Gaines 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 o ...

in Orleans 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 3,378 at the 2010 census. The town is named after General Edmund P. Gaines, who defended the area during the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It be ...

. The Town of Gaines is in the north-central part of the county and contains part of the Village of Albion, the county seat. The current supervisor of Gaines is Tyler James Allport.

History

The Town of Gaines was established in 1816 from a partition of the Town of Ridgeway before Orleans County was established. In 1890, the population of Gaines was 2,070.

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 th ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (0.12%) is water. 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 ...

touches the southern boundary of the town at Gaines Basin, and the

Oak Orchard River Oak Orchard Creek (sometimes called Oak Orchard River) is a tributary of Lake Ontario in Orleans County, New York in the United States. The creek flows through Oak Orchard Creek Marsh, of which were declared a National Natural Landmark in May ...

flows through the northwest part of the town entering the Town of Carlton. The northernmost point on the Erie Canal is located in Gaines. New York State Route 104 (Ridge Road) is an east–west highway across the town.

New York State Route 98 New York State Route 98 (NY 98) is a state highway in the western part of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with U.S. Route 219 (US 219) in the town of Great Valley in C ...

(Oak Orchard Road) is a north–south highway, intersecting NY-104 north of the village of Albion at Childs.

New York State Route 279 New York State Route 279 (NY 279) is a north–south state highway in Orleans County, New York, in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 98 north of the village of Albion in the town ...

(Gaines Waterport Road) is a north–south highway intersecting NY-104 at Gaines 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 inc ...

of 2000, there were 3,740 people, 1,474 households, and 986 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 RosenberPopu ...

was 108.8 people per square mile (42.0/km²). There were 1,609 housing units at an average density of 46.8 per square mile (18.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 91.63%

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 ...

, 4.41%

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 ...

, 0.32% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 2.19% from other races, and 1.31% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 4.14% of the population. There were 1,474 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% 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 ...

living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.06. In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.4% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 28.0% 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 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males. The median income for a household in the town was $32,604, and the median income for a family was $38,523. Males had a median income of $30,709 versus $21,917 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 $16,823. About 7.9% of families and 10.3% 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 ...

, including 20.4% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Gaines

Albion Albion is an alternative name for Great Britain. The oldest attestation of the toponym comes from the Greek language. It is sometimes used poetically and generally to refer to the island, but is less common than 'Britain' today. The name for Scot ...

- The Village of Albion is the county seat of Orleans County and a port of the Erie Canal. * Childs – 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 ...

east of Gaines village on Route 104 at the junction of NY-98. It is named after Judge Henry Childs and previously known as "Proctor's Corners" and "Fair Haven." It is the location of the

Cobblestone Historic District The Cobblestone Historic District is located along state highway New York State Route 104, NY 104 (Ridge Road) in Childs, New York, Childs, New York, United States. It comprises three buildings that exemplify the cobblestone architecture develo ...

. * Eagle Harbor – A hamlet in the south part of the town. An eagle's nest was found here while the Erie Canal was being dug, giving the location its name. * East Gaines – A hamlet east of Gaines village on NY-104. *Five Corners – A hamlet south of Childs on NY-98. *Gaines – The hamlet of Gaines was established in 1832. It is located at the junction of Routes NY-104 and NY-279. *Gaines Basin – A hamlet named after a wide place in the Erie Canal for barges to turn around. *Waterport Pond – A wide part of the Oak Orchard River is partly in the town. *West Gaines – A hamlet west of Gaines village on NY-104 that is now a small cluster of houses.

Notable people

Charles Anderson Dana Charles Anderson Dana (August 8, 1819 – October 17, 1897) was an American journalist, author, and senior government official. He was a top aide to Horace Greeley as the managing editor of the powerful Republican newspaper '' New-York Tribun ...

, (1819-1897), managing editor of the New York Tribune, Assistant Secretary of War during Civil War, lived at Gaines Basin as a child. *

Horace Greeley Horace Greeley (February 3, 1811 – November 29, 1872) was an American newspaper editor and publisher who was the founder and editor of the '' New-York Tribune''. Long active in politics, he served briefly as a congressman from New York ...

, (1811-1872), founder and editor of New York Tribune, owned property at Childs during 1860s. * Almanzor Hutchinson, farmer and state legislator

References

External links

Gaines history
{{authority control Rochester metropolitan area, New York Towns in Orleans County, New York