Cassadaga, New York

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Cassadaga, New York
settlement_type = Village
nickname =
motto =

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pushpin_label_position =
pushpin_map_caption =Location within the state of New York
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = New York
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Chautauqua
government_footnotes =
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leader_title =
leader_name =
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established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 2.7
area_land_km2 = 2.3
area_water_km2 = 0.5
area_total_sq_mi = 1.1
area_land_sq_mi = 0.9
area_water_sq_mi = 0.2

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 676
population_density_km2 = 295.9
population_density_sq_mi = 766.3

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 408
elevation_ft = 1339
latd = 42 |latm = 20 |lats = 29 |latNS = N
longd = 79 |longm = 18 |longs = 56 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 14718
area_code = 716
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 36-12749
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0945970
website =
footnotes =

Cassadaga is an incorporated village located in Chautauqua County, New York, in the United States. The village is located within the northeast corner of the Township of Stockton, east of the village of Stockton, south of and immediately adjacent to Lily Dale in the Town of Pomfret, and north of the village of Sinclairville.

History

"Cassadaga" is a Seneca Indian name meaning "water under the rocks", descriptive not only of the natural springs of the area flowing from glacial moraines, but that in dry weather, many of the local streams would 'disappear': the spring fed water running wholly within the gravelly bottom of the stream beds draining from the surrounding hills.

The Village of Cassadaga was settled in 1848 at the headwaters of the technically navigable Cassadaga Creek, though the upper few miles of it are not practically so today due to numerous shallows and beaver activity along its course.

The village was formally incorporated in 1921.

Early settlers utilized the abundant and large trees (some exceeding 5' (1.5m) in diameter) as a primary source of income, often sent via log rafts and flatboat on the creek as timber, charcoal and pearl ash: the later two products in demand in the early industrial age.

The Dunkirk, Allegheny Valley and Pittsburgh Railroad, which laid track from Dunkirk, New York and eventually to Warren, Pennsylvania passed on the west side of the Cassadaga Lakes in the spring of 1871. The tracks ran through the then adjoining hamlet of Burnhams which was later annexed by the village. The Railroad contributed greatly to the economy of the area, both as a source of population growth and visitors to the lakes and rolling hills for recreation, and for transportation of the forest and farm products of the area to more urban centers, as well as for ice harvested from the lakes in winter for refrigeration. The Webster Citizens Company ice house stood on the west shore of the Upper Lake with a three car rail siding to serve it, and was listed as a railroad business as late as 1931. The Cassadaga Spring Water Company had a siding on the Middle lake where it bottled water from a leased spring on the north side of the Glenn Halladay farm for shipment by rail to city customers primarily in Buffalo, New York, though it had ceased operations by the late 1920s as municipal water supply systems improved. The rail line was abandoned after extensive flood damage near Sinclairville from hurricane Agnes in 1972, and subsequently removed.

Geography

Cassadaga is located in the foothills of the Allegheny Range in the Southern Tier of New York State at 42°20'29" North, 79°18'56" West (42.341343, -79.315653)GR|1 at an elevation of about 1340' above sea level. The village is located at the south end of the Lower Cassadaga Lake, Lily Dale being located on the east shore of the Upper Cassadaga Lake, with a narrow "Middle lake" connecting them. The mainly spring fed lakes drain into Cassadaga Creek, running south and connecting to the Conewango Creek, the Allegheny River, the Ohio River, and the Mississippi River flowing to the Gulf of Mexico, despite getting their start roughly 10 miles (15km) south and east of Lake Erie, one of the Great Lakes, which drain via the Saint Lawrence River east to the Atlantic Ocean. The watershed divide is located about 2 miles (3.3km) north of the Village.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.7 km²), of which, 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 km²) of it (16.04%) is water.

The soils are glacial in nature, ranging from deep gravel loams in the valleys to heavy clays on the hill tops. Springs are fairly common, though somewhat high in mineral content (calcium, sulphur and iron, depending greatly on location).

New York State Route 60, the principle north south route through the County, runs through the village and intersects with US Route 20, convert|7|mi|km to the north at Fredonia, the New York State Thruway (aka Interstate 90) 8.5 miles to the north at Dunkirk, and Interstate 86, convert|17|mi|km to the south at Jamestown.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 676 people, 277 households, and 186 families residing in the village. The population density was 766.3 people per square mile (296.6/km²). There were 315 housing units at an average density of 357.1/sq mi (138.2/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 96.89% White, 0.30% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 1.04% from other races, and 1.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.66% of the population.

Of the 277 village households, 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.0% were married couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.04.

The ages of population are well spread out with 22.8% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 101.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.2 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $43,359, and the median income for a family was $52,500. Males had a median income of $32,083 versus $21,500 for females. The per capita income for the village was $20,361. About 1.6% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

There are two churches in the Village proper.: one Catholic, and the other Baptist, reflecting the religious heritages of the early area settlers, though there are Amish and Mennonites in the immediate area and those of other beliefs as well. The Catholic Church has reduced its services, now being used rarely.

The village and environs are served by a volunteer fire department and ambulance squad, and are part of the County Mutual Aid Plan.

Recreation

The lakes contains a variety of fish including Bass, Carp, Crappie, Muskellunge, Northern Pike, Perch, Trout and Walleye. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) regular and special [ [http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/31434.html Chautauqua County Special Fishing Regulations] ] regulations apply, and with very few exceptions, a NY fishing license is required. [ [http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/6091.html DEC fishing license info] ] As of 2007, live bait must not be transported to or from other areas, and when State certified and sold for local use, they are to be used or disposed of locally to prevent the potential spread of diseases.

Hunting both small and large game is a popular activity for visitors and area residents, partially as evidenced by the Fire Department's annual gun raffle held in April, which has on average raffled about 250 firearms each year for the past 14 years (as of 2007). State laws apply for firearm possession and transfers, and again, DEC regulations apply and licenses are required for hunting. [ [http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/6094.html DEC hunting license info] ]

There is a free public boat launch maintained by the DEC on the north end of the middle lake with parking for vehicles and trailers, though the lakes are small enough to be paddled or rowed, and motor boat speed through much of the middle lake is limited to convert|5|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on.

There is a walking / jogging path around the lower and middle lakes (on the road shoulders) that is about convert|3|mi|km in length.

There is a public beach on the south east side of the lower lake off Park Street in the village that is generally open from mid June (when the water warms sufficiently) until Labor day, that has a life guard on duty and is free to village residents, but a small fee is charged to visitors. There is a basketball court adjoining the beach that is open approximately dawn to dusk when weather allows.

Cassadaga is along the route of two snowmobile trails that connect with over convert|100|mi|km of marked and groomed trails in the county for winter riding. State Department of Motor Vehicles regulations apply. [ [http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/dmvfaqs.htm#Snowmobiles NYS DMV Snowmobile FAQ] ] [ [http://www.nysparks.state.ny.us/snow/gen_info.asp NYS Office of Parks, snowmobile info] ]

Popular culture

* Cassadaga was the childhood home of Roxanne Pulitzer, one time wife of Herbert Pulitzer until their famous divorce in 1983. [ [http://www.divasthesite.com/Society_Divas/roxanne_pulitzer_a.htm Online bio of Roxanne Pulitzer's marriage years] ]

* The Flaming Lips recorded their albums "The Soft Bulletin", "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" and "At War with the Mystics" in Cassadaga's Tarbox Studios.

* In 2007 Bright Eyes released their album "Cassadaga". However, this album's title was in reference to the town of Cassadaga, FL.

References

External links

* [http://www.co.chautauqua.ny.us/municipal/cassadaga.htm Cassadaga village government]

* Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency listing on Village of Cassadaga http://www.co.chautauqua.ny.us/municipal/cassadaga.htm
* [http://www.s363.com/images/dkny/davmap.gifMap of the DAV&P, cira 1880.]