Rushford 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
Allegany County,
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
New York may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* ...
, United States. The population was 1,085 at the 2020 census.
Rushford is in the northwest part of Allegany County and is northeast of
Olean.
History
The first settlers
Enos Gary and two of his children arrived in 1808. The town of Rushford was formed in 1816 from part of the town of
Caneadea. Part of Rushford was taken to form the newer town of
New Hudson in 1825.
When
Rushford Lake was formed by a dam on Caneadea Creek in 1927, the communities of East Rushford and Kelloggville were flooded by the rising water.
Notable people
*
Nelson F. Beckwith, former Wisconsin State Assemblyman.
*
Hiram Bond, corporate lawyer and investment banker whose farm in
Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara ( ; Spanish language, Spanish for "Clare of Assisi, Saint Clare") is a city in Santa Clara County, California. The city's population was 127,647 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities and towns i ...
, was used by
Jack London
John Griffith London (; January 12, 1876 – November 22, 1916), better known as Jack London, was an American novelist, journalist and activist. A pioneer of commercial fiction and American magazines, he was one of the first American authors t ...
as the opening scene in ''
The Call of the Wild''.
*
Frank W. Higgins, former Governor of New York.
*
James McCall, former New York State Senator
*
Richard Henry Pratt, founder of the
Carlisle Indian Industrial School
The United States Indian Industrial School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, generally known as Carlisle Indian Industrial School, was the flagship Indian boarding school in the United States from its founding in 1879 to 1918. It was based in the histo ...
*
Philip Gordon Wylie, a noted author, married Frederica Ballard who was born and raised in Rushford, New York; they are both buried in Rushford.
*
Almanzo W. Litchard (November 12, 1841 – 1906) was a soldier, farmer, and legislator in New York during the nineteenth century. He fought as a Union soldier during the Civil War and purchased a farm in Rushford after serving his country. In later years he served as a member of the New York State Assembly.
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 2.19%, is water.
The town center,
Rushford, is a
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...
.
The western town line is the border of
Cattaraugus County (town of
Farmersville).
New York State Route 243 crosses the town (east-west).
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 1,259 people, 479 households, and 346 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 1,394 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.97%
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 ...
, 0.08%
Native American, 0.08%
Asian, 0.16% from
other races, and 0.71% 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 0.87% of the population.
There were 479 households, out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.9% 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, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 21.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.3% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $27,557, and the median income for a family was $30,938. Males had a median income of $26,800 versus $20,855 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 $13,156. About 13.4% of families and 16.1% 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 26.9% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in Rushford
*Balcom Beach – A
hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...
on the north side of Rushford Lake on Route 243.
*East Rushford – A former community now covered by Rushford Lake.
*Fairview – A hamlet at the northwest corner of the town.
*Hardy Corners – A hamlet in the southwest corner of the town.
*Hillcrest – A hamlet on the south side of Rushford Lake on County Road 49.
*Kellogsville – A former community now covered by Rushford Lake.
*Rushford – The hamlet of Rushford on Route 243, west of Rushford Lake.
*Rushford Lake – A
lake
A lake is often a naturally occurring, relatively large and fixed body of water on or near the Earth's surface. It is localized in a basin or interconnected basins surrounded by dry land. Lakes lie completely on land and are separate from ...
located on the eastern town line, so that part of the lake is in the adjacent town of
Caneadea.
References
External links
Town of Rushford official website
{{authority control
Towns in Allegany County, New York
Towns in New York (state)
1816 establishments in New York (state)