Oneonta (town), New York
Encyclopedia
Oneonta is a town
in Otsego County
, New York
, USA. The population was 4,994 at the 2000 census.
The Town of Oneonta surrounds the City of Oneonta
which has a population of 13,791. The meaning of the native word "oneonta" is City of the Hills.
passed through the area to join the Sullivan Expedition
.
The Town of Oneonta was established in 1830 from parts of the Towns of Otego and Milford
.
The community of Oneonta, developed from earlier "McDonaldville" and "Milfordville," in the town became a railroad center for such lines as the Delaware and Hudson. The world's largest locomotive roundhouse stood in Oneonta until a larger one was constructed in Germany. This community set itself off from the town by incorporating as a village in 1848.
The normal school, established in 1889, is now the State University of New York at Oneonta
.
The Village of Oneonta became a city in 1908. This small city was an important manufacturing center in the early 20th Century.
Hartwick College
established itself in the City of Oneonta in 1928.
The Linn Trailer Corp. was built in West End in 1929. Founded by H.H. Linn of nearby Morris, he was replaced in 1937 by Arthur Perkins of the Unadilla Trailer Co. of New Berlin, NY, who obtained several patents of his own relating to trailers and built front wheel drive vans until Great American Industries took over in 1948. Union problems closed their doors in 1952, delaying vital military contracts that Lyncoach Corp. was formed to complete, who later moved into the original Linn building until the 1970s when relocating to a branch factory in Troy, AL.
, the town has a total area of 33.6 square miles (87.1 km²), of which, 33.5 square miles (86.8 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.4 km²) of it (0.42%) is water.
The south town line is the county line of Delaware County
.
Otego Creek
and Oneonta Creek flow into the Susquehanna River
in the town.
Interstate 88
follows the course of the Susquehanna River through the town. New York State Route 7
and New York State Route 23
pass through the City of Oneonta. New York State Route 28
and New York State Route 206
link south of the city.
of 2000, there were 4,994 people, 1,958 households, and 1,298 families residing in the town. The population density
was 149.1 people per square mile (57.6/km²). There were 2,117 housing units at an average density of 63.2 per square mile (24.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 90.67% White, 6.15% Black or African American
, 0.34% Native American, 0.80% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.92% from other races
, and 1.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.38% of the population.
There were 1,958 households out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples
living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $35,634, and the median income for a family was $43,125. Males had a median income of $34,679 versus $23,246 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $18,841. About 6.2% of families and 15.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.8% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.
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 Otsego County
Otsego County, New York
Otsego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. The 2010 population was 62,259. The county seat is Cooperstown. The name Otsego is from a Mohawk word meaning "place of the rock."-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...
, USA. The population was 4,994 at the 2000 census.
The Town of Oneonta surrounds the City of Oneonta
Oneonta, New York
Oneonta is a city in southern Otsego County, New York, USA. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, had a population of 13,901. Its nickname is "City of the Hills." While the word "oneonta" is of undetermined origin, it is popularly believed to mean "place of open rocks" in the Iroquois language...
which has a population of 13,791. The meaning of the native word "oneonta" is City of the Hills.
History
The town was first settled before the American Revolution by Palatine Germans and Dutch settlers from the Hudson Valley. In 1779, the army of General ClintonJames Clinton
James Clinton was an American Revolutionary War soldier who obtained the rank of major general.He was born in Ulster County in the colony of New York, in a location now part of Orange County, New York...
passed through the area to join 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 Town of Oneonta was established in 1830 from parts of the Towns of Otego and Milford
Milford, New York
Milford may refer to two municipalities in Otsego County, New York in the United States:*Milford , New York*Milford , New York, located entirely within the town...
.
The community of Oneonta, developed from earlier "McDonaldville" and "Milfordville," in the town became a railroad center for such lines as the Delaware and Hudson. The world's largest locomotive roundhouse stood in Oneonta until a larger one was constructed in Germany. This community set itself off from the town by incorporating as a village in 1848.
The normal school, established in 1889, is now the State University of New York at Oneonta
State University of New York at Oneonta
The State University of New York College at Oneonta is a four-year liberal arts college in Oneonta, New York, United States, with approximately 5,800 students. The College offers many bachelor's degrees and a number of graduate degrees...
.
The Village of Oneonta became a city in 1908. This small city was an important manufacturing center in the early 20th Century.
Hartwick College
Hartwick College
Hartwick College is a non-denominational, private, four-year liberal arts and sciences college located in Oneonta, New York, in the United States. The institution was founded as Hartwick Seminary in 1797 through the will of John Christopher Hartwick, and is now known as Hartwick College...
established itself in the City of Oneonta in 1928.
The Linn Trailer Corp. was built in West End in 1929. Founded by H.H. Linn of nearby Morris, he was replaced in 1937 by Arthur Perkins of the Unadilla Trailer Co. of New Berlin, NY, who obtained several patents of his own relating to trailers and built front wheel drive vans until Great American Industries took over in 1948. Union problems closed their doors in 1952, delaying vital military contracts that Lyncoach Corp. was formed to complete, who later moved into the original Linn building until the 1970s when relocating to a branch factory in Troy, AL.
People of note
- Harlow E. Bundy, the Bundy Manufacturing CompanyBundy Manufacturing CompanyThe Bundy Manufacturing Company was a 19th-century American manufacturer of timekeeping devices that went through a series of mergers, eventually becoming part of International Business Machines. The company was founded by the Bundy brothers....
was a forerunner of IBMIBMInternational Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
. - Pee Wee Herman, resided briefly on Chestnut St. as a child.
- Jerry Jeff WalkerJerry Jeff WalkerJerry Jeff Walker is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is probably most famous for writing the song "Mr. Bojangles.-Biography:...
, musician, grew up on East End Ave. - Henry E. HuntingtonHenry E. HuntingtonHenry Edwards Huntington was a railroad magnate and collector of art and rare books. Born in Oneonta, New York, Huntington settled in Los Angeles, where he owned the Pacific Electric Railway as well as substantial real estate interests...
, railroad magnate, was born in Oneonta (1850)
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 33.6 square miles (87.1 km²), of which, 33.5 square miles (86.8 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.4 km²) of it (0.42%) is water.
The south town line is the county line of Delaware County
Delaware County, New York
Delaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of 2010 the population was 47,980. The county seat is Delhi. It is named after the Delaware River, which was named in honor of Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, appointed governor of Virginia in 1609.-History:When counties...
.
Otego Creek
Otego Creek
Otego Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in central New York, USA.Otego Creek rises in the town of Otsego and flows south through Hartwick and Laurens, joining the Susquehanna in the western part of the city of Oneonta in the southernmost part of Otsego County....
and Oneonta Creek flow into the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
in the town.
Interstate 88
Interstate 88 (east)
Interstate 88 is an intrastate Interstate Highway entirely within the U.S. state of New York. Its western end is at Interstate 81 in Binghamton and its eastern end is at Interstate 90 in Schenectady. It serves as an important connector route from Albany to Binghamton, Elmira , and...
follows the course of the Susquehanna River through the town. New York State Route 7
New York State Route 7
New York State Route 7 is a 180-mile long New York State Highway that runs from the New York/Pennsylvania border south of Binghamton, New York to the New York/Vermont border east of Hoosick. Most of the road runs along the Susquehanna Valley, closely paralleling Interstate 88 throughout...
and New York State Route 23
New York State Route 23
New York State Route 23 is an east–west state highway in the eastern portion New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 26 in the Central New York town of Cincinnatus to the Massachusetts state line in the Berkshire Mountains, where it continues east as...
pass through the City of Oneonta. New York State Route 28
New York State Route 28
New York State Route 28 is a state highway extending for in the shape of a "C" between the Hudson Valley city of Kingston and southern Warren County in the U.S. state of New York. Along the way, it intersects several major routes, including Interstate 88 , U.S. Route 20 , and the...
and New York State Route 206
New York State Route 206
New York State Route 206 is a state highway in the Southern Tier of New York, United States. It runs through some lightly populated regions along the state's southern border, from Central New York to the Catskills. It begins near a busy intersection with Interstate 81 at Whitney Point...
link south of the city.
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 4,994 people, 1,958 households, and 1,298 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 149.1 people per square mile (57.6/km²). There were 2,117 housing units at an average density of 63.2 per square mile (24.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 90.67% White, 6.15% 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...
, 0.34% Native American, 0.80% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.92% 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 1.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.38% of the population.
There were 1,958 households out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% 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, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $35,634, and the median income for a family was $43,125. Males had a median income of $34,679 versus $23,246 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 $18,841. About 6.2% of families and 15.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.8% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.
Locations and settlements
- OneontaOneonta, New YorkOneonta is a city in southern Otsego County, New York, USA. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, had a population of 13,901. Its nickname is "City of the Hills." While the word "oneonta" is of undetermined origin, it is popularly believed to mean "place of open rocks" in the Iroquois language...
– The City of Oneonta lies within the town at the Susquehanna River and I-88. - Oneonta Plains – A lowland north of the Susquehanna River.
- West EndWest End, New YorkWest End is a suburban community in Otsego County, New York, United States. The population was 1,813 at the 2000 census.West End is in the Town of Oneonta, directly northwest of the City of Oneonta.-Geography:...
– A community. - West Oneonta – A 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...
northwest of the City of Oneonta.
External links
- Otsego County Tourism Oneonta Visitors Information
- Early map and brief history