Wellsville, New York

Wellsville, New York
Town
Main Street Main Street
Wellsville Location in the state of New York
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Allegany
Government
• Type	Town Council
• Town Supervisor	Darwin Fanton (R)
• Town Council	Members' List • Thomas Hennessy (R) • Timothy McNulty (R) • Ronald G. Taylor (R) • Shad Alsworth (R)
Area
• Total	36.7 sq mi (95.0 km2)
• Land	36.6 sq mi (94.9 km2)
• Water	0.04 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation	1,505 ft (459 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	7,397
• Density	202/sq mi (77.9/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST)
ZIP code	14895
FIPS code	36-003-79103
Website	townofwellsvilleny.org

Wellsville is a town in rural Allegany County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 7,397.

Wellsville is centrally located in the south half of the county, 8 miles (13 km) north of the Pennsylvania border. Wellsville is also the name of the main village within this town. The village and the town have two separate, paid governments. Alfred State College maintains a branch campus in the town, with the main campus in Alfred 7 miles (11 km) east.

History

The development of the Erie Railroad in 1851 helped grow the town, but more so the village.

In 2006, the residents of the Village of Wellsville defeated a referendum that would have dissolved the village and returned the community to the town.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 36.7 square miles (95.0 km²), of which 36.6 square miles (94.9 km²) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²), or 0.10%, is water.

The Genesee River flows northward through the town.

New York State Route 417 intersects New York State Route 19 at Wellsville village, and NY 19 intersects New York State Route 248 by the south town line in Stannards.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1860	2,432		—
1870	3,781		55.5%
1880	4,259		12.6%
1890	4,765		11.9%
1900	4,981		4.5%
1910	5,663		13.7%
1920	6,171		9.0%
1930	6,909		12.0%
1940	7,641		10.6%
1950	8,555		12.0%
1960	8,278		−3.2%
1970	8,368		1.1%
1980	8,658		3.5%
1990	8,116		−6.3%
2000	7,678		−5.4%
2010	7,397		−3.7%
Est. 2014	7,213		−2.5%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of the census of 2000, there were 7,678 people, 3,192 households, and 1,924 families residing in the town. The population density was 209.4 people per square mile (80.9/km²). There were 3,606 housing units at an average density of 98.4 per square mile (38.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.65% White, 0.53% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 1.24% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. 0.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,192 households out of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.7% were non-families. 33.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the town the population was spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $30,098, and the median income for a family was $39,705. Males had a median income of $36,302 versus $23,387 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,744. 16.0% of the population and 10.6% of families were below the poverty line. 17.9% of those under the age of 18 and 9.2% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Events and entertainment

The Great Wellsville Balloon Rally is the largest annual event in the Wellsville area, attracting balloonists and tourists from many parts of the country who participate in the event on the third weekend of every July. The rally was started by Ray Stevens in 1975. The event has received coverage by the national media, including the Today show.

The Ridgewalk & Run trail race event has been staged every year since 1993. The 2008 event included a 5K and 10K trail run and a more challenging 14-mile trail run. Participants could also choose to enter one of the walking races of 2, 6, 9 or 14 miles.

The Wellsville Creative Arts Center opened on September 9, 2006, in the old Carter Hardware building downtown. Entrepreneur Andy Glanzman's addition to the struggling downtown provides classes in ceramics and cooking. The center also includes the Coffee House where live music shows are staged almost every weekend.

The Great Wellsville Trout Derby is hosted by the Wellsville Lions Club during the last full weekend in April.

Notable people

• Kristin Beck, former, honorary, United States Navy SEAL, who gained public attention in 2013 when she came out as a trans woman. Kristin continues to pave the way for tolerance and acceptance of the LBGT community.
• Gabby Hayes, actor in many western movies
• Billy Packer, former sports broadcaster and author, born in Wellsville
• John Rigas, founder of Adelphia Communications Corporation, former owner of Buffalo Sabres
• Ted Taylor, nuclear physicist who became a nuclear disarmament advocate
• William Duke, horse trainer for W.K.Vanderbilt; won Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and French Derby; Racing Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs

In popular culture

The Nickelodeon television series The Adventures of Pete & Pete, which ran from 1993 to 1996, is set in Wellsville. Though the state is never explicitly mentioned, New York license plates can be seen at various points in the series, and geographic clues indicate the show's setting is in New York or that vicinity. The show was taped at various locations in North Jersey.

Communities and locations in the town of Wellsville

• Dykes Creek – A stream that joins the Genesee River in Wellsville village, named after Allegany County's and Wellsville's first settler, Nathaniel Dike. (But the spelling on modern maps has been corrupted.)
• Pink House- Large pink mansion located near Main Street and Wellsville Middle High School. Created by E.B. Hall for his wife.
• Elm Valley – A hamlet by the east town line on Route 417.
• Norton Summit – A location west of the airport on the town line.
• Stannards – A hamlet on the south town line, south of Wellsville village at the junction of Route 19 and route 248.
• Wellsville – The Village of Wellsville is at the Genesee River and the intersection of Routes 19 and 417.
• Wellsville Municipal Airport, Tarantine Field (ELZ) – A general aviation airport, which also provides charter services, is located on a hill west of Wellsville village.

External links

• Town of Wellsville official website
• Wellsville Airport
• Short historical note about Wellsville
• Wellsville Central School
• The Great Wellsville Balloon Rally official site
• Ridgewalk & Run official site
• Wellsville Creative Arts Center