Chemung County, New York
Encyclopedia : C : CH : CHE : Chemung County, New York
Chemung County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of 2000, the population was 91,070. Its name is derived from the name of a Delaware Indian village (meaning "big horn"). Its county seat is Elmira. Chemung County likes to refer to itself as "Mark Twain Country" because of the many years the author lived and wrote in Elmira.
History
When counties were established in New York State in 1683, the present Chemung County was part of Albany County. This was an enormous county, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present State of Vermont and, in theory, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean.For the interim history of the development of Albany County, see
- Cumberland County
- Gloucester County
- Tryon County
- Montgomery County
- Ontario County
- Allegany
- Cattaraugus
- Chautauqua
- Erie
- Genesee
- Livingston
- Monroe
- Niagara
- Orleans
- Steuben
- Wyoming
- Yates
- Schuyler
- Wayne Counties.
- Herkimer
- Tioga Counties
- Otsego County.
On April 17, 1854, 110 Square Miles of Chemung County, including the communities of Watkins Glen, Townsend, Montour Falls, Odessa, Moreland, Catherine, Alpine, Cayuta and Lake Cayuga, was combined with areas taken from Tompkins and Steuben Counties to create Schuyler County.
This produced Chemung County as it exists today.
Geography
Chemung County is in the southwestern part of New York State, along the Pennsylvania border, in a part of New York called the Southern Tier and is also part of the Finger Lakes Region.According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,064 km² (411 mi²). 1,057 km² (408 mi²) of it is land and 7 km² (3 mi²) of it (0.64%) is water.
Demographics
| Historical populations | |
|---|---|
| Census year | Population |
| 1840 | 20,732* |
| 1850 | 28,821* |
| 1860 | 26,917* |
| 1870 | 35,281* |
| 1880 | 43,065* |
| 1890 | 48,265* |
| 1900 | 54,063* |
| 1910 | 54,662* |
| 1920 | 65,872* |
| 1930 | 74,680* |
| 1940 | 73,718* |
| 1950 | 86,827* |
| 1960 | 98,706* |
| 1970 | 101,537* |
| 1980 | 97,656* |
| 1990 | 95,195* |
| 2000 | 91,070 |
| * Source document from Chemung County, not Census Bureau. Document [here]. | |
As of the census² of 2000, there were 91,070 people, 35,049 households, and 23,272 families residing in the county. The population density was 86/km² (223/mi²). There were 37,745 housing units at an average density of 36/km² (92/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.96% White, 5.82% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.78% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.75% from other races, and 1.44% from two or more races. 1.77% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 35,049 households out of which 31.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.80% were married couples living together, 12.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.60% were non-families. 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.40% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 28.30% from 25 to 44, 22.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 97.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,415, and the median income for a family was $43,994. Males had a median income of $35,076 versus $24,215 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,264. About 9.10% of families and 13.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.40% of those under age 18 and 6.80% of those age 65 or over.
Cities, Towns, Villages, and other locations
- Ashland (town)
- Baldwin (town)
- Big Flats Airport
- Big Flats (town)
- Catlin (town)
- Chemung (town)
- Elmira Heights (village)
- Elmira (city)
- Elmira (town)
- Erin (town)
- Horseheads North
- Horseheads (town)
- Horseheads (village)
- Millport (village)
- Southport (town)
- Van Etten (town)
- Van Etten (village)
- Veteran (town)
- Wellsburg (village)
- West Elmira
- => Label in parentheses shows official political designation.
External links
- [Chemung County, New York site]
- [Chemung County Chamber of Commerce]
- [Early brief history of Chemung County]
- [Elmira College]
Sources
- NEW YORK: Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; Compiled by Kathryn Ford Thorne and Edited by John H. Long.
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