Alma, New York

Alma
Town

Location of New York in the United States
Coordinates: 42°00′45″N 78°03′28″W / 42.01250°N 78.05778°W / 42.01250; -78.05778Coordinates: 42°00′45″N 78°03′28″W / 42.01250°N 78.05778°W / 42.01250; -78.05778
Country United States
State New York
County Allegany County
Incorporated 1854
Government
 • Mayor

Karen Linza (R)

Area[1]
 • Total 36.52 sq mi (94.58 km2)
 • Land 36.22 sq mi (93.80 km2)
 • Water 0.30 sq mi (0.78 km2)
Elevation 2,546 ft (776 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 842
 • Estimate (2016)[2] 847
 • Density 23.39/sq mi (9.03/km2)
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 14708
Area code(s) 585
FIPS code 36-003-01429

Alma is a town in Allegany County, New York, United States. The population was 842 at the 2010 census. The source of the town name is uncertain. It may come from the Latin word for "nourishing", or it may be named for a city in Germany.

The Town of Alma is on the southern edge of Allegany County and is southwest of the Village of Wellsville.

History

The area was first settled around 1833. The Town of Alma was established in 1854 from part of the Town of Willing. From 1881 to January 1893 several of the settlements in the Township (most notably Allentown) were on the Wellsville-Eldred Main Line of the Bradford, Eldred & Cuba Railroad (BE&C). The BE&C was a 36" narrow-gauge railroad built to serve the Allegany County oil boom. With the end of the boom and loss of the passenger and freight traffic therefrom the railroad entered receivership (bankruptcy) and was abandoned. Today the railheads for Alma Township are Wellsville and Friendship.

Remnants of the railroad bed for the BE&C can be seen in the village of West Clarksville between the village and Dodge Creek behind the Clarksville store.James E. Lewis, a resident in West Clarksville from 1936-1950. This railroad bed was one of my playgrounds with my bicycle. The Clarksville store was in my family for three generations: Frank Windsor, James E. Windsor, and my dad Malcolm W. Lewis.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 36.5 square miles (95 km2), of which 36.5 square miles (95 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (0.25%) is water.

Alma Hill, the wide rise which dominates the southern half of town, is at 2,548 feet (777 m) not only the highest point in Allegany County but the entire western half of the state.[3] The section of Alma Hill Road that runs near the summit is, at approximately 2,500 feet (760 m), the highest free paved public road in the state outside of the Catskills.

The south town line is the Pennsylvania border.

New York State Route 417 (NY 417) crosses the north part of the town.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1860578—
187076632.5%
188086512.9%
18901,50974.5%
19001,182−21.7%
1910973−17.7%
1920643−33.9%
193088437.5%
1940780−11.8%
195093119.4%
1960871−6.4%
1970839−3.7%
19809209.7%
1990846−8.0%
20008470.1%
2010842−0.6%
Est. 2016847[2]0.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[4]

At the 2000 census,[5] there were 847 people, 322 households and 243 families residing in the town. The population density was 23.2 per square mile (9.0/km²). There were 533 housing units at an average density of 14.6 per square mile (5.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.99% White, 0.12% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.24% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races.

There were 322 households of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.0% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.5% were non-families. 20.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 2.99.

26.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 106.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $32,063 and the median family income was $35,833. Males had a median income of $31,023 compared with $17,778 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,061. About 8.0% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.2% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Alma

References

  1. ↑ "2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Jul 4, 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Alma Hill, New York". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  4. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  5. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
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