Port Byron 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
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 ...
,
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 1,290 at the
2010 census.
It is in the town of
Mentz and is north of
Auburn
Auburn may refer to:
Places Australia
* Auburn, New South Wales
* City of Auburn, the local government area
*Electoral district of Auburn
*Auburn, Queensland, a locality in the Western Downs Region
*Auburn, South Australia
*Auburn, Tasmania
*Aub ...
.
History
Settlers began arriving around 1797. Originally known as "King's Settlement", then Bucksville, finally, the name was changed to Port Byron in 1825 as it became a port on the
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a historic canal in upstate New York that runs east-west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie. Completed in 1825, the canal was the first navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, vastly reducing t ...
. It has been suggested that the new name may have been chosen in reference to
Lord Byron
George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824), known simply as Lord Byron, was an English romantic poet and Peerage of the United Kingdom, peer. He was one of the leading figures of the Romantic movement, and h ...
, the English romantic poet who had died the previous year, however there is no definitive proof of this.
Later, when the canal route was changed in 1856, the village was a railroad town. The village was incorporated in 1837.
The
Erie Canal Lock 52 Complex
Erie Canal Lock 52 Complex is a national historic district located at Port Byron and Mentz in Cayuga County, New York. The district includes two contributing buildings (the Erie House and the blacksmith shop / mule barn); three contributing en ...
was 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 v ...
in 1998.
The New York Central Railroad named a Sleeper car after the town.
Notable people
There are a number of people who can trace their roots back to Port Byron or who settled here for a while. Before he was a leader of the
Mormon
Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...
faith,
Brigham Young
Brigham Young (; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second President of the Church (LDS Church), president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), from 1847 until his ...
lived here in the early 1830s. He was a painter and builder. One of the early buildings he lived in still exists on Pine Street.
Henry Wells
Henry Wells (December 12, 1805 – December 10, 1878) was an American businessman important in the history of both the American Express Company and Wells Fargo & Company. Wells worked as a freight agent before joining the express business. Hi ...
of "
Wells and Fargo" fame also lived here in the early 1830s. We can trace
Isaac Singer
Isaac Merritt Singer (October 27, 1811 – July 23, 1875) was an American inventor, actor, and businessman. He made important improvements in the design of the sewing machine and was the founder of what became one of the first American multi-n ...
of sewing machine fame here in 1837, when he was better known for his acting than his machinery skills. Sculptor
Byron Pickett
Byron Pickett (born 11 August 1977) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played with three clubs in the AFL. He was known as a big game player as well as for his strength, hard bumps and tough approach to the game. Pickett ...
lived here in the 1840s, and his family is buried in the local cemetery. Clara Barrus trained in
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
to become a doctor. She is better known as the aid and biographer of naturalist
John Burroughs
John Burroughs (April 3, 1837 – March 29, 1921) was an American naturalist and nature essayist, active in the conservation movement in the United States. The first of his essay collections was ''Wake-Robin'' in 1871.
In the words of his bio ...
. She also wrote a book about her childhood, titled ''A Life Unveiled'', written under the name "A Child of the Drumlins". Actress Kittie Rhoades was raised here, and she kept a summer house nearby. She is buried in the local cemetery. Opera singer
Richard Bonelli
Richard Bonelli (born George Richard Bunn; 6 February 1889 – 7 June 1980) was an American operatic baritone active from 1915 to the late 1970s. Although he sang predominantly on stage in both light and grand operas, he also performed at vario ...
was born here as Jacob Bunn. Physicist Dr. Francis Eugene Nipher, a professor at
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis (WashU or WUSTL) is a private research university with its main campus in St. Louis County, and Clayton, Missouri. Founded in 1853, the university is named after George Washington. Washington University is r ...
, is well known for his early work on the effect of electrical charges on attractive and repulsive forces.
Mel Hall
Mel, Mels or MEL may refer to:
Biology
* Mouse erythroleukemia cell line (MEL)
* National Herbarium of Victoria, a herbarium with the Index Herbariorum code MEL
People
* Mel (given name), the abbreviated version of several given names (including ...
played baseball at Port Byron prior to his MLB career; he was drafted in the 1978 draft by the
Cubs. Edward G. Delaney, an aerospace scientist and mechanical engineer who worked on the iconic Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space programs is a Port Byron High School Hall of Fame member and 1948 graduate.
Mark Jindrak
Mark Robert Jindrak (born June 26, 1977) is an American businessman, former professional wrestler, and actor. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as Mark Jindrak and ...
also graduated from the high school.
Geography
Port Byron is located at (43.0368, -76.6254).
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 2.91%, is water.
The village is at the junction of Routes
31 and
38. The
New York State Thruway
{{Infobox road
, state = NY
, type = NYST
, alternate_name = Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway
, maint = NYSTA
, map = {{maplink, frame=yes, plain=yes, frame-align=center, frame-width=290, type=line, stroke-width=2, type2=line, from2=New Yor ...
passes through the northwest corner of the village but with no direct access. The
Owasco Outlet
Owasco River (also known as Owasco Creek, Owasco Lake Outlet, and Owasco Outlet) is a river in Cayuga County in the state of New York. The river drains Owasco Lake at Auburn and flows in a north-northwest direction before converging with the S ...
flows northward from
Owasco Lake
Owasco Lake is the sixth largest and third easternmost of the Finger Lakes of New York in the United States. It is part of the traditional territory of the Cayuga nation.
History
Owasco Lake's name may have been derived from the Iroquois word ' ...
to the
Seneca River through the village. It provided substantial water power to the early village.
Demographics
As of the census
of 2000, there were 1,297 people, 501 households, and 350 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 1,287.7 people per square mile (495.8/km
2). There were 527 housing units at an average density of 523.2 per square mile (201.5/km
2). The racial makeup of the village was 95.22%
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 ...
, 1.54%
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, 0.15%
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 ...
, 1.23% 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 1.46% 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 ...
or
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 2.16% of the population.
There were 501 households, out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the village, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $35,625, and the median income for a family was $37,054. Males had a median income of $30,875 versus $20,404 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 $15,741. About 11.0% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.3% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.
References
External links
Village of Port Byron official website
{{authority control
Villages in New York (state)
Populated places established in 1797
Villages in Cayuga County, New York
1797 establishments in New York (state)