Montour Falls, New York
Encyclopedia
Montour Falls is a village in Schuyler County
, New York
, United States
. The population was 1,797 at the 2000 census. A waterfall
in the village gives the village its name. The name "Montour" is derived from Queen Catharine Montour of the Senecas www.schuylerhistory.org/Queen Catharine Montour.pdf.
The Village of Montour Falls is mostly within the Town of Montour
, but a small part in within the Town of Dix
. The village is north of Elmira, New York
.
The New York Academy of Fire Science is located in the village.
, and finally Havana by 1788. The original native village was destroyed by the Sullivan Expedition
of 1779. The current village was settled around 1790.
It was the first county seat
of Schuyler County, but in 1861 the county seat was moved to Watkins Glen
. The current name of Montour Falls was adopted in 1890. The village was located on the former Chemung Canal
and was incorporated in 1836.
The main attraction is a 150' waterfall
located on the west side of the village. At the base of the falls the sign spells it "She-qua-ga". On the bridge above the waterfall
it's spelled "Che-qua-ga". The historian was recently asked about the difference in spelling. She claims the original spelling was "Che-qua-ga" and that apparently someone along the way began spelling it incorrectly and it stuck. In addition to the two spellings you will also see it written with the 'S' or 'C' but without the hyphens. Some may refer to the falls as simply "Montour Falls".
The former Chemung Canal
passed through the village.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 3 square miles (7.8 km²), of which, 3 square miles (7.8 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.66%) is water.
New York State Route 14
intersects New York State Route 224
in Montour Falls.
Catharine Creek flows northward through the Catharine Creek Valley toward Seneca Lake.
of 2000, there were 1,797 people, 701 households, and 419 families residing in the village. The population density
was 597.7 people per square mile (230.5/km²). There were 755 housing units at an average density of 251.1 per square mile (96.8/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.61% White, 1.00% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, and 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.39% of the population.
There were 701 households out of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.2% were married couples
living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.1% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.79.
In the village the population was spread out with 19.1% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 27.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 77.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 70.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $29,018, and the median income for a family was $36,307. Males had a median income of $31,064 versus $21,813 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $15,671. About 11.5% of families and 15.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.0% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.
Schuyler County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 19,224 people, 7,374 households, and 5,191 families residing in the county. The population density was 58 people per square mile . There were 9,181 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 1,797 at the 2000 census. A waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
in the village gives the village its name. The name "Montour" is derived from Queen Catharine Montour of the Senecas www.schuylerhistory.org/Queen Catharine Montour.pdf.
The Village of Montour Falls is mostly within the Town of Montour
Montour, New York
Montour is a town in Schuyler County, New York, United States. The population was 2,446 at the 2000 census. The town is one of two towns in the county named after Catherine Montour....
, but a small part in within the Town of Dix
Dix, New York
Dix is a town in Schuyler County, New York, United States. The population was 4,197 at the 2000 census.The Town of Dix is located on the south border of the county and is north of Elmira, New York.- History :...
. The village is north of 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...
.
The New York Academy of Fire Science is located in the village.
History
The village was previously known as Queanettquaga, Catherine's TownCatherine's Town (Seneca town)
Catherine's Town was an Iroquois town named for the Seneca leader Catherine Montour. It was located at the south end of Seneca Lake, near present-day Watkins Glen...
, and finally Havana by 1788. The original native village was destroyed 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...
of 1779. The current village was settled around 1790.
It was the first county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Schuyler County, but in 1861 the county seat was moved to Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen, New York
Watkins Glen is a village in Schuyler County, New York, United States. The population was 2,149 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Schuyler County.The Village of Watkins Glen lies on the border of the towns of Dix and Montour....
. The current name of Montour Falls was adopted in 1890. The village was located on the former 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....
and was incorporated in 1836.
The main attraction is a 150' waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
located on the west side of the village. At the base of the falls the sign spells it "She-qua-ga". On the bridge above the waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
it's spelled "Che-qua-ga". The historian was recently asked about the difference in spelling. She claims the original spelling was "Che-qua-ga" and that apparently someone along the way began spelling it incorrectly and it stuck. In addition to the two spellings you will also see it written with the 'S' or 'C' but without the hyphens. Some may refer to the falls as simply "Montour Falls".
The former 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....
passed through the village.
Geography
Montour Falls is located at 42°20′57"N 76°50′47"W (42.349209, -76.846450).According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 square miles (7.8 km²), of which, 3 square miles (7.8 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.66%) is water.
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...
intersects New York State Route 224
New York State Route 224
New York State Route 224 is a state highway in the Southern Tier of New York, United States. The route is signed as north–south; however, in actuality the highway follows more of an east–west routing across southeastern Schuyler County and northeastern Chemung County...
in Montour Falls.
Catharine Creek flows northward through the Catharine Creek Valley toward Seneca Lake.
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 1,797 people, 701 households, and 419 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 597.7 people per square mile (230.5/km²). There were 755 housing units at an average density of 251.1 per square mile (96.8/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.61% White, 1.00% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, and 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.39% of the population.
There were 701 households out of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.2% 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, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.1% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.79.
In the village the population was spread out with 19.1% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 27.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 77.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 70.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $29,018, and the median income for a family was $36,307. Males had a median income of $31,064 versus $21,813 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 $15,671. About 11.5% of families and 15.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.0% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.