Chautauqua County, New York

History

Prior to European colonization, most of what is now Chautauqua County was inhabited by the indigenous Erie people prior to the Beaver Wars in the 1650s. French forces traversed the territory beginning in 1615. The Seneca Nation conquered the territory during the Beaver Wars and held it through the next century until siding with the British crown, their allies for most of the 18th century, against the American revolutionaries in the American Revolutionary War.

Chautauqua County was organized by the state legislature during the development of western New York after the American Revolutionary War and the ratification of The Treaty of Canandaigua, between the United States and the Council of the Six Nations. It was officially separated from Genesee County on March 11, 1808. This partition was performed under the same terms that produced Cattaraugus and Niagara counties. The partition was done for political purposes, but the counties were not properly organized for self-government, so they were all administered as part of Niagara County.

On February 9, 1811, Chautauqua was completely organized, and its separate government was launched. This established Chautauqua as a county of 1,100 mi2 of land. Chautauqua has not been altered since.

The first New York Chautauqua Assembly was organized in 1874 by Methodist minister John Heyl Vincent and businessman Lewis Miller in the county at a campsite on the shores of Chautauqua Lake.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1500 sqmi, of which 1060 sqmi is land and 440 sqmi (29%) is water.

Chautauqua County, in the southwestern corner of New York State, along the New York-Pennsylvania border, is the westernmost of New York's counties. Chautauqua Lake is located in the center of the county, and Lake Erie is its northern border.

Part of the Eastern Continental Divide runs through Chautauqua County. The area that drains into the Conewango Creek (including Chautauqua Lake) eventually empties into the Gulf of Mexico; the rest of the county's watershed empties into Lake Erie and via Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence Seaway into the North Atlantic Ocean. This divide, known as the Chautauqua Ridge, can be used to mark the border between the Southern Tier and the Niagara Frontier. It is also a significant dividing point in the county's geopolitics, with the "North County" being centered on Dunkirk and the "South County" centered on Jamestown each having their own interests.

The county is generally composed of rolling hills and valleys, with elevations ranging anywhere between 1100 and 2100 feet, although the land within a few miles of Lake Erie is generally flat and at an elevation of 1000 feet or lower. The lowest point in the county is Lake Erie, at 571 ft, and the highest point is Gurnsey Benchmark at 2180 ft.

Adjacent counties

• Erie County - northeast
• Cattaraugus County - east
• Warren County, Pennsylvania - south
• Erie County, Pennsylvania - southwest

Chautauqua County is one of the few counties in the US to border two counties of the same name in different states (Erie County in New York and Pennsylvania).

Major highways

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020

2020 census

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 139,750 people, 54,515 households, and 35,979 families in the county. The population density was 132 /mi2. There were 64,900 housing units at an average density of 61 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 94.04% White, 2.18% Black or African American, 0.43% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.73% from other races, and 1.23% from two or more races. 4.22% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. In terms of ancestry, 17.3% were German, 15.1% were Italian, 11.6% were Swedish, 10.9% were English, 9.3% were Polish, 9.2% were Irish and 5.6% were of American ancestry according to Census 2000. 93.0% spoke English and 3.8% Spanish as their first language.

Of the 54,515 households 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.90% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.00% were non-families. 28.10% of households were one person and 12.60% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.99.

The age distribution was 24.50% under the age of 18, 10.30% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 16.00% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.20 males.

The median household income was $33,458 and the median family income was $41,054. Males had a median income of $32,114 versus $22,214 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,840. About 9.70% of families and 13.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.30% of those under age 18 and 8.20% of those age 65 or over.

As of the 2010 census, there were 134,905 people in the county. The population density was 127 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 92.57% (124,875 people) white, 2.37% (3,197 people) African-American, 0.51% (688 people) Asian, 0.51% (689 people) Native American/Alaskan, 0.03% (34 people) Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 1.98% (2,669 people) other, and 2.04% (2,751 people) two or more races. The Hispanic/Latino population of any race was 6.11% (8,241 people). In terms of ancestry, 25% were German, 16% were Italian, 12.8% were Swedish, 16% were English, 10.6% were Polish, 14.9% were Irish and 3.2% were of American ancestry according to the 2010 Census. 92.9% spoke English and 4.1% Spanish as their first language.

The age distribution was 21.83% of the population under the age of 18, 3.82% (5,155 people) ages 18 and 19, 7.50% (10,113 people) ages 20–24, 10.37% (13,985 people) ages 25–34, 18.83% (25,406 people) ages 35–49, 21.07% (28,419 people) ages 50–64, and 16.59% (22,381 people) over the age of 65. Of the population, 49.3% (66,509 people) were male and 50.7% (68,396 people) were female.

Government and politics

All of the county is in the 150th New York State Assembly district, represented by Andy Goodell, and the New York State Senate 57th district represented by George Borrello. The entire county is within the bounds of New York's 23rd congressional district which is represented by Nick Langworthy.

The 2012 redistricting process moved all of Chautauqua County into Goodell's assembly district, while the county also rejoined the former 31st (renumbered again as the 23rd) congressional district along with Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties. Prior to 2013, the county was part of New York's 27th congressional district. Prior to 2003, the county was part of New York's 31st congressional district, but it was controversially redistricted out of that district and into what was the 27th, and was replaced in the 29th district (the old 31st) by Rochester suburbs that had never before been part of the district. Chautauqua County, at the same time, joined southern Erie County and portions of the City of Buffalo in the 27th, areas that had also never been in the same district with each other. In both cases, the suburban additions had significantly more Democratic populations than before, leading to Democrats winning both districts, which led to accusations of cracking-based gerrymandering.

Though the Republican Party has historically been dominant in Chautauqua County politics, the county had been a perfect bellwether county from 1980 to 2008, correctly voting for the winner of each presidential election in all eight elections during that time. However, in 2012, it voted for Republican Mitt Romney even as Democrat Barack Obama won re-election, marking its first miss since 1976. In 2016 the county reverted back to being solidly Republican, as Donald Trump won the county by the largest margin since Ronald Reagan in 1984.

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Chautauqua County is one of nineteen “charter counties” in New York, which grants the county greater leeway in conducting its own affairs. A board of supervisors governed Chautauqua County until 1975, when a new county charter went into effect with provisions for a county executive and a 13-seat county legislature.{{Citation

New York State Assembly

Prior to changes in representation of the New York State Assembly, each county had a given number of representatives. The following were representatives of Chautauqua County.

Education

Jamestown Community College has two campuses in the county at Jamestown and Dunkirk. The State University of New York at Fredonia is located in the northern part of the county. Jamestown Business College offered two year degrees, certificates, and a four-year degree in Jamestown, prior to its decision to cease new enrollments in 2024.

Communities

† - county seat

†† - former village

Towns

• Arkwright
• Busti
• Carroll
• Charlotte
• Chautauqua
• Cherry Creek
• Clymer
• Dunkirk
• Ellery
• Ellicott
• Ellington
• French Creek
• Gerry
• Hanover
• Harmony
• Kiantone
• Mina
• North Harmony
• Poland
• Pomfret
• Portland
• Ripley
• Sheridan
• Sherman
• Stockton
• Villenova
• Westfield

Other hamlets

• Ashville
• Findley Lake
• Forestville
• Hamlet
• Irving
• Laona
• Lily Dale
• Maple Springs
• Van Buren Bay

Indian reservation

• Cattaraugus Reservation

Unorganized territory

• Chautauqua Lake

In literature

Joyce Carol Oates' 1996 novel, We Were the Mulvaneys is set in rural Chautauqua County, near the fictional town of Mt. Ephraim.

Citations

References

1. "QuickFacts: Chautauqua County, NY". United States Census Bureau.
2. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Chautauqua County, New York". United States Census Bureau.
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
4. (2008). "New York: Individual County Chronologies". The Newberry Library.
5. '''New York. ''Laws of New York.''''';31st Session; Chapter 40; Sections1—2; Page 266.
6. Doty, William J., et al. '';Historic Annals of Southwestern New York.''; 3 Volumes; [[New York (state). New York]]: Lewis Historical Publishing Company; 1940; Volume 1; Page 360.
7. Feinman, Peter. (May 2010). "Chautauqua America".
8. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
9. link. (September 3, 2009 , ''The Post-Journal,'' Retrieved 2009-08-30.)
10. "U.S. Board on Geographic Names".
11. "New York County High Points".
12. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
13. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
14. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
15. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
16. "1980 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - New York - Table 15 - Persons by Race and Table 16 - Total Persons and Spanish Origin Persons by Type of Spanish Origin and Race (p. 34/29-34/70)".
17. "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - New York - Table 3 - Race and Hispanic Origin".
18. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Chautauqua County, New York".
19. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Chautauqua County, New York".
20. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Chautauqua County, New York".
21. included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
22. included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
23. not an option in the 1980 Census
24. not an option in the 1990 Census
25. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
26. "2010 US Census".
27. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
28. Post Journal
29. "Legislature - Chautauqua County, NY - Official Website".
30. {{cite gnis. 2390419. Unorganized Territory of Chautauqua Lake. February 17, 2021. February 19, 2008