Olean, New York
Encyclopedia
Olean is a city in Cattaraugus County
, New York
, United States
. Olean is the largest city in Cattaraugus County, and serves as the financial, business, transportation and entertainment center of the county. It is one of the principal cities of the Southern Tier
region of New York.
The city is surrounded by the Town of Olean
and is located in the southeastern part of the county. The population was 14,054 in 2009.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 6.2 square miles (16.0 km²), of which, 5.9 square miles (15.4 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²) of it (3.73%) is water.
The city is located where Olean Creek flows into the Allegheny River
and by the Southern Tier Expressway (Interstate 86
and New York State Route 17
). New York State Route 417
passes east-west through the city and intersects New York State Route 16
, a north-south highway.
, a missionary and explorer from Canada. La Roche discovered the presence of oil near Cuba
, the first petroleum sighting in North America. The area was first settled around 1765, called by the Indian name Ischua
. It remained sparsely populated until 1804, when Major Adam Hoops acquired the land and gave it its modern name. Some legends have mistakenly attributed the areas name after the little girl Olean Shephard, the first child of European descent born in the area. However,when Olean was born, the area had been established as Olean for two or three years.
, which was settling Western New York.
This was a time of great Western expansion into places like Ohio and Indiana. Since neither canals nor railroads had become widespread by this point, the main means of travel were either by cart or by small-boat travel. The Allegheny River
was a major transportation route. Hoops believed that a great city could be created at the confluence of the Allegany and one of its tributaries, and went looking for the right spot. In 1804, he found one where the Olean Creek meets the river, and received title to 20000 acres (80.9 km²) from the Holland Land Company in 1804. Hoops' brother Robert came to the site and built the first permanent structure near today's Forness Park, calling the area Hamilton in honor of Alexander Hamilton
.
In a letter to Joseph Ellicott
in 1804, Hoops discusses the name Olean from the local Oil Springs
and the Latin word oleum.Canandaigua, N.Y., April 15, 1804.
Canandaigua, N.Y., April 15, 1804
“To Joseph ELLICOTT, Esq., Batavia, New York.
Dear Sir,―It was proposed to me at New York to drop the Indian name of Ischue or Ischua (it is also spelt other ways). Confusion might arise from the various spellings, of which to obviate all risk I have concluded so to do as proposed. The neighborhood of the oil spring suggests a name different in sound, though perhaps not different in meaning, which I wish to adopt,―it is “Olean.”You will do me a favor by assisting me to establish this name. It may easily be done now by your concurrence. The purpose will be most effectually answered by employing the term, when occasion requires, without saying anything of an intended change of name. To begin, you will greatly oblige me by addressing the first letter you may have occasion to write to me, after I receive the survey, to the Mouth of Olean. The bearer being properly instructed, there will be thereafter no difficulty. Your co-operation in the matter (the effect of which, though not important in itself, may be so on account of precision) will oblige. Your servant, A. HOOPS Another claim is that Hoops named the area after one little girl named Olean Shepard, the first children of European descent born in the area, however, Olean Shepard's birthday was May 22, 1807,born well after the area was known by the Olean moniker. Regardless of the origin, the Post Office recognized the new town as Olean Point. The site was surveyed by 1808, and a map from that year shows a basic street pattern that still survives, along with most of the modern street names. In 1823, the city is called Olean, without the Point, on county maps.
. This period ended with the creation of the great canals, especially the Erie Canal in 1825.
Timber was a major industry in New York and Pennsylvania between 1830 and 1850, and Olean was the chief city timber town in the region during those times. After river travel declined, Olean became the regional railroad hub. The town was the crossroads of several railroads, a situation which endures into today with the WNYP.
Olean was the home of several corporations. During the late 19th century, Olean had a few mills, a bicycle company, a manufacturer of mechanical pumps, and a glass works, among other factories. St. Bonaventure University
was founded just outside of town in 1858. Olean was incorporated as a village in 1854, and as a city in 1893.
. Oil became the city's claim to fame for fifty years.
Olean was the railroad and pipeline hub for the surrounding oil region. The operations HQ of Standard Oil's New York affiliate, Socony, was based in the city. Oil produced on both sides of the state line (e.g. in Bradford, Pennsylvania
) would be transported to Olean for rail travel. For a short time, Olean was the world's largest oil depot, complete with a "tank city" on the edge of town. A pipeline was also built linking the city to Standard Oil refineries in Bayonne, New Jersey. The oil industry maintained a presence in the city until 1954, the same year in which Olean's population peaked.
Oil also produced Olean's highest ranking politician. Oil executive Frank W. Higgins
was Governor of New York
in 1905-1907. Higgins' family owned grocery stores in the area, and Higgins also ran this business before his political career. To this day, Olean is one of the few smaller cities in New York State to be home to a governor. Olean garnered notoriety as a major stop on bootlegging routes during Prohibition
in 1920s. Local police turned a blind eye to organized crime activity. Olean was nicknamed "Little Chicago" in the press, due to its connection with mobsters and bootleggers, and Al Capone
was a frequent visitor.
of 2000, there were 15,347 people, 6,446 households, and 3,803 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,588.0 people per square mile (999.2/km²). There were 7,121 housing units at an average density of 1,200.8 per square mile (463.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.31% White, 3.47% Black or African American
, 0.43% Native American, 0.89% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races
, and 1.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.24% of the population.
There were 6,446 households out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.0% were married couples
living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.0% were non-families. 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,400, and the median income for a family was $38,355. Males had a median income of $32,341 versus $22,469 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,169. About 13.9% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.5% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.
Media
The arts
Politics
Other notables
Cattaraugus County, New York
Cattaraugus County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 80,317. The county seat is Little Valley.-History:...
, 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...
. Olean is the largest city in Cattaraugus County, and serves as the financial, business, transportation and entertainment center of the county. It is one of the principal cities of 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.
The city is surrounded by the Town of Olean
Olean (town), New York
Olean is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,029 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the Latin word "oleum" due to the discovery of crude oil in nearby Ischua....
and is located in the southeastern part of the county. The population was 14,054 in 2009.
Geography
Olean is located at 42°4′57"N 78°25′51"W (42.08264, -78.430965).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 city has a total area of 6.2 square miles (16.0 km²), of which, 5.9 square miles (15.4 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²) of it (3.73%) is water.
The city is located where Olean Creek flows into the Allegheny River
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
and by the Southern Tier Expressway (Interstate 86
Interstate 86 (east)
Interstate 86 is an Interstate Highway that extends for through northwestern Pennsylvania and southern New York in the United States...
and 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...
). New York State Route 417
New York State Route 417
New York State Route 417 is an east–west state highway located in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It begins at exit 20 of the Southern Tier Expressway in the city of Salamanca and ends at a junction with NY 415 in Painted Post, west of the city of Corning...
passes east-west through the city and intersects New York State Route 16
New York State Route 16
New York State Route 16 is a state highway in western New York, United States. It runs from the Pennsylvania state line, where it is one of the highest highways in the state in elevation, to downtown Buffalo. NY 16 is a major route through Erie County, despite the construction of the...
, a north-south highway.
History
The first European in the area was probably Joseph de La Roche DaillonJoseph de La Roche Daillon
Joseph de La Roche Daillon was a French Catholic missionary to the Huron Indians and a Franciscan Récollet priest. He is best remembered in Canada as an explorer and missionary, and in the United States as the discoverer of oil near the Allegany River.He was the son of Jacques de La Roche,...
, a missionary and explorer from Canada. La Roche discovered the presence of oil near Cuba
Cuba (town), New York
Cuba is a town in Allegany County, New York, USA. The Town lies on the western border of Allegany County, with the Village of Cuba within its borders. Cuba is approximately an hour and a half drive south of Rochester and Buffalo, New York...
, the first petroleum sighting in North America. The area was first settled around 1765, called by the Indian name Ischua
Ischua, New York
Ischua is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 895 at the 2000 census.The Town of Ischua is on the eastern border of the county, north of Olean, New York.- History :...
. It remained sparsely populated until 1804, when Major Adam Hoops acquired the land and gave it its modern name. Some legends have mistakenly attributed the areas name after the little girl Olean Shephard, the first child of European descent born in the area. However,when Olean was born, the area had been established as Olean for two or three years.
Western expansion
Hoops was a surveyor and Revolutionary War veteran, and was politically connected with Robert Morris, the financier of the Revolution. Along with Morris, Hoops became involved with the Holland Land CompanyHolland Land Company
The Holland Land Company was a purchaser of the western two-thirds of the western New York land tract known as the Phelps and Gorham Purchase. This tract was known thereafter as The Holland Purchase...
, which was settling Western New York.
This was a time of great Western expansion into places like Ohio and Indiana. Since neither canals nor railroads had become widespread by this point, the main means of travel were either by cart or by small-boat travel. The Allegheny River
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
was a major transportation route. Hoops believed that a great city could be created at the confluence of the Allegany and one of its tributaries, and went looking for the right spot. In 1804, he found one where the Olean Creek meets the river, and received title to 20000 acres (80.9 km²) from the Holland Land Company in 1804. Hoops' brother Robert came to the site and built the first permanent structure near today's Forness Park, calling the area Hamilton in honor of Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury...
.
In a letter to Joseph Ellicott
Joseph Ellicott
Joseph Ellicott was an American surveyor, city planner, land office agent, lawyer and politician of the Quaker faith.-Life:He was the son of Joseph Ellicott ....
in 1804, Hoops discusses the name Olean from the local Oil Springs
Oil Springs Reservation
Oil Springs Reservation is an Indian reservation of the Seneca tribe located in New York, USA. As of the 2010 census, the Indian reservation has one resident. Although the reservation is controlled by the Seneca tribe, as of 2005 no tribal members actually live on the Oil Springs Reservation. It is...
and the Latin word oleum.Canandaigua, N.Y., April 15, 1804.
Canandaigua, N.Y., April 15, 1804
“To Joseph ELLICOTT, Esq., Batavia, New York.
Dear Sir,―It was proposed to me at New York to drop the Indian name of Ischue or Ischua (it is also spelt other ways). Confusion might arise from the various spellings, of which to obviate all risk I have concluded so to do as proposed. The neighborhood of the oil spring suggests a name different in sound, though perhaps not different in meaning, which I wish to adopt,―it is “Olean.”You will do me a favor by assisting me to establish this name. It may easily be done now by your concurrence. The purpose will be most effectually answered by employing the term, when occasion requires, without saying anything of an intended change of name. To begin, you will greatly oblige me by addressing the first letter you may have occasion to write to me, after I receive the survey, to the Mouth of Olean. The bearer being properly instructed, there will be thereafter no difficulty. Your co-operation in the matter (the effect of which, though not important in itself, may be so on account of precision) will oblige. Your servant, A. HOOPS Another claim is that Hoops named the area after one little girl named Olean Shepard, the first children of European descent born in the area, however, Olean Shepard's birthday was May 22, 1807,born well after the area was known by the Olean moniker. Regardless of the origin, the Post Office recognized the new town as Olean Point. The site was surveyed by 1808, and a map from that year shows a basic street pattern that still survives, along with most of the modern street names. In 1823, the city is called Olean, without the Point, on county maps.
Timber and railroads
Adam Hoops's dream of creating a major transportation hub on the Allegany River — at the scale of a Buffalo or a Pittsburgh — was never realized, and he himself died in poverty. Nonetheless, Olean prospered and was soon the central town of the region. Olean grew quickly as transportation hub for migrants taking the Allegany River into Ohio. For much of this era, Olean was larger and better known than its northern competitor, BuffaloBuffalo, 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...
. This period ended with the creation of the great canals, especially the Erie Canal in 1825.
Timber was a major industry in New York and Pennsylvania between 1830 and 1850, and Olean was the chief city timber town in the region during those times. After river travel declined, Olean became the regional railroad hub. The town was the crossroads of several railroads, a situation which endures into today with the WNYP.
Olean was the home of several corporations. During the late 19th century, Olean had a few mills, a bicycle company, a manufacturer of mechanical pumps, and a glass works, among other factories. St. Bonaventure University
St. Bonaventure University
St. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students....
was founded just outside of town in 1858. Olean was incorporated as a village in 1854, and as a city in 1893.
Oil and rum-running
Oil was first discovered in the region by a French explorer in 1632, but it was rediscovered for commercial use during the Pennsylvanian oil rushPennsylvanian oil rush
The Pennsylvanian oil rush was a "boom" in petroleum production which occurred in northwestern Pennsylvania from 1859 to about 1870. It was the first oil boom in the United States....
. Oil became the city's claim to fame for fifty years.
Olean was the railroad and pipeline hub for the surrounding oil region. The operations HQ of Standard Oil's New York affiliate, Socony, was based in the city. Oil produced on both sides of the state line (e.g. in Bradford, Pennsylvania
Bradford, Pennsylvania
Bradford is a small city located in rural McKean County, Pennsylvania, in the United States 78 miles south of Buffalo, New York. Settled in 1823, Bradford was chartered as a city in 1879 and emerged as a wild oil boomtown in the Pennsylvanian oil rush in the late 19th century...
) would be transported to Olean for rail travel. For a short time, Olean was the world's largest oil depot, complete with a "tank city" on the edge of town. A pipeline was also built linking the city to Standard Oil refineries in Bayonne, New Jersey. The oil industry maintained a presence in the city until 1954, the same year in which Olean's population peaked.
Oil also produced Olean's highest ranking politician. Oil executive Frank W. Higgins
Frank W. Higgins
Frank Wayland Higgins was an American politician. He was a delegate to the 1888 Republican National Convention, and a member of the New York State Senate from 1894 to 1902. He was Lieutenant Governor of New York from 1903 to 1904, elected in 1902; and Governor of New York from 1905 to 1906,...
was Governor of New York
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
in 1905-1907. Higgins' family owned grocery stores in the area, and Higgins also ran this business before his political career. To this day, Olean is one of the few smaller cities in New York State to be home to a governor. Olean garnered notoriety as a major stop on bootlegging routes during Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
in 1920s. Local police turned a blind eye to organized crime activity. Olean was nicknamed "Little Chicago" in the press, due to its connection with mobsters and bootleggers, and Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
was a frequent visitor.
Today
Olean is the largest city in Cattaraugus County. The city's population peaked at an estimated 24,000 during the 1950s. The current population is about 15,000.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 15,347 people, 6,446 households, and 3,803 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 2,588.0 people per square mile (999.2/km²). There were 7,121 housing units at an average density of 1,200.8 per square mile (463.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.31% White, 3.47% 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...
, 0.43% Native American, 0.89% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.43% 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 1.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.24% of the population.
There were 6,446 households out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.0% 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, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.0% were non-families. 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,400, and the median income for a family was $38,355. Males had a median income of $32,341 versus $22,469 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 $17,169. About 13.9% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.5% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.
Facts about the City of Olean
- Home of the Southern Tier Diesel, an NFANortheastern Football AllianceThe Northeastern Football Alliance is an amateur-semiprofessional American football league based mostly in upstate New York. It was formerly known as the New York Amateur Football League, which split off from the Mid Continental Football League in the mid-1990s after the MCFL contracted into the...
team. - Home to famous Rock City Park
- The Olean Business Institute and 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...
are within the city - St. Bonaventure UniversitySt. Bonaventure UniversitySt. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students....
is a few miles to the west in the Town of AlleganyAllegany (town), New YorkAllegany is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 8,230 at the 2000 census.The Town of Allegany is on the south border of the county, west of the City of Olean. There is a village called Allegany inside this town....
. - CUTCOCutcoCutco Corporation, formerly Alcas Corporation, is the parent company of CUTCO Cutlery Corp., Vector Marketing, KA-BAR Knives Inc. and Schilling Forge. Its primary brand is also the name Cutco....
national headquarters is based in Olean. - Dresser-Rand Group, Inc. North American headquarters was based in Olean.
- Eades Wallpaper Inc. The biggest little wallpaper store in the world is headquarters is in Olean.
- Colonial Radio GroupColonial Radio GroupColonial Radio Group, Inc. is the owner of several radio stations in the United States. It is controlled by the Androlunis family and currently is based in Olean, New York, with all of its current stations based in the western Twin Tiers region of New York and Pennsylvania.-New York:* Portville -...
, which owns radio stations in the region and previously owned stations in the Carolinas, has been headquartered in Olean since 2009. - Part of the movie "Unstoppable"Unstoppable (2010 film)Unstoppable is a 2010 American action thriller film directed by Tony Scott, written by Mark Bomback, and starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pine. The film tells the story of a runaway freight train, and the two men who attempt to stop it.The film was released in the United States and Canada on...
was filmed near the Olean Middle School.
Notable natives and residents
Sports- Eddie DonovanEddie DonovanEddie Donovan was a professional basketball coach and executive.He coached the New York Knickerbockers from 1961 through 1965, and was the coach on the opposing sideline when Philadelphia Warriors center Wilt Chamberlain had his record-setting 100-point game in Hershey, Pennsylvania on March 2,...
, New York KnicksNew York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
head coach (1961–1965), head coach, St. Bonaventure UniversitySt. Bonaventure UniversitySt. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students....
, 1954–1961 - Bob LanierBob Lanier (basketball)Robert Jerry "Bob" Lanier, Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played for the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA.Lanier was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992....
, basketball hall of famer, attended St. Bonaventure UniversitySt. Bonaventure UniversitySt. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students.... - Ted MarchibrodaTed MarchibrodaTheodore "Ted" Joseph Marchibroda is a former American football quarterback and head coach in the National Football League.-Player:...
, former NFL head coach, attended St. Bonaventure UniversitySt. Bonaventure UniversitySt. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students.... - John McGrawJohn McGrawJohn McGraw may refer to:* John McGraw , , New York lumber tycoon, and one of the founding trustees of Cornell University* John McGraw , , Governor of Washington state from 1893–1897...
, Baseball Hall of Fame player and manager - Robert SassoneRobert SassoneRobert Sasone is an American college basketball player and coach.Born in Brooklyn, New York, Sassone went to St. Bonaventure University on a basketball scholarship the fall of 1949. He led the team to the 1951 National Invitation Tournament as a sophomore...
, one of America's most successful high school basketball coaches - Louis ZamperiniLouis ZamperiniLouis Silvie Zamperini is a World War II prisoner of war survivor, inspirational speaker, and former American Olympic distance runner.-Early life:...
, (born January 26, 1917) is a World War II prisoner of war survivor, inspirational speaker, and former American competitive runner.
Media
- Neil CavutoNeil CavutoNeil Patrick Cavuto is an American television anchor and commentator on the Fox Business Network and host of three television programs, Your World with Neil Cavuto and Cavuto on Business, both on the Fox News Channel and Cavuto on sister channel Fox Business Network.Cavuto also tapes a nightly...
, Fox News personality, received journalism degree from St. Bonaventure UniversitySt. Bonaventure UniversitySt. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students.... - Peter TomarkenPeter TomarkenPeter David Tomarken was an American television personality primarily known as the host of Press Your Luck.-Early life:...
, game show host
The arts
- Beverly BowerBeverly BowerBeverly Bower was an American operatic soprano who had an active international opera career from the mid 1950s through the early 1970s. She began her opera career at the New York City Opera where she sang between 1956-1963...
, opera singer - Bill EasleyBill EasleyBill Easley plays alto, tenor and the flute, and the clarinet. He worked with George Benson in the late 60s Isaac Hayes in the 70s. He Attended Memphis State University in the 1970s. He also did sessions at Stax and Hi Records . Easley moved back to New York in 1980 and has recorded sessions for...
, saxophonist - Jeff FaheyJeff FaheyJeffrey David "Jeff" Fahey is an American film and television actor. He has portrayed Captain Frank Lapidus on the ABC series Lost and the title role of Deputy Marshal Winston MacBride on The Marshal.-Early life:...
, actor - Donald InnisDonald InnisDonald Alywn Innis, , is an American architect based in San Diego, California. Innis is also an inventor and engineer and has pioneered the idea of floating real estate, specifically the notion of a floating airport using pneumatic stabilized platform technology which he has developed and patented...
, architect who invented the floating airportFloating airportA floating airport is an airport built and situated on a very large floating structure located many miles out at sea utilizing a flotation type of device or devices such as Pneumatic Stabilized Platform technology.... - Bobby JohnstonBobby JohnstonBobby Johnston is a film composer and multi-instrumentalist. He has composed original scores for several films, including King of the Ants, Wristcutters: A Love Story, Edmond, Mother's Day and No Impact Man: The Documentary...
, film composer, musician - Robert LaxRobert LaxRobert Lax was an American poet, known in particular for his association with famed 20th century Trappist monk and writer Thomas Merton. A third friend of his youth, whose work sheds light on both Lax and Merton, was Ad Reinhardt. During the latter period of his life, Lax resided on the island of...
, poet - Grace MarraGrace MarraGrace Marra is an Olean, New York -born musician. She currently is the director of the Midland Men of Music, conductor of the Chancel Choir at First United Methodist Church in Midland, Michigan, and is founder and owner of the private voice studio, Grace Notes.-Men of Music:They were originally...
, musician - Betty MacDonaldBetty MacDonaldBetty MacDonald was an American author who specialized in humorous autobiographical tales, and is best known for her book The Egg and I. She also wrote the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series of children's books...
, musician - Thomas MertonThomas MertonThomas Merton, O.C.S.O. was a 20th century Anglo-American Catholic writer and mystic. A Trappist monk of the Abbey of Gethsemani, Kentucky, he was a poet, social activist, and student of comparative religion...
, religious writer - Jeffrey McMullenJeffrey McMullenJeffrey R. McMullen is a professional photographer and has served as a president of the Olean Lumber Company. He is best known for his black and white portrayal of global landscapes using view cameras. He is married to world-renowned botanical artist Carol Woodin. They reside in Cuba, New York,...
, landscape photographer - Meg SaligmanMeg SaligmanMeg Saligman is a mural artist. Saligman has painted more than fifty murals all over the world including Philadelphia PA, Shreveport, LA, Mexico City, and many other places. Meg has a way of mixing the classical and contemporary aspects of painting together....
, muralMuralA mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
ist - Tom StephanTom StephanTom Stephan is a house music producer and DJ.-Biography:Tom Stephan was raised in the western New York town of Olean but moved to London to go to college. It was in London that he started his DJ career, opening up for Danny Tenaglia and eventually hosting regular house nights at the Turnmills club...
, (aka Superchumbo), Remix artist - Clifford UlpClifford UlpClifford McCormick Ulp was one of Rochester's foremost professors of the arts during the first half of the 20th century.- Early life :Clifford Ulp was born in Olean, New York in 1885. He attended Rochester’s East High School...
, art professor
Politics
- James F. HastingsJames F. HastingsJames Fred Hastings is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from New York.Hastings was born in Olean, New York. He served in the United States Navy from 1943 until 1946. He was manager and vice president of radio station WHDL from 1952 until 1966...
, Republican U.S. Congressman, 1969–1976 - Frank W. HigginsFrank W. HigginsFrank Wayland Higgins was an American politician. He was a delegate to the 1888 Republican National Convention, and a member of the New York State Senate from 1894 to 1902. He was Lieutenant Governor of New York from 1903 to 1904, elected in 1902; and Governor of New York from 1905 to 1906,...
, Governor of New York - Frederick S. MartinFrederick S. MartinFrederick Stanley Martin was a U.S. Representative from New York.Born in Rutland County, Vermont, Martin went to New Hartford, New York, in 1804 and attended the local schools....
, early Republican Congressman - Timothy H. PorterTimothy H. PorterTimothy Hopkins Porter was an American lawyer and politician from New York.-Life:...
, Congressman - Catharine YoungCatharine YoungCatharine M. "Cathy" Young is an American legislator on the state level who, as a member of the Republican Party, has represented New York's 149th State Assembly district from 1999 to 2005 and, since May 2005, the 57th State Senate district, which includes all of Chautauqua County, Cattaraugus...
, present New York State Senator
Other notables
- Richard McMullenRichard McMullenRichard J. McMullen was president of the Olean Lumber Company, which was at one time the largest lumber and millwork organization in the western portion of the Southern Tier of New York. He was vice president from 1947–1963 and president and principal owner from 1962-1978...
, industrialist - George G. LundbergGeorge G. LundbergBrigadier-General George Godfrey Lundberg was a pilot in the United States Air Force.After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania's Economics program in 1917, Lundberg was made a Second Lieutenant the following year while stationed at Fort Omaha, Nebraska...
, pilot
See also
- Archbishop Walsh High SchoolArchbishop Walsh High SchoolArchbishop Walsh High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Olean, New York. It receives support from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie. It serves students from both New York and Pennsylvania.-Background:...
, Olean's Roman Catholic high school - Bradner StadiumBradner StadiumBradner Stadium is a stadium in Olean, New York. It was primarily used for baseball and was home to the Olean Yankees and prior to that, the Olean Oilers. It was built in 1926...
- Don Raabe Big 30 Charities ClassicDon Raabe Big 30 Charities ClassicThe Don Raabe Big 30 Charities Classic is a high school football all-star game held in the Twin Tiers region of Western New York and northern Pennsylvania...
, the regional high school football all-star game - Olean Diesel, an amateur football team
- Olean LumberOlean LumberThe Olean Lumber and Supply Corporation, successor of Olean Lumber Co, Inc., was established August 17, 1928and is Olean, New York's oldest lumber retailer. -History:...
- Olean High SchoolOlean High SchoolOlean High School is a high school located in Olean, New York, about 65 miles south of Buffalo, New York.It is known for its athletics programs. It also has numerous clubs, including Model United Nations. It is located within the Oak Hill Park Historic District.-External links:*...
, the city's public high school- Olean High School shootingOlean High School shootingThe Olean High School shooting was a school shooting that occurred on December 30, 1974 at Olean High School in Olean, New York, United States. The gunman, 17-year-old Anthony Barbaro, an honor student and member of the school's rifle team, indiscriminately shot at people on the street from windows...
- Olean High School shooting
- Olean OilersOlean OilersThe Olean Oilers were a minor league baseball team located in Olean, New York. The team played in the Pennsylvania-Ontario-New York League from 1939 to 1951 and 1955 to 1956, and in the New York-Pennsylvania League from 1957 to 1958. It was affiliated with the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1939 to 1948,...
, a minor league baseball team that played in the short-season Pony League.- Olean YankeesOlean YankeesThe Olean Yankees were a minor league baseball team located in Olean, New York. The team played in the New York - Penn League. Their home stadium was Bradner Stadium....
, an earlier minor league team
- Olean Yankees
- Radio stations in the Olean market
- WONS-LPWONS-LPWONS-LP channel 25 is a low-powered television station located in Olean, New York, owned by Colonial Radio Group, also owners of several radio stations in the market.-History:...
Olean's television station - National Register of Historic Places listings in Cattaraugus County, New York