Syracuse, New York
Encyclopedia
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat
of Onondaga County
, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, (making it the 170th largest city in the country) and its metropolitan area
had a population of 742,603. It is the economic and educational hub of Central New York
, a region with over a million inhabitants. Syracuse is also well-provided with convention sites, with a downtown convention complex
and, directly west of the city, the Empire Expo Center
, which hosts the annual Great New York State Fair
. The city derives its name from Siracusa, a city on the eastern coast of the Italian island of Sicily.
The city has functioned as a major crossroads over the last two centuries, first between the Erie Canal
and its branch canals, then of the railway network
. Today, Syracuse is located at the intersection of Interstates 81
and 90
, and its airport
is the largest in the region. Syracuse is home to Syracuse University
, a major research university, as well as several smaller colleges and professional schools. In 2010 Forbes
rated Syracuse 4th in the top 10 places to raise a family.
and seashells which were eventually buried in the earth. From this prehistoric period, two products emerged as major resources in the 19th century; salt and limestone.
Many geological events occurred over the centuries which shaped the land. The most recent was the Great Ice Age which took place approximately 20,000 years ago. The last sheet of ice formed the Finger Lakes
, the Adirondack Mountains
, and Onondaga Lake
, in addition to other land formations in Upstate New York
.
had been inhabited by Native Americans
for 4,000 to 5,000 years before the arrival of Europeans. The Five Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy
inhabited this land in the 1600s. The nation was composed of the Mohawks, the Senecas, the Onondagas, the Oneidas, and the Cayugas. Each nation oversaw a different part of New York. The Onondagas lived in the area around Onondaga Lake in Central New York
.
By 1722, the Tuscarora people joined with the Iroquois
and the confederacy was then known as the Six Nations.
who arrived in 1615 when Samuel de Champlain
launched an attack against the Oneidas with the aid of the Huron and Algonquian
Indians who were bitter enemies of the Iroquois
.
During the 1640s, which were years of "troubling" battles between the French, Huron and Iroquois, many Jesuit priests were killed. Many French missionaries who arrived in the area from Canada, retreated to the north.
On August 5, 1654, Father Simon LeMoyne, a Jesuit missionary, arrived in the Onondaga village. The French were the first to discover salt in Onondaga Lake
. During his short stay, LeMoyne drank from a spring which the Onondagas believed to be foul due to an evil spirit. He found it to be a salt water spring and he returned to Canada with salt
made from the spring water.
in the early 1700s. They befriended the Onondagas by giving them guns, which were highly prized. A British agent, William Johnson, acquired 200000 acres (809,372,000 m²) of land in the Mohawk
country near present day Johnstown, New York
. In 1751, Johnson heard that the French
intended on securing a military post in the vicinity of the salt springs. He discussed the consequences of that action with the Onondagas and proposed that they grant him rights to all of Onondaga Lake
and a two-mile (3 km) band of land around it. The Onondagas agreed and were paid £350 sterling.
As the Revolutionary War
approached, both the British and the Americans sought Iroquois
support. The British succeeded and by the end of the war, only the Oneidas and Tuscaroras, a recent addition to the nation, had remained neutral or friendly to the Americans.
The end result of the American Revolutionary War
was the Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1784)
enacted by the United States on October 22, 1784. The lands of the natives were distributed by treaties soon after. In 1788, the lands around Onondaga Lake
were transferred from the Onondaga Nation to local salt producers.
The Oneidas and the Tuscaroras were able to secure the lands which they inhabited. Offers of reservations were made to the four nations that opposed the Americans. The Onondagas, Senecas
, and Cayugas
accepted the offer. The Mohawks
refused and sought refuge in Canada similar to other British sympathizers.
In later years the Onondagas began selling their land in order to gain items brought by white men to the area. Their reservation diminished slowly over time.
, more settlers came to the area, mostly to trade with the Onondaga Nation. Ephraim Webster
left the Continental Army
to settle in 1784, along with Asa Danforth
, another participant in the war. Comfort Tyler
, whose engineering skill contributed to regional development, arrived four years later. All three settled in Onondaga Hollow south of the present city center at the head of Onondaga Lake
, which was then marshy.
In late 1788, after the enactment of the Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1784)
in which the Onondaga Nation relinquished part of their reservation including Onondaga Hollow to the local salt producers. The land was now open to settlers and the natives were left with only hunting and fishing rights. Tyler and Danforth began making salt for the family, but did not produce it to sell. Danforth built a sawmill and gristmill and Tyler laid the first roads and built bridges, and in the future would support the building of churches and schools.
who was an Indian trader on the banks of the Onondaga Creek
.
By 1793, the Westside
of the future city was described as "dark, gloomy, and almost impenetrable swamp that was a favorite resort for wolves, bears, wildcats, mud-turtles, and swamp rattlesnakes." The western portion of the valley about Syracuse was originally timbered with hemlock
, birch
and soft maple
; the eastern portion with cedar
and pine
.
During 1804, an act was passed that directed the sale of 250 acres (1,011,715 m²) of the Onondaga Salt Springs Reservation for the purpose of "laying out and improving a road" running from lot 49, Manlius
, to lot 38, Onondaga
, east and west through the reservation. James Geddes
laid out the design of the new road in "rather an irregular form so that as much dry land might be secured as possible." The land, now the central portion of the city of Syracuse, was purchased by Abraham Walton for $6,650 and the area was later named the Walton Tract. Michael Hogan and Charles Walton bought a portion of the tract in 1804 and sold it in 1814.
The swamp was almost impassable, but gradually it was drained, cleared, and settled. A gristmill, called the old red mill, was erected in 1805 followed by a sawmill and tannery. Soon after, a settler named Bogardus opened a tavern and across Walton's land James Geddes
laid out a 10 miles (16.1 km) corduroy road, which later became part of the Genesee Turnpike.
By spring of 1819, the water did not sufficiently subside to allow passage until late May or June. Those going from Onondaga
to Salina
were "obliged" to pass around the area on the high ground east of the city "over by-ways" which were cut in every direction through the reservation for the purpose of collecting wood in the winter for the salt works. Early residents preferred to travel on the road in the winter because it was frozen and covered with hard pack snow.
rejected the name Corinth
upon its application for a post office, stating there was already a post office by this name in New York.
The village of Syracuse was laid out into streets and lots in 1819, but the first election of village officers did not occur until 1825. At the time of incorporation, the village had 15 merchants, one newspaper, a fire department, and several small industries. The first schoolhouse was erected in 1820, the first church (Baptist
) was built in 1821, and the First Presbyterian Church in 1824. The first grist mill occupied the ground where Syracuse High School later stood. This was also the site of Central High School. The village of Lodi consisted of a cluster of homes, groceries, and small businesses situated on the Erie Canal
, east of Syracuse.
Because of similarities such as a salt industry and a neighboring village named Salina
, the name Syracuse was chosen by village planner, John Wilkinson
, after Syracuse, Sicily. In 1825, the village of Syracuse was officially incorporated. By 1832, the city had four wards.
During the winter of 1847–48 discussions about the incorporation of the three villages, Salina
, Lodi and Syracuse began.
The period between 1830 and the incorporation of the city in 1847 was one of remarkable growth in all directions in the village of Syracuse. From a population of about 7,000 in 1830 it grew to 11,014 in 1840, and to 22,271 in 1850. Business industries multiplied, churches and schools were established, and from the small community which has been described, living in quite primitive conditions, Syracuse became a large and thriving village, with a reputation for enterprise and progressiveness that was reaching out over New York State.
in 1825 caused a steep increase in the sale of salt, not only because of the improved and lower cost of transportation, but additionally, the ease of canal shipment caused New York State farms to change from wheat to pork production and curing pork required a lot of salt.
After the War of 1812
, it became difficult to obtain salt from abroad and commercial salt production became an important Syracuse industry. The Erie Canal
allowed the bulky and low-priced Onondaga salt to be transported to Chicago and beyond via the Great Lakes
relatively quickly and inexpensively.
By 1830, the Erie Canal
, which ran through the village, was completed. The Village of Syracuse and the Village of Salina were combined into the City of Syracuse on December 14, 1847. Harvey Baldwin was the first mayor of the new city.
springs around the southern end of "Salt Lake", known today as Onondaga Lake
. The 1788 Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1784)
, and the subsequent designation of the area by the State of New York as the Onondaga Salt Springs Reservation, provided the basis for commercial salt production from the late 18th century through the early 20th century.
The end result of the French and Indian War
was the Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1784)
enacted by the United States on October 22, 1784. The lands of the natives were distributed soon after. In 1788, the lands around Onondaga Lake
were transferred from the Onondaga Nation to local salt producers with the stipulation that the property would be used to produce salt "for the common use of everyone."
Until 1900, the bulk of the salt used in the United States
came from Syracuse.
and a group allied with him, mostly associated with the Unitarian Church
and their pastor The Reverend Samuel May in Syracuse, as well as with Quakers in nearby Skaneateles
, supported as well by abolitionists in many other religious congregations. Prior to the Civil War
, due to the work of Jermain Wesley Loguen
and others in defiance of federal law, Syracuse was known as the "great central depot on the Underground Railroad
".
On October 1, 1851, William Henry, a freed slave known as "Jerry" was arrested under the Fugitive Slave Law. The anti-slavery Liberty Party
was holding its state convention in the city, and when word of the arrest spread, several hundred abolitionists including Charles Augustus Wheaton
broke into the city jail and freed Jerry. The event came to be widely known as the Jerry Rescue
. In the aftermath, the Congregationalist minister Samuel Ringgold Ward
had to flee to Canada to escape persecution because of his participation.
in 1840. The population by 1848 had grown to 18,741.
During 1850, Henry A. Dillare, erected a five-story block where the McCarthy Department Store later stood. The city market in the City Hall building was abandoned the latter part of 1852.
By 1853, the city was divided into eight wards and in 1856, the ten city banks reported an aggregate capital of $1,535,000.
On May 23, 1869, the Onondaga County Savings Bank building was opened for business. The first levy for city taxes collected was $58,441. John Greenway, brewer, gave a public barbecue in Clinton Square
on New Year's Day, 1870.
During 1875, there were 200 smallpox deaths in the city. In 1879, the city population had grown to 62,243.
The telephone was first exhibited in Syracuse on June 12, 1879. The cornerstone of the County Clerk's building was laid on August 11, 1880. Shortly after, the electric light system was introduced into the central parts of the city in 1883.
Geddes was annexed to the city on May 17, 1886 and on February 3, 1887, the village of Danforth became part of the city.
By 1887, the city was divided into 11 wards, by 1891 it had split to 14 and by 1893 there were 19 wards. The City Hall building was completed in 1892.
The New York State Fair permanently located in the city limits in 1888.
was hired in 1797 to survey Onondaga Salt Springs Reservation and lay out the first road in Salt Point.
In 1798, Salt Point became the village of Salina
. The Surveyor-General, Simeon DeWitt employed Geddes to design the streets. Although Geddes had no formal training in surveying, DeWitt saw great potential in him. Soon Geddes sold his interest in the Geddes salt works to pursue other interests and surveying continued to be an important role for much of his life.
Geddes later surveyed and laid out the village of Geddes
with approximately 20 lots on either side of West Genesee Street in 1807.
In 1812, early settler Comfort Tyler
, then a state assemblyman, secured a charter for the Seneca Turnpike Company. With $100,000 he initiated the construction of a turnpike road (a toll road) on the old state road between Utica
and Canandaigua
. The road was finished in late 1812 and was "fairly flat and improved communications between the eastern and western areas" and was commonly known as the Seneca Turnpike. This road is known today as Genesee Street in Syracuse.
From 1803 through 1804, the Cherry Valley Turnpike, which passed through Cazenovia
and intersected the Seneca Turnpike at Manlius
was under construction. In 1807, roads around Onondaga Hill
and Oswego
to Salina
were in the planning stages.
A road was approved in 1809 from Free Street and Salt Street in Salina
to the town of Cicero
. The Cold Spring Road was approved in 1817, from Liverpool
to the Seneca River
at Cold Springs
. In 1820, Geddes laid a road between Salina
and the Geddes Works. To deal with the swampy bogs he first filled the area with brush and debris from the swamp. This road is now called Hiawatha Boulevard.
A swing bridge in Salina Street was built in 1874, according to an act of the Legislature that year. The first asphalt pavement in the city was laid in 1880.
James Street was an exclusive residential thoroughfare by the late 19th century. The architectural styles of its homes varied from modified Spanish Revival and Italian Renaissance Revival to Greek Revival and Queen Anne
, from Victorian Gothic to Georgian Colonial. West Genesee Street, part of the original Genesee Turnpike, had been through many changes since the "old red mill" was built on the banks of Onondaga Creek
. For years, it was a choice residential street. Later, with the invention of the automobile, it became a busy commercial thoroughfare.
The official opening of the new State Fair Boulevard took place on September 2, 1916. Visitors to the New York State Fair that year were "pleased" with the 40 feet (12.2 m) wide smooth concrete surface of the road that ran from Hiawatha Avenue to the fairgrounds. The old boulevard had caused much trouble with its "mud holes and sticky surface when wet and clouds of dust when dry."
Exhibitors at the fair who had to haul over the boulevard found their trips cut in half and "the horses drawing loads will be saved greatly."
, a railroad magnate and millionaire whose New York Central Railroad
"dominated Washington Street for 100 years."
From 1839 on, Syracuse life for many years revolved around Vanderbilt Square, the magnet was the railroad station, and the hostelries that grew up around it. In the old station Henry Clay was welcomed on his visit to the New York State Fair in 1849. Daniel Webster
, General Winfield Scott
, Louis Kossuth, John Brown, Stephen A. Douglas
, and other notables were greeted there.
The first street railway was built in Salina street in 1859 and Syracuse was soon known "far and wide" as the city where the trains passed through the middle of downtown
. Travelers caught "intimate glimpses" of Syracuse, its people, stores and houses as the trains slowed on their way through town.
On February 18, 1861, Abraham Lincoln
, on the way to his inauguration, bowed from a coach platform. and on April 26, 1865, his funeral train stopped for 30 minutes.
During the 1930s, the city's fourth rail station was constructed along Erie Boulevard East when the rail line through Syracuse was elevated. In Syracuse, the trains ran through the center of downtown, along Washington Street. That elevated section later was abandoned and replaced by Interstate 690
.
flourished in the city until the automobile
, airplane and bus
took their place by the early 1940s.
The trolley or streetcar served travel within the city limits of Syracuse as early as 1859. In the early days they were either horse-drawn or fueled by steam and by the end of the 19th century they were electric driven. The city was one of the first in the United States
to adopt electricity as a transportation motive power.
Interurban
were suburban railways with rights-of-way for higher speed traffic. They linked the city with the countryside which allowed people who lived in the suburbs and farming communities to work in Syracuse. The era was short-lived, however, lasting just over 40 years. The first interurban
line was built in the city in 1885 with services to Oneida
and the last line completed to Oswego
in 1911. By 1932, "every bit" of track had been removed and the entire era was over.
and David S. Colvin, was appointed early in 1840 "to report amendments to the ordinances that will give the village a more vigorous police."
In May 1839, it was resolved by the trustees that "there shall hereafter be a police justice in Syracuse, who shall be appointed in the same manner as the judges of the County Courts," and an act of Legislature was procured for this purpose.
The first gas company in the city began business in 1849.
The Syracuse Fire Department built Engine House 1 in 1859 and a watch tower was constructed in the rear of Engine House 2 in 1862. The department added two steam engines to their fleet in 1866. By 1878, expenses for the fire department were $30,000 per year.
The matter of a stable city water supply from either Tully Lake or Skaneateles Lake
was discussed during 1870 and 1871. Skaneateles Lake
was chosen and in 1894 the modern water supply system was finally operational.
declined after the Civil War
, but a new manufacturing industry arose in its place. Manufacturing proliferated in Syracuse, New York from the late 1870s through the early 20th century, a period known as the Industrial Revolution
. Franklin Chase, author of the 1924 history "Syracuse and Its Environs," summed up the early 20th century in Syracuse with this claim: "In truth, Syracuse manufactured more different articles numerically than even New York City itself."
During the early years, numerous businesses and stores were established, including the Franklin Automobile Company
, which produced automobiles with air-cooled engines. In 1902, the Franklin (automobile)
Model A attained the distinction of being the first four-cylinder automobile produced in the United States.
Other important industries included the Crouse-Hinds Company
, manufacturer of traffic signals; and the Craftsman Workshops, the center of Gustav Stickley's
handmade furniture empire.
The first Solvay Process Company
plant in the United States, was erected on the southeastern shore of Onondaga lake in 1884 and the village was given the name Solvay, New York
to commemorate its inventor, Ernest Solvay
. In 1861, he developed the ammonia-soda process for the manufacture of soda ash {anhydrous sodium carbonate
, a rare chemical called natrite, to distinguish it from natural natron
of antiquity} from brine
wells dug in the southern end of Tully valley (as a source of sodium chloride
) and limestone
(as a source of calcium carbonate
). The process was an improvement over the earlier Leblanc process
.
The Syracuse Solvay plant was the incubator for a large chemical industry complex owned by Allied Signal in Syracuse, the result of which made Onondaga Lake
the most polluted in the nation.
where the earliest known schoolhouse was erected in 1804 on the site that was later occupied by Porter School.
The first schoolhouse to annex into the city was constructed in 1805 in the town of Salina
which was incorporated in 1809. The building, designated as "No. 1," was constructed "according to the fashion of the day" with the faces of the children turned toward the four walls and the instructor in the middle of the room. The village of Salina was incorporated in 1824 and the school remained "No. 1" until the city of Syracuse was incorporated in 1848. At that time, the spring term opened with about 50 pupils in all grades of the "elementary studies." During the winter, the older students, many of them larger than the teacher, increased the total to over 100. The number increased so that it became necessary to "seat some of the pupils on the wood-pile."
The first school house in the village of Syracuse limits was built on Church Street (West Willow Street) at the corner of Franklin Street about 1826. Local schools passed into the control of the Syracuse Board of Education in the spring of 1848.
The first high school building was erected in 1868 and was called High School.
Night schools for adults were established in the 1890. By 1936, under the depression era WPA
, funding was provided to hire 300 teachers to instruct 15,000 adults.
In 1930, the city opened a special school for crippled children and by 1932 the Children's court was established.
was chartered in 1870 as a Methodist-Episcopal
institution and opened its doors for instruction in September 1871.
Geneva Medical College
was founded in 1834 in Geneva, New York
. It is now known as Upstate Medical University, the most prestigious medical college in the Syracuse area, one of only four in the State University of New York
system, and one of only five medical schools in the state north of New York City.
was founded after Frederick C. Brower
introduced the Bell telephone to Syracuse in 1878. He had seen the device exhibited at the Philadelphia Exposition of 1876 and secured Central New York
rights from the Bell system. His father, Hiram C. Brower, was credited with installing the first "speaking tubes" in Syracuse and also the first enunciators and began the first telephone exchange which had about 1,000 subscribers.
During 1879, Mathew J. Myers, who operated a local telegraph and messenger service in the city, opened an exchange in the tower of the Gridley Building
after sub-leasing the rights from Brower. D. L. Pyke, superintendent of Western Union
, opened a rival exchange in the Wieting Block in Downtown Syracuse
. During 1880, the two rival exchanges merged and named the Syracuse Telephonic Exchange
which was eventually consolidated into the New York Telephone Company.
, college football
, and college lacrosse
teams. In 1911, under the leadership of Syracuse University trustee, Louis Marshall, the New York State College of Forestry
was re-established in close association with Syracuse University; it since has evolved into the SUNY-ESF
. Le Moyne College
was founded in 1946; Onondaga Community College
in 1962.
World War II sparked significant industrial expansion in the area: specialty steel, fasteners, custom machining. After the war, two of the Big Three automobile manufacturers (General Motors
& Chrysler
) had major operations in the area. Syracuse was headquarters for Carrier Corporation
, Crouse-Hinds traffic signal manufacturing, and General Electric
had its main television manufacturing plant at Electronics Parkway in Syracuse.
Much of the city fabric changed after World War II, although Pioneer Homes
, one of the earliest government housing projects in the US, had been completed earlier, in 1941. Many of Syracuse's landmark buildings were demolished in the 1950s and 1960s. The federal Urban Renewal
program cleared large sectors that remained undeveloped for many decades, although several new museums and government buildings were built.
The manufacturing industry in Syracuse began to falter in the 1970s. Many small businesses failed during this time, which contributed to an already increasing unemployment rate. Rockwell International
moved their factory outside New York state. General Electric
moved its television manufacturing operations to Suffolk, Virginia
and later to Singapore. The Carrier Corporation
moved its headquarters out of Syracuse and outsourced manufacturing to Asian locations. Nevertheless, although city population has declined since 1950, the Syracuse metropolitan area
population has remained fairly stable, even growing by 2.5 percent since 1970. While this growth rate is greater than much of Upstate New York, it is far below the national average during that period.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 25.6 square miles (66.3 km²), of which, 25.1 square miles (65 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (2.15%) is water.
The city stands at the northeast corner of the Finger Lakes
Region. The city has many neighborhoods which were originally various villages that joined the city over the years. Although the central part of Syracuse is flat, many of its neighborhoods are located on small hills such as University Hill
and Tipperary Hill
. Land to the north of Syracuse is generally flat while land to the south is hilly.
About 27 percent of Syracuse's land area is covered by 890,000 trees — a higher percentage than in Albany
, Rochester
or Buffalo
. This is despite the Labor Day Storm
of 1998, a derecho
which destroyed approximately 30,000 trees. The sugar maple
accounts for 14.2 percent of Syracuse's trees, followed by the Northern white cedar (9.8 percent) and the European buckthorn
(6.8 percent).
The most common street tree is the Norway maple
(24.3 percent) followed by the honey locust
(9.3 percent).
The densest tree cover in Syracuse is in the two Valley neighborhoods, with 46.6 percent of their land covered by trees. The lowest tree cover percentage is found downtown
, which consists of only 4.6 percent trees.
Syracuse's main water source is Skaneateles Lake
, one of the country's cleanest lakes, located 15 miles (24.1 km) southwest of the city. Water from nearby Onondaga Lake
is not drinkable due to industrial dumping that spanned many decades, leaving the lake heavily polluted. Incoming water is left unfiltered, and chlorine is added to prevent bacterial growth. For periods of drought, there is also a backup line which uses water from Lake Ontario
.
Onondaga Creek
, a waterway that runs through downtown, flows northward through the city. There are plans and aspirations to create a creek walk that will connect the Lakefront
and Inner Harbor
to Franklin Square
, Armory Square
, The Valley
, and ultimately the Onondaga Nation. The creek is navigable, yet can be quite a challenge as its channelized nature speeds up its flow, particularly in the spring, when it may be dangerous. Drownings of youngsters resulted in fencing of the creek through some residential areas.
Dfb) and is known for its snowfall. Boasting 121.2 inches (307.8 cm) on average, the Syracuse metro area receives more snow on average than any other large city in the United States. Syracuse continually wins the Golden Snowball Award
, among Upstate cities. Its record so far is 192.1 inches (487.9 cm). The high snowfall is a result of the city receiving both lake effect
from nearby Lake Ontario and nor'easter
snow. Snow most often falls in small (about 1–3 in (2.5–7.6 cm)), almost daily doses, over a period of several days. Larger snowfalls do occur occasionally, and even more so in the northern suburbs.
One notable blizzard was the Blizzard of 1993, during which 42.9 inches (109 cm) fell on the city within 48 hours, with 35.6 inches (90.4 cm) falling within the first 24 hours. Syracuse received more snow than any other city in the country during this storm, which shattered a total of eight local records, including the most snow in a single snowstorm.
A second notable snowfall was the Blizzard of 1966
, with 42.3 inches (107.4 cm). The Blizzard of '58 occurred in February (16–17th) across Oswego and Onondaga counties. This storm was an actual blizzard due to the high winds, blowing snow and cold. 26.1 inches (66 cm) of snow was measured at Syracuse N.Y. and drifts reached 20 feet (600 cm) in Oswego County. (See Thirtieth Publication of the Oswego County Historical Society, (1969) and The Climate and Snow Climatology of Oswego N.Y., (1971)
January 2004 was the snowiest month ever in Syracuse, with a record 78.1 inches (198 cm) recorded in 31 days. December 2010 became Syracuse's second snowiest December ever on record with 72.8 inches (184.9 cm) and 45.1 inches (114.6 cm) fell in 4 days. In February 1958, Syracuse shivered under a white blanket that averaged 4 feet (120 cm) on February 19. Syracuse declared a snow emergency
under a new law that allowed municipalities to demand that streets be cleared of vehicles to help with plowing operations.
Syracuse's hottest month is historically July, with an average high temperature of 82 °F (27.8 °C), while its coldest month is historically January, with an average high temperature of 31 °F (-.6 °C). The Record high of 102 °F (39 °C) was recorded on July 9, 1936 and record low of -26 °F has been witnessed three times since 1922, the last being February 18, 1979.
While the average high during summer is around the low 80s, when adding humidity, the apparent temperature highs extend upward in the range of mid-80s to mid-90s in the city. Days just shy of 100 °F (37.8 °C), such as 96 or 97 °F (36.1 °C), are not uncommon in and around the city with the humidity factored in. However, days above 100 °F (37.8 °C) are more rare, even with humidity taken into account.
A few recent summers in Syracuse have been warmer than previous ones in the city and, like in some other places in the nation, previous records have been broken. For example, the summers of 2005 and 2002 were, respectively, the hottest and second-hottest summers on record.
As of the census of 2000, there were 147,306 people, 59,482 households, and 30,335 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,871.0 people per square mile (2,266.8/km²). There were 68,192 housing units at an average density of 2,717.8 per square mile (1,049.4/km²).
The racial and ethnic makeup of the city reported in the 2000 Census was as follows: 64.26% White
, 25.35% African American
, 1.13% Native American
, 3.37% Asian
, 0.05% Pacific Islander
, 2.23% from other races, and 3.61% from two or more races
. Hispanic or Latino
of any race were 5.27% of the population.
There were 59,482 households out of which 30.46% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 12.65% were married couples living together, 14.84% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.58% were non-families. 38.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% 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 3.11.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 16.8% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,000, and the median income for a family was $33,026. Males had a median income of $30,312 versus $23,997 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,168. About 21.7% of families and 27.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.1% of those under age 18 and 12.4% of those age 65 or over.
area, including the African, Asian, Bosnian, British
, French
, German
, Greek
, Hispanic, Irish
, Italian
, Jewish, Lebanese, Pacific Islander, Polish, Syrian, Ukrainian
, and Welsh communities. Native Americans also continue to have a presence in the area, as they have for centuries.
Recent demographics indicate that the largest ancestries represented in the city includes African American (27.9%), Irish
(15.9%), Italian
(14.1%), German
(12.2%), English
(7.6%), Hispanic
(6.5%), Polish
(5.0%), Asian
(4.0%) and Pacific Islander
(1.1%).
is Syracuse's fastest growing neighborhood, fueled by expansions by Syracuse University
and Upstate Medical University (a division of the State University of New York
), as well as dozens of small medical office complexes.
The top employers in the Syracuse region and the size of their workforce, as of January 1, 2008:
Bristol-Myers Squibb
, founded by alums of nearby Hamilton College, has a complex near the Eastwood district. Time Warner Cable
has based one of its divisions in Syracuse.
Today the Syracuse area has few extremely large employers, but rather many smaller ones. Eight of the area's top eleven employers are in education or the service industry, rather than in manufacturing.
has been the tallest in Syracuse.
within its boundaries. Some of these have small additional neighborhoods and districts inside of them. In addition, Syracuse also owns and operates Syracuse Hancock International Airport
, located on the territory of four towns north of the city.
Syracuse's neighborhoods reflect the historically divided population. Traditionally, Irish
, Polish and Ukrainian
Americans settled on its westside; Jews on its eastside; German
and Italian
Americans on the northside; and African-Americans on its southside.
shopping mall in the Syracuse's Lakefront neighborhood, many of the city's more traditional neighborhoods continue to have active business districts:
, located on University Hill
. It had an enrollment of 19,084 for the 2006–2007 academic year
Immediately adjacent to Syracuse University are two doctoral-degree granting State University
(SUNY) schools, the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
and SUNY Upstate Medical University
. Both institutions have long-standing ties to Syracuse University. SUNY Upstate Medical University is also one of Syracuse's major research universities and is one of only about 125 academic medical centers in the country. It is the region's largest employer
Other institutions of higher education which are based in Syracuse include Le Moyne College
a Jesuit college founded in 1946 and named after the 17th century missionary and diplomat Simon Le Moyne
who first discovered the value of the Onondaga salt springs (see "French missions" above). Le Moyne College was the first Jesuit college to be founded as coeducational, and is located on the city's eastern border. In addition, Onondaga Community College
has its main campus in the adjacent Town of Onondaga
and has two smaller campuses downtown and in Liverpool
. A branch of SUNY's Empire State College
is located in East Syracuse; a campus of the nationwide Bryant & Stratton College is located Downtown. A campus of ITT Technical Institute
also calls the Syracuse metropolitan area home, also located in Liverpool
. There are also Crouse Hospital School of Nursing and Saint Joseph's School of Nursing
Other colleges and universities in the area include Cornell University
and Ithaca College
in Ithaca
, Hamilton College in Clinton
, Oswego State University
in Oswego
, SUNY Cortland
in Cortland
, Morrisville State College
in Morrisville
, Colgate University
in Hamilton
, Cazenovia College
in Cazenovia
, Wells College
in Aurora
, and both Utica College
and SUNY Institute of Technology in Utica
.
music is the centerpiece of two annual outdoor festivals in Syracuse, the M&T Syracuse Jazz Festival, Polish Festival as well as the CNY Jazz Arts Foundation's Jazz In The Square Festival. Performers in the last five years have included Chuck Mangione
, Joshua Redman
, Smokey Robinson
, Branford Marsalis
, The Bad Plus
, Randy Brecker
, Stanley Clarke
, Jimmy Heath
, Terrence Blanchard, Slide Hampton
, Bobby Watson
, Dr. John
, and Aretha Franklin
. The Polish Festival hosted Grammy winners Jimmy Sturr and his Orchestra, Polish music legend Stan Borys and Irena Jarocka, Grammy nominee Lenny Goumulka, LynnMarie, Dennis Polisky & The Maestro's Men, Jerry Darlak and the Buffalo Touch & The John Gora Band.
Syracuse was home to the 79-member Syracuse Symphony Orchestra
(SSO), founded in 1961. In early April 2011, the orchestra announced plans to file for bankruptcy under Chapter 7
, a chapter of the U.S. bankruptcy code that indicates that the organization plans to liquidate
itself and go out of operation. Unfunded pension
obligations were blamed.
The SSO's last Music Director was Daniel Hege
; former Music Directors include Frederik Prausnitz
and Kazuyoshi Akiyama
. At its peak, the orchestra performed over 200 concerts annually for an audience of over 250,000.
The Clinton String Quartet
has been active for over 15 years and is based in the Syracuse area. All four members were also members of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra until its dissolution in early 2011.
The Syracuse Friends of Chamber Music for more than a half century have presented a series of concerts by various chamber
ensembles.
The Society for New Music, founded in 1982, is the oldest new music
organization in the state outside of New York City, and the only year-round new music group in upstate New York
. The Society commissions at least one new work each year from a regional composer, awards the annual Brian Israel Prize to a promising composer under 30 years of age, and produces the weekly "Fresh Ink" radio broadcast for WCNY-FM
.
The Syracuse Opera Company is a professional company that generally performs three operas each season. It was founded in 1963 as the Opera Chorus of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra
and became independent in 1973. In addition to full performances, it offers several free outdoor concerts each year in Armory Square
, Thornden Park
, and elsewhere. The company has an annual budget of US$1 million and is the only professional opera company in upstate New York.
The Syracuse Shakespeare Festival is a charitable, educational, not-for-profit corporation dedicated to performing the works of William Shakespeare. It was founded in 2002 and is best known for its annual free Shakespeare-in-the-Park program at the Thornden Park Amphitheatre that has attracted more than 17,000 people since its inception. SSF also produces three other major programs including Shakespeare-Under-A-Roof, (indoor shows at SU's Warehouse Theatre and NYS Fairgrounds' New Times Theatre) Kids Doing Shakespeare (Spring and Summer one-week, vacation theatre camps for students in grades 3–12) and the Avon Repertory Theatre. (one hour versions of Shakespeare classics touring at schools and businesses in CNY)
Syracuse Stage
presents experimental and creative theater; a number of its productions have been world premieres and have moved to Broadway. The venue was designed by its most famous former artistic director Arthur Storch
. Its current artistic director is Timothy Bond.
The Red House Arts Center
is one of Syracuse's newest cultural venues. Opened in 2004, Redhouse is a small theatre housed in a converted hotel, that offers performances by local, national, and international artists, and hosts regular exhibits in its art gallery, and screenings of independent films.
Syracuse is also known for a large contemporary music scene, particularly in the heavy metal
, Hardcore
, Ska, and Punk rock
genres.
Metal 'Cuse - Syracuse is also home to this yearly charity benefit music festival that showcases Hard Rock and Heavy Metal artists from around Syracuse and around the country. Metal 'Cuse Website
The City of Syracuse maintains over 170 parks, fields, and recreation areas, totaling over 1000 acres (4 km²). Burnet Park
includes the first public golf course in the United States (1901) and Rosamond Gifford Zoo
. Other major parks include Thornden Park
, Schiller Park, Sunnycrest Park, James Pass Arboretum
and the joined Onondaga Park
and Kirk Parks. There are 12 public pools, two public ice rinks, and two public nine-hole golf courses in the city.
Right outside the city proper, along the east side and north end of Onondaga Lake
, is Onondaga Lake Park. The adjacent Onondaga Lake Parkway is closed to vehicular traffic several hours on Sundays during the summer months, so it can be used for walking, running, biking, and rollerblading. During the holiday season, the park hosts Lights on the Lake, a two-mile (3 km) drive-through light show.
, or CNYRTA. The CNYRTA operates bus service in Syracuse and its suburbs, as well as to outlying metropolitan area cities such as Auburn
, Fulton
, and Oswego
.
The Pyramid Companies have also proposed a monorail
linking Syracuse University
to Hancock International Airport via Downtown Syracuse to their proposed Destiny Resort
to the William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center and their proposed Destiny Technology Park. The cost of such a line has been estimated at $750 million.
In 2005, local millionaire Tom McDonald proposed an aerial tramway
system, called Salt City Aerial Transit (S.C.A.T.), to link the university to the transportation center. The first segment from Syracuse University to downtown has been estimated to cost $5 million, which McDonald plans to raise himself. Due to the perceived low operating costs, the system could run continuously. As of late 2006, the project remains in the planning stage.
Syracuse currently ranks 50th in the United States for high transit ridership and 12th for most pedestrian commuters. 38,332 people commute daily into Onondaga County from the four adjoining counties (2006).
lines—the Empire Service
, the Maple Leaf, and the Lake Shore Limited
.
The Empire Service runs several times daily from Niagara Falls
to New York Penn Station, with major stops in Buffalo
, Rochester
, Utica
, and Albany
along the way.
The Maple Leaf follows the path of the Empire Service train, but continues to Toronto. This train completes one roundtrip daily.
Also completing one roundtrip a day, the Lake Shore Limited
connects Syracuse to the same cities as above (except Niagara Falls), but continues westward from Buffalo to Chicago via Cleveland
and Toledo
, and eastward to Boston
, with a branch extending south to New York.
The Amtrak station is part of the William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center.
A regional commuter rail service, OnTrack
, was active from 1994 until it was discontinued in 2007 due to low ridership. Its sole route connected the Carousel Center
to southern Syracuse, often extending to Jamesville
in the summer.
Greyhound Lines
and Trailways provide long-distance bus service. Both also use the William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center located in the northern area of the city.
in nearby Salina
, near Mattydale
. The airport is served by 17 airlines (9 major), which provide non-stop flights to destinations as far away as Orlando, FL, as well as several daily flights to other important airline hubs and business centers such as Atlanta, Boston
, Charlotte
, Chicago, Cincinnati
, Cleveland
, Detroit, New York City, Philadelphia
, Pittsburgh, Washington, DC, Toronto. Six cargo carriers also serve the airport. New York City can be reached in under an hour flight.
run through the Syracuse area:
Two US Highways run through the Syracuse area:
New York State Route Expressways:
elected mayor on November 3, 2009 The previous mayor was former Syracuse Common Council President Matthew J. Driscoll, who first assumed the position in 2001 after the former mayor, Roy Bernardi
, resigned upon his appointment by President George W. Bush
to a position in the Department of Housing and Urban Development. After serving the remaining term, Driscoll was re-elected that year, and again in 2005. Driscoll is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition
, a bi-partisan group with a stated goal of "making the public safer by getting illegal guns off the streets." The Coalition is co-chaired by Boston
Mayor Thomas Menino
and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg
.
. Judges for these courts are elected at-large.
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York also holds court in downtown Syracuse at the James Hanley Federal Building.
, and Oswego for the other three counties of the metropolitan area, plus an additional edition on Sundays. It has six news bureaus throughout Central New York, as well as one in Albany
(state capital) and Washington, DC.
Before the merger with the evening paper, The Post-Standard was named among the "10 best newspapers in America with a circulation of under 100,000" by Al Neuharth of USA Today
(run by a competing organization). Since the merger, circulation has increased to over 120,000. Even outside of its four-county delivery area, the paper is available in many convenience stores and supermarkets from the Canadian to the Pennsylvania
n border. The newspaper partly caters to this audience as well, covering many stories from the Ithaca
, Utica
, and Watertown areas. Since opening a new printing press in 2002, the paper calls itself "America's Most Colorful Newspaper," as almost every page contains color.
Syracuse New Times
is a weekly, free, ad-supported arts and entertainment newspaper. Owned by Zimmer Ltd, Syracuse New Times is published in Syracuse, New York by Arthur Zimmer and distributed throughout the central New York region. The publication is released every Wednesday, with over 137,600 readers, and is distributed to over 950 locations in Central New York. Launched in 1969, it is one of the oldest alternative weekly newspapers in the country.
The Daily Orange
, the newspaper of Syracuse University
and SUNY ESF students, is read by over 20,000 people daily, and is widely distributed in the University Hill
neighborhood and Armory Square
. The Dolphin, the weekly student newspaper of Le Moyne College
is also available, but read mainly by Le Moyne students.
There are other popular free newspapers, including Eagle Newspapers downtown edition, the City Eagle, and Table Hopping, which focuses on the restaurant and entertainment scene.
Syracuse's cable television provider is Time Warner Cable
, which, as a part of its regular and digital offerings, provides a popular 24-hour
local cable news
television channel (YNN
), local sports channel, Public-access television
channel, and an additional PBS
channel.
Additionally, other television networks are broadcast by low-power television station
s.
Syracuse University
's student-run Educational-access television station is CitrusTV
and programming is broadcast on the university campus on the Orange Television Network. The station also provides content to Time Warner Cable Sports. Online, CitrusTV programs can be found on CitrusTV.net.
Dish Network
and DirecTV
also provide local satellite television subscribers with local broadcast stations.
: Buddhism has its presence in Syracuse with the Zen Center of Syracuse
on the Seneca Turnpike; as well as a center on Park Street, on the city's north side.
Christianity: Syracuse has two cathedral
s, the Episcopal St. Paul's Cathedral
and the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Both are located at Columbus Circle
. Both are home to their respective diocese
s, the Diocese of Central New York
(Episcopal) and the Diocese of Syracuse (Roman Catholic). The Assembly of God, Southern Baptist Convention
, and the United Church of Christ
have their State offices in the Greater Syracuse area. Syracuse is also home to the novitiate center of the Jesuit New York Province, as well as the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Roman Catholic, with Mass offered in English and Polish). In addition there are dozens of churches in Syracuse of nearly every Christian denomination, including Jehovah's Witness, Christian Science
, Reformed Presbyterian and Metaphysical Christian. Complete List
Hinduism
: Hindu
houses of worship include the Hindu Mandir of Central New York in Liverpool.
Sikhism
: Sikh
The house of worship is the Sikh Foundation of Syracuse, in Liverpool
.
Islam
: Islam
also has a presence in Syracuse, with the Islamic Society of Central New York Mosque
on Comstock Avenue and Muhammad's Study Group on West Kennedy Street.
Judaism: There are several Jewish synagogues in Syracuse, including Beth Shalom-Chevra Chas, Temple Adath Yeshurun and the Temple Society of Concord, which is considered to be the ninth oldest Jewish House of Worship in the United States.
Unitarian Universalism
: There are two Unitarian Universalist
Societies in Syracuse including May Memorial Unitarian Society and First Unitarian Universalist Society of Syracuse.
A complete list of Syracuse's Houses of Worship
Syracuse was from 1946 until 1963 home to the NBA
's Syracuse Nationals
, which are now the Philadelphia 76ers
. They played seventeen seasons in Syracuse and won the NBA championship in 1955. The NBA's 24-second clock was invented in and first came into use in Syracuse. In March 2005 the city dedicated a monument to this fact. It is a 125% scaled model of the original shot clock used.
Syracuse has had several American Hockey League
teams in the past, which traditionally did not last longer than three seasons.
The Syracuse Blazers began play in the Eastern Hockey league in 1973. The league disbanded in 1973. The team then affiliated with the North America Hockey League. 1994 marked the introduction of a new team, the Syracuse Crunch
, which have been playing at the War Memorial at Oncenter
ever since.
Syracuse had a team in the National Lacrosse League
(NLL) called the Syracuse Smash
for three seasons from 1998 to 2000. They moved to Ottawa
in 2001 and became the Ottawa Rebel
The Syracuse Spirit
was a member of the American Lacrosse League, a short lived professional lacrosse league in 1988, based in Syracuse, New York. The Spirit played their home games at the Griffin Field in Liverpool, New York. The General Manager of the Spirit was Tom Scofield and the Head Coach was Jim Booth. The Spirit had a 4–1 record when the league folded.
The Syracuse Shock is a semi-professional American football team based in Syracuse, New York. They play in the North American Football League. The Syracuse Express were established in 1984 and were members of the Mid Continental Football League before that team contracted into the midwest. They joined the upstart New York Amateur Football League, where they became one of the league's premier teams, along with their rivals, the Buffalo Gladiators. After absorbing the Cortland Warriors in 1999 the team became the Central New York Express, although they still played their games in suburban Syracuse. The Express have won one NYAFL title in 2003. The NYAFL merged to become the Northeastern Football Alliance (NFA) and with the change, the team changed and was replaced by a new team named the Syracuse Shock.
Syracuse had a team for one season in the American Indoor Football League
called the Syracuse Soldiers
.
The Syracuse-based Monolith Athletic Club is working to return professional soccer to Syracuse. The Syracuse Salty Dogs
existed for two seasons (2002–2004) until folding due to financial problems. The game attendance had been among the highest in the A-League
.
Syracuse had a professional football team from 1890 to 1900 known as the Syracuse Athletic Association, the independent All-Syracuse team which was known in 1921 as the Syracuse Pros
in the APFA
before leaving the league and reverting to the All-Syracuse team, and briefly in the 1936 American Football League season
known as the Syracuse Braves. In 1902, the first World Series of pro football was played at New York's original Madison Square Garden. The 5 teams in the tournament were the New York Knickerbockers, Syracuse AC, Warlow AC, the Orange (New Jersey) AC, and New York. Syracuse won the tournament 6-0 with Glen (Pop) Warner at guard. The December 28, 1902 game where Syracuse defeated New York 5-0 at Madison Square Garden is credited as the first indoor pro football game.
Syracuse University sports are by far the most attended sporting events in the Syracuse area. Basketball games often draw over 30,000 fans, and football games over 40,000. The university has bred dozens of famous professional players since starting an athletics program in the late 19th century, including all-time greats Jim Brown
, Larry Csonka
and Dave Bing
, and present professional stars Marvin Harrison
, Carmelo Anthony
, Dwight Freeney
, Jason Hart, and Donovan McNabb
. Both teams play in the Carrier Dome
.
Several other well-known individuals have ties to the Syracuse metropolitan area, including:
make up most of the suburban communities in the Greater Syracuse area. Towns and villages in such surrounding counties as Oswego
, Madison
, Cortland
, or Cayuga
on the border of Onondaga County may also be considered Syracuse suburbs.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Onondaga County
Onondaga County, New York
Onondaga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 467,026. The county seat is Syracuse.Onondaga County is part of the Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, (making it the 170th largest city in the country) and its metropolitan area
Syracuse metropolitan area
The Syracuse Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in central New York, anchored by the city of Syracuse...
had a population of 742,603. It is the economic and educational hub of Central New York
Central New York
Central New York is a term used to broadly describe the central region of New York State, roughly including the following counties and cities:...
, a region with over a million inhabitants. Syracuse is also well-provided with convention sites, with a downtown convention complex
Oncenter
The Oncenter is a three-building convention and entertainment complex in Downtown Syracuse, New York, USA. It is composed of a convention center, sporting arena, and theaters.-Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center at Oncenter:...
and, directly west of the city, the Empire Expo Center
Empire Expo Center
The Empire Expo Center is an exhibition ground located in Geddes, New York, outside of Syracuse, New York. It features eight exhibition halls and 375 acres of ground space, which are used year-round for exhibitions and trade fairs...
, which hosts the annual Great New York State Fair
Great New York State Fair
The Great New York State Fair is an annual farmers' exposition and a 12-day showcase of entertainment, education, industry, technology, and more, sponsored by the State of New York. Additionally there are midway rides, , and concerts. The first fair took place in Syracuse in 1841...
. The city derives its name from Siracusa, a city on the eastern coast of the Italian island of Sicily.
The city has functioned as a major crossroads over the last two centuries, first between 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...
and its branch canals, then of the railway network
Rail transport in the United States
Presently, most rail transport in the United States is based on freight train shipments. The U.S. rail industry has experienced repeated convulsions due to changing U.S. economic needs and the rise of automobile, bus, and air transport....
. Today, Syracuse is located at the intersection of Interstates 81
Interstate 81
Interstate 81 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Island at the Canadian border, where the Thousand Islands Bridge connects it to Highway 401, the main freeway...
and 90
Interstate 90
Interstate 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...
, and its airport
Syracuse Hancock International Airport
Syracuse Hancock International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located northeast of Syracuse, in Onondaga County, New York, off of Interstate 81 near Mattydale, New York. The main terminal complex is located at the eastern end of Colonel Eileen Collins Boulevard.-History:In 1927...
is the largest in the region. Syracuse is home to Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, a major research university, as well as several smaller colleges and professional schools. In 2010 Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
rated Syracuse 4th in the top 10 places to raise a family.
History
Salt and limestone
Around 399 million years ago, during the middle Devonian Period, the land now occupied by the city of Syracuse was south of the equator and covered by a salty sea. Eventually, the sea water evaporated leaving behind layers of haliteHalite
Halite , commonly known as rock salt, is the mineral form of sodium chloride . Halite forms isometric crystals. The mineral is typically colorless or white, but may also be light blue, dark blue, purple, pink, red, orange, yellow or gray depending on the amount and type of impurities...
and seashells which were eventually buried in the earth. From this prehistoric period, two products emerged as major resources in the 19th century; salt and limestone.
Many geological events occurred over the centuries which shaped the land. The most recent was the Great Ice Age which took place approximately 20,000 years ago. The last sheet of ice formed the Finger Lakes
Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes are a pattern of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York in the United States. They are a popular tourist destination. The lakes are long and thin , each oriented roughly on a north-south axis. The two longest, Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, are among the deepest in...
, the Adirondack Mountains
Adirondack Mountains
The Adirondack Mountains are a mountain range located in the northeastern part of New York, that runs through Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Saint Lawrence, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties....
, and Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
, in addition to other land formations in Upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
.
Iroquois confederacy
The land around Onondaga LakeOnondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
had been inhabited by Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
for 4,000 to 5,000 years before the arrival of Europeans. The Five Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
inhabited this land in the 1600s. The nation was composed of the Mohawks, the Senecas, the Onondagas, the Oneidas, and the Cayugas. Each nation oversaw a different part of New York. The Onondagas lived in the area around Onondaga Lake in Central New York
Central New York
Central New York is a term used to broadly describe the central region of New York State, roughly including the following counties and cities:...
.
By 1722, the Tuscarora people joined with the Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
and the confederacy was then known as the Six Nations.
French missions
The first Europeans in the area were the FrenchFrench people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
who arrived in 1615 when Samuel de Champlain
Samuel de Champlain
Samuel de Champlain , "The Father of New France", was a French navigator, cartographer, draughtsman, soldier, explorer, geographer, ethnologist, diplomat, and chronicler. He founded New France and Quebec City on July 3, 1608....
launched an attack against the Oneidas with the aid of the Huron and Algonquian
Algonquian peoples
The Algonquian are one of the most populous and widespread North American native language groups, with tribes originally numbering in the hundreds. Today hundreds of thousands of individuals identify with various Algonquian peoples...
Indians who were bitter enemies of the Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
.
During the 1640s, which were years of "troubling" battles between the French, Huron and Iroquois, many Jesuit priests were killed. Many French missionaries who arrived in the area from Canada, retreated to the north.
On August 5, 1654, Father Simon LeMoyne, a Jesuit missionary, arrived in the Onondaga village. The French were the first to discover salt in Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
. During his short stay, LeMoyne drank from a spring which the Onondagas believed to be foul due to an evil spirit. He found it to be a salt water spring and he returned to Canada with salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
made from the spring water.
British arrive
The British began to take an active interest in the land around Onondaga LakeOnondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
in the early 1700s. They befriended the Onondagas by giving them guns, which were highly prized. A British agent, William Johnson, acquired 200000 acres (809,372,000 m²) of land in the Mohawk
Mohawk nation
Mohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint...
country near present day Johnstown, New York
Johnstown (city), New York
Johnstown is a city and the county seat of Fulton County in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2000 Census, the city had population of 8,511. Recent estimates put the figure closer to 8,100. The city was named by its founder, Sir William Johnson after his son John Johnson...
. In 1751, Johnson heard that the French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
intended on securing a military post in the vicinity of the salt springs. He discussed the consequences of that action with the Onondagas and proposed that they grant him rights to all of Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
and a two-mile (3 km) band of land around it. The Onondagas agreed and were paid £350 sterling.
Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
approached, both the British and the Americans sought Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
support. The British succeeded and by the end of the war, only the Oneidas and Tuscaroras, a recent addition to the nation, had remained neutral or friendly to the Americans.
The end result of the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
was the Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1784)
Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1784)
The Treaty of Fort Stanwix was a treaty signed in October 1784 at Fort Stanwix, located in present-day Rome, New York, between the United States and Native Americans...
enacted by the United States on October 22, 1784. The lands of the natives were distributed by treaties soon after. In 1788, the lands around Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
were transferred from the Onondaga Nation to local salt producers.
The Oneidas and the Tuscaroras were able to secure the lands which they inhabited. Offers of reservations were made to the four nations that opposed the Americans. The Onondagas, Senecas
Seneca nation
The Seneca are a group of indigenous people native to North America. They were the nation located farthest to the west within the Six Nations or Iroquois League in New York before the American Revolution. While exact population figures are unknown, approximately 15,000 to 25,000 Seneca live in...
, and Cayugas
Cayuga nation
The Cayuga people was one of the five original constituents of the Haudenosaunee , a confederacy of American Indians in New York. The Cayuga homeland lay in the Finger Lakes region along Cayuga Lake, between their league neighbors, the Onondaga to the east and the Seneca to the west...
accepted the offer. The Mohawks
Mohawk nation
Mohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint...
refused and sought refuge in Canada similar to other British sympathizers.
In later years the Onondagas began selling their land in order to gain items brought by white men to the area. Their reservation diminished slowly over time.
Early settlers
After the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, more settlers came to the area, mostly to trade with the Onondaga Nation. Ephraim Webster
Ephraim Webster
Ephraim Webster was the first white settler in Central New York when he arrived in 1786 to an area later named Syracuse...
left the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
to settle in 1784, along with Asa Danforth
Asa Danforth
Asa Danforth was an early settler and leading citizen of Onondaga County, New York where he was the second white man to settle upon his arrival in 1788. He was a veteran of the American Revolution and a salt maker in Onondaga Hollow.-Biography:Asa Danforth was born on July 6, 1746 in Worcester,...
, another participant in the war. Comfort Tyler
Comfort Tyler
Comfort Tyler , one of the original settlers of modern Syracuse, New York, brought his family in the spring of 1788 to what became the hamlet of Onondaga Hollow on the future Seneca Turnpike, south of the city's center today...
, whose engineering skill contributed to regional development, arrived four years later. All three settled in Onondaga Hollow south of the present city center at the head of Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
, which was then marshy.
In late 1788, after the enactment of the Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1784)
Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1784)
The Treaty of Fort Stanwix was a treaty signed in October 1784 at Fort Stanwix, located in present-day Rome, New York, between the United States and Native Americans...
in which the Onondaga Nation relinquished part of their reservation including Onondaga Hollow to the local salt producers. The land was now open to settlers and the natives were left with only hunting and fishing rights. Tyler and Danforth began making salt for the family, but did not produce it to sell. Danforth built a sawmill and gristmill and Tyler laid the first roads and built bridges, and in the future would support the building of churches and schools.
Swamp land
The ground upon which the city of Syracuse now stands was originally part of the Onondaga Salt Springs Reservation. The first locality which received a name was called Webster's Landing after early settler, Ephraim WebsterEphraim Webster
Ephraim Webster was the first white settler in Central New York when he arrived in 1786 to an area later named Syracuse...
who was an Indian trader on the banks of the Onondaga Creek
Onondaga Creek
Onondaga Creek is a major tributary of Onondaga Lake which is located in Onondaga County, New York. The headwaters of the creek originate south of the city of Syracuse near the hamlet of Vesper, New York...
.
By 1793, the Westside
Westside, Syracuse
Westside is a Syracuse, New York neighborhood, directly west of Downtown Syracuse. It corresponds to Onondaga County Census Tracts 21 and 22....
of the future city was described as "dark, gloomy, and almost impenetrable swamp that was a favorite resort for wolves, bears, wildcats, mud-turtles, and swamp rattlesnakes." The western portion of the valley about Syracuse was originally timbered with hemlock
Tsuga
Tsuga is a genus of conifers in the family Pinaceae. The common name hemlock is derived from a perceived similarity in the smell of its crushed foliage to that of the unrelated plant poison hemlock....
, birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
and soft maple
Maple
Acer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
; the eastern portion with cedar
Juniperus virginiana
Juniperus virginiana is a species of juniper native to eastern North America, from southeastern Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, east of the Great Plains...
and pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
.
During 1804, an act was passed that directed the sale of 250 acres (1,011,715 m²) of the Onondaga Salt Springs Reservation for the purpose of "laying out and improving a road" running from lot 49, Manlius
Manlius (village), New York
Manlius is a village in Onondaga County, New York, USA. The population was 4,819 at the 2000 census. The village takes its name from its town.The Village of Manlius is near the south town line of the Town of Manlius and is southeast of the City of Syracuse of which it is a suburb.An area of about...
, to lot 38, Onondaga
Onondaga, New York
Onondaga is a town located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the town had a population of 21,063. The town is named after the native Onondaga tribe, part of the Iroquois Confederacy....
, east and west through the reservation. James Geddes
James Geddes (engineer)
James Geddes was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and was a prominent engineer, surveyor, New York State legislator and U.S. Congressman who was instrumental in the planning of the Erie Canal and other canals in the United States...
laid out the design of the new road in "rather an irregular form so that as much dry land might be secured as possible." The land, now the central portion of the city of Syracuse, was purchased by Abraham Walton for $6,650 and the area was later named the Walton Tract. Michael Hogan and Charles Walton bought a portion of the tract in 1804 and sold it in 1814.
The swamp was almost impassable, but gradually it was drained, cleared, and settled. A gristmill, called the old red mill, was erected in 1805 followed by a sawmill and tannery. Soon after, a settler named Bogardus opened a tavern and across Walton's land James Geddes
James Geddes (engineer)
James Geddes was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and was a prominent engineer, surveyor, New York State legislator and U.S. Congressman who was instrumental in the planning of the Erie Canal and other canals in the United States...
laid out a 10 miles (16.1 km) corduroy road, which later became part of the Genesee Turnpike.
By spring of 1819, the water did not sufficiently subside to allow passage until late May or June. Those going from Onondaga
Onondaga, New York
Onondaga is a town located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the town had a population of 21,063. The town is named after the native Onondaga tribe, part of the Iroquois Confederacy....
to Salina
Salina, New York
Salina is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 33,290 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the Latin word for "salt."...
were "obliged" to pass around the area on the high ground east of the city "over by-ways" which were cut in every direction through the reservation for the purpose of collecting wood in the winter for the salt works. Early residents preferred to travel on the road in the winter because it was frozen and covered with hard pack snow.
Original settlement
The original settlement went through several name changes until 1824, first being called Salt Point (1780), then Webster's Landing (1786), Bogardus Corners (1796), Milan (1809), South Salina (1812), Cossits’ Corners (1814), and Corinth (1817). The U.S. Postal ServiceUnited States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
rejected the name Corinth
Corinth
Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
upon its application for a post office, stating there was already a post office by this name in New York.
The village of Syracuse was laid out into streets and lots in 1819, but the first election of village officers did not occur until 1825. At the time of incorporation, the village had 15 merchants, one newspaper, a fire department, and several small industries. The first schoolhouse was erected in 1820, the first church (Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
) was built in 1821, and the First Presbyterian Church in 1824. The first grist mill occupied the ground where Syracuse High School later stood. This was also the site of Central High School. The village of Lodi consisted of a cluster of homes, groceries, and small businesses situated on 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...
, east of Syracuse.
Because of similarities such as a salt industry and a neighboring village named Salina
Salina, New York
Salina is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 33,290 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the Latin word for "salt."...
, the name Syracuse was chosen by village planner, John Wilkinson
John Wilkinson (Syracuse pioneer)
John Wilkinson was a lawyer and first Postmaster of community known as Bogardus Corners, Cossit's Corners and Salina in Central New York. As a young man, Wilkinson took inspiration from a poem about an ancient city and named the new village, Syracuse just in time for the opening of the Erie Canal...
, after Syracuse, Sicily. In 1825, the village of Syracuse was officially incorporated. By 1832, the city had four wards.
Salina, New York
Salina is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 33,290 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the Latin word for "salt."...
, Lodi and Syracuse began.
The period between 1830 and the incorporation of the city in 1847 was one of remarkable growth in all directions in the village of Syracuse. From a population of about 7,000 in 1830 it grew to 11,014 in 1840, and to 22,271 in 1850. Business industries multiplied, churches and schools were established, and from the small community which has been described, living in quite primitive conditions, Syracuse became a large and thriving village, with a reputation for enterprise and progressiveness that was reaching out over New York State.
Erie Canal
The opening of the Erie CanalErie 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...
in 1825 caused a steep increase in the sale of salt, not only because of the improved and lower cost of transportation, but additionally, the ease of canal shipment caused New York State farms to change from wheat to pork production and curing pork required a lot of salt.
After the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, it became difficult to obtain salt from abroad and commercial salt production became an important Syracuse industry. 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...
allowed the bulky and low-priced Onondaga salt to be transported to Chicago and beyond via the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
relatively quickly and inexpensively.
By 1830, 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...
, which ran through the village, was completed. The Village of Syracuse and the Village of Salina were combined into the City of Syracuse on December 14, 1847. Harvey Baldwin was the first mayor of the new city.
Salt industry
The Jesuit missionaries visiting the Syracuse, New York region in the mid 17th century reported salty brineBrine
Brine is water, saturated or nearly saturated with salt .Brine is used to preserve vegetables, fruit, fish, and meat, in a process known as brining . Brine is also commonly used to age Halloumi and Feta cheeses, or for pickling foodstuffs, as a means of preserving them...
springs around the southern end of "Salt Lake", known today as Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
. The 1788 Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1784)
Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1784)
The Treaty of Fort Stanwix was a treaty signed in October 1784 at Fort Stanwix, located in present-day Rome, New York, between the United States and Native Americans...
, and the subsequent designation of the area by the State of New York as the Onondaga Salt Springs Reservation, provided the basis for commercial salt production from the late 18th century through the early 20th century.
The end result of the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
was the Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1784)
Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1784)
The Treaty of Fort Stanwix was a treaty signed in October 1784 at Fort Stanwix, located in present-day Rome, New York, between the United States and Native Americans...
enacted by the United States on October 22, 1784. The lands of the natives were distributed soon after. In 1788, the lands around Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
were transferred from the Onondaga Nation to local salt producers with the stipulation that the property would be used to produce salt "for the common use of everyone."
Until 1900, the bulk of the salt used in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
came from Syracuse.
Abolitionism and the Underground Railroad in Syracuse
Syracuse became an active center for the abolitionist movement, due in large part to the influence of Gerrit SmithGerrit Smith
Gerrit Smith was a leading United States social reformer, abolitionist, politician, and philanthropist...
and a group allied with him, mostly associated with the Unitarian Church
American Unitarian Association
The American Unitarian Association was a religious denomination in the United States and Canada, formed by associated Unitarian congregations in 1825. In 1961, it merged with the Universalist Church of America to form the Unitarian Universalist Association.According to Mortimer Rowe, the Secretary...
and their pastor The Reverend Samuel May in Syracuse, as well as with Quakers in nearby Skaneateles
Skaneateles (town), New York
Skaneateles is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 7,323 at the 2000 census. The name is from the Iroquois "Indian" tribe term for the adjacent lake: "long lake." The town is on the western border of the county and includes a village, also called Skaneateles...
, supported as well by abolitionists in many other religious congregations. Prior to the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, due to the work of Jermain Wesley Loguen
Jermain Wesley Loguen
Jermain Wesley Loguen , born Jarm Logue, in slavery, was an African American abolitionist and bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church....
and others in defiance of federal law, Syracuse was known as the "great central depot on the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
".
On October 1, 1851, William Henry, a freed slave known as "Jerry" was arrested under the Fugitive Slave Law. The anti-slavery Liberty Party
Liberty Party (1840s)
The Liberty Party was a minor political party in the United States in the 1840s . The party was an early advocate of the abolitionist cause...
was holding its state convention in the city, and when word of the arrest spread, several hundred abolitionists including Charles Augustus Wheaton
Charles Augustus Wheaton
Charles Augustus Wheaton was a businessman and major figure in the central New York state abolitionist movement and Underground Railroad, as well as other progressive causes...
broke into the city jail and freed Jerry. The event came to be widely known as the Jerry Rescue
Jerry Rescue
The Jerry Rescue, on October 1, 1851, involved the daring, public rescue of a fugitive slave who had been arrested the same day, in Syracuse, New York, during the anti-slavery Liberty Party's state convention...
. In the aftermath, the Congregationalist minister Samuel Ringgold Ward
Samuel Ringgold Ward
Samuel Ringgold Ward was an African American who escaped enslavement to become an abolitionist, newspaper editor and Congregational minister....
had to flee to Canada to escape persecution because of his participation.
Exponential city growth
The first telegraphic message was received in the city via Albany, New YorkAlbany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
in 1840. The population by 1848 had grown to 18,741.
During 1850, Henry A. Dillare, erected a five-story block where the McCarthy Department Store later stood. The city market in the City Hall building was abandoned the latter part of 1852.
By 1853, the city was divided into eight wards and in 1856, the ten city banks reported an aggregate capital of $1,535,000.
On May 23, 1869, the Onondaga County Savings Bank building was opened for business. The first levy for city taxes collected was $58,441. John Greenway, brewer, gave a public barbecue in Clinton Square
Clinton Square
Clinton Square, in downtown Syracuse, New York, was the original town center and first came into existence in the early 19th century where roadways from north and south convened...
on New Year's Day, 1870.
During 1875, there were 200 smallpox deaths in the city. In 1879, the city population had grown to 62,243.
The telephone was first exhibited in Syracuse on June 12, 1879. The cornerstone of the County Clerk's building was laid on August 11, 1880. Shortly after, the electric light system was introduced into the central parts of the city in 1883.
Geddes was annexed to the city on May 17, 1886 and on February 3, 1887, the village of Danforth became part of the city.
By 1887, the city was divided into 11 wards, by 1891 it had split to 14 and by 1893 there were 19 wards. The City Hall building was completed in 1892.
The New York State Fair permanently located in the city limits in 1888.
City streets
James GeddesJames Geddes (engineer)
James Geddes was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and was a prominent engineer, surveyor, New York State legislator and U.S. Congressman who was instrumental in the planning of the Erie Canal and other canals in the United States...
was hired in 1797 to survey Onondaga Salt Springs Reservation and lay out the first road in Salt Point.
In 1798, Salt Point became the village of Salina
Salina, New York
Salina is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 33,290 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the Latin word for "salt."...
. The Surveyor-General, Simeon DeWitt employed Geddes to design the streets. Although Geddes had no formal training in surveying, DeWitt saw great potential in him. Soon Geddes sold his interest in the Geddes salt works to pursue other interests and surveying continued to be an important role for much of his life.
Geddes later surveyed and laid out the village of Geddes
Geddes, New York
Geddes is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 17,740 at the 2000 census.The Town of Geddes is west of the neighborhood of Far Westside of Syracuse. The town is a western suburb of Syracuse.- History :...
with approximately 20 lots on either side of West Genesee Street in 1807.
In 1812, early settler Comfort Tyler
Comfort Tyler
Comfort Tyler , one of the original settlers of modern Syracuse, New York, brought his family in the spring of 1788 to what became the hamlet of Onondaga Hollow on the future Seneca Turnpike, south of the city's center today...
, then a state assemblyman, secured a charter for the Seneca Turnpike Company. With $100,000 he initiated the construction of a turnpike road (a toll road) on the old state road between Utica
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
and Canandaigua
Canandaigua (city), New York
Canandaigua is a city in Ontario County, New York, USA, of which it is the county seat. The population was 11,264 at the 2000 census...
. The road was finished in late 1812 and was "fairly flat and improved communications between the eastern and western areas" and was commonly known as the Seneca Turnpike. This road is known today as Genesee Street in Syracuse.
From 1803 through 1804, the Cherry Valley Turnpike, which passed through Cazenovia
Cazenovia (town), New York
Cazenovia is a town in Madison County, New York, United States. The population was 6,481 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Theophilus Cazenove, an agent of the Holland Land Company.The Town of Cazenovia has a village also named Cazenovia...
and intersected the Seneca Turnpike at Manlius
Manlius, New York
Manlius, New York may refer to the following places Onondaga County, New York:*Manlius , New York*Manlius , New York...
was under construction. In 1807, roads around Onondaga Hill
Onondaga Hill, New York
Onondaga Hill is a hamlet in the Town of Onondaga in Onondaga County, New York, southwest of the city of Syracuse. It is located on the Seneca Turnpike at the intersection of New York State Route 173 and New York State Route 175....
and Oswego
Oswego, New York
Oswego is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York"...
to Salina
Salina, New York
Salina is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 33,290 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the Latin word for "salt."...
were in the planning stages.
A road was approved in 1809 from Free Street and Salt Street in Salina
Salina, New York
Salina is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 33,290 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the Latin word for "salt."...
to the town of Cicero
Cicero, New York
Cicero is a town in Onondaga County, New York, USA. The population was 27,982 at the 2000 census. The name of the town was assigned by a clerk interested in the classics, honoring Cicero, a Roman statesman....
. The Cold Spring Road was approved in 1817, from Liverpool
Liverpool, New York
Liverpool is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 2,505 at the 2000 census. The name was adopted from the city of Liverpool in the United Kingdom...
to the Seneca River
Seneca River (New York)
The Seneca River in central New York flows from west to east, from Seneca Lake, through the Montezuma Marsh at the north end of Cayuga Lake to the Seneca's confluence with the Oneida and Oswego rivers at the Three Rivers area north of Syracuse. Much of the river has been channelized to form part...
at Cold Springs
Cold Spring Harbor, New York
Cold Spring Harbor is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 4,975.Cold Spring Harbor is in the Town of Huntington.-History:...
. In 1820, Geddes laid a road between Salina
Salina, New York
Salina is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 33,290 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the Latin word for "salt."...
and the Geddes Works. To deal with the swampy bogs he first filled the area with brush and debris from the swamp. This road is now called Hiawatha Boulevard.
A swing bridge in Salina Street was built in 1874, according to an act of the Legislature that year. The first asphalt pavement in the city was laid in 1880.
James Street was an exclusive residential thoroughfare by the late 19th century. The architectural styles of its homes varied from modified Spanish Revival and Italian Renaissance Revival to Greek Revival and Queen Anne
Queen Anne Style architecture (United States)
In America, the Queen Anne style of architecture, furniture and decorative arts was popular in the United States from 1880 to 1910. In American usage "Queen Anne" is loosely used of a wide range of picturesque buildings with "free Renaissance" details rather than of a specific formulaic style in...
, from Victorian Gothic to Georgian Colonial. West Genesee Street, part of the original Genesee Turnpike, had been through many changes since the "old red mill" was built on the banks of Onondaga Creek
Onondaga Creek
Onondaga Creek is a major tributary of Onondaga Lake which is located in Onondaga County, New York. The headwaters of the creek originate south of the city of Syracuse near the hamlet of Vesper, New York...
. For years, it was a choice residential street. Later, with the invention of the automobile, it became a busy commercial thoroughfare.
The official opening of the new State Fair Boulevard took place on September 2, 1916. Visitors to the New York State Fair that year were "pleased" with the 40 feet (12.2 m) wide smooth concrete surface of the road that ran from Hiawatha Avenue to the fairgrounds. The old boulevard had caused much trouble with its "mud holes and sticky surface when wet and clouds of dust when dry."
Exhibitors at the fair who had to haul over the boulevard found their trips cut in half and "the horses drawing loads will be saved greatly."
Railroad influence
The first railroad station in Syracuse was in Vanderbilt Square, along East Washington Street between Salina and Warren Streets which was named for Commodore Cornelius VanderbiltCornelius Vanderbilt
Cornelius Vanderbilt , also known by the sobriquet Commodore, was an American entrepreneur who built his wealth in shipping and railroads. He was also the patriarch of the Vanderbilt family and one of the richest Americans in history...
, a railroad magnate and millionaire whose New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
"dominated Washington Street for 100 years."
From 1839 on, Syracuse life for many years revolved around Vanderbilt Square, the magnet was the railroad station, and the hostelries that grew up around it. In the old station Henry Clay was welcomed on his visit to the New York State Fair in 1849. Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster was a leading American statesman and senator from Massachusetts during the period leading up to the Civil War. He first rose to regional prominence through his defense of New England shipping interests...
, General Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
, Louis Kossuth, John Brown, Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen Arnold Douglas was an American politician from the western state of Illinois, and was the Northern Democratic Party nominee for President in 1860. He lost to the Republican Party's candidate, Abraham Lincoln, whom he had defeated two years earlier in a Senate contest following a famed...
, and other notables were greeted there.
The first street railway was built in Salina street in 1859 and Syracuse was soon known "far and wide" as the city where the trains passed through the middle of downtown
Downtown Syracuse
Downtown Syracuse is the economic center of Syracuse, New York, and Central New York, employing over 30,000 people, and housing over 2,000. It is also one of the 26 officially recognized neighborhoods of Syracuse.- History :...
. Travelers caught "intimate glimpses" of Syracuse, its people, stores and houses as the trains slowed on their way through town.
On February 18, 1861, Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
, on the way to his inauguration, bowed from a coach platform. and on April 26, 1865, his funeral train stopped for 30 minutes.
During the 1930s, the city's fourth rail station was constructed along Erie Boulevard East when the rail line through Syracuse was elevated. In Syracuse, the trains ran through the center of downtown, along Washington Street. That elevated section later was abandoned and replaced by Interstate 690
Interstate 690
Interstate 690 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway that extends for through the vicinity of Syracuse, New York, in the United States. It is a spur of I-90 that travels southeast from Thruway exit 39 in Van Buren to I-481 in DeWitt...
.
Interurban and Streetcar railway
In addition to the multitude of rail services in the area, interurban and streetcar railway in SyracuseInterurban and Streetcar railway in Syracuse, New York
Interurban and Streetcar railway in Syracuse, New York, flourished in the city until the automobile, airplane and bus took its place.The trolley or streetcar served travel within the city limits of Syracuse as early as 1859. In the beginning they were either horse-drawn or fueled by steam and by...
flourished in the city until the automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
, airplane and bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
took their place by the early 1940s.
The trolley or streetcar served travel within the city limits of Syracuse as early as 1859. In the early days they were either horse-drawn or fueled by steam and by the end of the 19th century they were electric driven. The city was one of the first in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to adopt electricity as a transportation motive power.
Interurban
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
were suburban railways with rights-of-way for higher speed traffic. They linked the city with the countryside which allowed people who lived in the suburbs and farming communities to work in Syracuse. The era was short-lived, however, lasting just over 40 years. The first interurban
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
line was built in the city in 1885 with services to Oneida
Oneida, New York
Oneida is a city in Madison County located west of Oneida Castle and east of Canastota, New York, United States. The population was 10,987 at the 2000 census. The city, like both Oneida County and the nearby silver and china maker, takes its name from the Oneida tribe...
and the last line completed to Oswego
Oswego, New York
Oswego is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York"...
in 1911. By 1932, "every bit" of track had been removed and the entire era was over.
City services
By 1839, the "turbulent element" of the population became too unruly to be controlled by the old constabulary, and a committee consisting of the trustees of the village, with Thomas T. Davis, John WilkinsonJohn Wilkinson (Syracuse pioneer)
John Wilkinson was a lawyer and first Postmaster of community known as Bogardus Corners, Cossit's Corners and Salina in Central New York. As a young man, Wilkinson took inspiration from a poem about an ancient city and named the new village, Syracuse just in time for the opening of the Erie Canal...
and David S. Colvin, was appointed early in 1840 "to report amendments to the ordinances that will give the village a more vigorous police."
In May 1839, it was resolved by the trustees that "there shall hereafter be a police justice in Syracuse, who shall be appointed in the same manner as the judges of the County Courts," and an act of Legislature was procured for this purpose.
The first gas company in the city began business in 1849.
The Syracuse Fire Department built Engine House 1 in 1859 and a watch tower was constructed in the rear of Engine House 2 in 1862. The department added two steam engines to their fleet in 1866. By 1878, expenses for the fire department were $30,000 per year.
The matter of a stable city water supply from either Tully Lake or Skaneateles Lake
Skaneateles Lake
Skaneateles Lake is one of the Finger Lakes in central New York in the United States. The name Skaneateles means long lake in one of the local Iroquoian languages. The lake is sometimes referred to as "The Roof Garden of the Lakes" because its altitude is higher than the other Finger Lakes. It...
was discussed during 1870 and 1871. Skaneateles Lake
Skaneateles Lake
Skaneateles Lake is one of the Finger Lakes in central New York in the United States. The name Skaneateles means long lake in one of the local Iroquoian languages. The lake is sometimes referred to as "The Roof Garden of the Lakes" because its altitude is higher than the other Finger Lakes. It...
was chosen and in 1894 the modern water supply system was finally operational.
Industrial growth
The salt industrySalt industry in Syracuse, New York
The salt industry has a long history in and around Syracuse, New York. Jesuit missionaries visiting the region in 1654 were the first to report salty brine springs around the southern end of "Salt Lake", known today as Onondaga Lake...
declined after the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, but a new manufacturing industry arose in its place. Manufacturing proliferated in Syracuse, New York from the late 1870s through the early 20th century, a period known as the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
. Franklin Chase, author of the 1924 history "Syracuse and Its Environs," summed up the early 20th century in Syracuse with this claim: "In truth, Syracuse manufactured more different articles numerically than even New York City itself."
During the early years, numerous businesses and stores were established, including the Franklin Automobile Company
Franklin (automobile)
The Franklin Automobile Company was a manufacturer of automobiles in the United States between 1902 and 1934 in Syracuse, New York. Herbert H. Franklin, the founder, began his career in the metal die casting business before establishing his automobile enterprise.Franklin founded the H. H. Franklin...
, which produced automobiles with air-cooled engines. In 1902, the Franklin (automobile)
Franklin (automobile)
The Franklin Automobile Company was a manufacturer of automobiles in the United States between 1902 and 1934 in Syracuse, New York. Herbert H. Franklin, the founder, began his career in the metal die casting business before establishing his automobile enterprise.Franklin founded the H. H. Franklin...
Model A attained the distinction of being the first four-cylinder automobile produced in the United States.
Other important industries included the Crouse-Hinds Company
Crouse-Hinds Company
Crouse-Hinds Electric Company, a manufacturer of high grade electrical specialties, was established in 1894 in Syracuse, New York. They later shortened their name to Crouse-Hinds Company and beginning in the early 1920s specialized in the manufacture of traffic signals, controllers and accessories...
, manufacturer of traffic signals; and the Craftsman Workshops, the center of Gustav Stickley's
Gustav Stickley
Gustav Stickley was a manufacturer of furniture and the leading proselytizer for the American Arts and Crafts movement, an extension of the British Arts and Crafts movement.-Biography:...
handmade furniture empire.
The first Solvay Process Company
Solvay Process Company
The Solvay Process Company was a pioneer chemical industry of the United States in the manufacture of soda ash and a major employer in Central New York...
plant in the United States, was erected on the southeastern shore of Onondaga lake in 1884 and the village was given the name Solvay, New York
Solvay, New York
Solvay is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, and a suburb of the city of Syracuse. According to the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 6,845...
to commemorate its inventor, Ernest Solvay
Ernest Solvay
Ernest Gaston Joseph Solvay was a Belgian chemist, industrialist and philanthropist.Born at Rebecq, he was prevented by acute pleurisy from going to university...
. In 1861, he developed the ammonia-soda process for the manufacture of soda ash {anhydrous sodium carbonate
Sodium carbonate
Sodium carbonate , Na2CO3 is a sodium salt of carbonic acid. It most commonly occurs as a crystalline heptahydrate, which readily effloresces to form a white powder, the monohydrate. Sodium carbonate is domestically well-known for its everyday use as a water softener. It can be extracted from the...
, a rare chemical called natrite, to distinguish it from natural natron
Natron
Natron is a naturally occurring mixture of sodium carbonate decahydrate and about 17% sodium bicarbonate along with small quantities of household salt and sodium sulfate. Natron is white to colourless when pure, varying to gray or yellow with impurities...
of antiquity} from brine
Brine
Brine is water, saturated or nearly saturated with salt .Brine is used to preserve vegetables, fruit, fish, and meat, in a process known as brining . Brine is also commonly used to age Halloumi and Feta cheeses, or for pickling foodstuffs, as a means of preserving them...
wells dug in the southern end of Tully valley (as a source of sodium chloride
Sodium chloride
Sodium chloride, also known as salt, common salt, table salt or halite, is an inorganic compound with the formula NaCl. Sodium chloride is the salt most responsible for the salinity of the ocean and of the extracellular fluid of many multicellular organisms...
) and limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
(as a source of calcium carbonate
Calcium carbonate
Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound with the formula CaCO3. It is a common substance found in rocks in all parts of the world, and is the main component of shells of marine organisms, snails, coal balls, pearls, and eggshells. Calcium carbonate is the active ingredient in agricultural lime,...
). The process was an improvement over the earlier Leblanc process
Leblanc process
The Leblanc process was the industrial process for the production of soda ash used throughout the 19th century, named after its inventor, Nicolas Leblanc. It involved two stages: Production of sodium sulfate from sodium chloride, followed by reaction of the sodium sulfate with coal and calcium...
.
The Syracuse Solvay plant was the incubator for a large chemical industry complex owned by Allied Signal in Syracuse, the result of which made Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
the most polluted in the nation.
Early public education
The first public education in the area occurred in 1797 in Salt Point, later the first ward of the city, where school was held in a salt block, a special building erected for processing salt. The first district school organized within the present city limits was in the village of GeddesGeddes, New York
Geddes is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 17,740 at the 2000 census.The Town of Geddes is west of the neighborhood of Far Westside of Syracuse. The town is a western suburb of Syracuse.- History :...
where the earliest known schoolhouse was erected in 1804 on the site that was later occupied by Porter School.
The first schoolhouse to annex into the city was constructed in 1805 in the town of Salina
Salina, New York
Salina is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 33,290 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the Latin word for "salt."...
which was incorporated in 1809. The building, designated as "No. 1," was constructed "according to the fashion of the day" with the faces of the children turned toward the four walls and the instructor in the middle of the room. The village of Salina was incorporated in 1824 and the school remained "No. 1" until the city of Syracuse was incorporated in 1848. At that time, the spring term opened with about 50 pupils in all grades of the "elementary studies." During the winter, the older students, many of them larger than the teacher, increased the total to over 100. The number increased so that it became necessary to "seat some of the pupils on the wood-pile."
The first school house in the village of Syracuse limits was built on Church Street (West Willow Street) at the corner of Franklin Street about 1826. Local schools passed into the control of the Syracuse Board of Education in the spring of 1848.
The first high school building was erected in 1868 and was called High School.
Night schools for adults were established in the 1890. By 1936, under the depression era WPA
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
, funding was provided to hire 300 teachers to instruct 15,000 adults.
In 1930, the city opened a special school for crippled children and by 1932 the Children's court was established.
Syracuse university chartered
Syracuse UniversitySyracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
was chartered in 1870 as a Methodist-Episcopal
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
institution and opened its doors for instruction in September 1871.
Geneva Medical College
Geneva Medical College
Geneva Medical College was founded on September 15, 1834, in Geneva, New York, as a separate department of Geneva College, currently known as Hobart and William Smith Colleges. In 1871, the medical school was transferred to Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York...
was founded in 1834 in Geneva, New York
Geneva, New York
Geneva is a city in Ontario and Seneca counties in the U.S. state of New York. The population was 13,617 at the 2000 census. Some claim it is named after the city and canton of Geneva in Switzerland. Others believe the name came from confusion over the letters in the word "Seneca" written in cursive...
. It is now known as Upstate Medical University, the most prestigious medical college in the Syracuse area, one of only four in the State University of New York
State University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
system, and one of only five medical schools in the state north of New York City.
Health care
The first public hospital opened in the city in 1870. The Milbank Memorial Fund, provided approximately $450,000 for public health projects during a nine-year period from 1923 through 1931 and "helped give Syracuse a high rank in health standards."Telephone service
The Syracuse Telephonic ExchangeSyracuse Telephonic Exchange
The Syracuse Telephonic Exchange was founded after Frederick C. Brower introduced the Bell telephone to Syracuse, New York in 1878. He had seen the device exhibited at the Philadelphia Exposition of 1876 and secured Central New York rights from the Bell system. His father, Hiram C...
was founded after Frederick C. Brower
Frederick C. Brower
Frederick C. Brower , a safe expert and locksmith by trade, was an inventor from Syracuse, New York. He built a one-of-a-kind automobile, called the Brower between the years 1884 and 1895, although the exact date is not known...
introduced the Bell telephone to Syracuse in 1878. He had seen the device exhibited at the Philadelphia Exposition of 1876 and secured Central New York
Central New York
Central New York is a term used to broadly describe the central region of New York State, roughly including the following counties and cities:...
rights from the Bell system. His father, Hiram C. Brower, was credited with installing the first "speaking tubes" in Syracuse and also the first enunciators and began the first telephone exchange which had about 1,000 subscribers.
During 1879, Mathew J. Myers, who operated a local telegraph and messenger service in the city, opened an exchange in the tower of the Gridley Building
Gridley Building
The Gridley Building, built in 1867 and known previously as the Onondaga County Savings Bank Building, is a prominent historic building on Clinton Square and Hanover Square in Syracuse, New York...
after sub-leasing the rights from Brower. D. L. Pyke, superintendent of Western Union
Western Union
The Western Union Company is a financial services and communications company based in the United States. Its North American headquarters is in Englewood, Colorado. Up until 2006, Western Union was the best-known U.S...
, opened a rival exchange in the Wieting Block in Downtown Syracuse
Downtown Syracuse
Downtown Syracuse is the economic center of Syracuse, New York, and Central New York, employing over 30,000 people, and housing over 2,000. It is also one of the 26 officially recognized neighborhoods of Syracuse.- History :...
. During 1880, the two rival exchanges merged and named the Syracuse Telephonic Exchange
Syracuse Telephonic Exchange
The Syracuse Telephonic Exchange was founded after Frederick C. Brower introduced the Bell telephone to Syracuse, New York in 1878. He had seen the device exhibited at the Philadelphia Exposition of 1876 and secured Central New York rights from the Bell system. His father, Hiram C...
which was eventually consolidated into the New York Telephone Company.
Twentieth century
By the 20th century, Syracuse University was no longer sectarian and had grown from a few classrooms located in downtown Syracuse into a major research institution. It is nationally recognized for its college basketballCollege basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
, college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
, and college lacrosse
College lacrosse
College lacrosse refers to lacrosse played by student athletes at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. In both countries, men's field lacrosse and women's lacrosse are played in both the varsity and club levels...
teams. In 1911, under the leadership of Syracuse University trustee, Louis Marshall, the New York State College of Forestry
History of the New York State College of Forestry
The New York State College of Forestry, the first professional school of forestry in North America, opened its doors at Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York, in the autumn of 1898. After just a few years of operation, it was defunded in 1903, by Governor Benjamin B. Odell, in response to public...
was re-established in close association with Syracuse University; it since has evolved into the SUNY-ESF
State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry is an American specialized doctoral-granting institution located in the University Hill neighborhood of Syracuse, New York, immediately adjacent to Syracuse University...
. Le Moyne College
Le Moyne College
Le Moyne College, named after Simon Le Moyne, is a private, Jesuit college enrolling over 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1946, Le Moyne is the first Jesuit college to be founded as a co-educational institution...
was founded in 1946; Onondaga Community College
Onondaga Community College
Onondaga Community College is an accredited two-year educational institution that services Onondaga County, New York at three campuses. Onondaga Community College is a college of the State University of New York system and one of 30 locally sponsored community colleges throughout New York...
in 1962.
World War II sparked significant industrial expansion in the area: specialty steel, fasteners, custom machining. After the war, two of the Big Three automobile manufacturers (General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
& Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
) had major operations in the area. Syracuse was headquarters for Carrier Corporation
Carrier Corporation
The Carrier Corporation is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and distributors of heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, and a global leader in the commercial refrigeration and food service equipment industry...
, Crouse-Hinds traffic signal manufacturing, and General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
had its main television manufacturing plant at Electronics Parkway in Syracuse.
Mid century
Syracuse's population peaked at 221,000 in 1950. Immigration from abroad introduced many ethnic groups to the city, particularly German, Jewish, Irish, Italian, and Polish. African Americans had lived in Syracuse since Revolutionary War days, but between 1940 and 1960, some of the three million African Americans who migrated from the south to northern cities also settled in Syracuse. In the 1980s, many immigrants from Africa and Central America also moved to Syracuse, as they did to many northern cities — sometimes under the auspices of several religious charities. However, these new Syracusans could not make up for the flow of residents out of Syracuse, either to its suburbs or out of state, due to job loss.Much of the city fabric changed after World War II, although Pioneer Homes
Pioneer Homes
Pioneer Homes, in Syracuse, New York. was one of the earliest government public housing projects in the US. Completed in 1941, it was well planned and substantially built, and remains fully occupied although another nearby public housing project was subsequently built and demolished...
, one of the earliest government housing projects in the US, had been completed earlier, in 1941. Many of Syracuse's landmark buildings were demolished in the 1950s and 1960s. The federal Urban Renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
program cleared large sectors that remained undeveloped for many decades, although several new museums and government buildings were built.
The manufacturing industry in Syracuse began to falter in the 1970s. Many small businesses failed during this time, which contributed to an already increasing unemployment rate. Rockwell International
Rockwell International
Rockwell International was a major American manufacturing conglomerate in the latter half of the 20th century, involved in aircraft, the space industry, both defense-oriented and commercial electronics, automotive and truck components, printing presses, valves and meters, and industrial automation....
moved their factory outside New York state. General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
moved its television manufacturing operations to Suffolk, Virginia
Suffolk, Virginia
Suffolk is the largest city by area in Virginia, United States, and is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 84,585. Its median household income was $57,546.-History:...
and later to Singapore. The Carrier Corporation
Carrier Corporation
The Carrier Corporation is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and distributors of heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, and a global leader in the commercial refrigeration and food service equipment industry...
moved its headquarters out of Syracuse and outsourced manufacturing to Asian locations. Nevertheless, although city population has declined since 1950, the Syracuse metropolitan area
Syracuse metropolitan area
The Syracuse Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in central New York, anchored by the city of Syracuse...
population has remained fairly stable, even growing by 2.5 percent since 1970. While this growth rate is greater than much of Upstate New York, it is far below the national average during that period.
Geography and climate
Geography
Syracuse is located at 43°2′49"N 76°8′40"W (43.046899, −76.144423).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 25.6 square miles (66.3 km²), of which, 25.1 square miles (65 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (2.15%) is water.
The city stands at the northeast corner of the Finger Lakes
Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes are a pattern of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York in the United States. They are a popular tourist destination. The lakes are long and thin , each oriented roughly on a north-south axis. The two longest, Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, are among the deepest in...
Region. The city has many neighborhoods which were originally various villages that joined the city over the years. Although the central part of Syracuse is flat, many of its neighborhoods are located on small hills such as University Hill
University Hill, Syracuse
University Hill is a neighborhood in Syracuse, New York, located east and southeast of downtown, on one of the larger hills in Syracuse. It is the major educational and medical district of Syracuse, as well as an important business district, with three of the top ten employers in the Syracuse...
and Tipperary Hill
Tipperary Hill
Tipperary Hill, sometimes known as Tipp Hill, is a district in the city of Syracuse, New York, largely settled by immigrants from Ireland, especially from County Tipperary. It makes up half of Syracuse's Far Westside neighborhood.-History:...
. Land to the north of Syracuse is generally flat while land to the south is hilly.
About 27 percent of Syracuse's land area is covered by 890,000 trees — a higher percentage than in Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
or 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...
. This is despite the Labor Day Storm
New York State Labor Day Derechos
The New York State Labor Day Derechos were two derecho events that occurred on Labor Day, September 7, 1998. One derecho moved through northern and central New York state, and the other would start in southeastern Michigan and move through northeastern Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Long...
of 1998, a derecho
Derecho
A derecho is a widespread and long-lived, violent convectively induced straight-line windstorm that is associated with a fast-moving band of severe thunderstorms in the form of a squall line usually taking the form of a bow echo...
which destroyed approximately 30,000 trees. The sugar maple
Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum is a species of maple native to the hardwood forests of northeastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southern Ontario, and south to Georgia and Texas...
accounts for 14.2 percent of Syracuse's trees, followed by the Northern white cedar (9.8 percent) and the European buckthorn
Buckthorn
The Buckthorns are a genus of about 100 species of shrubs or small trees from 1-10 m tall , in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae...
(6.8 percent).
The most common street tree is the Norway maple
Norway Maple
Acer platanoides is a species of maple native to eastern and central Europe and southwest Asia, from France east to Russia, north to southern Scandinavia and southeast to northern Iran....
(24.3 percent) followed by the honey locust
Honey locust
The Honey locust, Gleditsia triacanthos, is a deciduous tree native to central North America. It is mostly found in the moist soil of river valleys ranging from southeastern South Dakota to New Orleans and central Texas, and as far east as eastern Massachusetts.-Description:Honey locusts, Gleditsia...
(9.3 percent).
The densest tree cover in Syracuse is in the two Valley neighborhoods, with 46.6 percent of their land covered by trees. The lowest tree cover percentage is found downtown
Downtown Syracuse
Downtown Syracuse is the economic center of Syracuse, New York, and Central New York, employing over 30,000 people, and housing over 2,000. It is also one of the 26 officially recognized neighborhoods of Syracuse.- History :...
, which consists of only 4.6 percent trees.
Syracuse's main water source is Skaneateles Lake
Skaneateles Lake
Skaneateles Lake is one of the Finger Lakes in central New York in the United States. The name Skaneateles means long lake in one of the local Iroquoian languages. The lake is sometimes referred to as "The Roof Garden of the Lakes" because its altitude is higher than the other Finger Lakes. It...
, one of the country's cleanest lakes, located 15 miles (24.1 km) southwest of the city. Water from nearby Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
is not drinkable due to industrial dumping that spanned many decades, leaving the lake heavily polluted. Incoming water is left unfiltered, and chlorine is added to prevent bacterial growth. For periods of drought, there is also a backup line which uses water from Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
.
Onondaga Creek
Onondaga Creek
Onondaga Creek is a major tributary of Onondaga Lake which is located in Onondaga County, New York. The headwaters of the creek originate south of the city of Syracuse near the hamlet of Vesper, New York...
, a waterway that runs through downtown, flows northward through the city. There are plans and aspirations to create a creek walk that will connect the Lakefront
Lakefront, Syracuse
-Geography:It borders five other Syracuse neighborhoods, with Washington Square and Near Northeast to the east, Downtown Syracuse to the southeast, and Westside and Far Westside to the south....
and Inner Harbor
Inner Harbor, Syracuse
The Inner Harbor is a former industrial quarter of Syracuse. It is a reclaimed port connected to the Erie Canal system. Restored and upgraded, the harbor hosts an array of events -- concerts, festivals, fireworks, to name a few -- and currently is planning to get another major facelift...
to Franklin Square
Franklin Square, Syracuse
Franklin Square is a former industrial neighborhood, turned residential and commercial, in Syracuse New York. Officially it is part of the larger Lakefront neighborhood, which in turn is one of Syracuse's 26 officially recognized neighborhoods.-History:...
, Armory Square
Armory Square
Armory Square is a small neighborhood on the west side of Downtown Syracuse, New York. It began life as a busy commercial and industrial area just to the west of the central city. After World War II, Syracuse's central city became less and less populated as more housing and business facilities...
, The Valley
North Valley, Syracuse
The North Valley is a neighborhood in Syracuse, New York. The main streets include Midland Avenue, South Salina Street and Valley Drive. There are several neighborhood civic and athletic associations that extend into the South Valley neighborhood, as well as a thriving business community. Van Duyn...
, and ultimately the Onondaga Nation. The creek is navigable, yet can be quite a challenge as its channelized nature speeds up its flow, particularly in the spring, when it may be dangerous. Drownings of youngsters resulted in fencing of the creek through some residential areas.
Climate
Syracuse has a humid continental climate (KöppenKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Dfb) and is known for its snowfall. Boasting 121.2 inches (307.8 cm) on average, the Syracuse metro area receives more snow on average than any other large city in the United States. Syracuse continually wins the Golden Snowball Award
Golden Snowball Award
The Golden Snowball Award is an annual award presented to the Upstate New York city that receives the most snowfall in a season. The original award was the result of a friendly competition of National Weather Service offices in Upstate...
, among Upstate cities. Its record so far is 192.1 inches (487.9 cm). The high snowfall is a result of the city receiving both lake effect
Lake effect snow
Lake-effect snow is produced during cooler atmospheric conditions when cold winds move across long expanses of warmer lake water, providing energy and picking up water vapor which freezes and is deposited on the leeward shores...
from nearby Lake Ontario and nor'easter
Nor'easter
A nor'easter is a type of macro-scale storm along the East Coast of the United States and Atlantic Canada, so named because the storm travels to the northeast from the south and the winds come from the northeast, especially in the coastal areas of the Northeastern United States and Atlantic Canada...
snow. Snow most often falls in small (about 1–3 in (2.5–7.6 cm)), almost daily doses, over a period of several days. Larger snowfalls do occur occasionally, and even more so in the northern suburbs.
One notable blizzard was the Blizzard of 1993, during which 42.9 inches (109 cm) fell on the city within 48 hours, with 35.6 inches (90.4 cm) falling within the first 24 hours. Syracuse received more snow than any other city in the country during this storm, which shattered a total of eight local records, including the most snow in a single snowstorm.
A second notable snowfall was the Blizzard of 1966
Blizzard of 1966
The Blizzard of 1966 is to date the most famous blizzard to hit Oswego, New York, and held the record for the most snowfall in a single storm in Oswego until the Lake Effect snow storm of February 2007....
, with 42.3 inches (107.4 cm). The Blizzard of '58 occurred in February (16–17th) across Oswego and Onondaga counties. This storm was an actual blizzard due to the high winds, blowing snow and cold. 26.1 inches (66 cm) of snow was measured at Syracuse N.Y. and drifts reached 20 feet (600 cm) in Oswego County. (See Thirtieth Publication of the Oswego County Historical Society, (1969) and The Climate and Snow Climatology of Oswego N.Y., (1971)
January 2004 was the snowiest month ever in Syracuse, with a record 78.1 inches (198 cm) recorded in 31 days. December 2010 became Syracuse's second snowiest December ever on record with 72.8 inches (184.9 cm) and 45.1 inches (114.6 cm) fell in 4 days. In February 1958, Syracuse shivered under a white blanket that averaged 4 feet (120 cm) on February 19. Syracuse declared a snow emergency
Snow emergency
A Snow Emergency is the term used to indicate the active response plan when a snow storm severely impacts a city, county or town in the United States or Canada. Schools, universities, government offices, airports and public buildings may close during a Snow Emergency. The precise meaning of "snow...
under a new law that allowed municipalities to demand that streets be cleared of vehicles to help with plowing operations.
Syracuse's hottest month is historically July, with an average high temperature of 82 °F (27.8 °C), while its coldest month is historically January, with an average high temperature of 31 °F (-.6 °C). The Record high of 102 °F (39 °C) was recorded on July 9, 1936 and record low of -26 °F has been witnessed three times since 1922, the last being February 18, 1979.
While the average high during summer is around the low 80s, when adding humidity, the apparent temperature highs extend upward in the range of mid-80s to mid-90s in the city. Days just shy of 100 °F (37.8 °C), such as 96 or 97 °F (36.1 °C), are not uncommon in and around the city with the humidity factored in. However, days above 100 °F (37.8 °C) are more rare, even with humidity taken into account.
A few recent summers in Syracuse have been warmer than previous ones in the city and, like in some other places in the nation, previous records have been broken. For example, the summers of 2005 and 2002 were, respectively, the hottest and second-hottest summers on record.
Demographics
| Syracuse Compared (monetary values in United States dollars) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 Census | Syracuse | NY State | U.S. |
| Total population | 147, 306 | 18,976,457 | 281,421,906 |
| Population, percent change, 1990 to 2000 | −10.4% | ||
| Population density | 5,871/sq mi | 402/sq mi | 80/sq mi |
| Median household income (1999) | $25,000 | $43,393 | $41,994 |
| Per capita income | $15,168 | $23,389 | $21,587 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23% | 27% | 24% |
| Foreign born | 8% | 20% | 11% |
| White | 64% | 62% | 69% |
| Black | 25% | 16% | 12% |
| Hispanic | 5% | 15% | 13% |
| Asian | 10% | 6% | 4% |
As of the census of 2000, there were 147,306 people, 59,482 households, and 30,335 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,871.0 people per square mile (2,266.8/km²). There were 68,192 housing units at an average density of 2,717.8 per square mile (1,049.4/km²).
The racial and ethnic makeup of the city reported in the 2000 Census was as follows: 64.26% White
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, 25.35% African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 1.13% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 3.37% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 0.05% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
, 2.23% from other races, and 3.61% from two or more races
Multiracial American
Multiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their...
. Hispanic or Latino
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
of any race were 5.27% of the population.
There were 59,482 households out of which 30.46% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 12.65% were married couples living together, 14.84% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.58% were non-families. 38.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% 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 3.11.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 16.8% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,000, and the median income for a family was $33,026. Males had a median income of $30,312 versus $23,997 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,168. About 21.7% of families and 27.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.1% of those under age 18 and 12.4% of those age 65 or over.
Ethnic diversity
Over the course of 400 years, immigrants from all over the world have been attracted to the Central New YorkCentral New York
Central New York is a term used to broadly describe the central region of New York State, roughly including the following counties and cities:...
area, including the African, Asian, Bosnian, British
British in Syracuse, New York
The British began to take an active interest in the land around Onondaga Lake in the early 1700s. They befriended the Onondagas by giving them guns, which were highly prized. A British agent, William Johnson, acquired of land in the Mohawk country near present day Johnstown, New York...
, French
French in Syracuse, New York
The first Caucasians to arrive in the region around Syracuse, New York were the French. In 1615, Samuel de Champlain launched an attack against the Oneidas with the aid of the Huron and Algonquian Indians who were bitter enemies of the Iroquois....
, German
Germans in Syracuse, New York
A German mission was established in Onondaga County, New York in 1750, by Moravian missionaries from Pennsylvania, however, most of the earliest Germans to arrive in the area did not remain for very long....
, Greek
Greeks in Syracuse, New York
The arrival of Greek immigrants in Syracuse, New York occurred in the early 1900s. By 1902, there were 30 living in the city and in 1910 there were approximately 500; however, the number increased to 4,000 during the early 1950s...
, Hispanic, Irish
Irish in Syracuse, New York
Irish immigrants came to the area around Syracuse, New York between 1776 and 1910. The Irish "Pioneers" came to Onondaga County from various parts of the Union...
, Italian
Italians in Syracuse, New York
Italian immigrants first came to the area around Syracuse, New York beginning in 1883 after providing labor for the construction of the West Shore Railroad.By 2010, demographics showed that 14.1% of the population in Syracuse was Italian descent.-History:...
, Jewish, Lebanese, Pacific Islander, Polish, Syrian, Ukrainian
Ukrainians in Syracuse, New York
The history of the Ukrainian immigrants in Syracuse, New York began in 1885 with the arrival of the Hungarian Rusyns which continued through 1888. A second group, known as Lemkos, from an area in Ukraine called Lemkivshchyna, came to the city between the years 1890 and 1895...
, and Welsh communities. Native Americans also continue to have a presence in the area, as they have for centuries.
Recent demographics indicate that the largest ancestries represented in the city includes African American (27.9%), Irish
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
(15.9%), Italian
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
(14.1%), German
German American
German Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 51 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group...
(12.2%), English
English American
English Americans are citizens or residents of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in England....
(7.6%), Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
(6.5%), Polish
Polish American
A Polish American , is a citizen of the United States of Polish descent. There are an estimated 10 million Polish Americans, representing about 3.2% of the population of the United States...
(5.0%), Asian
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
(4.0%) and Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander , is a geographic term to describe the indigenous inhabitants of any of the three major sub-regions of Oceania: Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, these three regions, together with their islands consist of:Polynesia:...
(1.1%).
Economy
Syracuse's economy has faced challenges over the past decades as industrial jobs have left the area. The number of local and state government jobs also has been declining for several years. Syracuse's top employers are now primarily in education and the service industry. University HillUniversity Hill, Syracuse
University Hill is a neighborhood in Syracuse, New York, located east and southeast of downtown, on one of the larger hills in Syracuse. It is the major educational and medical district of Syracuse, as well as an important business district, with three of the top ten employers in the Syracuse...
is Syracuse's fastest growing neighborhood, fueled by expansions by Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
and Upstate Medical University (a division of the State University of New York
State University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
), as well as dozens of small medical office complexes.
Top employers
- State University of New YorkState University of New YorkThe State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
Upstate Medical University: 6,400 - Syracuse UniversitySyracuse UniversitySyracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
: 5,925 - Wegmans Food Markets: 3,760
- St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center: 3,150
- Magna InternationalMagna InternationalMagna International Inc. , is an automotive supplier headquartered in Aurora, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's largest automobile parts manufacturer, and one of the country's largest companies. It owns the Magna Steyr automobile production company of Austria....
: 600 - Crouse Hospital: 2,400
- Lockheed Martin Corp.: 2,350
- National Grid USA: 1,860
- Loretto: 1,825
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb , often referred to as BMS, is a pharmaceutical company, headquartered in New York City. The company was formed in 1989, following the merger of its predecessors Bristol-Myers and the Squibb Corporation...
, founded by alums of nearby Hamilton College, has a complex near the Eastwood district. Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
has based one of its divisions in Syracuse.
Today the Syracuse area has few extremely large employers, but rather many smaller ones. Eight of the area's top eleven employers are in education or the service industry, rather than in manufacturing.
Tallest buildings
Since 1927 the State Tower BuildingState Tower Building
The State Tower Building is a high-rise building located in Syracuse, New York. Completed in 1928, the building remains the highest in Syracuse to date. It has 23 floors and rises 95.4 meters into the air...
has been the tallest in Syracuse.
| Name | Height | Floors | Use | Built |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The State Tower Building | 95 m | 23 | Office | 1928 |
| AXA Tower I | 82 m | 19 | Commercial office | 1966 |
| AXA Tower II | 82 m | 19 | Commercial office | 1973 |
| Toomey Abbott Towers | 70 m | 24 | Senior living | 1968 |
| Jefferson Tower | 69 m | 23 | Residential | 1967 |
| Lawrinson Hall | ? m | 21 |
Neighborhoods
The City of Syracuse officially recognizes 26 neighborhoodsNeighbourhood
A neighbourhood or neighborhood is a geographically localised community within a larger city, town or suburb. Neighbourhoods are often social communities with considerable face-to-face interaction among members. "Researchers have not agreed on an exact definition...
within its boundaries. Some of these have small additional neighborhoods and districts inside of them. In addition, Syracuse also owns and operates Syracuse Hancock International Airport
Syracuse Hancock International Airport
Syracuse Hancock International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located northeast of Syracuse, in Onondaga County, New York, off of Interstate 81 near Mattydale, New York. The main terminal complex is located at the eastern end of Colonel Eileen Collins Boulevard.-History:In 1927...
, located on the territory of four towns north of the city.
Syracuse's neighborhoods reflect the historically divided population. Traditionally, Irish
Irish in Syracuse, New York
Irish immigrants came to the area around Syracuse, New York between 1776 and 1910. The Irish "Pioneers" came to Onondaga County from various parts of the Union...
, Polish and Ukrainian
Ukrainians in Syracuse, New York
The history of the Ukrainian immigrants in Syracuse, New York began in 1885 with the arrival of the Hungarian Rusyns which continued through 1888. A second group, known as Lemkos, from an area in Ukraine called Lemkivshchyna, came to the city between the years 1890 and 1895...
Americans settled on its westside; Jews on its eastside; German
Germans in Syracuse, New York
A German mission was established in Onondaga County, New York in 1750, by Moravian missionaries from Pennsylvania, however, most of the earliest Germans to arrive in the area did not remain for very long....
and Italian
Italians in Syracuse, New York
Italian immigrants first came to the area around Syracuse, New York beginning in 1883 after providing labor for the construction of the West Shore Railroad.By 2010, demographics showed that 14.1% of the population in Syracuse was Italian descent.-History:...
Americans on the northside; and African-Americans on its southside.
Business districts
In addition to the dominant Carousel CenterCarousel Center
Carousel Center is a , seven-story super-regional shopping and entertainment complex on the shore of Onondaga Lake in Syracuse, New York. It has eight anchor store slots - currently filled with Best Buy, Bon Ton, Forever 21 , JCPenney, Macy's, Lord & Taylor, and Sports Authority...
shopping mall in the Syracuse's Lakefront neighborhood, many of the city's more traditional neighborhoods continue to have active business districts:
- DowntownDowntown SyracuseDowntown Syracuse is the economic center of Syracuse, New York, and Central New York, employing over 30,000 people, and housing over 2,000. It is also one of the 26 officially recognized neighborhoods of Syracuse.- History :...
: Armory SquareArmory SquareArmory Square is a small neighborhood on the west side of Downtown Syracuse, New York. It began life as a busy commercial and industrial area just to the west of the central city. After World War II, Syracuse's central city became less and less populated as more housing and business facilities...
has replaced South Salina Street as the main retail and dining area of Downtown Syracuse. Armory Square has around 30 dining establishments, around 20 pubs, bars and clubs, and over 50 other retail stores. Similarly, but on a smaller scale, there is the Hanover SquareHanover Square, SyracuseHanover Square in Downtown Syracuse, New York, is a triangular-shaped public park located at the intersection of Warren, Water, and East Genesee streets...
area. A number of professional firms are also located in Armory Square, including Eric Mower and AssociatesEric Mower and AssociatesEric Mower and Associates is an integrated marketing communications agency that offers consumer and business-to-business advertising, public relations and public affairs, brand promotion and digital/direct/relationship marketing....
, O'Brien & GereO'Brien & GereO'Brien & Gere is a national provider of engineering, construction, and operational services for: industrial, municipal, Federal, food and beverage, higher education, and life sciences clients. This company is entirely employee owned and private. They employ 850 employees within all of their...
, and the Sugarman Law Firm.
- EastwoodEastwood, SyracuseEastwood is a neighborhood in the east of Syracuse, New York, USA. The neighborhood was part of the last round of annexations by the City of Syracuse, in 1928...
: Calling itself "the village within the city", this former village still has a retail corridor along James Street.
- Little ItalyLittle Italy, SyracuseLittle Italy Syracuse is an ethnic enclave in Syracuse, New York that contains several bakeries, cafés, pizzerias, restaurants, beauty salons, shops, bars and nightclubs...
: A neighborhood with Italian origins, Little Italy (part of the Near NortheastNear Northeast, SyracuseNear Northeast is a Syracuse, New York neighborhood, located northeast of the city's downtown. It corresponds to Onondaga County Census Tract 15, 16, 23, and 24.-Borders:Northwestern* Butternut StreetNorthern* South Carbon Street...
neighborhood) has several blocks of bakeries, restaurants, pizzerias, shops, and services.
- University HillUniversity Hill, SyracuseUniversity Hill is a neighborhood in Syracuse, New York, located east and southeast of downtown, on one of the larger hills in Syracuse. It is the major educational and medical district of Syracuse, as well as an important business district, with three of the top ten employers in the Syracuse...
: Marshall StreetMarshall StreetMarshall Street is a street in the University Hill neighborhood in Syracuse, New York, adjacent to Syracuse University. It is the main off-campus commercial street for students at the university. Often referred to as "M" Street, Marshall street has a number of popular student bars including...
, along with its terminus South Crouse Avenue, is lined with stores, bars, and restaurants, primarily catering to the student population on "The Hill", as well as the over 25,000 people who work there daily. East Genesee Street at the northwestern corner of the neighborhood has several retail establishments, as well.
- WestcottWestcott, SyracuseWestcott is a neighborhood in Syracuse, New York. Its proximity to Syracuse University makes for a diverse community, with many of its residents being Syracuse University students, many international, and others being more lower-income to middle class permanent residents. Westcott Street is the...
: This neighborhood, located east of University Hill, is inhabited by a wide variety of people, increasingly including some college students as the University grows but still primarily local families and residents. Single-family homes and two-unit apartments comprise the majority of housing. Westcott is known as a bohemian and liberal quarter, and each September hosts the Westcott Street Cultural Fair. The main business district is on Westcott Street between Beech and Dell streets and includes restaurants, bars, an independent bookstore, a consignment shop, The Westcott Theater, and other businesses.
Colleges and universities
One of Syracuse's major research universities is Syracuse UniversitySyracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, located on University Hill
University Hill, Syracuse
University Hill is a neighborhood in Syracuse, New York, located east and southeast of downtown, on one of the larger hills in Syracuse. It is the major educational and medical district of Syracuse, as well as an important business district, with three of the top ten employers in the Syracuse...
. It had an enrollment of 19,084 for the 2006–2007 academic year
Immediately adjacent to Syracuse University are two doctoral-degree granting State University
State University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
(SUNY) schools, the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry is an American specialized doctoral-granting institution located in the University Hill neighborhood of Syracuse, New York, immediately adjacent to Syracuse University...
and SUNY Upstate Medical University
State University of New York Upstate Medical University
The State University of New York Upstate Medical University is a State University of New York university of health sciences in the University Hill district of Syracuse, New York, USA. SUNY Upstate is an upper-division transfer and graduate college with degree programs within the College of...
. Both institutions have long-standing ties to Syracuse University. SUNY Upstate Medical University is also one of Syracuse's major research universities and is one of only about 125 academic medical centers in the country. It is the region's largest employer
Other institutions of higher education which are based in Syracuse include Le Moyne College
Le Moyne College
Le Moyne College, named after Simon Le Moyne, is a private, Jesuit college enrolling over 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1946, Le Moyne is the first Jesuit college to be founded as a co-educational institution...
a Jesuit college founded in 1946 and named after the 17th century missionary and diplomat Simon Le Moyne
Simon Le Moyne
Father Simon Le Moyne, S.J. was a Jesuit priest in Lower Canada who was involved in the mission to the Hurons. His notability in Canadian history comes from his work as an ambassador of peace to the Iroquois....
who first discovered the value of the Onondaga salt springs (see "French missions" above). Le Moyne College was the first Jesuit college to be founded as coeducational, and is located on the city's eastern border. In addition, Onondaga Community College
Onondaga Community College
Onondaga Community College is an accredited two-year educational institution that services Onondaga County, New York at three campuses. Onondaga Community College is a college of the State University of New York system and one of 30 locally sponsored community colleges throughout New York...
has its main campus in the adjacent Town of Onondaga
Onondaga, New York
Onondaga is a town located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the town had a population of 21,063. The town is named after the native Onondaga tribe, part of the Iroquois Confederacy....
and has two smaller campuses downtown and in Liverpool
Liverpool, New York
Liverpool is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 2,505 at the 2000 census. The name was adopted from the city of Liverpool in the United Kingdom...
. A branch of SUNY's Empire State College
Empire State College
Empire State College, one of the thirteen arts and science colleges of the State University of New York, is a multi-site institution offering associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees. It is primarily oriented towards the adult learner...
is located in East Syracuse; a campus of the nationwide Bryant & Stratton College is located Downtown. A campus of ITT Technical Institute
ITT Technical Institute
ITT Technical Institute is a for-profit technical institute with over 130 campuses in 38 states of the United States. ITT Tech is owned and operated by ITT Educational Services, Inc. , a publicly traded company headquartered in Carmel, Indiana. ITT Educational Services, Inc...
also calls the Syracuse metropolitan area home, also located in Liverpool
Liverpool, New York
Liverpool is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 2,505 at the 2000 census. The name was adopted from the city of Liverpool in the United Kingdom...
. There are also Crouse Hospital School of Nursing and Saint Joseph's School of Nursing
Other colleges and universities in the area include Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
and Ithaca College
Ithaca College
Ithaca College is a private college located on the South Hill of Ithaca, New York. The school was founded by William Egbert in 1892 as a conservatory of music. The college has a strong liberal arts core, but also offers several pre-professional programs and some graduate programs. The college is...
in Ithaca
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
, Hamilton College in Clinton
Clinton, Oneida County, New York
Clinton is a village in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 1,952 at the 2000 census. It was named for George Clinton, a royal governor of the colony of New York....
, Oswego State University
State University of New York at Oswego
State University of New York at Oswego, also known as SUNY Oswego and Oswego State, is a public university in the City of Oswego and Town of Oswego, New York, on the shore of Lake Ontario...
in Oswego
Oswego, New York
Oswego is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York"...
, SUNY Cortland
State University of New York at Cortland
The State University of New York College at Cortland, also officially called SUNY Cortland or informally known as Cortland State, is a coeducational university located in Cortland, New York...
in Cortland
Cortland, New York
Cortland is a city in Cortland County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 18,740. It is the county seat of Cortland County.The City of Cortland, near the west border of the county, is surrounded by the Town of Cortlandville....
, Morrisville State College
State University of New York at Morrisville
Morrisville State College, formerly the State University of New York at Morrisville or SUNY Morrisville, is a college of the State University of New York. It offers 22 bachelor degrees and a wide variety of associate degrees at two campuses in Central New York: Morrisville and Norwich...
in Morrisville
Morrisville, New York
Morrisville is a village in Madison County, New York, United States. The population was 2,148 at the 2000 census. The village is named after its founder, Thomas Morris.The Village of Morrisville in the northwest part of the Town of Eaton on US Route 20....
, Colgate University
Colgate University
Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52...
in Hamilton
Hamilton (town), New York
Hamilton is a town in Madison County, New York, United States. The population was 5,733 at the 2000 census. The town is named after American patriot Alexander Hamilton....
, Cazenovia College
Cazenovia College
Cazenovia College is a small, independent, co-educational, baccalaureate college, located in Cazenovia, New York. Cazenovia offers a comprehensive liberal arts education with academic and co-curricular programs devoted to developing leaders in their professional fields. Cazenovia College has been...
in Cazenovia
Cazenovia (village), New York
Cazenovia is a village located in the Town of Cazenovia in Madison County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,614. The village lies on the southeast shore of Cazenovia Lake, which is approximately long and .5 miles across...
, Wells College
Wells College
Wells College is a private coeducational liberal arts college located in Aurora, Cayuga County, New York, on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake. Initially an all-women's institution, Wells became a co-ed college in Fall 2005....
in Aurora
Aurora, Cayuga County, New York
Aurora is a village and college town in Cayuga County, in the Town of Ledyard, north of Ithaca, New York, United States. The village had a population of 720 at the 2000 census, of which more than 400 were college students....
, and both Utica College
Utica College
Utica College is a private university located in Utica, New York. The history of the college dates back to the 1930s when Syracuse University began offering extension courses in the Utica area. Syracuse University established Utica College as a four-year institution in 1946, and in 1995, UC ...
and SUNY Institute of Technology in Utica
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
.
Arts and culture
An up-to-date directory and events calendar covering all of the visual and performing arts in Syracuse is available at SyracuseArts.net.Performing arts
Live jazzJazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
music is the centerpiece of two annual outdoor festivals in Syracuse, the M&T Syracuse Jazz Festival, Polish Festival as well as the CNY Jazz Arts Foundation's Jazz In The Square Festival. Performers in the last five years have included Chuck Mangione
Chuck Mangione
Charles Frank "Chuck" Mangione is an American flugelhorn player and composer who achieved international success in 1977 with his jazz-pop single, "Feels So Good." Mangione has released more than thirty albums since 1960.-Early life and career:...
, Joshua Redman
Joshua Redman
Joshua Redman is an American jazz saxophonist and composer who records for Nonesuch Records. He won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition in 1991.-Biography:...
, Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
, Branford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis is an American saxophonist, composer and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, he also performs frequently as a soloist with classical ensembles and has led the group Buckshot LeFonque.-Biography:Marsalis was born...
, The Bad Plus
The Bad Plus
The Bad Plus are a jazz trio from the United States, consisting of pianist Ethan Iverson, bassist Reid Anderson, and drummer Dave King, originating from Minneapolis, MN.-History:...
, Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker
Randal "Randy" Brecker is an American trumpeter and flugelhornist. He is a highly sought after performer in the genres of jazz, rock, and R&B, and has performed or recorded with Stanley Turrentine, Billy Cobham, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Sandip Burman, Charles Mingus, Blood, Sweat & Tears,...
, Stanley Clarke
Stanley Clarke
Stanley Clarke is an American jazz musician and composer known for his innovative and influential work on double bass and electric bass guitar as well as for his numerous film and television scores...
, Jimmy Heath
Jimmy Heath
James Edward Heath , nicknamed Little Bird, is an American jazz saxophonist, composer and arranger. He is the brother of bassist Percy Heath and drummer Albert Heath.-Biography:...
, Terrence Blanchard, Slide Hampton
Slide Hampton
Locksley Wellington "Slide" Hampton is an American jazz trombonist, composer and arranger.He was a 1998 Grammy Award winner for "Best Jazz Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist", as arranger for "Cotton Tail" performed by Dee Dee Bridgewater...
, Bobby Watson
Bobby Watson
Bobby Watson is an American post-bop jazz alto saxophonist, composer, producer, and educator. Watson now has 26 recordings as a leader. He appears on nearly 100 other recordings as either co-leader or in a supporting role...
, Dr. John
Dr. John
Malcolm John "Mac" Rebennack, Jr. , better known by the stage name Dr. John , is an American singer-songwriter, pianist and guitarist, whose music combines blues, pop, jazz as well as Zydeco, boogie woogie and rock and roll.Active as a session musician since the late 1950s, he came to wider...
, and Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
. The Polish Festival hosted Grammy winners Jimmy Sturr and his Orchestra, Polish music legend Stan Borys and Irena Jarocka, Grammy nominee Lenny Goumulka, LynnMarie, Dennis Polisky & The Maestro's Men, Jerry Darlak and the Buffalo Touch & The John Gora Band.
Syracuse was home to the 79-member Syracuse Symphony Orchestra
Syracuse Symphony Orchestra
The Syracuse Symphony Orchestra was a 79 member orchestra located in Syracuse, NY. In its time it was the 43rd largest orchestra in the United States and performed a variety of programs including the Post-Standard Classics Series and M&T Bank Pops Series....
(SSO), founded in 1961. In early April 2011, the orchestra announced plans to file for bankruptcy under Chapter 7
Chapter 7, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 7 of the Title 11 of the United States Code governs the process of liquidation under the bankruptcy laws of the United States...
, a chapter of the U.S. bankruptcy code that indicates that the organization plans to liquidate
Liquidation
In law, liquidation is the process by which a company is brought to an end, and the assets and property of the company redistributed. Liquidation is also sometimes referred to as winding-up or dissolution, although dissolution technically refers to the last stage of liquidation...
itself and go out of operation. Unfunded pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
obligations were blamed.
The SSO's last Music Director was Daniel Hege
Daniel Hege
Daniel Hege is an American orchestral conductor. He is the former music director of the former Syracuse Symphony Orchestra and currently the music director of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra. He also makes numerous guest appearances with orchestras across the country.- Biography :Hege was born in...
; former Music Directors include Frederik Prausnitz
Frederik Prausnitz
Frederik William Prausnitz was a German-born American conductor and teacher. His grandfather, Wilhelm Prausnitz, was the dean of the medical school at Graz, as well as a Privy Counsellor...
and Kazuyoshi Akiyama
Kazuyoshi Akiyama
is a Japanese conductor.-Biography:Born into a musical family, he studied piano at the Toho Gakuen School of Music, but was fascinated by the conducting activities of a fellow student, Seiji Ozawa. He decided to study conducting with Hideo Saito...
. At its peak, the orchestra performed over 200 concerts annually for an audience of over 250,000.
The Clinton String Quartet
Clinton String Quartet
The Clinton String Quartet is a string quartet based in the Syracuse, New York area. Active for over 15 years, their most prominent works have been the debuts of many 20th century classical recordings with the Syracuse Society for New Music...
has been active for over 15 years and is based in the Syracuse area. All four members were also members of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra until its dissolution in early 2011.
The Syracuse Friends of Chamber Music for more than a half century have presented a series of concerts by various chamber
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
ensembles.
The Society for New Music, founded in 1982, is the oldest new music
Contemporary classical music
Contemporary classical music can be understood as belonging to the period that started in the mid-1970s with the retreat of modernism. However, the term may also be employed in a broader sense to refer to all post-1945 modern musical forms.-Categorization:...
organization in the state outside of New York City, and the only year-round new music group in upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
. The Society commissions at least one new work each year from a regional composer, awards the annual Brian Israel Prize to a promising composer under 30 years of age, and produces the weekly "Fresh Ink" radio broadcast for WCNY-FM
WCNY-FM
WCNY-FM is a public radio station in Syracuse, New York that plays classical music and is a National Public Radio member station...
.
The Syracuse Opera Company is a professional company that generally performs three operas each season. It was founded in 1963 as the Opera Chorus of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra
Syracuse Symphony Orchestra
The Syracuse Symphony Orchestra was a 79 member orchestra located in Syracuse, NY. In its time it was the 43rd largest orchestra in the United States and performed a variety of programs including the Post-Standard Classics Series and M&T Bank Pops Series....
and became independent in 1973. In addition to full performances, it offers several free outdoor concerts each year in Armory Square
Armory Square
Armory Square is a small neighborhood on the west side of Downtown Syracuse, New York. It began life as a busy commercial and industrial area just to the west of the central city. After World War II, Syracuse's central city became less and less populated as more housing and business facilities...
, Thornden Park
Thornden Park
Thornden Park is a park in Syracuse, New York, which is the second largest in the city after Burnet Park. It was purchased by the city in 1921 and has become a favorite wedding location in the Syracuse park system. It is located in Westcott, and borders the University Neighborhood and...
, and elsewhere. The company has an annual budget of US$1 million and is the only professional opera company in upstate New York.
The Syracuse Shakespeare Festival is a charitable, educational, not-for-profit corporation dedicated to performing the works of William Shakespeare. It was founded in 2002 and is best known for its annual free Shakespeare-in-the-Park program at the Thornden Park Amphitheatre that has attracted more than 17,000 people since its inception. SSF also produces three other major programs including Shakespeare-Under-A-Roof, (indoor shows at SU's Warehouse Theatre and NYS Fairgrounds' New Times Theatre) Kids Doing Shakespeare (Spring and Summer one-week, vacation theatre camps for students in grades 3–12) and the Avon Repertory Theatre. (one hour versions of Shakespeare classics touring at schools and businesses in CNY)
Syracuse Stage
Syracuse Stage
Syracuse Stage is a professional non-profit theatre company in Syracuse, New York, U.S.A. It is the premier professional theatre in Central New York. It was founded in 1974 by Arthur Storch, who was its first artistic director. The company grew out of the Syracuse Repertory Theatre that was...
presents experimental and creative theater; a number of its productions have been world premieres and have moved to Broadway. The venue was designed by its most famous former artistic director Arthur Storch
Arthur Storch
Arthur Storch is an American actor and Broadway director. He founded Syracuse Stage in 1974. Productions he has directed include:*Tribute, on Broadway*The Comedy of Errors, at Syracuse Stage...
. Its current artistic director is Timothy Bond.
The Red House Arts Center
Red House Arts Center
Red House Arts Center is a nonprofit cultural center located at 201 West Street in Syracuse, New York near Armory Square. The mission of Red House is to transform lives through intimate and distinct experiences in the arts...
is one of Syracuse's newest cultural venues. Opened in 2004, Redhouse is a small theatre housed in a converted hotel, that offers performances by local, national, and international artists, and hosts regular exhibits in its art gallery, and screenings of independent films.
Syracuse is also known for a large contemporary music scene, particularly in the heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, Hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
, Ska, and Punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
genres.
Metal 'Cuse - Syracuse is also home to this yearly charity benefit music festival that showcases Hard Rock and Heavy Metal artists from around Syracuse and around the country. Metal 'Cuse Website
Museums and art galleries
- Everson Museum of ArtEverson Museum of ArtThe Everson Museum of Art in Downtown Syracuse, New York is a major Central New York museum focusing on American art.-History:The museum was founded in 1897 by art historian George Fisk Comfort ; at that time, it was called the Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts...
, which opened in 1968 in a building designed by I.M. Pei, features one of the most extensive pottery collections in the United States along with works of American art, dating from the 18th century to the present. This collection includes paintings, sculptures, drawings, photography, and video.
- Erie Canal Museum is a museum dedicated to preserving the history of the Erie CanalErie CanalThe 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...
and its role in Syracuse's growth.
- International Mask and Puppet Museum is a museum in Little Italy focusing on masks and puppets, the later of which are also used in educational performances for children.
- Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and TechnologyMilton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and TechnologyThe Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology is a museum located in the Armory Square neighborhood of Downtown Syracuse, New York. The museum includes multiple exhibits and a domed IMAX movie theatre. It is located in a historic building, the former Syracuse Armory.-External links:*...
is a museum located in the Armory SquareArmory SquareArmory Square is a small neighborhood on the west side of Downtown Syracuse, New York. It began life as a busy commercial and industrial area just to the west of the central city. After World War II, Syracuse's central city became less and less populated as more housing and business facilities...
neighborhood that features exhibits in science and technology and also houses the city's only IMAX theaterIMAXIMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
.
- Onondaga Historical Association Museum & Research Center, located at 321 Montgomery Street downtownDowntown SyracuseDowntown Syracuse is the economic center of Syracuse, New York, and Central New York, employing over 30,000 people, and housing over 2,000. It is also one of the 26 officially recognized neighborhoods of Syracuse.- History :...
, features exhibits on the past of the Syracuse region, and contains historical archives relating to the area's history. Its exhibits include a presentation of the history of the Underground RailroadUnderground RailroadThe Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
.
- The Warehouse Gallery is located at 350 West Fayette Street in The WarehouseThe Warehouse (Syracuse)The Warehouse in Downtown Syracuse, New York, United States, is a former storage warehouse of the Syracuse-based Dunk and Bright Furniture Company. It was purchased in 2005 by Syracuse University, which renovated the building for classroom, gallery, and studio use at a cost of $9 million. The...
. It is a part of the Coalition of Museum And Art Centers (CMAC). This new contemporary art center exhibits, commissions, and promotes work by emerging and accomplished artists in a variety of media. The programming attempts to engage the community in a dialogue regarding the role the arts can play in illuminating the critical issues of our times.
- Spark Contemporary Art Space is located at 1005 E. Fayette St. in the Downtown area. Spark is run by Syracuse University graduate art students, but is a venue for a diversity of non-university affiliated events. The gallery's directors curate and organize art and music related events, while local artists can rent the space to hold their own events. With the initiation of a monthly video screening series in 2001, Spark became one of the leading venues for video art in Syracuse. Spark Video provides the community an opportunity to see video work from local and international artists.
- Delavan Art Gallery is located at 501 West Fayette Street in an old farm equipment factory. The gallery is currently being refashioned into an Art Shop Complex known as "The Art Shops at Delavan Center". Delavan Gallery has 3800 square feet (353 m²) of exhibit space, and, on several other floors in the building, houses the studios of a number of area artists. Its shows have typically opened the first Thursday of the month. Showcases have featured a wide variety of work, from multi-media sculpture to hyperealism.
- Point of Contact Gallery is located at 914 East Genesee Street. The newest member of the Coalition of Museums and Art Centers at Syracuse University, it is a space dedicated to the exploration of the verbal and visual arts and home of the Point of Contact Art Collection. It is a cross-disciplinary open forum for the essential discussion of contemporary art. A showcase for contemporary artists from around the world, with a strong prevalence from Latin America. The Point of Contact collection comprises over 200 original pieces created especially for "Point of Contact", the book series, since 1975. Photography, collage, drawings, paintings and three-dimensional works form this rare collection.
Recreation
Burnet Park
Burnet Park is the largest park in Syracuse, New York, USA, covering an area of . It is located on the west end of the city, in the Far Westside in a neighborhood called Tipperary Hill.-History:...
includes the first public golf course in the United States (1901) and Rosamond Gifford Zoo
Rosamond Gifford Zoo
The Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park is a zoo in Syracuse, New York. It is owned and operated by Onondaga County Parks. The zoo is home to more than 900 animals on . Some of the more popular animals include Asian elephants, Humboldt penguins, Amur tigers and African lions...
. Other major parks include Thornden Park
Thornden Park
Thornden Park is a park in Syracuse, New York, which is the second largest in the city after Burnet Park. It was purchased by the city in 1921 and has become a favorite wedding location in the Syracuse park system. It is located in Westcott, and borders the University Neighborhood and...
, Schiller Park, Sunnycrest Park, James Pass Arboretum
James Pass Arboretum
The James Pass Arboretum is located in Syracuse, New York on the western edge of Tipperary Hill on the city's Far Westside and is bounded by South Avery Avenue on the east, Tompkins Street on the north, and Salisbury Road on the south...
and the joined Onondaga Park
Onondaga Park
Onondaga Park is one of the many parks in the City of Syracuse, New York. Onondaga Park is also home to Hiawatha Lake.Designed by famed urban planner George Kessler, the park was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002....
and Kirk Parks. There are 12 public pools, two public ice rinks, and two public nine-hole golf courses in the city.
Right outside the city proper, along the east side and north end of Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
, is Onondaga Lake Park. The adjacent Onondaga Lake Parkway is closed to vehicular traffic several hours on Sundays during the summer months, so it can be used for walking, running, biking, and rollerblading. During the holiday season, the park hosts Lights on the Lake, a two-mile (3 km) drive-through light show.
Public transportation
Syracuse is served by the Central New York Regional Transportation AuthorityCentral New York Regional Transportation Authority
The Central New York Regional Transportation Authority, known as Centro, is the operator of mass transit in Onondaga, Oswego, Cayuga, and Oneida counties in New York state. The CNYRTA was formed on August 1, 1970, along with similar agencies in Rochester, Albany, and Buffalo...
, or CNYRTA. The CNYRTA operates bus service in Syracuse and its suburbs, as well as to outlying metropolitan area cities such as Auburn
Auburn, New York
Auburn is a city in Cayuga County, New York, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 27,687...
, Fulton
Fulton, Oswego County, New York
Fulton is a small city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 11,855 at the 2000 census. The city is named after Robert Fulton, inventor of the steamboat.The city of Fulton is located in the western part of the county....
, and Oswego
Oswego, New York
Oswego is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York"...
.
The Pyramid Companies have also proposed a monorail
Monorail
A monorail is a rail-based transportation system based on a single rail, which acts as its sole support and its guideway. The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system, or the vehicles traveling on such a beam or track...
linking Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
to Hancock International Airport via Downtown Syracuse to their proposed Destiny Resort
Destiny USA
Destiny USA is a retail and entertainment complex under construction in Syracuse, New York, United States. The project's developer, The Pyramid Companies, predicts that Destiny USA will become a major tourist destination and will have an economic impact throughout the Central New York region...
to the William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center and their proposed Destiny Technology Park. The cost of such a line has been estimated at $750 million.
In 2005, local millionaire Tom McDonald proposed an aerial tramway
Aerial tramway
An aerial tramway , cable car , ropeway or aerial tram is a type of aerial lift which uses one or two stationary ropes for support while a third moving rope provides propulsion...
system, called Salt City Aerial Transit (S.C.A.T.), to link the university to the transportation center. The first segment from Syracuse University to downtown has been estimated to cost $5 million, which McDonald plans to raise himself. Due to the perceived low operating costs, the system could run continuously. As of late 2006, the project remains in the planning stage.
Commute
According to the 2000 Census, this is how people aged 16 and over commute to work:- 65.9% drove alone
- 13.7% carpoolCarpoolCarpooling , is the sharing of car journeys so that more than one person travels in a car....
- 10.1% walk
- 6.8% use public buses (CENTRO)
- 0.6% bike
- 0.2% used a taxicabTaxicabA taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
- 0.013% used elevated rail (OnTrack, now defunct)
Syracuse currently ranks 50th in the United States for high transit ridership and 12th for most pedestrian commuters. 38,332 people commute daily into Onondaga County from the four adjoining counties (2006).
Rail
Syracuse lies on three AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
lines—the Empire Service
Empire Service (Amtrak)
The Empire Service is a train service operated by Amtrak within the state of New York in the United States. Trains on the line provide frequent daily service along the 460-mile Empire Corridor between New York City and Niagara Falls, New York...
, the Maple Leaf, and the Lake Shore Limited
Lake Shore Limited
The Lake Shore Limited is a daily passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States. The train runs between Chicago and Albany, NY, where it divides into two sections that provide thru-service to New York and Boston...
.
The Empire Service runs several times daily from Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 50,193, down from the 55,593 recorded in the 2000 census. It is across the Niagara River from Niagara Falls, Ontario , both named after the famed Niagara Falls which they...
to New York Penn Station, with major stops in 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...
, Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, Utica
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
, and Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
along the way.
The Maple Leaf follows the path of the Empire Service train, but continues to Toronto. This train completes one roundtrip daily.
Also completing one roundtrip a day, the Lake Shore Limited
Lake Shore Limited
The Lake Shore Limited is a daily passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States. The train runs between Chicago and Albany, NY, where it divides into two sections that provide thru-service to New York and Boston...
connects Syracuse to the same cities as above (except Niagara Falls), but continues westward from Buffalo to Chicago via Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
and Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
, and eastward to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, with a branch extending south to New York.
The Amtrak station is part of the William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center.
A regional commuter rail service, OnTrack
OnTrack
OnTrack was a regional rail line that operated in Syracuse, New York from 1994 to 2007. During its operation, Syracuse was the smallest city in the United States to have regional train service. The line ran from Colvin Street on the city's south side via Syracuse University and Armory Square to the...
, was active from 1994 until it was discontinued in 2007 due to low ridership. Its sole route connected the Carousel Center
Carousel Center
Carousel Center is a , seven-story super-regional shopping and entertainment complex on the shore of Onondaga Lake in Syracuse, New York. It has eight anchor store slots - currently filled with Best Buy, Bon Ton, Forever 21 , JCPenney, Macy's, Lord & Taylor, and Sports Authority...
to southern Syracuse, often extending to Jamesville
Jamesville, New York
Jamesville is a hamlet in De Witt, Onondaga County, New York, United States, part of the greater Syracuse area.The history of the community is documented in the book Water, Wheels and Stone: Heritage of the Little Village by the Creek, Jamesville, New York, written by Jean Schutz Keough, and...
in the summer.
Bus
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
and Trailways provide long-distance bus service. Both also use the William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center located in the northern area of the city.
Air service
Syracuse is served by the Syracuse Hancock International AirportSyracuse Hancock International Airport
Syracuse Hancock International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located northeast of Syracuse, in Onondaga County, New York, off of Interstate 81 near Mattydale, New York. The main terminal complex is located at the eastern end of Colonel Eileen Collins Boulevard.-History:In 1927...
in nearby Salina
Salina, New York
Salina is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 33,290 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the Latin word for "salt."...
, near Mattydale
Mattydale, New York
Mattydale is a hamlet in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 6,367 at the 2000 census.Mattydale is a community in the northeast of the Town of Salina and is a northern suburb of Syracuse....
. The airport is served by 17 airlines (9 major), which provide non-stop flights to destinations as far away as Orlando, FL, as well as several daily flights to other important airline hubs and business centers such as Atlanta, Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, Chicago, Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Detroit, New York City, Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, Pittsburgh, Washington, DC, Toronto. Six cargo carriers also serve the airport. New York City can be reached in under an hour flight.
Major highways and roads that serve the Syracuse area
Four Interstate HighwaysInterstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
run through the Syracuse area:
-
Interstate 81Interstate 81Interstate 81 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Island at the Canadian border, where the Thousand Islands Bridge connects it to Highway 401, the main freeway...
(Highway 401Highway 401 (Ontario)King's Highway 401, also known by its official name as the Macdonald–Cartier Freeway and colloquially as the four-oh-one, is a 400-Series Highway in the Canadian province of Ontario stretching from Windsor to the Quebec border...
via Highway 137Highway 137 (Ontario)King's Highway 137, also known as Highway 137, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario which serves to connect the northern end of Interstate 81 in New York with Highway 401, via the Canadian span of the Thousand Islands Bridge...
in OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
to KnoxvilleKnoxville, TennesseeFounded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
) runs north-south through Syracuse, and provides access to Canada, PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and points south. Its downtownDowntown SyracuseDowntown Syracuse is the economic center of Syracuse, New York, and Central New York, employing over 30,000 people, and housing over 2,000. It is also one of the 26 officially recognized neighborhoods of Syracuse.- History :...
portion is extremely narrow, only consisting of four lanes and essentially no onramps. It forms a physical and psychological border between downtown and University HillUniversity Hill, SyracuseUniversity Hill is a neighborhood in Syracuse, New York, located east and southeast of downtown, on one of the larger hills in Syracuse. It is the major educational and medical district of Syracuse, as well as an important business district, with three of the top ten employers in the Syracuse...
, an issue both Syracuse UniversitySyracuse UniversitySyracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
and local politicians are trying to address. Moreover, it essentially marks the boundary between two State Senate districts.
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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...
(SeattleSeattle, WashingtonSeattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
to BostonBostonBoston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
), also known as the 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...
runs east-west, just north of the city. It is a toll highwayToll roadA toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
that provides access to RochesterRochester, New YorkRochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, BuffaloBuffalo, New YorkBuffalo 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...
, AlbanyAlbany, New YorkAlbany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, and the north-south (Interstate 87Interstate 87Interstate 87 is a Interstate Highway located entirely within New York State in the United States of America. I-87 is the longest intrastate Interstate highway in the Interstate Highway System. Its southern end is at the Bronx approaches of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City...
) part of the Thruway which leads to New York City.
-
Interstate 690Interstate 690Interstate 690 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway that extends for through the vicinity of Syracuse, New York, in the United States. It is a spur of I-90 that travels southeast from Thruway exit 39 in Van Buren to I-481 in DeWitt...
runs east-west through the city, and provides access to Interstate 90, as well as to Syracuse's northwestern and eastern suburbs. A spur off I-690 directly west of the city, NY 695New York State Route 695New York State Route 695 is a short state highway located west of Syracuse in the towns of Camillus and Geddes in Onondaga County, New York. The number of the highway was derived from the two highways that NY 695 links, Interstate 690 and NY 5...
, provides freeway access to the southwestern suburbs. It meets Interstate 81 in downtown Syracuse in a highly-complex and incomplete intersection. Most of its routing through the city directly replaced elevated rail lines, a fact quite notable by the city's former main rail terminal, where the freeway spans the width between the terminal and its outermost platform. In 1981 artist Duke Epolito erected sculptures of "passengers" on the far platform. The piece is entitled "Waiting for a Night Train."
-
Interstate 481Interstate 481Interstate 481 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway that serves as an eastern bypass of Syracuse, New York, in the United States. It begins at its parent, I-81, in the city's southern end and travels through the eastern Syracuse suburbs of Jamesville, DeWitt, and Cicero before rejoining I-81 in...
forms an eastern loop around the city and continues to the northwest as NY 481New York State Route 481New York State Route 481 is a state highway in Central New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an interchange with Interstate 81 in North Syracuse, where the highway continues southeastward as I-481. Its northern terminus is located at an intersection...
to FultonFulton, Oswego County, New YorkFulton is a small city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 11,855 at the 2000 census. The city is named after Robert Fulton, inventor of the steamboat.The city of Fulton is located in the western part of the county....
and OswegoOswego, New YorkOswego is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York"...
, on the shore of Lake OntarioLake OntarioLake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
.
Two US Highways run through the Syracuse area:
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U.S. Highway 11 (Route 223Quebec route 223Route 223 is a north/south highway on the south shore of the Richelieu River. Its northern terminus is in Sorel-Tracy at the junction of Route 132 and its southern terminus is close to Lacolle, where it crosses the U.S. border and continues into New York state as U.S...
in QuebecQuebecQuebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
to New Orleans) passes through Syracuse, including downtown, and it follows the route of Salina and State Streets.
-
U.S. Highway 20U.S. Route 20 in New YorkU.S. Route 20 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Newport, Oregon, to Boston, Massachusetts. In the U.S. state of New York, US 20 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Ripley to the Massachusetts state line in the Berkshire Mountains. US 20 is the longest...
(Boston to Newport, OregonNewport, OregonNewport is a city in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States. It was incorporated in 1882, though the name dates back to the establishment of a post office in 1868...
) passes south of Syracuse.
New York State Route Expressways:
-
New York State Route 481New York State Route 481New York State Route 481 is a state highway in Central New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an interchange with Interstate 81 in North Syracuse, where the highway continues southeastward as I-481. Its northern terminus is located at an intersection...
– Travels from NY 104 in Oswego to the junction of Interstate 81 and Interstate 481 north of Syracuse.
-
New York State Route 690New York State Route 690New York State Route 690 is a state highway in Central New York. NY 690's southern terminus is at an interchange with the New York State Thruway and Interstate 690 in Van Buren. The northern terminus is at an intersection with NY 48 and NY 631 in Lysander...
– Was built as an extension of Interstate 690 in the northwest suburbs of Syracuse. The route is a four-lane divided highway from its southern end at I-690, where it meets Interstate 90 (NYS Thruway), to its end northwest of Baldwinsville in Lysander at NY 48 and NY 631.
-
New York State Route 695New York State Route 695New York State Route 695 is a short state highway located west of Syracuse in the towns of Camillus and Geddes in Onondaga County, New York. The number of the highway was derived from the two highways that NY 695 links, Interstate 690 and NY 5...
– Is a short state highway located west of Syracuse in the town of SolvaySolvay, New YorkSolvay is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, and a suburb of the city of Syracuse. According to the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 6,845...
in Onondaga CountyOnondaga County, New YorkOnondaga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 467,026. The county seat is Syracuse.Onondaga County is part of the Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. The number of the highway was derived from the two highways that NY 695 links, Interstate 690 and NY 5.
Executive
The city is headed by an elected mayor who is limited to two four-year terms. The incumbent is Stephanie MinerStephanie Miner
Stephanie Ann Miner is an attorney, Democratic politician, and current Mayor of Syracuse, NY.-Background:Miner was born in Syracuse, New York to Edward, a physician and retired army officer, and Dianne Cooney, a nurse and current Dean of the Wegman School of Nursing at St. John Fisher College in...
elected mayor on November 3, 2009 The previous mayor was former Syracuse Common Council President Matthew J. Driscoll, who first assumed the position in 2001 after the former mayor, Roy Bernardi
Roy Bernardi
Roy Albert Bernardi is a former United States Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development . He was nominated by President George W...
, resigned upon his appointment by President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
to a position in the Department of Housing and Urban Development. After serving the remaining term, Driscoll was re-elected that year, and again in 2005. Driscoll is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition
Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition
Mayors Against Illegal Guns is a coalition of over 600 mayors who support a number of gun control initiatives that the group calls "commonsense reforms" to fight illegal gun trafficking and gun violence in the United States...
, a bi-partisan group with a stated goal of "making the public safer by getting illegal guns off the streets." The Coalition is co-chaired by Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
Mayor Thomas Menino
Thomas Menino
Thomas Michael "Tom" Menino is the mayor of Boston, Massachusetts, United States and the city's first Italian-American mayor...
and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
.
Legislative
The legislative branch of Syracuse is the Syracuse Common Council. It consists of a president and nine members, currently:
|
|
Judicial
The Onondaga County Supreme and County Court is the trial court of general jurisdiction for Syracuse. It is also the administrative court for the Fifth District of the New York State Unified Court SystemNew York State Unified Court System
The New York State Unified Court System is the official name of the judicial system of New York in the United States. Based in Albany, the New York State Judiciary is a unified state court system that functions under the Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals who is its...
. Judges for these courts are elected at-large.
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York also holds court in downtown Syracuse at the James Hanley Federal Building.
Radio
Syracuse's flagship News/Talk Radio station: 570 WSYR http://www.570wsyr.comNewspapers
Syracuse has one major daily morning newspaper, The Post-Standard. Until 2001, Syracuse also had an evening paper, The Herald-Journal. Besides a Syracuse/Onondaga County edition, The Post-Standard publishes three additional editions: Cayuga, MadisonMadison County, New York
Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 73,442. It is named after James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America...
, and Oswego for the other three counties of the metropolitan area, plus an additional edition on Sundays. It has six news bureaus throughout Central New York, as well as one in Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
(state capital) and Washington, DC.
Before the merger with the evening paper, The Post-Standard was named among the "10 best newspapers in America with a circulation of under 100,000" by Al Neuharth of USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
(run by a competing organization). Since the merger, circulation has increased to over 120,000. Even outside of its four-county delivery area, the paper is available in many convenience stores and supermarkets from the Canadian to the Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
n border. The newspaper partly caters to this audience as well, covering many stories from the Ithaca
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
, Utica
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
, and Watertown areas. Since opening a new printing press in 2002, the paper calls itself "America's Most Colorful Newspaper," as almost every page contains color.
Syracuse New Times
Syracuse New Times
Syracuse New Times is a weekly alternative newspaper published in Syracuse, New York by William Brod and distributed throughout the central New York region. It is owned by All Times Publishing LLC. The publication is released every Wednesday, printing 46,000 copies and distributed to approximately...
is a weekly, free, ad-supported arts and entertainment newspaper. Owned by Zimmer Ltd, Syracuse New Times is published in Syracuse, New York by Arthur Zimmer and distributed throughout the central New York region. The publication is released every Wednesday, with over 137,600 readers, and is distributed to over 950 locations in Central New York. Launched in 1969, it is one of the oldest alternative weekly newspapers in the country.
The Daily Orange
The Daily Orange
The Daily Orange is an independent student newspaper published in Syracuse, New York. It is free, and published daily during the Syracuse University academic year.It was one of the first college papers to become fully independent from its parent college...
, the newspaper of Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
and SUNY ESF students, is read by over 20,000 people daily, and is widely distributed in the University Hill
University Hill, Syracuse
University Hill is a neighborhood in Syracuse, New York, located east and southeast of downtown, on one of the larger hills in Syracuse. It is the major educational and medical district of Syracuse, as well as an important business district, with three of the top ten employers in the Syracuse...
neighborhood and Armory Square
Armory Square
Armory Square is a small neighborhood on the west side of Downtown Syracuse, New York. It began life as a busy commercial and industrial area just to the west of the central city. After World War II, Syracuse's central city became less and less populated as more housing and business facilities...
. The Dolphin, the weekly student newspaper of Le Moyne College
Le Moyne College
Le Moyne College, named after Simon Le Moyne, is a private, Jesuit college enrolling over 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1946, Le Moyne is the first Jesuit college to be founded as a co-educational institution...
is also available, but read mainly by Le Moyne students.
There are other popular free newspapers, including Eagle Newspapers downtown edition, the City Eagle, and Table Hopping, which focuses on the restaurant and entertainment scene.
Television
Syracuse has eight full-power broadcast television stations:
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Public Broadcasting Service The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia.... : WCNY WCNY-TV WCNY-TV is Syracuse, New York's public television station and PBS member station. WCNY-TV's programming is also seen in Utica on low-powered repeater W22DO-D channel 24 Digital... 11/24 MyNetworkTV MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation... : WNYS 7/43 ION Media Networks ION Media Networks is an American television broadcasting company that owns and operates over 60 television stations in most major American markets. It is now a privately owned company.-History:... : WSPX WSPX-TV WSPX-TV, Ion Television in Syracuse, New York, is owned by ION Media Networks.WSPX broadcasts on digital channel 15. The channel 15 frequency is short-spaced to Belleville, Ontario's CBLFT and was approved on the condition that effective radiated power of the US station not exceed 100kW.According... 4/56 Fox Broadcasting Company Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the... : WSYT WSYT WSYT is the Fox-affiliated television station for Central New York State that is licensed to Syracuse. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 19 from a transmitter west of LaFayette. Owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, the station operates MyNetworkTV affiliate WNYS-TV ... 8/68 |
Syracuse's cable television provider is Time Warner Cable
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
, which, as a part of its regular and digital offerings, provides a popular 24-hour
24-hour news cycle
The 24-hour news cycle arrived with the advent of television channels dedicated to news, and brought about a much faster pace of news production with increased demand for stories that can be presented as news, as opposed to the day-by-day pace of the news cycle of printed daily newspapers...
local cable news
United States cable news
Cable news refers to television channels devoted to television news broadcasts, with the name deriving from the proliferation of such networks during the 1980s with the advent of cable television. In the United States, early networks included CNN in 1980, Financial News Network in 1981, and CNN2 ...
television channel (YNN
Your News Now
YNN ' is the brand for Time Warner Cable's 24-hour cable news television channels.The channels operate on the half-hour wheel format popularized by CNN Headline News. Weather reports are aired every 10 minutes and a Top Stories or Your News in a Minute is aired at the top and bottom of every hour,...
), local sports channel, Public-access television
Public-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
channel, and an additional PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
channel.
Additionally, other television networks are broadcast by low-power television station
Low-power broadcasting
Low-power broadcasting is electronic broadcasting at very low power and low cost, to a small community area.The terms "low-power broadcasting" and "micropower broadcasting" should not be used interchangeably, because the markets are not the same...
s.
Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
's student-run Educational-access television station is CitrusTV
CitrusTV
CitrusTV is the completely student-run television studio of Syracuse University and the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, New York. It was founded in 1970 and has around 350 student members....
and programming is broadcast on the university campus on the Orange Television Network. The station also provides content to Time Warner Cable Sports. Online, CitrusTV programs can be found on CitrusTV.net.
Dish Network
Dish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
and DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
also provide local satellite television subscribers with local broadcast stations.
Religion
BuddhismBuddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
: Buddhism has its presence in Syracuse with the Zen Center of Syracuse
Zen Center of Syracuse
The Zen Center of Syracuse , temple name Hoen-ji, is a Rinzai Zen Buddhist practice center in Syracuse, New York, one of the oldest continuously running Zen centers in the United States. Founded in 1972, the center is currently led by Roko Sherry Chayat...
on the Seneca Turnpike; as well as a center on Park Street, on the city's north side.
Christianity: Syracuse has two cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
s, the Episcopal St. Paul's Cathedral
St. Paul's Cathedral (Syracuse, New York)
St. Paul's Cathedral in Syracuse, New York was designed by Henry Dudley, who worked with Frank Wills until Wills' early death in 1857.It is located at 310 Montgomery Street in downtown Syracuse.-External links:*, at Historic American Building Survey...
and the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Both are located at Columbus Circle
Columbus Circle (Syracuse, NY)
Columbus Circle is a neighborhood and plaza in the downtown section of Syracuse, New York. Columbus Monument was designed by the Syracuse-born architect, Dwight James Baum in 1895. Columbus Circle is home to Syracuse's two cathedrals, the Episcopalian St. Paul's Cathedral and the Roman Catholic...
. Both are home to their respective diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s, the Diocese of Central New York
Episcopal Diocese of Central New York
The Episcopal Diocese of Central New York is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the area in the center of New York....
(Episcopal) and the Diocese of Syracuse (Roman Catholic). The Assembly of God, Southern Baptist Convention
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
, and the United Church of Christ
United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC...
have their State offices in the Greater Syracuse area. Syracuse is also home to the novitiate center of the Jesuit New York Province, as well as the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Roman Catholic, with Mass offered in English and Polish). In addition there are dozens of churches in Syracuse of nearly every Christian denomination, including Jehovah's Witness, Christian Science
Christian Science
Christian Science is a system of thought and practice derived from the writings of Mary Baker Eddy and the Bible. It is practiced by members of The First Church of Christ, Scientist as well as some others who are nonmembers. Its central texts are the Bible and the Christian Science textbook,...
, Reformed Presbyterian and Metaphysical Christian. Complete List
Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
: Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
houses of worship include the Hindu Mandir of Central New York in Liverpool.
Sikhism
Sikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
: Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
The house of worship is the Sikh Foundation of Syracuse, in Liverpool
Liverpool, New York
Liverpool is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 2,505 at the 2000 census. The name was adopted from the city of Liverpool in the United Kingdom...
.
Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
: Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
also has a presence in Syracuse, with the Islamic Society of Central New York Mosque
Islamic Society of Central New York Mosque
The Islamic Society of Central New York is a "purpose-built" Sunni mosque and Islamic community center located on Comstock Avenue in Syracuse, NY. Founded in 1981, the center serves the needs of Central New York's estimated 15,000 - 20,000 Muslims providing various services and outreach programs...
on Comstock Avenue and Muhammad's Study Group on West Kennedy Street.
Judaism: There are several Jewish synagogues in Syracuse, including Beth Shalom-Chevra Chas, Temple Adath Yeshurun and the Temple Society of Concord, which is considered to be the ninth oldest Jewish House of Worship in the United States.
Unitarian Universalism
Unitarian Universalism
Unitarian Universalism is a religion characterized by support for a "free and responsible search for truth and meaning". Unitarian Universalists do not share a creed; rather, they are unified by their shared search for spiritual growth and by the understanding that an individual's theology is a...
: There are two Unitarian Universalist
Unitarian Universalism
Unitarian Universalism is a religion characterized by support for a "free and responsible search for truth and meaning". Unitarian Universalists do not share a creed; rather, they are unified by their shared search for spiritual growth and by the understanding that an individual's theology is a...
Societies in Syracuse including May Memorial Unitarian Society and First Unitarian Universalist Society of Syracuse.
A complete list of Syracuse's Houses of Worship
Sports
Current teams
| Sport | League | Club | Founded | Venue | League championships | Championship years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseball Baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond... |
IL International League The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States... |
Syracuse Chiefs | 1935 | Alliance Bank Stadium Alliance Bank Stadium Alliance Bank Stadium is an 11,071-seat minor league baseball stadium in Syracuse, New York. The stadium opened on April 10, 1997, replacing the aging MacArthur Stadium which had been home to Syracuse's professional baseball team since 1934... |
8 | 1935, 1942, 1943, 1947, 1954, 1969, 1970, 1976 |
| Hockey Hockey Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
Syracuse Crunch Syracuse Crunch The Syracuse Crunch are a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Syracuse, New York, at the War Memorial at Oncenter... |
1994 | War Memorial at Oncenter War Memorial at Oncenter The War Memorial at Oncenter, originally the Onondaga War Memorial, is a 6,159-seat multi-purpose arena in Downtown Syracuse, New York. It is part of the Oncenter Complex.... |
0 | N/A |
| Indoor soccer Indoor soccer Indoor soccer or arena soccer, or six-a-side football in the United Kingdom, is a game derived from association football adapted for play in an indoor arena such as a turf-covered hockey arena or skating rink. The most important difference in play is that the indoor field is surrounded by a wall... |
MISL | Syracuse Silver Knights | 2010 | War Memorial at Oncenter War Memorial at Oncenter The War Memorial at Oncenter, originally the Onondaga War Memorial, is a 6,159-seat multi-purpose arena in Downtown Syracuse, New York. It is part of the Oncenter Complex.... |
0 | N/A |
Professional
- Syracuse Chiefs (International LeagueInternational LeagueThe International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
affiliate of the Washington NationalsWashington NationalsThe Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
) Stadium: Alliance Bank StadiumAlliance Bank StadiumAlliance Bank Stadium is an 11,071-seat minor league baseball stadium in Syracuse, New York. The stadium opened on April 10, 1997, replacing the aging MacArthur Stadium which had been home to Syracuse's professional baseball team since 1934... - Syracuse CrunchSyracuse CrunchThe Syracuse Crunch are a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Syracuse, New York, at the War Memorial at Oncenter...
(American Hockey LeagueAmerican Hockey LeagueThe American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
affiliate of the Anaheim DucksAnaheim DucksThe Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
) Arena: War Memorial at OncenterWar Memorial at OncenterThe War Memorial at Oncenter, originally the Onondaga War Memorial, is a 6,159-seat multi-purpose arena in Downtown Syracuse, New York. It is part of the Oncenter Complex.... - Syracuse Silver Knights, a team in the Major Indoor Soccer League
- Syracuse has a rugby club known as the Syracuse Chargers http://www.syracuserugby.com/
- The Syracuse ShockWaveSyracuse ShockwaveThe Syracuse Shockwave is an expansion franchise of the American Basketball Association which will begin play in the 2011 season. Based in Syracuse, New York, the Shockwave plans to announce its home venue in the coming weeks.-External Links:*...
American Basketball Association (2000) has been announced to play in Syracuse beginning December 2010.
Syracuse was from 1946 until 1963 home to the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
's Syracuse Nationals
Syracuse Nationals
The Syracuse Nationals were an American professional basketball team that existed from 1946 to 1963 as part of the National Basketball League and National Basketball Association . They are currently known as the Philadelphia 76ers, and are the NBA's oldest continued franchise.The team began in...
, which are now the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
. They played seventeen seasons in Syracuse and won the NBA championship in 1955. The NBA's 24-second clock was invented in and first came into use in Syracuse. In March 2005 the city dedicated a monument to this fact. It is a 125% scaled model of the original shot clock used.
Syracuse has had several American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
teams in the past, which traditionally did not last longer than three seasons.
The Syracuse Blazers began play in the Eastern Hockey league in 1973. The league disbanded in 1973. The team then affiliated with the North America Hockey League. 1994 marked the introduction of a new team, the Syracuse Crunch
Syracuse Crunch
The Syracuse Crunch are a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Syracuse, New York, at the War Memorial at Oncenter...
, which have been playing at the War Memorial at Oncenter
War Memorial at Oncenter
The War Memorial at Oncenter, originally the Onondaga War Memorial, is a 6,159-seat multi-purpose arena in Downtown Syracuse, New York. It is part of the Oncenter Complex....
ever since.
Syracuse had a team in the National Lacrosse League
National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League is a men's professional indoor lacrosse league in North America. It currently has nine teams; three in Canada and six in the United States. Unlike other lacrosse leagues which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter and spring. Each year, the playoff...
(NLL) called the Syracuse Smash
Syracuse Smash
The Syracuse Smash were a member of the National Lacrosse League from 1998 to 2000. They were based in Syracuse, New York. The team finished last in the standings each of their three seasons, before moving to Ottawa, Ontario to become the Ottawa Rebel. In their three seasons in the NLL, the Smash...
for three seasons from 1998 to 2000. They moved to Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
in 2001 and became the Ottawa Rebel
Ottawa Rebel
The Ottawa Rebel was a team in the National Lacrosse League based in Ottawa, Ontario from 2001 until 2003. They played at the Corel Centre in nearby Kanata originally, but then part-way through the 2002 season, the Rebel moved to the Ottawa Civic Centre, which is a smaller arena, but more...
The Syracuse Spirit
Syracuse Spirit
The Syracuse Spirit was a member of the American Lacrosse League, a short lived professional lacrosse league in 1988, based in Syracuse, New York. The Spirit played their home games at the Griffin Field in Liverpool, New York...
was a member of the American Lacrosse League, a short lived professional lacrosse league in 1988, based in Syracuse, New York. The Spirit played their home games at the Griffin Field in Liverpool, New York. The General Manager of the Spirit was Tom Scofield and the Head Coach was Jim Booth. The Spirit had a 4–1 record when the league folded.
The Syracuse Shock is a semi-professional American football team based in Syracuse, New York. They play in the North American Football League. The Syracuse Express were established in 1984 and were members of the Mid Continental Football League before that team contracted into the midwest. They joined the upstart New York Amateur Football League, where they became one of the league's premier teams, along with their rivals, the Buffalo Gladiators. After absorbing the Cortland Warriors in 1999 the team became the Central New York Express, although they still played their games in suburban Syracuse. The Express have won one NYAFL title in 2003. The NYAFL merged to become the Northeastern Football Alliance (NFA) and with the change, the team changed and was replaced by a new team named the Syracuse Shock.
Syracuse had a team for one season in the American Indoor Football League
American Indoor Football League
American Indoor Football is a professional indoor football league that has gone through various incarnations since 2005.The AIFL began as a regional league with six franchises on the East Coast of the United States in 2005; after a rapid, and largely failed, expansion effort in 2006, most of the...
called the Syracuse Soldiers
Syracuse Soldiers
The Syracuse Soldiers was a 2006 expansion member of the American Indoor Football League. They played their home games at the War Memorial at Oncenter in Syracuse, New York until the AIFL ended their season on Friday, May 19, 2006....
.
The Syracuse-based Monolith Athletic Club is working to return professional soccer to Syracuse. The Syracuse Salty Dogs
Syracuse Salty Dogs
The Syracuse Salty Dogs were a professional men's soccer team based in Syracuse, New York. The club were a member of the USL A-League, playing only two seasons from 2003-2004. The club was owned and operated by the Syracuse Pro Sports Group and played most home games at P&C Stadium...
existed for two seasons (2002–2004) until folding due to financial problems. The game attendance had been among the highest in the A-League
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
.
Syracuse had a professional football team from 1890 to 1900 known as the Syracuse Athletic Association, the independent All-Syracuse team which was known in 1921 as the Syracuse Pros
Syracuse Pros
The Syracuse Pros, also sometimes referred to as the Syracuse Eleven, were a professional American football team from Syracuse, New York. It is suspected, though not known for sure, that the team joined the American Professional Football Association in 1921 and left the same year...
in the APFA
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
before leaving the league and reverting to the All-Syracuse team, and briefly in the 1936 American Football League season
1936 American Football League season
The 1936 American Football League season is the first season of the second American Football League, the formation of which was announced by Harry March, former personnel director of the NFL's New York Giants, on December 15, 1935...
known as the Syracuse Braves. In 1902, the first World Series of pro football was played at New York's original Madison Square Garden. The 5 teams in the tournament were the New York Knickerbockers, Syracuse AC, Warlow AC, the Orange (New Jersey) AC, and New York. Syracuse won the tournament 6-0 with Glen (Pop) Warner at guard. The December 28, 1902 game where Syracuse defeated New York 5-0 at Madison Square Garden is credited as the first indoor pro football game.
College
- Syracuse UniversitySyracuse UniversitySyracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
OrangeSyracuse University OrangeThe Syracuse Orange is the nickname used by the athletic teams of Syracuse University. The school is a member of NCAA Division I and the Big East Conference. The school's mascot is Otto the Orange. Teams were previously known as the "Orangemen" and "Orangewomen". The men's basketball, football,...
(Division I-ANational Collegiate Athletic AssociationThe National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
) Stadium: Carrier DomeCarrier DomeThe Carrier Dome is a 49,250-seat domed sports stadium located on the campus of Syracuse University in the University Hill neighborhood of Syracuse, New York, USA. It is home to the Syracuse Orange football, basketball, and lacrosse teams. High school football championships are also held in "The... - Le Moyne CollegeLe Moyne CollegeLe Moyne College, named after Simon Le Moyne, is a private, Jesuit college enrolling over 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1946, Le Moyne is the first Jesuit college to be founded as a co-educational institution...
Dolphins (Division IINational Collegiate Athletic AssociationThe National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
) - Onondaga Community CollegeOnondaga Community CollegeOnondaga Community College is an accredited two-year educational institution that services Onondaga County, New York at three campuses. Onondaga Community College is a college of the State University of New York system and one of 30 locally sponsored community colleges throughout New York...
Lazers (NJCAANational Junior College Athletic AssociationThe National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was...
) - State University of New York College of Environmental Science and ForestryState University of New York College of Environmental Science and ForestryThe State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry is an American specialized doctoral-granting institution located in the University Hill neighborhood of Syracuse, New York, immediately adjacent to Syracuse University...
Syracuse University sports are by far the most attended sporting events in the Syracuse area. Basketball games often draw over 30,000 fans, and football games over 40,000. The university has bred dozens of famous professional players since starting an athletics program in the late 19th century, including all-time greats Jim Brown
Jim Brown
James Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
, Larry Csonka
Larry Csonka
Larry Richard Csonka is a former collegiate and professional American football fullback.-Childhood:One of six children, Csonka was born in Stow, Ohio where he was raised on a farm by his Hungarian family...
and Dave Bing
Dave Bing
David "Dave" Bing is the mayor of Detroit, Michigan, a businessman, and a retired American professional basketball player who played 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association , primarily for the Detroit Pistons...
, and present professional stars Marvin Harrison
Marvin Harrison
Marvin Daniel Harrison is a former American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse...
, Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
, Dwight Freeney
Dwight Freeney
Dwight Jason Freeney is an American football defensive end who currently plays for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted in the 1st round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse University.-Early years:Freeney attended Bloomfield High School...
, Jason Hart, and Donovan McNabb
Donovan McNabb
Donovan Jamal McNabb is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback from 1999 to 2009 and spent the 2010 season with the Washington Redskins and a portion of the 2011 season with the Minnesota Vikings. In college, McNabb played...
. Both teams play in the Carrier Dome
Carrier Dome
The Carrier Dome is a 49,250-seat domed sports stadium located on the campus of Syracuse University in the University Hill neighborhood of Syracuse, New York, USA. It is home to the Syracuse Orange football, basketball, and lacrosse teams. High school football championships are also held in "The...
.
Famous Syracusans
Syracuse has been the residence of several celebrities, among them:- Dylan BakerDylan BakerDylan Baker is an American actor, known for playing supporting roles in both major studio and independent films.-Early life:...
– actor - Ra Ra RiotRa Ra RiotRa Ra Riot is an American indie rock band from Syracuse, New York, consisting of vocalist Wes Miles, bassist Mathieu Santos, guitarist Milo Bonacci, cellist Alexandra Lawn , violinist Rebecca Zeller, and drummer Kenny Bernard.-History:...
– Indie rock band - Kim BlackKim BlackKimberly A. Black is an American swimmer from Syracuse, New York.Black began her collegiate career at the University of Southern California, where she competed alongside future fellow Olympians such as Lindsay Benko, before transferring to the University of Georgia in 1999...
– Olympic Gold Medal Swimmer - Andray BlatcheAndray BlatcheAndray Blatche is an American professional basketball player in the NBA for the Washington Wizards.-High school:...
- Washington Wizards basketball player - Rory CochraneRory CochraneRory Cochrane is an American actor. He is known for playing Ron Slater in Dazed and Confused, Lucas in Empire Records, and Tim Speedle in CSI: Miami.-Early life:...
– actor - Tim ConnollyTim ConnollyTim Connolly is an American professional ice hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
– Toronto Maple LeafsToronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
ice hockey player - Mark Copani- wrestler under the name Muhammad HassanMuhammad HassanSultan Muhammad Hassan was the ninth Sultan of Brunei.His elder son, Sultan Jalilul Akbar, is the ancestor of Sultan Hj...
- Tom CruiseTom CruiseThomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
– actor - Earth CrisisEarth CrisisEarth Crisis is an American metalcore band from Syracuse, New York, active from 1989 until 2001, reuniting in 2007. Their most recent record, To the Death, was released in May 2009 through Century Media....
– part of the straight edgeStraight edgeStraight edge is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs. It was a direct reaction to the sexual revolution, hedonism, and excess associated with punk rock. For some, this extends to not engaging in promiscuous sex, following a...
hardcore music movement - J.Son DinantJ.Son DinantJason "J.Son" Dinant is an American comedian, actor and Reality TV personality best known for his appearances on MTV's Fear and A&E's Inked as well as his online series "Naked Boy News".-Early life and education:...
– comedian, actor, reality TV personality - Frank DiPinoFrank DiPinoFrank Michael DiPino is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, and Kansas City Royals...
– MLB player for the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, Houston AstrosHouston AstrosThe Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
, Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, and the Kansas City RoyalsKansas City RoyalsThe Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium... - Robert F. EngleRobert F. EngleRobert Fry Engle III is an American economist and the winner of the 2003 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, sharing the award with Clive Granger, "for methods of analyzing economic time series with time-varying volatility ".-Biography:Engle was born in Syracuse, New York and went on to...
– economist - Thom FiliciaThom FiliciaThom Filicia is an interior designer, most famous for his role as an interior design expert on the American television program Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. He is also a co-author of a book based on the show.-Biography:...
– interior design expert for American TV show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy - Jon FishmanJon FishmanJon Fishman is an American drummer best known for his work with the band Phish. He is credited with co-writing 19 Phish originals, 8 of them as a solo credit....
– Musician, Percussionist/Drummer of PHISH - Richard GereRichard GereRichard Tiffany Gere is an American actor. He began acting in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in Looking for Mr. Goodbar, and a starring role in Days of Heaven. He came to prominence in 1980 for his role in the film American Gigolo, which established him as a leading man and a sex symbol...
– actor - Bobcat GoldthwaitBobcat GoldthwaitRobert Francis "Bobcat" Goldthwait is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and film and television director. He is commonly known for his energetic, ravenous stage personality, his dark, acerbic black comedy, and his gruff but high-pitched voice.- Early life :Goldthwait was born in Syracuse,...
– comedian - Henry GrethelHenry GrethelHenry E. Grethel is an American fashion designer, merchandiser and marketer. He was born in Syracuse, New York and is known for his elegant American sportswear collections which make use of sophisticated colors and fine fabrics...
– clothing designer - Siobhan Fallon Hogan – actress
- Grace JonesGrace JonesGrace Jones is a Jamaican-American singer, model and actress.Jones secured a record deal with Island Records in 1977, which resulted in a string of dance-club hits. In the late 1970s, she adapted the emerging electronic music style and adopted a severe, androgynous look with square-cut hair and...
– model, singer, actress - John Augustus JustJohn Augustus JustDr. John Augustus Just was a German-born chemist and inventor. He is best known for his investigative work into recovery of precious metals from their ores and for completing the process for evaporating milk...
– German-born 19th-century chemist and inventor - Tom KennyTom KennyThomas James "Tom" Kenny is an American actor, voice actor and comedian. He is especially known for his long-running-role as SpongeBob SquarePants in the television series of the same name, as well as the live-action character Patchy the Pirate, Gary the Snail and the French narrator based on...
– comedian, actor (best known as the voice of SpongeBob SquarePantsSpongeBob SquarePants (character)SpongeBob SquarePants is a main fictional character in the animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. He is voiced by Tom Kenny and first appeared on television in the series' pilot episode "Help Wanted" on May 1, 1999. SpongeBob was created and designed by cartoonist Stephen Hillenburg...
) - Jay LeachJay Leach (ice hockey)Jay Christopher Leach is an American professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
– New Jersey DevilsNew Jersey DevilsThe New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
ice hockey player - Dorsey LevensDorsey LevensHerbert Dorsey Levens is a retired American football running back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1994 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame and later Georgia Tech.In his career, Levens also played for the...
– NFL player for the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
, Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia EaglesThe Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and the New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... - Mark LevinsonMark LevinsonThe company Mark Levinson, now owned by Madrigal Audio Laboratories specializes in high-end digital audio processors, integrated amplifiers, power amplifiers, pre amplifiers, and CD players...
– Producer of "Mystic Pizza" and "Home Alone". - Edna MayEdna MayEdna May Pettie , known on stage as Edna May, was an American actress and singer. A popular postcard beauty, May was famous for her leading roles in Edwardian Musical Comedies.- Life and career :...
– singer, actress - Terry McAuliffeTerry McAuliffeTerence Richard "Terry" McAuliffe is a longtime leader and political advisor for the United States Democratic Party. He served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2001 to 2005. He served as Co-Chairman of President William Jefferson Clinton's 1996 re-election campaign and also...
– former chairman of the Democratic National CommitteeDemocratic National CommitteeThe Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
and confidant of President Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation... - Jeff MoleskiJeff MoleskiJeff Moleski is a Canadian lacrosse player who plays for the Calgary Roughnecks in the National Lacrosse League. The Roughnecks drafted Moleski 34th overall in the 3rd round in the 2003 NLL entry draft....
– Record Producer, Engineer Mole Tracks East and West recorded Smashing Pumpkins and Blues Traveler. - Honor BrightHonor BrightHonor Bright was a 5-member Pop punk/rock band from Syracuse, New York. Their musical style has drawn comparisons to bands like Taking Back Sunday, Cartel, Mayday Parade and early Fall Out Boy.-History:...
– Pop Punk Band - Polar Bear ClubPolar Bear ClubPolar Bear Club is an American post-hardcore/indie rock band from Rochester and Syracuse, upstate New York. Formed in 2005, the band currently consists of vocalist Jimmy Stadt, lead guitarist Chris Browne, rhythm guitarist Nate Morris, bass guitarist Erik Michael "Goose" Henning and drummer Tyler...
– pop-punk/melodic hardcore band - Jamel RichardsonJamel RichardsonJamel Richardson is a Canadian football slotback for the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. Richardson attended Corcoran High School before he was a two year All-Foothill Conference in Basketball and All-American in Football at Victor Valley College where he led the state in receptions and...
– Canadian Football LeagueCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
player for the Montreal AlouettesMontreal AlouettesThe Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions... - Danny SchayesDanny SchayesDaniel Leslie "Danny" Schayes is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA from 1981 until 1999. At 6'11" and 235 pounds, he played at center...
– NBA player for the Utah JazzUtah JazzThe Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, Denver NuggetsDenver NuggetsThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
, Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee BucksThe Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
, Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, Phoenix SunsPhoenix SunsThe Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
, Miami HeatMiami HeatThe Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
, and the Orlando MagicOrlando MagicThe Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy... - Dolph SchayesDolph SchayesAdolph "Dolph" Schayes is a retired American professional basketball player and coach in the NBA. A top scorer and rebounder, he was a member of the 1955 NBA champion Syracuse Nationals and a 12-time All-Star....
– NBA 12-time All-Star and Hall of Famer - Rita SchianoRita SchianoRita Schiano is an American writer of Italian descent. In 1997, Schiano's first novel, Sweet Bitter Love, was published by Rising Tide Press ....
– author - Rod SerlingRod SerlingRodman Edward "Rod" Serling was an American screenwriter, novelist, television producer, and narrator best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science fiction anthology TV series, The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen and helped form...
– Screenwriter - Craig ShirleyCraig ShirleyCraig Shirley is President and CEO of Shirley & Banister Public Affairs, the public relations, marketing, and government affairs firm he originally founded in 1984.- Biography :...
– author and political consultant - The Schubert brothersShubert familyThe Shubert family of New York City, New York was responsible for the establishment of the Broadway district, in New York City, as the hub of the theatre industry in the United States...
– Broadway entrepreneurs - Gustav StickleyGustav StickleyGustav Stickley was a manufacturer of furniture and the leading proselytizer for the American Arts and Crafts movement, an extension of the British Arts and Crafts movement.-Biography:...
– furniture maker and American CraftsmanAmerican CraftsmanThe American Craftsman Style, or the American Arts and Crafts Movement, is an American domestic architectural, interior design, landscape design, applied arts, and decorative arts style and lifestyle philosophy that began in the last years of the 19th century. As a comprehensive design and art...
spokesperson - David MuirDavid MuirDavid Muir is an American journalist and anchor for ABC News, the news division of the ABC broadcast-television network based in New York City, New York.-Early life and education:...
– ABC News Anchor - Carmelo AnthonyCarmelo AnthonyCarmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
– player for 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...
– Went to Syracuse University for 1 year, but is from Brooklyn, New York - Vice President Joe Biden – Went to Syracuse University, but is from Scranton, PennsylvaniaScranton, PennsylvaniaScranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
- Bradley Walker TomlinBradley Walker TomlinBradley Walker Tomlin belonged to the early generation of New York School Abstract Expressionist artists. He participated in the famous ‘’Ninth Street Show.’’ According to John I. H...
, Abstract Expressionist - Jimmy Van Heusen – songwriter
- Mikey WelshMikey WelshMichael Edward "Mikey" Welsh was an American artist and musician, best known as the former bassist of Weezer. He played with Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo during Cuomo's time in Boston during the hiatus in the band Homie...
– former bass player of WeezerWeezerWeezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992... - Vanessa WilliamsVanessa WilliamsVanessa Williams is the name of:* Vanessa L. Williams , American R&B/pop singer and actress, Miss America, actress on Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives...
– Model, actress, former Miss America attended Syracuse University, College of Visual & Performing Arts - Happy Cassie - lead singer for Free Grass Union
- Eric Morgan - percussionist for Free Grass Union
Several other well-known individuals have ties to the Syracuse metropolitan area, including:
- Joey BelladonnaJoey BelladonnaJoey Belladonna is a heavy metal singer and drummer, best known as the lead singer for the heavy metal band Anthrax...
-singer of heavy metal band AnthraxAnthrax (band)Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
; born Joseph Belardini in Oswego, New YorkOswego, New YorkOswego is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York"... - L. Frank BaumL. Frank BaumLyman Frank Baum was an American author of children's books, best known for writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
– author of The Wonderful Wizard of OzThe Wonderful Wizard of OzThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. Originally published by the George M. Hill Company in Chicago on May 17, 1900, it has since been reprinted numerous times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of...
; born in Chittenango, New YorkChittenango, New YorkChittenango is a village located in Madison County, New York, in the United States. The village is in the south part of the Town of Sullivan. The population was 5,081 at the 2010 census.- History :... - Grover ClevelandGrover ClevelandStephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
– two-term United States President; childhood resident of Fayetteville, New YorkFayetteville, New YorkFayetteville is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the village had a population of 4,190. The village is named after Lafayette, a national hero of both France and the United States... - Jonathan MurrayJonathan MurrayJonathan Murray is an American television producer and co-creator of MTV's The Real World, Road Rules, and the Oxygen Network's The Bad Girls Club.-Biography:...
– American television producer, born in Fayetteville, New YorkFayetteville, New YorkFayetteville is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the village had a population of 4,190. The village is named after Lafayette, a national hero of both France and the United States... - Gym Class HeroesGym Class HeroesGym Class Heroes is an American hip hop rock band from Geneva, New York. They have collaborated with Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump on numerous occasions, notably for providing backing vocals on the song "Cupid's Chokehold." Stump also produced the majority of their album The Quilt.The group formed...
– band from Geneva, New YorkGeneva, New YorkGeneva is a city in Ontario and Seneca counties in the U.S. state of New York. The population was 13,617 at the 2000 census. Some claim it is named after the city and canton of Geneva in Switzerland. Others believe the name came from confusion over the letters in the word "Seneca" written in cursive... - David Foster WallaceDavid Foster WallaceDavid Foster Wallace was an American author of novels, essays, and short stories, and a professor at Pomona College in Claremont, California...
– author, born in Ithaca, New YorkIthaca, New YorkThe city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area... - Beezie MaddenBeezie MaddenElizabeth Madden is an American show jumping competitor and Olympic winner from Cazenovia, New York....
– Olympic Gold Medal Equestrian Show Jumper, resident of Cazenovia, New York - Leland StanfordLeland StanfordAmasa Leland Stanford was an American tycoon, industrialist, robber baron, politician and founder of Stanford University.-Early years:...
– founder of Stanford UniversityStanford UniversityThe Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
; graduate of Cazenovia SeminaryCazenovia CollegeCazenovia College is a small, independent, co-educational, baccalaureate college, located in Cazenovia, New York. Cazenovia offers a comprehensive liberal arts education with academic and co-curricular programs devoted to developing leaders in their professional fields. Cazenovia College has been... - Eliza OrlinsSurvivor: VanuatuSurvivor: Vanuatu — Islands of Fire, also known as Survivor: Vanuatu, is the ninth season of the American CBS competitive reality television series Survivor...
, contestant on Survivor: VanuatuSurvivor: VanuatuSurvivor: Vanuatu — Islands of Fire, also known as Survivor: Vanuatu, is the ninth season of the American CBS competitive reality television series Survivor...
, and Survivor: MicronesiaSurvivor: MicronesiaSurvivor: Micronesia — Fans vs. Favorites is the sixteenth season of the American CBS competitive reality television series Survivor, being the show's third to include contestants from past seasons, after the all-returning contestant pool from Survivor: All-Stars, and Survivor: Guatemala in which... - Dave MirraDave MirraDavid Michael "Dave" Mirra is an American BMX athlete, Subaru Rally Team USA driver and business owner. Mirra holds the record for most X-Games medals, standing and has medaled in every X Games since they started in 1995. His current medal count as of July 31, 2009 in the X Games is 24...
– Professional BMX bike rider, former resident of Chittenango, New York - Robin CurtisRobin CurtisRobin Curtis is an American actress, most notable for playing Vulcan Lieutenant Saavik in the Star Trek films.-Film & television work:...
– Actress of Star TrekStar TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
films, resident of Cazenovia, New York - Mark Callahan – Brown UniversityBrown UniversityBrown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
football player, First Team All Ivy League, First Team ECAC, Academic All Ivy - Kim Humphrey - guitarist for Free Grass Union resides in Oswego, New YorkOswego, New YorkOswego is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York"...
- Matilda Joslyn GageMatilda Joslyn GageMatilda Electa Joslyn Gage was a suffragist, a Native American activist, an abolitionist, a freethinker, and a prolific author, who was "born with a hatred of oppression".-Early activities:...
- 19th century Fayetteville, New YorkFayetteville, New YorkFayetteville is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the village had a population of 4,190. The village is named after Lafayette, a national hero of both France and the United States...
feminist
Sister cities
Syracuse's sister cities are:- Chiayi City
Chiayi-Administration:-City attractions:*Chiayi Park*Sun Shooting Tower *Lantan *Historic Archives Building of Chiayi City*University of Chiayi*Chiayi Museum...
, Taiwan - Tampere
TampereTampere is a city in southern Finland. It is the most populous inland city in any of the Nordic countries. The city has a population of , growing to approximately 300,000 people in the conurbation and over 340,000 in the metropolitan area. Tampere is the third most-populous municipality in...
, Finland
Syracuse suburbs
Towns and villages in Onondaga CountyOnondaga County, New York
Onondaga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 467,026. The county seat is Syracuse.Onondaga County is part of the Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
make up most of the suburban communities in the Greater Syracuse area. Towns and villages in such surrounding counties as Oswego
Oswego County, New York
Oswego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 Census, the estimated population was 122,109. The City of Oswego and the Village of Pulaski serve as the dual county seats in a two shire system of government...
, Madison
Madison County, New York
Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 73,442. It is named after James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America...
, Cortland
Cortland County, New York
Cortland County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, named after Federico Van Cortlandt, president of the convention at Kingston that wrote the first New York State Constitution in 1777, and first lieutenant governor of the state. The county seat is Cortland...
, or Cayuga
Cayuga County, New York
Cayuga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was named for one of the tribes of Indians in the Iroquois Confederation. Its county seat is Auburn.- History :...
on the border of Onondaga County may also be considered Syracuse suburbs.
Towns:
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External links
- City of Syracuse, New York
- Onondaga County Historical Association Museum & Research Center
- Syracuse Central
- Syracuse.com – News site affiliated with The Post-Standard
- Syracuse Arts
- Syracuse Then And Now (Historical Site)
- Buildings of Syracuse
- Collection of Central NY photos from davidmetraux.com
- German Immigrant Ancestors in Syracuse and Onondaga County, New York (Historical)
- Syracuse City Court information
- Syracuse history/genealogy
- Syracuse Wiki – Community Edited Area Resource
- Syracuse Nostalgia