Fair Haven, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fair Haven, New York
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 Fair Haven, New York
Location in New York
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| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Cayuga |
| Town | Sterling |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.93 sq mi (7.60 km2) |
| • Land | 1.76 sq mi (4.56 km2) |
| • Water | 1.17 sq mi (3.04 km2) |
| Elevation | 285 ft (87 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 760 |
| • Density | 431.57/sq mi (166.63/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
13064
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| Area code(s) | 315 |
| FIPS code | 36-24988 |
| GNIS feature ID | 949802 |
Fair Haven is a small village in Cayuga County, New York. It is located right on the southern shore of Lake Ontario. In 2020, about 760 people lived there. Fair Haven is part of the town of Sterling and is northwest of Syracuse. The village sits on Little Sodus Bay, which is an arm of Lake Ontario.
Contents
History of Fair Haven
Fair Haven first became important as a port on Lake Ontario. In the mid-1800s, the openings in the sand bars on Little Sodus Bay were made wider. They were also protected by jetties, which are long structures built into the water. This made it easier for ships to use Fair Haven as a port.
Lighthouses and Railroads
Later, a wooden lighthouse was built on the west pier to guide ships. In 1873, a house for the lighthouse keeper was built on shore, and it is still there today. An inner lighthouse was added sometime after that.
The Southern Central Railroad came to Fair Haven in 1872. It brought summer tourists from places like Auburn to enjoy the waterfront parks. These parks were famous for having the best sand beaches on Lake Ontario.
The railroad also carried coal from Athens, Pennsylvania. The coal was loaded onto sail freighters from a long wooden trestle, which is like a bridge, on the east side of Little Sodus Bay. From there, it was shipped to Canada. Ice was also collected from the bay and sent by train to New York City. The trestle was taken down in 1937.
From Port to Park
When Fair Haven was no longer a busy port, it became a popular place for recreation. This was thanks to the new State Park.
The Presbyterian church building, made of brick, was built in 1882 after an older one burned down. In 1928, it joined with the local Methodist church. Today, it is called the Fair Haven Community Church.
In the late 1920s, land was bought to create Fair Haven Beach State Park. Construction started around 1930, with workers from the Civilian Conservation Corps helping to build it. This was a government program that put people to work during the Great Depression.
Local Attractions and Activities
The Little Red School House Museum helps preserve Fair Haven's railroad history. It has two floors of exhibits and a working railroad hand pump car that visitors can ride.
Today, camping, swimming, fishing, and boating are very popular in Fair Haven. The bay is surrounded by many cottages and homes. There has been an active yacht club on the west shore for over 100 years, and you can see many sailboats in the summer. The Pleasant Beach Hotel, which opened in 1910, is still open today.
A historic farm called Cottage Farm was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012. This means it's recognized as an important historical site.
Geography of Fair Haven
Fair Haven is located at 43°19′27″N 76°42′19″W / 43.32417°N 76.70528°W. It is about 31 miles (50 km) north of Auburn and 14 miles (23 km) southwest of Oswego. Kingston, Ontario, Canada, is about 55 miles (89 km) north across Lake Ontario.
Land and Water
The village covers a total area of about 2.93 square miles (7.6 square kilometers). About 1.76 square miles (4.5 square kilometers) of this is land, and 1.17 square miles (3.0 square kilometers) is water. This means a good part of Fair Haven is water!
Fair Haven is built around Little Sodus Bay, which is a bay on the south side of Lake Ontario. The bay is surrounded by hills called drumlins. The lake's water level is about 245 feet (75 meters) above sea level. The bay is usually about 30 feet (9 meters) deep and has several protected areas for boats.
There are two active marinas on the bay: Fair Point at the north end and Chinook Harbor at the south end.
Roads and Parks
NY Route 104A goes through the village. Fair Haven Beach State Park is located on Lake Ontario, right at the northern edge of the village. It's a great place for outdoor activities.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 532 | — | |
| 1880 | 621 | 16.7% | |
| 1890 | 738 | 18.8% | |
| 1900 | 610 | −17.3% | |
| 1910 | 571 | −6.4% | |
| 1920 | 552 | −3.3% | |
| 1930 | 562 | 1.8% | |
| 1940 | 471 | −16.2% | |
| 1950 | 628 | 33.3% | |
| 1960 | 764 | 21.7% | |
| 1970 | 859 | 12.4% | |
| 1980 | 976 | 13.6% | |
| 1990 | 895 | −8.3% | |
| 2000 | 884 | −1.2% | |
| 2010 | 745 | −15.7% | |
| 2020 | 760 | 2.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 884 people living in Fair Haven. There were 395 households, and 259 of them were families. The population density was about 503 people per square mile.
The average household had about 2.23 people, and the average family had about 2.67 people.
The population was spread out in terms of age:
- About 20.2% were under 18 years old.
- About 4.6% were between 18 and 24.
- About 23.9% were between 25 and 44.
- About 29.6% were between 45 and 64.
- About 21.6% were 65 years or older.
The median age in the village was 46 years. This means half the people were older than 46 and half were younger. For every 100 females, there were about 98.7 males.
See also
In Spanish: Fair Haven (Nueva York) para niños
