns in the United States after World War II. Mohawk is a town on the decline. It was once a bustling town that's main industry was tanneries. Now, the only sign of a fluid economy—especially during the winter months—is the large number of poker games going on around town.