Little Valley (village), New York
Encyclopedia
Little Valley is a village in Cattaraugus County
, New York
, USA. The population was 1,130 at the 2000 census.
The Village of Little Valley is in the northwest corner of the Town of Little Valley
.
Little Valley is the county seat
of Cattaraugus County and also the location of the county fair (held in August in the fairgrounds north of the village).
The village is north of Salamanca, New York
.
The town's name is a relative comparison of two tributaries (the other being the neighboring Great Valley
) of the Allegheny River
.
was the county seat, but the presence of the railroad in Little Valley prompted a move.
The Village of Little Valley was incorporated in 1876.
The US Post Office-Little Valley is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
The mayor of Little Valley is Norman Marsh, a Republican. Marsh was re-elected through 2015 in an unopposed election on March 15, 2011. The village board consists of a deputy mayor and three other trustees.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 1.0 square miles (2.6 km²).None of the area is covered with water.
Little Valley Creek, a tributary of the Allegheny River
, flows past the northeast side of the village. A smaller creek, Lees Hollow, flanks the Little Valley Creek on the southern side of the village.
State routes NY-242
and NY-353
converge at the village. County Routes 5 and 14 enter the village from the north.
Since the former New York State Route 17
route between Salamanca and Steamburg was discontinued in the 1970s, it is almost impossible to travel from Steamburg to Salamanca (or reverse) without either using Interstate 86 or passing through the village of Little Valley. (Theoretically, a maze of county and back roads could be used to circumvent this, but it is highly impractical.)
of 2000, there were 1,130 people, 427 households, and 266 families residing in the village. The population density
was 1,127.3 people per square mile (436.3/km²). There were 513 housing units at an average density of 511.8 per square mile (198.1/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 95.58% White, 1.86% Black or African American
, 0.80% Native American, 0.09% from other races
, and 1.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.77% of the population.
There were 427 households out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% were married couples
living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the village the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 110.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $28,750, and the median income for a family was $31,875. Males had a median income of $27,500 versus $20,962 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $14,458. About 11.2% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.7% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.
, a half-mile dirt track used for stock car racing
and demolition derbies
during the summer. It is one of the most popular race tracks in the area and doubles as the Cattaraugus County Fairgrounds, the site of the annual county fair.
The Village of Little Valley also has:
Despite the village's small size, it was, for a time, the home of a conglomerate
. Pirshlo, Inc., owned by Lloyd and Rebecca Long, owned and operated the Uni-Mart, the laundromat, a tanning booth by the name of Island Tan, a weekly newspaper known as the County-Chronicle and several apartments for rent. Lloyd Long was arrested in November 2007 (and later convicted in July 2008) after it was discovered he had been hiding Pirshlo's ownership of two supposedly Seneca-owned Uni-Marts in Salamanca and evading taxes on tobacco in the process. The laundromat, tanning booth, apartments and Uni-Mart have been sold off to other companies while the newspaper has been shut down.
Bush Industries
had a factory on the western side of the village for many years; said plant was closed in Feb 2008. Half of the approximately 100 workers were offered jobs in the main plant in Jamestown, but those jobs would be cut entirely after only six months. The factory was reopened under the name "Innovative Wood Solutions," a locally owned company that also owns a plant in Randolph.
Historically, the village is well known for its numerous knife businesses, including Cattaraugus Cutlery Company
, W. R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co.
, and their many spin-offs, that resided in the village in the early part of the 20th century. None of the cutlery businesses remain in Little Valley, although many are still in business elsewhere.
Three weekly newspaper
s have operated out of Little Valley; the first was the Cattaraugus Republican (founded 1867, originally based in Ellicottville, but later acquired by the Salamanca Press
), the second was the Little Valley Hub (operated from 1881 to 1964), and the most recent was the "County Chronicle," which printed from 1992 to 2007, with some of the earlier years being based in Salamanca.
Cattaraugus County, New York
Cattaraugus County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 80,317. The county seat is Little Valley.-History:...
, 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...
, USA. The population was 1,130 at the 2000 census.
The Village of Little Valley is in the northwest corner of the Town of Little Valley
Little Valley (town), New York
Little Valley is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 1,788 at the 2000 census. The town is named after its local geographical setting, a relative comparison of two tributaries of the Allegheny River.The Town of Little Valley is centrally located in the county...
.
Little Valley is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Cattaraugus County and also the location of the county fair (held in August in the fairgrounds north of the village).
The village is north of Salamanca, New York
Salamanca (city), New York
Salamanca is a city in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States, located inside the Allegany Indian Reservation. The population was 6,097 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
.
The town's name is a relative comparison of two tributaries (the other being the neighboring Great Valley
Great Valley, New York
Great Valley is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,145 at the 2000 census. The town is named after its local geographical setting, a relative comparison of two tributaries of the Allegheny River.The Town of Great Valley is centrally located in the...
) of the Allegheny River
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
.
History
Prior to 1868, the Village of EllicottvilleEllicottville (village), New York
Ellicottville is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, USA. The population was 472 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Joseph Ellicott, principal land agent of the Holland Land Company...
was the county seat, but the presence of the railroad in Little Valley prompted a move.
The Village of Little Valley was incorporated in 1876.
The US Post Office-Little Valley is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Politics and government
The village is operated by a village board that consists of a mayor, a deputy mayor, and three trustees. All serve four-year terms, and most of the board is up for re-election on the same year, meaning that two to three years can pass without any village board seats up for election.The mayor of Little Valley is Norman Marsh, a Republican. Marsh was re-elected through 2015 in an unopposed election on March 15, 2011. The village board consists of a deputy mayor and three other trustees.
Geography
Little Valley is located at 42°14′58"N 78°47′59"W (42.249555, -78.799775).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 1.0 square miles (2.6 km²).None of the area is covered with water.
Little Valley Creek, a tributary of the Allegheny River
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
, flows past the northeast side of the village. A smaller creek, Lees Hollow, flanks the Little Valley Creek on the southern side of the village.
State routes NY-242
New York State Route 242
New York State Route 242 is a state highway that runs across Cattaraugus County, New York, in the United States. Although signed as an east–west route, it takes a more northeast–southwest course across the county from NY 394 near the village of Randolph to NY 16 in Machias...
and NY-353
New York State Route 353
New York State Route 353 is a north–south state highway located within Cattaraugus County, New York, in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 417 in the city of Salamanca to a junction with U.S. Route 62 in the hamlet of Dayton...
converge at the village. County Routes 5 and 14 enter the village from the north.
Since the former New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...
route between Salamanca and Steamburg was discontinued in the 1970s, it is almost impossible to travel from Steamburg to Salamanca (or reverse) without either using Interstate 86 or passing through the village of Little Valley. (Theoretically, a maze of county and back roads could be used to circumvent this, but it is highly impractical.)
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 1,130 people, 427 households, and 266 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 1,127.3 people per square mile (436.3/km²). There were 513 housing units at an average density of 511.8 per square mile (198.1/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 95.58% White, 1.86% Black or African American
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...
, 0.80% Native American, 0.09% 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 1.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.77% of the population.
There were 427 households out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% 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, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the village the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 110.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $28,750, and the median income for a family was $31,875. Males had a median income of $27,500 versus $20,962 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 $14,458. About 11.2% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.7% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.
Attractions and businesses
Little Valley's main attraction is Little Valley SpeedwayLittle Valley Speedway
The Little Valley Speedway is a multi-purpose race track based in the village of Little Valley, New York, USA. The one-half-mile dirt track is situated in the western portion of the village and is part of the Cattaraugus County Fairgrounds facility.-Uses:...
, a half-mile dirt track used for stock car racing
Stock car racing
Stock car racing is a form of automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Great Britain, Brazil and Argentina. Traditionally, races are run on oval tracks measuring approximately in length...
and demolition derbies
Demolition derby
Demolition derby is a motorsport usually presented at county fairs and festivals. While rules vary from event to event, the typical demolition derby event consists of five or more drivers competing by deliberately ramming their vehicles into one another...
during the summer. It is one of the most popular race tracks in the area and doubles as the Cattaraugus County Fairgrounds, the site of the annual county fair.
The Village of Little Valley also has:
- One Crosby's convenience store. Crosby's operated the former Dairyland on the western side of town before closing that location and buying the former Uni-MartUni-MartUni-Mart is a Pennsylvania-based company that owns, operates and franchises hundreds of convenience stores in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States....
in the center of town. - A bar, owned by Frank Hughes, known as the Hughes Hotel
- One full-service grocery store (Brooks Market, formerly an A&PThe Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea CompanyThe Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, better known as A&P, is a supermarket and liquor store chain in the United States. Its supermarkets, which are under six different banners, are found in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. A&P's liquor stores, known as...
until 1971) that also serves as pizza and sub shop - A laundromat
- One restaurant (Suzanne's), operates on limited hours
- DiVine Occasions, Inc.is a full fledged Teleflora Florist which has fresh flowers,plants,tuxedo junction, asher's chocolates, party supplies, gifts,coffee bar, and so much more.
- Salamanca Area Beverage, a distributor of beer and other beverages
- Rock City Chrysler-Dodge automobile dealership
- A public outdoor pool, the only one of its kind in the area
- An ice skating rink, built on Lyle Underwood Pond, and weight room
- An elementary school, built in 1921, that is part of the Cattaraugus-Little Valley Central School District. It had served as both elementary and high school until 2000, when Little Valley Central School merged with Cattaraugus Central School. As part of the merger, Cattaraugus-Little Valley agreed to keep Little Valley open. A referendum put forth by the school on December 5, 2006 to close the building and consolidate all school operations in Cattaraugus was rejected, largely due to backlash in Little Valley. The building currently houses grades three through five from the entire district; Little Valley-based students grades two and under, as well as grade six, previously occupied the building, though the school board moved those to Cattaraugus in exchange for Cattaraugus's third through fifth graders. A playground and former practice field is also owned and maintained by the school.
- Little Valley Volunteer Fire Department Inc. Formed on July 13, 1888 as Citizen Hose Company #1.
- Three churches; MethodistUnited Methodist ChurchThe United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
and CongregationalCongregational churchCongregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
in the center of town and a Wesleyan ChurchWesleyan Church"Wesleyan" has been used in the title of a number of historic and current denominations, although the subject of this article is the only denomination to use that specific title...
on the western border. - The Pat McGee Trail, a pedestrian walkway and cornerstone of Cattaraugus County's trail system, running 12 miles along an abandoned railbed from Cattaraugus to Salamanca and named after the late state senator Patricia McGeePatricia McGeePatricia K. "Pat" McGee was a longtime New York State Assemblywoman and Senator from Franklinville, New York.-Political career:...
. A handful of snowmobile trails also converge upon the village thanks to its central location in the county. - A local bank, the Cattaraugus County Bank, which is headquartered in the village and has several branches in Cattaraugus, Chautauqua and southern Erie Counties.
- In 2001 a Chamber of Commerce was started. It is known as the Little Valley Area Chamber of Commerce. They host different events: "Cheers to Little Valley," and sponsor "Christmas on Main St."
- Two radio stations, classic hitsClassic hitsClassic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format...
WGWEWGWEWGWE is an FM radio station licensed to Little Valley, New York. The station, with a tower atop Fourth Street in the village of Little Valley, broadcasts a classic hits format on 105.9 MHz and operates under the ownership of the Seneca Nation of Indians; the Seneca nation purchased WGWE's...
(105.9) and weather radioNOAA Weather Radio All HazardsNOAA Weather Radio All Hazards is a network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from a nearby National Weather Service office. It is operated by the NWS, an agency of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration within the United States Department of...
WWG32WWG32WWG32 is a NOAA Weather Radio station that serves the small Southern area of the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. It is programmed from the National Weather Service forecast office in Buffalo, New York with its transmitter located in Cattaraugus and its city of license in Little Valley...
(162.425), are licensed to the village. WWG32 is based in Cheektowaga, while WGWE has its headquarters in Salamanca. WGWE's tower is located about a mile south of the village atop Fourth Street.
Despite the village's small size, it was, for a time, the home of a conglomerate
Conglomerate (company)
A conglomerate is a combination of two or more corporations engaged in entirely different businesses that fall under one corporate structure , usually involving a parent company and several subsidiaries. Often, a conglomerate is a multi-industry company...
. Pirshlo, Inc., owned by Lloyd and Rebecca Long, owned and operated the Uni-Mart, the laundromat, a tanning booth by the name of Island Tan, a weekly newspaper known as the County-Chronicle and several apartments for rent. Lloyd Long was arrested in November 2007 (and later convicted in July 2008) after it was discovered he had been hiding Pirshlo's ownership of two supposedly Seneca-owned Uni-Marts in Salamanca and evading taxes on tobacco in the process. The laundromat, tanning booth, apartments and Uni-Mart have been sold off to other companies while the newspaper has been shut down.
Bush Industries
Bush Industries
Bush Industries, based in Jamestown, New York, United States, is one of the leading ready-to-assemble furniture companies in the U.S., with sales of around US$300 Million/yr...
had a factory on the western side of the village for many years; said plant was closed in Feb 2008. Half of the approximately 100 workers were offered jobs in the main plant in Jamestown, but those jobs would be cut entirely after only six months. The factory was reopened under the name "Innovative Wood Solutions," a locally owned company that also owns a plant in Randolph.
Historically, the village is well known for its numerous knife businesses, including Cattaraugus Cutlery Company
Cattaraugus Cutlery Company
The Cattaraugus Cutlery Company began as the New York distribution company J.B.F. Champlin and Son, founded by John Champlin and his son Tint in 1882. The Champlins expanded into knife production, and along with William R. Case and his brothers, they formed Cattaraugus Cutlery in 1886, based in...
, W. R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co.
W. R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co.
W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company is an American manufacturer of traditional pocketknives, fixed blades/sporting knives, limited edition commemoratives and collectibles. The company originated in Little Valley, New York around the turn of the 20th century before relocating to its current home,...
, and their many spin-offs, that resided in the village in the early part of the 20th century. None of the cutlery businesses remain in Little Valley, although many are still in business elsewhere.
Three weekly newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
s have operated out of Little Valley; the first was the Cattaraugus Republican (founded 1867, originally based in Ellicottville, but later acquired by the Salamanca Press
Salamanca Press
The Salamanca Press is a newspaper serving Cattaraugus County, New York. Based in the city of Salamanca, the paper is owned by Bradford Publishing, which also publishes the Bradford Era and the Olean Times Herald....
), the second was the Little Valley Hub (operated from 1881 to 1964), and the most recent was the "County Chronicle," which printed from 1992 to 2007, with some of the earlier years being based in Salamanca.
External links
- Little Valley Area Chamber of Commerce
- Official Web site
- Little Valley on Facebook
- Fullervision, a site dedicated to local news for Little Valley