Groton is a

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 ori ...

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 President ...

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

, United States. The population was 5,950 at the 2010 census. The name is taken from

Groton, Massachusetts Groton is a town in northwestern Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, within the Greater Boston metropolitan area. The population was 11,315 at the 2020 census. It is home to two prep schools: Lawrence Academy at Groton, founded in 17 ...

. The Town of Groton contains a village, also called Groton. The town is in the northeast corner of the county and is northeast of

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 ...

. As well as a village, the Town of Groton also includes a former school, Groton High School, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.

History

Groton was in the former

Central New York Military Tract The Military Tract of Central New York, also called the New Military Tract, consisted of nearly of bounty land set aside in Central New York to compensate New York's soldiers after their participation in the Revolutionary War. Establishment Th ...

. The town was formed in 1817, before the formation of Tompkins County, from the Town of Locke (in

Cayuga County Cayuga County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 76,248. Its county seat and largest city is Auburn. The county was named for the Cayuga people, one of the Indian tribes in the Iroquois Confeder ...

) as the "Town of Division." Many of the early residents from New England elected to change the name to "Groton." In 1888, the community of Groton separated from the town by incorporating as a village. Groton was also home to the original Corona Typewriter Company which later merged to form

Smith Corona Smith Corona is an American manufacturer of thermal labels, direct thermal labels, and thermal ribbons used in warehouses for primarily barcode labels. Once a large U.S. typewriter and mechanical calculator manufacturer, it expanded aggressively ...

Geography

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 the ...

, the town has a total area of . of it is farmland and of it (0.10%) is water. The north town line is the border of

, and the east side town line is the border of

Cortland County Cortland County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of Cortland County was 46,809. The county seat is Cortland, New York, C ...

. The southern border is with the Town of Dryden and the western border with the Town of Lansing. Groton is in the

Finger Lakes The Finger Lakes are a group of eleven long, narrow, roughly north–south lakes located south of Lake Ontario in an area called the ''Finger Lakes region'' in New York, in the United States. This region straddles the northern and transitional ...

region of central New York State. North-south

New York State Route 38 New York State Route 38 (NY 38) is a north–south state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. Its southern terminus is at an intersection with NY 96 in the town of Owego in Tioga County. The nort ...

intersects

New York State Route 222 New York State Route 222 (NY 222) is a east–west state highway in central New York in the United States. It runs from an intersection with NY 38 in the village of Groton in northeastern Tompkins County to a junction with the ...

at Groton village.

New York State Route 34B New York State Route 34B (NY 34B) is a north–south state highway located within Tompkins and Cayuga counties in Central New York in the United States. Its northern terminus is located at a junction with NY 34 by the hamlet of Fl ...

is an east–west highway by the south town line.

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 incl ...

of 2000, there were 5,794 people, 2,168 households, and 1,543 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 2,287 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.38%

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 on ...

, 0.64%

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 have o ...

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 ...

, 0.09% Native American, 0.24%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.26% 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 1.40% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, 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 Vic ...

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 0.79% of the population. There were 2,168 households, out of which 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.8% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.09. In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.1% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males. The median income for a household in the town was $42,407, and the median income for a family was $50,057. Males had a median income of $31,890 versus $23,642 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 town was $18,075. About 4.8% of families and 6.0% 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 7.3% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.

2020 Census

As of the

of 2020, there were 5,746 people, 2,372 households, and an unknown number of families residing in the town. 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 RosenberPopul ...

was . There were 2,561 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 88.06%

, 1.02%

, 0.29% Native American, 0.71%

, 1.53% from

, and 8.37% from two or more races.

of any race were 3.72% of the population. An estimated 18.0% were of German ancestry, 13.3% English, 12.3% Irish, and 7.8% Italian. There were 2,372 households, out of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.5% were married couples living together, 18.8% had a female householder with no spouse/partner present, and 15.9% had a male householder with no spouse/ partner present. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.86. In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.7% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 34.8% from 15 to 44, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.7 years. The median income for a household in the town was $59,625, and the median income for a family was $77,738. The per capita income for the town was $29,571. About 5.5% of the population is below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in the Town of Groton

*Benson Corners – A location in the southwest part of the town. *Carey Corners – A location northeast of Fitts Corners. *Fitts Corners – A

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

near the south town line. * Groton – The Village of Groton at NY-38 and NY-222. *Groton City – a partial ghost town in the northeast part of Groton on County Road 103. It has about 10-20 residents and was formerly known as "Slab City." *Grotto – A hamlet in the southeast part of the town. *Harts Corners – A location on the south town line, south of Fitts Corners. *Lafayette Corners – A hamlet east of Groton village on NY-222. *Ludlow Corners – A location in the southwest part of Groton. *McLean – A hamlet in the southeast part of the town. *Morton Corners – A hamlet northeast of Groton village. *Mosher Corners – A hamlet west of Groton village on NY-222. *Mud Schoolhouse Corners – A location in the southeast part of Groton on County Road 180. *Nubia – A hamlet south of Lafayette Corners. *Peruton – A hamlet at the south town line. *Peruville – A hamlet near the south town line. Mayor Jacob K Becker currently residing. *Pierson Corners – A location east of West Groton. *Pleasant Valley – A hamlet in the southwest part of Groton. *Stevens Corners – A location north of McLean. *West Groton – A hamlet in the northwest corner of Groton.

Notable people

* David Bradley, businessman and a pioneer plowman *

Terrence C. Graves Terrence Collinson Graves (6 July 1945 – 16 February 1968) was a United States Marine Corps officer who was Posthumous recognition, posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his "outstanding courage, superb leadership and indomitable fighting ...

, officer in the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

who was awarded the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

Sylvester Pennoyer Sylvester Pennoyer (July 6, 1831May 30, 1902) was an American educator, attorney, and politician in Oregon. He was born in Groton (town), New York, Groton, New York (state), New York, attended Harvard Law School, and moved to Oregon at age 25. A H ...

, educator, attorney, and politician; served as

Governor of Oregon The governor of Oregon is the head of government of Oregon and serves as the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. ter ...

from 1886 to 1895

References

External links

Town of Groton, NY

{{authority control Towns in Tompkins County, New York Towns in New York (state) Populated places established in 1817 1817 establishments in New York (state)