Sodus (town), New York
Encyclopedia
Sodus is a town
in Wayne County
, New York
, USA. The population was 8,949 at the 2000 census. The town takes its name from a native word for the bay in the eastern part of the town: "Assorodus," meaning "silvery water."
The Town of Sodus is on the north border of the county and is midway between Rochester and Syracuse
.
. The town's Adam territory was substantially reduced by the formation of newer towns in the county: Williamson
(1802) and Lyons
(1811).
The town contains a village named Sodus
and another named Sodus Point
. Sodus Adam Point was settled around 1794 because of a road constructed from Palmyra
, but The first settlers did not arrive at the Village of Sodus until about 1809.
In 1813, the British
attacked and burned the village of Sodus Point.
A lighthouse
was erected in 1825 to mark the shoreline.
Members of the Shakers
settled in the early town, but moved away, when they believed Sodus was becoming too worldly.
Sodus claims to be the birthplace of Arbor Day
, a holiday established by the efforts of Sodus Center native Edward C. Delano.
The Preston-Gaylord Cobblestone Farmhouse
was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2009.
, the town has a total area of 69.4 square miles (179.6 km²), of which, 67.4 square miles (174.6 km²) of it is land and 1.9 square miles (5.0 km²) of it (2.78%) is water.
The north border is Lake Ontario
. Sodus Bay
, a bay
of Lake Ontario is partly in the town.
Sodus is a town on the northern boundary of the United States, and Canada
is on the opposite shore of Lake Ontario.
New York State Route 14
intersects New York State Route 104
south of Alton, and New York State Route 88
runs south from Sodus village.
Sodus is also known for its rural landscape and abundance of apples.
of 2000, there were 8,949 people, 3,436 households, and 2,388 families residing in the town. The population density
was 132.7 people per square mile (51.2/km²). There were 4,195 housing units at an average density of 62.2 per square mile (24.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 87.79% White, 8.38% Black or African American
, 0.23% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.86% from other races
, and 2.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.55% of the population.
There were 3,436 households out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% were married couples
living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $39,528, and the median income for a family was $46,286. Males had a median income of $34,935 versus $26,296 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $18,170. About 8.5% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.3% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Wayne County
Wayne County, New York
Wayne County is a county located in the US state of New York. It is part of the Rochester, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area and lies on the south shore of Lake Ontario, forming part of the northern border of the United States with Canada. The name honors General Anthony Wayne, an American...
, New York
New York
New 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...
, USA. The population was 8,949 at the 2000 census. The town takes its name from a native word for the bay in the eastern part of the town: "Assorodus," meaning "silvery water."
The Town of Sodus is on the north border of the county and is midway between Rochester and Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
.
History
The Town of Sodus was formed in 1789 from the older "District of Sodus" while still part of Ontario CountyOntario County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
. The town's Adam territory was substantially reduced by the formation of newer towns in the county: Williamson
Williamson, New York
Williamson is an Upstate New York town in the northwest part of Wayne County, New York, U.S. on the south shore of Lake Ontario. The population was 6,777 at the time of the 2000 census. The town is named after Charles Williamson, a land agent of the Pultney Estate...
(1802) and Lyons
Lyons, New York
Lyons, New York may refer to either of two places in Wayne County, New York, USA:* Lyons , New York* Lyons , New York...
(1811).
The town contains a village named Sodus
Sodus (village), New York
Sodus is a village in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 1,735 at the 2000 census.The Village of Sodus is near the center of the Town of Sodus and lies between Rochester and Syracuse. The village contains the government center for the Town of Sodus.- History :The village area was part...
and another named Sodus Point
Sodus Point, New York
Sodus Point is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 1,160 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from a nearby body of water, Sodus Bay. It is considered within the larger Rochester metropolitan area....
. Sodus Adam Point was settled around 1794 because of a road constructed from Palmyra
Palmyra (village), New York
Palmyra is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 3,490 at the 2000 census. The village, along with the town, is named after Palmyra in present-day Syria.The Village of Palmyra is in the Town of Palmyra...
, but The first settlers did not arrive at the Village of Sodus until about 1809.
In 1813, the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
attacked and burned the village of Sodus Point.
A lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
was erected in 1825 to mark the shoreline.
Members of the Shakers
Shakers
The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, known as the Shakers, is a religious sect originally thought to be a development of the Religious Society of Friends...
settled in the early town, but moved away, when they believed Sodus was becoming too worldly.
Sodus claims to be the birthplace of Arbor Day
Arbor Day
Arbor Day is a holiday in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant and care for trees. It originated in Nebraska City, Nebraska, United States during 1872 by J. Sterling Morton. The first Arbor Day was held on April 10, 1872, and an estimated 1 million trees were planted that day.Many...
, a holiday established by the efforts of Sodus Center native Edward C. Delano.
The Preston-Gaylord Cobblestone Farmhouse
Preston-Gaylord Cobblestone Farmhouse
Preston-Gaylord Cobblestone Farmhouse is a historic home located at Sodus in Wayne County, New York. The cobblestone dwelling was built in 1845-1846, and consists of a 1 1/2-story main block and 1 1/2-story rear wing. Both sections are constructed of irregularly sized and variously colored field...
was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2009.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The 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 69.4 square miles (179.6 km²), of which, 67.4 square miles (174.6 km²) of it is land and 1.9 square miles (5.0 km²) of it (2.78%) is water.
The north border is Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
. Sodus Bay
Sodus Bay
Sodus Bay is a bay on the south shore of Lake Ontario, one of the Great Lakes. Sodus Bay is located in Wayne County, New York, USA. Most of the bay is in the Town of Huron, but the western part is in the Town of Sodus....
, a bay
Bay
A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
of Lake Ontario is partly in the town.
Sodus is a town on the northern boundary of the United States, and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
is on the opposite shore of Lake Ontario.
New York State Route 14
New York State Route 14
New York State Route 14 is a state highway located in western New York in the United States. Along with NY 19, it is one of two routes to transect the state in a north–south fashion between the Pennsylvania border and Lake Ontario...
intersects New York State Route 104
New York State Route 104
New York State Route 104 is a long east–west state highway in Upstate New York, United States. It spans six counties and enters the vicinity of four cities—Niagara Falls, Lockport, Rochester, and Oswego—as it follows a routing largely parallel to that of the southern shoreline of Lake...
south of Alton, and New York State Route 88
New York State Route 88
New York State Route 88 is a north–south state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 96 in the Ontario County village of Phelps to a junction with NY 104 in the Wayne County town of Sodus...
runs south from Sodus village.
Sodus is also known for its rural landscape and abundance of apples.
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 8,949 people, 3,436 households, and 2,388 families residing in the town. 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 132.7 people per square mile (51.2/km²). There were 4,195 housing units at an average density of 62.2 per square mile (24.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 87.79% White, 8.38% Black 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...
, 0.23% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.86% 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 2.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.55% of the population.
There were 3,436 households out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1% 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, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $39,528, and the median income for a family was $46,286. Males had a median income of $34,935 versus $26,296 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 town was $18,170. About 8.5% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.3% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in the Town of Sodus
- Alton — A hamlet near the east town line on NY-14. Alasa FarmsAlasa FarmsAlasa Farms, also known as the Sodus Bay Shaker Tract and Sodus Bay Phalanx, is a historic farm complex located near Alton in Wayne County, New York. The farm complex was originally built and occupied by the Sodus Bay Shakers, an official branch of the United Society of Believers in Christ's...
was listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational 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...
in 2009. - Bootleggers Point — A location on the Lake Ontario shore in the west part of the town.
- SodusSodus (village), New YorkSodus is a village in Wayne County, New York, USA. The population was 1,735 at the 2000 census.The Village of Sodus is near the center of the Town of Sodus and lies between Rochester and Syracuse. The village contains the government center for the Town of Sodus.- History :The village area was part...
— The Village of Sodus is near the town center at the north end of NY-88. - Sodus Center — A hamlet southeast of Sodus village at the junction of County Roads 240 and 241. The Red Brick Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.
- Sodus PointSodus Point, New YorkSodus Point is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 1,160 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from a nearby body of water, Sodus Bay. It is considered within the larger Rochester metropolitan area....
— The Village of Sodus Point is on County Road 101 (Lake Road) on the shore of Lake Ontario. - South Sodus — A hamlet in the southeast corner of the town on NY-14.
- Thorntons Corner — A hamlet in the south part of the town at the junction of County Roads 242 and 243.
- Thornton Point — A peninsulaPeninsulaA peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
in Sodus Bay. - Wallington — A hamlet southeast of Sodus village on NY-104. The Walling Cobblestone TavernWalling Cobblestone TavernWalling Cobblestone Tavern is a historic tavern located at Sodus in Wayne County, New York. The Federal style, cobblestone building is a two story, five bay, gable roofed structure. It was built about 1834 and is constructed of irregularly shaped, multi-colored, field cobbles. It is now a single...
and Wallington Cobblestone Schoolhouse District No. 8Wallington Cobblestone Schoolhouse District No. 8Wallington Cobblestone Schoolhouse District No. 8 is a historic one room school located at Sodus in Wayne County, New York. The Federal style, cobblestone building is a one story, three bay, center hall gable roofed structure with a louvered, gable roofed bell tower.It was built about 1834 and is...
were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. - Williamson-Sodus AirportWilliamson-Sodus AirportWilliamson–Sodus Airport is a public use airport in Wayne County, New York, United States. It is owned by the Williamson Flying Club Inc and is located three nautical miles west of the central business district of the Town of Sodus, and east of the Town of Williamson...
— A general aviation airportAirportAn airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
in the western part of the town, south of NY-104.