Brighton, Monroe County, New York
Encyclopedia
Brighton is a town
in Monroe County
, New York
, USA
. The population was 36,609 at the 2010 census.
, the town has a total area of 15.6 square miles (40.5 km²), of which, 15.5 square miles (40.0 km²) of it is land and 0.17 square miles (0.4 km²) of it (1.1%) is water.
In terms of latitude and longitude, Brighton is located at 43°7′24"N 77°34′5"W
Brighton has lacked a central village since the city of Rochester annexed the area around East Avenue and Winton Road, formerly the village of Brighton, in 1905. The central entertainment and commercial hub is the Twelve Corners, so named because three intersecting roads, Winton Road, Monroe Avenue and Elmwood Avenue, define 12 distinct corners. Also, both the High School (Brighton High School
) and the Middle School (Twelve Corners Middle School
) are located at Twelve Corners. Brighton is bordered by the city of Rochester to the northwest, the town of Henrietta
to the south, the Genesee River
to the west, and the towns of Pittsford
and Penfield
to the east. Brighton is located some 60 miles (96.6 km) from Buffalo
, and 90 miles (144.8 km) from Syracuse
. The Erie Canal
courses through Brighton, accompanied by the acclaimed Erie Canal Heritage Trail, one of the longest continuous stretches of maintained off-road trail in the United States.
of 2000, there were 35,588 people, 15,854 households, and 8,687 families residing in the town. The population density
was 2,302.5 people per square mile (888.8/km²). There were 16,705 housing units at an average density of 417.2 persons/km² (1,080.8 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the town was 86.09% White,8.13% Asian, 3.70% African American,1.33% from two or more races, 0.10% Native American, , 0.03% Pacific Islander and 0.63% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.34% of the population.
There were 15,854 households out of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples
living together, 6.8% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 45.2% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the town the population was spread out with 20.0% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 88.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $52,066, and the median income for a family was $70,436. Males had a median income of $46,292 versus $35,171 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $32,642. 6.1% of the population and 3.0% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 4.9% are under the age of 18 and 5.2% are 65 or older.
See also: Brighton (CDP), New York
The area is served by the Brighton Central School District
, which frequently earns high positions in Newsweek
national rankings (5th in 1998). Very recently, the ratings have gone down, possibly because some of the school teachers in Brighton have retired or because of increased emphasis on APs in other schools. In 2007, Brighton placed higher (87th) than its cross-town rival, Pittsford Mendon High School
(94th) for the first time in several years.
Brighton was recently ranked #56 out of over 18,000 in the inaugural "US News & World Report" ranking of U.S. high schools (2007), which is generally regarded as having more breadth of analysis than the Newsweek rankings. (The former rankings are formed based upon numerous quantifiable factors, whereas the Newsweek rankings solely examine the raw number of students enrolled in AP classes per capita.) No other school in Monroe County placed in the top 1,000, including, most notably, cross-town rival Pittsford Mendon High School.
In 2006, Twelve Corners Middle School
received the "Schools to Watch" award, and again was recertified in 2009. It is one of only ten Middle Schools in New York to receive the "Schools to Watch" award.
Brighton is also home to the main campus of Monroe Community College
and an auxiliary campus of the University of Rochester
.
, consisting of a supervisor and four town council members. The supervisor is elected to a two-year term and serves as the CEO of the municipality and chairperson of the town board. The council members serve four-year terms. Voters also elect two town justices and a town clerk. Town justices serve a four-year term, and the clerk is elected to a two-year term. In 2009, the voters elected Sandra Frankel
to her 10th term as supervisor
. As of February, 2010, the town board consisted of James R. Vogel, Raymond Tierney III, Louise Novros and Sheila Gadis. Unlike most other suburbs of Rochester, Brighton tends to elect mostly Democrats
to town government positions.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Monroe County
Monroe County, New York
Monroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 744,344. It is named after James Monroe, fifth President of the United States of America. Its county seat is the city of Rochester....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 36,609 at the 2010 census.
History
The Town of Brighton, located on the southeast border of the city of Rochester, was originally settled approximately 1790, and formally established in 1814—earning it recognition as one of the oldest towns in Monroe County. Named for Brighton, England, it remained a farming and brick-making community until the 20th century, when the town began its evolution into an upscale suburban residential area, occupying some 15 square miles (38.8 km²). In 1999, the town purchased 64 acres (259,000 m²) with the intention of developing a central park.Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 15.6 square miles (40.5 km²), of which, 15.5 square miles (40.0 km²) of it is land and 0.17 square miles (0.4 km²) of it (1.1%) is water.
In terms of latitude and longitude, Brighton is located at 43°7′24"N 77°34′5"W
Brighton has lacked a central village since the city of Rochester annexed the area around East Avenue and Winton Road, formerly the village of Brighton, in 1905. The central entertainment and commercial hub is the Twelve Corners, so named because three intersecting roads, Winton Road, Monroe Avenue and Elmwood Avenue, define 12 distinct corners. Also, both the High School (Brighton High School
Brighton High School (New York)
Brighton High School, commonly abbreviated BHS, is a public high school located in Rochester, New York, in the suburb of Brighton. It offers a comprehensive curriculum for students in grades 9-12.The current principal is Dr...
) and the Middle School (Twelve Corners Middle School
Twelve Corners Middle School
Twelve Corners Middle School is a middle school in the town of Brighton, a suburb of Rochester, New York. Twelve Corners Middle School is part of the Brighton Central School District....
) are located at Twelve Corners. Brighton is bordered by the city of Rochester to the northwest, the town of Henrietta
Henrietta
Henrietta may refer to:* Henrietta , a feminine given name, derived from the male name Henry- Places :* Henrietta Island in the Arctic Ocean* Henrietta, Missouri* Henrietta, New York* Henrietta, Ohio* Henrietta, Texas* Henrietta, Wisconsin...
to the south, the Genesee River
Genesee River
The Genesee River is a North American river flowing northward through the Twin Tiers of Pennsylvania and New York. The river provided the original power for the Rochester area's 19th century mills and still provides hydroelectric power for downtown Rochester....
to the west, and the towns of Pittsford
Pittsford (town), New York
Pittsford is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States and is an affluent suburb of Rochester. The population was 29,405 at the 2010 census....
and Penfield
Penfield, New York
Penfield is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States. The population was 36,242 at the 2010 census.The town was incorporated in 1810 by the proprietor, Daniel Penfield, who purchased the town lands in 1795 and moved to the area in 1809. Penfield is a suburb of Rochester, New York...
to the east. Brighton is located some 60 miles (96.6 km) 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...
, and 90 miles (144.8 km) from Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. The Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
courses through Brighton, accompanied by the acclaimed Erie Canal Heritage Trail, one of the longest continuous stretches of maintained off-road trail in the United States.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 35,588 people, 15,854 households, and 8,687 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,302.5 people per square mile (888.8/km²). There were 16,705 housing units at an average density of 417.2 persons/km² (1,080.8 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the town was 86.09% White,8.13% Asian, 3.70% African American,1.33% from two or more races, 0.10% Native American, , 0.03% Pacific Islander and 0.63% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.34% of the population.
There were 15,854 households out of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.8% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 45.2% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the town the population was spread out with 20.0% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 88.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $52,066, and the median income for a family was $70,436. Males had a median income of $46,292 versus $35,171 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $32,642. 6.1% of the population and 3.0% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 4.9% are under the age of 18 and 5.2% are 65 or older.
See also: Brighton (CDP), New York
Brighton (CDP), New York
Brighton is a census-designated place in Monroe County, New York, United States. The population was 35,584 at the 2000 census. The CDP takes its name from locations in the county.Town of Brighton is a town south of the City of Rochester...
Education
Brighton Central School District
The Brighton Central School District is a public school district in New York State that serves approximately 3700 students in the town of Brighton and portions of Pittsford and Rochester in Monroe County with over 600 employees and an operating budget of $60,547,645.The average class size is 21...
, which frequently earns high positions in Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
national rankings (5th in 1998). Very recently, the ratings have gone down, possibly because some of the school teachers in Brighton have retired or because of increased emphasis on APs in other schools. In 2007, Brighton placed higher (87th) than its cross-town rival, Pittsford Mendon High School
Pittsford Mendon High School
Pittsford Mendon High School is a public high school in suburban Rochester, Monroe County, upstate New York. It is one of two high schools in the Pittsford Central School District, the other being Pittsford Sutherland High School...
(94th) for the first time in several years.
Brighton was recently ranked #56 out of over 18,000 in the inaugural "US News & World Report" ranking of U.S. high schools (2007), which is generally regarded as having more breadth of analysis than the Newsweek rankings. (The former rankings are formed based upon numerous quantifiable factors, whereas the Newsweek rankings solely examine the raw number of students enrolled in AP classes per capita.) No other school in Monroe County placed in the top 1,000, including, most notably, cross-town rival Pittsford Mendon High School.
In 2006, Twelve Corners Middle School
Twelve Corners Middle School
Twelve Corners Middle School is a middle school in the town of Brighton, a suburb of Rochester, New York. Twelve Corners Middle School is part of the Brighton Central School District....
received the "Schools to Watch" award, and again was recertified in 2009. It is one of only ten Middle Schools in New York to receive the "Schools to Watch" award.
Brighton is also home to the main campus of Monroe Community College
Monroe Community College
Monroe Community College is a two-year college of the State University of New York, located in Monroe County, New York. The college has two campuses, one in the town of Brighton and another, the Damon City Campus, in the City of Rochester...
and an auxiliary campus of the University of Rochester
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
.
Government
Brighton is governed by an elected town councilTown council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
, consisting of a supervisor and four town council members. The supervisor is elected to a two-year term and serves as the CEO of the municipality and chairperson of the town board. The council members serve four-year terms. Voters also elect two town justices and a town clerk. Town justices serve a four-year term, and the clerk is elected to a two-year term. In 2009, the voters elected Sandra Frankel
Sandra Frankel
Sandra L. Frankel is the Supervisor of the Town of Brighton, Monroe County, New York. A former school board member, Frankel is a longtime town supervisor....
to her 10th term as supervisor
Town supervisor
Town Supervisor is an elective legislative position in New York towns. Supervisors sit on the town board, where they preside over town board meetings and vote on all matters with no more legal weight than that of any other board member .Towns may adopt local laws that allow them to provide for an...
. As of February, 2010, the town board consisted of James R. Vogel, Raymond Tierney III, Louise Novros and Sheila Gadis. Unlike most other suburbs of Rochester, Brighton tends to elect mostly Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to town government positions.
Notable residents
- Frederick DouglassFrederick DouglassFrederick Douglass was an American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman. After escaping from slavery, he became a leader of the abolitionist movement, gaining note for his dazzling oratory and incisive antislavery writing...
1818 – February 20, 1895,social reformer, orator, writer, statesman, leader in the underground railroad and statesmen "I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong." - Marion B. Folsom (1893-1976), former cabinet Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare in the Eisenhower Administration.
- Al CerviAl CerviAlfred Nicholas Cervi was an American professional basketball player and coach in the National Basketball League and National Basketball Association . One of the strongest backcourt players of the 1940s and 1950s, he was always assigned to defend against the opposing team's best scoring threat...
, Basketball Hall of Famer - David DiamondDavid DiamondDavid Diamond is the name of:* David Diamond , American composer* David Diamond * David Diamond , American screenwriter* David Diamond, frontman and songwriter with Canadian band The Kings...
, composer of classical music - David Cay JohnstonDavid Cay JohnstonDavid Cay Johnston is an investigative journalist and author, a specialist in economics and tax issues, and winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Beat Reporting....
, Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winning New York Times reporter - David T. KearnsDavid T. KearnsDavid Todd Kearns was an American businessman who was CEO of Xerox Corporation and Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education . He died on the 25th of February, 2011.-Early life:...
, former XeroxXeroxXerox Corporation is an American multinational document management corporation that produced and sells a range of color and black-and-white printers, multifunction systems, photo copiers, digital production printing presses, and related consulting services and supplies...
CEO, former Deputy Secretary of Education - Dana FoxDana FoxDana Fox is an American screenwriter best known as the writer of the 2005 film The Wedding Date and the 2008 film What Happens in Vegas.-Career:...
, Hollywood screenwriterScreenwriterScreenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, The Wedding DateThe Wedding DateThe Wedding Date is a 2005 romantic comedy directed by Clare Kilner, who also directed How to Deal . The release was successful achieving $47 million worldwide at the box office against a budget of $15 million... - Walter HagenWalter HagenWalter Charles Hagen was a major figure in golf in the first half of the 20th century. His tally of eleven professional majors is third behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods . He won the U.S. Open twice, and in 1922 he became the first native-born American to win the British Open, which he went on...
(1892-1969), "Golf's Greatest Showman", World Golf Hall-of-Famer, won 11 Majors. - Shirley JacksonShirley JacksonShirley Jackson was an American author. A popular writer in her time, her work has received increasing attention from literary critics in recent years...
(1916-1965), author of The LotteryThe Lottery"The Lottery" is a short story by Shirley Jackson, first published in the June 26, 1948, issue of The New Yorker. Written the same month it was published, it is ranked today as "one of the most famous short stories in the history of American literature".... - Robert L. KingRobert L. KingRobert L. King is an American political figure most notable for having served as Monroe County, New York Executive and as the Chancellor of the State University of New York....
, former assemblyman, former Monroe County executive, former chancellor of the State University of New York - Linda Sue ParkLinda Sue ParkLinda Sue Park is an American author of children's fiction. Park published her first novel, Seesaw Girl, in 1999. She has written six children’s novels and five picture books. Park’s work achieved prominence when she received the prestigious 2002 Newbery Medal for her novel A Single Shard...
, Newbery award winning author - Matt Medved, reporter
- Abraham Rothberg, author
- Heidi "Hudson" LeickHudson LeickHeidi Hudson Leick is an American actress, known for her role as villain Callisto in the TV series Xena: Warrior Princess. She is a certified Yoga instructor and intuitive counselor at the Healing Heart Yoga Center.-Biography:...
, Xena: Warrior PrincessXena: Warrior PrincessXena: Warrior Princess is an American–New Zealand supernatural fantasy adventure series that aired in syndication from September 4, 1995 until June 18, 2001....
actress, played "Callisto" - Kristen WiigKristen WiigKristen Carroll Wiig is an American film and television actress who currently appears as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. Wiig was a member of improvisational comedy troupe The Groundlings, and has appeared in several films and television series, including Bridesmaids, MacGruber, Flight of...
, Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
performer, film actress and screenwriter ("Bridesmaids") - Charles BillinghurstCharles BillinghurstCharles Billinghurst was a U.S. Representative from Wisconsin.Born in Brighton, New York, Billinghurst attended the common schools.He studied law....
, U.S. Representative from WisconsinWisconsinWisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is... - Charles Adrion, selected twice as most valuable player for the Georgetown University Hoyas (http://www.hoyabasketball.com/rosters/alltime-a.htm).
- Charles AugustCharles AugustCharles "Chuck" J. August was an American businessman who founded Monro Muffler Brake.August's career in automotive maintenance and repair began as a Midas Muffler franchisee in 1957 in Rochester, New York. In 1966, he discontinued his affiliation with Midas...
, founder of Monro Muffler Brake
External links
- Brighton town website
- Erie Canal Heritage Trail
- Walter Hagen Home Historic Site
- Brighton-Pittsford Post—local newspaper
- Brighton Public School System—rated 11th best in the US by Newsweek
- Brighton Town Court
- Railroad Stations