Sodus 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 Wayne 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 8,384 at the 2010 census. The town takes its name from a native word for the bay in the eastern part of the town: "Assorodus," meaning "silvery water." The Town of Sodus is on the north border of the county and is midway between

Rochester Rochester may refer to: Places Australia * Rochester, Victoria Canada * Rochester, Alberta United Kingdom *Rochester, Kent ** City of Rochester-upon-Medway (1982–1998), district council area ** History of Rochester, Kent ** HM Prison ...

and

Syracuse Syracuse may refer to: Places Italy *Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa'' *Province of Syracuse United States *Syracuse, New York **East Syracuse, New York **North Syracuse, New York *Syracuse, Indiana * Syracuse, Kansas *Syracuse, Miss ...

History

PRESTON-GAYLORD COBBLESTONE FARMHOUSE, WAYNE COUNTY, NY

The Town of Sodus was formed in 1789 from the older "District of Sodus" while still part of Ontario County. The town's Adam territory was substantially reduced by the formation of newer towns in the county: Williamson (1802) and

Lyons Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of th ...

(1811). The town contains a village also named Sodus and another named Sodus Point. Sodus Point was settled around 1794 because of a road constructed from

Palmyra Palmyra (; Palmyrene: () ''Tadmor''; ar, تَدْمُر ''Tadmur'') is an ancient city in present-day Homs Governorate, Syria. Archaeological finds date back to the Neolithic period, and documents first mention the city in the early second ...

, but the first settlers did not arrive at the Village of Sodus until about 1809. In 1813, the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

attacked and burned the village of Sodus Point. A

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mar ...

was erected in 1825 to mark the shoreline. Members of the

Shakers The United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, more commonly known as the Shakers, are a Millenarianism, millenarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian sect founded in England and then organized in the Unit ...

settled in the early town, but moved away, when they believed Sodus was becoming too worldly. Sodus claims to be the birthplace of

Arbor Day Arbor Day (or Arbour in some countries) is a secular day of observance in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant trees. Today, many countries observe such a holiday. Though usually observed in the spring, the date varies, dependi ...

, a holiday established by the efforts of Sodus Center native Edward C. Delano. A

Heluva Good! Heluva Good! is an American company specializing in cheeses, chip dips, sour cream and condiments. It has been a subsidiary of dairy company HP Hood LLC since the acquisition of Crowley Foods in 2004. The primary offices for the company are in Ly ...

Country Store was located near the hamlet of Wallington.Heluva Good! Country Store Information
Retrieved Jan. 19, 2015. The cheese packaging plant in Sodus and the Heluva Good! Country Store both closed on June 26, 2015.Democrat & Chronicle (Rochester, NY) - ''Heluva Good! plant, store in Wayne Co. to close'' by David Andreatta (April 19, 2015)
Retrieved Apr. 19, 2015. The company is a

subsidiary A subsidiary, subsidiary company or daughter company is a company owned or controlled by another company, which is called the parent company or holding company. Two or more subsidiaries that either belong to the same parent company or having a s ...

HP Hood LLC HP Hood LLC is an American dairy company based in Lynnfield, Massachusetts. Hood was founded in 1846 in Charlestown, Massachusetts, by Harvey Perley Hood. Recent company acquisitions by HP Hood have expanded its reach from predominantly New En ...

, headquartered in

Lynnfield, Massachusetts Lynnfield is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. At the 2020 census, the town population was 13,000. Lynnfield initially consisted of two distinct villages with a single governing body. Lynnfield Center comprises mostly ...

. The Preston-Gaylord Cobblestone Farmhouse 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 2009.

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 69.4 square miles (179.6 km²), of which 67.4 square miles (174.6 km²) is land and 1.9 square miles (5.0 km²) (2.78%) is water. The northern border of Sodus is

Lake Ontario Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York. The Canada–United States border sp ...

Sodus Bay Sodus Bay is a bay on the south shore of Lake Ontario, one of the Great Lakes. Sodus Bay is located in Wayne County, New York, USA. Most of the bay is in the Town of Huron, however, the western part is in the Town of Sodus. Sodus Bay has som ...

, a bay of Lake Ontario is partly in the town. Sodus is a town on the northern boundary of the United States, and Canada is on the opposite shore of Lake Ontario.

New York State Route 14 New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

intersects

New York State Route 104 New York State Route 104 (NY 104) is a east–west state highway in Upstate New York in the United States. It spans six counties and enters the vicinity of four cities—Niagara Falls, Lockport, Rochester, and Oswego—as it follows ...

south of Alton, and

New York State Route 88 New York State Route 88 (NY 88) is a north–south state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 96 in the Ontario County village of Phelps to a junction wit ...

runs south from Sodus village. Sodus is also known for its rural landscape and its many apple orchards.

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 2010, there were 8,384 people, 3,325 households, and 2,189 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 120.8 people per square mile (46.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 84.8%

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 ...

, 8.5%

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 ...

, 0.3% Native American, 0.4%

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 ...

, 0.1%

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 ...

, 3.1% 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 2.9% 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 6.2% of the population. There were 3,325 households, out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% 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, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 27.2% 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 2.48 and the average family size was 2.97. In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.6% under the age of 20, 5.1% from 20 to 24, 21.7% from 25 to 44, 32.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.7 males. The median income for a household in the town was $46,896, and the median income for a family was $56,128. Males had a median income of $42,735 versus $37,267 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 $23,898. About 11.4% of families and 14.9% 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 23.6% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

Housing

There were 4,158 housing units at an average density of 59.9 per square mile (23.2/km²); a total of 20.0% of housing units were vacant. There were 3,325 occupied housing units in the town, of which 2,585 were owner-occupied units (77.7%), while 740 were renter-occupied (22.3%). The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.5% of total units. The rental unit vacancy rate was 14.8%. ''NOTE: It is common for resort communities to have higher than normal vacant house counts. Many are vacation homes which are seasonal and not regularly occupied.''

Notable people

John Ashbery John Lawrence Ashbery (July 28, 1927 – September 3, 2017) was an American poet and art critic. Ashbery is considered the most influential American poet of his time. Oxford University literary critic John Bayley wrote that Ashbery "sounded, in ...

(1927 – 2017), Poet *

Gordon Granger Gordon Granger (November 6, 1821 – January 10, 1876) was a career U.S. Army officer and a Union general during the American Civil War, where he distinguished himself at the Battle of Chickamauga. Granger is best remembered for his part in the ...

(1821 – 1876), Union Army General *

Byram Green Byram Green (April 15, 1786 – October 18, 1865) was a New York state legislator for years in the Assembly and Senate, from 1816 to 1824. In 1842, he was elected United States Representative from NYCongDel, New York and served one term from 18 ...

(1786 – 1865), US Congressman * Eliphalet Stone (1825-1905), Wisconsin state legislator * Alexander B. Williams (b. 1815), Sodus Town Supervisor and state legislator

Communities and locations in the Town of Sodus

Alton Alton may refer to: People *Alton (given name) *Alton (surname) Places Australia *Alton National Park, Queensland * Alton, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Balonne Canada * Alton, Ontario *Alton, Nova Scotia New Zealand * Alton, New Zealand, ...

— A hamlet near the east town line on NY-14.

Alasa Farms Alasa Farms, also known as the Sodus Bay Shaker Tract and Sodus Bay Phalanx, is a historic farm complex located near the hamlet of Alton in Wayne County, New York. The farm complex was originally built and occupied by the Sodus Bay Shakers, an o ...

was listed on the

in 2009. * Beechwood State Park — A former Girl Scout camp along the Lake Ontario shore, now owned by New York State and operated by the Town of Sodus. *Bootleggers Point — A location on the Lake Ontario shore in the west part of the town. *Joy — A hamlet south of Sodus village at the junction of County Road 229 and Main Street. * Sodus — The Village of Sodus is near the town center at the north end of NY-88. * Sodus Center — A hamlet southeast of Sodus village at the junction of County Roads 240 and 241. The Red Brick Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. * Sodus Point — The Village of Sodus Point is on County Road 101 (Lake Road) on the shore of Lake Ontario. *South Sodus — A hamlet in the southeast corner of the town on NY-14. *Thorntons Corner — A hamlet in the south part of the town at the junction of County Roads 242 and 243. *Thornton Point — A

peninsula A peninsula (; ) is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most, but not all of its borders. A peninsula is also sometimes defined as a piece of land bordered by water on three of its sides. Peninsulas exist on all ...

in Sodus Bay. * Wallington — A hamlet southeast of Sodus village on NY-104. The Walling Cobblestone Tavern and Wallington Cobblestone Schoolhouse District No. 8 were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. * Williamson-Sodus Airport — 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 ...

in the western part of the town, south of NY-104.

References

External links

Historical summary of the Town of Sodus, NYSodus Chamber of Commerce websiteSodus, New York websiteHeluva Good!
{{authority control Rochester metropolitan area, New York Towns in Wayne County, New York 1789 establishments in New York (state)