Avon, New York

For the village located within this town, see Avon (village), New York.
Avon
Town
Nickname(s): Corn Village
Avon

Location of Avon in New York

Coordinates: 42°54′43″N 77°44′46″W / 42.91194°N 77.74611°W / 42.91194; -77.74611Coordinates: 42°54′43″N 77°44′46″W / 42.91194°N 77.74611°W / 42.91194; -77.74611
Country United States
State New York
County Livingston
Settled 1789
Established 1789
Renamed 1808
Government
 • Type Town Council
 • Town Supervisor David LeFeber (R)
 • Town Council
Area
 • Total 41.2 sq mi (107 km2)
Population (Census 2010)[1]
 • Total 7,146
 • Density 170/sq mi (67/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
Website www.Avon-NY.org

Avon is a town in Livingston County, New York, United States. The town is bordered on the north by the town of Rush, New York in Monroe County. Avon is south of Rochester. The population was 7,146 at the 2010 census.[1] The town is named after the river Avon. The town has a village within it also called Avon.

History

After the Iroquois title to the land was extinguished in 1788 with the Phelps and Gorham Purchase, white settlement of the area around what would be Avon began. In 1789, Dr. Timothy Hosmer, Maj. Isaiah Thompson, William Wadsworth, and others from Hartford, Connecticut purchased a tract east of the Genesee River and named it Hartford after their homeland. The town's name was changed to Avon in 1808 to avoid confusion with another Hartford in Washington County. In 1818, part of the town was removed to form the new town of Rush. County lines shifted as well, Avon and Rush both being part of Ontario County until the formation of Livingston County and Monroe County) in 1821.

The first permanent settler of Avon was Gilbert Berry in 1789, who operated a tavern and a rope ferry on the east bank of the Genesee River until his death in 1797. His widow Maria Berry continued hospitably serving travelers in the inn until about 1812. Other firsts of Avon include the first gristmill built by Capt. John Ganson in northwest Avon in 1789 and the first sawmill in 1797 on the Conesus Outlet built by Dr. Hosmer.[2]

Mineral springs were an important resource of the early town. Beginning in the 1820s, people became interested in water as a therapy for all sorts of maladies, and mineral waters in particular for their reputed health benefits and even as cures. Avon, redolent in natural springs, soon became extremely popular with the afflicted. The wealthy, too, seeking relaxation and leisure, flocked to the town from far and wide. Numerous hotels and spas sprang up to take advantage of this fad, and bottling companies packaged the mineral water for sale. By the late 1890s to early 1900s, most of the hotels that had not closed due to the decline of the spa era had succumbed to fire or were soon razed.

Some popular points of historic interest in Avon include:

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 41.2 square miles (106.8 km²), of which, 41.2 square miles (106.6 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (0.15%) is water.

The north town line is the border of Monroe County. The Genesee River defines the west town line, flowing past Avon village. Conesus Creek flowing from Conesus Lake flows into the Genesee west of Avon village.

US Route 20 and New York State Route 5 are east-west highways across the town, and intersect New York State Route 39 in Avon village. New York State Route 15 is another north-south highway in the eastern part of the town. Interstate 390 connects the town to areas north and south.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18201,933—
18302,36222.2%
18402,99927.0%
18502,809−6.3%
18602,9103.6%
18703,0384.4%
18803,45913.9%
18903,179−8.1%
19003,071−3.4%
19103,43211.8%
19203,350−2.4%
19303,5666.4%
19403,509−1.6%
19503,7256.2%
19604,40418.2%
19706,11738.9%
19806,1851.1%
19906,2831.6%
20006,4432.5%
20107,16411.2%
Est. 20147,024[5]−2.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 6,443 people, 2,525 households, and 1,732 families residing in the town. The population density was 156.5 people per square mile (60.4/km²). There were 2,671 housing units at an average density of 64.9 per square mile (25.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.87% White, 1.54% Black or African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.71% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races, and 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.38% of the population.

There were 2,525 households out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were non-families. 25.9% 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 2.52 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the town the population was spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $43,971, and the median income for a family was $54,315. Males had a median income of $40,654 versus $25,559 for females. The per capita income for the town was $22,379. About 6.2% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in the Town of Avon

Historic First Presbyterian Church of Avon

Notable people

Avon commerce

References

  1. 1 2 3 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  2. ↑ Preston, Marie (1976). Avon: Heart of the Genesee Country. Avon, NY: Avon Herald-News, Inc.
  3. ↑ "National Register of Historic Places Listings". Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 1/03/12 through 1/06/12. National Park Service. 2012-01-13.
  4. 1 2 3 Staff (2009-03-13). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  5. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  7. ↑ Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.

External links

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