Elmira () is a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

of Chemung County, New York, United States. It is the principal city of the Elmira, New York, metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses Chemung County. The population was 26,523 at the 2020 census, down from 29,200 at the 2010 census, a decline of more than 7 percent. The City of Elmira is in the south-central part of the county, surrounded on three sides by the

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 ...

of Elmira. It is in the

Southern Tier The Southern Tier is a geographic subregion of the broader Upstate New York, Upstate region of New York (state), New York State, geographically situated along or very near the state border with Pennsylvania. Definitions of the region vary wide ...

of New York, a short distance north of the

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 ...

state line. The city was the site of the Elmira Prison, a

prisoner-of-war camp A prisoner-of-war camp (often abbreviated as POW camp) is a site for the containment of enemy fighters captured as Prisoner of war, prisoners of war by a belligerent power in time of war. There are significant differences among POW camps, inte ...

that held over 12,000 captured Confederate soldiers during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

Elmira College Elmira College is a private college in Elmira, New York, United States. Founded as a Timeline of women's colleges in the United States#First and oldest, college for women in 1855, it is the oldest existing college granting degrees to women that ...

is located within the city.

History

Early history

The region of Elmira was inhabited by the Cayuga nation (also known as the Kanawaholla) of the Haudenosaunee prior to European colonization. Cayuga residing in the region maintained relations with European settlers, primarily related to the

fur trade The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal ecosystem, boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals h ...

, but were otherwise relatively isolated from encroaching colonial settlements. During the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

, the

Sullivan Expedition The 1779 Sullivan Expedition (also known as the Sullivan-Clinton Expedition, the Sullivan Campaign, and the Sullivan-Clinton Campaign) was a United States military campaign under the command of General John Sullivan (general), John Sullivan duri ...

of 1779 was mounted by the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...

against the four Haudenosaunee nations which had allied with the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

. The expeditionary force fought a combined British-Haudenosaunee force at the Battle of Newtown, south of the current city, in which the Continental Army was victorious. After the conclusion of the war, the Haudenosaunee and the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

signed a treaty at Elmira in 1791 to settle territorial disputes in the region. Most of the Cayuga emigrated under pressure from encroaching American settlements with the other nations of the Haudenosaunee to

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, where they resettled on land provided by the

British Crown The Crown is a political concept used in Commonwealth realms. Depending on the context used, it generally refers to the entirety of the State (polity), state (or in federal realms, the relevant level of government in that state), the executive ...

. The first European-American settler in Elmira was Abraham Miller, who served as a captain in the Continental Army. Miller constructed a cabin after resigning just before the end of the Revolutionary War. Miller's Pond and Miller Street are named after him and are near the location of his house.

Elmira's formation

The New York legislature established the Township of Chemung, now Chemung County, in 1788. The settlement of Newtown was soon established at the intersection of Newtown Creek and the Chemung River. In 1792, the settlement at Newtown joined with the Wisnerburg and DeWittsburg settlements to form the village of Newtown. In 1808, the village officially changed its name to the Town of Elmira, at a town meeting held at Teal's Tavern. It is said the town was named after tavern owner Nathan Teal's young daughter, but that story has never been confirmed. According to Amos Bugbee Carpenter's "Carpenter Memorial" family history book printed in 1898, Elmira is named after Major General Matthew Carpenter's daughter. This naming occurred, according to this book, in 1821 at the constitutional convention to which Matthew was a delegate. In any case, the City of Elmira, nicknamed "The Queen City," was incorporated in 1864 from part of the town of Elmira and the village of Elmira. The remaining part of the town of Elmira exists still, surrounding the city on the west, north and east. The city and town share an intricately entwined history. It appears that Amos Carpenter in his 1898 book was referencing an 1879 book. Elmira served as a transportation hub for New York's Southern Tier in the 1800s, connecting commercial centers in Rochester and Buffalo with Albany and

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, via the canal system and railroads. The city was the southern terminus of the Chemung Canal completed in 1833; later, the Junction Canal was constructed to connect Elmira with Corning, facilitating transport of coal from the

mines via the Northern branch of the Susquehanna Canal system. In 1849, the New York and Erie Railroad was built through Elmira, giving the area a New York City to Buffalo route. In 1850, the Elmira and Jefferson Railroad gave the area a route north and, in 1854, the Elmira and Williamsport Railroad a route south. These railroads and their connections made the city a prime location for an

Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

training and muster point early in the

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 ...

. In 1872 construction began on the Utica, Ithaca and Elmira Railroad, eventually creating a route to Cortland and Syracuse via Horseheads, Breesport and Van Etten. The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, completed in 1884, competed with the Erie's New York City to Buffalo line.

Prisoner-of-war camp

A great deal of the Union installation, known as Camp Rathbun, fell into disuse as the Civil War progressed, and the camp's "Barracks #3" were converted into a Civil War prisoner of war camp in the summer of 1864. The camp, in use from June 6, 1864, until autumn 1865, was dubbed "Hellmira" by its inmates. Towner's history of 1892 and maps from the period indicate the camp occupied a somewhat irregular

parallelogram In Euclidean geometry, a parallelogram is a simple polygon, simple (non-list of self-intersecting polygons, self-intersecting) quadrilateral with two pairs of Parallel (geometry), parallel sides. The opposite or facing sides of a parallelogram a ...

, running about west and approximately the same distance south of a location several hundred feet west of Hoffman Street (Foster Avenue) and Winsor Avenue, bordered on the south by Foster's Pond, on the north bank of the Chemung River. In the months the site was used as a camp, 12,123 Confederate soldiers were incarcerated; of these, 2,963 died during their stay from a combination of

malnutrition Malnutrition occurs when an organism gets too few or too many nutrients, resulting in health problems. Specifically, it is a deficiency, excess, or imbalance of energy, protein and other nutrients which adversely affects the body's tissues a ...

, prolonged exposure to brutal winter weather and disease directly attributable to the dismal sanitary conditions on Foster's Pond and lack of medical care. The camp's dead were prepared for burial and laid to rest by the sexton at Woodlawn National Cemetery, ex-slave John W. Jones. At the end of the war, each prisoner was given a loyalty oath and given a train ticket back home; the last prisoner left the camp on September 27, 1865. The camp was closed, demolished and converted to farmland. Woodlawn Cemetery, about north of the original prison camp site (bounded by West Hill, Bancroft, Davis and Mary Streets), was designated a " National Cemetery" in 1877. The prison camp site is today a residential area.

Reformatory and correctional facility

The state legislature authorized the building of a state prison for first offenders in 1866. It opened in 1876 as the Elmira Reformatory, under the direction of Zebulon Brockway, serving offenders aged sixteen to thirty. It was the first institution of its kind, and a model for others to follow. In 1970 the complex was renamed the Elmira Correctional and Reception Center.

Hurricane Agnes and the 1972 flood

During the summer of 1972, Hurricane Agnes struck the eastern seaboard of the United States, causing significant damage stretching from Florida into New England. Elmira was particularly hit hard by the flood, with over an estimated $291 million in damage. Over 15,000 people had to flee the city, and approximately 5,000 homes were damaged or destroyed. Coordinated efforts between local churches and regional businesses helped with the cleanup. Operating in secrecy, Rochester, NY-based

Eastman Kodak The Eastman Kodak Company, referred to simply as Kodak (), is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in film photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorporated i ...

sent crews as part of Operation Rebuild. Their efforts rebuilt 78 homes and assisted in the repairs of countless others. Elmira city leaders approached the New York State Urban Development Corporation (UDC) to lead the redevelopment of the city post-flood. With a select group of businessmen and city officials attempting to minimize public input, the UDC implemented the "New Elmira Plan". This entailed the removal of buildings along the river to create Riverside Park, and razing other buildings in the business district for two parking garages. Altogether, forty percent of Elmira's commercial space was eliminated as part of the plan. Local citizens lamented the loss of character and vibrancy of downtown Elmira.

"Storm of the Century" – 1993 snow blizzard

In March 1993, the city of Elmira was hit hard by a snow blizzard, nicknamed " Storm of the Century", that added 21.5 inches of snow to Elmira in a single day.

2012 tornado

On July 26, 2012, an EF1 tornado touched down near Cottage Drive off of Route 352 and traveled through Golden Glow and the rest of the city. Moderate damage was seen after the storm passed and hundreds of trees and power lines were blown down. No one was injured. The tornado was wide and took the city by surprise as this area has not been prone to tornadic activity.

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 city has an area of , of which is land and (3.56%) is water. The Chemung River flows eastward through the city. Elmira is built almost entirely in the flood plain of the Chemung River and has suffered many floods, the worst from Hurricane Agnes in 1972. Newtown Creek, flowing from the north, joins the Chemung River at the city's southeast corner. Interstate 86/ New York State Route 17, The Southern Tier Expressway, connects with the city at Exit 56. New York State Route 14 passes through Elmira between Watkins Glen and

. New York State Route 13 begins near

Lake Ontario Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. The Canada–United Sta ...

and travels through Cortland and Ithaca before ending in Elmira. New York State Route 352 begins in Elmira at Exit 56 of the Southern Tier Expressway and continues West into Corning.

Climate

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 30,940 people, 11,475 households, and 6,701 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 12,895 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 82.03%

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 ...

, 13.05%

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 ...

, 0.39% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.03%

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 ...

, 1.37% from other races, and 2.64% 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 3.14% of the population. There were 11,475 households, out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.3% 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, 18.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.6% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.05. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.1% under the age of 18, 13.0% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $27,292, and the median income for a family was $33,592. Males had a median income of $31,775 versus $22,350 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 city was $14,495. About 17.9% of families and 23.1% 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 32.6% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over. The Elmira, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area (or Elmira MSA) is frequently used for statistical information such as labor rates and includes all of Chemung County with a population in 2000 of 90,070. The Elmira MSA was ranked as the 59th safest place to live out of 344 Metro Areas in 2005 by Morgan Quitno Press. The three largest ethnic groups in Elmira are Irish, German and Italian.

Economy

In 1950, the Elmira's population peaked at about 50,000, which represented 57 percent of Chemung County's total population at the time. Today, the city has approximately 25,000 residents, which represents 34 percent of Chemung County's population. This population decline is due to the national decline in railroads and manufacturing as well as a population shift to the outer suburbs around Elmira. The Elmira Metro area has nearly 100,000 people. The population decline began during the recession of the early 1970s during which several large employers (Ann Page, American Bridge,

General Electric General Electric Company (GE) was an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in 1892, incorporated in the New York (state), state of New York and headquartered in Boston. Over the year ...

, American LaFrance, Westinghouse and Remington Rand) either closed their factories or moved to other states. The decline was exacerbated by the flood of 1972, during which many of the downtown businesses and single-family homes were destroyed or replaced by subsequent Urban Renewal projects in the Chemung River flood plain.

Current manufacturing employers

Anchor Glass Container Corporation, headquartered in

Tampa, Florida Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...

, is in the old Thatcher Glass facility in Elmira Heights. Anchor Glass produces a diverse line of flint, amber, green and other colored glass containers of various types and designs for the beer, food, beverage and liquor markets in North America. Anchor Glass is now wholly owned by the Ardagh Group S.A. CAF-USA Inc has its main U.S. plant in Elmira Heights on the site of the former American Bridge Company. CAF USA is a subsidiary company of Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, a Spanish manufacturer of passenger rail products (including trains, high-speed trains, locomotives,

light rail Light rail (or light rail transit, abbreviated to LRT) is a form of passenger urban rail transit that uses rolling stock derived from tram technology National Conference of the Transportation Research Board while also having some features from ...

vehicles and other rail equipment). CAF-USA Inc trains are typically designed for North America's market, based on Spanish design and technologies. Elmira Heat Treating, established in 1962 in Elmira, offers a wide variety of heat treatment technologies to both domestic and international customers such as Hilliard Corp., Ford Motors, General Signal and others. Hardinge, Inc. (formerly Hardinge Brothers), established in 1890 and now headquartered in Elmira, manufactures precise turning machines for the domestic and international market. Starting in 1995, Hardinge began expanding their product line and over the years has acquired L. Kellenberger & Co. AG, Hauser-Tripet-Tschudin AG, Jones & Shipman, and Usach Technologies, Inc. In 2004 they also acquired Bridgeport, world-famous for its milling machines and machining centers. Hilliard Corporation, established in 1905, has two locations in Elmira and serves the international market in filters, brakes, clutches and starters for a variety of industrial and commercial uses as well as consumer equipment from

Polaris Polaris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Minor. It is designated α Ursae Minoris (Latinisation of names, Latinized to ''Alpha Ursae Minoris'') and is commonly called the North Star or Pole Star. With an ...

and MTD. Kennedy Valve, located in Elmira since 1905, is one of the world's largest manufacturers of products for waterworks distribution, potable and

wastewater Wastewater (or waste water) is water generated after the use of freshwater, raw water, drinking water or saline water in a variety of deliberate applications or processes. Another definition of wastewater is "Used water from any combination of do ...

treatment, and fire protection system projects. They are most famous for their

fire hydrant A fire hydrant, fireplug, firecock (archaic), hydrant riser or Johnny Pump is a connection point by which firefighters can tap into a water supply. It is a component of active fire protection. Underground fire hydrants have been used in Europe a ...

s which can be found around the world. Kennedy Valve was acquired by McWane in 1988. Trayer Products, established in 1929, manufactures parts mostly for the heavy truck industry; primarily truck chassis parts such as king pins and shackles.

Arts and culture

On at least two hilltops near the city (mostly on Harris Hill to the northwest) pioneer pilots established the sport of gliding in America. Harris Hill is the site of the National Soaring Museum and was also used for glider trainings during World War 2. These sites are now recognized as National Landmarks of Soaring. The SS Elmira Victory, a World War 2 era Victory Ship, was named after the city. * Dunn Field is a baseball stadium along the southern banks of the Chemung River. The Elmira Pioneers play at Dunn Field. Famous players and managers who have played or managed at Dunn Field include Babe Ruth, Earl Weaver, Don Zimmer, Wade Boggs, and Curt Schilling. *

is in the city. * The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine has a branch of its medical school where Arnot Park was formerly located. * The Clemens Center is a concert and theater center named after Samuel Clemens, (Mark Twain). * The Arnot Art Museum is in the downtown Civic-Historic District. * Eldridge Park features a restored 1890s Looff Carousel * Woodlawn Cemetery and Woodlawn National Cemetery are both in the City of Elmira in the Northwest sector. Mark Twain and his family are buried in Woodlawn Cemetery. * LECOM Event Center (originally known as the Coach USA Center, later First Arena), which opened in 2000, is currently home to the Elmira Aviators of the

North American Hockey League The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is in its 50th season of operation in 2024–25. It is the only Tier II junior league sanctioned by USA Hockey, and acts as an alternati ...

. It was previously home to the Elmira Jackals of the UHL and

ECHL The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a minor professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams across the United States and Canada. Competitively, it is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL). The ...

from 2000 to 2017, as well as two other teams in the FPHL: the Elmira Enforcers, from 2018 to 2021; the Elmira Mammoth, from 2022 to 2023; and the Elmira River Sharks from 2023 to 2024.

Historic places

The following are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

: * The John Brand Jr. House * John Brand Sr. House * Buildings at 104–116 West Water St. * Chemung Canal Bank Building * Chemung County Courthouse Complex * Clinton–Columbia Historic District * Elmira Civic Historic District * Elmira Coca-Cola Bottling Company Works * Elmira College Old Campus * Emmanuel Episcopal Church * Erste Deutsche Evangelische Kirche * Alexander Eustace House * Fire Station No. 4 * William S. Gerity House * F. M. Howell and Company * John W. Jones House * Maple Avenue Historic District * Near Westside Historic District * Newtown Battlefield State Park * Park Church * Pentecostal Holy Temple Church of Jesus Christ * Pratt House * Quarry Farm * St. Patrick's Parochial Residence-Convent and School * Trinity Church * Woodlawn Cemetery and Woodlawn National Cemetery

Parks and recreation

Elmira has more than 20 parks including Eldridge Park with a walking trail, restored carousel, skateboard park, and fishing lake and Wisner Park with memorials to veterans from World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War and the Fallen Officers Memorial.

Government

The city government is a Council-Manager form of government in which the City Manager is the primary administrator of the city. There is one mayor elected at large and six council members elected from each of six council districts. The term of office of the mayor and council members was two years, until a 2003 referendum extended the terms to four years (four-year terms began after the 2007 election). The mayor and council members are all part-time employees. The City Manager, City Clerk, City Chamberlain, City Assessor, and Corporation Counsel are all appointed by the City Council. All remaining department heads serve at the request of the City Manager. The city received $1.4 million in Community Development Block Grant funds and $368,000 in HOME funds in FY2006-2007 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. These funds are used for programs and projects for low-moderate income families and neighborhood blocks.

Education

Elmira City School District is the school district.

Media

Newspapers

* '' Star-Gazette'', daily morning newspaper owned by Gannett Co. Inc. It was Gannett's first newspaper. * ''Chemung Valley Reporter'', weekly newspaper based in nearby Horseheads .

Radio

* WCIH * WNKI * WCBF * WELM * WLVY * WPIE (studio in Elmira, tower in Trumansburg) * WOKN * WKPQ / WHHO (studio in Hornell) * WLEA / WCKR (studio in Hornell) *

WCID WCID (101.1 FM broadcasting, FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Christian radio format from Family Life Network. Licensed to Enfield, New York, United States, the station serves the Ithaca, New York, Ithaca area. The station is owned by Famil ...

* WENI-FM *

WPGO WPGO (820 Hertz, kHz) is a non-commercial educational station, non-commercial AM broadcasting, AM radio station city of license, licensed to Horseheads (village), New York, Horseheads, New York state, New York, serving the Elmira, New York, Elmir ...

Television

* WETM 18 ( NBC) * WETM-DT2 18.2 (

ANT Ants are Eusociality, eusocial insects of the Family (biology), family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the Taxonomy (biology), order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from Vespoidea, vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cre ...

) * WSKA 30 ( PBS, simulcast of WSKG-TV) (licensed to Corning, with which Elmira shares TV market) * WENY-TV 36 ( ABC on DT1/ CBS on DT2/ CW on DT3 through The CW Plus) (studio in Horseheads, licensed to Elmira) * WJKP-LD 39 (

MyNetworkTV MyNetworkTV (stylized as mynetworkTV; unofficially abbreviated MNT or MNTV) is an American commercial broadcast television syndication service and former television network owned by Fox Corporation, operated by its Fox Television Stations ...

) (studio and license in Corning, with which Elmira shares TV market) * WYDC 48 ( FOX) (studio and license in Corning, with which Elmira shares TV market)

Infrastructure

Transportation

Public transit

The Chemung County Transit System operates regularly scheduled fixed route service within the City of Elmira and Village of Horseheads. Another route links Elmira with Corning Community College, also linking passengers with the Steuben County Transit System (SCT) and Corning Erwin Area Transit System (CEATS). Elmira is served by several intercity bus operators. New York Trailways serves Elmira on one of its routes between Binghamton and Rochester. Short Line serves Elmira on its route between Binghamton and Olean. OurBus provides service to Elmira on a route between New York City and

Niagara Falls Niagara Falls is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the Canada–United States border, border between the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York (s ...

. Fullington Trailways discontinued service between Elmira and

Williamsport, Pennsylvania Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 27,754. It is the principal city of the Williamsport Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a populati ...

in April 2022.

Air transportation

The Elmira Corning Regional Airport ( IATA code ELM, ICAO code KELM) is a medium-size regional airport, and the only area airport that offers scheduled

airline An airline is a company that provides civil aviation, air transport services for traveling passengers or freight (cargo). Airlines use aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or Airline alliance, alliances with other airlines ...

service. Located northwest of downtown, the airport has non-stop flights to

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

in addition to seasonal flights to

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

served by

Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a Major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, operating nine hubs, with Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport being its ...

, and two routes to Florida served by Allegiant Air with the airline serving seasonal flights to Punta Gorda and Myrtle Beach.

Police and fire

The city police department employs approximately 81 full-time officers. The city fire department employs approximately 60 full-time firefighters and officers.

Notable people

* John Alexander, racing driver * Tedd Arnold, author and illustrator * John Arnot, Jr., politician, Civil War soldier * Elizabeth Frawley Bagley, U.S. Ambassador to Brazil * Charlie Baker, Former Governor of Massachusetts * Ray W. Barker, Major General, US Army * Tracy Beadle (1808–1877), druggist, banker, and politician * John Beecher, NHL player for the

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...

* James R. Beckwith, Wisconsin state assembly * Simeon Benjamin (1792—1868), businessman, philanthropist, and benefactor of

* Zebulon Brockway (1827–1920) known as the "Father of prison reform," directed the Elmira Reformatory * Olivia "Livy" Langdon Clemens, wife of Mark Twain * Chip Coffey, psychic, television personality * Frederick Collin, lawyer, judge, Mayor of Elmira * Eileen Collins, astronaut * Harriet Maxwell Converse, author, folklorist, Native American civil rights advocate * Clara Cook, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player * Ernie Davis, football player, first African-American

Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...

winner (1961) * Alexander S. Diven, former US Army officer and Congressman * Stan Drulia, ice hockey player and coach * Jacob Sloat Fassett, politician * Clyde Fitch, playwright * Thomas S. Flood, former US Congressman * Dan Forrest, Jr., composer * John Franchi, mixed martial arts fighter *

Henry Friendly Henry Jacob Friendly (July 3, 1903 – March 11, 1986) was an American jurist who served as a United States federal judge, federal circuit judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 1959 to 1986, and as the court's Ch ...

, judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit * Burt Gillett, director of animated films * Emmett Goff, pioneering horticulturist, inventor, writer and educator * Charles Tomlinson Griffes, composer * Sam Groom, actor * Jason Butler Harner, actor * Bud Heine, former Baseball player for the New York Giants. * Lewis Henry, former US Congressman * Bruce Heyman, former U.S. Ambassador to Canada *

Tommy Hilfiger Thomas Jacob Hilfiger ( ; born March 24, 1951) is an American fashion designer and the founder of Tommy Hilfiger (company), Tommy Hilfiger Corporation. After starting his career by co-founding a chain of jeans/fashion stores called People's P ...

, fashion designer * Molly Huddle, Olympic runner * John W. Jones, underground railroad agent * Matt Knowles, pro wrestler * Warren D. Leary, Wisconsin State Assemblyman and newspaper publisher * Kirt Manwaring, former Major League Baseball player * Charles Thomas McMillen, basketball player, politician * Norman A. Mordue, QB Syracuse University. Served with 1stAirCav Viet Nam. Currently U.S. Federal Judge 3rd District, Syracuse, NY * Anna Campbell Palmer (1854–1928), author, editor * William P. Perry, producer and composer * Aurora Phelps, land reformer, labor leader, women's rights advocate * Beth Phoenix, WWE Hall of Famer * Jeanine Pirro, television host, author, and former

New York State New York, also called New York State, is a state in the northeastern United States. Bordered by New England to the east, Canada to the north, and Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south, its territory extends into both the Atlantic Ocean and ...

judge,

prosecutor A prosecutor is a legal representative of the prosecution in states with either the adversarial system, which is adopted in common law, or inquisitorial system, which is adopted in Civil law (legal system), civil law. The prosecution is the ...

, and politician * Jeff Plate, drummer for Trans-Siberian Orchestra * Margaret L. Plunkett (1906-2000), labor economist, diplomat * Anna Beach Pratt, American educator and social worker. * Dan Quinlan, actor * Hal Roach, film producer * Jane Roberts, writer and psychic - (1929–1984), author, psychic and trance or spirit medium. * Hosea H. Rockwell, former US Congressman * Francis Asbury Roe, naval officer * Alice J. Shaw, whistling performer in vaudeville * Frederick B. Shaw, U.S. Army brigadier general * Joey Sindelar, pro golfer * Horace B. Smith, former US Congressman * Esther Baker Steele (1835–1911), educator, author, traveler, philanthropist * Joel Dorman Steele, educator and author *

John Surratt John Harrison Surratt Jr. (April 13, 1844 – April 21, 1916) was an American Confederate States of America , Confederate spy who was accused of plotting with John Wilkes Booth to kidnap U.S. President Abraham Lincoln; he was also suspected of ...

, son of Mary Surratt * Art Sykes, boxer *

Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced," with William Fau ...

, writer * Asher Tyler, former US Congressman * Lewis Sayre Van Duzer, US Navy officer * Antha Minerva Virgil, composer and inventor * John Joseph Wantuck, US Marine awarded Navy Cross * Bob Waterfield, college and pro football player, husband of actress Jane Russell *

Brian Williams Brian Douglas Williams (born May 5, 1959) is an American journalist and television news anchor. He was a correspondent for ''NBC Nightly News'' starting in 1993, before his promotion to anchorman, anchor and managing editor of the broadcast in ...

, television news anchor * Jason Wise, actor * Don Zimmer, Major League Baseball player and manager * Aeryn Gillern, Missing person,

UNIDO The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) (French: Organisation des Nations unies pour le développement industriel; French/Spanish acronym: ONUDI) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that assists countries in ...

worker

References

External links

*
City of Elmira website

Chemung County Chamber of Commerce
{{Authority control Elmira, New York Cities in New York (state) County seats in New York (state) Populated places established in 1791 Cities in Chemung County, New York 1791 establishments in New York (state)