Elma, New York facts for kids

For other places with this name, see Elma.

Quick facts for kids Elma
Town
Town of Elma
Nickname(s):  The Heart of Erie County
Location in Erie County and New York.
Location of New York in the United States
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Erie
Settlement	1827
Incorporated	1857
Named for	American Elm
Area
• Total	34.53 sq mi (89.44 km2)
• Land	34.52 sq mi (89.41 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)
Elevation	869 ft (265 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	11,721
• Density	341.88/sq mi (132.00/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	14059
Area code(s)	716
FIPS code	36-029-24130
FIPS code	36-24130
GNIS feature ID	0978937

Elma, New York (2007)

Elma is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. In 2020, about 11,721 people lived there. The town gets its name from the American elm tree.

Elma is located in the central part of Erie County. It is southeast of the larger city of Buffalo.

History of Elma

How Elma Was Settled and Named

People first started settling in the Elma area around 1827. Some of the first residents were members of a group called the Ebenezer Society.

Elma was the last town to be officially formed in Erie County. The name "Elma" came from a very large American elm tree. This tree grew at the corner of what are now Clinton and Bowen Roads.

In 1852, a post office was needed for the local lumber mill. A resident suggested naming it after this famous elm tree. The name was accepted, and the new Elma Post Office opened. It started receiving mail three times a week.

The town of Elma was officially created in 1857. It was formed from parts of the nearby towns of Aurora and Lancaster.

Famous People from Elma

Elma has been home to several notable individuals.

• Fran Striker: He was the creator of famous characters like the Lone Ranger and the Green Hornet. Sadly, he died in a car accident in Elma in 1962 while moving with his family.

• Thurman Thomas: This well-known running back for the Buffalo Bills football team opened a sports training center in Elma in 2007.

Other famous people connected to Elma include:

• James Bradley, a musician and drummer
• Jackson C. Frank, a folk musician
• Patrick Gallivan, a New York state senator
• Jake Kaminski, an Olympic archer
• Les Kuntar, a retired NHL hockey goalie
• Frank Lazarus, a former president of the University of Dallas
• Otto Orf, a retired soccer goalkeeper
• James A. Pawelczyk, an astronaut

Geography of Elma

Land and Water Area

According to the United States Census Bureau, Elma covers about 89.43 square kilometers (34.53 square miles). Most of this area, about 89.40 square kilometers (34.52 square miles), is land. Only a small part, about 0.03 square kilometers (0.01 square miles), is water.

Important Roads

New York State Route 78 forms the western border of the town. The East Aurora Expressway (New York State Route 400) also passes through Elma.

Neighboring Towns and Cities

Elma shares its borders with several other towns:

• West Seneca - to the west
• Orchard Park - also to the west
• Aurora - to the south
• Wales - to the southeast
• Marilla - to the east
• Lancaster - to the north
• Cheektowaga - to the northwest

Major Highways in Elma

Several important highways run through or along the edge of Elma:

• U.S. Route 20 (Transit Road): This highway runs east-west but acts as a north-south road in Elma. It forms the western border with Orchard Park and West Seneca.
• New York State Route 16 (Seneca Street): This road runs northwest-southeast through the town.
• New York State Route 78 (Transit Road, Seneca Street): This road forms part of the western town line.
• New York State Route 187 (Transit Road): This road also forms part of the western boundary with Orchard Park.
• New York State Route 354 (Clinton Street): This route goes east-west through Elma, connecting West Seneca to Marilla.
• New York State Route 400 (Aurora Expressway): This highway runs generally east-west through the town.

Population and People

In 2000, there were 11,304 people living in Elma. These people made up 4,186 households and 3,294 families. The town had about 132 people per square kilometer (342 people per square mile).

Most of the people in Elma (99.09%) were White. Small percentages were African American, Native American, or Asian. About 0.60% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

About 32.6% of households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (70.0%) were married couples living together. About 9.6% of households had someone aged 65 or older living alone.

The average household size was 2.69 people, and the average family size was 3.08 people. The median age in the town was 42 years old. This means half the people were older than 42 and half were younger.

The median income for a household in Elma was $56,334. For families, the median income was $63,922. The average income per person was $25,960. A small number of families (2.3%) and people (3.4%) lived below the poverty line.

Communities and Places in Elma

Elma is made up of several smaller communities and locations:

• Blossom – A small community in the northwest part of town. It was an important place for the Ebenezer Society.
• Cotton District – A community northeast of Elma Center. It was named after several families called Cotton who lived there.
• East Elma – A community in the southeast part of Elma.
• Elma Center – A community near the center of the town.
• Elma Village – A community near the northern town line.
• Jamison Road – A community southeast of Elma Center.
• Spring Brook – A community on Route 16 near the western town line.
• Buffalo Creek – A stream that flows westward through the northern part of Elma. The city of Buffalo gets its name from this stream.
• Cazenovia Creek – A stream that flows northward through the southwest part of Elma.
• Billington Heights – A housing development built in 1955 in the southeast part of Elma.

Schools in Elma

Public schools in Elma are part of the Iroquois Central School District. This district is often ranked as one of the best public school districts in Western New York. It has about 3,000 students.

The district organizes its students in a unique way:

• Three primary schools for students in kindergarten through 3rd grade.
• An intermediate school for students in 4th and 5th grade.
• A middle school for students from 6th to 8th grade.
• A high school for students in 9th to 12th grade.

The primary schools (Elma Primary, Marilla Primary, and Wales Primary) are in their own towns. However, the intermediate, middle, and high schools are all on one large campus in Elma. This campus is located at 2111 Girdle Road.

The high school and middle school are separated by the intermediate school. This helps keep the different age groups apart. The three buildings are connected by walkways, but students usually stay in their own building. Each school building has its own gym, cafeteria, library, and offices.

The school district has a lot of open land around its schools. This provides space for younger students to play and older students to do extracurricular activities. Recently, a large field across from the high school was developed. It now includes a parking lot for students and fields for soccer and lacrosse teams. The middle school library was also updated, and a new wing of classrooms was added to the high school. There are also plans to renovate the high school music department.

Businesses and Industry

Elma is home to the main office for Elmhurst 1925, a company that makes beverages. The Made In America Franchise also has its headquarters here. Moog, an aerospace engineering company, also has a location in Elma.

Fire Companies

The town of Elma has four volunteer fire companies. These are groups of people who volunteer their time to fight fires and help in emergencies. They are:

• Blossom Fire Company
• Elma Fire Company
• Jamison Road Fire Company
• Spring Brook Fire Company

Blossom Fire Company is one of the oldest in the county, started in 1872.

See also

In Spanish: Elma (Nueva York) para niños