Allegany Indian Reservation facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Allegany Indian Reservation
Uhìya' (Tuscarora)
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Location of the Allegany Indian Reservation
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| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Cattaraugus County |
| Indian reservation | Seneca Nation |
The Allegany Reservation' (called Uhì·ya in the Tuscarora language) is a special area of land. It is a reservation for the Seneca Nation of Indians. You can find it in Cattaraugus County, New York, in the United States.
Most people living on the reservation are Native Americans, mainly from the Seneca Nation. Some people from the Cayuga Nation, another Iroquois group, also live there. There are also non-Native people who rent homes on the reservation land from the Seneca Nation.
Long ago, before the 1600s, other Iroquoian-speaking groups lived in this area. These included the Wenrohronon and Eriehronon people. Later, the powerful Seneca Nation became the main group in this region. This happened as the Iroquois Confederacy worked to control the important fur trade with European settlers.
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Where is the Allegany Reservation?
The Allegany Reservation covers about 43.7 square miles (113.1 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, but about 7.3 square miles (18.8 square kilometers) is water.
The reservation is located along both sides of the Allegheny River. It stretches across several towns in the southern part of Cattaraugus County. These towns include South Valley, Cold Spring, Salamanca, Great Valley, Red House, Carrollton, and a small part of Allegany. The City of Salamanca is also mostly inside the reservation boundaries.
Important Places on the Reservation
The main government offices for the Allegany Reservation are in a small community called Jimerson Town. This place is also known as jo:nya:tih in the Seneca language. It's located west of Salamanca.
The Seneca Nation government leadership changes every two years. They switch between Jimerson Town and Irving, which is on the Cattaraugus Reservation.
Other important communities on the reservation include:
- Highbanks: This area is south of Steamburg. It has homes, shops, a special school called Faithkeepers School, and a campground.
- Shongo: A quiet hamlet south of Jimerson Town.
- Kill Buck: A community where both Native and non-Native people live.
- The Junction: A business area near an exit on Interstate 86.
- Vandalia: The easternmost developed area on the reservation.
Many parts of the reservation, especially between Steamburg and Shongo, are undeveloped wilderness. This is a popular spot for hunting and outdoor activities for Native residents. Each of these areas also has a name in the Seneca language. These names are even shown on signs along Interstate 86.
The Kinzua Dam and Allegheny Reservoir
The Allegany Reservation was once next to the Cornplanter Tract. This was a special piece of land given to the Seneca chief Cornplanter and his family. It was the only reserved Native land in Pennsylvania.
In the 1930s, the U.S. government planned a large project to control floods on the Allegheny River. Construction on the Kinzua Dam began in 1961 and finished in 1965. This project created a large lake called the Allegheny Reservoir (also known as Kinzua Lake).
Building the dam meant that much of the Cornplanter Tract and a western part of the Allegany Reservation would be flooded. These areas became unlivable. The Seneca people were given new land at Jimerson Town and other areas in New York to build new homes.
Who Lives on the Allegany Reservation?
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 1,833 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,627 | −11.2% | |
| 1920 | 934 | −42.6% | |
| 1930 | 972 | 4.1% | |
| 1940 | 1,151 | 18.4% | |
| 1950 | 1,131 | −1.7% | |
| 1960 | 1,059 | −6.4% | |
| 1970 | 1,113 | 5.1% | |
| 1980 | 1,243 | 11.7% | |
| 1990 | 1,143 | −8.0% | |
| 2000 | 1,099 | −3.8% | |
| 2010 | 1,020 | −7.2% | |
| 2014 (est.) | 994 | −2.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In the year 2000, about 1,099 people lived on the Allegany Reservation (not counting the rented cities). Out of these, about 54% were Native American. About 42% were White, and smaller numbers were from other racial backgrounds.
The population includes people of all ages. In 2000, about 30% of the people were under 18 years old. About 14% were 65 years or older. The average age was 34 years old.
Notable People from Allegany Reservation
- Maxine Crouse Dowler (1933–2015), an educator.
- Maris Bryant Pierce (1811–1874), a Seneca chief, lawyer, and activist for land rights.
- Sanford Plummer, a Seneca painter.
- George Heron, a Seneca chief who spoke out against the Kinzua Dam.
- Traynor Ora Halftown, a host of children's TV shows in Philadelphia.
- Phyllis Bardeau (born 1934), a teacher of the Seneca Language.
