Seneca Falls, New York

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Seneca Falls
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Seneca Falls Canal Harbor
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Seneca Falls
Location within the state of New York
Coordinates: 42°54′31″N76°47′53″W / 42.90861°N 76.79806°W / 42.90861; -76.79806
Country United States
State New York
County Seneca
Settled1790;234 years ago (1790)
EstablishedMarch 26, 1829;195 years ago (1829-03-26) [1]
Government
  Type Town Council
   Supervisor Michael Ferrara
   Clerk Nicaletta Greer
   Court Justice Charles Lafler
Justice Steven Kelley
Area
[2]
  Total27.46 sq mi (71.12 km2)
  Land24.22 sq mi (62.72 km2)
  Water3.24 sq mi (8.40 km2)
Elevation
449 ft (137 m)
Population
 (2020) [3]
  Total9,027
  Estimate 
(2022) [4]
8,940
  Density372.74/sq mi (143.92/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
  Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
13148
Area codes 315 and 680
FIPS code 36-66333
GNIS feature ID0964826
Website http://www.senecafalls.com/

Seneca Falls is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 9,027 at the 2020 census. [3]

Contents

The Town of Seneca Falls contains the former village also called Seneca Falls. The town is east of Geneva, New York, in the northern part of the Finger Lakes District.

Seneca Falls is a historic location along a branch of the Erie Canal and is often referred to as the 'birthplace of women's rights', where the 1848 women's rights convention was held. Many also believe it to have been the inspiration for the fictional town of "Bedford Falls", portrayed in filmmaker Frank Capra's classic 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life . [5]

History

The region is the former realm of the Cayuga tribe, who were visited by Jesuit missionaries during the 17th century. Cayuga villages were attacked and destroyed by the Sullivan Expedition of 1779 in retaliation for plundering and killing new colonists.

The region became part of the Central New York Military Tract, reserved for veterans, after the conclusion of the American Revolution.

A canal was completed in 1818 allowing transit between Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake. This canal was connected to the Erie Canal in 1828.

The town was established in 1829 from part of the Town of Junius. The community of Seneca Falls in the town set itself apart by incorporating as a village in 1831.

The Seneca Falls Convention held July 19–20, 1848, was the first women's rights convention organized by women explicitly for the purpose of discussing women's rights as such. [6]

On March 16, 2010, the people of the Village of Seneca Falls voted to dissolve the village into the Town of Seneca Falls, effective in 2012. [7]

Goulds Pumps, a leading manufacturer of pumps, is headquartered in Seneca Falls. [8]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 27.4 square miles (71 km2), of which 24.2 square miles (63 km2) is land and 3.2 square miles (8.3 km2), comprising 11.81%, is water.

The east town line is partly defined by Cayuga Lake. The Seneca River/Cayuga-Seneca Canal passes across the town. More recently, efforts are underway to complete a scenic trail along the historic canal. The eastern section of the town is part of Montezuma Marsh, an extensive wetland at the north end of Cayuga Lake.

Conjoined US Route 20 and NY-5 form an east–west highway across the town. New York State Route 89 is a north–south highway by the shore of Cayuga Lake. New York State Route 414 is also a north–south highway, but has an east–west orientation while conjoined with US-20 and NY-5. New York State Route 318 intersects US-20/NY-5 in the northeast corner of the town.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1830 2,602
1840 4,28164.5%
1850 4,2960.4%
1860 5,96038.7%
1870 6,86015.1%
1880 6,853−0.1%
1890 6,9010.7%
1900 7,3055.9%
1910 7,4071.4%
1920 7,179−3.1%
1930 7,166−0.2%
1940 7,3522.6%
1950 7,8456.7%
1960 9,26418.1%
1970 9,9006.9%
1980 9,886−0.1%
1990 9,384−5.1%
2000 9,347−0.4%
2010 9,040−3.3%
2020 9,027−0.1%
2022 (est.)8,940 [4] −1.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [9]

As of 2010 Seneca Falls had a population of 9,040. The ethnic and racial makeup of the population was 93.6% non-Hispanic white, 1.3% African-American, 0.4% Native American, 0.3% Indian, 1.3% other Asian, 0.2% non-Hispanic from some other race, 1.4% from two or more races, 1.0% Puerto Rican and 0.7% other Hispanics. [10]

As of the census [11] of 2000, there were 9,347 people, 3,796 households, and 2,440 families residing in the town. The population density was 385.6 inhabitants per square mile (148.9/km2). There were 4,167 housing units at an average density of 171.9 per square mile (66.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 95.86% White, 0.87% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.52% Asian, 0.30% from other races, and 1.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.33% of the population.

There were 3,796 households, out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.91.

The town's population was spread out, with 23.6% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $37,245, and the median income for a family was $48,565. Males had a median income of $36,631 versus $25,094 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,462. About 9.7% of families and 13.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations

Schools

Public schools

Seneca Falls Central School District

The public school system for Seneca Falls and its nearby villages is provided by the Seneca Falls Central School District. This district has four schools. [12] The current superintendent is Michelle Reed.

  • Frank M. Knight Elementary School is a public school which handles grades K-2 in the Seneca Falls Central School District. It has an enrollment of about 300 students. The current principal is Janet Clendenen. [13]
  • Elizabeth Cady Stanton School is a public school which handles grades 3–5. It has an enrollment of about 300 students. The current principal is Amy Hibbard. [14]
  • Seneca Falls Middle School is a public school which handles grades 6–8. Enrollment is around 350 students. The current principal is Kevin Rhinehart. [15]
  • Mynderse Academy is a public school which handles grades 9–12. The enrollment is around 511 students as of 2006. The current principal is Faith Lewis. [16]

Private schools

Colleges

Transportation

New York State Route 5 and U.S. Route 20 run east–west through the town.

The New York Central Railroad operated daily passenger train service on its Auburn Road division between Syracuse and Rochester until 1958, making a station stop at Seneca Falls. [19] [20]

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References

  1. Town of Seneca Falls, New York – History, Retrieved June 2, 2015.
  2. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  3. 1 2 "QuickFacts: Seneca Falls town, Seneca County, New York". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  4. 1 2 "City and Town Population Totals: 2020—2022". Census.gov. US Census Bureau. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  5. Pacheco, Manny (December 11, 2010). "It's a Wonderful Life Museum opens". Archived from the original on January 22, 2011. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
  6. Price, Rebecca (July 17, 2015). "5 Things You May Not Know About the Seneca Falls Convention". HuffPost. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  7. "Voters in Seneca Falls, N.Y., approve dissolution of their village government". Boston.com. March 18, 2010. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  8. "ITT Goulds Pumps is a leading manufacturer of pumps for a wide range of industrial markets — including chemical, mining, oil & gas, power generation, pulp and paper, and general industry. | Goulds Pumps". www.gouldspumps.com. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  9. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  10. 2010 U.S. census report for Seneca Falls, New York
  11. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  12. http://www.sfcs.k12.ny.us/, accessed October 1, 2006
  13. http://www.sfcs.k12.ny.us/FrankKnight.cfm Archived September 14, 2007, at the Wayback Machine , Frank M Knight School official website, accessed October 1, 2006
  14. http://www.sfcs.k12.ny.us/ElizabethCady.cfm Archived April 3, 2007, at the Wayback Machine , Elizabeth Cady Stanton School website, accessed October 1, 2006
  15. http://www.sfcs.k12.ny.us/MiddleSchool.cfm Archived February 4, 2007, at the Wayback Machine , Seneca Falls Middle School website, accessed October 1, 2006
  16. http://www.sfcs.k12.ny.us/Academy.cfm Archived November 4, 2006, at the Wayback Machine , Mynderse Academy website, accessed October 1, 2006
  17. Finger Lakes Christian School Website, accessed October 20, 2021
  18. http://www.nycc.edu/ New York Chiropractic College website, accessed October 1, 2006
  19. New York Central February 16, 1958, timetable, Table 38
  20. New York Central October 10, 1958, timetable