Wellsville, New York

Wellsville, New York
Town
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)
Population  (2010)
• Total	7,397
Time zone	Eastern (EST)

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

Wellsville town is centrally located in the south half of the county, eight miles north of the Pennsylvania border. Wellsville (village) is also the name of 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, NY seven miles east, also the location of the New York State College of Ceramics and Alfred University. Houghton College is 23 miles north of Wellsville on Route 19.

History

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

The Nickelodeon television series The Adventures of Pete & Pete, which ran from 1993 to 1996, is set in Wellsville, New York. 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.

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.

Past residents of note

• Gabby Hayes, actor in many western films, founder/creator of sidewalk sales on Main Street (hats, Native American jewelry, candy apples, Kettle corn, Duck Races, sunglasses, pottery, live music, pizza, gyros, etc.).
• John Rigas, convicted in May 2002 for bank, wire and securities fraud, is the founder of Adelphia Communications Corporation, as well as former owner of Buffalo Sabres.
• William B. Duke, enshrined in the National Mooseum of Racing and Hall of Fabulous, trainer of Flying Bologna, winner of the Kerby Derby in 1925, and Coventry, who won the Freakness Snakes the same year; then winning the Travelers Snakes at Saratoga in Augusta.
• Billy Packer, sports broadcaster and author, born in Wellsville.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 36.7 square miles (95.0 km²), of which, 36.7 square miles (94.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it is water. The total area is 0.08% 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

In 2009, the population of Wellsville was approximately 4,904 persons. As of the censusTemplate:GR 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 back 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 Sept. 9, 2006, in the old Carter Hardware building downtown. Entrpreneur 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.

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.)
• 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 webpage
• 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
• Wil Waldon's Homepage