Onondaga County, New York
Encyclopedia
Onondaga County is a county located in the U.S. state
of New York
. As of the 2010 census, the population was 467,026. The county seat
is Syracuse
.
Onondaga County is part of the Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
The name Onondaga derives from the name of the Native American people who historically lived in the area at the time of European contact, one of the original Five Nations
of the Haudenosaunee. They called themselves (autonym) Onoda'gega
, sometimes spelled Onontakeka. The word means "People of the Hills." Sometimes the term was Onondagaono ("The People of the Hills"). The federally recognized Onondaga Nation has a reservation of about 9.3 square miles (24 km²) within the county, on which they have self-government.
. This was an enormous county, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present State of Vermont
and, in theory, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean
. This county was reduced in size on July 3, 1766 by the creation of Cumberland County
, and further on March 16, 1770 by the creation of Gloucester County
, both containing territory now in Vermont.
On March 12, 1772, what was left of Albany County was split into three parts, one remaining under the name Albany County. One of the other pieces, Tryon County
, contained the western portion (and thus, since no western boundary was specified, theoretically still extended west to the Pacific). The eastern boundary of Tryon County was approximately 5 miles (8 km) west of the present city of Schenectady
, and the county included the western part of the Adirondack Mountains
and the area west of the West Branch of the Delaware River
. The area then designated as Tryon County now includes 37 counties of New York State. The county was named for William Tryon
, colonial governor of New York.
In the years prior to 1776, most of the Loyalists in Tryon County fled to Canada
. The Onondaga were among four Iroquois tribes that allied with the British against the American colonists, as they hoped to end their encroachment. Instead, they were forced to cede most of their land in New York to the United States after the war. Many Onondaga went with Joseph Brant
and other nations to Canada, where they received land grants in compensation and formed the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation.
In 1784, following the peace treaty that ended the American Revolutionary War
, the name of Tryon County was changed to Montgomery County
. It honored General Richard Montgomery
, who had captured several places in Canada and died attempting to capture the city of Quebec
, and replaced the name of the hated British governor.
In 1789, Montgomery County was reduced by the splitting off of Ontario County
from Montgomery. The actual area split off from Montgomery County was much larger than the present county, also including the present Allegany
, Cattaraugus
, Chautauqua
, Erie
, Genesee
, Livingston
, Monroe
, Niagara
, Orleans
, Steuben
, Wyoming
, Yates
, and part of Schuyler
and Wayne Counties
.
In 1791, Herkimer County was one of three counties split off from Montgomery (the other two being Otsego
, and Tioga County
). This was much larger than the present county, however, and was reduced by a number of subsequent splits.
In 1794, Onondaga County was split off from Herkimer County. This county was larger than the current Onondaga County, including the present Cayuga
, Cortland
, and part of Oswego Counties
.
In 1799, Cayuga County
was split off from Onondaga.
In 1808, Cortland County
was split off from Onondaga.
In 1816, parts of Oneida and Onondaga Counties were taken to form the new Oswego County
.
At the time Onondaga County was originally organized, it was divided into eleven towns: Homer, Pompey, Manlius, Lysander, Marcellus, Ulysses, Milton, Scipio, Ovid, Aurelius and Romulus.
Central New York developed rapidly after the New Military Tract
provided land in lieu of payment to Revolutionary War veterans. Migration was largely from the east, mostly from New England states. The Genesee Road, which became the Seneca Turnpike in 1800, provided access. Generally settlers preferred higher land, since they associated lowlands with disease. In time, as hillside soil was eroded by early clearing and farming, valley lands were more fertile and highly prized for agriculture as well as for water power, which was the origin of many communities. An early settler of 1823 was James Hutchinson Woodworth
, a native of Washington County, NY. He helped clear land for his family's farm in this region before going on to Chicago where he became Mayor.
The city of Syracuse
, New York
developed relatively late, due to its marshy situation. It was incorporated as a village in 1825 and as a city in 1847; by contrast, the Village of Manlius
, along the Cherry Valley and Seneca Turnpikes, was incorporated in 1813. Population of rural towns was greatest in the late nineteenth century, when more people cultivated land and farms were relatively small, supporting large households.
Since that time, agriculture has declined in the county. Some Onondaga County towns like Spafford, New York were largely depopulated, many villages becoming veritable ghost towns. Onondaga County highlands now are more heavily reforested, with public parks and preserves providing recreation. Two Finger Lakes
in the county, Skaneateles and Otisco, also attract visitors. The village of Skaneateles
on scenic Route 20 has become a major tourist destination.
At the turn of the twenty-first century, population declined in the City of Syracuse while suburban communities generally grew, particularly with tract developments north of the city. Elsewhere, scattered commuter houses appeared, generally on fairly large parcels. The Village of Skaneateles and shores of Skaneateles Lake attracted rapid development, demand for property increasing property values remarkably.
, east of Rochester
and north of Ithaca
. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 806 square miles (2,087.5 km²), of which 780 square miles (2,020.2 km²) is land and 25 square miles (64.7 km²) (3.15%) is water. Onondaga Lake
is bordered by many of the larger communities in the county.
The northern part of the county is fairly level lake plain, extending northward to Lake Ontario
. Oneida Lake
three rivers, as well as the Erie and subsequent Barge Canals are in the lake plain. The main line of the New York Central Railroad
and the New York State Thruway
extend east and west across the county through the lake plain. The southern part of the county is Appalachian Plateau
, with high hills rising at the southern edge of Syracuse
. This is the eastern part of the Finger Lakes
region. Skaneateles Lake
and Otisco Lake
are both in Onondaga County. US 20
extends east and west across the county, traversing dramatic hill-and-valley terrain. Between the lake plain and Appalachian highlands is a zone noted for drumlins, smaller, scattered hills formed as mounds of debris left by the last glacier. Tully
is geologically noted for the terminal moraine deposited there by the glacier, filling the deep Tully Valley, which might have been another Finger Lake, had the moraine been left closer to Syracuse, impounding water. Tully is at the divide between two major watersheds, one flowing northward to the Atlantic Ocean by way of the St. Lawrence River and the other southward to the ocean vie the Susquehanna River
. Onieda Lake, the Finger Lakes, and smaller bodies of water provide recreation. Several ski slopes are located in the Appalachian hills, where there are waterfalls and historic villages as attractions, as well as parks and large forest preserves.
of 2000, there were 458,336 people, 181,153 households, and 115,394 families residing in the county. The population density
was 587 people per square mile (227/km²). There were 196,633 housing units at an average density of 252 per square mile (97/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 84.78% White, 9.38% African American, 0.86% Native American, 2.09% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.89% from other races
, and 1.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.44% of the population. 17.5% were of Italian
, 16.2% Irish
, 12.4% German
, 9.4% English
and 6.0% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000. 91.4% spoke English
, 2.4% Spanish
and 1.1% Italian
as their first language.
There were 181,153 households out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.90% were married couples
living together, 12.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.30% were non-families. 29.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.80% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 28.80% from 25 to 44, 22.10% from 45 to 64, and 13.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $40,847, and the median income for a family was $51,876. Males had a median income of $39,048 versus $27,154 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $21,336. About 8.60% of families and 12.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.50% of those under age 18 and 7.10% of those age 65 or over.
Demographic trends (2006): County population has decreased from a high in 1970. Increasing number of housing units apparently is due to smaller family units and more individuals living alone. While the City of Syracuse population has declined, some suburban towns have grown.
Onondaga County was governed exclusively by a board of supervisors until 1961, when voters approved the creation of the county executive
. In 1968, the board reorganized into a 24-seat county legislature. In 2001, the legislature was reduced to 19 seats. All 19 members are elected from individual districts. Currently, there are 12 Republicans
and 7 Democrats
. The county executive is elected in a countywide vote. In a 2010 referendum, voters approved a measure to reduce the legislature to 17 seats.
is the only city in Onondaga County.
The following is a complete list of official towns and villages, and principal hamlets:
!Towns
!Villages
!Hamlets
|-
|Camillus
|Camillus
|Amboy, Belle Isle, Fairmount
, Memphis
(in part), Warners
(in part)
|-
|Cicero
|North Syracuse
(in part)
|Brewerton
, Bridgeport
, Cicero, Cicero Center, South Bay
|-
|Clay
|North Syracuse
(in part)
|Bayberry, Belgium, Clay, Euclid, Moyers Corners, Oak Orchard, Three Rivers, Woodard
|-
|DeWitt
|East Syracuse (Messina)
|Barton's Corners, Collamer (Brittons Settlement), DeWitt (Orville), Jamesville
, Lyndon, Messina Springs
|-
|Elbridge
|Elbridge
, Jordan
|Halfway, Hart Lot
|-
|Fabius
|Fabius
|Apulia, Apulia Station
|-
|Geddes
|Solvay
|Lakeland
, New York State Fairgrounds, Westvale
|-
|LaFayette
|
|Bailey's Settlement, Cardiff
, Collingwood, LaFayette, Onativia
|-
|Lysander
|Baldwinsville
(in part)
|Baird Corners, Cold Springs, Hortontown, Jacksonville, Lampson, Little Utica, Lysander, Plainville
, Radisson, West Phoenix, Wrights Corners
|-
|Manlius
|Fayetteville
, Manlius
, Minoa
|Eagle Village, Freemont, Highbridge, Kirkville, Manlius Center, North Manlius, Polkville, Poolsbrook
|-
|Marcellus
|Marcellus
|Clintonville, Marcellus Falls, Marietta
, Rose Hill
, Thorn Hill
|-
|Onondaga
|
|Cedarvale, Howlett Hill, Indian Village, Navarino, Nedrow
, Onondaga Hill
, South Onondaga, Southwood, Split Rock
, Taunton
|-
|Otisco
|
|Amber, Marietta
, Otisco
|-
|Pompey
|
|Delphi, Delphi Falls
, Oran
, Pompey, Pompey Center
, Watervale
|-
|Salina
|Liverpool
|Galeville
, Hinsdale, Long Branch, Mattydale
|-
|Skaneateles
|Skaneateles
|Long Bridge, Mandana, Marysville, Mottville
, Shepard Settlement, Skaneateles Falls
, Skanondaga Heights, Willow Glen,
|-
|Spafford
|
|Borodino
, South Spafford
, Spafford
|-
|Tully
|Tully
|Vesper
|-
|Van Buren
|Baldwinsville
(in part)
|Memphis
(in part), Van Buren, Warners
(in part)
|}
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
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...
. As of the 2010 census, the population was 467,026. 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....
is Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
.
Onondaga County is part of the Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area
Syracuse metropolitan area
The Syracuse Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in central New York, anchored by the city of Syracuse...
.
The name Onondaga derives from the name of the Native American people who historically lived in the area at the time of European contact, one of the original Five Nations
Five Nations
Five Nations can refer to:* The original five nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, a union of Native Americans* The Five Nations Championship in rugby union, now the Rugby Union Six Nations Championship...
of the Haudenosaunee. They called themselves (autonym) Onoda'gega
Onondaga (tribe)
The Onondaga are one of the original five constituent nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. Their traditional homeland is in and around Onondaga County, New York...
, sometimes spelled Onontakeka. The word means "People of the Hills." Sometimes the term was Onondagaono ("The People of the Hills"). The federally recognized Onondaga Nation has a reservation of about 9.3 square miles (24 km²) within the county, on which they have self-government.
History
When counties were established in New York State in 1683, the present Onondaga County was part of Albany CountyAlbany County, New York
Albany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...
. This was an enormous county, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present State of Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and, in theory, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. This county was reduced in size on July 3, 1766 by the creation of Cumberland County
Cumberland County, New York
Cumberland County, New York was a county in the Province of New York that became part of the state of Vermont. It was divided out of Albany County in New York in 1766, but eventually became part of Vermont in 1777...
, and further on March 16, 1770 by the creation of Gloucester County
Gloucester County, New York
Gloucester County, New York is a former county in New York that became part of the state of Vermont. It was a part of Albany County in the Province of New York until 1770 and was lost to Vermont in 1777. At that time, Vermont was holding itself out as the Republic of Vermont and did not become a...
, both containing territory now in Vermont.
On March 12, 1772, what was left of Albany County was split into three parts, one remaining under the name Albany County. One of the other pieces, Tryon County
Tryon County, New York
Tryon County, New York was a county in the colonial Province of New York in the British American colonies. It was created from Albany County on March 24, 1772. It was named for William Tryon, the last provincial governor of New York. Its boundaries extended far further than any current county...
, contained the western portion (and thus, since no western boundary was specified, theoretically still extended west to the Pacific). The eastern boundary of Tryon County was approximately 5 miles (8 km) west of the present city of Schenectady
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
, and the county included the western part of the Adirondack Mountains
Adirondack Mountains
The Adirondack Mountains are a mountain range located in the northeastern part of New York, that runs through Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Saint Lawrence, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties....
and the area west of the West Branch of the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
. The area then designated as Tryon County now includes 37 counties of New York State. The county was named for William Tryon
William Tryon
William Tryon was a British soldier and colonial administrator who served as governor of the Province of North Carolina and the Province of New York .-Early life and career:...
, colonial governor of New York.
In the years prior to 1776, most of the Loyalists in Tryon County fled to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The Onondaga were among four Iroquois tribes that allied with the British against the American colonists, as they hoped to end their encroachment. Instead, they were forced to cede most of their land in New York to the United States after the war. Many Onondaga went with Joseph Brant
Joseph Brant
Thayendanegea or Joseph Brant was a Mohawk military and political leader, based in present-day New York, who was closely associated with Great Britain during and after the American Revolution. He was perhaps the most well-known American Indian of his generation...
and other nations to Canada, where they received land grants in compensation and formed the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation.
In 1784, following the peace treaty that ended the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, the name of Tryon County was changed to Montgomery County
Montgomery County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 49,708 people, 20,038 households, and 13,104 families residing in the county. The population density was 123 people per square mile . There were 22,522 housing units at an average density of 56 per square mile...
. It honored General Richard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery was an Irish-born soldier who first served in the British Army. He later became a brigadier-general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and he is most famous for leading the failed 1775 invasion of Canada.Montgomery was born and raised in Ireland...
, who had captured several places in Canada and died attempting to capture the city of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, and replaced the name of the hated British governor.
In 1789, Montgomery County was reduced by the splitting off of Ontario County
Ontario County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
from Montgomery. The actual area split off from Montgomery County was much larger than the present county, also including the present Allegany
Allegany County, New York
Allegany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 48,946. Its name derives from a Delaware Indian word, applied by settlers of Western New York State to a trail that followed the Allegheny River. Its county seat is...
, Cattaraugus
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:...
, Chautauqua
Chautauqua County, New York
-Major highways:* Interstate 86/New York State Route 17 * Interstate 90 * U.S. Route 20* U.S. Route 62* New York State Route 5* New York State Route 39* New York State Route 60* New York State Route 394...
, Erie
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...
, Genesee
Genesee County, New York
Genesee County is a county located in Western New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 60,079. Its name is from the Seneca Indian word Gen-nis'-hee-yo meaning "The Beautiful Valley." Its county seat is Batavia.- History :...
, Livingston
Livingston County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 64,328 people, 22,150 households, and 15,349 families residing in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile . There were 24,023 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
, Monroe
Monroe County, New York
Monroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 744,344. It is named after James Monroe, fifth President of the United States of America. Its county seat is the city of Rochester....
, Niagara
Niagara County, New York
Niagara County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 216,469. The county seat is Lockport. The county name is from the Iroquois word Onguiaahra; meaning the strait or thunder of waters. It is the location of Niagara Falls and Fort Niagara, and...
, Orleans
Orleans County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,171 people, 15,363 households, and 10,846 families residing in the county. The population density was 113 people per square mile . There were 17,347 housing units at an average density of 44 per square mile...
, Steuben
Steuben County, New York
Steuben County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 98,990. Its name is in honor of Baron von Steuben, a German general who fought on the American side in the American Revolutionary War, though it is not pronounced the same...
, Wyoming
Wyoming County, New York
Wyoming County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. At the 2010 census, the population was 42,155. The county seat is Warsaw. The name is from a modified Delaware Indian word meaning "broad bottom lands"...
, Yates
Yates County, New York
Yates County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 25,348. The county seat is Penn Yan. The name is in honor of Joseph C. Yates, who as Governor of New York signed the act establishing the county....
, and part of Schuyler
Schuyler County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 19,224 people, 7,374 households, and 5,191 families residing in the county. The population density was 58 people per square mile . There were 9,181 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
and Wayne Counties
Wayne County, New York
Wayne County is a county located in the US state of New York. It is part of the Rochester, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area and lies on the south shore of Lake Ontario, forming part of the northern border of the United States with Canada. The name honors General Anthony Wayne, an American...
.
In 1791, Herkimer County was one of three counties split off from Montgomery (the other two being Otsego
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:...
, and Tioga County
Tioga County, New York
As of the census of 2010, there were 51,125 people residing in the county, with 22,203 housing units, of these 20,350 occupied, 1,853 vacant. The population density was 98 people per square mile...
). This was much larger than the present county, however, and was reduced by a number of subsequent splits.
In 1794, Onondaga County was split off from Herkimer County. This county was larger than the current Onondaga County, including the present Cayuga
Cayuga County, New York
Cayuga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was named for one of the tribes of Indians in the Iroquois Confederation. Its county seat is Auburn.- History :...
, Cortland
Cortland County, New York
Cortland County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, named after Federico Van Cortlandt, president of the convention at Kingston that wrote the first New York State Constitution in 1777, and first lieutenant governor of the state. The county seat is Cortland...
, and part of Oswego Counties
Oswego County, New York
Oswego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 Census, the estimated population was 122,109. The City of Oswego and the Village of Pulaski serve as the dual county seats in a two shire system of government...
.
In 1799, Cayuga County
Cayuga County, New York
Cayuga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was named for one of the tribes of Indians in the Iroquois Confederation. Its county seat is Auburn.- History :...
was split off from Onondaga.
In 1808, Cortland County
Cortland County, New York
Cortland County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, named after Federico Van Cortlandt, president of the convention at Kingston that wrote the first New York State Constitution in 1777, and first lieutenant governor of the state. The county seat is Cortland...
was split off from Onondaga.
In 1816, parts of Oneida and Onondaga Counties were taken to form the new Oswego County
Oswego County, New York
Oswego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 Census, the estimated population was 122,109. The City of Oswego and the Village of Pulaski serve as the dual county seats in a two shire system of government...
.
At the time Onondaga County was originally organized, it was divided into eleven towns: Homer, Pompey, Manlius, Lysander, Marcellus, Ulysses, Milton, Scipio, Ovid, Aurelius and Romulus.
Central New York developed rapidly after the New Military Tract
Central New York Military Tract
The Military Tract of Central New York, also called the New Military Tract, consisted of nearly two million acres of bounty land set aside to compensate New York’s soldiers after their participation in the Revolutionary War....
provided land in lieu of payment to Revolutionary War veterans. Migration was largely from the east, mostly from New England states. The Genesee Road, which became the Seneca Turnpike in 1800, provided access. Generally settlers preferred higher land, since they associated lowlands with disease. In time, as hillside soil was eroded by early clearing and farming, valley lands were more fertile and highly prized for agriculture as well as for water power, which was the origin of many communities. An early settler of 1823 was James Hutchinson Woodworth
James Hutchinson Woodworth
James Hutchinson Woodworth , was a former member of the Illinois State Senate and the Illinois State House of Representatives, served as a Chicago Alderman, was elected to consecutive terms as Mayor of Chicago, Illinois as an Independent Democrat, and served one term in the US House...
, a native of Washington County, NY. He helped clear land for his family's farm in this region before going on to Chicago where he became Mayor.
The city of Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, 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...
developed relatively late, due to its marshy situation. It was incorporated as a village in 1825 and as a city in 1847; by contrast, the Village of Manlius
Manlius (village), New York
Manlius is a village in Onondaga County, New York, USA. The population was 4,819 at the 2000 census. The village takes its name from its town.The Village of Manlius is near the south town line of the Town of Manlius and is southeast of the City of Syracuse of which it is a suburb.An area of about...
, along the Cherry Valley and Seneca Turnpikes, was incorporated in 1813. Population of rural towns was greatest in the late nineteenth century, when more people cultivated land and farms were relatively small, supporting large households.
Since that time, agriculture has declined in the county. Some Onondaga County towns like Spafford, New York were largely depopulated, many villages becoming veritable ghost towns. Onondaga County highlands now are more heavily reforested, with public parks and preserves providing recreation. Two Finger Lakes
Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes are a pattern of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York in the United States. They are a popular tourist destination. The lakes are long and thin , each oriented roughly on a north-south axis. The two longest, Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, are among the deepest in...
in the county, Skaneateles and Otisco, also attract visitors. The village of Skaneateles
Skaneateles (village), New York
Skaneateles is a village in the town of Skaneateles, Onondaga County, New York, United States. The village is named from and located on the shores of Skaneateles Lake, one of the Finger Lakes. The village, as of the 2000 census, has a population of 2,616 residents. The main highway through the...
on scenic Route 20 has become a major tourist destination.
At the turn of the twenty-first century, population declined in the City of Syracuse while suburban communities generally grew, particularly with tract developments north of the city. Elsewhere, scattered commuter houses appeared, generally on fairly large parcels. The Village of Skaneateles and shores of Skaneateles Lake attracted rapid development, demand for property increasing property values remarkably.
Geography
Onondaga County is in the west central portion of New York State, west of UticaUtica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
, east of Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
and north of Ithaca
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 806 square miles (2,087.5 km²), of which 780 square miles (2,020.2 km²) is land and 25 square miles (64.7 km²) (3.15%) is water. Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
is bordered by many of the larger communities in the county.
The northern part of the county is fairly level lake plain, extending northward to Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
. Oneida Lake
Oneida Lake
Oneida Lake is the largest lake entirely within New York State . The lake is located northeast of Syracuse and near the Great Lakes. It serves as one of the links in the Erie Canal. It empties into the Oneida River which flows into the Oswego River which in turn flows into Lake Ontario...
three rivers, as well as the Erie and subsequent Barge Canals are in the lake plain. The main line of the New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
and the New York State Thruway
New York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
extend east and west across the county through the lake plain. The southern part of the county is Appalachian Plateau
Appalachian Plateau
The Appalachian Plateau is the western part of the Appalachian mountains, stretching from New York and Alabama. The plateau is a second level United States physiographic region....
, with high hills rising at the southern edge of Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. This is the eastern part of the Finger Lakes
Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes are a pattern of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York in the United States. They are a popular tourist destination. The lakes are long and thin , each oriented roughly on a north-south axis. The two longest, Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, are among the deepest in...
region. Skaneateles Lake
Skaneateles Lake
Skaneateles Lake is one of the Finger Lakes in central New York in the United States. The name Skaneateles means long lake in one of the local Iroquoian languages. The lake is sometimes referred to as "The Roof Garden of the Lakes" because its altitude is higher than the other Finger Lakes. It...
and Otisco Lake
Otisco Lake
Otisco Lake is one of the minor Finger Lakes, located at the eastern end of the Finger Lake District, southwest of Syracuse, New York.Otisco Lake is approximately six miles long. The outflow enters first Onondaga Lake via Nine Mile Creek and then Lake Ontario via the Seneca and Oswego Rivers...
are both in Onondaga County. US 20
U.S. Route 20 in New York
U.S. Route 20 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Newport, Oregon, to Boston, Massachusetts. In the U.S. state of New York, US 20 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Ripley to the Massachusetts state line in the Berkshire Mountains. US 20 is the longest...
extends east and west across the county, traversing dramatic hill-and-valley terrain. Between the lake plain and Appalachian highlands is a zone noted for drumlins, smaller, scattered hills formed as mounds of debris left by the last glacier. Tully
Tully
Tully is a surname of Irish origin. The surname itself and its variants include; Tally, MacTully, Tilly and Flood, all of which can derive from several different unrelated Irish families such as; Ó Maoltuile, Taithligh, Mac Maoltuile, Ó Taithligh, and Mac an Tuile...
is geologically noted for the terminal moraine deposited there by the glacier, filling the deep Tully Valley, which might have been another Finger Lake, had the moraine been left closer to Syracuse, impounding water. Tully is at the divide between two major watersheds, one flowing northward to the Atlantic Ocean by way of the St. Lawrence River and the other southward to the ocean vie 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...
. Onieda Lake, the Finger Lakes, and smaller bodies of water provide recreation. Several ski slopes are located in the Appalachian hills, where there are waterfalls and historic villages as attractions, as well as parks and large forest preserves.
Adjacent counties
- Oswego CountyOswego County, New YorkOswego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 Census, the estimated population was 122,109. The City of Oswego and the Village of Pulaski serve as the dual county seats in a two shire system of government...
– north - Madison CountyMadison County, New YorkMadison County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 73,442. It is named after James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America...
– east - Cortland CountyCortland County, New YorkCortland County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, named after Federico Van Cortlandt, president of the convention at Kingston that wrote the first New York State Constitution in 1777, and first lieutenant governor of the state. The county seat is Cortland...
– south - Cayuga CountyCayuga County, New YorkCayuga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was named for one of the tribes of Indians in the Iroquois Confederation. Its county seat is Auburn.- History :...
– west
Major highways
Interstate 81Interstate 81 in New YorkInterstate 81 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Dandridge, Tennessee, to the Canada – United States border at Wellesley Island in New York. In the U.S. state of New York, I-81 extends from the Pennsylvania state line southeast of Binghamton to the Canadian border...
Interstate 481Interstate 481Interstate 481 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway that serves as an eastern bypass of Syracuse, New York, in the United States. It begins at its parent, I-81, in the city's southern end and travels through the eastern Syracuse suburbs of Jamesville, DeWitt, and Cicero before rejoining I-81 in...
(Veterans Memorial Highway)
Interstate 90Interstate 90 in New YorkInterstate 90 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Seattle, Washington, to Boston, Massachusetts. In the U.S. state of New York, I-90 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Ripley to the Massachusetts state line at Canaan...
(New York State Thruway)
Interstate 690Interstate 690Interstate 690 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway that extends for through the vicinity of Syracuse, New York, in the United States. It is a spur of I-90 that travels southeast from Thruway exit 39 in Van Buren to I-481 in DeWitt...
U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 20U.S. Route 20 in New YorkU.S. Route 20 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Newport, Oregon, to Boston, Massachusetts. In the U.S. state of New York, US 20 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Ripley to the Massachusetts state line in the Berkshire Mountains. US 20 is the longest...
New York State Route 5New York State Route 5New York State Route 5 is a state highway that extends for across the state of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in the Chautauqua County town of Ripley and passes through Buffalo, Syracuse, Utica, Schenectady, and several other smaller cities and...
New York State Route 31New York State Route 31New York State Route 31 is a state highway that extends for across western and central New York in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 104 in the city of Niagara Falls. Its eastern terminus is at a traffic circle with NY 26 in Vernon...
New York State Route 41New York State Route 41New York State Route 41 is a north–south state highway in Central New York, United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an interchange with NY 17 in the town of Sanford. Its northern terminus is at an intersection with U.S. Route 20 in the village of Skaneateles...
New York State Route 92New York State Route 92New York State Route 92 is a state highway located in central New York in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with U.S. Route 11 in downtown Syracuse. Its eastern terminus is at a junction with US 20 west of the village of Cazenovia...
New York State Route 481New York State Route 481New York State Route 481 is a state highway in Central New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an interchange with Interstate 81 in North Syracuse, where the highway continues southeastward as I-481. Its northern terminus is located at an intersection...
(Veterans Memorial Highway)
New York State Route 690New York State Route 690New York State Route 690 is a state highway in Central New York. NY 690's southern terminus is at an interchange with the New York State Thruway and Interstate 690 in Van Buren. The northern terminus is at an intersection with NY 48 and NY 631 in Lysander...
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 458,336 people, 181,153 households, and 115,394 families residing in the county. 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 587 people per square mile (227/km²). There were 196,633 housing units at an average density of 252 per square mile (97/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 84.78% White, 9.38% African American, 0.86% Native American, 2.09% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.89% 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 1.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.44% of the population. 17.5% were of Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
, 16.2% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 12.4% German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 9.4% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
and 6.0% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000. 91.4% spoke English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, 2.4% 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 1.1% Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
as their first language.
There were 181,153 households out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.90% 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, 12.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.30% were non-families. 29.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.80% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 28.80% from 25 to 44, 22.10% from 45 to 64, and 13.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $40,847, and the median income for a family was $51,876. Males had a median income of $39,048 versus $27,154 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 county was $21,336. About 8.60% of families and 12.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.50% of those under age 18 and 7.10% of those age 65 or over.
Demographic trends (2006): County population has decreased from a high in 1970. Increasing number of housing units apparently is due to smaller family units and more individuals living alone. While the City of Syracuse population has declined, some suburban towns have grown.
Government and politics
| Year | Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
Democrat Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 38.94% 84,972 | 59.25% 129,317 |
| 2004 | 43.81% 94,006 | 54.23% 116,381 |
| 2000 | 41.09% 83,678 | 53.97% 109,896 |
| 1996 | 37.84% 73,771 | 51.40% 100,190 |
| 1992 | 36.13% 77,642 | 42.18% 90,645 |
| 1988 | 51.91% 104,080 | 47.26% 94,751 |
| 1984 | 59.64% 121,857 | 40.03% 81,777 |
| 1980 | 50.65% 97,887 | 38.00% 73,453 |
| 1976 | 59.95% 115,474 | 39.51% 76,097 |
| 1972 | 69.18% 140,039 | 30.58% 61,895 |
| 1968 | 50.46% 95,806 | 44.02% 83,576 |
| 1964 | 32.92% 63,205 | 66.99% 128,630 |
| 1960 | 54.08% 107,170 | 45.84% 90,836 |
Onondaga County was governed exclusively by a board of supervisors until 1961, when voters approved the creation of the county executive
County executive
A county executive is the head of the executive branch of government in a county. This position is common in the United States.The executive may be an elected or an appointed position...
. In 1968, the board reorganized into a 24-seat county legislature. In 2001, the legislature was reduced to 19 seats. All 19 members are elected from individual districts. Currently, there are 12 Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
and 7 Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. The county executive is elected in a countywide vote. In a 2010 referendum, voters approved a measure to reduce the legislature to 17 seats.
| Name | Party | Term |
|---|---|---|
| John H. Mulroy John H. Mulroy John Howard Mulroy was a 20th century politician most notable for having served as the first county executive of Onondaga County, New York.... |
Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
January 1, 1962 – December 31, 1987 |
| Nicholas J. Pirro Nicholas J. Pirro Nicholas J. Pirro, Jr. is a New York politician most notable for having served as county executive of Onondaga County, New York.... |
Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
January 1, 1988 – December 31, 2007 |
| Joanne M. Mahoney Joanie Mahoney Joanne M. "Joanie" Mahoney is the County Executive of Onondaga County, New York. She is the first woman to hold this position. She took office on Tuesday, January 1, 2008.-Personal:... |
Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
January 1, 2008 – |
| District | Legislator | Party |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richard Lesniak majority leader Majority leader In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the... |
Republican |
| 2 | John C. Dougherty | Republican |
| 3 | William H. Meyer | Republican |
| 4 | Judith Tassone | Republican |
| 5 | Kathleen Rapp | Republican |
| 6 | James Rhinehart chairman | Republican |
| 7 | Thomas Buckel | Democrat |
| 8 | James A. Corbett | Republican |
| 9 | Mark Stanczyk minority leader Minority leader In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position... |
Democrat |
| 10 | Kevin Holmquist | Republican |
| 11 | Patrick Kilmartin | Republican |
| 12 | Robert Cox | Republican |
| 13 | Robert D. Warner | Republican |
| 14 | Casey E. Jordan | Republican |
| 15 | William Kinne | Democrat |
| 16 | Sam Laguzza | Democrat |
| 17 | Martin Masterpole | Democrat |
| 18 | Monica Williams | Democrat |
| 19 | Linda Ervin | Democrat |
Cities, towns, villages, and hamlets
SyracuseSyracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
is the only city in Onondaga County.
The following is a complete list of official towns and villages, and principal hamlets:
-
- {|border=1 cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3"
!Towns
!Villages
!Hamlets
|-
|Camillus
Camillus (town), New York
Camillus is a town in Onondaga County, New York, U.S. The population was 24,167 at the 2010 census. The town was named after Roman military leader Marcus Furius Camillus by a clerk interested in the classics....
|Camillus
Camillus (village), New York
Camillus is a village in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 1,249 at the 2000 census. The village takes its name from the town in which it is located...
|Amboy, Belle Isle, Fairmount
Fairmount, New York
Fairmount is a hamlet in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The Fairmount area was originally part of the New York State Salt Reservation, but was annexed to the Town of Camillus in 1834. Prior to that date, census enumerations for Fairmount were included in the Town of Onondaga census...
, Memphis
Memphis, New York
Memphis is a hamlet in the Town of Van Buren, west of Syracuse in Onondaga County, New York, United States.Because of its location on the south town line of Van Buren, part of Memphis can be considered to be also in the Towns of Elbridge and Camillus...
(in part), Warners
Warners, New York
Warners is a hamlet in Onondaga County, New York, United States....
(in part)
|-
|Cicero
Cicero, New York
Cicero is a town in Onondaga County, New York, USA. The population was 27,982 at the 2000 census. The name of the town was assigned by a clerk interested in the classics, honoring Cicero, a Roman statesman....
|North Syracuse
North Syracuse, New York
North Syracuse is a village in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 6,863 at the 2000 census.The Village of North Syracuse is partly in the Town of Cicero, but is primarily within the Town of Clay. North Syracuse is north of the City of Syracuse.- History :The village was...
(in part)
|Brewerton
Brewerton, New York
Brewerton is a census-designated place in the town of Cicero in Onondaga County and the town of Hastings in Oswego County in the U.S. state of New York. It lies at the west end of Oneida Lake at its outlet into the Oneida River. The population was 3,455 at the 2000 census...
, Bridgeport
Bridgeport, New York
Bridgeport is a hamlet located partly in the Town of Sullivan in Madison County, New York and partly in the Town of Cicero in Onondaga County, New York...
, Cicero, Cicero Center, South Bay
|-
|Clay
Clay, New York
Clay is a town in Onondaga County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 58,805, making it Syracuse's largest suburb. The town was named after Henry Clay, statesman....
|North Syracuse
North Syracuse, New York
North Syracuse is a village in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 6,863 at the 2000 census.The Village of North Syracuse is partly in the Town of Cicero, but is primarily within the Town of Clay. North Syracuse is north of the City of Syracuse.- History :The village was...
(in part)
|Bayberry, Belgium, Clay, Euclid, Moyers Corners, Oak Orchard, Three Rivers, Woodard
|-
|DeWitt
|East Syracuse (Messina)
East Syracuse, New York
East Syracuse is an incorporated village and a suburb of the City of Syracuse in eastern Onondaga County, New York. United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the village had a population of 3,178....
|Barton's Corners, Collamer (Brittons Settlement), DeWitt (Orville), Jamesville
Jamesville, New York
Jamesville is a hamlet in De Witt, Onondaga County, New York, United States, part of the greater Syracuse area.The history of the community is documented in the book Water, Wheels and Stone: Heritage of the Little Village by the Creek, Jamesville, New York, written by Jean Schutz Keough, and...
, Lyndon, Messina Springs
Messina Springs, New York
Messina Springs was a small community, northwest of Messina , which was settled in the early 19th century around several mineral springs east of Syracuse, New York, at the intersection of James Street and Thompson Road. James Street was then a main east-west road from Syracuse to Messina and...
|-
|Elbridge
Elbridge (town), New York
Elbridge is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 6,091 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Elbridge Gerry, a Vice President of the United States, and one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence....
|Elbridge
Elbridge (village), New York
The Village of Elbridge, is a village located in the western part of the Town of Elbridge and the western area of Onondaga County, New York, USA, about west of Syracuse. It is part of the Syracuse Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, Jordan
Jordan, New York
Jordan is a village in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 1,314 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Syracuse Metropolitan Statistical Area....
|Halfway, Hart Lot
|-
|Fabius
Fabius (town), New York
Fabius is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 1,974 at the 2000 census. The classical name of the town was assigned by a clerk interested in the classics.The Town of Fabius contains a village of Fabius...
|Fabius
Fabius (village), New York
Fabius is a village in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 344 at the 2005 census. It is part of the Syracuse Metropolitan Statistical Area.The Village of Fabius is near the center of the Town of Fabius and is south of Syracuse....
|Apulia, Apulia Station
|-
|Geddes
Geddes, New York
Geddes is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 17,740 at the 2000 census.The Town of Geddes is west of the neighborhood of Far Westside of Syracuse. The town is a western suburb of Syracuse.- History :...
|Solvay
Solvay, New York
Solvay is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, and a suburb of the city of Syracuse. According to the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 6,845...
|Lakeland
Lakeland, New York
Lakeland is a hamlet in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 2,852 at the 2000 census. The community name is derived from its location next to Onondaga Lake....
, New York State Fairgrounds, Westvale
Westvale, New York
Westvale is a suburban community in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 5,166 at the 2000 census.Westvale is in the Town of Geddes, lying east of Fairmount and southwest of Solvay...
|-
|LaFayette
LaFayette, New York
LaFayette is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 4,833 at the 2000 census. The town is named after LaFayette, a national hero of both France and the United States....
|
|Bailey's Settlement, Cardiff
Cardiff, New York
Cardiff, New York is a small hamlet in Onondaga County, New York, located south of Syracuse. It was the site of the William C. "Stub" Newell farm where the "Cardiff Giant", a famous hoax, was "discovered" on October 16, 1869....
, Collingwood, LaFayette, Onativia
|-
|Lysander
Lysander, New York
Lysander is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 19,285 at the 2000 census. The town was named after Lysander, a Spartan military leader, by a clerk interested in the classics....
|Baldwinsville
Baldwinsville, New York
Baldwinsville is a village in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 7,053 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Syracuse Metropolitan Statistical Area....
(in part)
|Baird Corners, Cold Springs, Hortontown, Jacksonville, Lampson, Little Utica, Lysander, Plainville
Plainville, New York
Plainville is a hamlet on NY Route 370 about 4.5 miles west of Baldwinsville in Onondaga County, New York.It is noted for the extensive Plainville Turkey Farms, which remained in the same family from 1835 until recently...
, Radisson, West Phoenix, Wrights Corners
|-
|Manlius
Manlius (town), New York
Manlius is a town in Onondaga County, east of the city of Syracuse, New York, United States. The population was 32,370 at the 2010 census, making it the third largest suburb in metropolitan Syracuse...
|Fayetteville
Fayetteville, New York
Fayetteville is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the village had a population of 4,190. The village is named after Lafayette, a national hero of both France and the United States...
, Manlius
Manlius (village), New York
Manlius is a village in Onondaga County, New York, USA. The population was 4,819 at the 2000 census. The village takes its name from its town.The Village of Manlius is near the south town line of the Town of Manlius and is southeast of the City of Syracuse of which it is a suburb.An area of about...
, Minoa
Minoa, New York
Minoa is a village in Onondaga County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 3,348.The Village of Minoa in the northern part of the Town of Manlius and is east of Syracuse.- History :...
|Eagle Village, Freemont, Highbridge, Kirkville, Manlius Center, North Manlius, Polkville, Poolsbrook
|-
|Marcellus
Marcellus (town), New York
Marcellus is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 6,319 at the 2000 census. The town was probably named after Marcus Claudius Marcellus, a Roman general, by a clerk interested in the Classics....
|Marcellus
Marcellus (village), New York
Marcellus is a village located in the Town of Marcellus in Onondaga County, New York, USA. The population was 1,826 at the 2000 census. The Village of Marcellus is southwest of Syracuse and is in the southern part of the Town of Marcellus.-History:...
|Clintonville, Marcellus Falls, Marietta
Marietta, New York
Marietta is a hamlet in Onondaga County, New York, United States. Marietta is southwest of Syracuse....
, Rose Hill
Rose Hill, New York
Rose Hill is a small hamlet in Onondaga County, New York along Rose Hill Road, where the road climbs a hill. It is included on maps....
, Thorn Hill
|-
|Onondaga
Onondaga, New York
Onondaga is a town located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the town had a population of 21,063. The town is named after the native Onondaga tribe, part of the Iroquois Confederacy....
|
|Cedarvale, Howlett Hill, Indian Village, Navarino, Nedrow
Nedrow, New York
Nedrow is a hamlet located in the Town of Onondaga in Onondaga County, New York. The population was 2,265 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Nedrow is located at , on US Route 11, south of Syracuse, New York...
, Onondaga Hill
Onondaga Hill, New York
Onondaga Hill is a hamlet in the Town of Onondaga in Onondaga County, New York, southwest of the city of Syracuse. It is located on the Seneca Turnpike at the intersection of New York State Route 173 and New York State Route 175....
, South Onondaga, Southwood, Split Rock
Split Rock, New York
Split Rock is a hamlet in the Town of Onondaga in Onondaga County, New York. Today more a historic place than a community, Split Rock is a site of great interest to industrial archeology. The Solvay Process Company developed quarry operations here, delivering limestone used for the Solvay process...
, Taunton
Taunton, New York
Taunton is a hamlet in the Town of Onondaga in Onondaga County, New York, southwest of the city of Syracuse. Landmarks of Taunton are the former Morey's Mill, once a popular source of apple cider, and Wolf Hollow, an estate created by William S. Andrews, Judge of the New York Court of Appeals, and...
|-
|Otisco
Otisco, New York
Otisco is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 2,561 at the 2000 census. The Town of Otisco is in the southwest part of the county. Otisco is situated at the northern edge of the Appalacian Highlands, where an escarpment declines to the Lake Ontario plain and the...
|
|Amber, Marietta
Marietta, New York
Marietta is a hamlet in Onondaga County, New York, United States. Marietta is southwest of Syracuse....
, Otisco
|-
|Pompey
Pompey, New York
Pompey is a town in the southeast part of Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 6,159 at the 2000 census. The town was named after the Roman general and political leader Pompey by a late 18th-century clerk interested in the Classics in the new federal republic.- History :The...
|
|Delphi, Delphi Falls
Delphi Falls, New York
Delphi Falls, New York is a hamlet in the town of Pompey, Onondaga County, New York. It was prosperous in the early 19th century. It is the location of a post office, a store or two, several blocks of houses, and two places listed on the U.S. National Register: the Delphi Baptist Church and the...
, Oran
Oran, New York
Oran is a hamlet within the Town of Pompey in Onondaga County, New York, United States. It is located along Cazenovia Road, a section of New York State Route 92, between the villages of Manlius and Cazenovia....
, Pompey, Pompey Center
Pompey Center, New York
Pompey Center is a hamlet in the town of Pompey in Onondaga County, New York. It is the location of Pompey Centre District No. 10 Schoolhouse, a historic one-room schoolhouse listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places....
, Watervale
|-
|Salina
Salina, New York
Salina is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 33,290 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the Latin word for "salt."...
|Liverpool
Liverpool, New York
Liverpool is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 2,505 at the 2000 census. The name was adopted from the city of Liverpool in the United Kingdom...
|Galeville
Galeville, New York
Galeville is a hamlet in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 4,476 at the 2000 census.The community is a northeastern suburb of Syracuse, located in the eastern end of the Town of Salina.-Geography:...
, Hinsdale, Long Branch, Mattydale
Mattydale, New York
Mattydale is a hamlet in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 6,367 at the 2000 census.Mattydale is a community in the northeast of the Town of Salina and is a northern suburb of Syracuse....
|-
|Skaneateles
Skaneateles (town), New York
Skaneateles is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 7,323 at the 2000 census. The name is from the Iroquois "Indian" tribe term for the adjacent lake: "long lake." The town is on the western border of the county and includes a village, also called Skaneateles...
|Skaneateles
Skaneateles (village), New York
Skaneateles is a village in the town of Skaneateles, Onondaga County, New York, United States. The village is named from and located on the shores of Skaneateles Lake, one of the Finger Lakes. The village, as of the 2000 census, has a population of 2,616 residents. The main highway through the...
|Long Bridge, Mandana, Marysville, Mottville
Mottville, New York
Mottville is a hamlet in the Town of Skaneateles, New York, United States. Of note, a tornado touched down in Mottville on July 28, 2002.- History :...
, Shepard Settlement, Skaneateles Falls
Skaneateles Falls, New York
Skaneateles Falls is a community on Skaneateles Creek in Onondaga County, New York.It is the closest community to Community Place, a former Fourierist utopian commune....
, Skanondaga Heights, Willow Glen,
|-
|Spafford
Spafford, New York
Spafford is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 1,661 at the 2000 census. The town was named after Horatio Gates Spafford, a writer and founder of the local library....
|
|Borodino
Borodino, New York
Borodino is a hamlet located at the intersection of New York State Route 41 and New York State Route 174 in the Town of Spafford in Onondaga County, New York, near Skaneateles Lake. There is a boat launch into Skaneateles Lake for residents. There is a monument for veterans in the center of...
, South Spafford
South Spafford, New York
Now merely a few buildings, South Spafford retains an old church, no longer in service for that purpose. The final pastor was Rev R. Bob Teachout. The last service was held in Oct 1996 The place is most notable for its scenic situation in the high, remote Coldbrook Valley of the Town of Spafford....
, Spafford
|-
|Tully
Tully (town), New York
Tully is a town in Onondaga County, New York, USA. The population of the town was 2,709 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the Roman orator Marcus Tullius Cicero. The town is on the county's south border, south of Syracuse....
|Tully
Tully (village), New York
Tully is a village in Onondaga County, New York, USA. The population was 924 at the 2000 census. The name of the village is derived from the Roman orator Marcus Tullius Cicero....
|Vesper
|-
|Van Buren
Van Buren, New York
Van Buren is a town located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a population of 12,667. The town is named after future President Martin van Buren, who was then governor of the state....
|Baldwinsville
Baldwinsville, New York
Baldwinsville is a village in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 7,053 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Syracuse Metropolitan Statistical Area....
(in part)
|Memphis
Memphis, New York
Memphis is a hamlet in the Town of Van Buren, west of Syracuse in Onondaga County, New York, United States.Because of its location on the south town line of Van Buren, part of Memphis can be considered to be also in the Towns of Elbridge and Camillus...
(in part), Van Buren, Warners
Warners, New York
Warners is a hamlet in Onondaga County, New York, United States....
(in part)
|}
-
- Villages and hamlets labeled "(in part)" span the border between multiple towns.
See also
- List of counties in New York
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Onondaga County, New York
- Public health concerns in Onondaga CountyPublic health concerns in Onondaga CountyThis is a description of Public health concerns in Onondaga County, New York.-West Nile virus:The Vector Control program conducts bird and mosquito surveillance and mosquito control activities in order to prevent transmission of vector-borne diseases. In 2009, West Nile virus detected in...
External links
- Onondaga County, NY US GenWeb Project
- Onondaga County, NY U.S. Census Page
- Brief early history of Onondaga County and its towns
- Onondaga County Historical Aerial Photographs of New York , Cornell University Library & Cornell Institute for Resource Information Sciences