Chautauqua County, New York
Encyclopedia
Major highways
Interstate 86Interstate 86 (east)Interstate 86 is an Interstate Highway that extends for through northwestern Pennsylvania and southern New York in the United States...
/New York State Route 17New York State Route 17New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...
(Southern Tier Expressway)
Interstate 90Interstate 90Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate, and parallels US 20 for the most part. Its western terminus is in Seattle, at Edgar Martinez Drive S. near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, and its eastern terminus is in...
(New York State ThruwayNew York State ThruwayThe New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
)
U.S. Route 20U.S. Route 20 in New YorkU.S. Route 20 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Newport, Oregon, to Boston, Massachusetts. In the U.S. state of New York, US 20 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Ripley to the Massachusetts state line in the Berkshire Mountains. US 20 is the longest...
U.S. Route 62U.S. Route 62U.S. Route 62 runs from the US-Mexico border at El Paso, Texas to Niagara Falls, New York, near the United States-Canada border. It is the only east-west US Route that connects Mexico and Canada.Parts of U.S...
New York State Route 5New York State Route 5New York State Route 5 is a state highway that extends for across the state of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in the Chautauqua County town of Ripley and passes through Buffalo, Syracuse, Utica, Schenectady, and several other smaller cities and...
New York State Route 39New York State Route 39New York State Route 39 is an east–west state highway in the western portion of New York in the United States. It begins and ends at intersections with U.S. Route 20 apart...
New York State Route 60New York State Route 60New York State Route 60 is a north–south state highway in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with U.S. Route 62 south of the city of Jamestown in the town of Kiantone. Its northern terminus is at a junction with NY 5...
New York State Route 394New York State Route 394New York State Route 394 is a state highway located within Cattaraugus and Chautauqua Counties in southwestern New York, United States. Its western terminus is located on the shore of Lake Erie at an intersection with NY 5 in the Westfield hamlet of Barcelona...
New York State Route 430New York State Route 430New York State Route 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 town of Mina. The eastern terminus is located in the city of Jamestown...
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 139,750 people, 54,515 households, and 35,979 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 132 people per square mile (51/km²). There were 64,900 housing units at an average density of 61 per square mile (24/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.04% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 2.18% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.43% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.36% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.73% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.23% from two or more races. 4.22% of the population were Hispanic or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 17.3% were of German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 15.1% Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
, 11.6% Swedish, 10.9% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, 9.3% Polish, 9.2% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
and 5.6% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ancestry according to Census 2000. 93.0% spoke English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and 3.8% Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
as their first language.
There were 54,515 households out of which 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.90% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.00% were non-families. 28.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.50% under the age of 18, 10.30% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 16.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $33,458, and the median income for a family was $41,054. Males had a median income of $32,114 versus $22,214 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $16,840. About 9.70% of families and 13.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.30% of those under age 18 and 8.20% of those age 65 or over.
Government and politics
Chautauqua County was governed by a board of supervisors until 1975, when a new county charter went into effect with provisions for a county executiveCounty executive
A county executive is the head of the executive branch of government in a county. This position is common in the United States.The executive may be an elected or an appointed position...
and a 13-seat county legislature. The county council currently consists of 25 members each elected from single member districts.
| Name | Party | Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Gerace | Democrat Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
January 1, 1975 | May 10, 1983 |
| David Dawson (acting) | Democrat Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
May 10, 1983 | November 25, 1983 |
| John A. Glenzer | Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
November 25, 1983 | December 31, 1989 |
| Andrew W. Goodell | Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
January 1, 1990 | December 31, 1997 |
| Mark W. Thomas | Democrat Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
January 1, 1998 | December 31, 2005 |
| Gregory J. Edwards Greg Edwards Gregory J. Edwards is the current county executive of Chautauqua County, New York. A registered Republican, Edwards served as an attorney and dairy farmer prior to his election in 2005... |
Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
January 1, 2006 | Incumbent |
| District | Legislator | Party |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keith Ahlstrom | Democrat |
| 2 | Shaun Heenan | Democrat |
| 3 | Robert Duff | Republican |
| 4 | George Borrello | Republican |
| 5 | Jerry Park | Republican |
| 6 | John Runkle | Republican |
| 7 | Robert Stewart | Republican |
| 8 | Ronald Lemon | Republican |
| 9 | Larry Barmore | Republican |
| 10 | Mark Tarbrake | Republican |
| 11 | Victoria R. James | Democrat |
| 12 | Lori Cornell | Democrat |
| 13 | Paula DeJoy | Democrat |
| 14 | Scot Stutzman | Independent |
| 15 | Maria Kindberg | Democrat |
| 16 | Charles Nazzaro | Democrat |
| 17 | Richard Babbage | Republican |
| 18 | Rudy Mueller | Democrat |
| 19 | Jay Gould | Republican |
| 20 | Fred Croscut chairman | Republican |
| 21 | David Himelein | Republican |
| 22 | Doug Richmond | Republican |
| 23 | Thomas DeJoe | Democrat |
| 24 | Bob Scudder | Republican |
| 25 | John Gullo | Democrat |
Most of the county is in the 150th New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
district, represented by Andy Goodell
Andy Goodell
Andrew W. "Andy" Goodell is an American politician who was elected to the New York State Assembly in a 2010. He is a Republican. Previously, Goodell was the County Executive of Chautauqua County, New York. Goodell represents the 150th Assembly District, which is numerically the last of the 150...
, with the exception of the eastern tier of towns, which are in the 149th district represented by Joseph Giglio
Joseph Giglio
Joseph M. "Joe" Giglio is a New York State Assemblyman from the 149th district, which includes all of Cattaraugus County, southern Allegany County and the easternmost towns and villages in Chautauqua County...
. The entire county is within the bounds of New York's 27th congressional district
New York's 27th congressional district
The 27th Congressional District of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in Western New York. It includes all of Chautauqua County and the southern part of Erie County. The district contains much of the city of Buffalo and most of its eastern and...
(served by Brian Higgins
Brian Higgins
Brian Higgins is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes the southern two-thirds of Buffalo proper, most of that city's eastern and southern suburbs, and all of Chautauqua County.-Early life, education and career:A native of...
) and the New York State Senate
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
57th district (served by Catharine Young
Catharine Young
Catharine M. "Cathy" Young is an American legislator on the state level who, as a member of the Republican Party, has represented New York's 149th State Assembly district from 1999 to 2005 and, since May 2005, the 57th State Senate district, which includes all of Chautauqua County, Cattaraugus...
). Prior to 2003, the county was part of New York's 31st congressional district
New York's 31st congressional district
The 31st Congressional District of New York was a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in New York. It was eliminated as a result of the 2000 Census...
(now the 29th), but was controversially redistricted out of that district and into what is now the 27th, and was replaced in the 29th district by Rochester suburbs that had never before been part of the district. Chautauqua County, at the same time, joined southern Erie County and portions of the City of Buffalo in the 27th, areas that had also never been in the same district with each other. In both cases, the suburban additions were significantly more Democratic populations than the rural 31st was, leading to Democrats winning both portions of the now-divided territory and accusations of cracking-based gerrymandering
Gerrymandering
In the process of setting electoral districts, gerrymandering is a practice that attempts to establish a political advantage for a particular party or group by manipulating geographic boundaries to create partisan, incumbent-protected districts...
.
Chautauqua County has been a perfect bellwether
Bellwether
A bellwether is any entity in a given arena that serves to create or influence trends or to presage future happenings.The term is derived from the Middle English bellewether and refers to the practice of placing a bell around the neck of a castrated ram leading his flock of sheep.The movements of...
county since 1980, having correctly voted for the winner of the presidential election in each election; the county missed twice between 1960 and 1976.
Education
Jamestown Community CollegeJamestown Community College
Jamestown Community College is a two-year college in the SUNY system. JCC has two campuses in Chautauqua County, New York, located in Dunkirk and Jamestown. A third campus serves Cattaraugus County in Olean. A fourth site is located in Warren, Pennsylvania...
has two campuses in the county at Jamestown and Dunkirk. The State University of New York at Fredonia
State University of New York at Fredonia
The State University of New York at Fredonia is a four-year liberal arts college located in Fredonia, New York, United States; it is a constituent college of the State University of New York...
is located in the northern part of the county. Jamestown Business College
Jamestown Business College
Established in 1886, Jamestown Business College is a for-profit institution in Jamestown, New York. The college offers business-focused certificate, associate, and bachelor degree programs, along with specialized training in business etiquette. Students may take classes in a day or...
offers two year degrees, certificates, and a four year degree in Jamestown.
Cities, Towns, Villages, and Hamlets
| Cities | Towns | Villages | Hamlets |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
Indian reservations
- Cattaraugus Reservation, Chautauqua CountyCattaraugus Reservation, Chautauqua County, New YorkCattaraugus Reservation is an Indian reservation of the Seneca tribe, located partly in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population of this portion of the reservation was 38 at the 2010 census, Most of the inhabitants are of the Seneca tribe....
, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
See also
- List of counties in New York
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Chautauqua County, New York
- Places named for Chautauqua County, New York
- Chautauqua CountyChautauqua County, KansasChautauqua County is a county located in Southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 3,669. Its county seat and most populous city is Sedan...
, KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
- Chautauqua County