West Seneca, New York

West Seneca, New York
Town

West Seneca town hall

Seal
Motto: "Proud Past — Unlimited Future"

Location in Erie County and the state of New York
Coordinates: 42°50′21″N 78°45′39″W / 42.83917°N 78.76083°W / 42.83917; -78.76083
Country United States
State New York
County Erie
Founded as the Village of Ebenezer 1842
As Seneca 1851
As West Seneca 1852
Government
 • Type Town Council
 • Town Supervisor Sheila Meegan (D)
 • Town Council
 • Town Clerk Jacqueline Felser (D)
Area[1]
 • Total 21.41 sq mi (55.46 km2)
 • Land 21.36 sq mi (55.31 km2)
 • Water 0.06 sq mi (0.15 km2)
Elevation 643 ft (196 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 44,711
 • Estimate (2016)[2] 45,463
 • Density 2,128.72/sq mi (821.89/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
Area code(s) 716
FIPS code 36-029-80918
GNIS feature ID 0979626[3]
Website www.westseneca.net

West Seneca is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 44,711 at the 2010 census.[4] West Seneca is a centrally located interior town of the county, and a suburb of Buffalo. West Seneca, Orchard Park and Hamburg form the inner "Southtowns", a cluster of middle-class suburban towns.

History

Because the town is on land of the former Buffalo Creek Reservation, it was not open to white settlement until the mid-19th century.

In 1851, the town of Seneca was formed from parts of the towns of Cheektowaga and Hamburg. The town changed the name to "West Seneca" in 1852 to avoid confusion with the town of Seneca in Ontario County, New York. In 1909 the area immediately south of Buffalo split from West Seneca, becoming the city of Lackawanna.[5]

The Eaton Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.[6] The Community of True Inspiration Residence was listed in 2013.[7]

Garden and nature path within the Charles E. Burchfield Nature & Art Center

Quality of life

West Seneca offers a community-rich suburban lifestyle. The town and local businesses sponsor a large number of family oriented community events and festivals. The town has an extensive system of recreational facilities, including 15 town parks, an indoor skating rink, swimming center, youth community center and a large soccer complex.[8] The town is home to the Charles E. Burchfield Nature & Art Center. The 7.2 million dollar Southtowns Family YMCA Facility opened in 2003.[9] A recreational bicycle and pedestrian trail tentatively named the Seneca Creek Pathway is planned.

West Seneca is home to a large number of organized recreational leagues and clubs, including:

West Seneca was named "The best place in New York State to raise kids" by Bloomberg Businessweek in 2010.[10]

Places of interest

Downtown Buffalo and its cultural offerings are located about 12 minutes drive to the west,[11] while both the American and Canadian sides of Niagara Falls are about a 35-minute drive to the northwest.[12]

The Charles E. Burchfield Nature & Art Center is located in West Seneca. Developed in 1999, the 29-acre (12 ha) art and nature center complex also contains wild and cultivated gardens, a large playground, nature trails, playgrounds, and an outdoor amphitheater alongside the banks of Buffalo Creek.[13]

West Seneca is home to a variety of shopping centers, with one of the most popular being the Southgate Plaza. The McKinley Mall in Hamburg and Walden Galleria in Cheektowaga are both within a 15-minute drive. The town was once home to one of the largest malls in the area, the Seneca Mall.

Schwabl's, a restaurant staple, has been located in West Seneca since 1942.[14] Famous for their beef on weck, the restaurant was featured in a 2009 episode of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.[15]

Mayer Bros. Cider Mill began operation in 1852 by Jacob Mayer. The business is still family-owned, with some operations still housed in the original building.[16]

Education

There are three separate public school districts within the town. The West Seneca Central School District is the largest and serves the entirety of the town. It also serves a small portion of the southern part of Cheektowaga.

West Seneca is home to the following private primary and secondary schools:

Houghton College used to have a branch campus in the town that also served as the central office for its Extension Studies program.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 21.41 square miles (55.46 km2), of which 21.36 square miles (55.32 km2) is land and 0.06 square miles (0.15 km2), or 0.27%, is water.[4]

The New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) passes through the town and intersects New York State Route 400 (Aurora Expressway) in the northwest part of the town and U.S. Route 219 in the southwest part. The east town line is marked by New York State Route 78 (Transit Road). New York State Route 240 (Harlem Road/Orchard Park Road) and New York State Route 277 (Union Road) are other major north-south roads, while New York State Route 16 (Seneca Street/Center Road) and New York State Route 354 (Clinton Street) are major east-west highways.

Adjacent cities and towns

Major highways in the Town of West Seneca

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18502,523—
18602,78410.3%
18703,19614.8%
18803,4638.4%
18903,4850.6%
19005,36353.9%
19104,605−14.1%
19207,06253.4%
193010,40147.3%
194012,69422.0%
195017,41737.2%
196033,64493.2%
197048,40443.9%
198051,2105.8%
199047,830−6.6%
200045,920−4.0%
201044,711−2.6%
Est. 201645,463[2]1.7%
Historical Population Figures [17][18]

As of the census[19] of 2010, there were 44,711 people, 19,151 households, and 12,223 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,148.8 people per square mile (829.7/km²). There were 18,982 housing units at an average density of 888.2 per square mile (343.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.96% White, 0.85% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.67% of the population.

There were 19,151 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.02.

As of the census[19] of 2000 the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $46,278, and the median income for a family was $54,179. Males had a median income of $39,003 versus $26,846 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,529. About 3.0% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in West Seneca

Notable people

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. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  4. 1 2 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): West Seneca town, Erie County, New York". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
  5. ↑ City of Lackawanna - History
  6. ↑ National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  7. ↑ "National Register of Historic Places Listings". Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 6/24/13 through 6/28/13. National Park Service. 2013-07-05.
  8. ↑
  9. ↑
  10. ↑ "America's Best, Affordable Places to Raise Kids". Bloomberg Businessweek. 2010-12-14. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
  11. ↑ "Distance between West Seneca, NY and Buffalo, NY". Distance Between Cities. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  12. ↑ "Distance between Niagara Falls, NY and West Seneca, NY". Distance Between Cities. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  13. ↑ "History of the Burchfield Property". The Charles E. Burchfield Nature & Art Center. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  14. ↑
  15. ↑ Travel Channel. "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations: Rust Belt". Scripps Networks, LLC. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Mayer Bros. Quick Facts". Mayer Bros. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  17. ↑ "Population Trends, 1960-2000" (PDF). Town of West Seneca. page 13
  18. ↑ " Thirteenth census of the United States, 1890, 1900, 1910" Department of Commerce and Labor. (1910), page 350. Retrieved 2011-09-09.
  19. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

Coordinates: 42°51′00″N 78°47′59″W / 42.85000°N 78.79972°W / 42.85000; -78.79972

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