Dansville, Livingston County, New York

Not to be confused with the town of Dansville, Steuben County, New York..
Dansville
Village
Dansville

Location within the state of New York

Coordinates: 42°33′43″N 77°41′46″W / 42.56194°N 77.69611°WCoordinates: 42°33′43″N 77°41′46″W / 42.56194°N 77.69611°W
Country United States
State New York
County Livingston
Area
 • Total 2.4 sq mi (6.1 km2)
 • Land 2.4 sq mi (6.1 km2)
 • Water 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation 705 ft (215 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 4,719
 • Density 2,000/sq mi (770/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 14437
Area code(s) 585
FIPS code 36-19664
GNIS feature ID 0948024

Dansville is a village in the town of North Dansville, with a small northern part in the town of Sparta in the eastern part of Livingston County, New York, United States. As of the as of 2010 census, the village population was 4,719.[1] The village is named after Daniel Faulkner, an early settler.[2] Interstate 390 passes next to the west side of the village.

History

Daniel Faulkner founded the village in 1795. When Livingston County was created, the village was in the town of Sparta. Dansville became an incorporated village in 1845.

A spa, which opened in 1854, drew many prominent people for the water cure. Located in the "Castle on the Hill," the spa operated for many years under several owners.[3]

The Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad opened its mainline between Binghamton and Buffalo, high above Dansville, on September 17, 1882. Famed "Dansville Hill" was an impediment to heavy eastbound trains for 81 years, until the mainline was abandoned by the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad between Groveland and Wayland in late 1963. A portion of the right-of-way is now used as an access road to a cellphone tower, with spectacular views looking westward down to Dansville and its surrounding area.

The Dansville Downtown Historic District, Dansville Library, Engleside, Elias H. Geiger House, William Hartman Farmstead, Pioneer Farm, and United States Post Office are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[4]

Notable people

Clara Barton visited Dansville in 1866 to deliver a lecture and again in 1873, during which time she stayed at the Home On the Hillside to recuperate from the toil of nursing soldiers in the Franco-Prussian War. Between 1876 and 1886, she maintained a residence in Dansville. From here she ran the effort to form the American Red Cross, to achieve government recognition, and join the Geneva Convention, which would make it a part of the International Red Cross. Thus, the first American Red Cross chapter was established in the village[5] in 1881 and is still located at 57 Elizabeth Street.[5]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.2 km2), all of it land.

Besides Interstate 390, New York State Route 36, New York State Route 63, New York State Route 256, and New York State Route 436 pass through the village.

The village of Dansville is located in a glacially formed valley, common throughout Western New York. The village is north of Stony Brook State Park, and south of Cumminsville.

Demographics

As of the census[1] of as of 2000, there were 4,832 people, 1,976 households, and 1,246 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,042.4 people per square mile (787.2/km²). There were 2,090 housing units at an average density of 883.4 per square mile (340.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 95.78% White, 1.26% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 1.30% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.07% of the population.

There were 1,912 households out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the village the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 90.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $32,903, and the median income for a family was $41,519. Males had a median income of $31,699 versus $25,256 for females. The per capita income for the village was $15,994. About 12.3% of families and 17.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.3% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.

Infrastructure

First chapter of the American Red Cross at the corner of Elizabeth and Ossian Streets

Dansville Municipal Airport (DSV) is a general aviation airport located north of the village. The airport was opened in 1927, primarily by the efforts of World War I aviator Lynn Pickard. The New York State Festival of Balloons is held at the airport in early September.

A branch of Genesee Community College is located in Dansville.

Nicholas H. Noyes Memorial Hospital, a 72 bed acute care hospital, is located on the southern edge of the village on Rt. 36 adjacent to Exit #4 on NYS Interstate 390 and provides health services to residents of Livingston, Allegany, Steuben and surrounding counties.

Culture

Castle on the Hill – a former water cure facility that resembles a castle overlooking Dansville from the hillside. Founded in 1858 by Dr. James Caleb Jackson as the "Our Home on the Hillside",[7] the original building burned in 1882. The present building opened in 1883. It has changed hands several times, becoming a physical fitness hotel (the Physical Culture Hotel) where the rich and famous came from New York City and other areas to "get away from it all". The building now stands vacant.

A grant from NYS for $2.5 million was approved in Jan. 2008 to renovate the former "Jackson Health Resort."

Hope Valley Camp (HVC) is a Christian camp and retreat center located at 9470 Schmidt Rd in the town of West Sparta. Hope Valley Camp is a co-ed program open to children from 7 to 17 and serves many local children through day camp programs, residential programs and weekend retreats. Children come from all over western New York and northern Pennsylvania to attend Hope Valley Camp and each year they serve hundreds of children at their facility. The camp also offers gorgeous retreat facilities for year-round getaways, corporate trainings, civic group meetings and other uses. The facility features 49 acres of wooded land with a pond, 2 creeks, a paintball field and many other great features. Most of the camp activities are outdoor, including kayaking, hiking, fishing, archery, rifle range, geocacheing and much more. You can read more by visit their website at http://www.hopevalleycamp.com

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  2. ↑  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Dansville". Encyclopædia Britannica 7 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
  3. ↑ Cayleff, Susan E (1991). Wash and Be Healed: The Water-Cure Movement and Women's Health. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. p. 94. ISBN 0-87722-859-0.
  4. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-13.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Marks, Mary Jo. "Clara Barton in Dansville, 1866 and 1876-1886". Dansville Historical Society. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  6. ↑ "The Blue Book of Wisconsin (1907)," pg. 1126-1127
  7. ↑ Cayleff, Susan E. (1991), p.114

External links

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Dansville.