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Angola on the Lake, New York

Angola on the Lake is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 1,675 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Angola on the Lake is in the town of Evans and is west of the village of Angola. The hamlet is located on the eastern shore of Lake Erie.

Geography
Angola on the Lake is located at 42.65481°N, -79.0489°W.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 6.6 sqkm, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,771 people, 757 households, and 480 families living in the village. The population density was 701.4 PD/sqmi. There were 943 housing units at an average density of 373.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.76% White, 0.34% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.06% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.85% of the population.

There were 757 households, out of which 23.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the community, the population was spread out, with 20.9% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 27.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $28,641, and the median income for a family was $38,167. Males had a median income of $29,167 versus $22,750 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $19,319. About 12.4% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.3% of those under age 18 and 1.5% of those age 65 or over.

title: Angola on the Lake, New York


text:
Aurora, Erie County, New York

Aurora is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 13,782 at the 2010 census. It is one of the "Southtowns" of Erie County and is also erroneously called "East Aurora", the name of its principal village. The town is centrally located in the county, southeast of Buffalo.

Christ the King Seminary is located in the northern part of the town.

History
The town was created in 1818 from the (now defunct) town of Willink, which once contained all the southern part of Erie County. By a close vote, citizens voted to change the name to "Aurora" in a display of their growing dissatisfaction with the Holland Land Company and its stockholders, which included Willem Willink.

Notable people

 * Horace Boies, 14th Governor of Iowa
 * Millard Fillmore, US President, practiced law in Aurora and lived in a house on Main Street (now a National Historic Landmark on Shearer Avenue) before he became president.
 * Millard Powers Fillmore, son of President Fillmore
 * Elbert Hubbard, writer, publisher, artist, and philosopher. He founded Roycroft, an Arts and Crafts movement community in East Aurora in 1895.
 * Irving Price, co-founder of the Fisher-Price toy company, purchased the Fillmore home, which his wife used as an art studio.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 94.4 km2, of which 94.3 sqkm is land and 0.1 sqkm, or 0.13%, is water.

New York State Route 240 is a major route through the southwest part of the town.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,996 people, 5,421 households, and 3,859 families residing in the town. The population density was 384.6 PD/sqmi. There were 5,686 housing units at an average density of 156.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.83% White, 0.18% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.59% of the population.

There were 5,421 households, out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.2% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.8% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.4% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $51,939, and the median income for a family was $63,550. Males had a median income of $46,269 versus $30,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,530. About 2.2% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 2.9% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Aurora

 * Blakeley – A hamlet in the southeastern part of the town.
 * Cazenovia Creek (West Branch) – A branch of Cazenovia Creek flowing northward through the town.
 * East Aurora – The Village of East Aurora is in the northeast part of the town.
 * Griffins Mills – A community in the southwestern part of the town on the West Branch of Cazenovia Creek.
 * Jewettville – A location in the southwest corner of the town on NY-240.
 * Knox Farm State Park – A park developed from the estate of the Knox family in 2000.
 * South Wales – A hamlet shared between Aurora and the town of Wales.
 * West Falls – A hamlet in the southwest corner of the town on the West Branch of Cazenovia Creek and NY-240.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Aurora, Erie County, New York


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Billington Heights, New York

Billington Heights is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the towns of Elma and Aurora in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 1,685 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
Billington Heights is located at 42.78583°N, -78.61944°W (42.785709, -78.619419). It is bordered to the south by the village of East Aurora and to the north by Elma Center.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 8.3 km2, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,691 people, 664 households, and 515 families living in the community. The population density was 540.8 PD/sqmi. There were 684 housing units at an average density of 218.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.58% White, 0.47% African American, 0.59% Asian, 0.18% from other races, and 0.18% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.65% of the population.

There were 664 households, out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.7% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were non-families. 19.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the area the population was spread out, with 23.6% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.

The median income for a household in the area was $56,154, and the median income for a family was $66,250. Males had a median income of $42,750 versus $22,305 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $32,337. None of the families and 2.0% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 3.3% of those over 64.

title: Billington Heights, New York


text:
Blasdell, New York

Blasdell is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 2,553 according to the 2010 Census. The name is derived from Herman Blasdell, the first station master of the Erie and Pennsylvania railroad depot. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Blasdell is in the northern part of the town of Hamburg and is bordered to the north by the city of Lackawanna, directly south of Buffalo. The village calls itself the "Gateway to the Southtowns" of Erie County.

History
The community grew as a railroad town around the Erie Railroad. Blasdell was incorporated in 1898 as a village.

Wrestler Ilio DiPaolo was a longtime resident, before his death in 1995. In 1965 he opened an Italian restaurant on South Park Avenue. It is now run by his family.

Blasdell is one of two municipalities in Erie County to have a registered Conservative as its executive, the other being Newstead.

Geography
Blasdell is located at 42.795°N, -78.82806°W (42.795108, -78.828004).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.1 sqmi, all land.

Adjacent cities and towns

 * City of Lackawanna - north
 * Town of Hamburg - south, east, west

Major highways in the Village of Blasdell

 * I-90.svg NYS Thruway Sign.svg Interstate 90 (New York State Thruway), although it does not run through the village, the thruway lies just east of it and access to it is provided by Mile Strip Road/Expressway. (NY 179).
 * US 62.svg U.S. Route 62 (South Park Avenue), north-south roadway that runs through the village from Hamburg in the south to Lackawanna in the north.
 * NY-179.svg New York State Route 179 (Mile Strip Expressway), east- west expressway that borders the south village line. Important route for traffic between NY 5, US 62, the NYS Thruway and beyond.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,718 people, 1,201 households, and 684 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,361.9 PD/sqmi. There were 1,282 housing units at an average density of 1,114.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was
 * 96.80% White,
 * 0.22% African American,
 * 0.37% Native American,
 * 0.07% Asian,
 * 1.51% from other races, and 1.03% from two or more races.
 * Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.46% of the population.

There were 1,201 households, out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.6% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.0% were non-families. 37.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 24.6% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $35,613, and the median income for a family was $43,846. Males had a median income of $37,500 versus $22,917 for females. The per capita income for the village was $17,925. About 6.7% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.0% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.

Notable person

 * Ilio DiPaolo, professional wrestler

title: Blasdell, New York


text:
Boston, New York

Boston is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 7,948 at the 2020 census. The town is named after Boston, Massachusetts.

Boston is an interior town of the county and one of the county's "Southtowns". Boston is southeast of Buffalo.

History
The Iroquois, under various names, lived here until the European immigrants became predominant.

In 1804, brothers Charles and Oliver Johnson and their families became the area's first settlers. The first Christian church was the Free Will Baptist Church, founded circa 1811. On April 5, 1817, the town of Boston was formed from a portion of the town of Eden. The first post office opened in 1832 on the north side of town.

In 1843, the town suffered an epidemic (28 of the 43 residents were affected, 10 of whom died) believed to be typhoid fever, possibly from a local well.

This town has much history that can be found on the headstones in the Maplewood Cemetery across from the Boston Town Hall. There are many old gravestones that show some of the first settlers in the town and the infamous "Love" murder.

Murder of John Love
John Love, a seaman on the Great Lakes, came to Boston in October 1824 with the prospect of buying grain futures from local farmers. He rented a room from lumberman Nelson Thayer. The Thayer family, which included Nelson and his brothers Isaac and Israel, were infamous for their profanity and crude behavior. Despite owning large tracts of farmland in Boston, they found themselves indebted to neighbors, and eventually to Love, due to their spendthrift habits. Facing financial ruin, the Thayers decided that murder was the only option.

On December 15, John Love was talking with Nelson Thayer when Isaac came up to the window from outside and shot Love in the head with a rifle. When this failed to kill him, Nelson struck him several times with a meat axe. He and Israel then dragged Love's body to a ravine behind Israel's house and hastily covered it with dirt.

Neighbors grew suspicious after Love hadn't been seen in several weeks, and the Thayers, now having far more money to spend than usual, rode around on Love's horse attempting to collect debts owed to him by others. When questioned, they would say that Love had gone to Canada and had given the Thayers power of attorney to collect debt payments. Foul play was eventually suspected, and a $10 reward was offered to whoever found Love's body. On February 23, 1825, Love's body was discovered in the ravine behind the Thayer cabin, in a grave so shallow that his feet were sticking out. The three brothers were arrested, as was their father Israel Sr., and taken to jail in Buffalo.

At trial, the Thayers were linked to the crime based on strong circumstantial evidence; neighbors testified to hearing a gunshot on December 15 and never seeing Love again after that date. The Thayer brothers were all found guilty of John Love's murder and sentenced to death. The charges against their father had been dropped. On June 17, 1825, all three were hanged from the same gallows in Niagara Square, the only public hanging ever to take place in Erie County. It is said that a crowd of about 20,000 people witnessed the event, far greater than the population of Buffalo at that time.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 92.8 km2.

Geologically speaking, Boston is one of the more interesting places in the Greater Niagara region, for many glacial activities, over many years, caused sufficient pressure indentation to alter dramatically the landscape and even the water table.

U.S. Route 219 crosses the town. New York State Route 277 (Boston State Road/Herman Hill Road) intersects New York State Route 391 (Boston State Road) in the northwestern part of the town at North Boston.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,897 people, 2,997 households, and 2,244 families residing in the town. The population density was 220.4 PD/sqmi. There were 3,122 housing units at an average density of 87.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.91% white, 0.14% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.10% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.72% of the population.

There were 2,997 households, out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.6% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.1% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 27.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.8 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 98.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $48,315, and the median income for a family was $57,714. Males had a median income of $42,101 versus $27,798 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,303. About 3.6% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Boston

 * Boston – A hamlet in the southern part of the town on Boston State Road, NY-391. The community was once called "Boston Corners" and "Torrey Corners".
 * Boston Forest County Park – An undeveloped conservation area in the southwestern corner of the town, consisting of 700 acre of woodland and meadows.
 * Creekside – A location by the northern town line, north of North Boston.
 * East Boston Hill – A location near the eastern town line.
 * Eighteen Mile Creek – A stream that flows northward through the town.
 * North Boston – A hamlet and CDP in the northwestern part of the town.
 * Patchin – A hamlet located near the town's center on the Boston State Road. The community was once known as "Boston Center". It was named after early resident Talcott Patchin, a tanner and postmaster.
 * Ski Tamarack – A former skiing location in the northeastern corner of the town.

Notable people

 * Charles Miller, commander of the organization now known as the 28th Infantry Division and founder of the Galena-Signal Oil Company, which became part of the Standard Oil combine, and then part of the corporation now known as Texaco.
 * Joseph C. Sibley, U.S. representative from Pennsylvania
 * A. Chapin Whiting, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
 * Ellen Beach Yaw, coloratura soprano known for her exceptional vocal range.

title: Boston, New York


text:
Brant, New York

 Brant is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the town had a population of 2,065. The town was named after the Mohawk leader Joseph Brant.

Brant is located in the southwestern part of the county and is known as one of the "Southtowns". It is southwest of Buffalo.

History
The first white settler, Moses Tucker, arrived around 1816. The area was originally in the town of Willink and was organized March 25, 1839, from parts of the towns of Evans and Concord.

An early history
J.H. French's Gazetteer of the State of New York, Syracuse, New York: R. Pearsall Smith, 1860, contains the following entry for the town of Brant:

":BRANDT[1] – was formed from Collins and Evans, March 25, 1839. It lies upon the shore of Lake Erie, in the S.W. corner of the co. The surface is generally level, with a gentle inclination toward the lake. Cattaraugus Creek forms a part of the S. boundary. The other principal streams are Big Sister, Delaware, and Muddy Creeks. The soil is generally a gravelly loam intermixed with clay. Brandt (p.v.) contains 20 houses. Mill Branch (Farnham p.o.) is the Saw Mill Station on the B. & E.R.R., and contains 30 houses. The first settlement was made in 1817, by Moses Tucker[2]. The first religious services were conducted by Benj. Olmsted, in 1820. A union church is the only one in town.

 * [1] Named from Col. Joseph Brant, the Mohawk chief. His Indian name was "Tha-yan-da-nee-gah," said to signify "wood partly burned," or "a brand;" and as the Indians are unable to distinguish d from t in their pronunciation, it became Brant. — Asher Wright, Missionary at the Cattaraugus Reservation.

 * [2] John, Robert, and Major Campbell, and John West, settled in the town in 1808, and Ansel Smith, Robt. and Wm. Grannis, and Benj. Olmsted, in 1819. The first birth was that of a son of John West, in 1818; the first marriage, that of Levi Grannis and Leah Hallida, in 1819; and the first death, that of Matthew West, in 1822. The first mill was built by Sam'l Butts, in 1822; the first inn was kept by Josephus Hubbard, in 1825; and the first store, by Milton Morse, in 1835. Julia Bradley taught the first school, in 1823."

This early source is incorrect in its information about the meaning of Brant's name. His Mohawk name meant "he places two bets". His Christian name came from his stepfather. When natives were baptized, they were given Christian names, often based on the name of the white missionary or priest who converted them. Brant's stepfather was given the Christian name "Barent" which was later shortened to Brant in common use. When Joseph was young, he was known in his village as "Brant's Joseph" and his sister as "Brant's Mary". They later became Joseph Brant and Mary "Molly" Brant.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 64.1 km2, of which 63.0 km2 is land and 1.1 km2, or 1.72%, is water.

The New York State Thruway (Interstate 90), U.S. Route 20 and NY 5, pass through the town.

Adjacent areas
The western border of Brant consists of Lake Erie, and the southern border is the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation. The town of North Collins borders to the east and the town of Evans lies to the north.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,906 people, 710 households, and 528 families residing in the town. The population density was 78.4 PD/sqmi. There were 812 housing units at an average density of 33.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 93.60% White, 1.26% African American, 3.78% Native American, 0.31% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.36% of the population.

There were 710 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $41,847, and the median income for a family was $47,130. Males had a median income of $35,913 versus $23,646 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,803. About 4.0% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * John Joseph Bernet, railroad executive
 * Luther Buxton, New York and Wisconsin state legislator and physician
 * Marion Fricano, former MLB pitcher
 * Clint Holmes, Vegas Entertainer from Farnham

Communities and locations in Brant

 * Brant, a hamlet located on Route 249.
 * Cattaraugus Reservation, a Seneca reservation that forms the southern border of the town.
 * Evangola State Park is mostly in the town, located on Lake Erie shore.
 * Farnham, a village in the eastern part of the town, the smallest village in Erie County

title: Brant, New York


text:
Clarence, New York

Clarence is a town and affluent suburb located in the northeastern part of Erie County, New York, United States, northeast of Buffalo. The population was 32,950 according to the 2020 census estimate. This represents an increase of 7.4% from the 2010 census figure. The Clarence census-designated place occupies the southeast part of the town and roughly corresponds to a postal district with ZIP code 14031 and 14221 in the western side which it shares with nearby Williamsville. The town is named in honor of Prince William, Duke of Clarence and St Andrews (1765–1837), the third son of King George III and later king himself, as William IV.

There are no incorporated villages within the town.

Early history
The local Native Americans called the area Ta-Num-No-Ga-O, which means "Place of Hickory Bark".

Clarence was the first town to be established in Erie County (1808), and many other towns, villages, and cities have been formed from parts of this original town. In 1810, the town of Buffalo, from which the city of Buffalo later originated, was separated from Clarence. Then in 1823, Newstead and Alden were formed respectively from the east and southeast parts of Clarence. Then finally in 1833, Lancaster was also formed from the town. The defunct town of Willink was also a source of new towns, primarily in the south part of the county, being completely partitioned for this purpose.

Western New York was part of the Holland Purchase. When Genesee County was established in 1802, all of the region was part of the town of Batavia, the single, original town of Genesee County. Clarence was, along with Willink, originally part of Genesee County. Clarence was split off from Willink in 1804, before Niagara County was created from part of Genesee County in 1808. Clarence (in the north) and Willink (in the south) then comprised the entire area of what would, in 1821, become Erie County.

One of the first settlers (1799) in the town was Asa Ransom, who has given his name to several locations. He settled in the southeast part of the town, now known as the Clarence Hollow. In 1807, Asa Harris, a former colonial officer from the American Revolution, established a tavern in the community of Harris Hill in the southwest part of Clarence.

Some have suggested that the town is named after a type of carriage, called a clarence. Such a carriage is pictured on a sign at the eastern edge of town. However, the name probably derives from the English Dukedom of Clarence in London, which also gave its name to the aforementioned carriage.

During the War of 1812, the press of the Buffalo Gazette was moved to Clarence, out of harm's way of the British troops.

German was a common language amongst new Clarentians in Early Clarence, most of whom moved from Germany.

Later history
By the end of the 19th century, industry came to the town in the form of brick kilns, potash mining and gypsum mining. National Gypsum and Atlas Gypsum operated mines in the 20th century west of Clarence Center north of Roll Road near the intersection with Harris Hill Road. Quarries also became more commonly established at this time in history in Clarence.

One historian credits Clarence as the site of the introduction of the carrousel to the United States. These carrousels were carried by two German immigrants, who entered Clarence in 1879. Artifacts from the Clarence carrousels are now preserved in the Circus Hall of Fame in Sarasota, Florida. Including wooden horses built by the original immigrants who brought the carrousel to Clarence.

The town celebrated its bicentennial in 2008. The former Automobile Club of Buffalo clubhouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.

Colgan Air Flight 3407 crash
On February 12, 2009, Colgan Air Flight 3407 crashed in Clarence Center around 22:20 EST. The commuter flight was operating between Newark Liberty International Airport and Buffalo Niagara International Airport. The aircraft involved was a Bombardier Q400. There were 45 passengers and four crew members killed, as well as one victim on the ground.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 138.9 km2, of which 138.6 km2 is land and 0.3 km2, or 0.25%, is water.

The north border of the town is marked by Tonawanda Creek and is the border with Niagara County.

New York State Route 5, called Main Street locally, passes across the south part of the town. NY Route 78, Transit Road, marks the west town line. The eastern terminus of NY Route 324, Sheridan Drive, is located in Clarence at the intersection of NY-5 and Thompson Road. The New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) is immediately south of the town.

This town is partially a suburban community, and the remainder is light industry and agriculture. Town government offices are located in Clarence Center. Clarence, Iowa, is named after the town of Clarence.

Nearby cities and towns
Clarence is northeast of the city of Buffalo, west of the city of Batavia, and south of the city of Lockport.

The following towns border Clarence:
 * Town of Amherst - west
 * Town of Lockport, Niagara County - north
 * Town of Royalton, Niagara County - northeast
 * Town of Newstead - east
 * Town of Lancaster - south

Major highways

 * [[Image:I-90.svg|20px]] [[Image:NYS Thruway Sign.svg|20px]] Interstate 90 (New York State Thruway) passes through the southeasternmost corner of Clarence before entering the town of Lancaster, where it travels east–west just south of the Clarence border. A service area on the Thruway (westbound) is named for Clarence.
 * [[Image:NY-5.svg|20px]] New York State Route 5 (Main Street) is an east–west highway that passes through the southern half of town from Amherst to Newstead.
 * [[Image:NY-78.svg|20px]] New York State Route 78 (Transit Road) is a north–south highway that marks the west town line.
 * [[Image:NY-324.svg|22px]] New York State Route 324 (Sheridan Drive) is an east–west highway through the town from the Amherst town line to its eastern terminus at Main Street (NY 5).

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 26,123 people, 9,154 households, and 7,204 families residing in the town. The population density was 489.2 PD/sqmi. There were 9,497 housing units at an average density of 177.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 71.33% White, 1.38% Asian, 29.12% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population.

There were 9,154 households, out of which 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.3% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.3% were non-families. 18.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.22.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.0% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $88,003, and the median income for a family was $107,998. Males had a median income of $58,538 versus $31,140 for females. The per capita income for the town was $32,717. About 1.0% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Clarence has a Town Council for its Legislative body and a Town Supervisor for its Executive, the Town Supervisor, as well as the Town Council are elected At-Large.

Communities
Principal locations or settlements in the town are:
 * Beeman Creek Park is an undeveloped county park in the northeast part of the town.
 * Clarence (also called "Clarence Hollow", or just "The Hollow") is in the southeast and is a census-designated place. This is an extensive community of homes and businesses. The Clarence Historical Society is located on Main Street in this community. Part of the community is within a small valley which is traversed by Ransom Creek. The seat of the town government is in the Clarence postal zone, just south of the hamlet of Clarence Center. During the time of its founding, Clarence village was called "Pine Grove" and later "Ransomville." There was also a stop on the West Shore Railroad from 1884 to 1960. The stop on the West Shore Railroad was named the "Clarence Station."
 * Clarence Aerodrome (D51) is a small, grass-strip airport in the northwest part of the town. This is a private general aviation airport. It was known earlier as "Steffan Airport".
 * Clarence Center (formerly "Van Tines Corners") lies near the middle of the town. It is a small hamlet (and census-designated place) with the most densely populated neighborhood situated around the intersection of Goodrich Road and Clarence Center Road. Clarence Center is also a postal ZIP code 14032, covering most of the north part of the town.
 * East Amherst (formerly "Transit Station") is an unincorporated community, or hamlet, on the west side of the town that is mostly in the town of Amherst. East Amherst is also a postal zone (ZIP code 14051).
 * Escarpment Sanctuary is a small nature preserve located on Greiner Road that is losing land to the upscale Spaulding Lake development.
 * Gunnville is a former railroad station in the south part of the town, now only remembered as the source of the name for Gunnville Road.
 * Harris Hill is an extensive community (a census-designated place) in the southwest corner of the town, built on a low hill of the same name. This location was also called "Shimerville" after a former post office, now only remembered as the source of the name for Shimerville Road.
 * Hunts Corners is a location near the eastern town line and consists of a scattered group of homes. The corners are formed by the intersection of Salt Road and Clarence Center-Akron Road. The First Baptist Church of Clarence is located in Hunts Corners.
 * Mansfield Corners is a former location in the eastern part of the town, north of Hunts Corners.
 * Millersport is a hamlet in the northwest corner of the town. Millersport extends into the town of Amherst and also across Tonawanda Creek into Niagara County. The primary settlement consists of residences and businesses near the intersection of Transit Road and Millersport Highway.
 * Potoczek Airport (D46) is a small grass-strip airport in the northwest part of the town, located on Wolcott Road.
 * Rapids is a hamlet at the northern town line. Rapids is officially in Niagara County, but partly extends into Erie County, divided by Tonawanda Creek.
 * Rock Oak Estates is a 55+ community located on Main Street in Clarence.
 * Smiths Corners is a former location in the northern part of the town near Rapids.
 * Snearly Corners is now the intersection of Main Street and Transit Road. It was named after the Snearly family, which ran a hotel there.
 * Spaulding Lake is an upscale housing project built around a former quarry, located north of Main Street.
 * Sturnerville is an historic location east of Harris Hill.
 * Swormville is on the western border of the town and extends across the border into the town of Amherst. The community has had its name spelled several different ways in the past, such as "Schwarmsville".
 * Tillman Road Wildlife Management Area is a conservation area in the southeast part of Clarence.
 * Wolcottsburg (once called "West Prussia") is a hamlet in the northern part of the town, centered about a cluster of businesses, homes, and a church. The community is located near the intersection of Goodrich Road and Wolcott Road. It was once the demographic and economic center of Clarence, although hard times have hit the community and only two businesses remain.

Physiographic locations

 * Beeman Creek is a small stream in the northeast part of Clarence, flowing northward to Tonawanda Creek.
 * Black Creek is a stream running mostly east–west through the northern part of the town, starting near Wolcottsburg, and eventually merging into Tonawanda Creek in northern Amherst.
 * The Escarpment is a ledge, part of the Onondaga Escarpment, running approximately east–west south of the middle of the town and most prominent between Goodrich Road and Kraus Road.
 * Gott Creek is a stream in the southeast part of Clarence that flows west into Amherst.
 * Ransom Creek is a stream in the south central part of Clarence that flows west into Amherst.
 * Spaulding Lake is a former quarry north of Main Street, previously known as Quarry Lake.

Cultural institutions

 * Museum of European Art – contains work by Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, Arno Breher and Paul Belmondo
 * Clarence Historical Society Museum – A History Museum, currently containing exhibits on the Western New York Railroading, Model Aviation, Norman Rockwell, the Buffalo Truck Company, and Wilson Greatbatch

Education
Most of the town is served by the Clarence Central School District, which contains one high school (Clarence High School), one middle school (Clarence Middle School), and four elementary schools (Clarence Center, Harris Hill, Ledgeview, and Sheridan Hill).

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church Elementary school offers K-8 Catholic education, now with a 3-4 year old pre-school program.

Notable residents

 * Kevyn Adams, former assistant coach and current General Manager (2020-) for the Buffalo Sabres
 * Dave Andreychuk, NHL left winger for 24 years, formerly of the Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning, and most notably the Buffalo Sabres
 * Joan Baez, folk musician of the 1960s, spent some of her childhood in Clarence Center and attended Clarence Center School
 * Alfred F. Beiter, former US Congressman
 * Bill Bernhard, born in Clarence, major league baseball player
 * Martin Biron, hockey goaltender, formerly of the Buffalo Sabres hockey club
 * Archibald S. Clarke, former US Congressman
 * Jane Corwin, New York State Assemblywoman
 * Experience Estabrook, attorney general of the Territory of Nebraska
 * Bob Froese, former goaltender for the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers hockey clubs
 * Jeff Glor, television journalist/anchor
 * Dudley Hart, professional golfer
 * Neil Haskell, top-4 finalist of So You Think You Can Dance (Season 3) and an original cast member of the Broadway musical Hamilton: An American Musical
 * Emory William Hunt, former President of Bucknell University
 * Dewitt C. Leach, former US Congressman
 * Chris Lee, former US Congressman
 * Katie MacFarlane, former professional women's basketball player
 * Pam MacKinnon, Tony Award-winning director
 * Chad Michael Murray, television and movie star who attended Clarence High School. On the television show One Tree Hill, a picture is shown of Lucas Scott, Chad Michael Murray's character, wearing a Clarence football jersey as a little boy.
 * John Neumann, original parish priest of St. Mary's in Swormville, first American bishop to be canonized
 * Teppo Numminen, former defenseman and assistant coach of the Buffalo Sabres hockey club
 * Joyce Carol Oates, author (lived in Millersport)
 * Jack Phillips, former MLB first baseman and attended Lancaster High School
 * Jason Pominville, retired National Hockey League player
 * Jon Powers, Congressional candidate and veteran
 * Jason Rebrovich, Green Bay Packers assistant coach
 * Darcy Regier, former general manager of the Buffalo Sabres
 * Thomas M. Reynolds, former U.S. Congressman
 * Lindy Ruff, longtime Buffalo Sabres player and head coach
 * John Valby, musician and comedian
 * Thomas Vanek, retired National Hockey League player.
 * Ernst Volgenau, farm boy, USAF officer, engineer, founder of SRA International company, benefactor of George Mason University
 * Patrick Wilson, drummer for the band Weezer, attended Clarence High School

Sister city

 * Tianjin, China (since November 10, 2001)

title: Clarence, New York


text:
Clarence Center, New York

Clarence Center is an affluent hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Clarence in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 3,337 as of 2021. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Clarence Center, within the south-central part of the town, is the location of most of the town government facilities, although the actual town hall is within the Clarence postal zone.

Clarence Center is also one of the postal zones in the town with a ZIP code of 14032. This area comprises most of the northern part of the town.

History
The community was founded in 1823 as Van Tines Corners. The community was the first in the town of Clarence to have access to a rail line, with the "Peanut" line being pulled through the community in 1853, the station was named "Clarence Center," Railroad service was cut off on December 31, 1977, and today the line has been mostly ripped up, replaced by a cycling trail, referred to as the "Peanut" line, an homage to the original "Peanut" line, on which rail came to the community.

Colgan Air Flight 3407 crash
On February 12, 2009 at 10:20 pm, a Continental Connection flight operated by Colgan Air went down in Clarence Center, killing all 44 passengers and five crew members, along with one resident on the ground whose house the plane impacted. The plane, a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 74-seat turboprop, had logged only 1819 hours, having been delivered in 2008. Up to a week after the crash, the entire neighborhood was closed off because of the numerous residents wanting to see the crash site.

Geography
Clarence Center is located at 43.01111°N, -78.63472°W (43.011158, -78.634749). According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.1 sqmi, all land.

As suggested by its name, Clarence Center lies near the middle of the town.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,747 people, 622 households, and 508 families residing in the hamlet. The population density was 822.5 PD/sqmi. There were 634 housing units at an average density of 298.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 98.28% White, 0.52% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.97% of the population.

There were 622 households, out of which 41.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.9% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.2% were non-families. 14.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the community, the population was spread out, with 28.6% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.

The median income for a household in the hamlet was $66,311, and the median income for a family was $70,179. Males had a median income of $53,542 versus $27,266 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $25,363. About 1.7% of families and 1.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

Characteristics
The heart of the community is the more heavily settled area by the intersection of Clarence Center and Goodrich Roads. This location is sometimes referred to as "the four corners" or merely "the corners". There is a business on each corner, currently a coffee shop, a bank, a day care center, and a small cluster of gift shops.

East of the four corners is the Clarence Center Elementary School, which serves most of the northern part of the town.

Although Clarence Center occupies most of the northern part of the town, the population is less than the part of the town that is called Clarence.

A hiking/biking trail connects Clarence Center to Akron, New York, to the east and to NY Route 78, Transit Road, to the west.

The J. Eshelman and Company Store at 6000 Goodrich Rd., was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Notable people

 * Dancer Neil Haskell is a Clarence Center native. He is an original cast member of the Broadway musical Hamilton: An American Musical.
 * Retired National Hockey League player Marcel Dionne has a residence in Clarence Center.

title: Clarence Center, New York


text:
Colden, New York

Colden is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 3,265 at the 2010 census. The town derives its name from Cadwallader D. Colden, a state senator. Colden is an interior town in the southeastern part of the county. It is one of the "Southtowns" of Erie County.

History
The town of Colden was organized April 2, 1827, from part of the town of Holland. One of the first settlers was Richard Buffum from Rhode Island. He purchased 2000 acre from the Holland Land Company.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 92.5 km2, of which 92.3 km2 is land and 0.2 km2, or 0.25%, is water.

New York State Route 240 passes through the southwest part of the town.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,323 people, 1,262 households, and 951 families residing in the town. The population density was 93.2 PD/sqmi. There were 1,337 housing units at an average density of 37.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.83% White, 0.03% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.09% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.42% of the population.

There were 1,262 households, out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.7% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.6% were non-families. 18.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.9% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $47,230, and the median income for a family was $52,460. Males had a median income of $39,524 versus $28,269 for females. The per capita income for the town was $22,510. About 2.7% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 1.8% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Colden

 * Buffalo Ski Club – A semi-private ski resort (which includes the former Tamarack Ski resort, the former Sitzmarker Area and Buffalo Area). This is a member-owned club that is open to the public.
 * Buffums Mills – A historical location in the town.
 * Colden – The hamlet of Colden is in the west part of the town on NY-240.
 * Glenwood – A hamlet south of the hamlet of Colden on NY-240.
 * Kissing Bridge – A ski resort on NY-240.

Points of interest

 * WIVB-TV Tower, one of the oldest supertall TV towers in the United States.

Notable people

 * Tim Bender, snowmobile Hall of Fame rider and NASCAR driver
 * John M. Wiley, former US congressman

title: Colden, New York


text:
Collins, New York

Collins is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The town is on the south border of the county and is considered to be one of the "Southtowns" of Erie County. The population at the 2010 census was 6,601.

History
The area was first settled by Whites in 1811. Many of the first settlers were Quakers, who intended to assist the local Native Americans. The town of Collins was formed March 6, 1821, from the town of Concord, and was named after the Collins family, a dairy farming family who lived in and were publicly active in the area. The town lost land to create the new towns of Brant in 1839 and North Collins in 1852. Because of the concentration of dairy farms, there were once ten cheese and milk factories in the town.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 124.7 km2, of which 124.2 km2 is land and 0.5 km2, or 0.36%, is water.

The south town line of Collins, marked by Cattaraugus Creek, is the county line of Cattaraugus County.

U.S. Route 62 runs north–south through the town, and New York State Route 39 runs east–west and intersects with north–south New York State Route 75.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,307 people, 1,754 households, and 1,187 families residing in the town. The population density was 172.6 PD/sqmi. There were 1,884 housing units at an average density of 39.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 66.85% White, 22.62% African American, 3.47% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 6.16% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.94% of the population.

There were 1,754 households, out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.5% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 13.3% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 48.6% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 273.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 318.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $34,444, and the median income for a family was $45,647. Males had a median income of $30,215 versus $26,071 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,082. About 6.2% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.6% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and Locations in the Town of Collins

 * Babbitch Corners – A hamlet in the western part of the town of Collins, at the intersection of NY-39 and Quaker Street. Home to the now defunct McGinty's Millery and the Pibbens' pig farm which has been operational since 1902.
 * Bagdad – A hamlet northeast of Gowanda.
 * Black Hills – A hamlet named for the abnormally black soil located in the hills.
 * Collins Center – A hamlet centrally located in the town at the junction of NY-39 and NY-75.
 * Collins Correctional Facility – A NYS medium security prison located right next to Gowanda Correctional Facility separated by Middle Road.
 * Gowanda - A village partly located in the southwest part of the town. It is located on NY-62.
 * Gowanda Correctional Facility – A NYS medium security prison located right next to Collins Correctional Facility separated by Middle Road. Middle Road is the border between the town of Collins and the village of Gowanda. Both of the correctional facilities are the former Gowanda Psychiatric Center (also known as the former Homeopathic State Hospital).
 * Hutzenlaub Hill – A large hill on the outskirts of town which have had several German immigrant families settle there over multiple generations.
 * McIntosh Woods – Woods located between the town of Collins and the village of Gowanda. It was named due to the now wild McIntosh apple trees which were planted for the former Gowanda Psychiatric Center patients to enjoy.
 * Seneca Heights – A neighborhood community located at the intersection of Richardson Road and NY-62(Taylor Hollow Road). Seneca Heights is home to the Gernatt Family of Companies.
 * Taylor Hollow – A neighborhood community in the northeast corner of the town on NY-62. Taylor Hollow and Taylor Hollow Road were named for the 500 acres of land in that area that was the property of the Taylor Family, a dairy farming family, in the early part of the nineteenth century.
 * Tubtown – Located near intersection of Rt 62 & Rt 39 - A tub making company named Waltz Watermann Tubs built tubs there between 1899 and 1933. A bar was later named Tubtown in its honor in the 1970s.
 * Whites Corners – A location in the northeast corner of the town on NY-75. Named after Ezekiel White's large farm which was located on the intersection.
 * Zoar – A hamlet in the southeast corner of the town.
 * Zoar Valley – A scenic valley formed by Cattaraugus Creek.

Notable people

 * Elon Howard Eaton, ornithologist, scholar, and author
 * Daniel R. Gernatt, Sr. and Flavia C. (Schmitz) Gernatt, co-founders of the Gernatt Family of Companies
 * Frank Manly Thorn (1836–1907), lawyer, politician, government official, essayist, journalist, humorist, and inventor, sixth superintendent of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey (1885–1889), born in the portion of town that later became North Collins.

title: Collins, New York


text:
Concord, New York

Concord is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 8,494 at the 2010 census. The town is believed to be named after Concord, Massachusetts, by early settlers from New England.

Concord is on the southeastern border of Erie County. Its principal community is the village of Springville. Concord is one of the "Southtowns" of Erie County.

History
Concord was first settled around 1807, and it was established as a town in 1812 from the town of Willink (now defunct). At the time of its formation, the town stretched across the entire south part of the county. The town lost much of its territory in the subsequent formation of the Towns of Collins, North Collins, and Sardinia.

Notable people from Concord

 * Amos Eaton, notable scientist
 * George T. Day, pastor and writer
 * Elon Howard Eaton, ornithologist and author, born in Concord in 1866
 * Thomas M. Reynolds, former U.S. Congressman
 * Thomas J. Shear, former Wisconsin State Assemblyman
 * Jack Yellen (1892 – 1991), American lyricist and screenwriter

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 181.5 km2, of which 181.1 km2 is land and 0.4 km2, or 0.23%, is water.

The south town line, marked by Cattaraugus Creek, is the northern border of Cattaraugus County.

U.S. Route 219 (north-south) passes through the middle of the town, and New York State Route 240 passes along the eastern side. New York State Route 39 crosses the town from west to east.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,526 people, 3,264 households, and 2,268 families residing in the town. The population density was 121.6 PD/sqmi. There were 3,449 housing units at an average density of 49.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.40% White, 0.50% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.24% of the population.

There were 3,264 households, out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.0% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.6% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $40,891, and the median income for a family was $49,848. Males had a median income of $38,930 versus $24,531 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,477. About 4.3% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.4% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Concord

 * Concord – The hamlet of Concord, centrally located in the town.
 * Craneridge – A subdivision in the northeast corner of Concord.
 * East Concord – A hamlet by the east town line on Genesee Road.
 * Footes – A location in the southeast part of the town.
 * Fowlerville – A location near the northern town line.
 * Kahes Bridge – An historical location in the town.
 * Kissing Bridge – A ski resort in the northeast corner of the town on NY-240.
 * Morton Corners – The location in the southwest part of the town, west of Springville on NY-39.
 * Scoby Power Plant and Dam – A former hydroelectric dam on Cattaraugus Creek along the town's southern border. Currently the home of Scoby Dam Park, operated by Erie County.
 * Sprague Brook County Park – a county park north of Footes.
 * Springville – The Village of Springville is near the south town line at routes NY-39 and NY-240, along with US-219.
 * Woodside – A hamlet near the west town line.
 * Wyandale (formerly "Woodwards Hollow") – A hamlet in the northwest part of the town.

title: Concord, New York


text:
Depew, New York

Depew is a village in Erie County, New York. The population was 15,303 at the time of the 2010 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The village is named for Chauncey Depew, a politician and one of the original investors who bought the land for the village, which was incorporated in 1894.

The village extends across the boundary between the towns of Lancaster and Cheektowaga. The village lies on both sides of NY Route 78 (Transit Road), a major north-south route.

Village residents voted on January 17, 2017, to not dissolve the Village of Depew into the Towns of Lancaster and Cheektowaga, by a margin of 3,006–1,165.

Geography
Depew is located at 42.91167°N, -78.70167°W (42.911758, -78.701600).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 5.1 sqmi, all land.

Depew straddles the towns of Lancaster and Cheektowaga and is 11 mi east of downtown Buffalo. Depew is bordered to the east by the village of Lancaster.

History
Part of the area that Depew currently inhabits was first settled in 1808 by Apollos Hitchcock, just north of Cayuga Creek on the main road that connected Buffalo (spelled as "Buffaloe" at the time) with Lancaster village in what was then Jukdowaageh (now Cheektowaga), which some say meant "land of the crab apple" or "land of fruit and flowers". The land had been bought and surveyed by the Holland Land Company.

The following is from Our County and Its People A Descriptive Work of Erie County New York, edited by Truman C. White:

"Depew lies partly in Lancaster and partly in the town of Cheektowaga, but its history is so thoroughly identified with the territory under consideration that it may properly be treated wholly within this chapter. It was named in honor of Chauncey M. Depew, president of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Company, to which it owes its existence. That great corporation decided upon this site as a permanent location for its shops and auxiliary establishments, and on May 17, 1892, ground was broken. This was the signal for a general real estate boom in the vicinity. The great shops, covering about six acres, were first opened on April 1, 1893, with forty employees. Before the close of the year 1893 the following establishments had been completed or were well under way: The National Car Wheel Works, the Gould Coupler Company (occupying over six acres), and the Union Car Company (occupying about ten acres). The brass works were burned May 23, 1895, but immediately rebuilt. The first dwelling house was erected in April, 1893, and on May 1 of the same year John T. Lyman and George M. Beeman began the publication of the Depew Herald, which has had several proprietors, the present one being John T. Earl. In 1893 sixteen houses were erected, more than nine miles of plank sidewalk and 6,000 feet of sewers were laid, a fire company was organized, the New Palmer House by Alexander Stoddard and the Cleveland House by William Cleveland were built, and the water works were constructed by the Depew and Lancaster Water Works Company, of which Henry Koons was the first president.

On July 23, 1894, the village was incorporated, and the first officers elected August 21, were Dr. William Fairbanks, president; John Zurbrick, George Waltz and John Graney, trustees; Anthony Hartung, treasurer; Martin Kiefer, collector; J. N. Oswald, clerk. The corporate limits are about two and one-fourth miles square, and the population is about 2,800. In this year (1894) a hose company was organized, the plants of the Buffalo Cleaning and Dyeing Company and the Depew Brewing Company were established, the hardware store of Pratt & Matthews was opened, and the brick block of E. J. Durbin was erected. Union free school district No. 7, of Cheektowaga, taking in a part of the old district No. 4, Lancaster, was also organized, the first president being Franklin Zurbrick. At this time four schools were kept in the village. A brick school house was built on the south side in 1894-95 and another on the north side in 1895, each costing $10,000. The first principal was C. A. Walker. In 1894 the Depew Natural Gas Company was organized and began furnishing gas for lighting and fuel; three wells have been sunk on the north side. The Methodist Episcopal Society was organized July 6, 1894, with E. J. Durbin, B. C. Stoddard and A. W. Southall, trustees; an edifice was erected in 1895.

By February, 1895, the village had a population of 1,814, and by May about 500 dwellings had been erected and few large establishments were in operation employing 2,500 men. Transit Street was macadamized in this year, the German Lutheran church was built, and in December the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Emmaus Society was organized. A Roman Catholic church and an independent Polish Catholic church were erected in 1896. In 1893 a post-office was established with W. W. Turley as postmaster; he was followed by John Graney and he by Robert Hunter.

Depew has stations on the New York Central, the D., L. & W., the Erie and the Lehigh Valley Railroads; the latter constructed a branch direct to Tonawanda in 1895-96. The Depew Terminal Railroad was built from Depew to Blasdell in 1897. The Depew loop of the Buffalo, Bellevue & Lancaster Electric Railway was opened in 1894. Much of the growth of the village is due to the Depew Improvement Company, which donated the school, and church sites, and which was largely succeeded in 1897 by the Depew Syndicate, capitalized at $100,000."

Named after Chauncey Depew, the village was founded and it became a hub of rapid growth. Founded in 1892 as a rail center, the Village of Depew was incorporated on July 23, 1894. The Depew economy in the 19th century was based primarily on railroad-related industries, such as the Gould Coupler Company, manufacturers of knuckle-type railroad couplers.

In 1904, Quebec political figure William C. Clendinneng died in Depew after being hit by a train.

Depew High School has a long-standing rivalry, starting in 1919, with Lancaster High School. The rivalry between has been strong and it is still a great battle between the smaller school versus the larger school despite the fact that Lancaster has won a majority of the games between the two rivals.

Notable people

 * Lucille Clifton, poet who was born and raised in Depew
 * Pat Dobson, former MLB pitcher was born in Depew and attended Lancaster High School
 * Dennis H. Gabryszak, New York state assemblyman
 * Don Majkowski, former Green Bay Packers quarterback, born and raised in Depew and attended Depew High School
 * B. John Tutuska, former Erie County executive
 * Dale Volker, former New York state senator
 * Charles H. Hogan, train engineer

Government officials
Kevin Peterson is the current mayor. Andrew Adolf is the current Deputy Mayor. Patrick Deleney is the current chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals. Arthur Domino is the current village historian. Trustees include Janelle Kraft.

Historic places
The United States Post Office contains a mural, Beginning of the Day, painted in 1941 by Anne Poor and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. Federally commissioned murals were produced from 1934 to 1943 in the United States through the Section of Painting and Sculpture, later called the Section of Fine Arts, of the Treasury Department.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 15,303 people, 6,832 households, and 4,625 families residing in the village. The population density was 3,282.0 PD/sqmi. There were 7,101 housing units at an average density of 1,401.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 93.70% White, 2.30% African American, 0.70% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races, and 1.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.73% of the population.

There were 6,669 households, out of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.7% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 22.0% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $57,895, and the median income for a family was $50,021. Males had a median income of $35,219 versus $25,604 for females. The per capita income for the village was $19,914. About 3.6% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.

According to the New York State Department of Health, residents of the Village of Depew report instances of psychosis and schizotypal personality disorder 28% higher than the statewide average and incidence of Alzheimer's disease 42% higher than the statewide average, adjusted for population.

Adjacent cities and towns

 * Town of Cheektowaga - west, southwest, northwest
 * Town of Lancaster - east, southeast, northeast
 * Village of Lancaster - east

Transportation

 * Depew hosts the Buffalo-Depew Amtrak station just inside its western border with Cheektowaga. The main train station for the Buffalo area, it is served by the Lake Shore Limited (Chicago to New York City/Boston), Maple Leaf (Toronto to New York City), and Empire Service (Niagara Falls, NY to New York City).
 * [[Image:US 20.svg|20px]] U.S. Route 20 (Transit Road, Broadway), U.S. Route 20 runs east-west; however, when entering te Village of Depew concurrent with NY 78 on Transit, it runs north-south. US 20 ends concurrency with NY 78 at Broadway and turns east to travel into the Village of Lancaster.
 * [[Image:NY-78.svg|20px]] New York State Route 78 (Transit Road), north-south route through Depew, runs concurrently with US 20 south of village.
 * [[Image:NY-130.svg|22px]] New York State Route 130 (Broadway), east-west roadway through the village from the Cheektowaga town line at the west to NY 130's end at Transit Rd. (US 20/NY 78). Broadway continues east into Village of Lancaster as US 20.
 * New York State Route 952Q (Walden Avenue), East-West highway through the village from Cheektowaga to Lancaster. Walden is the longest non-parkway reference route in New York. Walden's reference route number is not signed, but still has reference markers, and is maintained by New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) as other signed routes are.

title: Depew, New York


text:
East Aurora, New York

East Aurora is a village in Erie County, New York, United States, southeast of Buffalo. It lies in the eastern half of the town of Aurora. The village population was 5,998 per the 2020 census. It is part of the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area. In 2015, East Aurora was rated the third-best town to raise a family in New York State by Niche. According to the National Council of Home Safety and Security, it is also among the safest places to live in New York State (ranked 1st, 2018).

History
The village was founded in 1804, and incorporated in 1874.

Prior to becoming President of the United States, Millard Fillmore lived in East Aurora with his wife Abigail from 1826 to 1830. The house he built there while practicing law in the beginning of his political career is currently maintained by the Aurora Historical Society. The 1825 structure is restored to that period and features some original Fillmore furniture of the era, as well as items from Fillmore's presidential years. The home is currently located at 24 Shearer Avenue in the village of East Aurora.

The founder of the Roycroft Movement, Elbert Hubbard, also lived there during the turn of the twentieth century. Hubbard and his wife died on board the RMS Lusitania in 1915. One of the town's most famous landmarks, the Roycroft Inn, was converted from the Hubbards' original print shop and opened as an inn in 1905 to accommodate the influx of famous visitors attracted by Hubbard's ideas as well as the books, Mission-style furniture and metalware produced by the 500 Roycroft artisans on the South Grove Street Roycroft campus. The Roycroft Campus was granted National Landmark Status in 1986. The Roycroft Inn was re-opened in June 1995 through the support of the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation. The inn was completely restored and is open to the public for dining and accommodations. The Elbert Hubbard Museum on Oakwood Avenue features an extensive collection of Roycroft books and Arts & Crafts pieces.

East Aurora is also the birthplace of and home to the corporate headquarters for Fisher-Price. From 1987 through 2007 the village and the Toy Town Museum (an independent non-profit organization located on the Fisher-Price campus) held the Toyfest Festival, which included the Toyfest parade featuring giant replicas of classic Fisher-Price toys. The three-day event was usually held at Hamlin Park and included an amusement park, circus-like attractions and a Fisher-Price play area where young children could play with a variety of toys. The town was the home of the inaugural owner of the NHL franchise Buffalo Sabres, Seymour H. Knox III. The Knox Estates, now known as Knox Farm, is a 633 acre New York state park. It is located on the northwest edge of the village.

The Millard Fillmore House, George and Gladys Scheidemantel House, and Roycroft Campus are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Adams family were the first settlers to stay a winter in East Aurora in 1804 and the family farm still stands today on Olean Road.

Contemporary issues
East Aurora was one of the first communities to successfully block a Walmart store, in 1995 and again in 1999. The act was led by a community group in an attempt to preserve the small town values, and help support privately owned businesses. Wegmans also attempted to come to East Aurora, but it was blocked by Tops, the only grocery store in East Aurora.

Geography
East Aurora is located at 42.76694°N, -78.61722°W (42.766809, -78.617121).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.5 sqmi, all land. Main Street in the village is U.S. Route 20A.

Points of interest
Main Street in East Aurora is lined with a variety of specialty shops, restaurants, churches, municipal buildings and carefully preserved homes. Businesses include The East Aurora Advertiser, the community newspaper since 1872, which has occupied its Main St. office for more than 100 years. On Riley Street sits the East Aurora Classic Rink, which was created by the Aurora Ice Association. The rink’s components such as the boards, glass and refrigeration system were purchased by the Aurora Ice Association and is the same equipment used in the 2008 NHL Winter Classic between the Buffalo Sabres and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,674 people, 2,596 households, and 1,728 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,653.8 PD/sqmi. There were 2,729 housing units at an average density of 1,085.3 /sqmi.

There were 2,596 households, out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.4% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% 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 3.05.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 25.6% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males. Since 2012, there has been a boost in families with very young children.

Schools
Children living in the village of East Aurora attend Parkdale Elementary (grades K–4), East Aurora Middle School (grades 5–8), and East Aurora High School (grades 9–12). Children living in the Town of Aurora attend the same public schools, with the notable exception of children living on Highland Drive in the Town of Aurora who attend the Iroquois School District due to a decision made in the 1960s. Immaculate Conception Catholic School (grades K-8) is the parochial and the Mandala school, a school that incorporates democratic and hands-on learning, are the alternatives. Children from the ages of one through four can attend nursery school on the Fisher Price campus, at the Duck Duck Goose Childcare Center or at some of the churches in East Aurora. Another option is the East Aurora Montessori School for ages two through five. Children may also attend Sprouting Minds Montessori School which is a school for infants through sixth grade providing a full Montessori curriculum to children in preschool through sixth grade. Sprouting Minds Montessori is located in the Town of Aurora near the West Falls borderline. Although not in East Aurora, the Aurora Waldorf School is a nearby option in West Falls providing an alternative Waldorf education to children from infancy through eighth grade.

In 2008 and 2009 additions and renovations totaling $24 million were made to the district's schools to address space and maintenance issues. Prior to 2009 students attended Parkdale Elementary in grades K–2, and Main Street Elementary for grades 3–8. Elements of the Roycroft style influenced the design of Parkdale Elementary's new entrance. The district gained approval on January 25, 2011, to begin contracting a roof repair project at the high school that would take place over the summer of 2011. The project did not have any tax impact on the community as it used funds from the district's emergency building repair fund and New York State Building Aid. The work was scheduled to begin on June 27, 2011.

Notable people

 * Randall James Bayer, botanist
 * Merritt C. Buxton, U.S. National Champion jockey
 * Christine Estabrook, actress
 * Margaret Evans Price, illustrator, co-founder of Fisher-Price
 * Abigail Fillmore, former First Lady of the United States
 * Millard Fillmore, 13th President of the United States of America
 * William Headline, former Washington bureau chief for CNN
 * Elbert Hubbard, writer, publisher, artist, philosopher, and founder of the Roycroft artist community; died aboard the sinking of the RMS Lusitania on May 7, 1915.
 * Jeremy Jacobs, owner of the Boston Bruins
 * Emily Janiga, Professional Hockey player for the NWHL Buffalo Beauts
 * Seymour H. Knox III, original owner of the Buffalo Sabres
 * Joseph McKeen Morrow, Wisconsin state assemblyman
 * Henry H. Persons, banker, businessman, New York State Senator.
 * Irving Price, co-founder of Fisher-Price and former mayor of East Aurora
 * Helen Schelle, co-founder of Fisher-Price
 * James Schuyler, New York School poet, moved to East Aurora with his family when he was 15 (the town is the setting for two of his poems, "The Morning of the Poem" and "A Few Days")
 * Julie Byrne, singer-songwriter
 * Albert Sharpe, All-American college football player
 * Luke Tasker, CFL wide receiver
 * Joe Slade White, political strategist

Art
East Aurora has been home to a number of regional landscape painters, most notably Carl W. Illig (1910-1987), who grew up and lived in the village for nearly all of his life. He painted landscape scenes along Cazenovia Creek, and fields and hills around East Aurora, in all seasons. His paintings are found in many homes in the village and surrounding towns.

Economy
Astronics is based in East Aurora.

East Aurora is home to the corporate headquarters of Moog, Inc. Moog is a designer and manufacturer of motion and fluid controls and control systems for applications in aerospace, defense, industrial and medical devices. The company operates under three segments: aircraft controls, space and defense controls, and industrial systems.

Cultural references

 * In the Whit Stillman movie Metropolitan, Nick Smith (played by Chris Eigeman) says that he will soon be taking a train to East Aurora, where he will meet his "stepmother of untrammeled malevolence, quite possibly to be murdered."
 * A Prince for Christmas was filmed in the village of East Aurora and premiered on the ION network on November 29, 2015.
 * A Christmas in Vermont was filmed in the village of East Aurora and other locations entirely in western NY. It premiered on the ION network on November 27, 2016.
 * Cold Brook was directed by William Fichtner was filmed in the village of East Aurora and other locations in Western NY. The movie was released October 15, 2018.

title: East Aurora, New York


text:
Elma, New York

 *  For other places with this name, see Elma.

Elma is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 11,721 at the 2020 census. The town is named after the American elm tree.

Elma is in the county's central area, southeast of Buffalo.

History
The area was settled circa 1827. The early residents included members of the Ebenezer Society.

Elma was the last town formed in the county. When the time came to put up a post office for the local lumber mill, a resident suggested it be named after a famous large American elm, then growing at the corner of the modern Clinton and Bowen Road. The name was accepted, and after all procedures were carried out, the new Elma Post Office was established in 1852 and began receiving mail three times a week. The town was officially created in 1857 from parts of the towns of Aurora and Lancaster.

Notable people
Fran Striker, the creator of the Lone Ranger and the Green Hornet, was killed in a car accident here on September 4, 1962, while moving with his family.

After moving back to western New York in 2007, long-time Buffalo Bills running back Thurman Thomas opened Thurman Thomas Sports Training in Elma.

Other notable people include:
 * Jackson C. Frank, folk musician
 * Patrick Gallivan, New York state senator
 * Jake Kaminski, Olympic archer
 * James Bradley, musician, drummer
 * Les Kuntar, retired NHL goaltender
 * Frank Lazarus, former president of the University of Dallas
 * Otto Orf, retired soccer goalkeeper
 * James A. Pawelczyk, astronaut

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 89.43 km2, of which 89.40 sqkm is land and 0.03 sqkm, or 0.03%, is water.

New York State Route 78 makes the west town line. The East Aurora Expressway (New York State Route 400) crosses the town.

Adjacent cities and towns

 * West Seneca - west
 * Orchard Park - west
 * Aurora - south
 * Wales - southeast
 * Marilla - east
 * Lancaster - north
 * Cheektowaga - northwest

Major highways

 * [[Image:US 20.svg|20px]] U.S. Route 20 (Transit Road), east–west highway (north–south in town) that marks the western border of town with Orchard Park and West Seneca. (Runs concurrently with NY 78 north of Seneca Street.)
 * [[Image:NY-16.svg|20px]] New York State Route 16 (Seneca Street), north–south roadway (northwest–southeast in town) that runs concurrent with NY 16 from West Seneca town line to Aurora town line.
 * [[Image:NY-78.svg|20px]] New York State Route 78 (Transit Road, Seneca Street), north–south roadway that marks west town line with West Seneca (when also concurrent with US 20) and runs concurrent with NY 16 southeast into town of Aurora.
 * [[Image:NY-187.svg|22px]] New York State Route 187 (Transit Road), north–south roadway that forms west boundary of town with Orchard Park. (Continuation of Transit after US 20 splits off to west.)
 * [[Image:NY-354.svg|22px]] New York State Route 354 (Clinton Street), east–west route through town from West Seneca to Marilla.
 * [[Image:NY-400.svg|22px]] New York State Route 400 (Aurora Expressway), north–south highway (runs generally east–west through town) from West Seneca town line at NY 16/NY 78 to Aurora town line just east of village of East Aurora.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,304 people, 4,186 households, and 3,294 families residing in the town. The population density was 327.7 PD/sqmi. There were 4,296 housing units at an average density of 124.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 99.09% White, 0.05% African American, 0.05% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.07% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.60% of the population.

There were 4,186 households, out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.0% were married couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.3% were non-families. 17.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males.

The town's median household income was $56,334, and the median family income was $63,922. Males had a median income of $42,679 versus $28,826 for females. The town's per capita income was $25,960. About 2.3% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Elma
Source:
 * Blossom – A hamlet in the town's Northwest corner. It was the principal location of the Ebenezer Society.
 * Cotton District – A hamlet located Northeast of Elma Center near the Clinton Road and Girdle Road area; named for multiple families named Cotton in the area.
 * East Elma – A hamlet in the southeast part of Elma.
 * Elma Center – A hamlet near the town's center and south of Elma Village on Bowen Road.
 * Elma Village – A hamlet near the Northern town line on Bowen Road.
 * Jamison Road – A hamlet located Southeast of Elma Center on Jamison Road.
 * Spring Brook – A hamlet on Route 16 (Seneca Street) near the Western town line.
 * Buffalo Creek – A stream flowing westward through the town's northern part. The name of the city of Buffalo is derived from the stream. There were no buffalo living in the area during the colonial period, although they are now raised on several local farms. As it approaches the city of Buffalo, the creek is called the Buffalo River.
 * Cazenovia Creek – A stream flowing northward through the town's Southwest part.
 * Billington Heights – A small, 1955-era housing development in the Southeast part of Elma; it is not a hamlet.

Schools
Public schools in Elma are under the jurisdiction of the Iroquois Central School District. Iroquois Central Schools consistently enjoys top rank as the 5th or 6th best public school in Western New York. Made up of approximately 3,000 students district-wide, Iroquois divides its students in an unconventional manner, with three primary schools for students in kindergarten through 3rd grade, an intermediate school for students in 4th and 5th grade, a middle school for students from 6th to 8th grade, and a high school for students in 9th to 12th grade.

While the primary schools are in the respective towns indicated by their names (Elma Primary, Marilla Primary, and Wales Primary), the other three schools are on the same expansive campus at 2111 Girdle Road in Elma. The campus is divided such that the high school and middle school are separated by the intermediate school, acting as a buffer between the similar age groups. The three buildings are connected by walkways, but students rarely leave the building to which their grade belongs. In accord, the primary, intermediate, middle, and high school buildings each have their own gymnasium, cafeteria, library, and administrative offices.

One of the school district's greatest assets is the expansive undeveloped areas that surround each school that provide open space for younger students to play and older students to take part in extracurricular activities.

Some of the latest additions to the school, in fact, involve the development of a large field across the street from the high school. These fields across from the high school have been developed recently into a parking lot for students as well as soccer and lacrosse fields for the teams. In addition, the middle school library was recently remodeled, an extra wing of classrooms was added to the high school, and plans call for the renovation of the high school music department.

Industry
The headquarters for beverage manufacturer Elmhurst 1925 are in Elma. The Made In America Franchise is also headquartered in Elma. Moog, an aerospace engineering company also resides here.

Fire companies
The town of Elma has four volunteer fire companies: Blossom, Elma, Jamison Road, and Spring Brook. Blossom is one of the oldest fire companies in the county, establishing in 1872.

title: Elma, New York


text:
Elma Center, New York

Elma Center is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Elma in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, this community population was 2,571. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Elma Center is located near the center of the town on Bowen Road.

Geography
Elma Center is located at 42.8325°N, -78.63333°W (42.832559, -78.633242).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the community has a total area of 6.2 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
At the 2000 census there were 2,491 people, 967 households, and 731 families living in the community. The population density was 399.0 PD/sqmi. There were 993 housing units at an average density of 159.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 99.00% White, 0.04% African American, 0.36% Asian, 0.12% from other races, and 0.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.52%.

Of the 967 households 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.2% were married couples living together, 4.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.4% were non-families. 21.7% of households were one person and 11.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.01.

The age distribution was 22.0% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 29.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% 65 or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.5 males.

The median household income was $54,010 and the median family income was $61,500. Males had a median income of $42,071 versus $30,037 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $25,877. About 2.1% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over.

title: Elma Center, New York


text:
Evans, New York

Evans is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 16,356 at the 2010 census. The town derives its name from David E. Evans, an agent of the Holland Land Company and nephew of land agent Joseph Ellicott.

The town is approximately 20 mi southwest of Buffalo and is a rural community with 12 mi of waterfront. The town is located close to the major trading centers of the Northeast and is a bi-national gateway for commerce due to the region's border location with Canada.

History
The town of Evans was established in 1821 from part of the town of Eden. The first settler arrived circa 1804, but there was no permanent settlement until 1808. David Evans was named the local agent of the Holland Land Company in 1827. He was known for his humane management of the company business in relation to the impoverished settlers.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 107.64 km2, of which 107.56 km2 is land and 0.08 sqkm, or 0.08%, is water.

The New York State Thruway (Interstate 90), US 20 (Southwestern Boulevard), and NY 5 (Erie Road) pass through the town.

The north town line is defined by Eighteen Mile Creek, which is well known for excellent fossil formations. Lake Erie defines the west town line.

Neighboring towns
The town of Brant is to the south, Hamburg is to the northeast, and the town of Eden is to the east.

Communities and locations

 * Angola – A village in the south part of the town.
 * Angola Lake Shore Addition – A community in the southwest part of the town.
 * Angola on the Lake – A lakeside community by Lake Erie.
 * Bennett Beach – A lakeside park west of Evans Center.
 * Camp Lakeland – A lakeside community by Lake Erie.
 * Camp Pioneer – A lakeside community by Lake Erie.
 * Derby – A hamlet in the northwestern part of the town.
 * Evans Beach Park – A hamlet on the lake shore west of Angola.
 * Evans Center – A hamlet on NY-5 north of Angola.
 * Evangola State Park – A small part of the state park is at the town's south line.
 * Grandview Bay – A lakeside hamlet west of Angola.
 * Highland-on-the-Lake – A lakeside hamlet on NY-5.
 * Jerusalem Corners – A hamlet in the western part of the town.
 * Lake Erie Beach – A lakeside hamlet southwest of Angola.
 * North Evans – A hamlet in the northeastern corner of the town.
 * Pontiac – A location near the eastern town line.
 * Wendt Beach Park – A lakeside park north of Camp Lakeland.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,070 people, 6,639 households, and 4,773 families residing in the town. The population density was 420.5 PD/sqmi. There were 7,507 housing units at an average density of 179.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.81% White, 0.38% African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population.

There were 6,639 households, out of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $43,142, and the median income for a family was $50,765. Males had a median income of $39,022 versus $26,698 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,122. About 5.4% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation
The Town's waterfront location has also made it a popular spot for tourism and recreation, especially during the summer months. Bennett Beach and Wendt Beach Park are popular recreation and tourism spots in the town. Sturgeon Point Marina is also a popular recreation spot in the town. A small part of Evangola State Park lies within the town at the south town line.

Government
Evans is served by five volunteer fire departments, which are Highland Hose, North Evans, Evans Center, Angola and Lake Erie Beach.

Police services are provided by the Evans Police Department. The Marine Rescue and Recovery Unit of the Evans Police Department responds to calls for assistance in water and ice rescue situations, including drowning or possible drowning, boating accidents, and recovery of property and bodies. The Evans Police have two Humvees for inclement weather and search and rescue operations. The Department acquired these vehicles through the 1033 program. The Town of Evans Communications Center dispatches Emergency Services for Brant Police and Fire Departments, Towns of Collins, North Collins, Village of North Collins and Seneca Nation Territory. Over all 13 fire companies and two EMS companies.

Education
The town has one high school, one middle school, three elementary schools and an educational center (formerly an elementary school).

Notable people

 * Willis Carrier, inventor of air conditioning
 * Alfred Gray, former Kansas legislator
 * Patrick Kaleta, ice hockey player for the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL
 * Christian Laettner, former NBA player
 * Nathaniel O. Murray, Wisconsin State Assemblyman and steamboat owner
 * Francis J. Pordum, former New York state assemblyman, served as Town Supervisor
 * A. W. Shepard, former college football head coach, lived in North Evans

title: Evans, New York


text:
Farnham, New York

Farnham is a village in the town of Brant, Erie County, New York, United States. The population of Farnham was 381 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The village is named after Leroy Farnham, a local landowner and merchant.

Farnham is located in the western part of the town of Brant, north of the Cattaraugus Reservation and southeast of Evangola State Park.

History
The Village of Farnham was incorporated in 1892, having been built up around the Lake Shore Railroad.

Geography
Farnham is located at 42.59167°N, -79.08528°W (42.591643, -79.085173).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.2 sqmi, all land.

Farnham is at the junction of New York State Route 5 and New York State Route 249.

Demographics
At the 2000 census, there were 322 people, 113 households and 87 families living in the village. The population density was 266.7 PD/sqmi. There were 126 housing units at an average density of 104.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 95.03% White, 0.93% African American, 1.24% Native American, 0.62% from other races, and 2.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.24% of the population.

There were 113 households, of which 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were married couples living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.0% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.28.

Age distribution was 28.6% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males.

The median household income was $35,000, and the median family income was $37,000. Males had a median income of $31,000 versus $25,208 for females. The per capita income for the village was $14,386. About 7.0% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.2% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Notable person

 * Clint Holmes, singer-songwriter and Las Vegas entertainer; lived in Farnham as a child

title: Farnham, New York