Palmyra (town), New York
Encyclopedia
Palmyra is a town
in Wayne County
, New York
, USA. The population was 7,672 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the ancient city Palmyra
in Syria
.
The Town of Palmyra is on the south border of the county. The town contains a village also named Palmyra
. The town is about 20 miles southeast of Rochester, NY.
left mounds in the area.
Palmyra was part of the Phelps and Gorham Purchase
.
The Town of Palmyra, originally called "Swift's Landing" after it's founder John Swift and "District of Tolland," was created in 1789. The sole local encounter between natives and white settlers that resulted in deaths occurred that same year. The present name was adapted in 1796, reportedly to impress a new school teacher. There were almost one thousand people in the town in 1800.
The Erie Canal
was completed up to Palmyra in 1822, although the canal was not completed to its western terminus until 1825.
In 1823, the Town of Macedon
was formed from part of Palmyra's territory as part of the creation of Wayne County from Ontario County.
and Mormonism
. Founder Joseph Smith, Jr., whose family lived on a farm that straddled the line between Palmyra and Manchester
, claimed to have been visited by God the Father and Jesus Christ in 1820, an event known as the First Vision
. In 1830 the Book of Mormon
was first published in the village of Palmyra
by E.B. Grandin, in the present Book of Mormon Historic Publication Site
. Beginning in the early 20th century, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began buying and restoring many of the properties in the area associated with early church history. In 1997 the Smiths' log cabin was rebuilt on its original site and in 2000 the church built the Palmyra New York Temple
on a portion of the former Smith farm.
, the town has a total area of 33.7 square miles (87.3 km²), of which, 33.5 square miles (86.7 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (0.62%) is water.
The Erie Canal passes across the county, through the Village of Palmyra. The multi-use, recreational Erie Canal Heritage Trail continues along the towpath of the Erie Canal as well.
The south town line is the border of Ontario County
.
New York State Route 21
(north-south) intersects New York State Route 31
(east-west) in Palmyra village.
of 2000, there were 7,672 people, 3,009 households, and 2,040 families residing in the town. The population density
was 229.2 people per square mile (88.5/km²). There were 3,179 housing units at an average density of 95.0 per square mile (36.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.46% White, 0.38% Black or African American
, 0.36% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.22% from other races
, and 1.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.69% of the population.
There were 3,009 households out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples
living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $45,542, and the median income for a family was $54,076. Males had a median income of $36,631 versus $24,083 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $19,506. About 4.8% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 8.0% 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 Wayne County
Wayne County, New York
Wayne County is a county located in the US state of New York. It is part of the Rochester, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area and lies on the south shore of Lake Ontario, forming part of the northern border of the United States with Canada. The name honors General Anthony Wayne, an American...
, 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 7,672 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the ancient city Palmyra
Palmyra
Palmyra was an ancient city in Syria. In the age of antiquity, it was an important city of central Syria, located in an oasis 215 km northeast of Damascus and 180 km southwest of the Euphrates at Deir ez-Zor. It had long been a vital caravan city for travellers crossing the Syrian desert...
in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
.
The Town of Palmyra is on the south border of the county. The town contains a village also named Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
. The town is about 20 miles southeast of Rochester, NY.
History
The prehistoric Adena CultureAdena culture
The Adena culture was a Pre-Columbian Native American culture that existed from 1000 to 200 BC, in a time known as the early Woodland Period. The Adena culture refers to what were probably a number of related Native American societies sharing a burial complex and ceremonial system...
left mounds in the area.
Palmyra was part of the Phelps and Gorham Purchase
Phelps and Gorham Purchase
The Phelps and Gorham Purchase was the purchase in 1788 of the pre-emptive right to some 6,000,000 acres of land in western New York State for $1,000,000 . This was all land in western New York west of Seneca Lake between Lake Ontario and the Pennsylvania border...
.
The Town of Palmyra, originally called "Swift's Landing" after it's founder John Swift and "District of Tolland," was created in 1789. The sole local encounter between natives and white settlers that resulted in deaths occurred that same year. The present name was adapted in 1796, reportedly to impress a new school teacher. There were almost one thousand people in the town in 1800.
The Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
was completed up to Palmyra in 1822, although the canal was not completed to its western terminus until 1825.
In 1823, the Town of Macedon
Macedon (town), New York
Macedon is a town in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 9,148 at the 2010 census. The town is named after the ancient Macedonian Kingdom of Macedon, the birthplace of Alexander the Great....
was formed from part of Palmyra's territory as part of the creation of Wayne County from Ontario County.
Birth of Latter Day Saint movement
Palmyra is the birthplace of the Latter Day Saint movementLatter Day Saint movement
The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
and Mormonism
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
. Founder Joseph Smith, Jr., whose family lived on a farm that straddled the line between Palmyra and Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
, claimed to have been visited by God the Father and Jesus Christ in 1820, an event known as the First Vision
First Vision
The First Vision refers to a vision that Joseph Smith, Jr. said he received as a youth in a wooded area in Manchester, New York, which his followers call the Sacred Grove. Smith described it as a personal theophany in which he received a forgiveness of sins...
. In 1830 the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
was first published in the village of Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
by E.B. Grandin, in the present Book of Mormon Historic Publication Site
Book of Mormon Historic Publication Site
The Book of Mormon Historic Publication Site is a historic site located in the village of Palmyra, Wayne County, New York, United States. The historic site includes the E. B. Grandin Building and some neighboring structures. It was in the E. B. Grandin building that Egbert B. Grandin printed and...
. Beginning in the early 20th century, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began buying and restoring many of the properties in the area associated with early church history. In 1997 the Smiths' log cabin was rebuilt on its original site and in 2000 the church built the Palmyra New York Temple
Palmyra New York Temple
The Palmyra New York Temple is the 77th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.The site for the Palmyra New York Temple, atop a wooded hill in pastoral western New York, is in an area prominent in the early history of the Latter Day Saint Movement...
on a portion of the former Smith farm.
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 33.7 square miles (87.3 km²), of which, 33.5 square miles (86.7 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (0.62%) is water.
The Erie Canal passes across the county, through the Village of Palmyra. The multi-use, recreational Erie Canal Heritage Trail continues along the towpath of the Erie Canal as well.
The south town line is the border of Ontario County
Ontario County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
.
New York State Route 21
New York State Route 21
New York State Route 21 is a state highway extending for through the western part of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at NY 417 in Andover. The northern terminus is at NY 104 in Williamson...
(north-south) intersects New York State Route 31
New York State Route 31
New York State Route 31 is a state highway that extends for across western and central New York in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 104 in the city of Niagara Falls. Its eastern terminus is at a traffic circle with NY 26 in Vernon...
(east-west) in Palmyra village.
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 7,672 people, 3,009 households, and 2,040 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 229.2 people per square mile (88.5/km²). There were 3,179 housing units at an average density of 95.0 per square mile (36.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.46% White, 0.38% 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...
, 0.36% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.22% 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 0.69% of the population.
There were 3,009 households out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% 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, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $45,542, and the median income for a family was $54,076. Males had a median income of $36,631 versus $24,083 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 $19,506. About 4.8% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.
Notable natives and residents
- E. B. Grandin (1806–1845), printer of first edition of the Book of MormonBook of MormonThe Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
- Increase A. Lapham (1811–1875), "father" of the United States Weather Service
- William T. SampsonWilliam T. SampsonWilliam Thomas Sampson was a United States Navy rear admiral known for his victory in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba during the Spanish-American War.-Biography:...
(1840–1902), Admiral in the Spanish American War - Joseph Smith, Jr. (1805–1844), founder of the Latter Day Saint MovementLatter Day Saint movementThe Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
, resided in Palmyra from 1816 to 1825 and again in 1830. - Henry WellsHenry WellsHenry Wells was an American businessman important in the history of both the American Express Company and Wells Fargo & Company.-Early life:...
(1805–1878), founder of American ExpressAmerican ExpressAmerican Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
and co-founder of Wells FargoWells FargoWells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...
Communities and locations in the Town of Palmyra
- Cooney Crossing — A location by the west town line on County Road 210.
- East Palmyra — A hamlet near the east town line on County Road 220. The East Palmyra Presbyterian ChurchEast Palmyra Presbyterian ChurchEast Palmyra Presbyterian Church is a historic Presbyterian church located at East Palmyra in Wayne County, New York. It is a vernacular Romanesque style brick and stone church built in 1868-1869...
was listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2002. - PalmyraPalmyra (village), New YorkPalmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
— The Village of Palmyra on the Erie Canal. - Red Creek — A stream north of Palmyra village.
- Wide Waters — A long narrow pond in the Erie Canal is partly in the southeast corner of the town.