Penn Yan, New York

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Vineyard near Keuka Lake, Penn Yan, New York

Penn Yan is a village in Yates County, New York, USA. The population was 5,219 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Yates County^GR6. The name is an invention of the early settlers for their community.

The Village of Penn Yan is primarily in the Town of Milo, but a small section is in the Town of Benton.

Penn Yan Airport is south of the village.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 History
4 External links
5 References

[edit] Geography

Penn Yan is located at 42°39′36″N, 77°3′20″W (42.660089, -77.055447)^GR1. Penn Yan is at the north end of the east branch of Keuka Lake, one of the Finger Lakes.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 6.0 km² (2.3 mi²). 5.9 km² (2.3 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (2.58%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 5,219 people, 2,141 households, and 1,261 families residing in the village. The population density was 887.7/km² (2,299.7/mi²). There were 2,299 housing units at an average density of 391.0/km² (1,013.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.15% White, 0.67% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.33% from other races, and 1.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.94% of the population.

There were 2,141 households out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.2% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.1% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the village the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 21.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.2 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $29,278, and the median income for a family was $39,087. Males had a median income of $30,692 versus $19,263 for females. The per capita income for the village was $15,848. About 9.7% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.8% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] History

N.E.View of PENN YAN, Yates Co., N.Y. (circa 1856-1860) by John Warner Barber

The first frame dwelling at Penn Yan was built in 1799. The village became the county seat in 1823, when Yates county was created, and was incorporated in 1833.

The first settlers were chiefly followers of Jemima Wilkinson (1753-1819), a religious enthusiast, born in Cumberland Township, Providence County, Rhode Island, who asserted that she had received a divine commission. Wilkinson preached in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. Obtaining a large tract (which was called Jerusalem in 1789) in the present Yates county, she founded in 1788 the village of Hopeton on the outlet of Keuka Lake about a mile from Seneca Lake. Many followers settled there, and she herself lived there after 1790. Some of her followers left her before 1800, and then the community gradually broke up.

The name of the village is said to have been contrived from the first syllables of " Pennsylvania " and " Yankee," as most of the early settlers were Pennsylvanians and New Englanders.

Many Amish and Mennonite families are recent arrivals to the area.

The village was the western terminus of the former Crooked Lake Canal.