Newstead, New York
Encyclopedia
Newstead is the most northeastern town
in Erie County
, New York
, United States
. The population was 8,404 at the 2000 census. The name is reportedly derived from Newstead Abbey
in England
.
The Town of Newstead is northeast of Buffalo
, New York
, and its principal community is the Village of Akron
.
The Town of Newstead was established in 1823 as the "Town of Erie" from the eastern part of the Town of Clarence
. In 1831, the town's name was changed to "Newstead", reportedly on the advice of Abigail Fillmore
, who was fond of the poetry of Lord Byron.
A fire in the 1870s destroyed town records, leaving little historical information about the town between 1823 and 1870.
The discovery of Gypsum
and the related cement
industry helped promote the area.
, the town has a total area of 51.1 square miles (132.3 km²), of which, 51 square miles (132.1 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.27%) is water.
The Town of Newstead is in the northeast corner of the county and Tonawanda Creek
defines the northern boundary..
of 2000, there were 8,404 people, 3,371 households, and 2,332 families residing in the town. The population density
was 164.9 people per square mile (63.7/km²). There were 3,623 housing units at an average density of 71.1 per square mile (27.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.20% White, 0.40% African American, 0.77% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.10% from other races
, and 0.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.52% of the population.
There were 3,371 households out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.2% were married couples
living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $40,580, and the median income for a family was $50,255. Males had a median income of $34,306 versus $24,011 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $18,447. About 2.9% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.
have constructed several miles of biking and jogging trails that link the towns on a former railroad right-of-way. The Octagon House in the village of Akron is open to visitors who wish to examine this architectural style.
Newstead, because of its vast expanses of open space, has become a popular place for golf course construction.
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 Erie County
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...
, 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 8,404 at the 2000 census. The name is reportedly derived from Newstead Abbey
Newstead Abbey
Newstead Abbey, in Nottinghamshire, England, originally an Augustinian priory, is now best known as the ancestral home of Lord Byron.-Monastic foundation:The priory of St...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The Town of Newstead is northeast of 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...
, 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...
, and its principal community is the Village of Akron
Akron, New York
Akron, New York is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was listed as 3,085 in the 2000 census. The name means a high place. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area....
.
History
The town was first settled around 1801.The Town of Newstead was established in 1823 as the "Town of Erie" from the eastern part of the Town of Clarence
Clarence, New York
Clarence is a town located in the northeastern part of Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 30,673 according to the 2010 census. This represents an increase of 17.42% from the 2000 census figure . Clarence is also the name of a postal district in the south part of the town...
. In 1831, the town's name was changed to "Newstead", reportedly on the advice of Abigail Fillmore
Abigail Fillmore
Abigail Powers Fillmore , wife of Millard Fillmore, was First Lady of the United States from 1850 to 1853.Abigail was born in Stillwater, New York, 1798, in Saratoga County, New York. She was the daughter of the Reverend Lemuel Powers, a Baptist minister, and Abigail Newland-Powers, Abigail grew...
, who was fond of the poetry of Lord Byron.
A fire in the 1870s destroyed town records, leaving little historical information about the town between 1823 and 1870.
The discovery of Gypsum
Gypsum
Gypsum is a very soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula CaSO4·2H2O. It is found in alabaster, a decorative stone used in Ancient Egypt. It is the second softest mineral on the Mohs Hardness Scale...
and the related cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
industry helped promote the area.
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 51.1 square miles (132.3 km²), of which, 51 square miles (132.1 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.27%) is water.
The Town of Newstead is in the northeast corner of the county and Tonawanda Creek
Tonawanda Creek
Tonawanda Creek is a small river in Western New York, in the United States. William Bright says the best that can be said of the name is that it is "probably from an Iroquoian source, but of unclear derivation".-Description:...
defines the northern boundary..
Adjacent Cities & Towns
- Town of ClarenceClarence, New YorkClarence is a town located in the northeastern part of Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 30,673 according to the 2010 census. This represents an increase of 17.42% from the 2000 census figure . Clarence is also the name of a postal district in the south part of the town...
- west - Niagara CountyNiagara County, New YorkNiagara County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 216,469. The county seat is Lockport. The county name is from the Iroquois word Onguiaahra; meaning the strait or thunder of waters. It is the location of Niagara Falls and Fort Niagara, and...
, Town of RoyaltonRoyalton, New YorkRoyalton is a town in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 7,660 at the 2010 census.The Town of Royalton is in the southeast corner of the county and is east of the City of Niagara Falls.- History :...
- north - Genesee CountyGenesee County, New YorkGenesee County is a county located in Western New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 60,079. Its name is from the Seneca Indian word Gen-nis'-hee-yo meaning "The Beautiful Valley." Its county seat is Batavia.- History :...
, Town of PembrokePembroke, New YorkPembroke is a town in Genesee County, Western New York, United States. The population was 4,530 at the 2000 census. The town is named for a town in west Wales.The town of Pembroke lies on the west border of Genesee County, west of Batavia, NY.- History :...
- east - Town of AldenAlden (town), New YorkAlden is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 10,470 at the 2000 census. The town is derived from a family name known to early settlers....
- south - Town of LancasterLancaster (town), New YorkLancaster is a town in Erie County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the town population has 39,019 residents.The Town of Lancaster has a village also called Lancaster. The Town and Village are currently exploring consolidation of governmental functions. Both town and village are east of...
- southwest - Village of AkronAkron, New YorkAkron, New York is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was listed as 3,085 in the 2000 census. The name means a high place. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- lies within the Town
Major Highways in the Town of Newstead
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), passes through the southern part of town from Clarence to Pembroke.
New York State Route 5New York State Route 5New York State Route 5 is a state highway that extends for across the state of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in the Chautauqua County town of Ripley and passes through Buffalo, Syracuse, Utica, Schenectady, and several other smaller cities and...
, (Main St.) East-West highway that passes through the southern part of town from the Town of Clarence to the Town of Pembroke.
New York State Route 93New York State Route 93New York State Route 93 is a state highway in western New York in the United States. It runs in a northwest–southeast direction between NY 18F near the Niagara River in the village of Youngstown and NY 5 just south of the village of Akron...
,(Maple Rd., Lewis Rd., Buell St. in Newstead; Cedar St., Buffalo St., Buell St. in Akron) North-South highway from YoungstownYoungstown, New YorkYoungstown is a village in Niagara County, New York, USA. The population was 1,957 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, New YorkNew YorkNew 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...
that travels through Niagara County and into Newstead and has its southern terminus south of Akron at NY 5 (Main St.)
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 8,404 people, 3,371 households, and 2,332 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 164.9 people per square mile (63.7/km²). There were 3,623 housing units at an average density of 71.1 per square mile (27.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.20% White, 0.40% African American, 0.77% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.10% 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 0.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.52% of the population.
There were 3,371 households out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.2% 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, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $40,580, and the median income for a family was $50,255. Males had a median income of $34,306 versus $24,011 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 $18,447. About 2.9% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in Newstead
- Akron JunctionAkron Junction, New YorkAkron Junction, New York is an unincorporated hamlet in the town of Newstead in Erie County, New York, USA.-References:...
– A former location where a defunct railroad line branched. This location is on a hiking/bicycle trail north of Leisurewood Recreational Community. - AkronAkron, New YorkAkron, New York is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was listed as 3,085 in the 2000 census. The name means a high place. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area....
– The Village of Akron is located on NY-93, north of NY-5. - Akron Airport (9G3) – A general aviation airportAirportAn airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
on the hilltop east of Akron village. - Akron Falls County Park – A county park located within the village of Akron, built along the banks of Murder Creek. The park provides picnicking, walking trails, and some sports fields.
- Falkirk – A previous community in Newstead, now absorbed into Akron village.
- Hawkins Corners – A location now of historical interest only, south of the Village of Akron.
- Leisurewood Recreational Community – A large seasonal community composed of trailers and recreational vehicles, occupied primarily during the summer months. It is southwest of Akron.
- Murder Creek – A tributary of Tonawanda CreekTonawanda CreekTonawanda Creek is a small river in Western New York, in the United States. William Bright says the best that can be said of the name is that it is "probably from an Iroquoian source, but of unclear derivation".-Description:...
that flows through the town. The name stems from the first white person having been killed there. - Murrays CornerMurrays Corner, New YorkMurrays Corner, New York is an unincorporated hamlet in the town of Newstead in Erie County, New York, USA.-References:...
– A hamlet on NY-5 by the intersection of Crittenden Road, southeast of Akron village. - Sand HillSand Hill, New YorkSand Hill, New York is an unincorporated hamlet in the town of Newstead in Erie County, New York, USA.-References:...
– A small hamletHamlet (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...
in the northwest part of the town, consisting of a few residences and a church. The hamlet is by the intersection of Rapids and Crego Roads. - South NewsteadSouth Newstead, New YorkSouth Newstead, New York is an unincorporated hamlet in the town of Newstead in Erie County, New York, USA.-References:...
– A location near the border with the Town of AldenAlden (town), New YorkAlden is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 10,470 at the 2000 census. The town is derived from a family name known to early settlers....
at the junction of South Newstead and Buckwheat Roads. Residences and farms are scattered through the area. Formerly, a post office was located in this area. - Swifts MillsSwifts Mills, New YorkSwifts Mills, New York is an unincorporated hamlet in the town of Newstead in Erie County, New York, USA.-References:...
– A location of historical interest in the north part of the town, located on Murder Creek. - Tonawanda ReservationTonawanda ReservationThe Tonawanda Indian Reservation is an Indian reservation of the Tonawanda Band of Seneca Indians located in western New York, USA. The band is a federally recognized tribe and, in the 2000 census, had 543 people living on the reservation...
– A small inhabited part of this Indian reservation is in the eastern part of the town. Several retail establishments sell discount cigarettes and untaxed gasoline.
Additional information about Newstead
Newstead and the Town of ClarenceClarence, New York
Clarence is a town located in the northeastern part of Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 30,673 according to the 2010 census. This represents an increase of 17.42% from the 2000 census figure . Clarence is also the name of a postal district in the south part of the town...
have constructed several miles of biking and jogging trails that link the towns on a former railroad right-of-way. The Octagon House in the village of Akron is open to visitors who wish to examine this architectural style.
Newstead, because of its vast expanses of open space, has become a popular place for golf course construction.