Ilion, New York
Encyclopedia
Ilion is a village
in Herkimer County
, New York
, United States
. The population was 8,610 at the 2000 census. Ilion
is a name for the ancient city of Troy
.
The Village of Ilion is at the north town line of the Town of German Flatts
. The Erie Canal
is north of the village.
under the Burnetsfield Patent around 1725. Settlers first established residencies along Steeles Creek, which flows through the current village into the Mohawk River
. Many mills were set up along the creek. After the American Revolution
, a small community was set up in the area named New London. This area of the village still has buildings which use the name London.
The community began to flourish starting around 1816 when Eliphalet Remington
created his first gun, which would later grow into the Remington Arms
company. The community was even further advanced with the completion of the Erie Canal
in 1825.
In 1843 a post office was desired so a name for the settlement needed to be chosen. Remington rejected the use of his name as a name for the village, and it was eventually named Ilion. A popular, yet unverified rumor is that the application said Illium, but due to a misspelling or bad penmanship was interpreted as Ilion.
The Village of Ilion was incorporated in 1852. Ilion is one of only twelve villages in New York still incorporated under a charter
, the other villages having incorporated or re-incorporated under the provisions of Village Law.
The Current Mayor is now John P. Stephens and the Trustees include Beth Neal, Joanie Moore, Kim Connly, and Donna Felker.
of 2000, there were 8,610 people, 3,425 households, and 2,212 families residing in the village. The population density
was 3,476.6 people per square mile (1,340.5/km²). There were 3,623 housing units at an average density of 1,462.9 per square mile (564.1/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.35% White, 0.66% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.24% from other races
, and 1.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.58% of the population.
There were 3,425 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were married couples
living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% 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 3.06.
In the village the population was spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 85.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $31,793, and the median income for a family was $38,203. Males had a median income of $30,069 versus $21,754 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $14,264. About 14.1% of families and 17.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.3% of those under age 18 and 13.9% of those age 65 or over.
In the 2010-2011 year, the district had a $25 Million budget, about 1600 students, and a proposed cut of $1.1 Million in Governor Andrew Cuomo
's state budget for 2011. Ilion Central School District is among the poorest in the state of New York
. More than a third of its students are eligible for free or low-priced lunches, a standard measure of poverty
. However, many families in Upstate New York
are too ashamed to admit that their children need subsidized nutrition
. Ilion was promised additional state education aid after the CFE
court ruling in 2006, but due to the state budget crisis, this had not come to fruition. The buildings are in fine shape, but the district has not been able to afford any foreign language (other than Spanish
), and only offers four out of 34 possible AP courses. The district is considering the option of merging with nearby school districts to save money, which may be its only option.
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 Herkimer County
Herkimer County, New York
Herkimer County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was created in 1791 north of the Mohawk River out of part of Montgomery County. As of the 2010 census, the population was 64,519. It is named after General Nicholas Herkimer, who died from battle wounds in 1777 after taking part...
, 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...
. The population was 8,610 at the 2000 census. Ilion
Troy
Troy was a city, both factual and legendary, located in northwest Anatolia in what is now Turkey, southeast of the Dardanelles and beside Mount Ida...
is a name for the ancient city of Troy
Troy
Troy was a city, both factual and legendary, located in northwest Anatolia in what is now Turkey, southeast of the Dardanelles and beside Mount Ida...
.
The Village of Ilion is at the north town line of the Town of German Flatts
German Flatts, New York
German Flatts is a town in Herkimer County, New York, United States. The population was 13,629 at the 2000 census.The Town of German Flatts is in the south part of Herkimer County, across from the of Village of Herkimer on the south side of the Mohawk River, and southeast of Utica.-Herkimer:This...
. The Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
is north of the village.
History
The area where Ilion is located was first settled by Palatine GermansGerman Palatines
The German Palatines were natives of the Electoral Palatinate region of Germany, although a few had come to Germany from Switzerland, the Alsace, and probably other parts of Europe. Towards the end of the 17th century and into the 18th, the wealthy region was repeatedly invaded by French troops,...
under the Burnetsfield Patent around 1725. Settlers first established residencies along Steeles Creek, which flows through the current village into the Mohawk River
Mohawk River
The Mohawk River is a river in the U.S. state of New York. It is the largest tributary of the Hudson River. The Mohawk flows into the Hudson in the Capital District, a few miles north of the city of Albany. The river is named for the Mohawk Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy...
. Many mills were set up along the creek. After the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, a small community was set up in the area named New London. This area of the village still has buildings which use the name London.
The community began to flourish starting around 1816 when Eliphalet Remington
Eliphalet Remington
Eliphalet Remington designed the Remington rifle.He was born in 1793 in the town of Suffield, Connecticut, to parents whose origins lay in Yorkshire, England...
created his first gun, which would later grow into the Remington Arms
Remington Arms
Remington Arms Company, Inc. was founded in 1816 by Eliphalet Remington in Ilion, New York, as E. Remington and Sons. It is the oldest company in the United States which still makes its original product, and is the oldest continuously operating manufacturer in North America. It is the only U.S....
company. The community was even further advanced with the completion of the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
in 1825.
In 1843 a post office was desired so a name for the settlement needed to be chosen. Remington rejected the use of his name as a name for the village, and it was eventually named Ilion. A popular, yet unverified rumor is that the application said Illium, but due to a misspelling or bad penmanship was interpreted as Ilion.
The Village of Ilion was incorporated in 1852. Ilion is one of only twelve villages in New York still incorporated under a charter
Municipal charter
A city charter or town charter is a legal document establishing a municipality such as a city or town. The concept developed in Europe during the middle ages....
, the other villages having incorporated or re-incorporated under the provisions of Village Law.
The Current Mayor is now John P. Stephens and the Trustees include Beth Neal, Joanie Moore, Kim Connly, and Donna Felker.
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 8,610 people, 3,425 households, and 2,212 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 3,476.6 people per square mile (1,340.5/km²). There were 3,623 housing units at an average density of 1,462.9 per square mile (564.1/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.35% White, 0.66% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.24% 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 1.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.58% of the population.
There were 3,425 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% 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, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% 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 3.06.
In the village the population was spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 85.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $31,793, and the median income for a family was $38,203. Males had a median income of $30,069 versus $21,754 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 $14,264. About 14.1% of families and 17.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.3% of those under age 18 and 13.9% of those age 65 or over.
Schools
The Ilion Central School District is composed of three buildings: Remington Elementary, Barringer Road Elementary, and Ilion Jr/Sr High School. The athletic team's nickname is the Golden Bombers, the mascot is the Bomber Bear, and the school colors are gold and brown.Barringer Road Elementary is nicknamed the Bobcats. Remington Elementary is nicknamed the Roadrunners. For the 2005-2006 school year, total K-12 enrollment was 1673 students.In the 2010-2011 year, the district had a $25 Million budget, about 1600 students, and a proposed cut of $1.1 Million in Governor Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Mark Cuomo is the 56th and current Governor of New York, having assumed office on January 1, 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the 64th New York State Attorney General, and was the 11th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development...
's state budget for 2011. Ilion Central School District is among the poorest in the state of 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...
. More than a third of its students are eligible for free or low-priced lunches, a standard measure of poverty
Poverty in the United States
Poverty is defined as the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions. According to the U.S. Census Bureau data released Tuesday September 13th, 2011, the nation's poverty rate rose to 15.1% in 2010, up from 14.3% in 2009 and to its highest level...
. However, many families in Upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
are too ashamed to admit that their children need subsidized nutrition
Nutrition
Nutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with a healthy diet....
. Ilion was promised additional state education aid after the CFE
CFE
CFE may refer to:* Campaign for Fiscal Equity, a non-profit organization which advocates for funding of education in New York City* Campaign for Free Education, a group in the National Union of Students opposed to tuition fees...
court ruling in 2006, but due to the state budget crisis, this had not come to fruition. The buildings are in fine shape, but the district has not been able to afford any foreign language (other than Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
), and only offers four out of 34 possible AP courses. The district is considering the option of merging with nearby school districts to save money, which may be its only option.