Chemung County
County
Chemung County Courthouse
Chemung County Courthouse
Flag of Chemung County
Flag
Official seal of Chemung County
Seal
Map of New York highlighting Chemung County
Location within the U.S. state of New York
Map of the United States highlighting New York
New York's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 42°08′N 76°46′W / 42.14°N 76.76°W / 42.14; -76.76
Country United States
State New York
FoundedMarch 29, 1836
Named forUnami for “big horn”
SeatElmira
Largest cityElmira
Government
 • ExecutiveChristopher J. Moss
Area
 • Total411 sq mi (1,060 km2)
 • Land407 sq mi (1,050 km2)
 • Water3.4 sq mi (9 km2)  0.8%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total84,148[1]
 • Density206.6/sq mi (79.8/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district23rd
Websitewww.chemungcountyny.gov

Chemung County is a county in the Southern Tier of the U.S. state of New York. The population was 84,148 as of the 2020 census.[2] Its county seat is Elmira.[3] Its name is derived from a Delaware Indian village whose name meant "big horn".

Chemung County comprises the Elmira, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Elmira-Corning, NY Combined Statistical Area.

Many signs posted along roads in Chemung County refer to the area as "Mark Twain Country," because the noted author lived and wrote for many years in Elmira.

History

1869 map of Chemung County

Chemung County was formed from 520 square miles (1,300 km2) of Tioga County in 1836.[4]

In 1854, Chemung County was divided and 110 square miles (280 km2) became Schuyler County, reducing Chemung to 410 square miles (1,100 km2), its current size.[5]

In the late 1870s, the Greenback Party became prominent in Chemung and nearby counties in western New York. Here it was primarily allied with labor in a critique of capital, reaching its peak in 1878, the year following the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 and the Scranton General Strike in Pennsylvania. There were also strikes that year in Albany, Syracuse and Buffalo, starting with the railroad workers. In Steuben and Chemung counties, Greenbackers were elected to county councils in 1878 instead of Democrats, and others were elected from there and nearby counties to the state legislature, gaining votes of more than 25 percent in several of the Southern Tier counties. It gradually declined after that, due to internal dissension and the strength of the two major parties.[6]

Flag of Chemung County, at the Chemung County Courthouse

Geography

The Chemung County Government Building in Elmira

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 411 square miles (1,060 km2), of which 407 square miles (1,050 km2) is land and 3.4 square miles (8.8 km2) (0.8%) is water.[7]

Chemung County is in the southwestern part of New York State, along the Pennsylvania border, in a part of New York called the Southern Tier and is also part of the Finger Lakes Region.

The Southern Tier Expressway runs through the County east-west near the Pennsylvania border, between Waverly, New York and Corning, New York via Elmira, New York.

Transportation

Major highways

Airport

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
184020,732—
185028,82139.0%
186026,917−6.6%
187035,28131.1%
188043,06522.1%
189048,26512.1%
190054,06312.0%
191054,6621.1%
192065,87220.5%
193074,68013.4%
194073,718−1.3%
195086,82717.8%
196098,70613.7%
1970101,5372.9%
198097,656−3.8%
199095,195−2.5%
200091,070−4.3%
201088,830−2.5%
202084,148−5.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2020[12]

2020 Census

Chemung County Racial Composition[13]
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 69,559 82.66%
Black or African American (NH) 5,009 5.95%
Native American (NH) 198 0.23%
Asian (NH) 1,426 1.69%
Pacific Islander (NH) 15 0.02%
Other/Mixed (NH) 5,003 5.95%
Hispanic or Latino 2,938 3.49%

2000 Census

As of the 2000 census,[14] there were 91,070 people, 35,049 households and 23,272 families residing in the county. The population density was 223 people per square mile (86 people/km2). There were 37,745 housing units at an average density of 92 units per square mile (36/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 90.96% White, 5.82% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.78% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.75% from other races, and 1.44% from two or more races. 1.77% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 16.4% were of German, 15.7% Irish, 12.5% English, 11.8% Italian, 7.8% American and 6.3% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000 . Most of those claiming to be of "American" ancestry are of English descent and, in upstate New York, also in some cases of Dutch descent, but have family that has been in the country for so long, in many cases since the early seventeenth century, that they choose to identify simply as "American".[15][16][17][18][19] 96.2% spoke English and 1.6% Spanish as their first language.

There were 35,049 households, of which 31.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.80% were married couples living together, 12.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.60% were non-families. 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.97.

Age distribution was 24.40% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 28.30% from 25 to 44, 22.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 97.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.30 males.

The median household income was $36,415, and the median family income was $43,994. Males had a median income of $35,076 versus $24,215 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,264. About 9.10% of families and 13.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.40% of those under age 18 and 6.80% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Before 1974, Chemung County was governed by a board of supervisors. On January 1, 1974, executive and legislative powers were split between a county executive and a 15-seat legislature.[20] All 15 members are elected from single-member districts. Chemung County is a part of the 23rd congressional district, represented by Republican Nick Langworthy.

Chemung County Executives
Name Party Term
John H. Hazlett Republican January 1, 1974 – 1975
Morris E. Blostein Republican 1975 – 1979
R. Stanley Benjamin Republican 1979 – 1983
Robert G. Densberger Republican 1983 – 1991
G. Thomas Tranter, Jr. Republican 1991 – 2000
Thomas J. Santulli Republican 2000 – 2019
Christopher J. Moss Republican 2019 –
United States presidential election results for Chemung County, New York[21]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 21,922 55.63% 16,636 42.21% 852 2.16%
2016 20,097 55.64% 13,757 38.09% 2,265 6.27%
2012 17,612 50.31% 16,797 47.98% 601 1.72%
2008 19,364 50.04% 18,888 48.81% 443 1.14%
2004 21,321 54.56% 17,080 43.71% 674 1.72%
2000 18,779 49.80% 17,424 46.21% 1,507 4.00%
1996 14,287 39.89% 16,977 47.40% 4,549 12.70%
1992 16,088 41.11% 15,099 38.58% 7,948 20.31%
1988 20,951 56.41% 15,966 42.99% 222 0.60%
1984 24,909 62.83% 14,638 36.92% 100 0.25%
1980 19,674 52.87% 14,565 39.14% 2,970 7.98%
1976 20,640 54.28% 17,207 45.25% 179 0.47%
1972 26,200 67.28% 12,650 32.48% 94 0.24%
1968 20,693 52.32% 15,820 40.00% 3,040 7.69%
1964 14,716 35.82% 26,332 64.10% 34 0.08%
1960 26,469 59.62% 17,899 40.32% 28 0.06%
1956 33,270 74.16% 11,592 25.84% 0 0.00%
1952 30,188 68.62% 13,729 31.21% 79 0.18%
1948 22,754 61.63% 13,352 36.17% 813 2.20%
1944 22,198 59.42% 15,064 40.32% 97 0.26%
1940 22,156 59.08% 15,203 40.54% 140 0.37%
1936 20,515 56.68% 15,542 42.94% 138 0.38%
1932 20,152 57.99% 13,825 39.78% 773 2.22%
1928 25,029 67.00% 12,189 32.63% 136 0.36%
1924 18,599 64.66% 7,162 24.90% 3,004 10.44%
1920 17,864 68.53% 7,060 27.08% 1,144 4.39%
1916 6,409 43.59% 7,461 50.74% 834 5.67%
1912 3,317 25.54% 6,008 46.27% 3,660 28.19%
1908 7,410 53.11% 5,966 42.76% 576 4.13%
1904 7,282 53.29% 5,641 41.28% 741 5.42%
1900 6,921 49.45% 6,531 46.66% 545 3.89%
1896 7,926 58.34% 5,259 38.71% 401 2.95%
1892 5,410 48.41% 4,661 41.71% 1,104 9.88%
1888 5,467 45.95% 6,037 50.74% 394 3.31%
1884 5,198 48.51% 4,719 44.04% 798 7.45%

In presidential elections, Chemung County tends to vote Republican. Only two Democrats (Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 and Bill Clinton in 1996) have carried the county since 1920. It voted for George W. Bush in 2004 by a 10.85% margin. In 2008, the margin was much closer, but voters still gave John McCain a 1.23% win over Barack Obama. In 2012, Mitt Romney carried the county by 2.33%. In 2016, Donald Trump carried Chemung County with 55.64% of the vote compared to Hillary Clinton's 38.09%. Trump carried the county again in 2020 with over 55% of the vote.

Education

Education in Chemung County is provided by various private and public institutions. High school students and adults have access to GST BOCES.[22] BOCES provides vocation-style training in a wide range of fields as well as adult education.

Public school districts

Private schools

Higher education

Public libraries

Chemung County Library District

Steele Memorial Library
  • Steele Memorial Library
  • Horseheads Free Library
  • Big Flats Library
  • West Elmira Library
  • Van Etten Library
  • Chemung County Bookmobile[33]

Communities

Larger Settlements

# Location Population Type Area
1 †Elmira 29,200 City Elmira-Horseheads
2 Southport 7,238 CDP Elmira-Horseheads
3 Horseheads 6,461 Village Elmira-Horseheads
4 Big Flats 5,277 CDP West
5 West Elmira 4,967 CDP Elmira-Horseheads
6 Elmira Heights 4,097 Village Elmira-Horseheads
7 Horseheads North 2,843 CDP North
8 Pine Valley 813 CDP North
9 Breesport 626 CDP/Hamlet Northeast
10 Wellsburg 580 Village Southeast
11 ††Van Etten 537 CDP/Hamlet Northeast
12 Erin 483 CDP Northeast
13 Millport 312 Village North

† - County Seat

†† - Former Village

Towns

Hamlet

Notable people

See also

References

Specific
  1. ↑ "US Census 2020 Population Dataset Tables for New York". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  2. ↑ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Chemung County, New York". www.census.gov. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ↑ New York. Laws of New York.1836, 59th Session, Chapter 077, Section 1, Page 102.
  5. ↑ New York. Laws of New York.1854, 77th Session, Chapter 386, Sections 1—4 & 6, Pages 913—915.
  6. ↑ Milton M. Klein, The Empire State: A History of New York, Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 2005, pp. 455-456
  7. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on May 19, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  8. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on December 26, 2013. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  12. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 5, 2016. Retrieved October 11, 2013.
  13. ↑ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Chemung County, New York".
  14. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  15. ↑ Sharing the Dream: White Males in a Multicultural America By Dominic J. Pulera.
  16. ↑ Reynolds Farley, "The New Census Question about Ancestry: What Did It Tell Us?", Demography, Vol. 28, No. 3 (August 1991), pp. 414, 421.
  17. ↑ Stanley Lieberson and Lawrence Santi, 'The Use of Nativity Data to Estimate Ethnic Characteristics and Patterns', Social Science Research, Vol. 14, No. 1 (1985), pp. 44-6.
  18. ↑ Stanley Lieberson and Mary C. Waters, 'Ethnic Groups in Flux: The Changing Ethnic Responses of American Whites', Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 487, No. 79 (September 1986), pp. 82-86.
  19. ↑ Mary C. Waters, Ethnic Options: Choosing Identities in America (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1990), p. 36.
  20. ↑ "3 MORE COUNTIES ADOPT CHARTERS", The New York Times, New York, New York, p. 59, November 25, 1973
  21. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
  22. ↑ "About GST BOCES Bush Campus". GST BOCES. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  23. ↑ "Chemung County New York School Districts". NewYorkSchools.com. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  24. ↑ "Chemung Valley Montessori School". Go Montessori. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Elmira Christian Academy". Elmira Christian Academy. Archived from the original on June 22, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  26. ↑ "Welcome-Holy Family Junior High School (Elmira)". Diocese of Rochester. Archived from the original on April 9, 2010. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  27. ↑ "Welcome-St. Mary Our Mother School". Diocese of Rochester. Archived from the original on August 15, 2006. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  28. ↑ "Notre Dame High School". Notre Dame High School. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  29. ↑ "Twin Tiers Christian Academy Home". Twin Tiers Christian Academy. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  30. ↑ "Arnot Health". Arnot Health. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  31. ↑ "Corning Community College Facilities". Corning Community College. Archived from the original on May 27, 2010. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  32. ↑ "Medical and Technical Career Training Programs - EBI Career Institute". Elmira Business Institute. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  33. ↑ "Our Libraries". Chemung County Library District. Archived from the original on May 10, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
General
  • New York: Atlas of Historical County Boundaries; Compiled by Kathryn Ford Thorne and Edited by John H. Long.

Further reading

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Chemung County.

42°08′N 76°46′W / 42.14°N 76.76°W / 42.14; -76.76

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