Allegany is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 7,493 at the 2020 census. The Town of Allegany is on the south border of the county, west of the City of Olean. There is a

village A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban v ...

named Allegany inside this town. The origin of the name Allegany is uncertain. It may have come from the name of a tribe called Allegewi that lived along the Allegheny River's banks. It may also be based on a Native American word meaning "lovely" or "beautiful".

History

The town was first settled around 1820 by Ebenezer Reed, who moved from Connecticut. The Town of Allegany was formed on April 18, 1831, as the "Town of Burton" from a part of the town of Great Valley. On March 28, 1851, the name was changed to "Allegany.". In 1836, part of Allegany was used to form the Town of Humphrey. A new community to be called "Allegany City" was proposed in 1837 to be built south of the Village of Allegany, but the plan was halted after a planned railroad changed its route.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the town has a total area of 71.7 square miles (185.6 km²), of which is land and (0.68%) is water. The

Allegheny River The Allegheny River ( ; ; ) is a tributary of the Ohio River that is located in western Pennsylvania and New York (state), New York in the United States. It runs from its headwaters just below the middle of Pennsylvania's northern border, nor ...

flows through the town. The Southern Tier Expressway ( Interstate 86 and

New York State Route 17 New York State Route 17 (NY 17) is a major state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate New York, Downstate regions of New York (state), New York in the United States. It begins at the New York–Pennsylvani ...

) passes across the town.

New York State Route 417 New York State Route 417 (NY 417) is an east–west state highway located in the Southern Tier of New York (state), New York in the United States. It begins at exit 20 of the Southern Tier Expressway (Interstate 86 (east), Inters ...

(Old State Road) parallels the Expressway, and New York State Route 16 passes through the southeast corner of the town. The south town line is the border of McKean County,

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

Adjacent towns and areas

Allegany is bordered to the south by the townships of Foster and Otto in McKean County, Pennsylvania. The Towns of Hinsdale and Olean form the east boundary. Allegany shares its north boundary with the Town of Humphrey and its west boundary with the Towns of Great Valley and Carrollton.

Demographics

2000 Census

At the 2000

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

, there were 8,230 people, 2,599 households and 1,764 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was . There were 2,862 housing units at an average density of . The racial make-up was 96.40%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.79%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.33% Native American, 1.32% Asian, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...

, 0.26% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 0.94% of the population. There were 2,599 households, of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.01. 19.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 26.6% from 18 to 24, 19.4% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males. The

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of und ...

was $38,818 and the median family income was $45,972. Males had a median income of $36,801 and females $24,420. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

was $15,667. About 3.1% of families and 8.6% 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 6.6% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in the Town of Allegany

* Allegany – The village of Allegany in the eastern part of the town on NY Route 417 and south of the Southern Tier Expressway. *Chipmunk – A

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

in the southwest part of the town at the intersection of Chipmunk and Flatstone Roads and the confluence of Chipmonk and Flatstone Creeks. *Crestview – A hamlet at the north border of Allegany village. *Four Mile – A hamlet near the east town line on NY Route 16. *Harrisburg – A hamlet in the southwest corner of the town along Harrisburg Run. *Knapp Creek – A hamlet in the southwest corner of the town on NY Route 16. It has the highest elevation of any populated place in New York, at . Knapp Creek once had its own ZIP Code, 14749; its post office was closed in 1996, and the U.S. Postal Service advises mail sent to Knapp Creek instead carry an Olean mailing address. *Nichols Run – A hamlet on NY Route 45 by the south town line near Harrisburg and Knapp Creek. *Pumpkin Hollow – A location near the north town line. *Rock City – A hamlet in the southwest corner of the town, so named for its impressive ocean spar rock exposures. *

St. Bonaventure University St. Bonaventure University is a private university, private Franciscan university in St. Bonaventure, New York. It has 2,760 undergraduate and graduate students. The Order of Friars Minor, Franciscans established the university in 1858. In ath ...

– A college south of Allegany village. *Vandalia – A very small portion of this Allegany Indian Reservation hamlet enters the town of Allegany on its western border. The AIR's furthest upstream (eastern) border is slightly east of the town's western border. *Wing Hollow – northwest of Allegany village, location of a long defunct ski operation, with the trails still visible on the hillside.

Notable people

* Leon Jacob Cole, geneticist, ornithologist * Terry Pegula, natural gas tycoon and professional sports owner; resided in Allegany during the 1980s * Charlie Reynolds, former MLB pitcher * Willard M. Smith,

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, 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.J ...

sergeant * Shawn Dubin, Pitcher, Houston Astros

References

External links

Town of Allegany, NY websiteAllegany Virtual Tours & Photo GalleryAllegheny River Trail Photo AlbumAllegany forum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Allegany (Town), New York Populated places established in 1820 Towns in Cattaraugus County, New York Towns in New York (state) 1820 establishments in New York (state)