Wheatland, New York

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Wheatland
Town
Wheatland Town Office Building
Wheatland Town Office Building
Location in Monroe County and the state of New York.
Location in Monroe County and the state of New York.
Location of New York in the United States
Location of New York in the United States
Coordinates: 43°00′09″N 77°50′41″W / 43.00250°N 77.84472°W / 43.00250; -77.84472Coordinates: 43°00′09″N 77°50′41″W / 43.00250°N 77.84472°W / 43.00250; -77.84472
CountryUnited States
StateNew York
CountyMonroe
EstablishedFebruary 23, 1821; 201 years ago (1821-02-23)[1]
Government
 • Town SupervisorLinda M. Dobson (R) First elected 2004
  • Tammy L. Spear (R)
  • Roger D. DeWitt (R)
  • Edward Shero (R)
  • Henry W. Williams, Jr. (R)
Area
[2]
 • Total30.67 sq mi (79.44 km2)
 • Land30.41 sq mi (78.76 km2)
 • Water0.26 sq mi (0.68 km2)
Elevation
605 ft (184 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total4,775
 • Estimate 
(2016)[3]
4,741
 • Density155.90/sq mi (60.19/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
14546
Area code585
FIPS code36-055-81402
Websitehttp://www.townofwheatland.org/

Wheatland is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States. The population was 4,775 at the 2010 census. The town is home to Genesee Country Village and Museum.

Geography and geology[edit]

Wheatland in the 19th century

The town of Wheatland is located in the southwest part of Monroe County, New York. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 30.7 square miles (80 km2), of which 30.6 square miles (79 km2) is land and 0.1-square-mile (0.26 km2) (0.26%) is water. The terrain includes low rolling hills, with flats along the Genesee River. Terranean water supply is of excellent capacity, although of varying quality. The agricultural lands are fertile and productive.

The town is bordered on the north by the towns of Riga and Chili, on the east by the Genesee River and the towns of Henrietta and Rush, and on the south and west by Livingston County.

Oatka Creek, the only significant waterway in Wheatland and a major component of the town's history, is a tributary of the Genesee River. The New York State Thruway crosses through Chili, north of the town.

Demographics[edit]

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18302,239—
18402,87128.2%
18502,9161.6%
18602,560−12.2%
18702,5650.2%
18802,5991.3%
18902,400−7.7%
19002,071−13.7%
19102,45318.4%
19202,076−15.4%
19302,36413.9%
19402,323−1.7%
19502,5027.7%
19603,71148.3%
19704,26514.9%
19804,89714.8%
19905,0934.0%
20005,1491.1%
20104,775−7.3%
2016 (est.)4,741[3]−0.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[4]

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 5,149 people (4,960 by the 2007 census estimate), 2,011 households, and 1,425 families residing in the town.

The population density was 168.1 people per square mile (64.9/km2). There were 2,093 housing units at an average density of 68.3 per square mile (26.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 92.99% White, 4.02% African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.82% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.82% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.18% of the population.

There were 2,011 households, of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.6% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55, and the average family size was 3.02.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.5% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $55,239, and the median income for a family was $63,297. Males had a median income of $41,733 versus $30,733 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,024. About 2.1% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.2% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.

History[edit]

The first settlers arrived circa 1789. The town was established on 23 February 1821 as Inverness from Caledonia. On 3 April 1821, the state legislature changed the town's name to Wheatland, allegedly at the behest of John Garbutt, a former Englishman[6] markedly devoid of Scottish tendencies.

In those days, the growing of wheat and the manufacture of flour were the county's primary economic activity, and the Wheatland area figured prominently in this trade. The US Census of 1850 notes that the counties of Monroe and Livingston led the entire United States in wheat production.

As the vast agricultural expanses of the American Midwest opened up, the local wheat industry went into decline, beginning in the decade prior to the Civil War. This breakdown was exacerbated by severe adverse weather in the latter 1850s.

The Romanta T. Miller House and Oatka Cemetery were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.[7][8]

Government[edit]

The town is governed by a Town Board consisting of a Town Supervisor and four Town Board members, all elected by registered town voters. The Supervisor is elected every two years. Board members serve four-year terms.

Public services[edit]

The Scottsville Free Library, at 28 Main Street, serves the village, town, and outlying areas.

Communities and locations in Wheatland[edit]

  • Belcoda – A location north of Mumford.
  • Beulah – A location in the northwest corner of the town.
  • Garbutt – A hamlet on Route 383 between Wheatland Center and Scottsville, formerly called Garbuttsville.
  • Mumford – A hamlet near the south town line in the western part of the town on Route 36. Originally called Mackenzie's Corners, it changed its name to Mumfordville, after one of its citizens.
  • Oatka Creek Park – A county park near Garbutt on the Oatka Creek.
  • Scottsville – A village in the northeast part of the town on Route 383; the sole incorporated municipal entity.
  • Wheatland Center – A former hamlet on Route 383 near the Oatka Creek and once known as Hall's Corners.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Hanford, Franklin (1911). On the origin of the names of places in Monroe County, New York (PDF). Scottsville, New York: Isaac Van Hooser. p. 12. OCLC 866011722. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  2. ^ "2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Jul 5, 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  4. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  5. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. ^ On 12 June 1810, by action of the Court of Common Pleas of Genesee County, John Garbutt and two other local men became citizens of the United States.
  7. ^ "National Register of Historic Places Listings". Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 2/24/14 through 2/28/14. National Park Service. 2014-03-07.
  8. ^ "National Register of Historic Places Listings". Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 4/07/14 through 4/11/14. National Park Service. 2014-02-21.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wheatland, New York.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wheatland,_New_York&oldid=1087166183"