Elmira, New York

Elmira, New York

Elmira is a city in the United States, located in Chemung County, New York. It is the county seat, meaning it is the main city for the county.

The city is found in the south-central part of Chemung County and is surrounded on three sides by the Town of Elmira. It lies in the Southern Tier of New York, just a short distance north of the border with Pennsylvania.

During the American Civil War, Elmira was the location of Elmira Prison. Today, Elmira College is also located within the city.

History

Elmira’s history goes back to when the Cayuga nation of the Haudenosaunee lived in the area before European settlers came. During the American Revolutionary War, the Continental Army fought a battle nearby at Newtown.

Elmira became a village in 1792 and a town in 1808. It grew into an important place for travel, linking cities such as Rochester, Buffalo, Albany, and New York City with canals and railroads.

During the Civil War, Elmira had a prison camp for Confederate soldiers. After the war, the site was torn down and turned into farmland.

In 1972, Hurricane Agnes caused big floods in Elmira, damaging many homes. The city worked to rebuild and change parts of downtown. In 1993, a big snowstorm hit the area, and in 2012, a tornado caused some damage but no injuries.

Early history

Elmira's formation

Prisoner-of-war camp

Main article: Elmira Prison

Reformatory and correctional facility

Main article: Elmira Correctional Facility

Hurricane Agnes and the 1972 flood

"Storm of the Century" – 1993 snow blizzard

2012 tornado

Geography

The United States Census Bureau says Elmira covers 7.6 square miles (19.6 km²). Most of this is land, and a small part is water.

The Chemung River flows through the city. Elmira is in a place where the river can flood. The worst flood happened in 1972 because of Hurricane Agnes. Another smaller river, Newtown Creek, joins the Chemung River at the southeast corner of the city.

Interstate 86/New York State Route 17, called the Southern Tier Expressway, connects to the city at Exit 56. New York State Route 14 goes through Elmira between Watkins Glen and Pennsylvania. New York State Route 13 starts near Lake Ontario and passes through Cortland and Ithaca before ending in Elmira. New York State Route 352 starts in Elmira at Exit 56 of the Southern Tier Expressway and heads west into Corning.

Demographics

2020 census

According to the 2020 census, Elmira had a population of 26,523 people. The average age was 36.4 years. About 22.9% of the residents were younger than 18, and 14.7% were 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 104.1 males.

Almost all residents, 99.8%, lived in urban areas. There were 10,646 households, and 27.7% of them had children under 18. Many households were led by a single person.

2000 census

The 2000 census recorded 30,940 people in Elmira. The city had a population density of 4,229.5 people per square mile. The racial makeup was 82.03% White, 13.05% Black or African American, and smaller percentages of other groups. Hispanic or Latino people made up 3.14% of the population.

About 17.9% of families and 23.1% of the population lived below the poverty line.

Other demographics

The Elmira, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Chemung County and had a population of 90,070 in 2000. The three largest ethnic groups in Elmira are Irish, German, and Italian.

Economy

In 1889, a company named Elmira Bridge Company started in Elmira Heights. In 1900, it joined with other companies to become the American Bridge Company.

Elmira had the most people living there around 1950, with about 50,000 residents. Today, the city has around 25,000 people. This happened because many factories closed or moved away, especially in the early 1970s. Some big companies like General Electric and American Bridge shut down or moved to other states. A big flood in 1972 also hurt the city by damaging many businesses and homes.

Some companies that still make things in Elmira today include Anchor Glass, which makes glass bottles for drinks and food. CAF-USA Inc makes trains and other rail equipment. Elmira Heat Treating works on special heating processes for metal. Hardinge, Inc makes precise machines. Hilliard Corporation makes parts for cars and machines. Kennedy Valve makes parts for water systems, like fire hydrants. Trayer Products makes parts for big trucks.

Arts and culture

Elmira has a rich history in the arts and culture. On Harris Hill, early pilots helped start the sport of gliding in America, and today it is home to the National Soaring Museum.

The city is also known for Dunn Field, a baseball stadium where famous players like Babe Ruth have played. Elmira has many important places, including the Clemens Center named after the famous writer Mark Twain, and the Arnot Art Museum in the downtown area. Eldridge Park has a beautiful old carousel, and Woodlawn Cemetery is the resting place of Mark Twain and his family.

Historic places

Many important buildings and areas in Elmira are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including homes, churches, and historic districts throughout the city.

The following are listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

• The John Brand Jr. House
• John Brand Sr. House
• Buildings at 104–116 West Water St.
• Chemung Canal Bank Building
• Chemung County Courthouse Complex
• Clinton–Columbia Historic District
• Elmira Civic Historic District
• Elmira Coca-Cola Bottling Company Works
• Elmira College Old Campus
• Emmanuel Episcopal Church
• Erste Deutsche Evangelische Kirche
• Alexander Eustace House
• Fire Station No. 4
• William S. Gerity House
• F. M. Howell and Company
• John W. Jones House
• Maple Avenue Historic District
• Near Westside Historic District
• Newtown Battlefield State Park
• Park Church
• Pentecostal Holy Temple Church of Jesus Christ
• Pratt House
• Quarry Farm
• Mark Twain Study
• St. Patrick's Parochial Residence-Convent and School
• Trinity Church
• Woodlawn Cemetery and Woodlawn National Cemetery

Parks and recreation

Elmira has over 20 parks. Eldridge Park has a walking trail, a restored carousel, a skateboard park, and a lake for fishing. Wisner Park includes memorials for veterans from World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War.

Government

Elmira has a Council-Manager style of government. A City Manager runs the city's daily work. There is one mayor elected by all voters and six council members, each elected from different parts of the city. The mayor and council members work part-time. The City Manager and other key officers are chosen by the City Council.

Education

The Elmira City School District teaches students in the Elmira area. It is the main school district for the city of Elmira.

Media

Elmira has newspapers, radio stations, and television channels for the community.

The city has daily and weekly newspapers, including the Star-Gazette. There are also radio stations such as WCIH, WNKI, and WCBF.

Elmira shares television with Corning and has channels like WETM for NBC, The CW Plus, WSKA for PBS, and WENY-TV for ABC, CBS, and other shows.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Public transit

The Chemung County Transit System has buses that go around Elmira and the Village of Horseheads. The buses also go to Corning Community College and connect to other nearby places.

Elmira has many bus services to other cities. New York Trailways goes between Elmira, Binghamton, and Rochester. Short Line goes between Elmira, Binghamton, and Olean. OurBus goes from Elmira to New York City, stopping at Niagara Falls. Fullington Trailways used to go between Elmira and Williamsport, Pennsylvania, but it stopped in April 2022.

Air transportation

The Elmira Corning Regional Airport is the main airport nearby, about 7 miles northwest of downtown Elmira. You can fly directly to Detroit and sometimes to Atlanta with Delta Air Lines. Allegiant Air also has seasonal flights to Punta Gorda and Myrtle Beach.

Police and fire

Elmira has a police department with about 81 full-time officers and a fire department with about 60 full-time firefighters and officers.

Notable people

Elmira has been home to many interesting people. Some of them are John Alexander, a racing driver, and Tedd Arnold, an author and illustrator. Others include Elizabeth Frawley Bagley, who served as the U.S. Ambassador to Brazil, and Eileen Collins, an astronaut.

The city is also where famous people like Ernie Davis, the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy in 1961, and Mark Twain, a well-known writer, were born. Many more people from sports, politics, arts, and entertainment have connections to Elmira.