Elmira () is a

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

Chemung County Chemung County is a county in the southern tier of the U.S. state of New York. The population was 84,148 as of the 2020 census. Its county seat is Elmira. Its name is derived from a Delaware Indian village whose name meant "big horn". Chem ...

, New York, United States. It is the principal city of the Elmira, New York,

metropolitan statistical area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

, which encompasses Chemung County. The population was 26,523 at the 2020 census, down from 29,200 at the 2010 census, a decline of more than 7 percent. The City of Elmira is in the south-central part of the county, surrounded on three sides by the

Town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an o ...

of Elmira. It is in the Southern Tier of New York, a short distance north of the

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

state line.

History

Early history

The region of Elmira was inhabited by the Cayuga nation (also known as the Kanawaholla) of the

Haudenosaunee The Iroquois ( or ), officially the Haudenosaunee ( meaning "people of the longhouse"), are an Iroquoian Peoples, Iroquoian-speaking Confederation#Indigenous confederations in North America, confederacy of First Nations in Canada, First Natio ...

prior to

European colonization The historical phenomenon of colonization is one that stretches around the globe and across time. Ancient and medieval colonialism was practiced by the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Turks, and the Arabs. Colonialism in the modern sense be ...

. Cayuga residing in the region maintained relations with European settlers, primarily related to the fur trade, but were otherwise relatively isolated from encroaching colonial settlements. During the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

, the Sullivan Expedition of 1779 was mounted by the Continental Army against the four Haudenosaunee nations which had allied with the British. The expeditionary force fought a combined British-Haudenosaunee force at the

Battle of Newtown The Battle of Newtown (August 29, 1779) was a major battle of the Sullivan Expedition, an armed offensive led by General John Sullivan that was ordered by the Continental Congress to end the threat of the Iroquois who had sided with the British ...

, south of the current city, in which the Continental Army emerged victorious. After the conclusion of the war, the Haudenosaunee and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

signed a treaty at Elmira in 1791 to settle territorial disputes in the region. Most of the Cayuga emigrated under pressure from encroaching American settlements with the other nations of the Haudenosaunee to

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...

, where they resettled on land provided by the British Crown. The first European-American settler in Elmira was Abraham Miller, who served as a captain in the Continental Army. Miller constructed a cabin after resigning just before the end of the Revolutionary War. Miller's Pond and Miller Street are named after him and are near the location of his house.

Elmira's formation

The New York legislature established the Township of Chemung, now

, in 1788. The settlement of Newtown was soon established at the intersection of Newtown Creek and the Chemung River. In 1792, the settlement at Newtown joined with the Wisnerburg and DeWittsburg settlements to form the village of Newtown. In 1808, the village officially changed its name to the Town of Elmira, at a town meeting held at Teal's Tavern. It is said the town was named after tavern owner Nathan Teal's young daughter, but that story has never been confirmed. According to Amos Bugbee Carpenter's "Carpenter Memorial" family history book printed in 1898, Elmira is named after

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

Matthew Carpenter's daughter. This naming occurred, according to this book, in 1821 at the constitutional convention to which Matthew was a delegate. In any case, the City of Elmira, nicknamed "The Queen City," was incorporated in 1864 from part of the town of Elmira and the village of Elmira. The remaining part of the town of Elmira exists still, surrounding the city on the west, north and east. The city and town share an intricately entwined history. It appears that Amos Carpenter in his 1898 book was referencing an 1879 book. Elmira served as a transportation hub for New York's Southern Tier in the 1800s, connecting commercial centers in Rochester and Buffalo with Albany and

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, via the canal system and railroads. The city was the southern terminus of the

Chemung Canal The Chemung Canal is a former canal in New York, United States. The canal connected Seneca Lake at Watkins Glen to the Chemung River at Elmira, New York. It was planned to connect the Finger Lakes region and Pennsylvania's Susquehanna River wat ...

completed in 1833; later, the Junction Canal was constructed to connect Elmira with Corning, facilitating transport of coal from the

mines via the Northern branch of the Susquehanna Canal system. In 1849, the New York and Erie Railroad was built through Elmira, giving the area a New York City to Buffalo route. In 1850, the Elmira and Jefferson Railroad gave the area a route north and, in 1854, the Elmira and Williamsport Railroad a route south. These railroads and their connections made the city a prime location for an

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

training and muster point early in the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...

. In 1872 construction began on the Utica, Ithaca and Elmira Railroad, eventually creating a route to Cortland and Syracuse via

Horseheads Horseheads is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in Chemung County, New York, Chemung County, New York (state), New York, United States. The population was 19,412 at the 2020 census. The name of the town is derived from the number o ...

, Breesport and Van Etten. The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, completed in 1884, competed with the Erie's New York City to Buffalo line. File:PSM V75 D308 Chemung canal extension.png, 1909 Extension of Chemung Canal. File:Chemung County New York - Beers 1869.jpg, 1869 map showing Elmira's location as a transportation hub in Chemung County File:1893 Poor's Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad.jpg, Map of Delaware, Lackawanna and Westerny Railroad in New York State / Pennsylvania, 1893. File:Aerial view of station - Erie Railway, Elmira Station, Railroad Avenue, Elmira, Chemung County, NY HAER NY,8-ELM,2A-1.tif, Aerial view of station - Erie Railway, Elmira Station, Railroad Avenue, Elmira New York

Prisoner-of-war camp

A great deal of the Union installation, known as Camp Rathbun, fell into disuse as the Civil War progressed, and the camp's "Barracks #3" were converted into a Civil War prisoner of war camp in the summer of 1864. The camp, in use from June 6, 1864, until autumn 1865, was dubbed "Hellmira" by its inmates. Towner's history of 1892 and maps from the period indicate the camp occupied a somewhat irregular parallelogram, running about west and approximately the same distance south of a location several hundred feet west of Hoffman Street (Foster Avenue) and Winsor Avenue, bordered on the south by Foster's Pond, on the north bank of the Chemung River. In the months the site was used as a camp, 12,123 Confederate soldiers were incarcerated; of these, 2,963 died during their stay from a combination of

malnutrition Malnutrition occurs when an organism gets too few or too many nutrients, resulting in health problems. Specifically, it is "a deficiency, excess, or imbalance of energy, protein and other nutrients" which adversely affects the body's tissues ...

, prolonged exposure to brutal winter weather and disease directly attributable to the dismal sanitary conditions on Foster's Pond and lack of medical care. The camp's dead were prepared for burial and laid to rest by the sexton at Woodlawn National Cemetery, ex-slave John W. Jones. At the end of the war, each prisoner was given a loyalty oath and given a train ticket back home; the last prisoner left the camp on September 27, 1865. The camp was closed, demolished and converted to farmland. Woodlawn Cemetery, about north of the original prison camp site (bounded by West Hill, Bancroft, Davis and Mary Streets), was designated a " National Cemetery" in 1877. The prison camp site is today a residential area. File:The photographic history of the Civil War - thousands of scenes photographed 1861-65, with text by many special authorities (1911) (14760407854).jpg, Evening roll-call at Camp Rathburn, ca. 1864. File:The photographic history of the Civil War - thousands of scenes photographed 1861-65, with text by many special authorities (1911) (14762505722).jpg, Changing of the guard at Camp Rathburn, ca. 1864. File:The photographic history of the Civil War - thousands of scenes photographed 1861-65, with text by many special authorities (1911) (14576177549).jpg, Artillery on guard over prisoners at Camp Rathburn, ca. 1864. File:Elmira, New York (1882736106).jpg, Civil War monument dedicated to soldiers who were trained and imprisoned at Camp Rathburn, dedicated May 3, 1992.

Reformatory and correctional facility

The state legislature authorized the building of a state prison for first offenders in 1866. It opened in 1876 as the Elmira Reformatory, under the direction of

Zebulon Brockway Zebulon Reed Brockway (April 28, 1827 – October 21, 1920) was a penologist and is sometimes regarded as the "Father of prison reform" and "Father of American parole" in the United States. Early life Brockway was born in Lyme, Connecticut on A ...

, serving offenders aged sixteen to thirty. It was the first institution of its kind, and a model for others to follow. In 1970 the complex was renamed the Elmira Correctional and Reception Center. File:Elmira Reformatory.jpg, Elmira Reformatory, circa 1897.

Elmira economy

In 1950, the Elmira's population peaked at about 50,000, which represented 57 percent of Chemung County's total population at the time. Today, the city has approximately 30,000 residents, which represents 34 percent of Chemung County's population. This population decline is due to the national decline in railroads and manufacturing as well as a population shift to the outer suburbs around Elmira. The Elmira Metro area has nearly 100,000 people. The population decline began during the recession of the early 1970s during which several large employers (Ann Page, American Bridge, General Electric, American LaFrance, Westinghouse and Remington Rand) either closed their factories or moved to other states. The decline was exacerbated by the flood of 1972, during which many of the downtown businesses and single-family homes were destroyed or replaced by subsequent Urban Renewal projects in the Chemung River flood plain.

Current Manufacturing Employers

Anchor Glass Container Corporation, headquartered in Tampa, Florida, is in the old Thatcher Glass facility in Elmira Heights. Anchor Glass produces a diverse line of flint, amber, green and other colored glass containers of various types and designs for the beer, food, beverage and liquor markets in North America. Anchor Glass is now wholly owned by the Ardagh Group S.A. CAF-USA Inc has its main U.S. plant in Elmira Heights on the site of the former American Bridge Company. CAF USA is a subsidiary company of

Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (Grupo CAF, literally "Construction and Other Railway Services") is a Spanish publicly listed company which manufactures railway vehicles and equipment and buses through its Solaris Bus & Coach subsidi ...

, a Spanish manufacturer of passenger rail products (including trains, high-speed trains, locomotives, light rail vehicles and other rail equipment). CAF-USA Inc trains are typically designed for North America's market, based on Spanish design and technologies. Elmira Heat Treating, established in 1962 in Elmira, offers a wide variety of heat treatment technologies to both domestic and international customers such as Hilliard Corp., Ford Motors, General Signal and others. Hardinge, Inc. (formerly Hardinge Brothers), established in 1890 and now headquartered in Elmira, manufactures precise turning machines for the domestic and international market. Starting in 1995, Hardinge began expanding their product line and over the years has acquired L. Kellenberger & Co. AG, Hauser-Tripet-Tschudin AG, Jones & Shipman, and Usach Technologies, Inc. In 2004 they also acquired Bridgeport, world-famous for its milling machines and machining centers. Hilliard Corporation, established in 1905, has two locations in Elmira and serves the international market in filters, brakes, clutches and starters for a variety of industrial and commercial uses as well as consumer equipment from Polaris and

MTD MTD may refer to: Medicine * Maximum tolerated dose, in drug development * Muscle tension dysphonia, hyperfunctional musculature causing a hoarse voice Organizations * Makkal Tamil Desam Katchi (People's Tamil Land Party), a political party i ...

. Kennedy Valve, located in Elmira since 1905, is one of the world's largest manufacturers of products for

waterworks Water supply is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisations, community endeavors or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps and pipes. Public water supply systems are crucial to properly functioning societies. Th ...

distribution, potable and wastewater treatment, and fire protection system projects. They are most famous for their fire hydrants which can be found around the world. Kennedy Valve was acquired by

McWane McWane, Inc. is one of the world's largest manufacturers of iron water works and plumbing products and one of America's largest privately owned companies. The company manufactures a host of different products including ductile iron pipe and fit ...

in 1988. Trayer Products, established in 1929, manufactures parts mostly for the heavy truck industry; primarily truck chassis parts such as king pins and shackles.

Hurricane Agnes and the Flood of '72

During the summer of 1972,

Hurricane Agnes Hurricane Agnes in 1972 was the costliest hurricane to hit the United States at the time, causing an estimated $2.1 billion in damage. The hurricane's death toll was 128. The effects of Agnes were widespread, from the Caribbean to Canada, ...

struck the eastern seaboard of the United States, causing significant damage stretching from Florida into New England. Elmira was particularly hit hard by the flood, with over an estimated $291 million in damage. Over 15,000 people had to flee the city, and approximately 5,000 homes were damaged or destroyed. Coordinated efforts between local churches and regional businesses helped with the cleanup. Operating in secrecy, Rochester, NY-based Eastman Kodak sent crews as part of Operation Rebuild. Their efforts rebuilt 78 homes and assisted in the repairs of countless others. Elmira city leaders approached the New York State Urban Development Corporation (UDC) to lead the redevelopment of the city post-flood. With a select group of businessmen and city officials attempting to minimize public input, the UDC implemented the "New Elmira Plan". This entailed the removal of buildings along the river to create Riverside Park, and razing other buildings in the business district for two parking garages. Altogether, forty percent of Elmira's commercial space was eliminated as part of the plan. Local citizens lamented the loss of character and vibrancy of downtown Elmira.

2012 Tornado

On July 26, 2012, an EF1 tornado touched down near Cottage Drive off of Route 352 and traveled through Golden Glow and the rest of the city. Moderate damage was seen after the storm passed and hundreds of trees and power lines were blown down. No one was injured. The tornado was wide and took the city by surprise as this area has not been prone to tornadic activity.

Geography and climate

Elmira is at (42.089874, −76.809559). 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 th ...

, the city has an area of , of which is land and (3.56%) is water. The Chemung River flows eastward through the city. Elmira is built almost entirely in the flood plain of the Chemung River and has suffered many floods, the worst from

in 1972. Newtown Creek, flowing from the north, joins the Chemung River at the city's southeast corner. Interstate 86/ New York State Route 17, The Southern Tier Expressway, connects with the city at Exit 56. New York State Route 14 passes through Elmira between Watkins Glen and

. New York State Route 13 begins near

Lake Ontario Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York. The Canada–United States border sp ...

and travels through Cortland and

Ithaca Ithaca most commonly refers to: *Homer's Ithaca, an island featured in Homer's ''Odyssey'' *Ithaca (island), an island in Greece, possibly Homer's Ithaca *Ithaca, New York, a city, and home of Cornell University and Ithaca College Ithaca, Ithaka ...

before ending in Elmira.

New York State Route 352 New York State Route 352 (NY 352) is a state highway in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It generally parallels the Southern Tier Expressway ( Interstate 86 or I-86 and NY 17) from the village of Riverside ...

begins in Elmira at Exit 56 of the Southern Tier Expressway and continues West into Corning.

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 inc ...

of 2000, there were 30,940 people, 11,475 households, and 6,701 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: 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 term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 4,229.5 people per square mile (1,632.0/km²). There were 12,895 housing units at an average density of 1,762.7 per square mile (680.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.03%

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 ...

, 13.05%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.39% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.03%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 1.37% from other races, and 2.64% 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 for ...

or Latino of any race were 3.14% of the population. There were 11,475 households, out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.3% were married couples living together, 18.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.6% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.05. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.1% under the age of 18, 13.0% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $27,292, and the median income for a family was $33,592. Males had a median income of $31,775 versus $22,350 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 city was $14,495. About 17.9% of families and 23.1% 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 ...

, including 32.6% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over. The Elmira, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area (or Elmira MSA) is frequently used for statistical information such as labor rates and includes all of

with a population in 2000 of 90,070. The Elmira MSA was ranked as the 59th safest place to live out of 344 Metro Areas in 2005 by Morgan Quitno Press. The three largest ethnic groups in Elmira are Irish, German and Italian.

City government

The city government is a Council-Manager form of government in which the City Manager is the primary administrator of the city. There is one mayor elected at large and six council members elected from each of six council districts. The term of office of the mayor and council members was two years, until a 2003 referendum extended the terms to four years (four-year terms began after the 2007 election). The mayor and council members are all part-time employees. The City Manager, City Clerk, City Chamberlain, City Assessor, and Corporation Counsel are all appointed by the City Council. All remaining department heads serve at the request of the City Manager. The city has of road, of water lines, and of sewer lines. There are four ZIP codes in the City of Elmira: 14901 (northside), 14902 (downtown), 14904 (southside), and 14905 (West Elmira).

Facts about city government

* The city police department employs approximately 81 full-time officers. The chief since 2021 is Anthony A. Alvernaz. * The city fire department employs approximately 60 full-time firefighters and officers. * The city animal shelter has a goal to become by 2007 a no-kill animal shelter based on a model by

Tompkins County Tompkins County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 105,740. The county seat is Ithaca. The name is in honor of Daniel D. Tompkins, who served as Governor of New York and Vice Preside ...

Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. * The city received $1.4 million in Community Development Block Grant funds and $368,000 in HOME funds in FY2006-2007 from the

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It administers federal housing and urban development laws. It is headed by the Secretary of Housing and Ur ...

. These funds are used for programs and projects for low-moderate income families and neighborhood blocks. * The City of Elmira has more than 20 parks including Eldridge Park with a walking trail, restored carousel, skateboard park, and fishing lake and Wisner Park with memorials to veterans from World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War and the Fallen Officers Memorial. * The City Manager of the City of Elmira is P. Michael Collins. * Naming rights to the Millers Pond Park were obtained by J. Howard "Buzz" Miller, an early-20th century benevolent industrialist, when his horse "Mumbo Jumbo" won a 1912 race at the Tioga Downs horse track.

Media

Newspapers

* '' Star-Gazette'', daily morning newspaper owned by Gannett Co. Inc. It was Gannett's first newspaper. * ''Chemung Valley Reporter'', weekly newspaper based in nearby

Radio

WLVY WLVY (94.3 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Top 40 (CHR) format. Licensed to Elmira, New York, United States, the station serves the Elmira- Corning area. The station is currently owned by Tower Broadcasting LLC and features programming ...

WNKI WNKI (106.1 FM, "Wink 106") is a radio station broadcasting a Top 40 (CHR) format. Licensed to Corning, New York, United States, the station serves the Elmira-Corning area, and is the Arbitron #1 rated station in the market. The station is cur ...

* WCBF *

WELM WELM signed on in 1947 as Chemung County's second radio station and the Elmira-Corning, New York market's third. It broadcasts on 1410 kHz. The station uses a three-tower array, broadcasting with 5,000 watts from a single tower until sundown, wh ...

* WEHH * WPIE (studio in Elmira, tower in Trumansburg) * WOKN * WKPQ / WHHO (studio in Hornell) * WLEA / WCKR (studio in Hornell) * WECW (Elmira College Student-Run Radio Station) *

WCID WCID (100.9 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Christian radio format from Family Life Network. Licensed to Horseheads, New York, United States, the station serves the Elmira- Corning area. The station is owned by Family Life Ministries. Hi ...

WENI-FM WENI-FM (92.7 MHz) is an American radio station licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to serve the community of South Waverly, Pennsylvania (located south of Waverly, New York). Starting in early 2010, the then-WPHD moved t ...

WPGO WPGO (820 AM) is a radio station in the Elmira-Corning market in New York state. History The station signed on in 1966 as WIQT, broadcasting from studios on Hanover Square in Horseheads during daylight hours on 1000 kHz. It was the fifth stati ...

Television

WETM WETM-TV (channel 18) is a television station in Elmira, New York, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by Nexstar Media Group. The station's studios are located on East Water Street in downtown Elmira, and its transmitter is located on ...

18 ( NBC) * WETM-DT2 18.2 ( ANT) * WSKA 30 ( PBS, simulcast of WSKG-TV) (licensed to Corning, with which Elmira shares TV market) * WENY-TV 36 ( ABC on DT1/ CBS on DT2/ CW on DT3 through The CW Plus) (studio in Horseheads, licensed to Elmira) *

WJKP-LD WJKP-LD (channel 39) is a low-power television station licensed to Corning, New York, United States, serving the Elmira area as an affiliate of MyNetworkTV. It is owned by Coastal Television Broadcasting Company LLC alongside Fox affiliate W ...

39 ( MyNetworkTV) (studio and license in Corning, with which Elmira shares TV market) * WYDC 48 ( FOX) (studio and license in Corning, with which Elmira shares TV market)

Transportation infrastructure

Public transportation

The Chemung County Transit System operates regularly scheduled fixed route service within the City of Elmira and Village of Horseheads. Another route links Elmira with Corning Community College, also linking passengers with the Steuben County Transit System (SCT) and Corning Erwin Area Transit System (CEATS). Elmira is served by several intercity bus operators.

New York Trailways Trailways of New York is one of the largest privately held transportation companies based in New York State. It employs over 450 people and carries passengers more than 80 million miles annually. TrailwaysNY, as it is known, operates over 150 tr ...

serves Elmira on one of its routes between

Binghamton Binghamton () is a City (New York), city in the United States, U.S. state of New York (state), New York, and serves as the county seat of Broome County, New York, Broome County. Surrounded by rolling hills, it lies in the state's Southern Tier reg ...

and Rochester. Short Line serves Elmira on its route between

and Olean. OurBus provides service to Elmira on a route between New York City and

Niagara Falls Niagara Falls () is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the Canada–United States border, border between the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario in Canada and the U.S. state, state ...

Fullington Trailways The Trailways Transportation System is an American network of approximately 70 independent bus companies that have entered into a brand licensing agreement. The company is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia. History The predecessor to Trailwa ...

discontinued service between Elmira and Williamsport, Pennsylvania in April 2022.

Air transportation

The

Elmira Corning Regional Airport Elmira Corning Regional Airport is in Chemung County, New York, seven miles northwest of Elmira and eight miles east of Corning. It is in the town of Big Flats but its mailing address is Horseheads, New York. The airport was formerly Elmira ...

( IATA code ELM, ICAO code KELM) is a medium-size regional airport, and the only area airport that offers scheduled

airline An airline is a company that provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines use aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for codeshare agreements, in wh ...

service. Located northwest of downtown, the airport has non-stop flights to

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

in addition to seasonal flights to

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,7 ...

served by

Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc., typically referred to as Delta, is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier. One of the world's oldest airlines in operation, Delta is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline, along ...

, and two routes to Florida served by Allegiant Air with the airline serving seasonal flights to Punta Gorda and Myrtle Beach.

Culture

The City Slogan is ''"Honoring the Past, Building the Future"''. It is featured on an Entrance sign erected in 2003 into the city from Exit 56 of the Southern Tier Expressway along with other honored Elmirans including (L to R) Brian Williams,

Hal Roach Harry Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr.Randy Skretvedt, Skretvedt, Randy (2016), ''Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies'', Bonaventure Press. p.608. (January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and television producer, director, a ...

, Ernie Davis, Mark Twain, Eileen Collins, John Jones, and

Tommy Hilfiger Thomas Jacob Hilfiger ( /hɪlˈfɪgər/; born March 24, 1951) is an American fashion designer and the founder of Tommy Hilfiger Corporation. After starting his career by co-founding a chain of jeans/fashion stores called People's Place in upst ...

. The slogan was designated by Mayor Stephen Hughes following the conclusion of a slogan contest in which Marlin Stewart, Alan and Barbara Hutchinson, and James Lloyd were recognized for their contributions to the winning slogan. On at least two hilltops near the city (mostly on Harris Hill to the northwest) pioneer pilots established the sport of gliding in America. Harris Hill is the site of the National Soaring Museum. These sites are now recognized as National Landmarks of Soaring. * Dunn Field is a baseball stadium along the southern banks of the Chemung River. The Elmira Pioneers play at Dunn Field. Famous players and managers who have played or managed at Dunn Field include Babe Ruth, Earl Weaver, Don Zimmer, Wade Boggs, and Curt Schilling. * Elmira College is in the city. * In 2020, the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine plans to open a new branch of its medical school where Arnot Park is currently located. * The Clemens Center is a concert and theater center named after Samuel Clemens, (Mark Twain). * The Arnot Art Museum is in the downtown Civic-Historic District. *

Eldridge Park Eldridge Park, located in Elmira, New York, is a famous amusement park, which opened around the turn of the 20th century. Covering roughly , it is dedicated to the memory of a local physician and is still in common usage. The park includes an ...

features a restored 1890s Looff Carousel * Woodlawn Cemetery and Woodlawn National Cemetery are both in the City of Elmira in the Northwest sector. Mark Twain and his family are buried in Woodlawn Cemetery. * The

First Arena The First Arena is a 3,784-seat multi-purpose facility located in downtown Elmira, New York. It features two ice surfaces, a full-service restaurant and bar, a food service center for the recreational rink, video game arcade, 31 luxury suites, pa ...

was built in Elmira in 2000 (originally opened as the Coach USA Center). It has been home to the Elmira Jackals of the UHL and

ECHL The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL). The ...

from 2000 to 2017 when the team folded and the

Elmira Enforcers The Elmira Enforcers were a minor professional ice hockey team located in Elmira, New York, and a member of the Federal Prospects Hockey League. Their home games were played at First Arena. The team folded in 2021 after an arena contract dispu ...

of the

FPHL The Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL) is a professional ice hockey independent minor league with teams in the Midwestern, Southern, and Northeastern United States. The FPHL began operations in November 2010 as the Federal Hockey League. ...

from 2018 to 2021.

Historic places

The following are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

: * The John Brand Jr. House * John Brand Sr. House * Buildings at 104–116 West Water St. * Chemung Canal Bank Building * Chemung County Courthouse Complex * Clinton–Columbia Historic District * Elmira Civic Historic District *

Elmira Coca-Cola Bottling Company Works The Elmira Coca-Cola Bottling Company Works is located at 415 West Second Street, Elmira, New York. It was built in 1939 in the Art Moderne style. The building was designed by architect Lucius Read White, Jr. The structure is significant for its ...

* Elmira College Old Campus * Emmanuel Episcopal Church * Erste Deutsche Evangelische Kirche * Alexander Eustace House * Fire Station No. 4 * William S. Gerity House *

F. M. Howell and Company F.M. Howell and Company is a late nineteenth-century manufacturing complex located on the banks of the Chemung River in Elmira, New York. F.M. Howell & Company was founded in 1883 in Elmira, New York by Fred M. Howell and John Aldrich. In its earl ...

* John W. Jones House * Maple Avenue Historic District * Near Westside Historic District *

Newtown Battlefield State Park Newtown Battlefield State Park, formerly known as Newtown Battlefield Reservation, was the site of the Battle of Newtown fought in August 1779, during the American Revolutionary War. It was the only major battle of the Sullivan Expedition, an arm ...

* Park Church * Pentecostal Holy Temple Church of Jesus Christ * Pratt House *

Quarry Farm Quarry Farm is located on East Hill overlooking Elmira, New York and the Chemung River Valley. In 1869, Jervis Langdon purchased the property as a vacation home for his family. When he died the following year, it was inherited by his eldest daug ...

* St. Patrick's Parochial Residence-Convent and School * Trinity Church * Woodlawn Cemetery and Woodlawn National Cemetery

Notable people

Tedd Arnold Tedd Arnold (born January 20, 1949 in Elmira, New York, United States) is a children's book writer and illustrator. He has written and illustrated over 100 books, and he has won the Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor for his books "Hi! Fly Guy!" (200 ...

, author and illustrator * John Arnot, Jr., politician, Civil War soldier * Charlie Baker, Governor of Massachusetts * Ray W. Barker, Major General, US Army * James R. Beckwith, Wisconsin state assembly * Simeon Benjamin (1792—1868), businessman, philanthropist, and benefactor of Elmira College *

(1827–1920) known as the "Father of prison reform," directed the Elmira Reformatory * Olivia "Livy" Langdon Clemens, wife of Mark Twain * Chip Coffey, psychic, television personality *

Frederick Collin Frederick Collin (August 2, 1850 – November 26, 1939) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. Life Frederick Collin born in Benton, New York, the third son of Henry Clark Collin and Maria Louise (Park) Collin. He graduated from Yal ...

, lawyer, judge, Mayor of Elmira * Eileen Collins, astronaut *

Harriet Maxwell Converse Harriet Maxwell Converse (née, Harriet Arnot Maxwell; Seneca clan name, Gayaneshaoh; Seneca tribal name, “Ya-ie-wa-noh, meaning ‘she watches over us.’” (11 January 1836 - 18 November 1903) was an American author of Scottish and Irish he ...

, author, folklorist, Native American civil rights advocate * Clara Cook, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player * Ernie Davis, football player, first African-American Heisman Trophy winner (1961) * Alexander S. Diven, former US Army officer and Congressman * Cullen Douglas, actor, director and producer *

Stan Drulia Stanley W. Drulia (born January 5, 1968) is an American former professional right winger and a scout for the Nashville Predators of the NHL as of December, 2018. Playing career Prior to his mid-season hiring in Milwaukee he was the head coach of ...

, ice hockey player and coach * Jacob Sloat Fassett, politician * Clyde Fitch, playwright * Thomas S. Flood, former US Congressman * Dan Forrest, Jr., composer * John Franchi, mixed martial arts fighter * Henry Friendly, judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit *

Burt Gillett Burton F. Gillett (October 15, 1891 – December 28, 1971) was a director of animated films. He is noted for his Silly Symphonies work for Disney, particularly the 1932 short film ''Flowers and Trees'' and the 1933 short film ''Three Little Pi ...

, director of animated films *

Charles Tomlinson Griffes Charles Tomlinson Griffes ( ; September 17, 1884 – April 8, 1920) was an American composer for piano, chamber ensembles and voice. His initial works are influenced by German Romanticism, but after he relinquished the German style, his lat ...

, composer * Sam Groom, actor * Jason Butler Harner, actor * Bud Heine, former Baseball player for the New York Giants. *

Lewis Henry Lewis Henry (June 8, 1885 – July 23, 1941) was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. Henry was born in Elmira, New York. He graduated from Cornell University in 1909, where he was a member of The Kap ...

, former US Congressman *

Bruce Heyman Bruce Alan Heyman (born 1958) is an American businessman and a former United States Ambassador to Canada. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 12, 2014. He presented his credentials to the Governor General of Canada, and began his dutie ...

, U.S. Ambassador to Canada *

, fashion designer * Molly Huddle, Olympic runner * John W. Jones, underground railroad agent *

Matt Knowles Matt may refer to: *Matt (name), people with the given name ''Matt'' or Matthew, meaning "gift from God", or the surname Matt *In British English, of a surface: having a non-glossy finish, see gloss (material appearance) *Matt, Switzerland, a mu ...

, pro wrestler * Warren D. Leary, Wisconsin State Assemblyman and newspaper publisher *

Kirt Manwaring Kirt Dean Manwaring (born July 15, 1965) is an American former professional baseball player. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from through , most prominently as a member of the San Francisco Giants, with whom he played for the majo ...

, former Major League Baseball player *

Charles Thomas McMillen Charles Thomas McMillen (born May 26, 1952) is an American politician, businessman, and retired professional basketball player. A Rhodes Scholar, McMillen represented Maryland's 4th congressional district from January 3, 1987 to January 3, 1993 ...

, basketball player, politician *

Norman A. Mordue Norman A. Mordue (born June 26, 1942) is a Senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York. Military service, education and career Mordue earned the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, an ...

, QB Syracuse University. Served with 1stAirCav Viet Nam. Currently U.S. Federal Judge 3rd District, Syracuse, NY *

Anna Campbell Palmer Anna Campbell Palmer (, Campbell; pen names, Mrs. George Archibald and Mrs. George Archibald Palmer; February 3, 1854 – June 18, 1928) was an American author and editor. Disliking publicity, she wrote constantly under a great number of ''nom d ...

(1854–1928), author, editor * William P. Perry, producer and composer * Aurora Phelps, land reformer, labor leader, women's rights advocate * Beth Phoenix, WWE Hall of Famer * Jeanine Pirro, television host, author, and former

New York State New York, officially the State of New York, is a state in the Northeastern United States. It is often called New York State to distinguish it from its largest city, New York City. With a total area of , New York is the 27th-largest U.S. sta ...

judge, prosecutor, and politician * Jeff Plate, drummer for Trans-Siberian Orchestra * Margaret L. Plunkett (1906-2000), labor economist, diplomat *

, film producer * Jane Roberts, writer and psychic - (1929–1984), author, psychic and trance or spirit medium. * Hosea H. Rockwell, former US Congressman *

Francis Asbury Roe Francis Asbury Roe (October 4, 1823 – December 28, 1901) was an admiral in the United States Navy who served during the American Civil War. Biography Born in Elmira, New York, Roe entered the United States Navy as a midshipman on October 19 ...

, naval officer * Alice J. Shaw, whistling performer in vaudeville * Frederick B. Shaw, U.S. Army brigadier general * Joey Sindelar, pro golfer * Horace B. Smith, former US Congressman * Esther Baker Steele (1835–1911), educator, author, traveler, philanthropist *

Joel Dorman Steele Joel Dorman Steele (May 14, 1836 – May 25, 1886) was an American educator. He and his wife Esther Baker Steele were important textbook writers of their period, on subjects including American history, chemistry, human physiology, physics, ...

, educator, writer * John Surratt, son of

Mary Surratt Mary Elizabeth Jenkins SurrattCashin, p. 287.Steers, 2010, p. 516. (1820 or May 1823 – July 7, 1865) was an American boarding house owner in Washington, D.C., who was convicted of taking part in the conspiracy which led to the assassi ...

Art Sykes Arthur S. Sykes, (July 3, 1913 - January 24, 1996), known as Artie, was an American boxer from Elmira, New York. Sykes made his professional debut in 1933. In 1934, he was defeated by a young Joe Louis. Later in his career, he lost to Hall of Fame ...

, boxer * Mark Twain, writer * Asher Tyler, former US Congressman * Lewis Sayre Van Duzer, US Navy officer * Antha Minerva Virgil, composer and inventor * John Joseph Wantuck, US Marine awarded Navy Cross * Bob Waterfield, college and pro football player, husband of actress Jane Russell * Brian Williams, television news anchor * Jason Wise, actor * Don Zimmer, Major League Baseball player and manager

References

External links

City of Elmira website

Chemung County Chamber of Commerce

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20000928230336/http://www.civilwarhistory.com/ElmiraPrison/Elmira.htm Union Civil War Prison at Elmira
John W. Jones Museum
{{Authority control Elmira, New York Cities in New York (state) County seats in New York (state) Populated places established in 1791 Cities in Chemung County, New York 1791 establishments in New York (state)