East Aurora, New York
Encyclopedia
East Aurora is a village
in Erie County
, New York
, United States
, southeast of Buffalo
. The Village of East Aurora lies in the eastern half of the Town of Aurora
.
The population was 6,673 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo
–Niagara Falls
Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
Former President of the United States
Millard Fillmore
lived in East Aurora with his wife Abigail from 1826 to 1830. The house he built there while practicing law in the beginning of his political career is currently maintained by the Aurora Historical Society. The 1825 structure is restored to that period and features some original Fillmore furniture of the era, as well as items from Fillmore’s presidential years.
The founder of the Roycroft Movement
, Elbert Hubbard
, also lived there during the turn of the twentieth century. Hubbard and his wife died onboard the RMS Lusitania
in 1915. One of the town's most famous landmarks, The Roycroft Inn was opened in 1905 to accommodate the influx of famous visitors attracted by Hubbard’s ideas as well as the books, Mission-style furniture and metalware produced by the 500 Roycroft artisans. The Roycroft Inn was granted National Landmark Status in 1986 and re-opened in June 1995 through the support of the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation. The Roycroft Inn was completely restored and is open to the public for dining and accommodations. The Elbert Hubbard Museum
on Oakwood Avenue features an extensive collection of Roycroft books and Arts & Crafts pieces.
East Aurora is also the birthplace of and home to the Corporate Headquarters for Fisher-Price
. From 1987 through 2007 the village and the Toy Town Museum
(an independent non profit organization located on the Fisher-Price campus) held the Toyfest Festival, which included the Toyfest parade featuring giant replicas of classic Fisher-Price toys. The three day event was usually held at Hamlin Park and included an amusement park, circus-like attractions and a Fisher-Price play area where young children could play with a variety of toys. The museum closed in 2009.
The town was the home of the inaugural owner of the NHL Franchise Buffalo Sabres
, Seymour H. Knox. The Knox Estates, now known as Knox Farm
, is a 633 acres (2.6 km²) New York State park. It is located on the north-west edge of the village.
In February, 2008, local officials rejected the urging of local politician Kevin Gaughan to merge village functions with the Town of Aurora, citing recent disputes with the town.
Another ongoing controversy involves a proposed twin ice rink facility to be constructed on a vacant Riley Street lot in the Village downtown area. A parent led group known as the Aurora Ice Association (AIA) has submitted plans for the facility, but is being met with resistance from a group of residents claiming a lack of demand, lack of parking, and the potential for catastrophic train derailments from the adjacent railroad tracks. On September 15, 2008, the Village Board voted to accept a Negative Declaration on the State Environmental Quality Review for the proposed rink, which eliminates the need for further exhaustive site environmental impact studies. As a temporary measure, the AIA purchased the ice rink structure that was used in the 2008 NHL Winter Classic at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. With a substantial amount of assistance from the local business community and area residents, the outdoor rink was erected, and held its grand opening on November 1, 2008. The village has recently approved an open air rink that has a roof that will be placed permanently on the site.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.5 km²), all land.
Main Street in the village is U.S. Route 20A
.
of 2000, there were 6,674 people, 2,596 households, and 1,728 families residing in the village. The population density
was 2,653.8 people per square mile (1,026.5/km²). There were 2,729 housing units at an average density of 1,085.3 per square mile (419.8/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.90% White, 2.00% African American, 0.03% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.04% from other races
, and 0.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.69% of the population.
There were 2,596 households out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were married couples
living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.4% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the village the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $19,028, and the median income for a family was $19,250. Males had a median income of $142,969 versus $2,111 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $22,753. About 1.9% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.
In 2008 and 2009 additions and renovations totaling $24 million dollars were made to the district's schools to address space and maintenance issues. Prior to 2009 students attended Parkdale Elementary in grades K–2, and Main Street Elementary for grades 3–8. Elements of the Roycroft style influenced the design of Parkdale Elementary's new entrance.
The district gained approval on January 25, 2011 to begin contracting a roof repair project at the high school that will take place over the summer of 2011. The project does not have any tax impact on the community as it uses funds from the district's emergency building repair fund and New York State Building Aid. The work is scheduled to begin on June 27, 2011.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in Erie County
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, southeast of Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. The Village of East Aurora lies in the eastern half of the Town of Aurora
Aurora, Erie County, New York
Aurora is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 13,996 at the 2000 census.The Town of Aurora is one of the "Southtowns" of Erie County and is also erroneously called East Aurora, the name of its principal village...
.
The population was 6,673 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
–Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 50,193, down from the 55,593 recorded in the 2000 census. It is across the Niagara River from Niagara Falls, Ontario , both named after the famed Niagara Falls which they...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area
The Buffalo-Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan area, designated by the United States Census Bureau, encompassing two counties – Erie and Niagara – in Western New York, with a population, as of the 2010 census, of 1,135,509 inhabitants...
.
History
The village was founded in 1804, and incorporated in 1874.Former President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States and the last member of the Whig Party to hold the office of president...
lived in East Aurora with his wife Abigail from 1826 to 1830. The house he built there while practicing law in the beginning of his political career is currently maintained by the Aurora Historical Society. The 1825 structure is restored to that period and features some original Fillmore furniture of the era, as well as items from Fillmore’s presidential years.
The founder of the Roycroft Movement
Roycroft
Roycroft was a reformist community of craft workers and artists which formed part of the Arts and Crafts movement in the USA. Elbert Hubbard founded the community in 1895 in the village of East Aurora, Erie County, New York, near Buffalo. Participants were known as Roycrofters...
, Elbert Hubbard
Elbert Hubbard
Elbert Green Hubbard was an American writer, publisher, artist, and philosopher. Raised in Hudson, Illinois, he met early success as a traveling salesman with the Larkin soap company. Today Hubbard is mostly known as the founder of the Roycroft artisan community in East Aurora, New York, an...
, also lived there during the turn of the twentieth century. Hubbard and his wife died onboard the RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania was a British ocean liner designed by Leonard Peskett and built by John Brown and Company of Clydebank, Scotland. The ship entered passenger service with the Cunard Line on 26 August 1907 and continued on the line's heavily-traveled passenger service between Liverpool, England and New...
in 1915. One of the town's most famous landmarks, The Roycroft Inn was opened in 1905 to accommodate the influx of famous visitors attracted by Hubbard’s ideas as well as the books, Mission-style furniture and metalware produced by the 500 Roycroft artisans. The Roycroft Inn was granted National Landmark Status in 1986 and re-opened in June 1995 through the support of the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation. The Roycroft Inn was completely restored and is open to the public for dining and accommodations. The Elbert Hubbard Museum
George and Gladys Scheidemantel House
George and Gladys Scheidemantel House is a historic home located at East Aurora in Erie County, New York. It is a locally distinctive example of the Arts and Crafts movement style of architecture built in 1910. It is a two story, frame, bungalow that combines elements of the American Foursquare...
on Oakwood Avenue features an extensive collection of Roycroft books and Arts & Crafts pieces.
East Aurora is also the birthplace of and home to the Corporate Headquarters for Fisher-Price
Fisher-Price
Fisher-Price is a company that produces toys for infants and children, headquartered in East Aurora, New York. Fisher-Price has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Mattel since 1993.-History:...
. From 1987 through 2007 the village and the Toy Town Museum
Toy Town Museum
The Toy Town Museum is located on the Fisher-Price campus in East Aurora, New York. It was conceived by a group of local citizens in East Aurora and Western New York to help celebrate the toy making heritage in the area...
(an independent non profit organization located on the Fisher-Price campus) held the Toyfest Festival, which included the Toyfest parade featuring giant replicas of classic Fisher-Price toys. The three day event was usually held at Hamlin Park and included an amusement park, circus-like attractions and a Fisher-Price play area where young children could play with a variety of toys. The museum closed in 2009.
The town was the home of the inaugural owner of the NHL Franchise Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
, Seymour H. Knox. The Knox Estates, now known as Knox Farm
Knox Farm State Park
The Knox Farm State Park is located adjacent to the village of East Aurora, New York, USA. It is the former country estate of Buffalo's wealthy Knox Family, and spans , containing a number of habitats, including grasslands, woodlands, ponds and wetlands...
, is a 633 acres (2.6 km²) New York State park. It is located on the north-west edge of the village.
Contemporary issues
East Aurora was one of the first communities to successfully block a Wal-Mart store, in 1995 and again in 1999. The act was led by a community group in an attempt to preserve the small town values, and help support privately owned businesses.In February, 2008, local officials rejected the urging of local politician Kevin Gaughan to merge village functions with the Town of Aurora, citing recent disputes with the town.
Another ongoing controversy involves a proposed twin ice rink facility to be constructed on a vacant Riley Street lot in the Village downtown area. A parent led group known as the Aurora Ice Association (AIA) has submitted plans for the facility, but is being met with resistance from a group of residents claiming a lack of demand, lack of parking, and the potential for catastrophic train derailments from the adjacent railroad tracks. On September 15, 2008, the Village Board voted to accept a Negative Declaration on the State Environmental Quality Review for the proposed rink, which eliminates the need for further exhaustive site environmental impact studies. As a temporary measure, the AIA purchased the ice rink structure that was used in the 2008 NHL Winter Classic at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. With a substantial amount of assistance from the local business community and area residents, the outdoor rink was erected, and held its grand opening on November 1, 2008. The village has recently approved an open air rink that has a roof that will be placed permanently on the site.
Geography
East Aurora is located at 42°46′1"N 78°37′2"W (42.766809, -78.617121).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.5 km²), all land.
Main Street in the village is U.S. Route 20A
U.S. Route 20A (New York)
U.S. Route 20A is an east–west alternate route of US 20 that extends for across the western portion of New York in the United States. It leaves US 20 in Hamburg, a suburb of Buffalo, and rejoins it in East Bloomfield about five miles west of Canandaigua, the county seat of...
.
Points of interest
Main Street in East Aurora is lined with a variety of specialty shops, restaurants, churches, municipal buildings and carefully preserved homes. Businesses include the Toy Loft (a local toy store), Vidler's (an old-fashioned five and dime store), the East End Tap Room, and the Aurora Theatre, a 650-seat, big-screen cinema theatre with a classic, old-fashioned neon marquee. The Aurora Ice Association has begun construction on a permanent shelter to cover the ice rink that is built every winter on Riley Street.Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 6,674 people, 2,596 households, and 1,728 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,653.8 people per square mile (1,026.5/km²). There were 2,729 housing units at an average density of 1,085.3 per square mile (419.8/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.90% White, 2.00% African American, 0.03% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.04% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.69% of the population.
There were 2,596 households out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.4% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the village the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $19,028, and the median income for a family was $19,250. Males had a median income of $142,969 versus $2,111 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $22,753. About 1.9% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.
Schools
Children living in the town or village of East Aurora attend Parkdale Elementary (grades K–4), East Aurora Middle School (grades 5–8), and East Aurora High School (grades 9-12).In 2008 and 2009 additions and renovations totaling $24 million dollars were made to the district's schools to address space and maintenance issues. Prior to 2009 students attended Parkdale Elementary in grades K–2, and Main Street Elementary for grades 3–8. Elements of the Roycroft style influenced the design of Parkdale Elementary's new entrance.
The district gained approval on January 25, 2011 to begin contracting a roof repair project at the high school that will take place over the summer of 2011. The project does not have any tax impact on the community as it uses funds from the district's emergency building repair fund and New York State Building Aid. The work is scheduled to begin on June 27, 2011.