Richford 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 ...
in
Tioga 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. The population was 1,052 at the 2020 census.
The town is named after Ezekial Rich, an early settler and benefactor of the town.
The Town of Richford is the northernmost town in the county and is southeast 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 ...
.
History
Settlement began around 1808 when Evan Harris brought his family here. Samuel Smith was the first to settle within the present village site in 1813. The first tavern was built in the village in 1817 at the site of the Richford Hotel (now the Richford Quickway) by Beriah Wells. Ezekial Rich moved to the town in 1821 when he purchased the tavern from Beriah Wells. He established a glove and mitten factory, and later opened a general store. The town was first formed from the
Town of Berkshire as the "Town of Arlington" in 1831. In 1832 it changed its name to the Town of Richford.
Local oral history links several properties in Richford with the
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. T ...
.
In 1816, the Catskill Turnpike was brought through the village on its route to Ithaca bringing considerable traffic to the village.
This was the dominant route into or out of the village until 1869, when the
Southern Central Railroad was completed between
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 ...
and
Owego.
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 which is land and (0.05%) is water.
The West Branch of the Owego Creek forms the western border of the town while the East Branch runs along the eastern edge of the village itself at the base of Geer Hill. Several spring-fed ponds exist on the hilltops, especially at Clarks.
A large portion of the town is hilly, with many of the highest elevations (+1,400 ft) in the county. The highest elevation (1,994 ft) in Tioga County is within the town, an unnamed hill just to the north of the intersection of Creamery Rd and Robinson Hollow Rd in Robinson Hollow State Forest.
Richford lies on the southern edge of the
snowbelt
The Snowbelt is the region near the Great Lakes in North America where heavy snowfall in the form of lake-effect snow is particularly common. Snowbelts are typically found downwind of the lakes, principally off the eastern and southern shores.
Ca ...
, averaging . It receives of rain, and has, on average, 154 sunny days per year.
The western border is with
Tompkins County. The north border is
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 ...
, and the eastern border is
Broome County.
Berkshire
Berkshire ( ; in the 17th century sometimes spelt phonetically as Barkeshire; abbreviated Berks.) is a historic county in South East England. One of the home counties, Berkshire was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II as the Royal County of Berk ...
lies to the 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 ...
(north-south) intersects
New York State Route 79
New York State Route 79 (NY 79) is a east–west state highway in the Southern Tier of New York, in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at the intersection with NY 414 near the southern end of Seneca Lake ju ...
(east-west) at Richford village.
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 1,170 people, 440 households, and 315 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 30.7 people per square mile (11.8/km
2). There were 502 housing units at an average density of 13.2 per square mile (5.1/km
2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.89%
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 ...
, 0.17%
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, 0.09%
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 ...
, and 0.77% 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 0.77% of the population.
There were 440 households, out of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% 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, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.9% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $34,130, and the median income for a family was $38,750. Males had a median income of $28,661 versus $23,667 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 $15,331. About 12.4% of families and 13.8% 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 18.5% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.
Recreation
Annual Potato Festival
Named in honor of the Clarks Seed Farm, this festival is held every year on the third Saturday of September to celebrate the significance of potato farming in Richford's history. Arts and crafts vendors are available as are games and races. The event is known for its potato themed dishes including potato ice-cream, which used to be made by Cornell University dairy with chocolate-covered potato sticks in vanilla ice cream. Now there are two varieties made by Jones' Humdinger: the original and a mashed sweet potato based version.
Broome-Tioga Sports Center
An AMA and Non-AMA sanctioned Off Road Racing Facility located on the border with Broome County. The track host several events including Motorcycle, Snowmobile and ATV/UTV Races. Mud Bogs, Mud Drags, Hill climbs, and demolition derbies, ATV and UTV Racing, A Trail Riding Facility, as well as classic car shows.
State lands
Richford has over of state lands, more than all other towns in Tioga County combined, mostly contained in six large state forests.
* Michigan Hill State Forest: Located east of the village and north of RT 79. Encompasses of wilderness area. There are no maintained trails. In several areas along Rockefeller Rd, the ruins of old settlements and farms can be found, usually consisting of old foundations and orchards, but the occasional uncovered well exists.
* Griggs Gulf State Forest: Located adjacent to Michigan Hill State Forest, the forest encompasses shared between Tioga and Cortland Counties with more than of ungroomed trails. John D Rockefeller's birthplace is within Griggs Gulf on Rockefeller Rd. An unkempt nature trail built by a local 4-H group begins here and passes several old structures including a mill and other foundations.
* Turkey Hill State Forest: Shared with the town of Berkshire, this forest is located East and south of Richford. Consists of of primitive woodlands with only of public access road. Extensive damage in the 2003 ice storms created large areas of early successional habitats that foster a wide variety of birds and other woodland creatures.
* Robinson Hollow State Forest: just west of Richford. Many recreational facilities exist including of marked trails maintained by local associations, and a portion of the
Finger Lakes Trail
The Finger Lakes Trail consists of a network of trails in New York. The trail system is administered by thFinger Lakes Trail Conference(FLTC), a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, composed primarily of volunteers.
Description
The FLT is primaril ...
runs through the forest. The Kimmee lean-to maintained by the Finger Lakes Trail Conference is located here. A
trout
Trout are species of freshwater fish belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', ''Salmo'' and ''Salvelinus'', all of the subfamily Salmoninae of the family Salmonidae. The word ''trout'' is also used as part of the name of some non-salmoni ...
pond exists and there are extensive fishing areas along the West Branch Owego Creek. Many of the highest elevations in the county are within the forest, including the highest.
* Beaver Dam State Forest: east of Richford on the border of Tioga and Broome Counties. Contains of maintained trails and a public access road.
* Andersen Hill State Forest: just south of the village proper, west of Rt 38. The forest consists of managed woodlands that maintain a mix of early, mid, and late successional forests. A short (.5 mile) maintained trail exists that connects to a larger trail network in adjacent lands, and a forest access road is available. An access point to the West Branch Owego Creek is maintained within the forest.
The large number of state-owned lands provide for excellent hiking and motorized sports activities. Many 4-wheeler and snowmobile tracks criss-cross the woodlands on both state and private land.
Many great fishing sites are available in Richford. Native and stock trout thrive in the cold waters of both branches of the Owego Creek with some of the best areas in and around Richford. The NYSDEC annually releases over 10000
brown trout
The brown trout (''Salmo trutta'') is a European species of salmonid fish that has been widely introduced into suitable environments globally. It includes purely freshwater populations, referred to as the riverine ecotype, ''Salmo trutta'' morph ...
into both branches in Richford. Additionally, 200
rainbow trout
The rainbow trout (''Oncorhynchus mykiss'') is a species of trout native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead (sometimes called "steelhead trout") is an anadromous (sea-run) form of the coasta ...
are released into the Tri-County Pond.
Hunting is also popular within the town. All state lands are open to hunting and provide excellent habitats to large populations of deer, turkey, and other game animals.
Communities and locations in the Town of Richford
*Dunhamville – A former location, south of Richford village.
*East Richford – A location on
NY-79 (Catskill Turnpike), east of Richford village.
*Hubby Creek – A small stream flowing out from the southern part of the town.
*Richford – 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 ...
at the junction of
NY- 38 and NY-79 in the southwestern part of the town. The East Branch of Owego Creek flows past the village.
Notable people
*
John D. Rockefeller
John Davison Rockefeller Sr. (July 8, 1839 – May 23, 1937) was an American business magnate and philanthropist. He has been widely considered the wealthiest American of all time and the richest person in modern history. Rockefeller was ...
(July 8, 1839 – May 23, 1937), Oil titan, philanthropist, founder of the
Standard Oil
Standard Oil Company, Inc., was an American oil production, transportation, refining, and marketing company that operated from 1870 to 1911. At its height, Standard Oil was the largest petroleum company in the world, and its success made its co-f ...
company, and the richest man in modern history, was born in this town and returned to visit during the summer. The foundation of his childhood home is located adjacent to Rockefeller Road on land that is now part of Griggs Gulf State Forest, and is marked by a sign which designates the historical site.
Griggs Gulf State Forest - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation
/ref>
*Gurdon Wattles
Gurdon Wallace Wattles (May 12, 1855 - January 31, 1932) was an early businessman, banker, and civic leader in Omaha, Nebraska, who became responsible for bankrolling much of early Hollywood.(2006"Gurdon Wattles", ''Hollywood Heritage''. Septemb ...
(May 12, 1855 - January 31, 1932), known for bankrolling much of early Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
, was born in Richford in 1855. He moved to Glidden, Iowa
Glidden is a town in Carroll County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,151 at the time of the 2020 census.
History
Glidden was laid out as a town in 1866. It was named either for Capt. W. T. Glidden, a railroad promoter, or in honor of ...
following 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 policies ...
.
References
External links
Town of Richford
Broome-Tioga Sports Center
Visit Tioga
{{authority control
Binghamton metropolitan area
Towns in Tioga County, New York
Populated places on the Underground Railroad