Orchard Park is a town in Erie County, New York, a
suburbThe word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
southeast of
Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. According to the 2010 census, the population is 29,054. This represents an increase of 5.13% from the 2000 census figure. The town contains a village also named
Orchard ParkOrchard Park is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 3,294 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from a description of the local landscape, which abounded with orchards...
. Orchard Park is one of the "Southtowns" of Erie County.
History
In 1803 Didymus C. Kinney and wife Phebe (Hartwell) purchased land and built a cabin in the southwest corner of the township. The following year, a migration of Quaker settlers began.
The town was separated from the
Town of HamburgHamburg is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 56,259.The Town of Hamburg is on the western border of the county and is south of Buffalo, New York. Hamburg is one of the "Southtowns" in Erie County...
in 1850 and was first named the town of Ellicott, after
Joseph EllicottJoseph Ellicott was an American surveyor, city planner, land office agent, lawyer and politician of the Quaker faith.-Life:He was the son of Joseph Ellicott ....
, an agent of the
Holland Land CompanyThe Holland Land Company was a purchaser of the western two-thirds of the western New York land tract known as the Phelps and Gorham Purchase. This tract was known thereafter as The Holland Purchase...
. Within months, the name was changed to the town of East Hamburgh. Around 1934, the town was renamed Orchard Park after its principal settlement.
In the early 1900s a large fire burned down most of the central part of the village of Orchard Park around South Buffalo Street.
Geography
Orchard Park is located at 42°45′43"N 78°44′29"W (42.762159, -78.741405).
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 38.6 square miles (99.9 km²), of which 38.5 square miles (99.7 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.2 km²) (0.18%) is water.
US 219U.S. Route 219 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Rich Creek, Virginia, to West Seneca, New York. In the U.S. state of New York, US 219 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Carrollton to an interchange with the New York State Thruway at exit 55 in West...
passes through the west part of the town and forms junctions with
U.S. Route 20AU.S. Route 20A is an east–west alternate route of US 20 that extends for across the western portion of New York in the United States. It leaves US 20 in Hamburg, a suburb of Buffalo, and rejoins it in East Bloomfield about five miles west of Canandaigua, the county seat of...
(Quaker Street) and
NY 179New York State Route 179 is a short state highway located south of Buffalo in Erie County, New York, in the United States. It is a four-lane divided road for most of its length. It is known as Mile Strip Road. A small section between U.S...
(Milestrip Road).
US 20U.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...
(Southwestern Boulevard) passes through the north part of the town and forms a junction with
NY 277New York State Route 277 is a state highway in New York, USA. This highway is also called Union Road, along with other names. NY 277 is a major north–south road east of Buffalo, New York, through the middle of Erie County...
and
NY 240New York State Route 240 is a state highway in western New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 242 in the Ellicottville community of Ashford in northern Cattaraugus County. Its northern terminus is at a junction with NY 324...
(Orchard Park Road).
Demographics
As of the
censusA 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 2010, there were 28,272 people, 11,553 households, and 7,656 families residing in the town. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 717.7 people per square mile (277.1/km²). There were 10,644 housing units at an average density of 276.4 per square mile (106.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.9% White, 0.48% Black or
African AmericanRace 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...
, 0.15% Native American, .90% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from
other racesRace 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 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.96% of the population.
There were 10,277 households out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.3% were
married couplesMarriage 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, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 22.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $78,424, and the median income for a family was $95,906. About 1.1% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line.
Communities and locations in the Town of Orchard Park
- Armor
Armor, New York is an unincorporated hamlet in the towns of Hamburg and Orchard Park in Erie County, New York, USA.-References:...
– A hamlet at the west town line.
- Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railroad Station
Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railroad Station is a historic railway station located at Orchard Park in Erie County, New York. The property includes the passenger depot and brick freight house both constructed in 1911, tracks, a concrete bumper post, a semiphore signal, a portion of the...
- a former railroad station listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
- Chestnut Ridge Park
Chestnut Ridge Park is a park in Orchard Park, New York, originally named for the chestnut trees on its hills. The park is open year-round and offers hiking and sledding among other activities. During the summer, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra plays at the base of the sled hill, providing an...
– A popular county park with a wide range of activities is located in the south section of the town of Orchard Park on Chestnut Ridge Road (Route 277).
- Duells Corner
Duells Corners, New York is an unincorporated hamlet in the town of Orchard Park in Erie County, New York, USA.-References:...
– A hamlet south of Orchard Park village.
- Ellicott
Ellicott, New York is an unincorporated hamlet in the town of Orchard Park in Erie County, New York, USA.-References:...
– A hamlet south of Orchard Park village.
- Erie Community College
Erie Community College is a two-year community college that is part of the 64-campus SUNY system. It is the fourth-largest community college in New York State....
– The official location of the south campus, although most of the campus is in the adjacent town of HamburgHamburg is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 56,259.The Town of Hamburg is on the western border of the county and is south of Buffalo, New York. Hamburg is one of the "Southtowns" in Erie County...
.
- Loveland
Loveland, New York is an unincorporated hamlet in the town of Orchard Park in Erie County, New York, USA.-References:...
– A hamlet on the east town line.
- Orchard Park
Orchard Park is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 3,294 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from a description of the local landscape, which abounded with orchards...
– A village located at the junction of Routes 240 and U.S. 20A.
- Ralph Wilson Stadium
Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL...
– The home stadium of the NFLThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's Buffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
lies on the western edge of the town.
- Webster Corners
Webster Corners, New York is an unincorporated hamlet in the town of Orchard Park in Erie County, New York, USA.-References:...
– A hamlet north of the village of Orchard Park by the intersection of Webster and Orchard Park Roads.
Education
The
Orchard Park Central School District has four elementary schools (Eggert, Ellicott, South Davis, and Windom)(Grades K-5), the Orchard Park Middle School(Grades 6-8), and the
Orchard Park High SchoolOrchard Park High School is a secondary school in Orchard Park, New York. The school has approximately 1725 children in grades 9-12. The students are divided among three houses with a principal for each house and a principal who oversees the entire school....
. The mascot for the Orchard Park School District is the Quaker.
Principals:
Eggert: Mrs. Mary Lou Stahl
Ellicott: Mr. Terry Spicola
South Davis: Christine Rassow
Windom: Mrs. Wendy Gloss
Middle School: Mr. David Lilleck
High School: Jonathan Wolf
Elementary School runs from 9:00-3:15.
Middle School runs from 8:00-2:30.
High School runs from 7:25-1:50.
Bryant and StrattonBryant & Stratton College is a for-profit college with campuses in New York, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin. Founded in 1854, the college offers two-year programs at all campuses and four-year programs at select campuses. This school began as a business institute, but now is an accredited...
College is located in Orchard Park.
Erie Community CollegeErie Community College is a two-year community college that is part of the 64-campus SUNY system. It is the fourth-largest community college in New York State....
(ECC) is at the western town line.
Orchard Park also has a number of private, Catholic schools, including Nativity, St. John Vianney, and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.
Art
The annual Quaker Arts Festival, an outdoor art and craft show, is held each year on the picturesque campus of the Orchard Park Middle School on the third weekend of September. It was organized in the 1960s by Orchard Parkers John Coleman of The Suburban Press and Chet Seymour of the Orchard Park Presbyterian Church, and was originally held on the grounds of the Orchard Park Presbyterian Church. In its early days, the festival was cosponsored by the newspaper and the church. The festival is now cosponsored by the Orchard Park Jaycees and R.W. Publications, publisher of the Orchard Park Press.
Music
Since 1985, under the direction of the Orchard Park Council of the Arts, local businesses and the Town of Orchard Park sponsor free outdoor musical entertainment throughout the summer at the Pavilion bandstand on the grounds of the Middle School.
Organized in 1949, the Orchard Park Symphony Orchestra, composed of more than 70 volunteer musicians, performs four regular concerts each year in the High School Auditorium.
The Orchard Park Chorale was founded in 1975 under the sponsorship of the Adult Education Program of the Orchard Park School District. It's more than fifty singers perform regularly at the Orchard Park Presbyterian Church.
Food
Orchard Park is home to Taffy's Hot Dog Stand at the corner of U.S. Route 20 and NY Rtes 240 & 277, and Eckl's Restaurant famous for roast beef on
kummelweckA beef on weck sandwich is a variety of steak sandwich found primarily in Western New York. It is made with roast beef on a kummelweck roll. The meat on the sandwich is traditionally served rare, thin cut, with the top bun getting a dip au jus...
rolls, located on Ellicott Rd south of the village. The town is also home of the 3000th
Tim HortonsTim Hortons Inc. is a Canadian fast casual restaurant known for its coffee and doughnuts. It is also Canada's largest fast food service with over 3000 stores nationwide. It was founded in 1964 in Hamilton, Ontario, by Canadian hockey player Tim Horton and Jim Charade, after an initial venture in...
restaurant location.
Sports
- Ralph Wilson Stadium
Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL...
, the home stadium of the NFLThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
Buffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
is located in Orchard Park.
- The Orchard Park High School football team won the 2008 and 2011 New York State Public High School Class AA Championship.
- The Orchard Park High School baseball team won the 1988 State Championship.
- The Orchard Park High School volleyball team won the 2008 New York State Championship.
- The 1993 and 1994 Orchard Park Little League
Little League Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States which organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the U.S...
Baseball team won the New York State Championship.
- The Orchard Park Little League has baseball and softball divisions at all levels.
- The Orchard Park Starz girl's travel softball program is made up exclusively by Orchard Park players and competes in the Metro Girl's Softball Association.
- The Orchard Park Youth Basketball Association (OPYBA)
- The Orchard Park Little Loop Football
The Orchard Park Sox, an adult Men's Baseball team
The Orchard Park Shock, a flag football team established in 2008
Notable residents – current and former
- Jim Burt, former NFL nose tackle for the San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
and New York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
- Wray Carlton
Linwood Wray Carlton is a former American collegiate and professional football running back who played professionally in both Canada and the U.S....
, former AFLThe American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
halfback with the Buffalo Bills who scored the first-ever touchdown for the Bills
- Eric Herman
Eric Herman is a children's music performer based in the Pacific Northwest. His music combines various styles of rock music with often wryly humorous kid-related lyrics to create what he refers to as "cool tunes for kids"...
, children's music entertainer
- Dave Hollins
David Michael Hollins is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball. He played baseball at Orchard Park High School, where he graduated in 1984. He attended the University of South Carolina. He was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 6th round of the 1987 amateur draft...
, former Major League Baseball player (Phillies, Minnesota Twins, Mariners)
- Rick James
James Ambrose Johnson, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rick James, was an American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. James was a popular performer in the late 1970s and 1980s, scoring four number-one hits on the U.S. R&B charts performing in the genres of funk and R&B...
(1948–2004), musician
- Dick Jauron
Richard Manuel Jauron is the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was the head coach for the Buffalo Bills from 2006 until November 2009. Jauron has previously held head coaching positions with the Chicago Bears and, on an interim basis, with the...
, former Coach of the NFL Buffalo Bills
- Jim Kelly
James Edward Kelly is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and the USFL's Houston Gamblers....
, former professional football player, Buffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
- Lex Luger
Lawrence Wendell "Larry" Pfohl , better known by his ring name Lex Luger, is an American former professional wrestler and football player currently working with WWE on their wellness policy...
a.k.a. Lawrence ("Larry") Wendell Pfohl, former professional wrestler
- Travis Mayer
Travis Mayer is an olympic-level Freestyle Skier. He won the silver medal in the moguls competition at the 2002 Winter Olympics and also competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics. Travis grew up skiing in Western New York at Holiday Valley and across the Northeast as a member of the Holiday Valley...
, Olympic medalist in Freestyle Skiing
- Brian Moorman
Brian Donald Moorman is an American football punter who currently plays for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 1999. He played collegiately at Pittsburg State.Moorman is a two-time Pro Bowl selection for...
, current NFL professional punter for the Buffalo Bills
- John Murphy
John Murphy is an American sportscaster from Buffalo, New York.Murphy is best known for his association with the Buffalo Bills, where he currently serves as the play-by-play announcer for the team's radio network...
, the play-by-play announcer for the Buffalo Bills
- Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens has been one of the dominant receivers of his era...
, NFL wide receiver for the Cincinnati BengalsThe Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
- William Sadler
William Thomas Sadler is an American actor who works in film and television. His television and motion picture roles have included Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller in The Pacific, Luther Sloan in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Sheriff Jim Valenti in Roswell, convict Heywood in The Shawshank Redemption,...
, Actor; Saturn Award winner
- Josh Thomas, Defensive End for the NFL Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
- Mary Travers
Mary Travers Murphy is the Executive Director of the Family Justice Center of Erie County. She was formerly a consumer affairs journalist and was part of the Action 7 news team on ABC affiliate, WKBW-TV, based in Buffalo, New York...
, Executive Director of the Family Justice Center of Erie County.
- Craig Wolfley
Craig Wolfley is a former American football player and current sideline reporter for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Along with former teammate Tunch Ilkin, he hosts a show on ESPN Radio 970.-College career:...
, former NFL professional offensive lineman for the Pittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
and Minnesota VikingsThe Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
- Fred M. Adams, Western New York Baseball Hall of Fame
- Ron Wolfley
Ronald Paul Wolfley was an American football fullback who played for the St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals from 1985 to 1991. He was selected four times to the Pro Bowl as a special teams captain. Wolfley played collegiately for the West Virginia Mountaineers...
, former NFL professional fullback for the Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns. Current radio analyst for Arizona Cardinals
External links