Horseheads (village), New York
Encyclopedia
Horseheads is a village
in Chemung County
, New York
, USA. The population was 6,461 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from the number of bleached skulls of pack horses left behind by the Sullivan Expedition
.
The Village of Horseheads is located within the Town of Horseheads
. It is north of the City of Elmira. It is part of the 'Elmira, New York
Metropolitan Statistical Area'.
The village was incorporated in 1837 as the "Village of Fairport," but changed its name back to Horseheads several years later only to be renamed "North Elmira." In 1886, the village resumed the original name, "Horseheads."
The village was once a port on the Chemung Canal
.
, the village has a total area of 3.9 square miles (10.0 km²), all of it land.
Horseheads village is in the Southern Tier
Region of New York.
Newtown Creek
on the east side of the village is a tributary
of the Chemung River
.
New York State Route 17
and Interstate 86 pass through the village. New York State Route 14
, a north-south highway, intersects NY-17 in the village, New York State Route 13
intersects NY-17 east of the village.
The Valley of the Horses’ Heads'(NEEDS CITATION)
A twenty-eight square mile memorial, unparalled in American Military History, is the proud distinction that enshrines the Town and Village of Horseheads, New York.
Nowhere on the American Continent has the writer, through considerable government and public research, been able to find a town or village that perpetuates the same patriotic drama laid at the doorsteps of Horseheads, N.Y. on September 24, 1779.
This date hallmarks, the time and hallowed ground where lie, the relics and sun-bleached skulls (some estimates run as high as 300) of the American Military pack horses of Major-General John Sullivan. These peaceful servants of General Sullivan and his officers with about 5000 “ragged rebels” (as expressed by George III) brought forth gallantry, in the American Revolutionary War’s Western Campaign against the Six Nations of the Iroquois worthy of greatness to exalt these pack horses to any American Military “Valhalla.”
Burdened down with heavy military equipment in their 450 mile journey through wooded wilderness from Easton, PA, over to Wyoming, and on up the Susquehanna River Trail to Elmira, NY, they continued north through Horseheads to the Finger Lakes region and west to Geneseo. Returning the same route to Horseheads, these military pack horses had reached the end of their endurance. Here, General Sullivan, through humanitary [sic] reasons was compelled to dispose of these partners in the cause of American freedom.
A few years later, the skulls of the horses were arrayed along the trail by a few returning Indians. On this spot, the first settlers built their homes. This location, first known as “the Valley of the Horses’ Heads,” was later changed to Horseheads. Indeed, Horseheads takes pride to enshrine [itself] in monumental devotion to proclaim “Horseheads is the first and only town and village in the U.S. dedicated to the service of the American military horse.”
Today, this twenty-eight square mile memorial to the American military horse has no single-town and village range, but stands to evoke in any American a deep feeling for the part played by the HORSE in all of America’s military expeditions.
It is to this heritage, Horseheads, NY dedicates itself to their LAST HONOR.
Here is the true story of how Horseheads became horseheads. During the civil war, Helmira had too many confederate POW's crammed into one spot. This led to food shortages, which in turn led to drastic measures. Long story short, they ate horses, a ton of them, and dumped their (the horses) remains in what is now known as Horseheads. -Doc Wats
of 2000, there were 6,452 people, 2,862 households, and 1,800 families residing in the village. The population density
was 1,666.4 people per square mile (643.7/km²). There were 3,007 housing units at an average density of 776.6 per square mile (300.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 95.57% White, 1.30% Black or African American
, 0.12% Native American, 1.92% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.20% from other races
, and 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.91% of the population.
There were 2,862 households out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples
living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the village the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 21.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 86.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $35,915, and the median income for a family was $44,971. Males had a median income of $36,774 versus $22,776 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $20,779. About 4.6% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.9% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in Chemung County
Chemung County, New York
Chemung County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses all of Chemung County. As of the 2010 census, the population was 88,830. Its name is derived from the name of a Delaware Indian village . Its...
, 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. The population was 6,461 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from the number of bleached skulls of pack horses left behind by the Sullivan Expedition
Sullivan Expedition
The Sullivan Expedition, also known as the Sullivan-Clinton Expedition, was an American campaign led by Major General John Sullivan and Brigadier General James Clinton against Loyalists and the four nations of the Iroquois who had sided with the British in the American Revolutionary War.The...
.
The Village of Horseheads is located within the Town of Horseheads
Horseheads (town), New York
Horseheads is a town in Chemung County, New York, United States. The population was 19,561 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the number of bleached horses' skulls found there....
. It is north of the City of Elmira. It is part of the 'Elmira, New York
Elmira, New York
Elmira is a city in Chemung County, New York, USA. It is the principal city of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses Chemung County, New York. The population was 29,200 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Chemung County.The City of Elmira is located in...
Metropolitan Statistical Area'.
History
The village was founded around 1830.The village was incorporated in 1837 as the "Village of Fairport," but changed its name back to Horseheads several years later only to be renamed "North Elmira." In 1886, the village resumed the original name, "Horseheads."
The village was once a port on the Chemung Canal
Chemung Canal
The Chemung Canal is a former canal in New York, USA. The canal connected Seneca Lake at Watkins Glen to the Chemung River at Elmira, New York. Its larger significance was to connect New York's Erie Canal system with Pennsylvania's Susquehanna River watershed....
.
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 village has a total area of 3.9 square miles (10.0 km²), all of it land.
Horseheads village is in the Southern Tier
Southern Tier
The Southern Tier is a geographical term that refers to the counties of New York State west of the Catskill Mountains along the northern border of Pennsylvania. It is a loosely defined term that generally includes the counties that border Pennsylvania west of Delaware County inclusive...
Region of New York.
Newtown Creek
Newtown Creek
Newtown Creek is a estuary that forms part of the border between the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, in New York City, New York, United States. It derives its name from New Town , which was the name for the Dutch and British settlement in what is now Elmhurst, Queens...
on the east side of the village is a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Chemung River
Chemung River
The Chemung River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in south central New York and northern Pennsylvania in the United States. It drains a mountainous region of the northern Allegheny Plateau in the Southern Tier of New York...
.
New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...
and Interstate 86 pass through the village. New York State Route 14
New York State Route 14
New York State Route 14 is a state highway located in western New York in the United States. Along with NY 19, it is one of two routes to transect the state in a north–south fashion between the Pennsylvania border and Lake Ontario...
, a north-south highway, intersects NY-17 in the village, New York State Route 13
New York State Route 13
New York State Route 13 is a state highway that runs mainly north–south for between NY 14 in Horseheads and NY 3 west of Pulaski in Central New York in the United States. In between, NY 13 intersects with Interstate 81 in Cortland and Pulaski and meets the New York...
intersects NY-17 east of the village.
The Valley of the Horses’ Heads'(NEEDS CITATION)
A twenty-eight square mile memorial, unparalled in American Military History, is the proud distinction that enshrines the Town and Village of Horseheads, New York.
Nowhere on the American Continent has the writer, through considerable government and public research, been able to find a town or village that perpetuates the same patriotic drama laid at the doorsteps of Horseheads, N.Y. on September 24, 1779.
This date hallmarks, the time and hallowed ground where lie, the relics and sun-bleached skulls (some estimates run as high as 300) of the American Military pack horses of Major-General John Sullivan. These peaceful servants of General Sullivan and his officers with about 5000 “ragged rebels” (as expressed by George III) brought forth gallantry, in the American Revolutionary War’s Western Campaign against the Six Nations of the Iroquois worthy of greatness to exalt these pack horses to any American Military “Valhalla.”
Burdened down with heavy military equipment in their 450 mile journey through wooded wilderness from Easton, PA, over to Wyoming, and on up the Susquehanna River Trail to Elmira, NY, they continued north through Horseheads to the Finger Lakes region and west to Geneseo. Returning the same route to Horseheads, these military pack horses had reached the end of their endurance. Here, General Sullivan, through humanitary [sic] reasons was compelled to dispose of these partners in the cause of American freedom.
A few years later, the skulls of the horses were arrayed along the trail by a few returning Indians. On this spot, the first settlers built their homes. This location, first known as “the Valley of the Horses’ Heads,” was later changed to Horseheads. Indeed, Horseheads takes pride to enshrine [itself] in monumental devotion to proclaim “Horseheads is the first and only town and village in the U.S. dedicated to the service of the American military horse.”
Today, this twenty-eight square mile memorial to the American military horse has no single-town and village range, but stands to evoke in any American a deep feeling for the part played by the HORSE in all of America’s military expeditions.
It is to this heritage, Horseheads, NY dedicates itself to their LAST HONOR.
Here is the true story of how Horseheads became horseheads. During the civil war, Helmira had too many confederate POW's crammed into one spot. This led to food shortages, which in turn led to drastic measures. Long story short, they ate horses, a ton of them, and dumped their (the horses) remains in what is now known as Horseheads. -Doc Wats
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 6,452 people, 2,862 households, and 1,800 families residing in the village. 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 1,666.4 people per square mile (643.7/km²). There were 3,007 housing units at an average density of 776.6 per square mile (300.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 95.57% White, 1.30% 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...
, 0.12% Native American, 1.92% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.20% 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 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.91% of the population.
There were 2,862 households out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% 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, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the village the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 21.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 86.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $35,915, and the median income for a family was $44,971. Males had a median income of $36,774 versus $22,776 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 village was $20,779. About 4.6% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.9% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.