Gowanda is a

village A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban v ...

in western

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

, United States. It lies partly in Erie County and partly in

Cattaraugus County Cattaraugus County (locally known as Catt County) is a county in Western New York, with one side bordering Pennsylvania. As of the United States 2020 census, the population was 77,042. The county seat is Little Valley. The county was created ...

. The population was 2,513 at the 2020 census. The name is derived from a local

Seneca language Seneca (; in Seneca, , or ) is the language of the Seneca people, one of the Six Nations of the (Iroquois League); it is an Iroquoian language, spoken at the time of contact in the western part of New York. While the name ''Seneca'', attested ...

term meaning "almost surrounded by hills" or "a valley among the hills". The Erie County portion of Gowanda is part of the

Buffalo Buffalo most commonly refers to: * True buffalo or Bubalina, a subtribe of wild cattle, including most "Old World" buffalo, such as water buffalo * Bison, a genus of wild cattle, including the American buffalo * Buffalo, New York, a city in the n ...

–

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 state of New York (s ...

metropolitan statistical area, while the Cattaraugus County portion is part of the Olean micropolitan statistical area. The village is partly in the Town of Collins in Erie County and partly in the Town of

Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

in Cattaraugus County. Bordering Gowanda is the

Cattaraugus Reservation Cattaraugus Reservation is an Indian reservation of the federally recognized Seneca Nation of Indians, formerly part of the Iroquois Confederacy located in New York. As of the 2000 census, the Indian reservation had a total population of 2,412. Its ...

, which has a majority population of Seneca. Numerous European Americans live on the reservation in leased properties. Gowanda Airport (D59) is a general-aviation grass strip. It is part of the Gernatt Family of Companies' land, located northwest of the village.

Zoar Valley Zoar Valley is an area of deep gorges along the Main and South branches of Cattaraugus Creek in western New York (state), New York, United States. The valley is located along the border of Erie County, New York, Erie County and Cattaraugus Count ...

Cattaraugus Creek Cattaraugus Creek is a stream, approximately long, in western New York in the United States. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the village has a total area of , of which , or 1.00%, is covered by water. The village is split by

Cattaraugus Creek Cattaraugus Creek is a stream, approximately long, in western New York in the United States.US 62 U.S. Route 62 or U.S. Highway 62 (US 62) is an east–west United States Highway in the southern and northeastern United States. It runs from the Mexican border at El Paso, Texas, to Niagara Falls, New York, near the Canadian bo ...

, Broadway Road (County Road 4), NY 39, and NY 438. The NFTA provided bus service in the area until it abandoned the route in 2011. The Seneca Transit System began serving the village in 2013. The New York & Lake Erie Railroad has a depot in Gowanda, from which it runs both freight and occasional passenger rail service. The

is located to the northwest of the village.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, 2,842 people, 1,161 households, and 667 families were residing in the village. The population density was . There were 1,277 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 62.47%%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.49%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 41.54% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.21% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 1.41% of the population. There were 1,161 households, out of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.1% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.5% were non-families. 36.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.98. In the village, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 23.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males. The median income for a household in the village was $29,565, and the median income for a family was $39,094. Males had a median income of $32,279 versus $25,281 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the village was $16,323. About 9.5% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.2% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.

History

Early habitation by American Indians

The area was first inhabited during the Stone Age by nomadic

Algonquian peoples The Algonquians are one of the most populous and widespread North American indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous American groups, consisting of the peoples who speak Algonquian languages. They historically were prominent along the East ...

.Kirby, C.D. (1976). ''The Early History of Gowanda and The Beautiful Land of the Cattaraugus''. Gowanda, NY: Niagara Frontier Publishing Company, Inc./Gowanda Area Bi-Centennial Committee, Inc. An Algonquian earthwork mound from the first or second

Stone Age The Stone Age was a broad prehistory, prehistoric period during which Rock (geology), stone was widely used to make stone tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years and ended b ...

is located on a farm in the area of Rosenberg along Zoar Valley near Gowanda. The mound is believed to be about 3,500 years old. Artifacts including spearheads, copper heads, and stone implements of a crude nature have been excavated from the site. In the latter half of the 14th century,

Iroquoian The Iroquoian languages () are a language family of indigenous peoples of North America. They are known for their general lack of labial consonants. The Iroquoian languages are polysynthetic and head-marking. As of 2020, almost all surviving I ...

-speaking peoples traveled to the area and lived along Cattaraugus Creek. They were proud, considering themselves to be "chosen people". Other tribes lived in the area around this time. The powerful nations of the Iroquois Confederacy defeated the

Erie people The Erie people were an Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands historically living on the south shore of Lake Erie. An Iroquoian-speaking tribe, they lived in what is now western New York, northwestern Pennsylvania, and northern Ohio b ...

(also an Iroquoian-speaking tribe), driving them out of the area or assimilating captives by adoption in certain clans. About this time, the Five Nations of the Confederacy coalesced as distinct peoples. They made a pact of cooperation rather than warfare. They controlled much of present-day New York state west of Albany and the Hudson River. After the Revolutionary War, the American government secured land treaties with the Iroquois nations in

western New York Western New York (WNY) is the westernmost region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. The eastern boundary of the region is not consistently defined by state agencies or those who call themselves "Western New Yorkers". Almost all so ...

in 1784 and 1788. Because the majority of the nations had been allies of the British, they were forced to cede most of their lands in New York after the British defeat and United States independence. In 1796 and 1797,

Robert Morris Robert or Bob Morris may refer to: :''Ordered chronologically within each section.'' Politics and the law * Robert Hunter Morris (1700–1764), lieutenant governor of Colonial Pennsylvania * Robert Morris (financier) (1734–1806), one of the Foun ...

purchased extensive lands in the upstate areas, mostly American Indian lands, and mortgaged them to the

Holland Land Company The Holland Land Company was an unincorporated syndicate of thirteen Dutch investors from Amsterdam,Kirby, C.D. (1976). ''The Early History of Gowanda and The Beautiful Land of the Cattaraugus''. Gowanda, NY: Niagara Frontier Publishing Company ...

Willem Willink Willem Willink (sometimes Wilhelm, Wilheim, or Wilhem) (1750 – 1841) was a wealthy Amsterdam merchant, and one of the investors in the Holland Land Company,Evans, Paul D (1924). ''The Holland Land Company.'' Buffalo Historical Society Publi ...

and 11 associates of

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...

in the Netherlands. Excluded from his purchases in 1797 were territories for ten American Indian reservations within the state, with the

of among these. Thereafter, two land offices of the Holland Land Company were opened in

Batavia, New York Batavia is a city in and the county seat of Genesee County, New York, United States. It is located near the center of the county, surrounded by the Town of Batavia, which is a separate municipality. Batavia's population, as of the 2020 census, ...

, and

Danby, Vermont Danby is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,284 at the 2020 census. Etymology According to the ''Vermont Encyclopedia'', Danby was most likely named for Thomas Osborne, Earl of Danby and Duke of Leeds."Danb ...

. Many early settlers to Gowanda were from the Danby area, and many were

Quakers Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestantism, Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally ...

Settlement and incorporation

Originally called "Aldrich's Mills" after the first European-American settler, Turner Aldrich, the European-American village was settled in 1810 and began to develop.''Historical Sketch of the Village of Gowanda, N.Y. in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of its incorporation, August 8, 1898''. Buffalo, NY: The Matthews-Northrup Company, Leonard, I.R., Reprinted 1998, Salem, MA: Higginson Book Company. He and his family of three sons and three daughters traveled up Cattaraugus Creek from

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

, taking of land, comprising a large portion of what is Gowanda today. Aldrich built a sawmill and in 1817 a gristmill. Records of farmers coming from a radius for their grain to be ground are held by the historical society. At that time, farmers and pioneers traveled along American Indian trails through the dense forest, with their wagons being pulled by oxen. Jacob Taylor, a Quaker

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thoma ...

from the Friends Yearly Meeting of

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, was sent in 1809 to serve the American Indians in the area. Taylor Hollow is named for him. In 1811, he built, owned, and operated a sawmill and gristmill. Other missionaries accompanied Taylor, and though they called themselves a "family," they were not related. The village later adopted the name "Lodi", though there was confusion in mail delivery due to " Lodi" in

Seneca County, New York Seneca County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 33,814. The primary county seat is Waterloo, moved there from the original county seat of Ovid in 1819. It became a two-shire county in 1822 ...

(the post office officially used the name "West Lodi" for what is now Gowanda to distinguish the two). When the village was incorporated, it dropped that name, although the post office retained the name "Persia." The Seneca in the area had once identified this place as ''Juc-Gowanda'', meaning "a valley among the hills". The settlers adopted the name ''"Gowanda"'' for the village. It was first incorporated in 1848, and was re-incorporated in 1878 under a new state regulation. At the latter time, the village extended its territory to annex the nearby hamlet of Hidi.

19th century

Most of the village in Erie County, made up of wooden buildings, was destroyed by a fire in 1856. Another fire in 1875 burned many businesses in the Cattaraugus part. A historical book about Gowanda identifies 120 men, including Caucasians and American Indians, who were Gowanda residents and who fought in the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, 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 policies.J ...

in New York regiments. The same book also identifies six men who had been Gowanda residents, but who enlisted and fought in the Civil War with regiments from

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

, and

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

. Long associated with Gowanda although located outside its boundaries, the Thomas Asylum for Orphan and Destitute Indian Children (also known as the "Thomas Indian School") was built following a gift of of land on the Cattaraugus Reservation. The school was incorporated in 1855. In June 1856, the institution opened and was immediately at capacity in housing 50 orphaned American Indian children. The Thomas Asylum housed and schooled orphaned American Indian children for decades, until the latter part of the twentieth century. In 1894, the Erie County Legislature passed an act that authorized establishment of the Homeopathic State Hospital (later known as the "Gowanda Psychiatric Center") in Gowanda and Collins. Erie County purchased of land for the hospital site, known as the "Taylor tract". When the State Care Act was effected in 1894, the land was transferred to the State of New York, which conveyed it to the state hospital. Since the late 20th century, the facility has been adapted for use as a correctional center. It borders Taylor Hollow Road in Gowanda. The road was named for the original owner of the land that was purchased and used for the State Hospital.

20th century

Tanning and glue industries

Important industries that flourished in Gowanda during the twentieth century, but which also polluted the adjoining Cattaraugus Creek, included the

Peter Cooper Peter Cooper (February 12, 1791April 4, 1883) was an American industrialist, inventor, philanthropist, and politician. He designed and built the first American steam locomotive, the ''Tom Thumb (locomotive), Tom Thumb'', founded the Cooper Union ...

Corporation Glue Factory and the Moench Tannery.Community gets gift of Hollywood Theater for restoration
''Buffalo News - Southern Tier Edition'', Buffalo, NY: Berkshire Hathaway, December 16, 1996, O'Brien, B. , Accessdate November 2, 2013. The first

tannery Tanning, or hide tanning, is the process of treating skins and hides of animals to produce leather. A tannery is the place where the skins are processed. Historically, vegetable based tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound derived fr ...

in Gowanda was begun by Samuel T. Munger in 1829, although one was already in operation by Smith Bartlett since 1815 in Collins. In 1829, to tan one side of leather in six months was considered quick work. Other tanneries in operation in Gowanda were by the Benton Brothers; K. Webster (which was purchased by Agle & Sons in 1860); and Albert Gaensslen. In 1852, Albert Gaensslen converted the former wool factory in Gowanda to a leather plant with 12 liquor vats. The Gaensslen Brothers tannery manufactured only shoe sole leather. Gaensslen Brothers tannery was established in 1855; reorganizing as Gaensslen, Fisher & Company in 1896, following the partnership with E.C. Fisher. In 1879, the Gaensslen Brothers tannery "included 250 liquor vats and shipped 20,000 sides of sole leather to

Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...

each year." Additionally, the Agle & Sons tannery was expanded, containing 40 liquor vats and annually finishing 700 sides of leather by 1879. A

glue factory Animal glue is an adhesive that is created by prolonged boiling of animal connective tissue in a process called rendering. In addition to being used as an adhesive, it is used for coating and sizing, in decorative composition ornaments, and as ...

was originally started in association with the Gaensslen Brothers Tannery in 1874 in order to utilize the tanning waste. At that time, of glue was produced annually. The first construction of Richard Wilhelm's Eastern Tanners Glue Company plant began on May 5, 1904. In 1898, tanning factory waste from the now-reorganized Gaensslen, Fisher & Company tannery produced of glue. In 1899, the tannery was purchased by C. Moench & Sons. Although it was purchased by the Brown Shoe Company in 1925, it existed as the Moench Tanning Company, Incorporated.

America's glue capital

A 1976 historical book about Gowanda states that the Eastern Tanners Glue Company begun by Richard Wilhelm, and later purchased and operated by the Peter Cooper Corporations, was "the largest glue making plant in the world." Gowanda, therefore, was known as America's glue capital.

21st century

The

Bank of Gowanda Bank of Gowanda is a historic bank building located at Gowanda in Cattaraugus County, New York. It was built in 1914, to the designs of Edvard Moeller. It is a two-story, five-sided Neoclassical style building constructed of load bearing con ...

building and Gowanda Village Historic District are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. The historic Hollywood Theatre is also located in Gowanda.

Notable recent events

Cultural events and entertainment

Gowanda hosts the Hollywood Happening, bringing a focus to the historic and restored Hollywood Theatre.Village of Gowanda, NY: Bridging two counties, est. 1848
, ''VillageofGowanda.com'', Gowanda, NY, Retrieved November 12, 2013 It lasts from Friday to Sunday, usually the first weekend in June. Main Street of Gowanda is shut down for the event, which provides parking for numerous motorcycles and beer tents. Many local Western New York rock, country, and blues bands are featured. There are also several food and merchandise vendors who sponsor and participate in the event. Attendance for the 2008 Hollywood Happening was estimated to be around 22,000 people for the entire weekend. Beginning about 2000, the Harvest Heritage Festival has been held every year in the fall, with many local businesses and private home owners opening up their residences for historical garden tours. A

scarecrow A scarecrow is a decoy or mannequin that is often in the shape of a human. Humanoid scarecrows are usually dressed in old clothes and placed in open fields to discourage birds from disturbing and feeding on recently cast seed and growing crops. ...

contest is also held in which local businesses compete. Afterwards, the scarecrows are hung up around town to scare the children on

Halloween Halloween, or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve), is a celebration geography of Halloween, observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christianity, Western Christian f ...

. Gowanda also hosts Pine Hill Cemetery tours that are free and open to the public. The events usually last two hours, and are held every weekend during the month of October at midnight. Tours include period reenactments of those buried in the cemetery, and detailed stories of their lives. A staged reenactment of the 1861 murder of Private Lee Crawford and Beulah Snyder also takes place. Locally brewed Chuck Barlow's Millhouse Cider sponsors the event, and offers refreshments during the festivities. Parts of the 1987 comedy movie ''

Planes, Trains and Automobiles ''Planes, Trains and Automobiles'' is a 1987 American road trip comedy film written, produced, and directed by John Hughes and starring Steve Martin and John Candy. It tells the story of Neal Page, an uptight marketing executive, and Del Griff ...

'', starring

Steve Martin Stephen Glenn Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an American comedian, actor, writer, producer, and musician. Known for Steve Martin filmography, his work in comedy films, television, and #Discography, recording, he has received List of awards a ...

and

John Candy John Franklin Candy (October 31, 1950 – March 4, 1994) was a Canadian actor and comedian who is best known for his work in Hollywood (film industry), Hollywood films. Candy first rose to national prominence in the 1970s as a member of the Tor ...

, were filmed at the Gowanda Train Depot, as well as the Olympia Diner on Jamestown Street. The

New York and Lake Erie Railroad The New York & Lake Erie is a class III railroad operating in Western New York. The NYLE was formed in 1978 to operate a portion of former Erie trackage that Conrail no longer wanted. Today, the railroad operates between Gowanda to Cherry Cree ...

, a short rail line serving northwestern Cattaraugus County, is headquartered in Gowanda and offers freight and occasional passenger service.New York & Lake Erie Railroad
nylerr.com, Retrieved November 12, 2013

Flood of 2009 and related events

Throughout the years, Gowanda has regularly experienced

flood A flood is an overflow of water (list of non-water floods, or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are of significant con ...

ing. In August 2009, a great

flash flood A flash flood is a rapid flooding of low-lying areas: washes, rivers, dry lakes and depressions. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a severe thunderstorm, hurricane, or tropical storm, or by meltwater from ice and snow. Flash f ...

occurred in Gowanda and devastated much of the village.Gowanda to receive $700K in FEMA funding
''The Post-Journal'', Jamestown, NY: The Post Journal, January 31, 2014, Retrieved February 3, 2014.
''The Observer'', Dunkirk, NY, January 31, 2014, Retrieved February 10, 2014. One man drowned, and houses and cars were washed away. A total of two fatalities were caused directly from the flooding. During the flood, Gowanda's water

reservoir A reservoir (; ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam, usually built to water storage, store fresh water, often doubling for hydroelectric power generation. Reservoirs are created by controlling a watercourse that drains an existing body of wa ...

at Point Peter Road was completely destroyed, leaving the village without water. It was estimated that it would take one year to rebuild the reservoir. New York State declared the village a disaster site, as did President

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

FEMA The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Exec ...

was tapped to assist the town in rebuilding. In January 2014, it was announced by Governor

Andrew Cuomo Andrew Mark Cuomo ( , ; born December 6, 1957) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 56th governor of New York from 2011 until his resignation in 2021. A member of the Democratic Party and son of former governor Mario Cuomo, ...

that Gowanda would be compensated with $700,000 in monies from FEMA for expenses paid in rebuilding the village after the 2009 flood. The Tri-County Memorial Hospital (Tri-County) was devastated beyond repair during the 2009 flood, and was demolished.A change of plans: LERHSNY will not rebuild Tri-County in Perrysburg
''The Observer'', Dunkirk, NY: John D'Agostino, July 28, 2013, McDonnell, S., Retrieved November 12, 2013 Initial plans were to relocate the hospital to another location in Perrysburg out of the flood zone. The relocation would utilize $18.5 million in FEMA aid. TLC, the operators of Tri-County, would have needed to raise $2.3 million to fund the project. The proposal came under fire from residents of towns to the southeast, such as Cattaraugus and Little Valley, who noted that Gowanda is located less than from hospitals in either direction (

Dunkirk Dunkirk ( ; ; ; Picard language, Picard: ''Dunkèke''; ; or ) is a major port city in the Departments of France, department of Nord (French department), Nord in northern France. It lies from the Belgium, Belgian border. It has the third-larg ...

and Springville), while residents of Cattaraugus and Little Valley must travel or more to the nearest hospital (which, until the flood, was Tri-County). In July 2013, TLC announced it was abandoning its plans to reconstruct the hospital, noting that the existing hospitals in the region had more than enough capacity to meet demand, and would instead maintain an

urgent care An urgent care center (UCC), also known as an urgent treatment centre (UTC) in the United Kingdom, is a type of walk-in clinic focused on the delivery of urgent ambulatory care in a dedicated medical facility outside of a traditional emergency depa ...

facility in Gowanda. Gary Rhodes, interim CEO of Lake Erie Regional Health System of New York, stated that it would not be economical to rebuild the hospital due to declining revenues, decreasing area population, and because of other hospitals within the system being nearby. The hospital's closure had a significant negative impact on the village, leading to declines at several local businesses.

Flood of 2014

Gowanda experienced another flood, resulting in a state of emergency, when two waterways, Cattaraugus Creek and Thatcher Brook, flooded their banks in May 2014.Gowanda declares state of emergency due to flooding
''WGRZ.com'', Buffalo, NY: WGRZ, May 14, 2014, Retrieved May 14, 2014.Heavy rains flood Gowanda, Silver Creek, N. Collins
''The Buffalo News'', Buffalo, NY: Berkshire Hathaway, May 14, 2014, Retrieved May 14, 2014.Streets in Gowanda turn to rivers carrying mud
, ''WIVB.com'', Buffalo, NY: WIVB, May 13, 2014, Lenihan, E., Retrieved May 14, 2014. Two elderly residents were evacuated from their homes as a safety precaution. One elderly resident was hospitalized as a result of injuries sustained when a tree fell and she was hit; her injuries were not life-threatening. As a result of the flood, Gowanda's water reservoir was damaged and contaminated, being shut down. Residents were asked to conserve water and not use it for activities such as washing their cars. Mayor Heather McKeever stated that the most costly facet of clean-up from the flooding would likely be the reservoir's repair, with initial repair estimates of approximately $500,000 (~$ in ). Residents pumped flood waters from their basements, and semi-truck loads of mud were hauled away as part of clean-up efforts. Officials used a system called "Code Red" to notify residents to take precautions due to the rains. Residents were notified, electronically, at 7:30 am, and waterways had overflowed by 8:45 am. About 200 families in Gowanda were affected by the flooding, with 30 homes being flooded with water and mud. The children of Gowanda had school that day. The bus drivers were given a hard time about going on to certain closed roads.

Notable people

Albertus W. Catlin Brigadier General Albertus Wright Catlin (December 1, 1868 – May 31, 1933) was a United States Marine Corps general. He also was a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his services during the Occupation of Veracruz in 1914. Biography Early car ...

, US general * John Elliot, songwriter * Daniel Garnsey, former US congressman *

Joseph Giglio Joseph Giglio (born September 12, 1954) is an American politician, who served as a member of the New York State Assembly from 2005 through 2024. He first represented the 149th district from 2005 until 2012, before being redistricted to the 148th ...

, New York state assemblyman *

Gregory Lamberson Gregory Lamberson (born April 19, 1964) is an American filmmaker and author, and a member of the Producers Guild of America. He is known for writing novels such as ''Johnny Gruesome'' and the series ''The Jake Helman Files'', and for directing th ...

, film director and novelist *

Bill Paxon Leon William Paxon (born April 29, 1954) is an American lobbyist and former member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. From 1989 to 1999, he served five terms in Congress. Early life Paxon was born in Akron, New Yo ...

, former US congressman *

Jared Sidney Torrance Jared Sidney Torrance (August 3, 1852 or 1853 – March 29, 1921) was an American real estate developer, best known as the founder of Torrance in southwest Los Angeles County, California. Southern California Jared Torrance was born in Gowanda, New ...

, founder of

Torrance, California Torrance is a coastal city in the Los Angeles metropolitan area located in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, United States. The city is part of what is known as the South Bay (Los Angeles County), South Bay region of the metropolitan ...

Recreational areas

* Chang Hu Park – A memorial park dedicated to the late Drs. Chang and Hu who were influential in the town's planning and building process. * McIntosh Woods – Woods located between the town of Collins and the village of Gowanda. It was named due to the now wild McIntosh apple trees which were planted for the former psychiatric facility patients to enjoy. * Creekside Park – located along Cattaraugus Creek in the heart of Gowanda which was revitalized into a historic park area. *

– A scenic valley formed by Cattaraugus Creek upstream from Gowanda.

Correctional facilities

Formerly the Gowanda Psychiatric Center, the

Gowanda Correctional Facility The Gowanda Correctional Facility was a medium-security prison for men located in Gowanda, New York, United States., ''Webcitation.org'' from the original at ''Geocities.com'', November 1999, Retrieved 18 March 2014., ''PrisonTalk.com'', 9 Oc ...

, which opened in 1994, and the

Collins Correctional Facility Collins Correctional Facility is a medium security prison in Collins, New York in the United States., ''Webcitation.org'' from the original at ''Geocities.com'', November 1999, Retrieved 18 March 2014., ''PrisonTalk.com'', 9 October 2004, Retriev ...

, which opened in 1982, are north of the village., ''Webcitation.org'' from the original at ''Geocities.com'', November 1999, Retrieved March 18, 2014., ''PrisonTalk.com'', October 9, 2004, Retrieved March 18, 2014. They are medium security prisons, and overlook the village below. Gowanda Correctional facility housed more than 2,300 inmates, and was the second-largest prison in New York State. It featured one of the largest

sex offender A sex offender (sexual offender, sex abuser, or sexual abuser) is a person who has committed a Sex and the law, sex crime. What constitutes a sex crime differs by culture and legal jurisdiction. The majority of convicted sex offenders have convi ...

counseling programs of the New York State prison system.

Educational institutions

Gowanda Central School System - A public school system that includes Gowanda Central High and Middle Schools, Gowanda Elementary School, and Aldrich Street (primary) School. The high school is located to the west, just outside the village limits. Gowanda Christian Academy also operates in the village. Saint Joseph's School, a

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

institution, operated in the village until its closure in 2014.

References

External links

Village of Gowanda official website

Gowanda Area Historical Society & Museum

Gowanda Central School District

Gowanda Chamber of Commerce
{{authority control Villages in New York (state) Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area Villages in Cattaraugus County, New York Villages in Erie County, New York