Orchard Park (town), New York

"Orchard Park, New York" redirects here. For the village within the town, see Orchard Park (village), New York.

Coordinates: 42°45′43″N 78°44′29″W / 42.76194°N 78.74139°W / 42.76194; -78.74139

Orchard Park
Town
Village of Orchard Park
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Erie County
Elevation	866 ft (264 m)
Coordinates	42°45′43″N 78°44′29″W / 42.76194°N 78.74139°W / 42.76194; -78.74139
Area	38.6 sq mi (100 km2)
- land	38.5 sq mi (100 km2)
- water	0.1 sq mi (0 km2), 0.26%
Population	29,054 (2010)
Density	753 / sq mi (290.7 / km2)
Incorporated	1850
Town Supervisor	Janis A. Colarusso (D) Town Council David R. Kaczor (D, R) Edward J. Graber, Jr. (R) Nancy W. Ackerman (R) Eugene L. Majchrzak (R)
Timezone	EST (UTC-5)
- summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	14127
Area code	716
FIPS code	36-55266
GNIS feature ID	0979318
Location of Orchard Park in Erie County
Location of Orchard Park in New York
Location of New York in the United States
Website: http://www.orchardparkny.org

Orchard Park is a town in Erie County, New York, a suburb southeast of Buffalo, New York. According to the 2010 census, the population is 29,054. This represents an increase of 5.13% from the 2000 census figure^[1]. The town contains a village also named Orchard Park. Orchard Park is one of the "Southtowns" of Erie County.

History

In 1803 Didymus C. Kinney and wife Phebe (Hartwell) purchased land and built a cabin in the southwest corner of the township. The following year, a migration of Quaker settlers began.

The town was separated from the Town of Hamburg in 1850 and was first named the town of Ellicott, after Joseph Ellicott, an agent of the Holland Land Company. Within months, the name was changed to the town of East Hamburgh. Around 1934, the town was renamed Orchard Park after its principal settlement.

In the early 1900s a large fire burned down most of the central part of the village of Orchard Park around South Buffalo Street.

Geography

Orchard Park is located at 42°45′43″N 78°44′29″W / 42.76194°N 78.74139°W / 42.76194; -78.74139 (42.762159, -78.741405)^[2]. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 38.6 square miles (99.9 km²), of which, 38.5 square miles (99.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (0.18%) is water.

US 219 passes through the west part of the town and forms junctions with US 20A (Quaker Street) and NY 179 (Milestrip Road).

US 20 (Southwestern Boulevard) passes through the north part of the town and forms a junction with NY 277 and NY 240 (Orchard Park Road).

Demographics

As of the census^[3] of 2010, there were 28,272 people, 11,553 households, and 7,656 families residing in the town. The population density was 717.7 people per square mile (277.1/km²). There were 10,644 housing units at an average density of 276.4 per square mile (106.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.9% White, 0.48% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, .90% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.96% of the population.

There were 10,277 households out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.3% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 22.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the town the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $78,424, and the median income for a family was $95,906. About 1.1% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line.

Communities and locations in the Town of Orchard Park

• Armor – A hamlet at the west town line.
• Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railroad Station - a former railroad station listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Chestnut Ridge Park – A popular county park with a wide range of activities is located in the south section of the town of Orchard Park on Chestnut Ridge Road (Route 277).
• Duells Corner – A hamlet south of Orchard Park village.
• Ellicott – A hamlet south of Orchard Park village.
• Erie Community College – The official location of the south campus, although most of the campus is in the adjacent town of Hamburg.
• Loveland – A hamlet on the east town line.
• Orchard Park – A village located at the junction of Routes 240 and U.S. 20A.
• Ralph Wilson Stadium – The home stadium of the NFL's Buffalo Bills lies on the western edge of the town.
• Webster Corners – A hamlet north of the village of Orchard Park by the intersection of Webster and Orchard Park Roads.

Education

The Orchard Park Central School District has four elementary schools (Eggert, Ellicott, South Davis, and Windom)(Grades K-5), the Orchard Park Middle School(Grades 6-8), and the Orchard Park High School. The mascot for the Orchard Park School District is the Quaker.

Principals: Eggert: Mrs. Mary Lou Stahl Ellicott: Mr. Terry Spicola South Davis: Christine Rassow Windom: Mrs. Wendy Gloss Middle School: Mr. David Lilleck High School: Jonathan Wolf

Elementary School runs from 9:00-3:15. Middle School runs from 8:00-2:30. High School runs from 7:25-1:50.

Bryant and Stratton College is located in Orchard Park.

Erie Community College (ECC) is at the western town line.

Orchard Park also has a number of private, Catholic schools, including Nativity, St. John Vianney, and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

Culture

Art

The annual Quaker Arts Festival, an outdoor art and craft show, is held each year on the picturesque campus of the Orchard Park Middle School on the third weekend of September. It was organized in the 1960s by Orchard Parkers John Coleman of The Suburban Press and Chet Seymour of the Orchard Park Presbyterian Church, and was originally held on the grounds of the Orchard Park Presbyterian Church. In its early days, the festival was cosponsored by the newspaper and the church. The festival is now cosponsored by the Orchard Park Jaycees and R.W. Publications, publisher of the Orchard Park Press.

Music

Since 1985, under the direction of the Orchard Park Council of the Arts, local businesses and the Town of Orchard Park sponsor free outdoor musical entertainment throughout the summer at the Pavilion bandstand on the grounds of the Middle School.

Organized in 1949, the Orchard Park Symphony Orchestra, composed of more than 70 volunteer musicians, performs four regular concerts each year in the High School Auditorium.

The Orchard Park Chorale was founded in 1975 under the sponsorship of the Adult Education Program of the Orchard Park School District. It's more than fifty singers perform regularly at the Orchard Park Presbyterian Church.

Food

Orchard Park is home to Taffy's Hot Dog Stand at the corner of U.S. Route 20 and NY Rtes 240 & 277, and Eckl's Restaurant famous for roast beef on kummelweck rolls, located on Ellicott Rd south of the village. The town is also home of the 3000th Tim Hortons restaurant location.

Media

Print newspapers

• The Orchard Park Press - Weekly
• The Orchard Park Bee - Weekly

Sports

• Ralph Wilson Stadium, the home stadium of the NFL Buffalo Bills is located in Orchard Park.
• The Orchard Park High School football team won the 2008 New York State Public High School Class AA Championship.
• The Orchard Park High School baseball team won the 1988 State Championship.
• The Orchard Park High School volleyball team won the 2008 New York State Championship.
• The 1993 and 1994 Orchard Park Little League Baseball team won the New York State Championship.
• The Orchard Park Little League has baseball and softball divisions at all levels.
• The Orchard Park Starz girl's travel softball program is made up exclusively by Orchard Park players and competes in the Metro Girl's Softball Association.
• The Orchard Park Youth Basketball Association (OPYBA)
• The Orchard Park Little Loop Football

The Orchard Park Sox, an adult Men's Baseball team The Orchard Park Shock, a flag football team established in 2008

Notable residents – current and former

• Jim Burt, former NFL nose tackle for the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants
• Wray Carlton, former AFL halfback with the Buffalo Bills who scored the first-ever touchdown for the Bills
• Eric Herman, children's music entertainer
• Dave Hollins, former Major League Baseball player (Phillies, Minnesota Twins, Mariners)
• Rick James (1948–2004), musician
• Dick Jauron, former Coach of the NFL Buffalo Bills
• Jim Kelly, former professional football player, Buffalo Bills
• Lex Luger a.k.a. Lawrence ("Larry") Wendell Pfohl, former professional wrestler
• Travis Mayer, Olympic medalist in Freestyle Skiing
• Brian Moorman, current NFL professional punter for the Buffalo Bills
• John Murphy, the play-by-play announcer for the Buffalo Bills
• Terrell Owens, NFL wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals
• William Sadler, Actor; Saturn Award winner
• Josh Thomas, Defensive End for the NFL Indianapolis Colts
• Mary Travers, Executive Director of the Family Justice Center of Erie County.
• Craig Wolfley, former NFL professional offensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings
• Fred M. Adams, Western New York Baseball Hall of Fame
• Ron Wolfley, former NFL professional fullback for the Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns. Current radio analyst for Arizona Cardinals

References

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
3. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 

External links

• Village and Town information: Orchard Park
• Orchard Park GIS: Orchard Park