Elmira () is a

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

of Chemung County, New York, United States. It is the principal city of the Elmira, New York,

metropolitan statistical area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

, 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 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 ...

of Elmira. It is in the Southern Tier of New York, a short distance north of the

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

state line.

History

Early history

The region of Elmira was inhabited by the

Cayuga nation The Cayuga Nation of New York is a federally recognized tribe of Cayuga people, based in New York, United States. Other organized tribes with Cayuga members are the federally recognized Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma and the Canadian-recognized ...

(also known as the Kanawaholla) of the

Haudenosaunee The Iroquois ( or ), officially the Haudenosaunee ( meaning "people of the longhouse"), are an Iroquoian-speaking confederacy of First Nations peoples in northeast North America/ Turtle Island. They were known during the colonial years to ...

prior to

European colonization The historical phenomenon of colonization is one that stretches around the globe and across time. Ancient and medieval colonialism was practiced by the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Turks, and the Arabs. Colonialism in the modern sense began ...

. Cayuga residing in the region maintained relations with European settlers, primarily related to the fur trade, 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 a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

, the

Sullivan Expedition The 1779 Sullivan Expedition (also known as the Sullivan-Clinton Expedition, the Sullivan Campaign, and the Sullivan-Clinton Genocide) was a United States military campaign during the American Revolutionary War, lasting from June to October 1779 ...

of 1779 was mounted by the Continental Army 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. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

. The expeditionary force fought a combined British-Haudenosaunee force at the

Battle of Newtown The Battle of Newtown (August 29, 1779) was a major battle of the Sullivan Expedition, an armed offensive led by General John Sullivan that was ordered by the Continental Congress to end the threat of the Iroquois who had sided with the British ...

, south of the current city, in which the Continental Army emerged victorious. After the conclusion of the war, the Haudenosaunee and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

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 ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

, where they resettled on land provided by the British Crown. 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 The Chemung River ( ) is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed August 8, 2011 in south central New York and northern ...

. 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 Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

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 Rochester may refer to: Places Australia * Rochester, Victoria Canada * Rochester, Alberta United Kingdom *Rochester, Kent ** City of Rochester-upon-Medway (1982–1998), district council area ** History of Rochester, Kent ** HM Prison ...

and Buffalo with Albany and

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

, via the canal system and railroads. The city was the southern terminus of the

Chemung Canal The Chemung Canal is a former canal in New York, United States. The canal connected Seneca Lake at Watkins Glen to the Chemung River at Elmira, New York. It was planned to connect the Finger Lakes region and Pennsylvania's Susquehanna River ...

completed in 1833; later, the

Junction Canal The Junction Canal was a canal in the states of New York and Pennsylvania in the United States. The canal was also called the Arnot Canal, after the name of its principal stockholder, John Arnot of Elmira, New York. History The canal was built a ...

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 The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in the northeastern United States, originally connecting New York City — more specifically Jersey City, New Jersey, where Erie's Pavonia Terminal, long demolished, used to stand — with Lake Erie ...

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 (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

training and muster point early in the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same 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 ...

. In 1872 construction began on the

Utica, Ithaca and Elmira Railroad The Elmira, Cortland and Northern Railroad was a railroad in the state of New York, in the United States. Its main line ran from Elmira, New York, to Camden, New York. It was formed in 1884 from the consolidation of other railroads and merged into ...

, eventually creating a route to Cortland and Syracuse via Horseheads, Breesport and

Van Etten Van Etten is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Chris Van Etten, American television writer * Hudson Van Etten (1874–1941), United States Navy sailor * Jane Van Etten (born 1871), American composer * Sharon Van Etten (born 1981) ...

. The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, completed in 1884, competed with the Erie's New York City to Buffalo line. File:PSM V75 D308 Chemung canal extension.png, 1909 Extension of Chemung Canal. File:Chemung County New York - Beers 1869.jpg, 1869 map showing Elmira's location as a transportation hub in Chemung County File:1893 Poor's Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad.jpg, Map of Delaware, Lackawanna and Westerny Railroad in New York State / Pennsylvania, 1893. File:Aerial view of station - Erie Railway, Elmira Station, Railroad Avenue, Elmira, Chemung County, NY HAER NY,8-ELM,2A-1.tif, Aerial view of station - Erie Railway, Elmira Station, Railroad Avenue, Elmira New York

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, 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 soldier The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

s 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 ...

, 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 The following is a partial list of prominent National Cemeteries: Africa Algeria * El Alia Cemetery, Algiers Burundi * Mausolée des Martyrs de la Démocratie, Bujumbura Ghana * Asomdwee Park, Accra * Burma Camp Military Cemetery, Accra L ...

" in 1877. The prison camp site is today a residential area. File:The photographic history of the Civil War - thousands of scenes photographed 1861-65, with text by many special authorities (1911) (14760407854).jpg, Evening roll-call at Camp Rathburn, ca. 1864. File:The photographic history of the Civil War - thousands of scenes photographed 1861-65, with text by many special authorities (1911) (14762505722).jpg, Changing of the guard at Camp Rathburn, ca. 1864. File:The photographic history of the Civil War - thousands of scenes photographed 1861-65, with text by many special authorities (1911) (14576177549).jpg, Artillery on guard over prisoners at Camp Rathburn, ca. 1864. File:Elmira, New York (1882736106).jpg, Civil War monument dedicated to soldiers who were trained and imprisoned at Camp Rathburn, dedicated May 3, 1992.

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. File:Elmira Reformatory.jpg, Elmira Reformatory, circa 1897.

Elmira 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 30,000 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, 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, is in the old Thatcher Glass facility in Elmira Heights. Anchor Glass produces a diverse line of flint, amber, green and other colored

glass container Container glass is a type of glass for the production of glass containers, such as bottles, jars, drinkware, and bowls. Container glass stands in contrast to ''flat glass'' (used for windows, glass doors, transparent walls, windshields) and ''gl ...

s 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 The American Bridge Company is a heavy/civil construction firm that specializes in building and renovating bridges and other large, complex structures. Founded in 1900, the company is headquartered in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pitt ...

. 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 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 Heat treating (or heat treatment) is a group of industrial process, industrial, thermal and metalworking, metalworking processes used to alter the physical property, physical, and sometimes chemical property, chemical, properties of a material. ...

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

waterworks Water supply is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisations, community endeavors or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps and pipes. Public water supply systems are crucial to properly functioning societies. Thes ...

distribution, potable and

wastewater Wastewater 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 domestic, industrial ...

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

fire hydrant A fire hydrant, waterplug, or firecock (archaic) 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 and Asia since at least t ...

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.

Hurricane Agnes and the Flood of '72

During the summer of 1972,

Hurricane Agnes Hurricane Agnes in 1972 was the costliest hurricane to hit the United States at the time, causing an estimated $2.1 billion in damage. The hurricane's death toll was 128. The effects of Agnes were widespread, from the Caribbean to Canada, ...

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 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 Empire State Development (ESD) is the umbrella organization for New York's two principal economic development public-benefit corporations, the New York State Urban Development Corporation (UDC) and the New York Job Development Authority (JDA). T ...

(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.

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 and climate

Elmira is at (42.089874, −76.809559). 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 t ...

, the city has an area of , of which is land and (3.56%) is water. The

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

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 New York State Route 17 (NY 17) is a major state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in Mina and follows the Southern T ...

, connects with the city at Exit 56.

New York State Route 14 New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...

passes through Elmira between Watkins Glen and

New York State Route 13 New York State Route 13 (NY 13) is a state highway that runs mainly north–south for between NY 14 in Horseheads and NY 3 west of Pulaski in Central New York in the United States. In between, NY 13 intersects wit ...

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. The Canada–United States border ...

and travels through Cortland and

Ithaca Ithaca most commonly refers to: *Homer's Ithaca, an island featured in Homer's ''Odyssey'' *Ithaca (island), an island in Greece, possibly Homer's Ithaca *Ithaca, New York, a city, and home of Cornell University and Ithaca College Ithaca, Ithaka ...

before ending in Elmira.

New York State Route 352 New York State Route 352 (NY 352) is a state highway in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It generally parallels the Southern Tier Expressway ( Interstate 86 or I-86 and NY 17) from the village of Riversi ...

begins in Elmira at Exit 56 of the

and continues West into Corning.

Demographics

As of the

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 in ...

of 2000, there were 30,940 people, 11,475 households, and 6,701 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: 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 geographical ...

was 4,229.5 people per square mile (1,632.0/km²). There were 12,895 housing units at an average density of 1,762.7 per square mile (680.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.03%

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 o ...

, 13.05%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...

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 ...

, 0.39% Native American, 0.49%

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 ...

, 0.03%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 1.37% 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 2.64% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties forme ...

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 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 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 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 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 t ...

, 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 Morgan Quitno Press is a research and publishing company founded in 1989 and based in Lawrence, Kansas. The company compiled annual reference books of US state and city statistics. Its primary volumes included State Rankings, Health Care State Ra ...

Press. The three largest ethnic groups in Elmira are Irish, German and Italian.

City 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 has of road, of water lines, and of sewer lines. There are four ZIP codes in the City of Elmira: 14901 (northside), 14902 (downtown), 14904 (southside), and 14905 (West Elmira).

Facts about city government

* The city police department employs approximately 81 full-time officers. The chief since 2021 is Anthony A. Alvernaz. * The city fire department employs approximately 60 full-time firefighters and officers. * The city animal shelter has a goal to become by 2007 a no-kill animal shelter based on a model by Tompkins County

Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals A Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is a common name for non-profit animal welfare organizations around the world. The oldest SPCA organization is the RSPCA, which was founded in England in 1824. SPCA organizations operate i ...

. * The city received $1.4 million in

Community Development Block Grant The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), one of the longest-running programs of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, funds local community development activities with the stated goal of providing affordable housing, anti-po ...

funds and $368,000 in HOME funds in FY2006-2007 from the

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It administers federal housing and urban development laws. It is headed by the Secretary of Housing and Urb ...

. These funds are used for programs and projects for low-moderate income families and neighborhood blocks. * The City of 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. * The City Manager of the City of Elmira is P. Michael Collins. * Naming rights to the Millers Pond Park were obtained by J. Howard "Buzz" Miller, an early-20th century benevolent industrialist, when his horse "Mumbo Jumbo" won a 1912 race at the Tioga Downs horse track.

Media

Newspapers

* ''

Star-Gazette The ''Star-Gazette'' is the major newspaper for Elmira, New York. Based in Elmira, the publication is owned by Gannett Gannett Co., Inc. () is an American mass media holding company headquartered in McLean, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C. ...

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

Radio

* WLVY *

WNKI WNKI (106.1 FM, "Wink 106") is a radio station broadcasting a Top 40 (CHR) format. Licensed to Corning, New York, United States, the station serves the Elmira-Corning area, and is the Arbitron #1 rated station in the market. The station is curr ...

* WCBF * WELM *

WEHH WEHH (1600 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station which is licensed to two adjacent cities in the Southern Tier of New York, Elmira Heights and Horseheads, New York. It is owned by Tower Broadcasting and airs an Top 40 (CHR) radio format, si ...

WPIE WPIE signed on in 1989 as Tompkins County's third AM radio station and the Ithaca, New York market's 12th station on both radio bands. It broadcasts on 1160 kHz. Since November 2010, it has been locally owned and operated by Vizella Media and ...

(studio in Elmira, tower in Trumansburg) * WOKN *

WKPQ WKPQ (105.3 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Hornell, New York, United States, the station serves the Elmira-Corning area including the Canisteo valley and northern Pennsylvania. The station is currently ow ...

WHHO WHHO (1320 AM) was a radio station broadcasting a sports talk format. Licensed to Hornell, New York, United States, the station served the Elmira- Corning area. The station was owned by Bilbat Radio, Inc. (at the time of closure, wholly owned ...

(studio in Hornell) *

WLEA WLEA (1480 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a talk radio format. Licensed to Hornell, New York, United States, the station serves the Canisteo Valley area, and is a part of the Elmira Corning Radio Market The station is currently owned by PMJ ...

/ WCKR (studio in Hornell) * WECW (Elmira College Student-Run Radio Station) *

WCID WCID (100.9 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Christian radio format from Family Life Network. Licensed to Horseheads, New York, United States, the station serves the Elmira- Corning area. The station is owned by Family Life Ministries. H ...

WENI-FM WENI-FM (92.7 MHz) is an American radio station licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to serve the community of South Waverly, Pennsylvania (located south of Waverly, New York). Starting in early 2010, the then-WPHD moved to C ...

WPGO WPGO (820 AM) is a radio station in the Elmira-Corning market in New York state. History The station signed on in 1966 as WIQT, broadcasting from studios on Hanover Square in Horseheads during daylight hours on 1000 kHz. It was the fifth stat ...

Television

* WETM 18 (

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

) * WETM-DT2 18.2 (

ANT Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cretaceous period. More than 13,800 of an estimated total of ...

) * WSKA 30 (

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

, simulcast of

WSKG-TV WSKG-TV (channel 46) is a PBS member television station in Binghamton, New York, United States. It is owned by the WSKG Public Telecommunications Council alongside NPR members WSKG-FM (89.3) and WSQX-FM (91.5). The three stations share studio ...

) (licensed to Corning, with which Elmira shares TV market) *

WENY-TV WENY-TV (channel 36) is a television station in Elmira, New York, United States, affiliated with ABC, CBS and The CW Plus. Owned by Lilly Broadcasting, the station has studios on Old Ithaca Road in Horseheads, and its transmitter is located ...

36 (

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

on DT1/

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

on DT2/ CW on DT3 through

The CW Plus The CW Plus is a secondary national programming service feed of The CW that is fully controlled and 75% owned by Nexstar Media Group, with Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery each owning a 12.5% stake in the network. It is intended prima ...

) (studio in Horseheads, licensed to Elmira) * WJKP-LD 39 (

MyNetworkTV MyNetworkTV (unofficially abbreviated MyTV, MyNet, MNT or MNTV, and sometimes referred to as My Network) is an American commercial broadcast television syndication service and former television network owned by Fox Corporation, operated by its ...

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

FOX Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

) (studio and license in Corning, with which Elmira shares TV market)

Transportation infrastructure

Public transportation

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 Trailways of New York is one of the largest privately held transportation companies based in New York State. It employs over 450 people and carries passengers more than 80 million miles annually. TrailwaysNY, as it is known, operates over 150 tr ...

serves Elmira on one of its routes between

Binghamton Binghamton () is a city in the U.S. state of New York, and serves as the county seat of Broome County. Surrounded by rolling hills, it lies in the state's Southern Tier region near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the conflue ...

and

. Short Line serves Elmira on its route between

and Olean.

OurBus OurBus Inc. is is a broker for motor carriers of passengers, and arranges for the transportation of passengers. The company offers intercity and commuter bus routes serving cities in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virgini ...

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 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 Fall ...

Fullington Trailways The Trailways Transportation System is an American network of approximately 70 independent bus companies that have entered into a brand licensing agreement. The company is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia. History The predecessor to Trailwa ...

discontinued service between Elmira and

Williamsport, Pennsylvania Williamsport is a city in, and the county seat of, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. It recorded a population of 27,754 at the 2020 Census. It is the principal city of the Williamsport Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a popul ...

in April 2022.

Air transportation

The

Elmira Corning Regional Airport Elmira Corning Regional Airport is in Chemung County, New York, seven miles northwest of Elmira and eight miles east of Corning. It is in the town of Big Flats but its mailing address is Horseheads, New York. The airport was formerly Elmira R ...

(

IATA code IATA codes are abbreviations that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) publishes to facilitate air travel. They are typically 1, 2, 3, or 4 character combinations (referred to as unigrams, digrams, trigrams, or tetragrams, respect ...

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 air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines use aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for codeshare agreements, in wh ...

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

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

in addition to seasonal flights to

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

served by

Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc., typically referred to as Delta, is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier. One of the world's oldest airlines in operation, Delta is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline, along w ...

, and two routes to Florida served by

Allegiant Air Allegiant Air (usually shortened to Allegiant) is an ultra low-cost U.S. carrier that operates scheduled and charter flights. It is a major air carrier, the fourteenth-largest commercial airline in North America. Allegiant was founded in 1 ...

with the airline serving seasonal flights to Punta Gorda and

Myrtle Beach Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous stretch of beach known as "The Grand Strand" in the northeastern part of the state. Its ...

Culture

The City Slogan is ''"Honoring the Past, Building the Future"''. It is featured on an Entrance sign erected in 2003 into the city from Exit 56 of the Southern Tier Expressway along with other honored Elmirans including (L to R) Brian Williams,

Hal Roach Harry Eugene "Hal" Roach Sr. Skretvedt, Randy (2016), ''Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies'', Bonaventure Press. p.608. (January 14, 1892 – November 2, 1992) was an American film and television producer, director, and screenwriter, ...

, Ernie Davis, Mark Twain,

Eileen Collins Eileen Marie Collins (born 19 November 1956) is a retired NASA astronaut and United States Air Force (USAF) colonel. A former flight instructor and test pilot, Collins was the first woman to pilot the Space Shuttle and the first to command a ...

, John Jones, and

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

. The slogan was designated by Mayor Stephen Hughes following the conclusion of a slogan contest in which Marlin Stewart, Alan and Barbara Hutchinson, and James Lloyd were recognized for their contributions to the winning slogan. 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 The National Soaring Museum (NSM) is an aviation museum whose stated aim is to preserve the history of motorless flight. It is located on top of Harris Hill near Elmira, New York, United States. The NSM is the Soaring Society of America's officia ...

. These sites are now recognized as National Landmarks of Soaring. * Dunn Field is a baseball stadium along the southern banks of the

. 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. *

Elmira College Elmira College is a private college in Elmira, New York. Founded as a college for women in 1855, it is the oldest existing college granting degrees to women that were the equivalent of those given to men. Elmira College became coeducational in a ...

is in the city. * In 2020, the

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) is a private medical school in Erie, Pennsylvania, Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Bradenton, Florida, DeFuniak Springs, Florida and Elmira, New York. Founded in 1992, LECOM confers medical (D.O.) ...

plans to open a new branch of its medical school where Arnot Park is currently located. * The Clemens Center is a concert and theater center named after Samuel Clemens, (Mark Twain). * The

Arnot Art Museum Arnot Art Museum, opened 1913, is a municipal art museum located at 235 Lake Street in Elmira, New York. Its permanent collection includes 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century European paintings; and 19th- and 20th-century American art. Its 21st-century ...

is in the downtown Civic-Historic District. *

Eldridge Park Eldridge Park, located in Elmira, New York, is a famous amusement park, which opened around the turn of the 20th century. Covering roughly , it is dedicated to the memory of a local physician and is still in common usage. The park includes a ...

features a restored 1890s

Looff Carousel Looff Carousels are carousels built by Charles I. D. Looff (1852 - 1918) a master carver and builder of hand-carved carousels and amusement rides in America. Looff, whose factory was based in Riverside, Rhode Island, is credited with making abou ...

* 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. * The

First Arena The First Arena is a 3,784-seat multi-purpose facility located in downtown Elmira, New York. It features two ice surfaces, a full-service restaurant and bar, a food service center for the recreational rink, video game arcade, 31 luxury suites, p ...

was built in Elmira in 2000 (originally opened as the Coach USA Center). It has been home to the

Elmira Jackals The Elmira Jackals were a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Elmira, New York. They were members of the United Hockey League from 2000 to 2007 and the ECHL from 2007 to 2017. The Jackals played their home games at First Arena. On ...

of the UHL and

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

from 2000 to 2017 when the team folded and the

Elmira Enforcers The Elmira Enforcers were a minor professional ice hockey team located in Elmira, New York, and a member of the Federal Prospects Hockey League. Their home games were played at First Arena. The team folded in 2021 after an arena contract dispu ...

of the

FPHL The Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL) is a professional ice hockey independent minor league with teams in the Midwestern, Southern, and Northeastern United States. The FPHL began operations in November 2010 as the Federal Hockey League. ...

from 2018 to 2021.

Historic places

The following are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

: * The John Brand Jr. House *

John Brand Sr. House John Brand Sr. House is a historic home located at Elmira in Chemung County, New York. It was built about 1870 and is a large -story, Italianate-style dwelling with a 2-story wing. Also on the property is a concrete fountain basin with a repro ...

* Buildings at 104–116 West Water St. *

Chemung Canal Bank Building The Chemung Canal Bank Building is located at 415 East Water Street in Elmira, New York, Elmira, Chemung County, New York, United States. It is thought to be the oldest commercial building in Elmira. The Chemung Canal opened in 1832 and constru ...

Chemung County Courthouse Complex The Chemung County Courthouse Complex consists of four buildings built between 1836 and 1899. The oldest building, built in 1836, is the District Attorney's and Treasurer's Building. The centerpiece, the courthouse itself, was designed by Horat ...

* Clinton–Columbia Historic District *

Elmira Civic Historic District The Elmira Civic Historic District is the area of downtown Elmira, New York where the governmental center developed in the town's early history. It includes the Chemung County Courthouse Complex, John Hazlett Office Building and the Arnot Art M ...

Elmira Coca-Cola Bottling Company Works The Elmira Coca-Cola Bottling Company Works is located at 415 West Second Street, Elmira, New York. It was built in 1939 in the Art Moderne style. The building was designed by architect Lucius Read White, Jr. The structure is significant for it ...

* Elmira College Old Campus * Emmanuel Episcopal Church *

Erste Deutsche Evangelische Kirche The Erste Deutsche Evangelische Kirche, also known as First United Church of Christ, is located at 160 Madison Avenue, Elmira, New York. Construction of the church started in 1898, and finished the following year. The church served the large G ...

Alexander Eustace House The Alexander Eustace House is a historic house located at 401 Maple Avenue in Elmira, New York, Elmira, which is in Chemung County, State of New York, New York. History The Alexander Eustace house was built in 1886 for lawyer Alexander Eustac ...

* Fire Station No. 4 *

William S. Gerity House The William S. Gerity House is a historic house located at 415 William Street in Elmira, Chemung County, New York. Description and history Known in upstate New York as "The Strawberry Mansion" (for its distinct red brick facade), this histor ...

* F. M. Howell and Company *

John W. Jones House The John W. Jones House currently stands at 1250 Davis Street, Elmira, New York, across from a historic entrance to Woodlawn Cemetery. It is the former home of John W. Jones and current home of the John W. Jones Museum. It stands on part of i ...

* Maple Avenue Historic District *

Near Westside Historic District Near Westside Historic District is a national historic district located at Elmira in Chemung County, New York. The district includes 480 principal structures over 25-30 blocks in a district. The district is predominantly residential with onl ...

Newtown Battlefield State Park Newtown Battlefield State Park, formerly known as Newtown Battlefield Reservation, was the site of the Battle of Newtown fought in August 1779, during the American Revolutionary War. It was the only major battle of the Sullivan Expedition, an arm ...

* Park Church * Pentecostal Holy Temple Church of Jesus Christ * Pratt House * Quarry Farm *

St. Patrick's Parochial Residence-Convent and School St. Patrick's Parochial Residence-Convent and School is a historic Roman Catholic parochial residence (rectory and convent), and school complex located at Elmira in Chemung County, New York. The structures are across from St. Patrick's Catholic Ch ...

* Trinity Church * Woodlawn Cemetery and Woodlawn National Cemetery

Notable people

* Tedd Arnold, author and illustrator * John Arnot, Jr., politician, Civil War soldier *

Charlie Baker Charles Duane Baker Jr. (born November 13, 1956) is an American politician and businessman serving as the 72nd governor of Massachusetts since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, Baker was a cabinet official under two governors of Massach ...

, Governor of Massachusetts * Ray W. Barker, Major General, US Army * 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 *

, 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 winner (1961) *

Alexander S. Diven Alexander Samuel Diven (February 10, 1809 – June 11, 1896) was an American politician from New York and an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Biography Born in Catharine, New York, Diven attended the common schools and t ...

, former US Army officer and Congressman *

Cullen Douglas Cullen Douglas (born November 6, 1967) is an American actor, playwright, and screenwriter. His most notable television appearances have come from recurring roles on ''Pure Genius'', '' Private Practice'', ''Prison Break'', ''Grey's Anatomy'', '' ...

, actor, director and producer * Stan Drulia, ice hockey player and coach *

Jacob Sloat Fassett Jacob Sloat Fassett (November 13, 1853 – April 21, 1924) was a businessman, lawyer, and member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. Early life He was born on November 13, 1853, in Elmira, New York, the son of Newton Po ...

, politician *

Clyde Fitch Clyde Fitch (May 2, 1865 – September 4, 1909) was an American dramatist, the most popular writer for the Broadway stage of his time (c. 1890–1909). Biography Born in Elmira, New York, and educated at Holderness School and Amherst College (c ...

, playwright * Thomas S. Flood, former US Congressman * Dan Forrest, Jr., composer *

John Franchi John Franchi (born July 16, 1982) is a retired American mixed martial artist. He previously competed in WEC's featherweight division. Background Franchi was a standout wrestler at Edison High School. He then went on to graduate from the State ...

, mixed martial arts fighter *

Henry Friendly Henry Jacob Friendly (July 3, 1903 – March 11, 1986) was an American lawyer and jurist who served as a circuit judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 1959 until his death in 1986. Friendly was one of the most p ...

, judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit *

Burt Gillett Burton F. Gillett (October 15, 1891 – December 28, 1971) was a director of animated films. He is noted for his Silly Symphonies work for Disney, particularly the 1932 short film ''Flowers and Trees'' and the 1933 short film ''Three Little Pigs' ...

, director of animated films *

Charles Tomlinson Griffes Charles Tomlinson Griffes ( ; September 17, 1884 – April 8, 1920) was an American composer for piano, chamber ensembles and voice. His initial works are influenced by German Romanticism, but after he relinquished the German style, his lat ...

, composer *

Sam Groom Samuel J. Groom is an American actor noted for his work on television. Groom was born in Columbus, Ohio. Groom portrayed Tom Eldridge in the CBS drama ''Our Private World'' (1965),. Following the cancellation of that prime-time serial, he rep ...

, actor *

Jason Butler Harner Jason Thomas Butler Harner (born October 9, 1970) is an American actor. Life and career Harner was born in Elmira, New York and grew up in suburban Northern Virginia, where he saw a handful of plays at Washington, D.C.’s Arena Stage. His mid ...

, actor *

Bud Heine William Henry "Bud" Heine (September 22, 1900 – September 2, 1976) was a professional baseball player whose career spanned four seasons, which included one appearance in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the New York Giants (1921). In the majors ...

, former Baseball player for the New York Giants. *

Lewis Henry Lewis Henry (June 8, 1885 – July 23, 1941) was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. Henry was born in Elmira, New York. He graduated from Cornell University in 1909, where he was a member of The K ...

, former US Congressman *

Bruce Heyman Bruce Alan Heyman (born 1958) is an American businessman and a former United States Ambassador to Canada. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 12, 2014. He presented his credentials to the Governor General of Canada, and began his duties ...

, U.S. Ambassador to Canada *

, fashion designer *

Molly Huddle Molly Huddle (born August 31, 1984) is an American long-distance runner who competes in track and cross country running events. Huddle set the American record in the 5000 m at the 2014 Herculis Diamond League meet in Fontvieille, Monaco (14:42. ...

, Olympic runner * John W. Jones, underground railroad agent *

Matt Knowles Matt may refer to: *Matt (name), people with the given name ''Matt'' or Matthew, meaning "gift from God", or the surname Matt *In British English, of a surface: having a non-glossy finish, see gloss (material appearance) *Matt, Switzerland, a mu ...

, pro wrestler *

Warren D. Leary Warren D. Leary, Sr. (December 3, 1891 – May 19, 1959) was an American politician and newspaper editor. Born in Elmira, New York, Leary served in the United States Army during World War I and World War II and was the inspector general of the ...

, Wisconsin State Assemblyman and newspaper publisher *

Kirt Manwaring Kirt Dean Manwaring (born July 15, 1965) is an American former professional baseball player. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from through , most prominently as a member of the San Francisco Giants, with whom he played for the majo ...

, former Major League Baseball player *

Charles Thomas McMillen Charles Thomas McMillen (born May 26, 1952) is an American politician, businessman, and retired professional basketball player. A Rhodes Scholar, McMillen represented Maryland's 4th congressional district from January 3, 1987 to January 3, 199 ...

, 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 Aurora H. C. Phelps (1839 – 4 January 1876) was an American land reformer, labor organizer and leader, and women's rights advocate. Early life She was born in Cortland, New York, to John and Aurilla Phelps, and grew up in Elmira where she beca ...

, land reformer, labor leader, women's rights advocate *

Beth Phoenix Elizabeth Copeland ( Kociański; born November 24, 1980), known professionally as Beth Phoenix, is an American professional wrestler. She is a former WWE Divas Champion and a three-time WWE Women's Champion. Kociański had a successful amateur ...

, WWE Hall of Famer *

Jeanine Pirro Jeanine Ferris Pirro (born June 2, 1951) is an American television host, author, and a former New York State judge, prosecutor, and politician. Pirro was the host of Fox News Channel's ''Justice with Judge Jeanine'' until 2022 when she became ...

, television host, author, and former

New York State New York, officially the State of New York, is a state in the Northeastern United States. It is often called New York State to distinguish it from its largest city, New York City. With a total area of , New York is the 27th-largest U.S. stat ...

judge, prosecutor, and politician *

Jeff Plate Jeff Plate (born March 26, 1962) is an American professional hard rock/heavy metal drummer. He plays with the group Trans-Siberian Orchestra. He is best known as drummer for American heavy metal band Savatage on their albums since ''Japan Live '9 ...

, drummer for

Trans-Siberian Orchestra Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) is an American rock band founded in 1996 by producer, composer, and lyricist Paul O'Neill, who brought together Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli (both members of Savatage) and keyboardist and co-producer Robert Kinkel ...

* Margaret L. Plunkett (1906-2000), labor economist, diplomat *

, film producer *

Jane Roberts Dorothy Jane Roberts (May 8, 1929 – September 5, 1984) was an American author, poet, psychic, and spirit medium, who channeled a personality who called himself "Seth." Her publication of the Seth texts, known as the ''Seth Material'', estab ...

, writer and psychic - (1929–1984), author, psychic and trance or spirit medium. * Hosea H. Rockwell, former US Congressman *

Francis Asbury Roe Francis Asbury Roe (October 4, 1823 – December 28, 1901) was an admiral in the United States Navy who served during the American Civil War. Biography Born in Elmira, New York, Roe entered the United States Navy as a midshipman on October 1 ...

, naval officer *

Alice J. Shaw Alice J. Shaw was an American musical performer, who was billed as "The Whistling Prima Donna" and, in French, "La Belle Siffleuse." Early life Alice Horton was born in Elmira, New York, the daughter of William Horton, a stock broker. Career Al ...

, whistling performer in vaudeville *

Frederick B. Shaw Frederick B. Shaw (June 24, 1869 – March 1, 1957) was a senior officer of the United States Army. A veteran of the Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, Pancho Villa Expedition, and World War I, he attained the rank of brigad ...

, U.S. Army brigadier general *

Joey Sindelar Joseph Paul Sindelar (born March 30, 1958) is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions. He previously played on the PGA Tour, winning seven tournaments between 1985 and 2004. Early life Sindelar was born in ...

, pro golfer * Horace B. Smith, former US Congressman *

Esther Baker Steele Esther Baker Steele (, Baker; August 4, 1835 – November 23, 1911) was an American educator, author, editor, and philanthropist of the long nineteenth century. She aided her husband, Dr. Joel Dorman Steele, J. Dorman Steele in his fourteen-week B ...

(1835–1911), educator, author, traveler, philanthropist *

Joel Dorman Steele Joel Dorman Steele (May 14, 1836 – May 25, 1886) was an American educator. He and his wife Esther Baker Steele were important textbook writers of their period, on subjects including American history, chemistry, human physiology, physics, as ...

, educator, writer *

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

, son of

Mary Surratt Mary Elizabeth Jenkins SurrattCashin, p. 287.Steers, 2010, p. 516. (1820 or May 1823 – July 7, 1865) was an American boarding house owner in Washington, D.C., who was convicted of taking part in the conspiracy which led to the assass ...

* Art Sykes, boxer * Mark Twain, 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 The Navy Cross is the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps' second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is eq ...

Bob Waterfield Robert Stanton Waterfield (July 26, 1920 – March 25, 1983) was an American professional football player and coach. He played quarterback for the UCLA Bruins and Cleveland/Los Angeles Rams and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame i ...

, college and pro football player, husband of actress

Jane Russell Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell (June 21, 1921 – February 28, 2011) was an American actress, singer, and model. She was one of Hollywood's leading sex symbols in the 1940s and 1950s. She starred in more than 20 films. Russell moved from th ...

* Brian Williams, television news anchor *

Jason Wise Jason ( ; ) was an ancient Greek mythological hero and leader of the Argonauts, whose quest for the Golden Fleece featured in Greek literature. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcos. He was married to the sorceress Medea. He wa ...

, actor *

Don Zimmer Donald William Zimmer (January 17, 1931 – June 4, 2014) was an American infielder, manager, and coach in Major League Baseball (MLB). Zimmer was involved in professional baseball from 1949 until his death, a span of 65 years, across 8 de ...

, Major League Baseball player and manager

References

External links

City of Elmira website

Chemung County Chamber of Commerce

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20000928230336/http://www.civilwarhistory.com/ElmiraPrison/Elmira.htm Union Civil War Prison at Elmira
John W. Jones Museum
{{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)