Bowmansville, New York
Encyclopedia
Bowmansville is a hamlet
located in the Town of Lancaster
in Erie County, New York
, United States. The hamlet is named after Benjamin Bowman, the owner of sawmills
on Ellicott Creek
in the center of the hamlet.
) over a cataract in Ellicott Creek
. Downstream from Bowmansville, bordered by Ellicott Creek, is the Pfohl Brothers Landfill
, a superfund
site.
, as near as can be ascertained, were James and Asa Woodward, in 1803, in Bowmansville. In 1808 a road was cut from Buffalo
through Lancaster village
, eastward, and in the same year Daniel Robinson built the first sawmill
in town at Bowmansville. About 1810 Benjamin Bowman purchased this mill and built another, and ever since then the place has been designated by his name. The gristmills were owned by the Bowman family for about fifty years; the grist mill passed to John Pentelow and is now abandoned. Bowmansville also had a train station for the West Shore Railroad
just off of Maple Drive north of the hamlet.
, Salvatore's Italian Gardens Restaurant on Transit Road
, the Harris Hill Golf Center, and the offices of Dr. Philip Penepent also on Genesee Street
.
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
located in the Town of Lancaster
Lancaster, New York
Lancaster, New York may refer to the following locations in Erie County, New York:*Lancaster , New York*Lancaster , New York...
in Erie County, New York
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
, United States. The hamlet is named after Benjamin Bowman, the owner of sawmills
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
on Ellicott Creek
Ellicott Creek
Ellicott Creek is a stream in Western New York, United States. It is a tributary of Tonawanda Creek, which in turn into the Niagara River.-Course:...
in the center of the hamlet.
Geography
Bowmansville is located at 42°56′27"N 78°41′5"W (42.562793, -78.410556). Bowmansville is in the northwest corner of the town and is centered on the Genesee Street Bridge (NY Route 33New York State Route 33
New York State Route 33 is an east–west state highway in western New York in the United States. The route extends for just under from NY 5 in Buffalo in the west to NY 31 in Rochester in the east. It is, in fact, the only state highway that directly connects both cities, although...
) over a cataract in Ellicott Creek
Ellicott Creek
Ellicott Creek is a stream in Western New York, United States. It is a tributary of Tonawanda Creek, which in turn into the Niagara River.-Course:...
. Downstream from Bowmansville, bordered by Ellicott Creek, is the Pfohl Brothers Landfill
Pfohl Brothers Landfill
The Pfohl Brothers Landfill was a privately owned and operated landfill in Cheektowaga, New York. The landfill accepted municipal and industrial wastes from 1932 until 1971. It is located 1/2 mile east of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport and sits on the north bank of Ellicott Creek. It...
, a superfund
Superfund
Superfund is the common name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 , a United States federal law designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances...
site.
History
The first actual settlers of the Town of LancasterLancaster, New York
Lancaster, New York may refer to the following locations in Erie County, New York:*Lancaster , New York*Lancaster , New York...
, as near as can be ascertained, were James and Asa Woodward, in 1803, in Bowmansville. In 1808 a road was cut from Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
through Lancaster village
Lancaster (village), New York
Lancaster is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 11,188. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, eastward, and in the same year Daniel Robinson built the first sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
in town at Bowmansville. About 1810 Benjamin Bowman purchased this mill and built another, and ever since then the place has been designated by his name. The gristmills were owned by the Bowman family for about fifty years; the grist mill passed to John Pentelow and is now abandoned. Bowmansville also had a train station for the West Shore Railroad
West Shore Railroad
The West Shore Railroad was the final name of a railroad from Weehawken, New Jersey, across the Hudson River from New York City, north along the west shore of the river to Albany, New York and then west to Buffalo...
just off of Maple Drive north of the hamlet.
Economy
Significant businesses in the area include Schmitt's Audi Volkswagen, founded in 1921, on Genesee StreetNew York State Route 33
New York State Route 33 is an east–west state highway in western New York in the United States. The route extends for just under from NY 5 in Buffalo in the west to NY 31 in Rochester in the east. It is, in fact, the only state highway that directly connects both cities, although...
, Salvatore's Italian Gardens Restaurant on Transit Road
New York State Route 78
New York State Route 78 , most commonly known as Transit Road, is a state highway in Western New York, USA. While it is signed north–south, the lower portion runs in an east–west direction across Wyoming County, from its beginning north of the Village of Gainesville.NY 78 is...
, the Harris Hill Golf Center, and the offices of Dr. Philip Penepent also on Genesee Street
New York State Route 33
New York State Route 33 is an east–west state highway in western New York in the United States. The route extends for just under from NY 5 in Buffalo in the west to NY 31 in Rochester in the east. It is, in fact, the only state highway that directly connects both cities, although...
.
Major highways
-
Interstate 90Interstate 90Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate, and parallels US 20 for the most part. Its western terminus is in Seattle, at Edgar Martinez Drive S. near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, and its eastern terminus is in...
(New York State ThruwayNew York State ThruwayThe New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
) East-West tollway that passes just north of the hamlet.
-
New York State Route 78New York State Route 78New York State Route 78 , most commonly known as Transit Road, is a state highway in Western New York, USA. While it is signed north–south, the lower portion runs in an east–west direction across Wyoming County, from its beginning north of the Village of Gainesville.NY 78 is...
(Transit Road) North-South highway that marks the west edge of the hamlet.
-
New York State Route 33New York State Route 33New York State Route 33 is an east–west state highway in western New York in the United States. The route extends for just under from NY 5 in Buffalo in the west to NY 31 in Rochester in the east. It is, in fact, the only state highway that directly connects both cities, although...
(Genesee Street) East-West Highway through the hamlet from the Lancaster town line on the west to east.
Notable residents
- Adolf Family
- Amenta Family
- Bowman Family
- Gruhler Family
- Marinelli Family
- Orel Family
- Robinson Family
- Schmitt Family
- Sojka Family
- UlrichUlrichUlrich, formerly Huldrich or Huldrych, is a Germanic name, derived from Old High German Uodalrich . It is also common as a German language surname...
Family (Immigrated from WürttembergWürttembergWürttemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
, Germany in 1840s)