Lancaster is a

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

in Erie County,

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. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 10,352. It is part of the Buffalo–

Niagara Falls Niagara Falls () is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the border between the province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York in the United States. The largest of the three is Horseshoe Falls, ...

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 town, incorporate ...

. The village of Lancaster is in the west part of the town of Lancaster and is east of Buffalo. The Lancaster Opera House is locally famous for its musicals and stage plays. The current mayor is Lynne T. Ruda.

History

The Village of Lancaster was incorporated in 1849 from part of the town of Lancaster. Lancaster is the third oldest incorporated village in Erie County, behind Springville and Gowanda. The village is proud of its historic past and emphasizes preservation of its historic buildings. Lancaster was formerly known as "Cayuga Creek". Lancaster is one of approximately 30 communities in

with historic districts. The oldest house in the village is the Carpenter–Draper House, built in 1831. The Lancaster Presbyterian Church is the second oldest religious structure in Erie County, built in 1832. Churches in the village include Lancaster Presbyterian Church, St. John's Lutheran, Trinity Episcopal, and Faith United Methodist. Catholic churches include St. Mary of the Assumption and Our Lady of Pompeii. In 1894 the Lancaster Opera House was built. This building is still the main focus of the downtown Lancaster area because of its massive size and its clock tower. Lancaster Town offices are located in the building. This leads people to call the building both the Opera House and Town Hall. The Central Avenue/Broadway area is the downtown business area in the village. The former West Main Street was at one time another major business street in the downtown area. However, today very few businesses are located on the street due to its demolition in the early 1970s. In the near future, West Main will be re-extended all the way to the intersection of Aurora, North Aurora, and St. Mary's streets, as it had before the demolition. Four railroads (Erie RR, Lehigh Valley RR, Delaware, Lackawanna and Western RR, and New York Central RR) once traversed the village, but only two remain. The fifth railroad in the town of Lancaster, the West Shore RR, did not go through the village, but did have a station in Bowmansville, a hamlet in the northwestern part of the town. Each railroad had a station on Central Ave. A trolley once went through the village, down Como Park Boulevard from Buffalo, to Lake Avenue, to Church Street, to East Main Street (now Broadway), to Central Avenue, and then finally to Sawyer Avenue. The trolley then continued into the connecting village of Depew, where Sawyer Avenue turned into Main Street. Several fires have caused damage over the years to the downtown area. The Great Fire of 1894 destroyed much of the west side of Central Avenue and the Grimes-Davis Mansion, which stood at the corner of Broadway and Central Avenue. A gas station now occupies the site. The village includes part of

Como Lake Park Como Lake Park is a park in Erie County, in the U.S. state of New York. The park is located along the banks of Cayuga Creek in both the village and town of Lancaster, approximately east of the city of Buffalo. It is operated by the Erie Coun ...

, owned and operated by Erie County Church Street, a street off Broadway, contains many architecturally significant homes. Lancaster's first immigrants were Dutch. Germans came in the mid-1800s, who founded St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church. Italian immigrants were the last to populate the village area. They founded Our Lady of Pompeii Catholic Church. St.

John Neumann John Nepomucene Neumann (german: link=no, Johann Nepomuk Neumann, cs, Jan Nepomucký Neumann; March 28, 1811 – January 5, 1860) was a Catholic priest from Bohemia. He immigrated to the United States in 1836, where he was ordained, joined t ...

was a circuit priest in the mid-1800s around the Buffalo area. St. Mary of the Assumption Church (St. Mary's on the Hill) was one of his stops. He celebrated mass there once a month. St. John Neumann played a big part in the building of the church and school.

Geography

Lancaster is located at (42.900408, −78.67303), on

Cayuga Creek Cayuga Creek is a small stream in western New York, United States, with stretches in both Erie County and Wyoming County. The creek enters Buffalo Creek in the northwest corner of the Town of West Seneca in Erie County, just upstream from the N ...

and

U.S. Route 20 U.S. Route 20 or U.S. Highway 20 (US 20) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway that stretches from the Pacific Northwest east to New England. The "0" in its route number indicates that US 20 is a major coast-to-coast route. S ...

(Broadway). The village's northern boundary is Walden Avenue, the eastern edge is Walter Winter Road, and the southern edge is the northern boundary of the former Buffalo Creek Indian Reservation. The western boundary is a former farm-lot line which is now Brunswick Road. 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 village has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.24%, is water.

Historic buildings

The following structures are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places listings in Erie County, New York This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Erie County, New York. This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Erie County, New York, United ...

Bruce-Briggs Brick Block Bruce—Briggs Brick Block is a historic rowhouse block located at Lancaster in Erie County, New York. It is a mid-19th century brick structure unique in Western New York, which incorporates both Greek Revival and Italianate style decorative de ...

, DePew Lodge No. 823, Free and Accepted Masons, Clark-Lester House, John Richardson House, Lancaster Municipal Building,

Liebler-Rohl Gasoline Station Liebler—Rohl Gasoline Station is a historic filling station located at Lancaster in Erie County, New York. It is the Village of Lancaster's sole example of historic 20th century roadside commercial architecture. It is in the Tudor Revival style ...

, Miller-Mackey House,

Dr. John J. Nowak House Dr. John J. Nowak House is a historic home located at Lancaster in Erie County, New York. It is a locally significant and distinct example of the Spanish Revival style built for Dr. John J. Nowak in 1930. Several additions were built throughou ...

, John P. Sommers House, US Post Office-Lancaster,

Herman B. VanPeyma House Herman B. VanPeyma House is a historic home located at Lancaster in Erie County, New York. It is a locally significant distinct example of the eclectic architecture featuring the Queen Anne style, built circa 1890. It was built for Herman Bo ...

, and

Zuidema-Idsardi House Zuidema-Idsardi House is a historic home located at Lancaster in Erie County, New York. It is a locally significant and distinct example of the vernacular interpretation of Italianate style, incorporating elements of Eastlake movement ornamenta ...

Points of interest

Central Avenue in the downtown area is the busiest street in the village, along with Broadway. The downtown area contains shops and boutiques. See Central Avenue Historic District.

in the village is a place to congregate. The lighthouse in Como Lake Park on Cayuga Creek is a place for people of many ages to gather. Broadway has many large houses and mansions that are architecturally significant. Many of these houses have been changed into businesses and offices. Broadway also contains many historical Protestant churches. See Broadway Historic District. St. Mary's Cemetery is a historic cemetery located behind St. Mary of the Assumption Church. Lancaster Town Hall, also known as the Opera House, is located on Central Avenue. The Lancaster Municipal Building is located on Broadway. It contains all of the village offices, including one of the two village fire halls. The other fire hall is located on W. Drullard Avenue. Keysa Park contains a public swimming pool. It is located on Vandenburg Avenue.

Streets in Lancaster

Many of the streets in Lancaster are very large and wide, complemented with large, old trees. Broadway has the oldest trees, while Burwell and Sawyer avenues are the widest residential streets. Most of Central Avenue north of Sawyer Avenue and south of Hinchey Avenue is below grade level. The reason for this is that three of the four bridges that carry railroads are very close together. All of the streets coming into Central Avenue must slant downwards toward it. The houses on Central Avenue are above street level. Central Avenue is also very wide. Many of Lancaster's streets still contain original brick underneath the pavement.

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 11,188 people, 4,726 households, and 2,958 families residing in the village. 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 4,155.0 people per square mile (5.8/km²). There were 4,908 housing units at an average density of 1,822.7 per square mile (704.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.62%

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 ...

, 0.32%

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 ...

, 0.26% Native American, 0.13%

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 ...

, 0.01%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 0.18% from

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

, and 0.47% 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 0.81% of the population. There were 4,726 households, out of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% 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, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.4% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.99. In the village, the population was spread out, with 22.6% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.9 males. The median income for a household in the village was $40,149, and the median income for a family was $53,514. Males had a median income of $39,772 versus $25,839 for females. The

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

for the village was $20,308. About 3.1% of families and 5.1% 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 t ...

, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

Major highways

(Broadway), an east-west highway running through the village and town of Lancaster. *

New York State Route 952Q New York State Route 952Q (NY 952Q) is an unsigned reference route (New York), reference route designation for the portion of Walden Avenue outside of the Buffalo, New York, Buffalo city limits in Erie County, New York, in the United Stat ...

(Walden Ave.), an east-west highway through the village and town of Lancaster. Walden Avenue is the longest non-parkway New York State Reference Route. Walden's reference route number is not signed, but still has reference markers, and is maintained by New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) as other signed routes are.

References

External links

Lancaster village official website

Lancaster Information
{{authority control Villages in New York (state) Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area Villages in Erie County, New York