Brighton, Monroe County, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brighton
Town
Location in Monroe County and the state of New York.
Location of New York in the United States
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Monroe
Established	March 25, 1814; 211 years ago (1814-03-25)
Area
• Total	15.58 sq mi (40.34 km2)
• Land	15.41 sq mi (39.90 km2)
• Water	0.17 sq mi (0.44 km2)
Elevation	493 ft (150 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	37,137
• Density	2,409.93/sq mi (930.48/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	14610-14618-14620-14623-14625
Area code(s)	585
FIPS code	36-055-08246
Website	http://www.townofbrighton.org/

Brighton is a town in Monroe County, New York, in the United States. In 2020, about 37,137 people lived there. It is known for its good schools and suburban feel.

Brighton's Past: A Look at Its History

The town of Brighton is located southeast of the city of Rochester. This area was originally the home of the Onöndowa'ga:' (Seneca) people. They are part of the Ho-de-no-sau-nee-ga (Haudenosaunee) Confederacy, also known as the Iroquois.

French trappers visited the area in the 1600s, but they did not settle there. English colonists built the first permanent homes around 1790. The town was officially created in 1814. This makes Brighton one of the oldest towns in Monroe County. It was named after Brighton, England.

For a long time, Brighton was a farming community. It was also known for making bricks. In the 1900s, it started to change into a nice suburban area. The town bought 64 acres of land in 1999 to create a central park.

Two important historic places in Brighton are the Alcoa Care-free Home and the Stone-Tolan House. Both are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Brighton During the Civil War

During the Civil War, men from Brighton joined the Union Army. They helped form Company D of the 140th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment in September 1862. This regiment was put together in Rochester. At that time, Brighton had about 3,100 people.

The 140th New York Regiment fought in many major battles. These included the Battle of Gettysburg, The Battle of the Wilderness, and the Battle of Spotsylvania. They also took part in the Appomattox Courthouse Campaigns. The regiment finished its service on June 3, 1865.

Exploring Brighton: Geography and Landmarks

Brighton covers about 15.6 square miles (40.5 km²). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water. Brighton is located at 43°7′24″N 77°34′5″W / 43.12333°N 77.56806°W / 43.12333; -77.56806.

Brighton does not have one main village center anymore. The city of Rochester took over the old village area in 1905. The main shopping and entertainment spot is called the Twelve Corners. It gets its name because three roads meet there, creating 12 distinct corners. Many residents also shop at Pittsford Plaza or Eastview Mall.

Brighton High School and Twelve Corners Middle School are both located at the Twelve Corners.

Brighton's Neighbors and Waterways

Brighton shares its borders with several other places:

• To the northwest: The city of Rochester and the town of Irondequoit.
• To the south: The town of Henrietta.
• To the west: The Genesee River and the town of Chili.
• To the east: The towns of Pittsford and Penfield.

Brighton is about 60 miles (97 km) from Buffalo. It is also about 90 miles (145 km) from Syracuse.

The Erie Canal flows through Brighton. You can find the Erie Canal Heritage Trail alongside it. This trail is one of the longest continuous off-road trails in the United States.

Natural Areas in Brighton

The Pinnacle Hill Range is a group of hills formed by glaciers. These hills once had unique habitats, including old oak forests. Most of these areas have been changed or removed. However, some parts remain on Pinnacle Hill and Cobbs Hill. The area on Cobbs Hill is called Washington Grove and is very popular. Pinnacle Hill is the highest point in Rochester.

Brighton's largest wetland is a former clay-mining area. It is now a park called the Brickyard Trail, created in 2017. There is also a large wooded area in west Brighton called Lynch Woods Nature Park. From here, you can access the Lehigh Valley Trail. This trail connects to other trails like the Genesee Valley Greenway.

Brighton's Population and People

In 2000, Brighton had 35,588 people living in 15,854 households. About 24.7% of households had children under 18. Many households were married couples living together. About 36.3% of households were individuals living alone.

The average household size was 2.14 people. The average family size was 2.86 people. The median age in the town was 40 years old.

Education in Brighton: Schools and Colleges

Brighton High School, the only public high school in Brighton

Most of Brighton is served by the Brighton Central School District. This district is often ranked highly in national lists. For example, in 1998, it was ranked 5th by Newsweek. In 2007, Brighton High School was ranked 87th, higher than its nearby rival, Pittsford Mendon High School.

In 2007, U.S. News & World Report ranked Brighton High School #56 out of over 18,000 high schools in the U.S. In 2019, it was ranked #786 nationally.

Twelve Corners Middle School has received the "Schools to Watch" award multiple times. It is one of only ten middle schools in New York to earn this award.

Other School Districts Serving Brighton

Some parts of Brighton are served by different school districts:

• Northeastern Brighton: Penfield Central School District
• Some eastern parts: Pittsford Central School District
• Most of western Brighton: Rush–Henrietta Central School District
• Far western Brighton: Wheatland–Chili Central School District

Private Schools and Colleges

Brighton is also home to several private schools:

• The Harley School
• McQuaid Jesuit High School
• Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women
• St. Thomas More School
• Seton Catholic School

For higher education, Brighton has the main campus of Monroe Community College. It also has smaller campuses for Empire State College, Medaille College, and the University of Rochester.

Brighton Memorial Library

The Brighton Memorial Library serves the town of Brighton. It is located at 2300 Elmwood Avenue, on the town hall campus.

Famous People from Brighton

Many notable people have connections to Brighton:

• Charles August: Founder of Monro Muffler Brake.
• Al Cervi: A basketball hall-of-famer.
• Ernie Clement: A baseball player.
• David Diamond: A composer of classical music.
• Frederick Douglass (1818–1895): A famous social reformer, speaker, writer, and leader in the Underground Railroad.
• Winston Duke: An actor known for movies like Black Panther.
• Dana Fox: A screenwriter who wrote The Wedding Date.
• Walter Hagen (1892–1969): A golf legend who won 11 major championships.
• Howard Hanson: A composer.
• Shirley Jackson (1916–1965): Author of the famous short story The Lottery.
• David Cay Johnston: A Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for New York Times.
• David T. Kearns: Former CEO of Xerox and former deputy secretary of education.
• Robert L. King: Former assemblyman and chancellor of the State University of New York.
• Heidi "Hudson" Leick: Actress, known for playing "Callisto" in Xena: Warrior Princess.
• Jenna Marbles: A popular YouTube personality and entertainer.
• Linda Sue Park: A Newbery award-winning author.
• Arthur Schneider: A four-time Emmy Award winning television editor.
• Kristen Wiig: An actress known for Saturday Night Live and Bridesmaids.

Images for kids

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  A view of Crittenden Road Intersection in Brighton.

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  Map showing Brighton's location in Monroe County, New York.

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  Map showing the location of New York State in the United States.

See also

In Spanish: Brighton (condado de Monroe, Nueva York) para niños