Union 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 Broome County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 56,346. The name derives from the town having served as a rendezvous for the Sullivan Expedition. The town is in the south-central part of the county, west of Binghamton. The communities of Union form the western

suburb A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area. They are oftentimes where most of a metropolitan areas jobs are located with some being predominantly residential. They can either be denser or less densely populated ...

s of Binghamton. Two communities, the villages of Johnson City and Endicott, along with Binghamton, make up the "Triple Cities."

History

The region was first settled by Americans/Europeans ''circa'' 1782. During the

American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...

, detachments of soldiers were sent through this region with the intent of attacking natives who were friendly to the British. Documented attacks on native villages in present-day Binghamton, Vestal, and Choconut Township,

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 ...

, indicate that many natives were killed in these incursions in 1779. Of particular note are the advances of General Poor and General Sullivan, each leading troops on separate fronts. Their soldiers reunited at the site of Union, hence the name. The town of Union was established in 1791, while in Tioga County before the creation of Broome County. The town, a "mother town" of the county, was later reduced in size by the formation of other towns, the first being the town of Owego (then called the "Town of Tioga") in 1800, followed by Lisle (1801), Greene (1808, now in Chenango County), Vestal (1823), and

Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...

(1848).

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 of Union has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.49%, is water. Union is on the north side of the

Susquehanna River The Susquehanna River ( ; Unami language, Lenape: ) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, crossing three lower Northeastern United States, Northeast states (New York, Pennsylvani ...

. New York State Route 17 crosses from the north to the south side of the Susquehanna in Union. New York State Route 26 and New York State Route 38B intersect by Union Center. NY-26 connects Union to the town of Vestal on the south side of the Susquehanna River. New York State Route 17C is an east–west highway in the south part of Union.

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 56,298 people, 24,538 households, and 14,551 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing 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 geog ...

was . There were 26,507 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 92.72%

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 ...

, 2.45%

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 ...

, 0.17% Native American, 2.68% 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 ...

, 0.58% from other races, and 1.38% 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 1.53% of the population. There were 24,538 households, out of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.0% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.7% 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 2.24 and the average family size was 2.90. In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.9% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males. The median income for a household in the town was $34,101, and the median income for a family was $46,170. Males had a median income of $35,891 versus $24,120 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 $20,077. About 8.3% of families and 11.3% 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 16.4% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in the Town of Union

*Choconut Center – 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 ...

in the northeastern part of the town at the junction of County Roads 45 and 97. * Endicott – The village of Endicott is on the north bank of the Susquehanna River in the western part of Union. * Endwell – A hamlet (and

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 ...

) between Endicott and Johnson City. It was formerly known as "Hooper". * Johnson City – The village of Johnson City is adjacent to the city of Binghamton and is on the north bank of the Susquehanna River at the east town line. * Tri-Cities Airport (CZG) – A general aviation

airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial Aviation, air transport. They usually consist of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surf ...

in the southwestern corner of Union. *Union Center – A hamlet by the northern town line on NY-26 bordering West Corners and Endwell. *West Corners – A hamlet north of Endicott, located on NY 26. *Westover – A hamlet lying along the western border of the village of Johnson City. *West Endicott – A hamlet bordering Endicott and West Corners.

References

External links