Seneca Falls 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 Seneca 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 8,942 at the 2020 census. The Town of Seneca Falls contains the former village also called Seneca Falls. The town is east of

Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...

, in the northern part of 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 ...

District. Seneca Falls is a historic location along a branch of the Erie Canal and the birthplace of women's rights, where the 1848 women's rights convention was held. It is also believed by some to have been the inspiration for the fictional town of " Bedford Falls", portrayed in filmmaker

Frank Capra Frank Russell Capra (born Francesco Rosario Capra; May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991) was an Italian-born American film director, producer and writer who became the creative force behind some of the major award-winning films of the 1930s ...

's classic 1946 film ''

It's a Wonderful Life ''It's a Wonderful Life'' is a 1946 American Christmas by medium#Films, Christmas Fantasy film, fantasy drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra, based on the short story and booklet ''The Greatest Gift'', which Philip Van Doren Stern se ...

''.

History

The region is the former realm of the

Cayuga tribe The Cayuga ( Cayuga: Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ, "People of the Great Swamp") are one of the five original constituents of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois), a confederacy of Native Americans in New York. The Cayuga homeland lies in the Finger Lakes regi ...

, who were visited by

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

missionaries during the 17th century. Cayuga villages were attacked and destroyed by the

Sullivan Expedition The 1779 Sullivan Expedition (also known as the Sullivan-Clinton Expedition, the Sullivan Campaign, and the Sullivan-Clinton Genocide) was a United States military campaign during the American Revolutionary War, lasting from June to October 1779 ...

of 1779 in retaliation for

plunder Looting is the act of stealing, or the taking of goods by force, typically in the midst of a military, political, or other social crisis, such as war, natural disasters (where law and civil enforcement are temporarily ineffective), or rioting. ...

ing and killing new colonists. The region became part of the

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 ...

, reserved for veterans, after the conclusion of the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...

. A

canal Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flow un ...

was completed in 1818 allowing transit between Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake. This canal was connected to 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 ...

in 1828. The town was established in 1829 from part of the Town of Junius. The community of Seneca Falls in the town set itself apart by incorporating as a village in 1831. The

Seneca Falls Convention The Seneca Falls Convention was the first women's rights convention. It advertised itself as "a convention to discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of woman".Wellman, 2004, p. 189 Held in the Wesleyan Methodist Church ...

held July 19–20, 1848, was the first women's rights convention organized by women explicitly for the purpose of discussing women's rights as such. On March 16, 2010, the people of the Village of Seneca Falls voted to dissolve the village into the Town of Seneca Falls, effective in 2012. Goulds Pumps, a leading manufacturer of pumps, is headquartered in Seneca Falls.

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 , comprising 11.63%, is water. The east town line is partly defined by

Cayuga Lake Cayuga Lake (,,) is the longest of central New York's glacial Finger Lakes, and is the second largest in surface area (marginally smaller than Seneca Lake) and second largest in volume. It is just under long. Its average width is , and it is a ...

. The Seneca River/ Cayuga-Seneca Canal passes across the town. More recently, efforts are underway to complete a scenic trail along the historic canal. The eastern section of the town is part of Montezuma Marsh, an extensive wetland at the north end of Cayuga Lake. Conjoined

US 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. ...

and

NY-5 The 5th congressional district of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives, represented by Democrat Gregory Meeks. The district is located in Queens. A plurality of the district's population is Africa ...

form an east–west highway across the town.

New York State Route 89 New York State Route 89 (NY 89) is a north–south state highway in central New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 13, NY 34, and NY 96 in the Tompkins County city of Ithaca to an in ...

is a north–south highway by the shore of Cayuga Lake.

New York State Route 414 New York State Route 414 (NY 414) is a north–south state highway in the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions of New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 352 in the Steuben County city of Co ...

is also a north–south highway, but has an east–west orientation while conjoined with US-20 and NY-5.

New York State Route 318 New York State Route 318 (NY 318) is an east–west state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York (state), New York in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with New York State Route 14, NY&nb ...

intersects US-20/NY-5 in the northeast corner of the town.

Demographics

As of 2010 Seneca Falls had a population of 9,040. The ethnic and racial makeup of the population was 93.6% non-Hispanic white, 1.3% African-American, 0.4% Native American, 0.3% Indian, 1.3% other Asian, 0.2% non-Hispanic from some other race, 1.4% from two or more races, 1.0% Puerto Rican and 0.7% other Hispanics. 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 9,347 people, 3,796 households, and 2,440 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 385.6 people per square mile (148.9/km²). There were 4,167 housing units at an average density of 171.9 per square mile (66.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.86%

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 ...

, 0.87%

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 ...

, 0.22% Native American, 1.52%

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 ...

, 0.30% 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 1.23% 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 1.33% of the population. There were 3,796 households, out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.91. The town's population was spread out, with 23.6% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males. The median income for a household in the town was $37,245, and the median income for a family was $48,565. Males had a median income of $36,631 versus $25,094 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 $18,462. About 9.7% of families and 13.2% 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 14.4% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations

* Bridgeport – A lakeside

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 ...

east of Seneca Falls CDP on NY-89. *

Cayuga Lake State Park Cayuga Lake State Park is a state park located on the north end of Cayuga Lake, east of the village of Seneca Falls in Seneca County, New York, United States. Park description Cayuga Lake State Park offers a beach, two playgrounds, playing f ...

– A

state park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural ...

on the shore of Cayuga Lake. * Finger Lakes Regional Airport (0G7) – A general aviation

airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surface ...

southeast of Seneca Falls CDP. * Halsey Corner – A location in the northeast corner of the town on US-20/NY-5. * Lehigh Valley Junction – A hamlet north of Seneca Falls CDP. *

Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife preserve operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, encompassing part of the Montezuma Swamp at the north end of Cayuga Lake. The preserve is composed of swamps, pools and channels an ...

– A federal conservation area partly in the eastern end of the town. * Montezuma Wildlife Management Area – A state conservation area in the east of the town. * Nichols Corner – A location on the north town line on NY-318. * Seneca Falls – The CDP of Seneca Falls at US-20/NY-5 and NY-414, formerly an incorporated village.

Schools

Public schools

Seneca Falls Central School District

The public school system for Seneca Falls and its nearby villages is provided by the

Seneca Falls Central School District Seneca Falls Central School District is a school district in Seneca Falls, New York, United States. The superintendent is Dr. Michelle Reed. The district operates four schools: Mynderse Academy, Seneca Falls Middle School, Elizabeth Cady Stanto ...

. This district has four schools. The current superintendent is Jeramy Clingerman. * Frank M. Knight Elementary School is a public school which handles grades K-2 in the Seneca Falls Central School District. It has an enrollment of about 300 students. The current principal is Janet Clendenen. * Elizabeth Cady Stanton School is a public school which handles grades 3–5. It has an enrollment of about 300 students. The current principal is Amy Hibbard. * Seneca Falls Middle School is a public school which handles grades 6–8. Enrollment is around 350 students. The current principal is Kevin Rhinehart. * Mynderse Academy is a public school which handles grades 9–12. The enrollment is around 511 students as of 2006. The current principal is Faith Lewis.

Private schools

* Finger Lakes Christian School (FLCS) is a private

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

Pre-K through 12th grade school in Seneca Falls. Established in 1990, the school enrolls approximately 100 students.

Colleges

Northeast College of Health Sciences Northeast College of Health Sciences is a private alternative health college in Seneca Falls, New York. It has graduate programs in areas such as chiropractic, health sciences and education. It was previously named Columbia Institute of Chiropr ...

Moving from Long Island, New York, in the fall of 1991, the chiropractic college opened at this site after purchasing the old

Eisenhower College Eisenhower College was a small college named after U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower, located on Cayuga Lake in Seneca Falls, New York. History Ground was broken on September 21, 1965, in a ceremony that featured President Eisenhower and his frien ...

from the state, who controlled the closed campus. The college is known to be one of the best chiropractic colleges in the country.

Transportation

New York State Route 5 New York State Route 5 (NY 5) is a state highway that extends for across the state of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in the Chautauqua County town of Ripley and passes through Buffalo, Syr ...

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 ...

run east–west through the town. The

New York Central Railroad The New York Central Railroad was a railroad primarily operating in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The railroad primarily connected greater New York and Boston in the east with Chicago and St. Louis in the Midw ...

operated daily passenger train service on its Auburn Road division between Syracuse and Rochester until 1958, making a station stop at Seneca Falls.New York Central October 10, 1958 timetable

References

External links

Town of Seneca Falls

Seneca Falls Area News and Links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Seneca Falls (Town), New York Populated places established in 1828 Towns in Seneca County, New York 1828 establishments in New York (state)