Dunkirk (city), New York
Encyclopedia
Dunkirk is a city in Chautauqua County, New York
in the USA
. It was officially incorporated in 1880, though it was first settled around 1805. The population was 12,563 at the 2010 census. Dunkirk is bordered on the north by Lake Erie
. It shares a border with the Village of Fredonia
to the south, and with the Town of Dunkirk
to the east and west. Dunkirk is the westernmost city in the state of New York
.
, the city has a total area of 4.6 square miles (11.8 km²), of which, 4.5 square miles (11.7 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.88%) is water.
of 2000, there were 13,131 people, 5,477 households, and 3,335 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,899.6 people per square mile (1,119.2/km²). There were 6,071 housing units at an average density of 1,340.6 per square mile (517.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.00% Puerto Rican, 4.4% Black or African American
, 0.52% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 9.14% from other races
, and 2.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.86% of the population.
There were 5,477 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.4% were married couples
living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,313, and the median income for a family was $35,058. Males had a median income of $29,462 versus $21,682 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,482. About 18.5% of families and 22.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.0% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.
Chautauqua County, New York
-Major highways:* Interstate 86/New York State Route 17 * Interstate 90 * U.S. Route 20* U.S. Route 62* New York State Route 5* New York State Route 39* New York State Route 60* New York State Route 394...
in the USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was officially incorporated in 1880, though it was first settled around 1805. The population was 12,563 at the 2010 census. Dunkirk is bordered on the north by Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
. It shares a border with the Village of Fredonia
Fredonia, New York
Fredonia is a village in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 11,068 as of 2009.The Village of Fredonia is in the Town of Pomfret south of Lake Erie...
to the south, and with the Town of Dunkirk
Dunkirk (town), New York
Dunkirk is a town in Chautauqua County, New York, USA. The population was 1,387 at the 2000 census.The Town of Dunkirk surrounds the City of Dunkirk, which is a separate entity, not a part of the town.- History :...
to the east and west. Dunkirk is the westernmost city in the state of 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...
.
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 city has a total area of 4.6 square miles (11.8 km²), of which, 4.5 square miles (11.7 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.88%) is water.
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 13,131 people, 5,477 households, and 3,335 families residing in the city. 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 2,899.6 people per square mile (1,119.2/km²). There were 6,071 housing units at an average density of 1,340.6 per square mile (517.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.00% Puerto Rican, 4.4% Black or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.52% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 9.14% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.86% of the population.
There were 5,477 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.4% were married couples
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, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,313, and the median income for a family was $35,058. Males had a median income of $29,462 versus $21,682 for females. The per capita income
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 city was $15,482. About 18.5% of families and 22.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.0% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.
Education
- A branch of Jamestown Community CollegeJamestown Community CollegeJamestown Community College is a two-year college in the SUNY system. JCC has two campuses in Chautauqua County, New York, located in Dunkirk and Jamestown. A third campus serves Cattaraugus County in Olean. A fourth site is located in Warren, Pennsylvania...
is in Dunkirk. - Dunkirk High SchoolDunkirk High SchoolDunkirk High School is a public high school located in Dunkirk, New York. It is situated on 6th Street, a few blocks from the city downtown. The High School enrolls 680 students in grades 9 through 12.-School Overview:...
, home of the Marauders, is part of the public Dunkirk City School District. - Northern Chautauqua Catholic School is a K-8th grade school under the Roman Catholic Diocese of BuffaloRoman Catholic Diocese of BuffaloThe Diocese of Buffalo is a Catholic diocese headquartered in Buffalo, New York, USA. The current Bishop is the Most Rev. Edward U. Kmiec.The Diocese of Buffalo was established 23 April 1847. It consists of Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Orleans, Chautauqua, Wyoming, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties...
.
Transportation
- The Chautauqua County-Dunkirk Airport (DKK), located in the Town of Dunkirk, provides both training facilities and charter services.
- Railroad service in Dunkirk is served by CSX TransportationCSX TransportationCSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
(via the Buffalo-Cleveland-Willard (Ohio)-Chicago Main Line) and Norfolk Southern RailwayNorfolk Southern RailwayThe Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
(Buffalo-Cleveland-Fort Wayne-Chicago Main Line).
Notable facts
- Dunkirk was once home to the world's tallest one-piece wooden flagpole.
- Dunkirk officially celebrated it centennial (1880–1980) in 1980, featuring a year-long series of events, including a pagent that summer narrating the history of Dunkirk, held outside on the football field of Dunkirk High School. A time capsule containing artifacts from the present, such as letters written by elementary school students, was buried at city hall and scheduled to be opened 50 and 100 years later, in 2030 and 2080, respectively. Long-time city Parks and Recreation Department Director Robert Patterson was the chairman of the centennial.
- During World War II, up to 425 Italian and German prisoners of war were held at the Chautauqua County fairgrounds on Central Avenue.
- The Chautauqua County Fair is held each summer in Dunkirk at the fairgrounds off of Central Avenue.
- The Dunkirk High School varsity baseball team, led by Coach William Walters and pitchers David Orth ('88) and Bob Krzyzanowicz ('89), won the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Class B championship in 1988, after which the portion of Woodrow Drive bordering the high school was renamed "Marauder Drive" to honor this achievement.
- Part of the 1974 film Gone in 60 SecondsGone in 60 Seconds (1974 film)Gone in 60 Seconds is a 1974 American action film written, directed, produced by, and starring H.B. 'Toby' Halicki. It centers on a group of car thieves and the 48 cars they must steal in a matter of days. The film is famous for having wrecked and destroyed 93 cars in a 34-minute car chase scene....
was filmed on Fourth Street in Dunkirk. - Dunkirk is the destination of Polish immigrants in the novel Jadwiga's Crossing.
- The National Guard has a base in Dunkirk.
- The following are on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
: Dunkirk Light, Dunkirk Schooner SiteDunkirk Schooner SiteDunkirk Schooner Site is a historic shipwreck archaeological site located in Lake Erie off Dunkirk in Chautauqua County, New York. It lies about 20 miles off Dunkirk resting in 170 feet of cold freshwater, embedded on submerged lands of New York in the eastern basin of Lake Erie...
, Point Gratiot Lighthouse Complex, School No. 7School No. 7 (Dunkirk, New York)School No. 7 is a historic school building located at Dunkirk in Chautauqua County, New York. It is significant as a one-story school building of the early 20th century. It was designed about 1916-1919 and built about 1920-1921....
, and the United States Post Office.
Notable natives
- Samuel Hopkins AdamsSamuel Hopkins AdamsSamuel Hopkins Adams was an American writer, best known for his investigative journalism.-Biography:Adams was born in Dunkirk, New York...
, American author, was born on January 26, 1871 in Dunkirk. - Mark BrazillMark BrazillMark Brazill is a television creator and executive producer. He is most well-known as being the co-creator of the FOX situation comedy, That '70s Show which aired for eight seasons, and also co-created the series' in-direct spinoff, That '80s Show which was cancelled by Fox after its first season...
, Creator of That '70s show. - June CardJune CardJune Card is an American soprano and stage director who had an active career in operas and concerts from the 1960s through the 2000s...
, operatic soprano and stage director, born in Dunkirk in 1942. - Wendy Corsi Staub, NY Times bestselling author
- H. B. HalickiH. B. HalickiH.B. Halicki was an American stunt driver, actor, and filmmaker. He was also known as Toby to his friends and family, and to his fans as 'The Car Crash King'.-Biography:...
, director of Gone in 60 SecondsGone in 60 Seconds (1974 film)Gone in 60 Seconds is a 1974 American action film written, directed, produced by, and starring H.B. 'Toby' Halicki. It centers on a group of car thieves and the 48 cars they must steal in a matter of days. The film is famous for having wrecked and destroyed 93 cars in a 34-minute car chase scene....
and The JunkmanThe JunkmanThe Junkman is a 1982 independent film which spent two years in production. To make the film, H. B. Halicki used his own personal collection of over 200 cars, toys, and guns - including Eleanor, the star of his 1974 cult classic Gone in 60 Seconds....
was born in Dunkirk. - Richard J. Lutz and Aloysius A. Lutz, co-authors of the novel Jadwiga's Crossing, in which Dunkirk figures, are natives of Dunkirk.
- Thomas Horan, a Medal of Honor Recipient at battle of Gettysburg 1863 during the American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, was born in Dunkirk in 1839 and died 1902. His grave is at Saint Mary's Cemetery in Dunkirk. - Sean Patrick McGrawSean Patrick McGrawSean Patrick McGraw, a country music singer, is a former Nashville Star semi-finalist who leads a prominent unsigned touring act. Following the 2005 release of his CD Songs for Saturday Night, McGraw and his band went on tour and continue to be on the road...
, country music artist. - Van MillerVan MillerVan Miller is a retired former radio and television sports announcer from Dunkirk, New York, where he began his career at Dunkirk radio station WFCB calling play-by-play for high school football games...
, play-by-play announcer for the Buffalo BillsBuffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and WIVB-TVWIVB-TVWIVB-TV, virtual channel 4, is the CBS-affiliated television station for Western New York that is licensed to Buffalo. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 39 from a transmitter on Center Street in Colden. Owned by the LIN TV Corporation, the station is sister to CW...
sportscaster - Gar SamuelsonGar SamuelsonGary C. "Gar" Samuelson was a drummer for thrash metal band Megadeth, working in it from 1984–1987.-Biography:Little is known about Samuelson before he joined Megadeth...
, Former drummer of thrash metal band MegadethMegadethMegadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
. - Chris PolandChris PolandChris Poland is an American guitarist, best known for being a former member of heavy metal band Megadeth.-Early career:...
, Former guitarist of thrash metal band MegadethMegadethMegadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
.