Horseheads, New York | |
|---|---|
 Horseheads Public Library | |
  Horseheads Location within the state of New York | |
| Coordinates:42°09′45″N76°47′39″W / 42.16250°N 76.79417°W /42.16250; -76.79417 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Chemung |
| Government | |
| • Type | Town Council |
| • Town Supervisor | Donald Fischer (R) |
| • Town Council | Members
|
| Area | |
• Total | 35.92 sq mi (93.03 km2) |
| • Land | 35.61 sq mi (92.22 km2) |
| • Water | 0.31 sq mi (0.81 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,178 ft (359 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 19,412 |
• Estimate (2021)[3] | 19,069 |
| • Density | 544.6/sq mi (210.29/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes |
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| FIPS code | 36-015-35705 |
| GNIS feature ID | 979080[2] |
| Website | townofhorseheads |
Horseheads is atown inChemung County, New York, United States. The population was 19,412 at the 2020 census.[3] The name of the town is derived from the number of bleached horses' skulls once found there.
Horseheads is north of the city ofElmira, upon which it borders. There is avillage namedHorseheads within the town. It is part of the ElmiraMetropolitan Statistical Area.
On September 1, 1779,General George Washington and Nickolas Steven Webb ordered the forces of GeneralJohn Sullivan to march north on a 450-mile (720 km) journey through a wooded wilderness fromEaston, Pennsylvania, over toWyoming, Pennsylvania, and on up theSusquehanna River to Newtown (Elmira) to mount a raid onIroquois, then allied with the British. They continued north through what is now known as Horseheads to theFinger Lakes region and west toGeneseo.[4] Devastating the already weakened Iroquois, Sullivan's troops retreated back along the same route.
The journey had been particularly severe and wearing upon the animals, and their food supply was found insufficient. Arriving about 6 miles (10 km) north of Fort Reid on September 24, 1779, they were obliged to dispose of a large number of sick and disabled horses. The number of horses was so great that they were quite noticeable, and the native Iroquois collected the skulls and arranged them in a line along the trail. From that time forward, that spot was referred to as the "valley of the horses' heads" and is still known by the name.[5]
Around 1787, the first settlers arrived, making the area one of the first in the county to be populated. The town of Horseheads was formed from the towns ofElmira andChemung in 1835. Fairport, the current village of Horseheads, set itself off from the town by becoming an incorporated village in 1837.
A fire destroyed much of the business district of Horseheads in August 1862.[6]
Located in the northern portion of Horseheads, TheHolding Point was used by the Federal government for the war effort. Originally called The Holding Point and Reconsignment Point, it was a storage and collection point for military equipment. At the cost of over $8 million, the 700+-acre plot of land was managed by 30 soldiers from theArmy Transportation Corp and aided by 500 civilians. In the summer of 1944,German POWs were brought to the Holding Point as labor from nearby formerCCC camps inVan Ettan. The German POWs only served at the Holding Point for a limited time, before they were replaced by approximately 400 Italians from two Allied-loyalItalian Service Units.[7]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 35.9 square miles (93.0 km2), of which 35.6 square miles (92.2 km2) is land and 0.31 square miles (0.8 km2), or 0.87%, is water.[8]
Newtown Creek, atributary of theChemung River, flows west then south through the center of the town. TheSouthern Tier Expressway (combinedInterstate 86 andNew York State Route 17) is a major east–west highway, with access from exits 52, 53, and 54.New York State Route 13 andNew York State Route 14 are north–south highways through the town. The western end ofNew York State Route 223 is east of Horseheads village. The town is in theSouthern Tier region of New York.[9]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 2,277 | — |
| 1870 | 2,961 | +30.0% |
| 1880 | 3,449 | +16.5% |
| 1890 | 3,482 | +1.0% |
| 1900 | 4,944 | +42.0% |
| 1910 | 5,376 | +8.7% |
| 1920 | 6,809 | +26.7% |
| 1930 | 8,420 | +23.7% |
| 1940 | 8,804 | +4.6% |
| 1950 | 11,118 | +26.3% |
| 1960 | 17,808 | +60.2% |
| 1970 | 20,552 | +15.4% |
| 1980 | 20,238 | −1.5% |
| 1990 | 19,926 | −1.5% |
| 2000 | 19,561 | −1.8% |
| 2010 | 19,485 | −0.4% |
| 2021 | 19,069 | −2.1% |
| * Population estimate. 1890-1990: Source fromChemung County, not Census Bureau. Source:"U.S. Census website".United States Census Bureau. RetrievedMarch 29, 2020. | ||
As of thecensus[10] of 2000, there were 19,561 people, 7,960 households, and 5,253 families residing in the town. The population density was 545.5 inhabitants per square mile (210.6/km2). There were 8,350 housing units at an average density of 232.8 per square mile (89.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 95.89%White, 1.29%Black orAfrican American, 0.12%Native American, 1.53%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.20% fromother races, and 0.96% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 0.74% of the population.
There were 7,960 households, out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% weremarried couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.4% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $37,444, and the median income for a family was $46,827. Males had a median income of $36,546 versus $24,197 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $19,795. About 5.6% of families and 8.3% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 9.5% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.
Historically, theElmira & Seneca Lake Railway opened for operation on June 19, 1900, from Horseheads toSeneca Lake. The formerChemung Canal passed through the town.[11]
Interstate 86 /State Route 17 (Southern Tier Expressway) runs through the town connectingElmira /Elmira Heights to the southeast andCorning to the west. It is connected to the north toWatkins Glen viaState Route 14 and toIthaca viaState Route 13. It is served by theElmira-Corning Regional Airport, located inBig Flats, New York, and has bus service throughC-Tran.
Elmira Corning Regional Airport has a postal address stating "Horseheads, NY",[12] though it is physically located in theBig Flats CDP,Town of Big Flats.[13][14]
The school district covering most of Horseheads Town isHorseheads Central School District. A portion of the town in the southwest is instead inElmira Heights Central School District.[15]
Starting in 1990, Horseheads was the sister city ofBato inTochigi Prefecture inJapan, a town that could be translated as Horseheads. However, in 2005 Bato merged withOgawa to form a new town calledNakagawa. Nakagawa inherited the title of sister city, and the two cities continue to exchange student and adult delegates.
276 Sing Sing Rd #1, Horseheads, NY 14845
Elmira/corning Regional Arprt
Elmira/corning Regional Arprt
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