Dunkirk, New York

This article is about a city. For the adjacent town of the same name, see Dunkirk (town), New York.

Dunkirk, New York Chadwicks Bay, Ganadawao [1]
City
Aerial view of Dunkirk, facing north over Lake Erie
Dunkirk Location of Dunkirk in New York Show map of New York Dunkirk Dunkirk (the United States) Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 42°28′46″N79°20′02″W / 42.47944°N 79.33389°W / 42.47944; -79.33389 [1]
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Chautauqua
Government
• Type	Mayor-Council
• Mayor	Kate Wdowiasz (D)
•  Common Council	Members • At-Large: Nick Weiser (D) • W1: Natalie Luczkowiak (D) • W2: Abigail Yerico (R) • W3: James Stoyle (R) • W4: Nancy Nichols (R)
Area [2]
• Total	4.57 sq mi (11.83 km2)
• Land	4.54 sq mi (11.77 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2)
Elevation [1]	617 ft (188 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	12,743
• Density	2,803.74/sq mi (1,082.59/km2)
ZIP Code	14048
Area code	716
FIPS code	36-013-21105
Website	cityofdunkirk.com

Dunkirk is a city in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. It was settled around 1805 and incorporated in 1880. ^[3] The population was 12,743 as of the 2020 census. ^[4] Dunkirk is bordered on the north by Lake Erie. It shares a border with the village of Fredonia to the south, and with the town of Dunkirk to the east and west. Dunkirk is the westernmost city in the state of New York. ^[5]

History

The Iroquoian languages-speaking Erie people occupied this area of the forested lakefront along the southern shore of Lake Erie well into the 1600s, when Europeans, mostly French, started trading around the Great Lakes. They were pushed out by the Seneca people, one of the Five Nations of the powerful Iroquois League, based here and further east in New York. ^{[6] [7]} The European-American demarcation and settlement of Chadwick Bay began in 1826. ^[8] and later the town was named after Dunkirk in France ^[9]

Point Gratiot Lighthouse on Lake Erie in Dunkirk.

NRG Energy Power plant along Lake Erie in Dunkirk, shuttered since 2016.

The Dunkirk Lighthouse at Point Gratiot was built soon after and still stands. Dunkirk served as a minor railroad hub and steamship port on Lake Erie into the early 1900s. Both freight and passenger ships traveled the lakes. ^[7]

The Chautauqua County Fair, which had been held sporadically over the years starting in 1821, was first held regularly in Dunkirk in 1881 on land acquired for its permanent use. ^[10]

A major employer in Dunkirk in the second half of the 19th century was Brooks Locomotive Works, founded in 1869 by Horatio G. Brooks. ^[11] The Brooks plant built almost 4,000 steam locomotives, for which they won several awards at international exhibitions, ^{[12] [13]} and a few of their locomotives were hailed as the fastest and largest locomotives in the world. ^{[14] [15]} Brooks Locomotive Works was merged into American Locomotive Company in 1901. ^[16] The homestead of Horatio G. Brooks became the Brooks Memorial Hospital following a donation by Brooks's daughter in 1898. ^{[17] [18]}

The city thrived as a steel town for Roebling and others through the 1950s. In addition, it was a manufacturing leader with Plymouth Tube and Ralston Purina. Its coal-burning Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation plant provided power for the region. The plant was mothballed in 2016, negatively impacting Dunkirk's tax base. NRG Energy acquired the plant and proceeded with plans to convert it from coal-burning to run on natural gas. ^[19] Since the 1970s, population has declined following a regional drop in manufacturing as the steel industry and other restructured. Overall employment has declined in the area.

Dunkirk gained international recognition in 1946 for the Dunkirk-to-Dunkerque campaign. It was a humanitarian assistance program for its namesake and sister city, Dunkerque, France, which had been devastated in World War II. Dunkirk-to-Dunkerque became the model for similar relief efforts in cities elsewhere in the United States. ^[20]

Beginning in the 1980s, the city refocused its economic efforts on revitalizing its pier ^[21] and fishing, to improve the quality of life for residents and attract more tourists. In addition, in 2016 it attracted a high-tech drug manufacturing project as part of business related to the state project of area investment called the "Buffalo Billion." ^[22]

In 2016, Willie Rosas, a former law enforcement officer, became the first Hispanic to be elected mayor in the State of New York. ^[23]

Geography

Dunkirk lies on the southeastern shore of Lake Erie and is 45 miles (72 km) southwest of Buffalo.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 4.6 square miles (11.8 km²), of which 4.5 square miles (11.7 km²) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²), or 1.10%, is water. ^[4]

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system using 1991-2020 data, Dunkirk has an oceanic climate (Cfb) closely bordering on both a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) and a humid continental climate (Dfa/Dfb), owing to the significant moderating influence of Lake Erie that prevails especially during the summer months. The plant hardiness zone is 7a, accommodating for plants that can withstand an average minimum air temperature between 0 °F (−18 °C) and 5 °F (−15 °C).

Climate data for Chautauqua County/Dunkirk Airport, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1945–1953, 1997–present
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	72 (22)	74 (23)	81 (27)	86 (30)	89 (32)	94 (34)	99 (37)	96 (36)	96 (36)	87 (31)	85 (29)	71 (22)	99 (37)
Mean maximum °F (°C)	58.8 (14.9)	58.0 (14.4)	67.7 (19.8)	79.3 (26.3)	84.2 (29.0)	89.2 (31.8)	89.5 (31.9)	88.8 (31.6)	86.3 (30.2)	79.4 (26.3)	68.7 (20.4)	59.6 (15.3)	91.7 (33.2)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	34.1 (1.2)	35.1 (1.7)	42.7 (5.9)	55.4 (13.0)	67.1 (19.5)	76.0 (24.4)	80.0 (26.7)	78.6 (25.9)	72.2 (22.3)	61.0 (16.1)	49.2 (9.6)	39.0 (3.9)	57.5 (14.2)
Daily mean °F (°C)	26.7 (−2.9)	27.0 (−2.8)	34.0 (1.1)	45.2 (7.3)	56.6 (13.7)	66.1 (18.9)	70.7 (21.5)	69.3 (20.7)	62.8 (17.1)	52.2 (11.2)	41.7 (5.4)	32.8 (0.4)	48.8 (9.3)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	19.4 (−7.0)	18.9 (−7.3)	25.3 (−3.7)	34.9 (1.6)	46.2 (7.9)	56.2 (13.4)	61.4 (16.3)	60.1 (15.6)	53.4 (11.9)	43.5 (6.4)	34.3 (1.3)	26.6 (−3.0)	40.0 (4.5)
Mean minimum °F (°C)	−1.2 (−18.4)	0.0 (−17.8)	7.5 (−13.6)	23.1 (−4.9)	31.9 (−0.1)	43.3 (6.3)	49.8 (9.9)	48.6 (9.2)	39.7 (4.3)	29.1 (−1.6)	20.6 (−6.3)	11.1 (−11.6)	−5.1 (−20.6)
Record low °F (°C)	−16 (−27)	−28 (−33)	−11 (−24)	18 (−8)	27 (−3)	39 (4)	45 (7)	43 (6)	32 (0)	22 (−6)	3 (−16)	−12 (−24)	−28 (−33)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	1.66 (42)	1.21 (31)	1.73 (44)	2.78 (71)	3.08 (78)	3.70 (94)	3.65 (93)	3.30 (84)	3.55 (90)	3.86 (98)	3.09 (78)	2.38 (60)	33.99 (863)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	13.5	10.5	11.1	13.0	12.2	11.9	10.9	11.2	11.0	14.7	13.2	15.4	148.6
Source 1: NOAA [24]
Source 2: National Weather Service [25]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1870	5,231		—
1880	7,248		38.6%
1890	9,416		29.9%
1900	11,616		23.4%
1910	17,221		48.3%
1920	19,336		12.3%
1930	17,802		−7.9%
1940	17,713		−0.5%
1950	18,007		1.7%
1960	18,205		1.1%
1970	16,855		−7.4%
1980	15,310		−9.2%
1990	13,989		−8.6%
2000	13,131		−6.1%
2010	12,563		−4.3%
2020	12,743		1.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [26]

As of the census ^[27] of 2010, there were 12,563 people, 5,477 households, and 3,690 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,774.6 people per square mile (1,119.2 per km²). There were 6,071 housing units at an average density of 1,340.6 per square mile (517.4 per km²). The city's racial makeup of the city was 65.70% White, 5.1% Black or African American, 0.52% Native American, 0.50 Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 9.14% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 26.40% of the population.

There were 5,477 households, out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.4% were married couples living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,313, and the median income for a family was $35,058. Males had a median income of $29,462 versus $21,682 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,482. About 18.5% of families and 22.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.0% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.

Education

• A branch of Jamestown Community College is in Dunkirk.
• Dunkirk High School, home of the Marauders, is part of the public Dunkirk City School District.
• Northern Chautauqua Catholic School is a K-8th grade school under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo.

Media

• The Observer newspaper is published in Dunkirk. ^[28]
• WDOE AM radio station in Dunkirk, co-owned with Fredonia FM sister station, WBKX.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Union Depot, Dunkirk, between c. 1890 and c. 1900

The Chautauqua County/Dunkirk Airport, in the town of Dunkirk, provides training facilities and charter services. ^[29]

Freight railroad service in Dunkirk is provided by CSX Transportation (via the Buffalo-Cleveland-Willard (Ohio)-Chicago Main Line) and Norfolk Southern Railway (Buffalo-Cleveland-Fort Wayne-Chicago Main Line). The Lake Shore Limited daily Amtrak passenger train passes through the city but does not stop. Erie Railroad and New York Central trains stopped at one station. Nickel Plate and Pennsylvania Railroad trains stopped at another station. ^{[30] [31]} As recently as 1968 the New York Central operated a Buffalo-Chicago daytime train, #51, the former Empire State Express, that made a stop westbound in Dunkirk. Two other daily trains eastbound stopped in Dunkirk, #64 and #90, the former Chicagoan. ^[32] In the late 1990s Amtrak considered adding the city as a stop between Buffalo and Erie. Dunkirk was listed as a stop with service "to commence on a date to be announced" on several timetables, but the stop was never added. ^[33]

The New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) passes through the southern edge of the city, with access from Exit 59 (NY Route 60) just east of the city limits. The Thruway leads northeast 42 miles (68 km) to the outskirts of Buffalo and southwest 28 miles (45 km) to the Pennsylvania border. New York State Route 5 runs through the center of the city, leading northeast 9 miles (14 km) to Silver Creek and southwest 18 miles (29 km) to Westfield. New York State Route 60 runs from Dunkirk south, heading toward Jamestown, New York.

Public safety

The city of Dunkirk has its own police force and a paid fire department with three stations in the city.

Dunkirk City Pier

Notable people

• Samuel Hopkins Adams, author ^[34]
• Edna A. Boorady, lawyer and diplomat
• Mark Brazill, creator of That '70s Show
• Horatio G. Brooks founder of Brooks Locomotive Works
• June Card, operatic soprano and stage director
• William L. Carpenter, U.S. Army officer, geologist
• Richard H. Cosgriff, Union Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor
• Dave Criscione, retired Major League Baseball catcher
• Celestine Damiano, former Bishop of Camden
• Katharine Bement Davis, social reformer
• Mike DiMuro, MLB umpire
• Ray DiMuro, retired MLB umpire
• Francis S. Edwards, former US congressman
• Mike Friedman, pro-racing cyclist
• Daniel G. Garnsey, former US congressman
• Dave Graf, retired NFL linebacker
• Grasshopper, guitarist and songwriter for seminal alternative rock band Mercury Rev
• Ross Graves, former New York politician
• Chad Green, former minor league baseball player
• H. B. Halicki, director of Gone in 60 Seconds and The Junkman ; born in Dunkirk ^[35]
• Norm Hitzges, host on Sportsradio 1310 AM and 96.7 FM the Ticket in the Dallas-Fort-Worth area and Texas Radio Hall of Famer
• Thomas Horan, a Medal of Honor Recipient at the battle of Gettysburg (1863) during the Civil War, was born in Dunkirk in 1839 and died 1902. His grave is at Saint Mary's Cemetery in Dunkirk. ^{[36] [37]}
• Jerry Interval, portrait photographer
• Teresa Jordan, geologist at Cornell University ^[38]
• Richard P. Klocko, Air Force lieutenant general, command pilot, director of Defense Communications Agency
• John T. McDonough, former Secretary of State of New York
• Sean Patrick McGraw, country music artist
• Jim McGuire, former MLB player
• Mark Merchant, retired minor league baseball player
• Cindy Miller, pro golfer
• Van Miller, play-by-play announcer for the Buffalo Bills and WIVB-TV sportscaster ^{[39] [40]}
• Chris Poland, former guitarist of thrash metal band Megadeth
• Gar Samuelson, former drummer of thrash metal band Megadeth
• William J. Scheyer, Major general in the Marine Corps during World War II
• Murray Shelton, member of the College Football Hall of Fame
• Wendy Corsi Staub, New York Times best selling author ^[41]
• Grace Hyde Trine, writer, lecturer, dramatic reader
• Elisha Ward, former New York state senator
• Cory Wells, One of three lead singers of the band Three Dog Night

See also

• New York (state) portal

• Chadwick Bay

References

1. "Dunkirk". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
2. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
4. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Dunkirk city, New York". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
5. "2013 ACS Vintage TIGERweb". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
6. "Dunkirk: Between 1626 to 1798". Dunkirk Historical Society. Archived from the original on April 23, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
7. "History of Dunkirk Lighthouse". Dunkirk Lighthouse and Veterans Park Museum. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
8. Bush, Gladys A. Dunkirk: A Chronology and Index of Historical Facts. Dunkirk Historical Society. Archived from the original on April 23, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
9. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  110.
10. https://www.chautauquacofair.org/history
11. "Leading Industry of Busy Dunkirk; History of the Brooks Locomotive Works". The Buffalo Review. Buffalo, NY. October 11, 1899. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Railway Exposition". The Inter Ocean. Chicago, IL. June 28, 1883. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "Brooks Locomotives. Awarded a Medal and Diploma by the World's Fair Commission". Buffalo Courier. Buffalo, NY. June 3, 1896. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "The Railway Record". Buffalo Courier. Buffalo, NY. April 18, 1896. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com. Average speed 72.92 miles an hour. Maximum speed 92.3 miles an hour.
15. "Brooks Locomotive Works Building Giant Engine". The Buffalo Enquirer. Buffalo, NY. August 15, 1899. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
16. "In Dunkirk". Buffalo Courier. Buffalo, NY. June 23, 1901. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
17. "The Social Chronicle: Coming and Going". Buffalo Evening News. Buffalo, NY. May 10, 1898. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "City May Run Hospital". The Ithaca Journal. Ithaca, New York. June 27, 1924. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
19. "NRG ready to revive Dunkirk power plant project". The Buffalo News. November 21, 2016.
20. "The Dunkirk-to-Dunkerque Heritage Center". Archived from the original on August 29, 2019. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
21. "Dunkirk Boardwalk Market". Chautauqua Art Trail. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
22. "Giant drug factory planned for Dunkirk will extend the reach of the Buffalo Billion". The Buffalo News. February 4, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
23. "Dunkirk swears in first elected Hispanic Mayor in NYS". USA Today. January 1, 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
24. "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station:". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
25. "NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Buffalo". National Weather Service. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
26. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
27. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
28. "News, Sports, Jobs - Observer Today". www.observertoday.com.
29. "www.dkk.com网站建设中". www.dkk.com.
30. "Index of Railroad Stations, p. 1530". Official Guide of the Railways. 64 (9). National Railway Publication Company. February 1932.
31. "Index of Railroad Stations, p. 1317". Official Guide of the Railways. 78 (12). National Railway Publication Company. May 1946.
32. "New York Central January 1968 timetable" (PDF). www.canadasouthern.com.
33. "DUNKIRK MAY OPEN AMTRAK STATION". Buffalo News. January 5, 1996. Archived from the original on March 29, 2015. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
34. Samuel Hopkins Adams, Encyclopædia Britannica
35. "Dunkirk Native Toby Holicki Returns For Eastern Premiere Of His Movie Wednesday," Dunkirk Evening Observer, 1 October 1974, Dunkirk-Fredonia, New York.
36. "Valor awards for Thomas Horan | Military Times Hall of Valor". Archived from the original on May 19, 2012. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
37. "CMOHS.org - Sergeant HORAN, THOMAS, U.S. Army". www.cmohs.org. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
38. Gates, Alexander E. (2003). A to Z of earth scientists. New York: Facts on File. pp. 132–134. ISBN   978-1-4381-0919-0. OCLC   234234247.
39. Van Miller Archived 2011-06-05 at the Wayback Machine , Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame
40. "Best DHS Nicknames". Archived from the original on May 30, 2009. Retrieved April 28, 2010., Dunkirk High School Yearbook
41. "About Wendy Corsi Staub".

External links

• Official website