Niagara 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 ...

Niagara County Niagara County is in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 212,666. The county seat is Lockport. The county name is from the Iroquois word ''Onguiaahra''; meaning ''the strait'' or ''thunder of waters''. Niag ...

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. As of the 2010

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 ...

, the town had a total

population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...

of 8,378. The town is named after the famous

waterfall A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in several wa ...

Niagara Falls Niagara Falls () is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the border between the province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York in the United States. The largest of the three is Horseshoe Falls, ...

. The Town of Niagara is the neighbor to the City of Niagara Falls, which is next to the famed

. The town is located in the southwest corner of the county. Also located partially within the town is

Niagara Falls International Airport Niagara Falls International Airport is located east of downtown Niagara Falls, in the Town of Niagara in Niagara County, New York, United States. Owned and operated by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, the airport is a joint civ ...

, which serves the Niagara County area. It is served by the LaSalle Post Office on Niagara Falls Boulevard (

U.S. Route 62 U.S. Route 62 or U.S. Highway 62 (US 62) runs from the Mexican border at El Paso, Texas, to Niagara Falls, New York, near the Canadian border. It is the only east-west United States Numbered Highway that connects Mexico and Can ...

) in adjacent Niagara Falls, New York. Residents use a mailing address of "Niagara Falls, NY" because of this. Neither "Niagara, NY," nor "Town of Niagara, NY" are acceptable postal addresses, according to the

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...

History

The Town of Niagara was founded in 1812 (originally as the "Town of Schlosser" after the local fortification

Fort Schlosser Fort Schlosser was a fortification built in Western New York in the United States around 1760 by British Colonial forces, in order to guard the upper entrance to the portage around Niagara Falls, north of Porter-Barton Dock or Schlosser's Land ...

and after

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

Joseph Schlosser, a German officer in the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

) from the Town of Cambria. In 1836 eastern parts of the town were organized as the Town of

Wheatfield, New York Wheatfield is a town in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 18,117 at the 2010 census. The name stems from the agricultural use of the town lands, the growing of wheat. The Town of Wheatfield is east of Niagara Falls Inte ...

. In 1892, the City of Niagara Falls was formed from the western end of town, taking about half of its land. In 1897, the Village of LaSalle was incorporated in what was then the southeast corner of the town. LaSalle was in turn annexed by the City of Niagara Falls in 1927, reducing the size of the Town of Niagara to . Its borders have remained the same since.

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 , all land.

Adjacent cities and towns

* Town of Lewiston - north * Town of Wheatfield - east * City of Niagara Falls - west, south

Major highways in the Town of Niagara

* Interstate 190 (Niagara Expressway), This interstate through the western part of town from the Niagara Falls city line to the Lewiston town line. In the town, there are exits at Porter Rd. (NY 182) and Witmer Rd. (NY 31). *

(Niagara Falls Blvd.), North-South highway that has a short distance in the town from the Wheatfield town line to the Niagara Falls city line. *

New York State Route 31 New York State Route 31 (NY 31) is a state highway that extends for across western and central New York in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 104 in the city of Niagara Falls. Its e ...

(Witmer Rd., Saunders Settlement Rd.), East-West Highway across the northwestern part of town from the Lewiston town line to the Niagara Falls city line. * New York State Route 61 (Hyde Park Blvd.), North-South Roadway mostly in the City of Niagara Falls, but has a short distance in the southwest corner of town where the route has its northern end at Lewiston Rd. (NY 104). *

New York State Route 182 New York State Route 182 (NY 182) is a state highway in Niagara County, New York, in the United States. It serves as a signed connection between the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge over the Niagara River and the Niagara Falls International Air ...

(Porter Rd.), East-West roadway through the town from the Niagara Falls city line near its interchange with I-190 to its eastern terminus at Niagara Falls Blvd. (US 62). *

New York State Route 265 New York State Route 265 (NY 265) is a long state highway located in the western part of New York in the United States. NY 265 is a north–south route that roughly parallels the western parts of the Niagara River in Erie ...

(Military Rd.), North-South roadway through the town from the Niagara Falls city line to the Lewiston town line.

Notable person

James Madison James Madison Jr. (March 16, 1751June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father. He served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for hi ...

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

recipient

Demographics

As of the

of 2000, there were 8,978 people, 3,611 households, and 2,480 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 955.8 people per square mile (369.2/km²). There were 3,879 housing units at an average density of 412.9 per square mile (159.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 92.99%

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 ...

, 3.02%

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 ...

, 1.47% Native American, 0.56%

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 ...

, 0.02%

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 ...

, 0.22% 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 1.72% 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 1.17% of the population. There were 3,611 households, out of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% 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, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.99. In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.4% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males. The median income for a household in the town was $37,327, and the median income for a family was $43,689. Males had a median income of $35,657 versus $25,358 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 $17,500. About 7.1% of families and 9.3% 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 t ...

, including 14.6% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

* Pletchers Corners * Cayuga Village * Belden Center * colonial village

Economy

Major employers in Niagara are retail stores along major routes in town, including: * Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls * Niagara Stone Corporation Redland Quarry - limestone quarry *

New York Air National Guard The New York Air National Guard (NY ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of New York, United States of America. It is, along with the New York Army National Guard, an element of the New York National Guard. As state militia units, the units ...

** New York Air Force Reserve ** Air Force Reserve Center * Wegmans (Hills) Plaza * Mil-Pine Plaza * Witmer Industrial Estate

Services

Niagara Active Hose Company provides fire protection to Niagara from their fire hall on Lockport Road.

References

External links

Town of Niagara webpage
{{authority control Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area Towns in Niagara County, New York