Bemus Point is a

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred ...

in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The village is within the town of Ellery and is located along the eastern shore of

Chautauqua Lake Chautauqua Lake is located entirely within Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The lake is approximately long and wide at its greatest width. The surface area is approximately . The maximum depth is about . The shoreline is about of w ...

. The population was 312 at the 2020 census.

Geography

Bemus Point is located along the southwestern edge of the town of Ellery, on the eastern shore of Chautauqua Lake at (42.162886, -79.391230). The village is immediately north of the location where Interstate 86 crosses

. Access to the village is from exits 9 and 10. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

, the village has a total area of , all land.

Community

Bemus Point is home to many restaurants including the See Zurh House, Coppola’s Pizzeria, The Fish, Ellicottville Brewing on Chautauqua and the Village Casino. Bemus Point also has a 9-hole golf course, tennis courts, basketball courts, park and free boat launch. The village's school district, Bemus Point Central School District, is home to the Red Dragons of Maple Grove High School, who have won two New York State football championships and have three state championships in women's cross country (2010, 2011, 2012).

History

The area currently known as Bemus Point was once part of the territory of the Erielhonan or

Erie People The Erie people (also Eriechronon, Riquéronon, Erielhonan, Eriez, Nation du Chat) were Indigenous people historically living on the south shore of Lake Erie. An Iroquoian group, they lived in what is now western New York, northwestern Pennsylvani ...

Indigenous tribe, first colonized by William Bemus in 1806. Bemus had purchased land on both sides of

from the

Holland Land Company The Holland Land Company was an unincorporated syndicate of thirteen Dutch investors from Amsterdam who in 1792 and 1793 purchased the western two-thirds of the Phelps and Gorham Purchase, an area that afterward was known as the Holland Purchas ...

in 1805 at a cost of $1.50. He moved his family to the east side of the lake (in the area now known as Bemus Point) on March 9, 1806. The Bemus family lived in a log cabin approximately northeast of the current ferry landing site. Bemus descendants still reside on original family property along Lakeside Drive north of Bemus Street.History of Bemus Point
The village of Bemus Point was incorporated in 1911. A ferry connecting Bemus Point and

Stow Stow may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Stow, Lincolnshire or Stow-in-Lindsey, a village * Stow of Wedale or Stow, Scottish Borders, a village * Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire, a small town * Stow, Shropshire or Stowe, a village * Stow ...

was founded in 1811 by Thomas Bemus. The original ferry was a raft built by Thomas, and had to be poled across the lake. Today, a cable-drawn ferry exists in its place and is operated by the Sea Lion Project.Sea Lion Project Ltd.
Until the nearby bridge (now part of I-86) opened October 30, 1982, the Bemus-Stow Ferry was the only way to cross

. When closed for the winter months, motorists had to travel northwest to Mayville, or southeast to Jamestown to reach Stow. Either way was a round trip. Local residents often purchased a seasonal pass to use the ferry, commuting to Lakewood, Sherman, or other areas west of the lake. Throughout the 1800s, Bemus Point gained popularity as a tourist destination, which promoted its growth and development. By the early 1900s, a dance hall known as the Village Casino, which still exists under the same name, became a well-known venue for entertainment, particularly

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s ...

music. Bemus Point hosted the "Bemus Bay Pops" concert, which involved many local musicians, and was also host to the "Chautauqua Lake Voices", similar to ''

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...

''. The village volunteer fire department was chartered in 1920, and began its operations with a Model T fire truck. Today the Bemus Point Volunteer Fire Department continues to serve the residents of the village and the surrounding community. Today Bemus Point is still a popular summer tourist destination, with a large influx of summer population.

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2000, there were 340 people, 170 households, and 95 families residing in the village. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was 850.0 people per square mile (309.1/km²). There were 218 housing units at an average density of 545.0 per square mile (198.2/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.65%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 0.88% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.29% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.59% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 0.88% of the population. There were 170 households, out of which 18.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.1% were non-families. 38.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 24.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.00 and the average family size was 2.65. In the village, the population was spread out, with 17.6% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 26.5% from 45 to 64, and 27.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.5 males. The median income for a household in the village was $33,333, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $37,708 versus $25,625 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the village was $19,943. About 3.9% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 10.8% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over. As of the Census of 2010, there were 364 people (an increase of 24 people or 7.06%) and 170 households in the village. The population density was 910.0 people per square mile (330.9/km²). The racial make up of the village was: 96.43% (351 people) white; 2.20% (8 people) Asian; 0.28% (1 person) other; and 1.10% (4 people) of two or more races. The Hispanic/Latino population of any race was 0.28% (1 person). The population was spread out, with 19.23% (70 people) under the age of 18, 2.20% (8 people) ages 18 and 19, 3.02% (11 people) ages 20–24, 4.40% (16 people) ages 25–34, 19.78% (72 people) ages 35–49, 25.55% (93 people) ages 50–64, and 25.82% (94 people) over the age of 65. The male population made up 46.43% (169 people) of the total population and the female population made up 53.57% of the total population.

Education

Schools

The entire village is within the Bemus Point Central School District (BPCSD). * Bemus Point Elementary School * Maple Grove Junior Senior High School (MGHS)

Notable people

* Kevyn Adams, retired NHL player and current general manager of the

Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...

Bill Baldwin Bill (Merl. W, Jr.) Baldwin (June 6, 1935 – October 14, 2015) was an American science fiction writer. He wrote militaristic space opera. His main series is about a male protagonist named Wilf Ansor Brim. He graduated from The Mercersburg Acad ...

, science fiction writer *

Jorn Barger Jorn Barger (; born 1953) is an American blogger, best known as editor of ''Robot Wisdom'', an influential early weblog. Barger coined the term ''weblog'' to describe the process of "logging the web" as he surfed. He has also written extensively ...

, notable blogger *

Bainbridge Colby Bainbridge Colby (December 22, 1869 – April 11, 1950) was an American politician and attorney who was a co-founder of the United States Progressive Party and Woodrow Wilson's last Secretary of State. Colby was a Republican until he helped co-f ...

United States Secretary of State The United States secretary of state is a member of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States and the head of the U.S. Department of State. The office holder is one of the highest ranking members of the president's Ca ...

, maintained a home north of the village on what is now Sunset Bay Road, where he died in 1950

References

External links

Village of Bemus Point official website
{{authority control Villages in New York (state) Populated places established in 1806 Villages in Chautauqua County, New York 1806 establishments in New York (state)