Portage (town), New York

Portage is a town in Livingston County, New York, USA. The name of the town stems from the need to portage (carry) canoes around the falls of the Genesee River.

The Town of Portage is in the southwest corner of Livingston County and is adjacent to the south end of Letchworth State Park.

History

The town was first settled around 1810. Portage was formed from part of the Town of Nunda in 1827.

The "High Bridge at Portage," built in 1853, was once considered an engineering wonder for wood construction. It was destroyed by a fire in 1875. That same year the bridge was rebuilt, using iron, which still stands today.

Geography

The western border of the town is formed by the Genesee River and the Genesee River Gorge. The west town line is the border of Wyoming County, New York |Wyoming County] , and the south town line is the border of Allegany County.

New York State Route 436 is an east-west highway across the town, that intersects New York State Route 70 west of the community of Oakland.

Adjacent Towns and areas

The Town of Portage is bounded on the east by the Town of Nunda and on the north by the Town of Mount Morris. To the south are the Towns of Granger and Grove in Allegany County, New York. To the west is the Town of Genesee Falls in Wyoming County, New York, on the opposite side of the Genesee River.

Demographics

Population (year 2000): 859. Estimated population in July 2005: 849 (-1.2% change), Males: 433 (50.4%), Females: 426 (49.6%).

Median resident age: 34.6 years, Median household income: $32,500 (year 2000), Median house value: $53,300 (year 2000). Racial breakdown: White Non-Hispanic (96.3%), Two or more races (2.2%), American Indian (1.2%), Hispanic (0.8%).Ancestries: German (30.8%), English (21.5%), Irish (18.7%), United States (6.8%), Italian (5.7%), Dutch (4.5%).

Communities and locations in Portage

*Dalton -- A hamlet on the east town line.
*Deowesta -- A former native town near the portage of the Genesee River.
*Hunt -- A hamlet west of Hunts Hollow on Main Street.
*Hunt's Hollow -- A hamlet on NY-70 in the center of the town.
*Keshequa Creek -- A stream flowing through the town.
*Letchworth State Park -- The southern part of the state park is next to the town.
*Oakland -- A hamlet in the northern part of the town on Route 436.
*Portage -- A hamlet on the western border of the town south of the Upper, Middle, and Lower Falls on the Genesee River. The hamlet in located on NY-436 across the river from Portageville, New York. It was formerly called "Portage Station."

ee also

* Portageville, New York

External links

* [http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyliving/town/portage.htm Brief early history of Portage, NY]
* [http://www.letchworthparkhistory.com/pbjournal.html High Bridge at Portage}