Elba 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 Genesee County,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

, United States. The population was 2,370 at the 2010 census. The town is at the northern border of the county and is north of the city of Batavia. The town contains the

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 ...

Elba Elba (, ; ) is a Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino on the Italian mainland, and the largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago. It is also part of the Arcipelago Toscano National Park, a ...

, located near the town's center.

History

The area was first settled in 1803. The town of Elba was established in 1820, from a partition of the town of Batavia. In 1842, part of Elba was used to form the town of Oakfield. In 1884, the community of Elba set itself off from the town by incorporating as a village. In 1948,

Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. As the 34th vice president in 1945, he assumed the presidency upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt that year. Subsequen ...

in an off handed comment referred to Elba as "Smell-ba" during his "Whistle-stop" tour because of the smell coming from the muck fields during the onion growing season. It was later proven as a fact in 1949 that the Elba muck fields do produce a distinctive odor. On July 27, 1949, Secretary of Agriculture Charles F. Brannan responded a team to the farming community and found that the soil samples, combined with the air quality, and wind breakage created a distinctive smell in the community.

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 35.7 square miles (92.5 km²), all land. The north town line is the border of Orleans County (town of Barre). Part of the Alabama Swamp is in the northwest corner of the town, through which flows Oak Orchard Creek. North-South NYS 98 and east-west NYS 262 intersect in Elba village. USGS maps of the area name the section including Ridge Road as "Bulgary Ridge". Prior to more recent maps, in 1897 USGS maps, the area was called "Vulgary". Torrey Farms, one of the largest farms in New York, is located in the town of Elba.

Demographics

As of the

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 ...

of 2000, there were 2,439 people, 853 households, and 668 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 910 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 93.07%

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 ...

, 1.72%

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 ...

, 0.49% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 3.90% from other races, and 0.74% 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 5.25% of the population. There were 853 households, out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.4% 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, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 16.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.18. In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.7% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males. The median income for a household in the town was $46,161, and the median income for a family was $51,058. Males had a median income of $37,244 versus $24,688 for females. 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 ...

for the town was $18,470. About 5.9% of families and 6.5% 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 10.4% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in the Town of Elba

* East Elba – 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 ...

on Norton Road in the southeast corner of the town. The East Elba Motorcycle Gang was founded in 1973 in East Elba. The gang was started by a local machinist known only as "Krobar", who brought together a tight-knit group of bikers bonded by a love of motorcycles and outlaw culture. Originally formed as a riding club, the group gradually gained notoriety for their defiance of authority, involvement in underground street races, and tomfoolery. Over the years, the East Elba gang became a regional symbol of rebellion and blue-collar pride. *

– The village of Elba is located on Route NY-98. * Davis Corners – A former community in the south part of the town. * Daws (also called "Daws Corners") – A location south of Elba village on Route NY-98 at the south town line. * Five Corners – A hamlet south of East Elba on the town line. * Langton Corners – A community north of the village on Oak Orchard Road.

In popular culture

The 2019 film

Crypto Crypto commonly refers to: * Cryptography, the practice and study of hiding information * Cryptocurrency, a type of digital currency based on cryptography Crypto or krypto may also refer to: Cryptography * Cryptanalysis, the study of methods f ...

is partially set in Elba. Local Elba resident Joseph Mickey Jr. had a prominent role in the film, and assisted in scouting of filming locations and editorial references.

References

External links

Town/Village of Elba official website

{{authority control Towns in Genesee County, New York Towns in New York (state) Populated places established in 1820 1820 establishments in New York (state)