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Salamanca Onë'dagö:h (Seneca) | |
|---|---|
| City of Salamanca | |
  Salamanca Location in the state of New York | |
| Coordinates:42°9′31″N78°42′57″W / 42.15861°N 78.71583°W /42.15861; -78.71583 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Cattaraugus |
| Reservation | Allegany |
| Named after | José de Salamanca |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-Manager |
| • Mayor | Sandra Magiera (D) |
| • City Council | |
| Area | |
• Total | 6.24 sq mi (16.15 km2) |
| • Land | 5.99 sq mi (15.52 km2) |
| • Water | 0.24 sq mi (0.63 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,381 ft (421 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 5,929 |
| • Density | 989.2/sq mi (381.93/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 14779 |
| Area code | 716 |
| FIPS code | 36-009-64749 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0964291 |
| Website | www |
Salamanca (Seneca:Onë'dagö:h)[2] is acity inCattaraugus County, New York, United States, inside theAllegany Indian Reservation, one of two governed by theSeneca Nation of New York. The population was 5,929 at the 2020 census.[3] It was named afterJosé de Salamanca, a Spanish nobleman and cabinet minister of the mid-19th century. Salamanca invested in railroads around the globe, including theAtlantic and Great Western Railroad inNew York State,Pennsylvania, andOhio.[4]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 6.24 square miles (16.15 km2), of which 5.99 square miles (15.52 km2) is land and 0.24 square miles (0.63 km2), or 3.88%, is water.[3]
Salamanca is within theAllegany Indian Reservation of theSeneca Nation of New York (one of the six tribes of theIroquois Confederacy). The city population of about 5,900 is about 19% Native American; this does not include Seneca people living in the nearby hamlets ofJimerson Town (one of the two capitals of the nation) andKill Buck. The city lies along theAllegheny River and is adjacent toAllegany State Park.
Salamanca is one of two cities in Cattaraugus County, the other beingOlean.
| Climate data for Salamanca, New York | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 72 (22) | 68 (20) | 80 (27) | 89 (32) | 90 (32) | 94 (34) | 97 (36) | 94 (34) | 97 (36) | 87 (31) | 81 (27) | 70 (21) | 97 (36) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 30 (−1) | 33 (1) | 42 (6) | 55 (13) | 66 (19) | 75 (24) | 78 (26) | 76 (24) | 69 (21) | 58 (14) | 46 (8) | 34 (1) | 55 (13) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 14 (−10) | 15 (−9) | 21 (−6) | 32 (0) | 41 (5) | 51 (11) | 55 (13) | 54 (12) | 47 (8) | 37 (3) | 30 (−1) | 20 (−7) | 35 (2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −25 (−32) | −25 (−32) | −18 (−28) | 7 (−14) | 19 (−7) | 24 (−4) | 25 (−4) | 31 (−1) | 20 (−7) | 13 (−11) | −4 (−20) | −22 (−30) | −25 (−32) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.08 (78) | 2.46 (62) | 2.86 (73) | 3.63 (92) | 3.85 (98) | 4.92 (125) | 4.68 (119) | 3.96 (101) | 4.11 (104) | 3.72 (94) | 3.94 (100) | 3.55 (90) | 44.76 (1,137) |
| Source: The Weather Channel[5] | |||||||||||||
What is now known as the city of Salamanca was originally two separate communities, one onLittle Valley Creek and the other onGreat Valley Creek; the westernmost one of the two was called "Hemlock", a name derived from the numeroushemlock trees throughout the surrounding mountains. The eastern community (from modern-day Conrath Avenue eastward) wasKill Buck; the eastern half of what is now Kill Buck remains an unincorporatedhamlet independent of the city of Salamanca.[6] Hemlock was later renamed "West Salamanca" and (although it was marked on road signs as late as the 1990s) was eventually incorporated into the single city of Salamanca. The city was incorporated in 1913.
At one time the city was a thriving railroad hub, with theErie Railroad (laterConrail),Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway (BR&P) (laterBaltimore and Ohio Railroad) both having facilities there. Generations of Salamanca residents worked for the railroads, and much of the housing was originally built for them by the railroads. The city also benefited from the then-thriving lumber industry that dominated much of southwestern Cattaraugus County at the turn of the century, asboomtowns along the Allegheny River such asElko,South Valley andRed House (all much-less populatedghost towns today) all used the railroads to ship their goods upstream. At the time of the city's incorporation, it peaked at under 10,000 residents, not far behindOlean, 19 miles to the east, the major hub of the county; Olean, however, would continue to grow rapidly into the 1950s, while Salamanca's population would begin falling behind almost immediately. The Salamanca Rail Museum was opened in the former BR&P depot in 1984 to house its archives.[7]
The majority of the city, with the exception of a northeastern spur along Great Valley Creek, was constructed on theAllegany Indian Reservation held by theSeneca Nation of New York, as established in various treaties. Under the nation's policy, non-Seneca residents are barred from owningreal property on the reservation, and non-Senecas can onlylease the property from the Seneca Nation.[8] As arranged by the railroads, the previous leases had nominal payments and covered only the land; improvements (i.e., buildings and houses) were considered to be owned by the non-native citizens.
When the leases expired in the early 1990s, the nation tried to gain more from its leases, raising their costs and asserting not only the land, but the improvements were also subject to the native leases. Numerous people living in the city did not agree on the amount of lease payments or the legitimacy of the Senecas' absolute ownership claim. The controversy aroused bitterness, lawsuits, and appeals to government officials. Congress passed a law explicitly placing the improvements under Seneca jurisdiction, the new leases were put into effect, and fifteen houses were seized and their owners evicted for refusing to sign the leases.[8][9] The current leases are in effect until 2030, with an option to extend until 2070; proceeds from the lease payments are distributed quarterly to enrolled Seneca Nation members, providing abasic income guarantee.
Despite the lack of ownership, leased land held by non-Senecas is subject toproperty tax, which the lessee must pay to the city, Cattaraugus County and the Salamanca City Central School District. Seneca-owned land is exempt under theTreaty of Buffalo Creek. Once a Seneca acquires the land, it is taken off the tax rolls; for this reason, the city of Salamanca does not auction-off abandoned properties on the reservation in a property-tax auction, for fear Seneca individuals will buy the land, removing it from the tax rolls.
The city has a council-mayor system, with the mayor electedat-large and five trustees selected from wards, generally numbered from west to east.
"Between 2004-05 and 2009-10, State aid for the City, including casino revenues, increased by an average annual rate of nearly 50 percent (starting at $0.8 million in 2004-05 and peaking at $7.3 million in 2008-09). Salamanca's average annual expenditure increases on debt service, general government, transportation, utilities and public safety between 2004-05 and 2009-10 were all in the double digits."[10] This was attributable to revenues from the Seneca Allegany Casino.
TheSeneca Nation opened agamblingcasino in Salamanca in May 2004. About 1,000 new jobs were created by the casino operation, resulting in a housing shortage in the small town as new workers entered the city. Under the arrangement with the state, a 25% share of the casino's revenue goes to the city and county, which they can use for needed projects. Revenues for the city increased dramatically (see above).
Significant change did not quickly take place in the city, with new construction in only a few select areas. Main Street and US Route 219 (which runs through the city) remain largely untouched. Redevelopment was delayed when the Nation stopped casino payments in late 2010, in a dispute with the state over its openingracinos elsewhere in the state; payments were resumed in 2013. The state provided the city with emergency funds to help support it until the dispute was settled.[10] The Senecas again announced it would halt payments to the state in 2017, stating that a clause in the gaming compact had expired and its obligation to continue paying the state was no longer in effect. The Seneca Nation and the state of New York agreed to a settlement in January 2022, with the Senecas agreeing to pay the money owed, ahead of negotiations for a renewal of the compact in 2023.[11]
Because of the contentious relations between Seneca and non-Seneca residents, columnist Selena Zito described Salamanca as a "failed American city" in 2011, in a column that soon drew the rebuke of city officials.[8]
Retail shops include several Seneca-owned cigarette, tobacco, coffee shops, and gas stations; there are several empty storefronts, especially in the city's central business district on and near Main Street. The Seneca Nation has made efforts to diversify, establishing a tribalholding company in 2009 and aneconomic development corporation in 2011. In 2021, many of the city's vacant buildings and former smoke shops were converted intocannabis dispensaries, leading to a glut of retailers for the recently legalized product.
The city's onlyshopping mall,Salamanca Mall, hosts a regional hardware chain, a local antique shop, and a small taqueria called "Rock'n Taco". Three hotels operate in the city.
A number of industrial factories, among them McHone Industries (a metal fabricating company) and Salamanca Lumber, operate in the center part of the city.
TheSouthern Tier Expressway (Interstate 86 andNew York State Route 17) passes south of the city. Running through the city areU.S. Route 219 and New York State Routes417 and353, the last two of which terminate within a mile of each other on Salamanca's west end.
Salamanca serves as ahub for the area'spublic bus service.Coach USA, FullingtonTrailways, the Seneca Transit System, and the Olean Area Transit System all converge on the city. The city's only active (freight) rail depot is on the east side of the city, serviced by theBuffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad.
In the past, theErie Railroad and then, starting in 1960, theErie Lackawanna Railway had operated passenger trains through Salamanca. Into the 1960s, theErie Limited and theAtlantic Express/Pacific Express made stops there.[12][13] The last passenger train making stops there was theLake Cities which was discontinued on January 6, 1970. TheNew York and Lake Erie Railroad operated between Salamanca andGowanda until 1990. Today, the station houses the Salamanca Rail Museum. Two miles to the east, theBuffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway had an "East Salamanca" station. The successor railroad, theBaltimore and Ohio Railroad last had passenger trains at the latter in the mid-1950s.[14] Into the early 1940s, thePennsylvania Railroad ran passenger trains into a third station for trains betweenOlean andOil City, Pennsylvania.[15]
Two of the former rail rights-of-way are nowrail trails: the NY&LE right-of-way is now the state-ownedPat McGee Trail (which officially ends at the city line before entering the city) and the Pennsylvania Railroad path is now the Pennsy Trail. TheFinger Lakes Trail also cuts across the city, mainly using city roads.
Salamanca has no local major airports. AlthoughGreat Valley Airport is nearby, this airport is mostly used forgeneral aviation, and no commercial passenger service operates out of it. The nearest public airports areBuffalo Niagara International Airport andBradford Regional Airport.
TheCatholic Church,Southern Baptist Convention (House of Prayer),Seventh-day Adventists,Free Methodist Church, and Lighthouse Baptist Church all have branches in the city bounds. At least two other independent churches also operate; the localUnited Methodist Church disaffiliated in the late 2010s.
Radio stationsWQRS (on the FM band at 98.3) andWGGO (on the AM band at 1590) are licensed to Salamanca. WQRS (The Goat, historically known as 98 Rocks) carries aclassic rock format run by Seven Mountains Media out of Olean; WGGO is an owned and operated station ofThe Station of the Cross, a regional Catholic radio network, with its nominal studio in Kill Buck. W288EK (FM 105.5) is also licensed to Salamanca and simulcastsWOLY (Big Oly), another Seven Mountains station out of Olean.
From 2010 to 2021,WGWE (FM 105.9) was operated out of Salamanca. The station, licensed toLittle Valley, shut down and sold its assets to a broadcaster who plans to operate the station elsewhere.
TheSalamanca Press is the local newspaper. A daily paper (publishing Monday through Saturday) for most of the 20th century, the paper reverted to a weekly publication in 2009.
There is no direct television broadcasting in Salamanca; the city is ostensibly part of the Buffalo media market, and local cable and satellite providers carry those stations (as well as some from Erie, Pennsylvania and Toronto, Ontario), but the hilly terrain around the city makes television reception problematic. Two low-powered stations based in Olean can occasionally be received over the air.Breezeline is the local cable provider.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 2,531 | — | |
| 1890 | 3,692 | 45.9% | |
| 1900 | 4,251 | 15.1% | |
| 1910 | 5,792 | 36.3% | |
| 1920 | 9,276 | 60.2% | |
| 1930 | 9,577 | 3.2% | |
| 1940 | 9,011 | −5.9% | |
| 1950 | 8,861 | −1.7% | |
| 1960 | 8,480 | −4.3% | |
| 1970 | 7,877 | −7.1% | |
| 1980 | 6,890 | −12.5% | |
| 1990 | 6,566 | −4.7% | |
| 2000 | 6,097 | −7.1% | |
| 2010 | 5,815 | −4.6% | |
| 2020 | 5,929 | 2.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[16] 2020[17] | |||
| Race(NH = Non-Hispanic) | 2020[18] | 2010[19] | 2000[20] | 1990[21] | 1980[22] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 64.5% (3,823) | 75.5% (4,388) | 83.9% (5,114) | 91.5% (6,005) | 96.2% (6,626) |
| Black alone (NH) | 1% (59) | 0.7% (43) | 0.6% (37) | 0.3% (20) | 0.1% (6) |
| American Indian alone (NH) | 20.1% (1,193) | 16.4% (953) | 11.7% (713) | 7.3% (482) | 3.5% (240) |
| Asian alone (NH) | 0.4% (21) | 0.5% (27) | 0.3% (16) | 0.4% (23) | 0% (0) |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0% (0) | 0.1% (4) | 0.1% (5) | ||
| Other race alone (NH) | 0.2% (12) | 0% (2) | 0% (0) | 0% (0) | 0% (0) |
| Multiracial (NH) | 9.8% (580) | 3.5% (204) | 1.7% (101) | — | — |
| Hispanic/Latino (any race) | 4.1% (241) | 3.3% (194) | 1.8% (111) | 0.5% (36) | 0.3% (18) |
As of the 2020 United States census, Salamanca had a population of 5,929. The ethnic and racial makeup of the population was 69.3% White, 2.6% African-American, 18.6% Native American, 0.7% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 6.7% reporting two or more races, and 6.7% Hispanic or Latino of any race. 66.3% of the population was non-Hispanic white.[17]
The most reported detailed ancestries in2020 were:[23]
As of thecensus[24] of 2000, there were 6,097 people, 2,469 households, and 1,575 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,015.6 inhabitants per square mile (392.1/km2). There were 2,749 housing units at an average density of 457.9 units per square mile (176.8 units/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 74.26%White, 0.66%Black orAfrican American, 20.74%Native American, 0.33%Asian, 0.08%Pacific Islander, 0.18% fromother races, and 1.75% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 1.82% of the population.
There were 2,469 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.2% weremarried couples living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.0% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,579, and the median income for a family was $30,996. Males had a median income of $25,549 versus $19,180 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $12,812. About 18.0% of families and 22.2% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 32.7% of those under age 18 and 15.9% of those age 65 or over.
Municipalities and communities ofCattaraugus County, New York,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| Villages | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other hamlets | ||
| Indian reservations | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| Footnotes |
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| Geographic | |
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| Other | |
