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85-519: The creek's drainage covers much of southeastern Chautauqua County, New York , and western Cattaraugus County, New York . The creek's most notable tributary is the Chadakoin River , which supplies the creek water from Chautauqua Lake . The Chautauqua Ridge, a continental divide bounds the watershed to the north and west. Conewango Creek begins at New Albion Lake in New Albion, New York and follows

170-501: A county executive and a 13-seat county legislature. The county council currently consists of 19 members each elected from single-member districts. As of 2024, there are 14 Republicans and 5 Democrats. Prior to changes in representation of the New York State Assembly , each county had a given number of representatives. The following were representatives of Chautauqua County. Jamestown Community College has two campuses in

255-610: A humid continental climate heavily influenced by both Lake Erie and Lake Ontario . Winters are long and cold, often lasting from around mid-November to early April. There are often snows before and after that period, as well. Western New York is known for its lake effect snows, which can result in highly localized, sometimes intense and even historic snow events. Lake effect storms are a result of cold air picking up water vapor as it blows over warm lake waters. Lake effect snows are usually most active between November and February and typically diminish when Lake Erie freezes over. Generally,

340-703: A Friday fish fry special. The fish fry retains particular popularity during Lent , when Catholics are still barred from eating meat on Friday. Italian-American food is a specialty in western New York. Most towns in the region have pizzerias. The Texas hot , introduced by Greek immigrants in the 1920s, has a strong following in the region, and several hot dog stands offer the dish. Longstanding Texas hot stands include Ted's Hot Dogs in Buffalo (1927), Rigas Texas Hot in Wellsville (1921), and Johnny's Lunch in Jamestown (1936;

425-499: A Great Lakes/Interior Northeastern area, with a dose of Appalachia in the Southern Tier , an overlapping region of the state. Buffalo appears to have similarities to other Great Lakes cities/areas, while having Northeastern proclivities. The similarities with Chicago and Milwaukee run the list from sharing a common industrial base traditionally built around steel and automobile manufacturing. The cities were both developed during

510-550: A daily rural route between Buffalo and various locations in Pennsylvania; New York Trailways also serves Buffalo and Rochester, connecting to various locations, as does Greyhound Bus Lines . One discount " Chinatown service " operates in Western New York; Ocean Travel runs an overnight express service between Buffalo, Rochester and New York City. In its early history, Western New York was settled by native cultures including

595-593: A meandering path around much of western Cattaraugus County. It joins with the Chadakoin River in Frewsburg, New York before heading southward into Pennsylvania. Conewango Creek joins the Allegheny River at the city of Warren, Pennsylvania . On September 26, 2009, an obsolete Civil War-era low head dam within the city of Warren on the Conewango Creek was removed. Removal of this dam allowed fish migration from

680-507: A water supply to that facility in years past, this dam was known as the Hospital Dam. The second dam was a remnant rock and crib dam located immediately upriver of the first. With the removal of the Carter Dam in the autumn of 2009 and the hospital dams in 2014, the entirety of the 71 miles (114 km) course of the Conewango Creek mainstream are open and free of dams, improving the ecology of

765-517: Is "The City of Light". Buffalo experienced steady growth during the 19th century and at one point was one of the 10 most populated cities in the United States. According to some, Rochester was "America's First Boomtown" and was a key player in the flour industry (hence its initial nickname "Flour City"). Its growth was attributed to both the completion of the Erie Canal and its resulting significance in

850-600: Is Gurnsey Benchmark at 2,180 feet (660 meters). Chautauqua County is one of the few counties in the US to border two counties of the same name in different states (Erie County in New York and Pennsylvania). As of the 2000 census , there were 139,750 people, 54,515 households, and 35,979 families in the county. The population density was 132 people per square mile (51 people/km ). There were 64,900 housing units at an average density of 61 per square mile (24/km ). The racial makeup of

935-538: Is its largest urban center. Letchworth State Park is a major geographical feature. The fourth region is that of the western Finger Lakes Region composed of parts of Seneca, Steuben, Schuyler, and Chemung counties. While parts of the Finger Lakes are considered within Western New York (as either a region or quadrant) the eastern portions are typically considered a part of Central New York. The Genesee region and Western Finger Lakes region are often combined and described as

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1020-635: Is part of the Western New York region of the state. Chautauqua County comprises the Jamestown– Dunkirk – Fredonia , NY Micropolitan Statistical Area . It is located south east of Lake Erie and includes a small portion of the Cattaraugus Reservation of the Seneca. Prior to European colonization, most of what is now Chautauqua County was inhabited by the indigenous Erie people prior to

1105-688: The Beaver Wars in the 1650s. French forces traversed the territory beginning in 1615. The Seneca Nation conquered the territory during the Beaver Wars and held it through the next century until siding with the British crown, their allies for most of the 18th century, against the American revolutionaries in the American Revolutionary War . Chautauqua County was organized by the state legislature during

1190-568: The Buffalo and Rochester areas as two different metropolitan areas. If it were counted as a state, the population of Western New York would rank as the 37th most populated state in the United States. The following cities are found in the 17 western counties: Batavia , Buffalo , Canandaigua , Corning , Dunkirk , Elmira , Geneva , Hornell , Jamestown , Lackawanna , Lockport , Niagara Falls , North Tonawanda , Olean , Rochester , Salamanca , Tonawanda . The following villages are found in

1275-644: The Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres . Team loyalties of sports fans in the rest of upstate New York are more divided. Most baseball fans support the Cleveland Guardians , New York Yankees and New York Mets , although the Toronto Blue Jays have seen an increase in support due to the influx of Canadians in the area - as well as the region's proximity to Toronto, the Blue Jays' increased on-field success in

1360-565: The Buffalo Sabres , the region is also home to a number of Toronto Maple Leafs , New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins supporters. "Friday night fish fry " is also regionally popular, a holdover from when Catholics were forbidden to eat meat on Fridays. It is usually skinless cod although most restaurants in the area claim they use the higher quality haddock, and is frequently beer-battered, deep fried, and served with French fries and cole slaw. Numerous restaurants in Western New York have

1445-580: The Finger Lakes region. Western New York also includes several Seneca Nation enclaves. If it were counted as a single area, the population of Western New York would number just over 2.6 million, and would rank as the 24th largest metropolitan area of the United States, between the Pittsburgh metropolitan area and the Sacramento, California metropolitan area . However, the U.S. Census Bureau has classified

1530-676: The Fox sisters was relocated to Lily Dale in 1916. Joseph Smith Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement , reported receiving the Book of Mormon in Palmyra, Wayne County. The women's civic organization Zonta was founded in Buffalo in 1919. In the late 20th century this area became part of the Rust Belt of the United States, being a focal point for the transportation of grain, steel, and coal. The opening of

1615-634: The Northwest Territory established the next year and formed part of a new state.) Native title, with the exception of several reservations, was extinguished in the Treaty of Canandaigua in 1794, while the Phelps and Gorham Purchase and Holland Purchase opened the territory for settling. During the War of 1812 Western New York was part of the borderland frontier between the United States and British Canada and became

1700-558: The Phelps and Gorham Purchase . The area is primarily served by Buffalo and Rochester media markets , although there is considerable overlap between these two markets, as well as other American and Canadian media markets (particularly from nearby Toronto ). In terms of the combined statistical areas used by the United States Census Bureau , Western New York consists of the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY area,

1785-559: The Rochester Metropolitan Area . The northern part of Western New York features four railroad stations in service on the Empire Corridor : Rochester , Buffalo-Depew , Buffalo-Exchange Street and Niagara Falls . The Buffalo-Exchange Street and Niagara Falls stations do not see as much rail service as the other two Western New York stations due to the fact that, west of Depew Station, Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited leaves

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1870-608: The Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY area, and the Elmira-Corning, NY area. Western New York is in some contexts considered a sub-region of " Upstate New York " (when that term is used to describe all of New York State outside Long Island and the New York City metropolitan area ); in most cases however, New Yorkers identify by specific regionalities such as Western New York or Central New York in preference to

1955-754: The Seneca Nation of Indians , the Olean Area Transit System and Access Allegany to provide public transportation to most of the Southern Tier. In addition to the public transportation authorities, which provide limited intercity connections, several commercial intercity bus services also operate. Coach USA operates a loop service between Buffalo, Jamestown and Olean; the bus connects to a route to New York City in Olean and to Megabus service to Toronto and New York City in Buffalo. Fullington Trailways operates

2040-448: The U.S. state of New York . As of the 2020 census , the population was 127,657. Its county seat is Mayville , and its largest city is Jamestown . Its name is believed to be the lone surviving remnant of the Erie language , a tongue lost in the 17th century Beaver Wars ; its meaning is unknown and a subject of speculation. The county was created in 1808 and organized in 1811. The county

2125-515: The Welland Canal in 1957 effectively rendered the narrower Erie Canal obsolete, further exacerbating economic problems in the region. The area saw an economic decline during the period of deindustrialization , leaving many empty steel mills including those of Bethlehem Steel , which was the 2nd largest steel mill in the world. The plant located in Lackawanna , New York provided nearly 25,000 jobs to

2210-405: The "South County" centered on Jamestown each having their own interests. The county is generally composed of rolling hills and valleys, with elevations ranging anywhere between 1100 and 2100 feet, although the land within a few miles of Lake Erie is generally flat and at an elevation of 1000 feet or lower. The lowest point in the county is Lake Erie, at 571 feet (174 meters), and the highest point

2295-598: The 1620s; some relics of their presence, including Fort Niagara and a portage road that follows modern New York State Route 394 between Lake Erie and Chautauqua Lake , are still visible in the region. Western New York's land was acquired from the Iroquois through the Nanfan Treaty , which ceded the territory to England at the end of the Beaver Wars in 1701. At the time, four of the British colonies ( Pennsylvania , New York , Massachusetts and Connecticut ) laid claim to

2380-1905: The 17 western counties: Addison , Akron , Albion , Alden , Alexander , Alfred , Allegany , Almond , Andover , Angelica , Angola , Arcade , Arkport , Attica , Avoca , Avon , Barker , Bath , Belmont , Bemus Point , Bergen , Blasdell , Bloomfield , Bolivar , Brockport , Brocton , Burdett , Caledonia , Canaseraga , Canisteo , Cassadaga , Castile , Cattaraugus , Celoron , Cherry Creek , Churchville , Clarence , Clifton Springs , Clyde , Cohocton , Corfu , Cuba , Dansville , Delevan , Depew , Dresden , Dundee , Dunkirk , East Aurora , East Randolph , East Rochester , Eden , Elba , Ellicottville , Elmira Heights , Fairport , Falconer , Farnham , Forestville , Franklinville , Fredonia , Gainesville , Geneseo , Gowanda , Hamburg , Hammondsport , Hilton , Holley , Honeoye Falls , Horseheads , Interlaken , Kenmore , Lakewood , Lancaster , Le Roy , Leicester , Lewiston , Lima , Limestone , Little Valley , Livonia , Lodi , Lyndonville , Lyons , Lockport , Macedon , Manchester , Mayville , Medina , Middleport , Millport , Montour Falls , Mount Morris , Naples , Newark , Newfane , North Collins , North Hornell , North Tonawanda , Nunda , Oakfield , Odessa , Orchard Park , Ovid , Painted Post , Palmyra , Panama , Pavilion , Penn Yan , Perry , Perrysburg , Phelps , Pike , Pittsford , Portville , Randolph , Red Creek , Richburg , Riverside , Rushville , Savona , Scottsville , Sherman , Shortsville , Silver Creek , Silver Springs , Sinclairville , Sloan , Sodus , Sodus Point , South Corning , South Dayton , Spencerport , Springville , Tonawanda , Van Etten , Victor , Warsaw , Waterloo , Watkins Glen , Wayland , Webster , Wellsburg , Wellsville , Westfield , Williamsville , Wilson , Wolcott , Wyoming and Youngstown . Western New York has

2465-537: The 1885 Erie County Fair (known as the Hamburg Fair) in Hamburg, New York , Frank and Charles Menches sold a ground beef sandwich, which is one of the earliest claims of the invention of the hamburger . Beef on Weck is a regional favorite and a local invention in which sliced warm roast beef is piled high on a Kummelweck roll topped with caraway seeds and large grained salt, au jus and horseradish are often added to

2550-547: The 29th district (the old 31st) by Rochester suburbs that had never before been part of the district. Chautauqua County, at the same time, joined southern Erie County and portions of the City of Buffalo in the 27th, areas that had also never been in the same district with each other. In both cases, the suburban additions had significantly more Democratic populations than before, leading to Democrats winning both districts, which led to accusations of cracking-based gerrymandering . Though

2635-407: The 54,515 households 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.90% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.00% were non-families. 28.10% of households were one person and 12.60% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.99. The age distribution was 24.50% under

Conewango Creek - Misplaced Pages Continue

2720-526: The Alleghany River but thought to be eradicated has been found in the Conewango. The paddlefish , a native fish, was recently reintroduced to the area. The waterway also is home 19 native, freshwater mussel species, and boasts biodiversity rich in river otters , bald eagles , ospreys , herons , and other wildlife. Chautauqua County, New York Chautauqua County is the westernmost county in

2805-611: The Allegheny River throughout the upper reaches of the Conewango Creek drainage basin . From August 25 through September 4, 2014, saw the demolition of two Civil War-era remnant dams on the Conewango Creek in North Warren, Pennsylvania . One dam was a partially breached low head dam similar to the dam that was removed downriver in Warren in 2009. Because it was located in close proximity to the Warren State Hospital and used to provide

2890-430: The American economy during the 19th century. Large scale immigration from Ireland, Italy, Poland, Great Britain and Germany soon followed into the region. The New Religious Movement known as Spiritualism was among several that arose in the early 19th century burned-over district of Western New York. Its major center is Lily Dale , one of the largest spiritualism communities in the United States. The original house of

2975-464: The Buffalo area. Outside of the cities, agriculture has always been a major factor in the economy, especially dairy farming . Ski country runs through Western New York. Glenwood and Ellicottville both have multiple ski resorts within their boundaries; Ellicottville, in particular, has seen massive gentrification from the development of the large ski resorts within the town boundaries and has attempted to build on that growth by branding itself as

3060-736: The Buffalo media market define it as this 8 county area. Most organizations that use WNY in their name including the WNY College Consortium, the WNY Genealogical Society, WNY PRISM, the Psychological Association of WNY, and the WNY Land Conservancy describe themselves as working in these 8 counties. Others, such as Clarion Publications, the publisher of the WNY Travel Guide and WesternNY.com, have used

3145-459: The Colera family is also tied to several other Jamestown stands such as AJ Texas Hots, which launched in 1968, and Michael's, which operated from 1976 to 2021). The region produces many agricultural products, including milk, maple syrup, apples, cherries, potatoes, sweet corn, strawberries, raspberries, peaches, and grapes. As with the rest of Upstate New York , dairy farming is an important part of

3230-647: The Conewango Creek watershed. Removing the dam was a public safety service, and will reconnect most of the Conewango Creek for freshwater mussel host species. On January 16, 2015, it was announced that Conewango Creek won the 2015 Pennsylvania River of the Year contest, an annual competition conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers since 1983. The general public

3315-521: The Empire Corridor en route to the Midwest. For a period of time, there were proposals to service these four stations with high-speed rail . A major objective of implementing high-speed rail service was to better connect Western New York as well as the rest of Upstate New York with New York City. However, little of substance has come of these proposals. Service to other parts of Western New York ended from

3400-686: The Gulf of Mexico; the rest of the county's watershed empties into Lake Erie and via Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence Seaway into the North Atlantic Ocean. This divide, known as the Chautauqua Ridge , can be used to mark the border between the Southern Tier and the Niagara Frontier . It is also a significant dividing point in the county's geopolitics , with the "North County" being centered on Dunkirk and

3485-741: The Hopewell. The territory of Western New York, until the 17th century, was held by the Neutral Nation in the northern Niagara region and the Wenrohronon and Erie Indians around the Allegheny River . The Seneca nation and their allies in the Iroquois Confederacy eliminated those tribes in wars during the Beaver Wars between 1638 and 1701, with any survivors being assimilated into the Senecas (in

Conewango Creek - Misplaced Pages Continue

3570-521: The Republican Party has historically been dominant in Chautauqua County politics, the county had been a perfect bellwether county from 1980 to 2008, correctly voting for the winner of each presidential election in all eight elections during that time. However, in 2012, it voted for Republican Mitt Romney even as Democrat Barack Obama won re-election, marking its first miss since 1976. In 2016

3655-456: The Rochester area is the " white hot ", a hot dog with a slight variation of ingredients that appears without the distinctive pink color of most hot dogs; when ordering a hot dog in Rochester it is common to be asked to clarify whether it should be "red or white". In urban areas in Western New York, education, business, light manufacturing and tourism have replaced heavy manufacturing which left

3740-564: The WNY region as including just five counties: Allegany , Cattaraugus , Chautauqua , Erie , and Niagara . The state's Empire State Development Corporation and state health authorities have both mapped the region this way. The state has also used this regional boundary to set policy during the COVID-19 pandemic . More commonly, WNY has been defined to include at least Genesee , Orleans , and Wyoming counties as well. Almost all descriptions of WNY in

3825-525: The Western Southern Tier ) comprises Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties. The region is mountainous. The largest urban center is Jamestown , and Lake Chautauqua and Allegany State Park are major geographical features. The third region, the Genesee Region, comprises Monroe, Livingston, Wayne, Orleans, Ontario, and Yates counties and parts of Genessee and Wyoming counties. Rochester

3910-417: The age of 18, 10.30% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 16.00% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.20 males. The median household income was $ 33,458 and the median family income was $ 41,054. Males had a median income of $ 32,114 versus $ 22,214 for females. The per capita income for

3995-582: The age of 65. Of the population, 49.3% (66,509 people) were male and 50.7% (68,396 people) were female. All of the county is in the 150th New York State Assembly district, represented by Andy Goodell , and the New York State Senate 57th district represented by George Borrello . The entire county is within the bounds of New York's 23rd congressional district which is represented by Nick Langworthy . The 2012 redistricting process moved all of Chautauqua County into Goodell's assembly district, while

4080-505: The area at the end of World War II. Rochester and Buffalo were especially hard-hit with the exodus of manufacturing jobs to other areas of the United States and nations like China and Mexico. Niagara Falls was also hard-hit and has shed half of its population since its peak in 1960. Today, major corporations in Western New York include Kodak , Wegmans , Bausch & Lomb , Xerox , M&T Bank , KeyBank and Moog , among many others. General Motors continues to operate three facilities in

4165-452: The case of the Erie and Neutral) or Huron (in the case of the Wenro). The Neutral territory is currently held by Tuscaroras , who moved up from the Carolinas while refugees from the Erie tribes moved south to the Carolinas. French forces settled in parts of what is now Western New York through much of the 17th century, beginning with Étienne Brûlé 's pass-through of the region in 1615 and Joseph de La Roche Daillon 's missionary journeys in

4250-421: The cities of Buffalo , Niagara Falls , Jamestown , and the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of Niagara Frontier , and Chautauqua-Alleghany (or the western Southern Tier ). Many would also place Rochester and the Genesee Valley in the region, although those legally belong in the Finger Lakes Region and are separate from Western New York Region. The State of New York sometimes defines

4335-401: The counties were not properly organized for self-government, so they were all administered as part of Niagara County . On February 9, 1811, Chautauqua was completely organized, and its separate government was launched. This established Chautauqua as a county of 1,100 square miles (2,800 square kilometres) of land. Chautauqua has not been altered since. The first New York Chautauqua Assembly

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4420-409: The county also rejoined the former 31st (renumbered again as the 23rd) congressional district along with Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties. Prior to 2013, the county was part of New York's 27th congressional district . Prior to 2003, the county was part of New York's 31st congressional district , but it was controversially redistricted out of that district and into what was the 27th, and was replaced in

4505-433: The county at Jamestown and Dunkirk. The State University of New York at Fredonia is located in the northern part of the county. Jamestown Business College offered two year degrees, certificates, and a four-year degree in Jamestown, prior to its decision to cease new enrollments in 2024. † - county seat †† - former village Joyce Carol Oates ' 1996 novel, We Were the Mulvaneys is set in rural Chautauqua County, near

4590-405: The county reverted back to being solidly Republican, as Donald Trump won the county by the largest margin since Ronald Reagan in 1984. Chautauqua County is one of nineteen “charter counties” in New York, which grants the county greater leeway in conducting its own affairs. A board of supervisors governed Chautauqua County until 1975, when a new county charter went into effect with provisions for

4675-670: The county was $ 16,840. About 9.70% of families and 13.80% of the population were below the poverty line , including 19.30% of those under age 18 and 8.20% of those age 65 or over. As of the 2010 census , there were 134,905 people in the county. The population density was 127 people per square mile (49 people/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 92.57% (124,875 people) white, 2.37% (3,197 people) African-American, 0.51% (688 people) Asian, 0.51% (689 people) Native American/Alaskan, 0.03% (34 people) Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 1.98% (2,669 people) other, and 2.04% (2,751 people) two or more races. The Hispanic/Latino population of any race

4760-521: The county was 94.04% White, 2.18% Black or African American, 0.43% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.73% from other races, and 1.23% from two or more races. 4.22% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. In terms of ancestry, 17.3% were German , 15.1% were Italian , 11.6% were Swedish , 10.9% were English , 9.3% were Polish , 9.2% were Irish and 5.6% were of American ancestry according to Census 2000 . 93.0% spoke English and 3.8% Spanish as their first language. Of

4845-414: The development of western New York after the American Revolutionary War and the ratification of The Treaty of Canandaigua , between the United States and the Council of the Six Nations. It was officially separated from Genesee County on March 11, 1808. This partition was performed under the same terms that produced Cattaraugus and Niagara counties. The partition was done for political purposes, but

4930-401: The economy. New York State is a leading producer among the states of dairy, maple, and wine. Perhaps the best-known food specialty of Western New York is Buffalo chicken wings (known locally simply as 'wings' or 'chicken wings'). The two best-known places to get wings are Duff's and the Anchor Bar , which have a strong local rivalry in Buffalo and both are expanding outside the city. At

5015-416: The facility doubles as a gateway to Canada, and a good portion of its passengers (33%) are Canadian. The second major airport in Western New York, Greater Rochester International Airport , does not see as much traffic as Buffalo-Niagara International Airport. Still, located just three nautical miles southwest of Downtown Rochester, the facility provides convenient access to airline service for many residents of

5100-419: The fictional town of Mt. Ephraim. 42°18′N 79°25′W  /  42.30°N 79.41°W  / 42.30; -79.41 Western New York Western New York ( WNY ) is the westernmost region of the U.S. state of New York . The eastern boundary of the region is not consistently defined by state agencies or those who call themselves "Western New Yorkers". Almost all sources agree WNY includes

5185-402: The flour industry. Olean was originally planned to be a similar major hub, but it proved to be at a major disadvantage: located near the headwaters of the Allegheny River (a factor its planners had hoped would make the city a gateway to the Midwest), the river was too shallow to support large boat travel or shipping on a consistent basis. As a region, Western New York played a significant role in

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5270-403: The growing season. Lost in its famed winters, Western New York summers are among the sunniest in the Northeast [REDACTED]   Canada and are generally very pleasant. Thanks in part to breezes blowing over Lakes Erie and Ontario (which are usually cooler than the air temperature in the summer), most of Western New York enjoy generally cooler and more comfortable summers than other regions in

5355-428: The heaviest amount of snow in Western New York during the winter falls near the southern end of Erie County as well as in Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, and Wyoming counties. Spring and fall in Western New York are usually short and changeable. The presence of the lakes allows for fruit growing and wine production along areas adjacent to both lakes, which retard the development of damaging spring and fall frost, thereby extending

5440-410: The local economy. Republic Steel also had a large integrated steel mill located in South Buffalo . General Motors in Tonawanda is the largest vehicle engine plant in the world, which still is a major contributor to the Buffalo area economy. Ford Motor Company also maintains a large manufacturing facility in Woodlawn , New York, which is just south of Buffalo . Western New York is culturally

5525-465: The mid-1960s to 1970. The Erie Lackawanna 's Phoebe Snow served on a southeastern trajectory from Buffalo to Elmira , Binghamton , Scranton and Hoboken ; service ended in 1966. The E-L's Lake Cities originated in Chicago , passing through Western New York's Jamestown , then through the rest of the Southern Tier , Orange County and terminating at Hoboken, NJ; service ended on January 6, 1970. The Pennsylvania Railroad 's Buffalo Day Express

5610-440: The mid-2010s, and the affiliation with the longstanding minor league Buffalo Bisons . The Pittsburgh Pirates have some following in southwestern New York, and teams with national fanbases such as the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs also have followings. The region has no clear favorite professional basketball franchise, with the Brooklyn Nets , Cleveland Cavaliers , New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors all claiming parts of

5695-447: The region as part of their regional broadcasting territories. (Western New York puts more emphasis on college basketball , where the "Big 4" Division I programs—Canisius, Niagara, St. Bonaventure and UB—all have strong followings and rivalries; while most attention has been centered around the men's college basketball teams, the recent success of UB and St. Bonaventure's women's teams has led to increased attention to women's basketball in

5780-488: The region. A few shortline railroads also offer rail service, including the New York and Lake Erie Railroad and the Arcade and Attica Railroad . The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority runs regular bus service throughout the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority serves Rochester and surrounding counties, and the Chautauqua Area Regional Transit System serves Chautauqua County. First Transit contracts with

5865-419: The region. Rochester Components Operations, formerly known as Rochester Division, produces fuel system components. Lockport Operations, formerly Harrison Thermal Systems, produces cooling system components and was awarded $ 154 million for additional and future products in 2022. Finally, Tonawanda Power Train originally opened in 1938 as a Chevrolet engine plant and continues producing 4 and 8 cylinder engines in

5950-513: The region. The college basketball scene once had enough clout to help drive Buffalo's NBA team, the 1970s-era Buffalo Braves , out of the city.) Syracuse University sports, being the closest major-conference school to the region, also has a sizable following in western New York, particularly in basketball. College football interest is minimal, with no team having a major following (not even UB, who has struggled to maintain its Division I football program despite modest success). For hockey, other than

6035-438: The same climatic zone. Interstate System U.S. Routes Western New York has two airports that provide significant regular passenger service, Buffalo-Niagara International Airport and Greater Rochester International Airport . Buffalo-Niagara International Airport is the most patronized airport facility in Western New York. While it primarily serves as the regional airport for the Buffalo-Niagara Falls Metropolitan Area ,

6120-442: The same or similar dish under other names, usually containing the word "plate". The Rochester Red Wings baseball team concessions at Frontier Field , for example, offer the "Home Plate". A component of the garbage plate and many other local dishes is a topping known in Rochester as "hot sauce." The term in this context does not refer to a pepper sauce , but to a spiced sauce containing bits of meat. Another food associated with

6205-592: The same period in American history , so the street patterns, architecture , and ethnic communities share a similar appearance. Linguistically, Western New York is part of the Inland North region of American English, which means it is subject to the Northern Cities vowel shift ; a distinct variant of that accent, " Buffalo English ", is heard in many parts of the region. Finally, most Western New York sports fans support

6290-572: The sandwich. Butter lambs are a popular tradition in Buffalo during the Lenten season leading into Easter . The Broadway Market, a market in Buffalo, is famous for this product. The Rochester area is known for the Garbage Plate . It was created and continues to be served by Nick Tahou Hots on West Main Street. The name "Garbage Plate" is trademarked by Nick Tahou's, but other Rochester restaurants serve

6375-490: The scene of various military actions. The two major Western New York cities, Buffalo and Rochester, benefited greatly from the opening of the Erie Canal . With its strategic position at the western end of the Erie Canal, the eastern end of Lake Erie and proximity to Niagara Falls and Canada, Buffalo emerged as a major port. Niagara Falls provided Buffalo with a ready supply of power, so much so that one of its enduring nicknames

6460-590: The southwestern corner of New York State, along the New York- Pennsylvania border, is the westernmost of New York's counties. Chautauqua Lake is located in the center of the county, and Lake Erie is its northern border. Part of the Eastern Continental Divide runs through Chautauqua County. The area that drains into the Conewango Creek (including Chautauqua Lake) eventually empties into

6545-537: The states' Revolutionary War debts, the states were required to extinguish their western land claims . Massachusetts extinguished its claim to the territory in exchange for receiving the profits from its sale to settlers. New York was the only colony not to extinguish its western claim, and by way of the 1786 Treaty of Hartford , the land, with the exception of a small triangle that was ceded to Pennsylvania in 1792 , officially became Western New York. (Had New York extinguished its claim, it would have likely become part of

6630-478: The term Western New York to describe a much larger area consisting of 17 counties. In addition to those counties mentioned, they add Chemung , Livingston , Monroe , Ontario , Schuyler , Seneca , Steuben , Wayne , and Yates as well. The rest of this article uses that definition. The 17 counties have a land area of 11,764 square miles (30,470 km ). They include the area of the Holland Purchase and

6715-564: The unsettled territory, as did New France until the Seven Years' War . Most of Western New York was officially off-limits to all of the colonies as a result of the establishment of an Indian Reserve over the area following the Seven Years' War. By the 1780s, only New York and Massachusetts still maintained their claims to the territory, which was separated from mainland New York by a Preemption Line . Under federal policy designed to extinguish

6800-543: The vague and broader term Upstate New York. Western New York is generally considered to have 2-4 subregions: The Greater Niagara Region (or the Niagara Frontier), comprises Niagara and Erie counties and parts of Genesee and Wyoming counties. It is named for its major features, the Niagara river and Niagara Falls . Buffalo is its largest urban center. The Chautauqua–Allegheny Region (also known as Southwestern New York or

6885-400: The watershed's history, wildlife, local fisheries, and related topics. Other planned activities included a poker run, special fall celebration, creek cleanup, photo contest, and public water safety courses. The association also planned to explore starting a pilot stream ambassador program. The water of the Conewango sustains two rare fish species. The burbot , once common in the headwaters of

6970-580: Was 6.11% (8,241 people). In terms of ancestry, 25% were German , 16% were Italian , 12.8% were Swedish , 16% were English , 10.6% were Polish , 14.9% were Irish and 3.2% were of American ancestry according to the 2010 Census . 92.9% spoke English and 4.1% Spanish as their first language. The age distribution was 21.83% of the population under the age of 18, 3.82% (5,155 people) ages 18 and 19, 7.50% (10,113 people) ages 20–24, 10.37% (13,985 people) ages 25–34, 18.83% (25,406 people) ages 35–49, 21.07% (28,419 people) ages 50–64, and 16.59% (22,381 people) over

7055-528: Was another route serving Western New York, traveling south to Baltimore via Olean and Harrisburg ; this train was discontinued in 1967, but an unnamed Penn Central (PC) successor lasted through April 30, 1971, when AMTRAK assumed most of the remaining U.S. rail passenger service but declined to serve the Baltimore-Harrisburg-Buffalo route of the former PRR/PC. The Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad and WNY&P both operate freight service in

7140-489: Was invited to vote online for the designation from November 10 through December 15, 2014, choosing from among five waterways across the state. The winning organization was the Conewango Creek Watershed Association, a non-profit organization based in North Warren, Pennsylvania , who received a $ 10,000 grant intended to be used to integrate the "River of the Year" message into a river sojourn focusing on

7225-402: Was organized in 1874 by Methodist minister John Heyl Vincent and businessman Lewis Miller in the county at a campsite on the shores of Chautauqua Lake . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 1,500 square miles (3,900 km ), of which 1,060 square miles (2,700 km ) is land and 440 square miles (1,100 km ) (29%) is water. Chautauqua County, in

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