Franklinville (town), New York

Franklinville is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 3,128 at the 2000 census.

The Town of Franklinville is an interior town, located in the northeast quadrant of the county. Franklinville is also the name of a village in the town.

History

The town was first settled around 1806. First settled by Joseph McClure and known then as McClure Settlement. The Town of Franklinville was established in 1824 from the Town of Olean. Franklinville was also called "Hebe" and "Ischua" before adopting its current name.

The size of Franklinville was reduced by the formation of new towns in the county: Perrysburg ( 1814), Ellicottville, Freedom and Yorkshire (1820), Farmersville (1821), and Lyndon (1829).

Past Residents of Note

In 1999, Kimberly Pressler who hails from Franklinville, won the Miss USA title.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 52.0 square miles (134.6 km²), of which, 51.8 square miles (134.2 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (0.35%) is water.

New York State Route 16 and New York State Route 98 are important (basically north-south) highways in the town. New York State Route 242 cuts across the northwest corner of the town.

Ischua Creek flows southward through the town, having formed the Ischua Valley.

Adjacent towns and areas

Franklinville is west of the Town of Lyndon and south of the Towns of Machias and Farmersville. It is north of the Towns of Humphrey and Ischua and east of Town of Ellicottville.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 3,128 people, 1,205 households, and 848 families residing in the town. The population density was 60.4 people per square mile (23.3/km²). There were 1,569 housing units at an average density of 30.3/sq mi (11.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.43% White, 0.10% Black or African American, 0.51% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.03% from other races, and 0.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.48% of the population.

There were 1,205 households out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 24.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the town the population was spread out with 28.5% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $31,992, and the median income for a family was $37,250. Males had a median income of $28,684 versus $21,618 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,035. About 9.8% of families and 13.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.9% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in the Town of Franklinville

*Cadiz -- A hamlet south of Franklinville village on NY Route 16 by its junction with County Road 69. Cadiz was once the center of commerce for the area. The Ischua Creek hosted the Mill and the Post office in a house now owned by Brian Edmister. The original mill stones can still be seen across the street at the historical society. One of the mill stones is located near the creek under a fence post.
*Devereaux -- A hamlet in the northwest part of the town on NY Route 242.
*Fancy Tract -- A location in the northwest part of the town.
*Fitch -- A hamlet at the south town on County Road 19.
*Franklinville -- The Village of Franklinville is in the northeast part of the town on NY Routes 16 and 98.
*The Narrows -- A hamlet west of Franklinville village on County Road 17.

Education

* Ten Broeck Academy and Franklinville Central School -- Established in 1867 by Peter Ten Broeck. Peter T. Ten Broeck, a native of Somerset County, New Jersey, was a successful farmer and county judge, and gave generously to the public of his funds and time. At the time of his death, he left a trust fund of $60,000 to be used for the building of an academy to provide free education (at a time when few scholars had the opportunity of continuing with their education beyond the eighth grade) for high school students in the area, said academy to be known as the Ten Broeck Free Academy. The academy later became a part of the Franklinville public school system, and the stone foundation at the present high school building in Franklinville came from the original Ten Broeck Free Academy stone structure.
* New Life Christian School -- Rte. 16, Franklinville, New York

Churches

* St. Philomena Roman Catholic Church -- 26 Plymouth Avenue, Franklinville, New York -- first organized in 1873
* First Baptist Church -- South Main Street, Franklinville, New York -- first organized in 1825
* Presbyterian Church -- 25 South Main Street, Franklinville, New York
* St. Barnabas Episcopal Mission -- North Main Street, Franklinville, New York
* Free Methodist Church -- South Main Street, Franklinville, New York
* Christian & Missionary Alliance -- Pine & Green Street, Franklinville, New York

Western New York Maple Festival

Held annually during the last weekend of April each year. The Western New York Maple Festival has occurred every year since its inception by the Franklinville JayCee's in 1962. The festival attracts tens of thousands of visitors to the village annually. It showcases local area maple producers and their delicious maple syrup and maple products. The event is highlighted by a pageant, a parade, pancake breakfast, ham and leek dinner, trade show, craft fair and dozens of vendors.

References

External links

* [http://www.franklinvilleny.org Town of Franklinville Website]
* [http://village.franklinvilleny.org Village of Franklinville Website]
* [http://chamber.franklinvilleny.org Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://maplefestival.franklinvilleny.org Western New York Maple Festival]
* [http://www.franklinville.wnyric.org Franklinville Central School website]