Oneonta, New York
Encyclopedia
Oneonta is a city in southern Otsego County
, New York
, USA. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, had a population of 13,901. Its nickname is "City of the Hills." While the word "oneonta" is of undetermined origin, it is popularly believed to mean "place of open rocks" in the Iroquois language. This refers to a prominent geological formation known as "Tablerocks" at the western end of the city.
The city is surrounded by the town of Oneonta
, a separate municipal and political jurisdiction. Oneonta is home to the State University Of New York at Oneonta
and Hartwick College
.
Oneonta Municipal Airport (N66) is north of the city.
The area's early pioneers arrived around 1775 and consisted mainly of Palatine Germans and Dutch settlers moving out of the Hudson Valley.
The army led by General James Clinton
passed through the area in order to join the Sullivan Expedition
in 1779.
The first hamlet appeared around 1800 and was later known as "Milfordville." In 1830, the town of Oneonta was formed from parts of two other towns in the county. Milfordville changed its name to Oneonta in 1832, and, in 1848, incorporated as a village within the town.
When the Delaware and Hudson Railroad reached Oneonta, the village began a growth spurt due to its role as a railroad center and its growing industries. Oneonta was once home to the largest locomotive roundhouse
in the world.
The village incorporated as a city in 1908.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 4.4 square miles (11.3 km²). None of the area is covered with water.
The city is in the northern foothills of the Catskill Mountains
, lying between Binghamton
and Albany
.
The Susquehanna River
flows westward past the south part of the city.
Interstate 88
follows the course of the Susquehanna River past Oneonta. New York State Route 7
and New York State Route 23
pass through the city, and New York State Route 28
and New York State Route 205
join south of the city.
There are several historic buildings that were originally homes of prominent people. The Fairchild Mansion was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1974 and was formerly the home of George Winthrop Fairchild, one of the original partners with Thomas Watson. Fairchild and Watson were the founders of what eventually became IBM. Also, George I. Wilber House is a historic home located in the City. It was built in two phases, 1875 and about 1890. It is a three story wood frame structure on a stone foundation in the Late Victorian style. It features a three story, round corner tower, cross gabled roof, and a large, very decorative wrap-around porch with a porte-cochere. In 1997 it became home to the Upper Catskill Community Council of the Arts. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.
The tallest building in Oneonta is Nader Towers. Standing 14-stories high, the building is owned by the City of Oneonta Housing Authority and is operated as a senior citizen's housing dwelling.
of 2000, there were 13,292 people, 4,253 households, and 1,913 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3,032.6 people per square mile (1,171.7/km²). There were 4,574 housing units at an average density of 403.2 persons/km² (1,043.6 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the city was 89.81% White, 4.87% African American
, 0.21% Native American
, 1.68% Asia
n, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.95% from other races, and 1.69% from two or more races. 3.87% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 4,253 households out of which 22.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.4% were married couples
living together, 10.5% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 55.0% were non-families. 36.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the city the population was spread out with 13.6% under the age of 18, 43.1% from 18 to 24, 17.6% from 25 to 44, 13.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females there were 82.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,671, and the median income for a family was $40,833. Males had a median income of $31,250 versus $25,338 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $12,640. 30.3% of the population and 13.5% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 20.8% are under the age of 18 and 12.6% are 65 or older.
The City's website includes a broad range of information about the City and City government, including a calendar of all governmental meetings, copies of all Common Council minutes and the complete text of the City
Code.
(often abbreviated to SUNY Oneonta and SUCO) and Hartwick College
. SUNY Oneonta began in Oneonta as a normal school and a teacher's college in 1889, and Hartwick College moved into the city in 1928. The approximately 5,800 students from SUNY Oneonta and the approximately 1,500 students at Hartwick make up a significant percentage of the population of Oneonta.
Oneonta has only one high school, Oneonta High School, which has about 650 students, and one middle school, Oneonta Middle School, which has about 300 students.
The city also has four elementary schools; Valleyview, Riverside, Greater Plains, and Center St. Each has about 200 students.
Otsego County, New York
Otsego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. The 2010 population was 62,259. The county seat is Cooperstown. The name Otsego is from a Mohawk word meaning "place of the rock."-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. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, had a population of 13,901. Its nickname is "City of the Hills." While the word "oneonta" is of undetermined origin, it is popularly believed to mean "place of open rocks" in the Iroquois language. This refers to a prominent geological formation known as "Tablerocks" at the western end of the city.
The city is surrounded by the town of Oneonta
Oneonta (town), New York
Oneonta is a town in Otsego County, New York, USA. The population was 4,994 at the 2000 census.The Town of Oneonta surrounds the City of Oneonta which has a population of 13,791. The meaning of the native word "oneonta" is City of the Hills....
, a separate municipal and political jurisdiction. Oneonta is home to the State University Of New York at Oneonta
State University of New York at Oneonta
The State University of New York College at Oneonta is a four-year liberal arts college in Oneonta, New York, United States, with approximately 5,800 students. The College offers many bachelor's degrees and a number of graduate degrees...
and Hartwick College
Hartwick College
Hartwick College is a non-denominational, private, four-year liberal arts and sciences college located in Oneonta, New York, in the United States. The institution was founded as Hartwick Seminary in 1797 through the will of John Christopher Hartwick, and is now known as Hartwick College...
.
Oneonta Municipal Airport (N66) is north of the city.
History
Prehistorically, Algonquin and Iroquois Indians inhabited the land around what is today the city of Oneonta. The Iroquois gained exclusive control during the early historic period.The area's early pioneers arrived around 1775 and consisted mainly of Palatine Germans and Dutch settlers moving out of the Hudson Valley.
The army led by General James Clinton
James Clinton
James Clinton was an American Revolutionary War soldier who obtained the rank of major general.He was born in Ulster County in the colony of New York, in a location now part of Orange County, New York...
passed through the area in order to join the Sullivan Expedition
Sullivan Expedition
The Sullivan Expedition, also known as the Sullivan-Clinton Expedition, was an American campaign led by Major General John Sullivan and Brigadier General James Clinton against Loyalists and the four nations of the Iroquois who had sided with the British in the American Revolutionary War.The...
in 1779.
The first hamlet appeared around 1800 and was later known as "Milfordville." In 1830, the town of Oneonta was formed from parts of two other towns in the county. Milfordville changed its name to Oneonta in 1832, and, in 1848, incorporated as a village within the town.
When the Delaware and Hudson Railroad reached Oneonta, the village began a growth spurt due to its role as a railroad center and its growing industries. Oneonta was once home to the largest locomotive roundhouse
Roundhouse
A roundhouse is a building used by railroads for servicing locomotives. Roundhouses are large, circular or semicircular structures that were traditionally located surrounding or adjacent to turntables...
in the world.
The village incorporated as a city in 1908.
Geography
Oneonta is located at 42°27′21"N 75°3′44"W (42.456003, -75.062302).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 city has a total area of 4.4 square miles (11.3 km²). None of the area is covered with water.
The city is in the northern foothills of the Catskill Mountains
Catskill Mountains
The Catskill Mountains, an area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany, are a mature dissected plateau, an uplifted region that was subsequently eroded into sharp relief. They are an eastward continuation, and the highest representation, of the Allegheny Plateau...
, lying between Binghamton
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
and Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
.
The Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
flows westward past the south part of the city.
Interstate 88
Interstate 88 (east)
Interstate 88 is an intrastate Interstate Highway entirely within the U.S. state of New York. Its western end is at Interstate 81 in Binghamton and its eastern end is at Interstate 90 in Schenectady. It serves as an important connector route from Albany to Binghamton, Elmira , and...
follows the course of the Susquehanna River past Oneonta. New York State Route 7
New York State Route 7
New York State Route 7 is a 180-mile long New York State Highway that runs from the New York/Pennsylvania border south of Binghamton, New York to the New York/Vermont border east of Hoosick. Most of the road runs along the Susquehanna Valley, closely paralleling Interstate 88 throughout...
and New York State Route 23
New York State Route 23
New York State Route 23 is an east–west state highway in the eastern portion New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 26 in the Central New York town of Cincinnatus to the Massachusetts state line in the Berkshire Mountains, where it continues east as...
pass through the city, and New York State Route 28
New York State Route 28
New York State Route 28 is a state highway extending for in the shape of a "C" between the Hudson Valley city of Kingston and southern Warren County in the U.S. state of New York. Along the way, it intersects several major routes, including Interstate 88 , U.S. Route 20 , and the...
and New York State Route 205
New York State Route 205
New York State Route 205 is a state highway in New York, running from near the city of Oneonta to the town of Otsego in Otsego County. NY 205 is a two-lane highway its entire length and passes through Hartwick....
join south of the city.
Architecture
The architecture of Oneonta is mostly plain townhouses, and low-rise commercial buildings. Oneonta has very few industrial complexes. Because of its location, Oneonta does not serve as a prime industrial city.There are several historic buildings that were originally homes of prominent people. The Fairchild Mansion was placed 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...
in 1974 and was formerly the home of George Winthrop Fairchild, one of the original partners with Thomas Watson. Fairchild and Watson were the founders of what eventually became IBM. Also, George I. Wilber House is a historic home located in the City. It was built in two phases, 1875 and about 1890. It is a three story wood frame structure on a stone foundation in the Late Victorian style. It features a three story, round corner tower, cross gabled roof, and a large, very decorative wrap-around porch with a porte-cochere. In 1997 it became home to the Upper Catskill Community Council of the Arts. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.
The tallest building in Oneonta is Nader Towers. Standing 14-stories high, the building is owned by the City of Oneonta Housing Authority and is operated as a senior citizen's housing dwelling.
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 13,292 people, 4,253 households, and 1,913 families residing in the city. 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 3,032.6 people per square mile (1,171.7/km²). There were 4,574 housing units at an average density of 403.2 persons/km² (1,043.6 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the city was 89.81% White, 4.87% African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.21% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 1.68% Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.95% from other races, and 1.69% from two or more races. 3.87% of the population were Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
of any race.
There were 4,253 households out of which 22.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.4% 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, 10.5% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 55.0% were non-families. 36.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the city the population was spread out with 13.6% under the age of 18, 43.1% from 18 to 24, 17.6% from 25 to 44, 13.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females there were 82.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,671, and the median income for a family was $40,833. Males had a median income of $31,250 versus $25,338 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 city was $12,640. 30.3% of the population and 13.5% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 20.8% are under the age of 18 and 12.6% are 65 or older.
City Government
The City is overseen by Mayor Dick Miller, and a Common Council; Aldermen are Maureen Hennessy, Paul Robinson, Erik Miller, Michael Lynch, Jr., Rodger Moran, Veronica Diver, Lizabeth Shannon and Kevin Hodne. http://www.oneonta.ny.us/government/departments/council.aspThe City's website includes a broad range of information about the City and City government, including a calendar of all governmental meetings, copies of all Common Council minutes and the complete text of the City
Code.
Education
Oneonta is home to the State University of New York at OneontaState University of New York at Oneonta
The State University of New York College at Oneonta is a four-year liberal arts college in Oneonta, New York, United States, with approximately 5,800 students. The College offers many bachelor's degrees and a number of graduate degrees...
(often abbreviated to SUNY Oneonta and SUCO) and Hartwick College
Hartwick College
Hartwick College is a non-denominational, private, four-year liberal arts and sciences college located in Oneonta, New York, in the United States. The institution was founded as Hartwick Seminary in 1797 through the will of John Christopher Hartwick, and is now known as Hartwick College...
. SUNY Oneonta began in Oneonta as a normal school and a teacher's college in 1889, and Hartwick College moved into the city in 1928. The approximately 5,800 students from SUNY Oneonta and the approximately 1,500 students at Hartwick make up a significant percentage of the population of Oneonta.
Oneonta has only one high school, Oneonta High School, which has about 650 students, and one middle school, Oneonta Middle School, which has about 300 students.
The city also has four elementary schools; Valleyview, Riverside, Greater Plains, and Center St. Each has about 200 students.
Parks and recreation
The city of Oneonta operates two major municipal parks, Neahwa Park and Wilber Park. Information regarding recreational opportunities within the city's parks can be obtained from the Department of Recreation.Centennial
In 2008 the city of Oneonta celebrated its Centennial with monthly events throughout the year beginning with the New Year's Eve parade. For other events see http://www.argianpress.net/Centennial/index.htmNotable residents
- Henry E. HuntingtonHenry E. HuntingtonHenry Edwards Huntington was a railroad magnate and collector of art and rare books. Born in Oneonta, New York, Huntington settled in Los Angeles, where he owned the Pacific Electric Railway as well as substantial real estate interests...
, railroad magnate, was born in Oneonta. - George Winthrop FairchildGeorge Winthrop FairchildGeorge Winthrop Fairchild , was a six-term Republican U.S. Representative from New York.Prior to joining congress, he was a businessman and investor, best known as the chairman from 1915-1924 of the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company which later became IBM.-Biography:He was born in Oneonta New...
, businessman and IBM chairman, was born in Oneonta. - Carleton E. Watkins, 19th Century California nature photographer, was born in Oneonta.
- Jerry Jeff WalkerJerry Jeff WalkerJerry Jeff Walker is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is probably most famous for writing the song "Mr. Bojangles.-Biography:...
, country music singer, was born in Oneonta. - Sherman Mills Fairchild, inventor, was born in Oneonta.
- Mark MayMark MayMark Eric May is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He is currently a football analyst for ESPN.-Football career:...
, professional football player and sportscaster, was born in Oneonta. - Jim MetzlerJim MetzlerJim Metzler is an American television and film actor, best known for guest-appearances on popular TV series. In 1983, he received a Golden Globe nomination for his supporting role in the 1982 film Tex....
, actor, was born in Oneonta. - Lev GornLev GornLev Gorn is an American stage, film and television actor. Sometimes he is credited as Lev Gorens.-Off-Broadway:**...
, actor, was born in Oneonta. - Dylan AveryDylan AveryDylan Avery is the writer, director, and editor of the Loose Change films. He is from Oneonta, New York, and currently lives in San Diego, California. After being denied admission twice by Purchase College's film school, Avery planned to make a fictional thriller about a group of friends who...
and Korey RoweKorey RoweKorey Rowe is a producer of Loose Change 9/11: An American Coup, a film by Dylan Avery. Rowe was born in Oneonta, New York and currently lives in upstate New York. He is a former US soldier who served six months in Kandahar, Afghanistan and one year in Kuwait and Iraq...
, creators of the Loose Change 9/11 conspiracy films, grew up together in Oneonta. - Actor Paul ReubensPaul ReubensPaul Reubens is an American actor, writer, film producer, and comedian, best known for his character Pee-wee Herman. Reubens joined the Los Angeles troupe The Groundlings in the 1970s and started his career as an improvisational comedian and stage actor...
spent a significant amount of his childhood in Oneonta. - Cartoonist Scott AdamsScott AdamsScott Raymond Adams is the American creator of the Dilbert comic strip and the author of several nonfiction works of satire, commentary, business, and general speculation....
attended Hartwick CollegeHartwick CollegeHartwick College is a non-denominational, private, four-year liberal arts and sciences college located in Oneonta, New York, in the United States. The institution was founded as Hartwick Seminary in 1797 through the will of John Christopher Hartwick, and is now known as Hartwick College...
in Oneonta. - Baseball pitcher Jim KonstantyJim KonstantyCasimir James "Jim" Konstanty was an American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball and National League Most Valuable Player of 1950. He played for the Cincinnati Reds , Boston Braves , Philadelphia Phillies , New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals...
was the athletic director at Hartwick College and died in Oneonta. - The rock band Red GoodbyeRed GoodbyeRed Goodbye is an indie rock band from Long Island, New York. They have released 4 CDs independently, the most recent of which has received broad exposure on the internet....
was formed at SUNY Oneonta.
The Arts in Oneonta
- Upper Catskill Community Center of the Arts, or UCCCA, the Arts Council http://www.uccca.com
- Martin-Mullen and Project Space Art Galleries, the Fine Arts Galleries at SUNY College at Oneonta http://www.oneonta.edu/ACADEMICS/ART/gallery.html
- The Yager Museum of Art and Culture http://www.hartwick.edu/museum.xml
- Foothills Performing Art Center http://www.foothillspac.org
- Catskill Choral Society http://ttp://catskillchoral.org/catskillchoralsociety
- Catskill Symphony Orchestra http://catskillsymphony.net
- The Oneonta Theatre (http://oneontatheatre.com)
- The Oneonta Theatre Stage Players
External links
- Otsego County Tourism Oneonta Visitors Information
- Willard V. Huntington: Oneonta Memories and Sundry Personal Recollections of the Author, Bancroft, 1891
- Oneonta Yellow Pages | Business Listings (Covering Oneonta, NY and surrounding areas)
- Articles by Oneonta City Historian
- City of Oneonta, NY
- Future for Oneonta Foundation
- Greater Oneonta Historical Society
- The Daily Star (The Newspaper covering Oneonta, NY)
- http://uccca.com/ Upper Catskill Community Council of the Arts
- Oneonta, NY in WWII
- Local Boy Scout Reservation