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Cheektowaga () is a town in Erie 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. As of the 2020 census, the town has grown to a population of 89,877. The town is in the north-central part of the county, and is an inner ring suburb of Buffalo. The town is the second-largest suburb of Buffalo, after the Town of
Amherst Amherst may refer to: People * Amherst (surname), including a list of people with the name * Earl Amherst of Arracan in the East Indies, a title in the British Peerage; formerly ''Baron Amherst'' * Baron Amherst of Hackney of the City of London, ...
. The town of Cheektowaga contains the village of Sloan and half of the village of Depew. The remainder, outside the villages, is a
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...
also named Cheektowaga. The town is home to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, Erie County's principal airport. Villa Maria College,
Empire State College Empire State College (SUNY Empire or ESC) is a public university headquartered in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. Empire State College is a multi-site institution offering associate, ...
, and the
Walden Galleria Walden Galleria is a regional shopping mall located in Cheektowaga, a suburb of Buffalo, New York located east of Interstate 90 and New York State Thruway Exit 52 off Walden Avenue. The Walden Galleria comprises more than of retail space, with 170 ...
are in Cheektowaga.


History

Cheektowaga's earliest known historic occupants were the Iroquoian-speaking Neutral people. They were pushed out by the more powerful
Seneca people The Seneca () ( see, Onödowáʼga:, "Great Hill People") are a group of indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous Iroquoian-speaking people who historically lived south of Lake Ontario, one of the five Great Lakes in North America. Their n ...
, the most western of the Five Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, who were seeking to control the fur trade. They named this site as ''Chictawauga'', meaning "land of the crabapples" in the
Seneca language Seneca (; in Seneca, or ) is the language of the Seneca people, one of the Six Nations of the Iroquois League; it is an Iroquoian language, spoken at the time of contact in the western portion of New York. While the name ''Seneca'', attested as ...
. It was not until well after the American Revolutionary War that European-American settlers began to live here permanently. The Seneca had been forced to cede most of their land to the United States after the war, as they had been British allies. Cheektowaga was formed from the Town of
Amherst Amherst may refer to: People * Amherst (surname), including a list of people with the name * Earl Amherst of Arracan in the East Indies, a title in the British Peerage; formerly ''Baron Amherst'' * Baron Amherst of Hackney of the City of London, ...
on March 22, 1839. Upon the formation of West Seneca on October 16, 1851, it was reduced to its present limits—about . Throughout the 19th century, it was referred to by its original name, ''"Chictawauga"''. Originally a rural farming area, the town was extensively developed for suburban housing during the post- World War II
subdivision Subdivision may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Subdivision (metre), in music * ''Subdivision'' (film), 2009 * "Subdivision", an episode of ''Prison Break'' (season 2) * ''Subdivisions'' (EP), by Sinch, 2005 * "Subdivisions" (song), by Rus ...
boom of the 1950s. Aided as well by the construction of highways to serve the area, factories such as the Westinghouse Electric Corporation plant on Genesee Street were built here (since demolished). The plant generated employment to the area for many decades. The town maintains a strong blue-collar presence. Cheektowaga has a large Polish-American community, much of which
relocated Relocated may refer to: * ''Relocated'' (album), 2006 album by Camouflage *'' Red vs. Blue: Relocated'', 2009 television miniseries *"The Relocated", Inuit of the High Arctic relocation The High Arctic relocation (french: La délocalisation du ...
from Buffalo's East Side, and about 39.9% of population is of Polish heritage. The
Walden Galleria Walden Galleria is a regional shopping mall located in Cheektowaga, a suburb of Buffalo, New York located east of Interstate 90 and New York State Thruway Exit 52 off Walden Avenue. The Walden Galleria comprises more than of retail space, with 170 ...
opened in 1989, becoming the Buffalo Niagara region's largest mall. Cheektowaga is home to St. John Gualbert's Parish, which is a small Catholic church housing the Shrine of the Holy Relics of the Saints, believed to be one of the largest collections in the United States. Garrison Cemetery, Our Lady Help of Christians Chapel, and
Villa Maria Motherhouse Complex Villa Maria Motherhouse Complex, or Felician Sisters Immaculate Heart of Mary Convent Chapel and Convent, is a historic Roman Catholic convent located at Cheektowaga in Erie County, New York. It is included in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo ...
are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.


Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.21%, is water. The town is bordered by Lancaster on the east, West Seneca on the south, the city of Buffalo on the west, and on the north by
Amherst Amherst may refer to: People * Amherst (surname), including a list of people with the name * Earl Amherst of Arracan in the East Indies, a title in the British Peerage; formerly ''Baron Amherst'' * Baron Amherst of Hackney of the City of London, ...
. The town includes the waterways of Scajaquada Creek, Cayuga Creek and Ellicott Creek.


Neighborhoods

* Bellevue - A neighborhood between Union Road and the Depew border. It is home to the Bellevue Fire Department and a portion of Cayuga Creek. It is also home to the historic Bellevue Hotel, a local bar and restaurant which has been in existence since the 19th century. * Cheektowaga - A
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...
corresponding to all of the town outside the villages of Sloan and Depew. * Cleveland Hill - A neighborhood located on the north town line; has its own school district. * Depew - The village of Depew (shared with the town of Lancaster) is in the eastern part of the town. * Doyle - A neighborhood in the Southwestern Corner of Town, bordered by The City of Buffalo's Kaisertown Neighborhood, and Town of West Seneca's Clinton Gardens Neighborhood. * Forks - A former hamlet near Union Road (NY-277) and Broadway (NY-130) *Maryvale - A neighborhood located just west of the airport, this community is also a school district, containing Maryvale High School. * Pine Hill - A neighborhood on the border of Buffalo, featuring many cemeteries and Villa Maria College. *
Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve is located near the city of Buffalo in the Town of Cheektowaga in Erie County, New York, USA. Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve is a forested complex that also includes wetlands and ponds, located within a develope ...
– A conservation area in the south central part of the town. * Sloan - The village of Sloan, near the Buffalo border. Sloan is the seat of the Cheektowaga-Sloan school district. * South Cheektowaga / South Line - Neighborhood on the border of West Seneca near French Road and extending towards Stiglmeier Park. Several apartment complexes are located in this area. *U-Crest - A neighborhood near Union Road (NY-277) and Genesee Street (NY-33). * Williamsville - A small part of the village of Williamsville (shared with the town of
Amherst Amherst may refer to: People * Amherst (surname), including a list of people with the name * Earl Amherst of Arracan in the East Indies, a title in the British Peerage; formerly ''Baron Amherst'' * Baron Amherst of Hackney of the City of London, ...
)


Fire Districts

The Town of Cheektowaga is served by 9 Volunteer Fire districts with 10 companies, and 12 Stations, and 2 Volunteer Municipal Fire Departments with 2 stations within the Town


Weather hazards

On July 30, 1987, an F1 tornado touched down in the Union Road and George Urban Boulevard area. It grew to an F2 before dissipating. Homes and business suffered serious damage, but there were no fatalities or severe injuries. This tornado is locally memorable as the one which ripped the roof off the Holiday Showcase Restaurant and damaged a nearby Putt Putt® miniature golf center. On June 30, 2006, another F1 tornado touched down not far from the site of the ''1987 tornado''. Again, homes and businesses - including the Holiday Showcase, which was remodeled soon after - were damaged, and a tractor trailer was knocked over on the NY State Thruway, but no one was killed. The Town also falls into the significant "Lake Effect" Snow band that crosses the area, and has been effected by historic Snow events including The
Blizzard of '77 The blizzard of 1977 hit Western New York and Southern Ontario from January 28 to February 1. Daily peak wind gusts ranging from were recorded by the National Weather Service in Buffalo, with snowfall as high as recorded in areas, and the hig ...
, the Blizzard of '85, "The October Surprise", and " Snowvember"


Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 94,019 people, 40,045 households, and 25,869 families residing in the town. The population density was 3,183.8 people per square mile (1,229.3/km2). There were 41,901 housing units at an average density of 1,418.9 per square mile (547.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 94.94% White, 2.93% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.97% of the population. There were 40,045 households, out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% 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, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.91. In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.6% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.6 males. The median income for a household in the town was $38,121, and the median income for a family was $46,646. Males had a median income of $34,538 versus $25,434 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,627. About 4.6% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.7% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over. Major ancestries in the town are Polish (39.9%), German (29.9%), Italian (16.0%), Irish (14.1%), English (5.8%), and
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
(2.7%).


Education


Higher education

There are two separate higher educational institutions with campuses in the town. * Villa Maria College *
Empire State College Empire State College (SUNY Empire or ESC) is a public university headquartered in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. Empire State College is a multi-site institution offering associate, ...


Public schools

There are eight separate public school districts within the town. *
Cheektowaga Central School District Cheektowaga Central Free School District is a school district in Cheektowaga, New York, United States. The current superintendent is Mr. Scott Zipp. The district operates three schools: Cheektowaga High School, Cheektowaga Middle School, and Union ...
* Cheektowaga-Sloan Union Free School District * Cleveland Hill Union Free School District *
Maryvale Union Free School District Maryvale may refer to: Places * Maryvale, Gauteng, Johannesburg, South Africa *Maryvale, Queensland (Livingstone), Queensland, Australia * Maryvale, Queensland (Southern Downs Region), Queensland, Australia * Maryvale, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a n ...
*
Depew Union Free School District Depew Union Free School District is a school district in Depew, New York, United States. The superintendent is Dr. Jeffrey Rabey. The district operates three schools: Depew High School, Depew Middle School, and Cayuga Heights Elementary School. ...
* West Seneca Central School District * Lancaster Central School District * Williamsville Central School District


Media

The town is served by media in Buffalo.


Newspapers

Cheektowaga's weekly newspaper is the ''Cheektowaga Bee''. It was founded in 1977 and is published by
Bee Group Newspapers Bee Group Newspapers are a family of suburban newspapers published in Western New York by Bee Publishing, Incorporated, of Williamsville. The forerunner of the corporation began in 1877 with the founding of the ''Lancaster Bee.'' Bee Group Newspap ...
in Williamsville, New York.


Digital-only news

The town's first daily hyperlocal news outlet, ''Cheektowaga Chronicle'', launched in February 2017. It is published by Crabapple Media, LLC. The outlet has since ceased operation as of April 2019


Infrastructure

The east town line is marked by New York State Route 78 (Transit Road). New York State Route 240 (Harlem Road) and New York State Route 277 (Union Road) are major north-south routes through the town. New York State Route 33 (Kensington Expressway), Walden Avenue, and William Street access the
New York State Thruway {{Infobox road , state = NY , type = NYST , alternate_name = Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway , maint = NYSTA , map = {{maplink, frame=yes, plain=yes, frame-align=center, frame-width=290, type=line, stroke-width=2, type2=line, from2=New Yor ...
, which is also runs north-south through the town, traveling from the Amherst town line in the north, south to the West Seneca town line in the southwest corner of town. New York State Route 130 (Broadway) is an east-west roadway from the Buffalo city line to the Depew village line. Interstate 190, travels in the town from I-90 to Buffalo City Line and beyond into Downtown Buffalo and north to Niagara Falls. U.S. Route 20 (Transit Road) is a north-south roadway that runs concurrently with NY 78 along Cheektowaga's east border with Lancaster, south of Depew. New York State Route 354 (Clinton Street) is an east-west roadway through the extreme southwest corner of town, and provides the southern border with West Seneca.


Notable people

* Andrew Anderson, retired pro basketball player who graduated from Maryvale High School in Cheektowaga *
Christine Baranski Christine Jane Baranski (born May 2, 1952) is an American actress. She is a 15-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee, winning once in 1995 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Maryann Thorpe in the sitcom ''Cybill'' ...
, actress ('' The Good Wife'', ''
Mamma Mia! Mama(s) or Mamma or Momma may refer to: Roles *Mother, a female parent *Mama-san, in Japan and East Asia, a woman in a position of authority *Mamas, a name for female associates of the Hells Angels Places * Mama, Russia, an urban-type settlemen ...
'') *
Ryan Ciminelli Ryan Ciminelli (born March 7, 1986) is a left-handed ten-pin bowler originally from Cheektowaga, New York. Since 2007, he has competed on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour. Ciminelli has won eight PBA Tour titles, including one majo ...
, professional bowler * William Fichtner, actor, Graduate of Maryvale High School *
Jackson C. Frank Jackson Carey Frank (March 2, 1943 – March 3, 1999) was an American folk musician. He released his first and only album in 1965, produced by Paul Simon. After the release of the record, Frank was plagued by a series of personal issues, ...
, folk musician who survived the Cleveland Hill Elementary fire *
Dennis H. Gabryszak Dennis H. Gabryszak (born November 18, 1951) is an American former politician from the state of New York. A Democrat, Gabryszak was a member of the New York State Assembly for the 143rd district from 2007 until his January 2014 resignation. Li ...
, former New York State Assemblyman who previously served as town supervisor * Dennis Gorski, former Erie County Executive *
William J. Hochul, Jr. William J. Hochul Jr. (born April 1, 1959) is an American lawyer who served as United States attorney for the Western District of New York from 2010 to 2016. Hochul has been the first gentleman of New York since August 2021, when his wife, Kat ...
, U.S. Attorney who graduated from Cheektowaga Central * Liz Johnson, professional bowler and USBC Hall of Famer * Chelsea Noble, actress and wife of actor Kirk Cameron * Danny Ozark, former manager of the
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
* Mark Pawlak, poet and educator * Randy Pikuzinski, retired pro soccer player * Ed Rutkowski, former pro football player and Erie County Executive *
Altemio Sanchez Altemio C. Sanchez (born January 19, 1958) is a Puerto Rican serial killer who is known to have raped and murdered at least three women, and raped at least 9 to 15 girls and women in and around Buffalo, New York, during a 31-year span from 1975 ...
, serial murderer *
Paul Tokasz Paul Tokasz (born 1946) is an American politician from New York. He represented District 143 which comprises the towns of Lancaster, and Cheektowaga, and villages of Depew, Lancaster and Sloan, from 1988 to 2006. Biography He was born in 1946, o ...
, retired New York State Assemblyman *
David J. Weber David Joseph Weber (December 20, 1940 – August 20, 2010) was an American historian whose research focused on the history of the Southwestern United States, Southwestern U.S. and its transition from Spain, Spanish and Mexico, Mexican control ...
, historian * Angela Wozniak, former New York State Assemblywoman, former town council member *Joseph Hinshaw, Retired Tennis Player, who graduated from Cheektowaga Central High School in Cheektowaga


Twin towns — sister cities

Cheektowaga is
twinned Twinning (making a twin of) may refer to: * In biology and agriculture, producing two offspring (i.e., twins) at a time, or having a tendency to do so; * Twin towns and sister cities, towns and cities involved in town twinning * Twinning inst ...
with: * Łowicz, Poland


References


External links


Town of Cheektowaga official websiteCheektowaga Chamber of CommerceCheektowaga Historical Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cheektowaga (Town), New York Polish-American culture in New York (state) Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area Towns in Erie County, New York