Ellery is a

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

in Chautauqua County,

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

, United States, located northwest of Jamestown and with an extended lakefront on the east side of

Chautauqua Lake Chautauqua Lake is located entirely within Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The lake is approximately long and wide at its greatest width. The surface area is approximately . The maximum depth is about . The shoreline is about of ...

. In the 2020 census, Ellery had a population of 4,105.

History

The area known as Ellery was originally home to the

Erie People The Erie people were an Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands historically living on the south shore of Lake Erie. An Iroquoian-speaking tribe, they lived in what is now western New York, northwestern Pennsylvania, and northern Ohio b ...

. The first settlement of European colonists was made ''circa'' 1806. The town of Ellery was founded in 1821 from a part of the town of

Chautauqua Chautauqua ( ) is an adult education and social movement in the United States that peaked in popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s. The Cha ...

William Ellery William Ellery (December 22, 1727 – February 15, 1820) was a Founding Father of the United States, one of the 56 signers of the United States Declaration of Independence, and a signer of the Articles of Confederation as a representative of Rho ...

, signer of the

Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another state or failed state, or are breaka ...

, is the town's namesake. The lake frontage was developed early as a tourist and recreational location.

Government

The Ellery town government consists of a supervisor, council, and various department heads.

Supervisors

The following is an incomplete list of supervisors of the town:

Geography

According to the

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

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.25%, is water. The Southern Tier Expressway ( Interstate 86 and

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

) crosses

at Bemus Point.

New York State Route 430 New York State Route 430 (NY 430) is a state highway located entirely within Chautauqua County, New York, in the United States. Its western terminus is located at the Pennsylvania state line near the hamlet of Findley Lake in the tow ...

follows the east shore of Chautauqua Lake.

New York State Route 380 New York State Route 380 (NY 380) was a north–south state highway in Chautauqua County, New York, in the United States. The southern terminus of the route was at an intersection with New York State Route 60, NY 60 in the town o ...

is a north-south highway in the eastern part of Ellery.

Adjacent towns and locations

Ellery is bordered mostly by the town of Stockton to the north, although its northwest corner shares a small border with the town of

. Directly to the east of Ellery are the towns of

Gerry Gerry is both a surname and a masculine or feminine given name. As a given name, it is often a short form (hypocorism) of Gerard, Gerald or Geraldine. Notable people with the name include: Surname *Elbridge Gerry (1744–1814), fifth US vice pres ...

and Ellicott. Its southern and western edges are mostly bordered by

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 4,576 people, 1,852 households, and 1,316 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 2,630 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.40%

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

, 0.20%

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 ...

, 0.22% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.57% from other races, and 0.44% from two or more races.

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

or Latino of any race were 0.85% of the population. There were 1,852 households, out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.5% 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, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.91. In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.8% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 28.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males. The median income for a household in the town was $41,916, and the median income for a family was $48,093. Males had a median income of $40,733 versus $29,128 for females. The

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

for the town was $20,619. About 6.1% of families and 8.3% 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 12.5% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over. As of the Census of 2010, there were 4,528 (a decrease of 48 people or 1.05%) and 1,891 households (an increase of 39 households or 2.11%). The population density was . The racial makeup of the town was: 97.9% (4,433 people) white; 0.49% (22 people) African-American; 0.49% (22 people) Asian; 0.07% (3 people) Native American/Alaskan; 0.11% (5 people) other; and 0.95% (43 people) two or more races. The Hispanic/Latino population of any race was 0.60% (27 people). In the town, the population was spread out, with 19.92% (902 people) under the age of 18, 1.83% ages (83 people) 18 and 19, 3.34% (151 people) ages 20–24, 6.45% (292 people) ages 25–34, 19.46% (881 people) ages 35–49, 25.20% (1,141 people) ages 50–64, and 23.81% (1,078 people) over the age of 65. Of the population, 48.96% (2,217 people) were male and 51.04% (2,311 people) were female.

Communities and locations in Ellery

*Alden Corners – A location north of Ellery Center at the crossing of County Route 52 and Slide Joslyn Road. *Bayview – A lakeside

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

north of Bemus Point. *Belleview – A small lakeside community on Route 430 in the south part of the town. *Bemus Bay – A bay on

between Long Point State Park and Bemus Point. * Bemus Point – The village of Bemus Point, named after a projection of land into Chautauqua Lake. * Chedwel – A lakeside community along the north shore of the town. *Colburns – A hamlet on the shore of the lake and on Route 430 south of Bemus Point. *Crosswinds – A marina community on Route 430 in the northwest corner of the town. *Driftwood – A lakeside community south of Colburns. *Dutch Hollow Creek – A stream that flows southward from Ellery Center and enters Chautauqua Lake between Greenhurst and Sunnyside. *Ellery Center – A hamlet at the junction of County Roads 44, 46, 48, and 57. *Greenhurst – A lakeside hamlet in the south part of the town. *Griffiths – A lakeside hamlet in the south part of the town. *Jones Corners – A hamlet at the intersection of County Roads 52 and 57. * Long Point State Park – On Route 430 on the east shore of the lake. * Maple Springs – A lakeside hamlet north of Long Point State Park. * Midway Park – A location on the lake shore north of Long Point State Park. *Oriental Park – A hamlet bordering Bemus Point on the south. *Phillips Mill – A hamlet on the shore of Chautauqua Lake. *Point Stockholm – A lakeside community. *Red Bird – A hamlet on County Route 380 in the northeast town corner. *Sheldon Hall – A lakeside community in the south part of the town. *Sunnyside – A lakeside community in the south part of the town. *Sunset Bay – A community of homes and cottages located by a bay with the same name on Chautauqua Lake. *Towerville – A hamlet at the junction of County Road 48 and Route 380 in the northeast town corner. *Watermans Corners – A hamlet on the junction of County Road 52, Thumb Road and Bayview Road in the north part of the town. *West Ellery – A hamlet in the north part of the town on County Road 46. *Willow Brook – A location north of Bemus Point. *Warner Bay - A community of homes and cottages along the bay on Chautauqua Lake with the same name.

References

External links

Town of Ellery official website

former historian of the Town of Ellery {{authority control Populated places established in 1806 Towns in Chautauqua County, New York Towns in New York (state) 1806 establishments in New York (state)