Great Valley, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Great Valley, New York
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 Great Valley, New York
Location in New York
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| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Cattaraugus |
| Government | |
| • Type | Town Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 50.23 sq mi (130.08 km2) |
| • Land | 50.12 sq mi (129.81 km2) |
| • Water | 0.11 sq mi (0.27 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,460 ft (450 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,991 |
| • Estimate
(2022)
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1,969 |
| • Density | 39.72/sq mi (15.33/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
14741
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| Area code(s) | 716 |
| FIPS code | 36-009-30257 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0979015 |
Great Valley is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. In 2020, about 1,991 people lived there. The town gets its name from the local landscape, comparing it to a nearby area called Little Valley. It's located in the middle of Cattaraugus County, just northeast of the city of Salamanca.
Contents
A Look Back at Great Valley's History
People first started settling in the Great Valley area around 1812. The first small community, Kill Buck, began to form in 1818. The Town of Great Valley was officially created in 1818. It was formed from a part of the town of Olean.
Over time, parts of Great Valley were used to create other towns. In 1831, the town of Burton was made from its southeast part. Then, in 1842, the town of Carrollton was created from its southwest part.
Geography of Great Valley
Great Valley covers a total area of about 130.1 square kilometers (or 50.23 square miles). Most of this area is land, about 129.8 square kilometers (50.12 square miles). Only a small part, about 0.3 square kilometers (0.11 square miles), is water.
The Allegheny River flows through the southeast corner of the town. Great Valley Creek is another important stream that runs through the town.
A major highway, U.S. Route 219, runs north and south through Great Valley. It meets New York State Route 98 in the main village of Great Valley.
Neighboring Towns and Areas
Great Valley is located south of Ellicottville and north of Carrollton. To the west, it borders the towns of Salamanca and Little Valley, as well as the city of Salamanca and the Allegany Reservation. The eastern side of Great Valley borders the towns of Humphrey and Allegany. A very small part of its southwest also touches the town of Red House.
Population of Great Valley
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 271 | — | |
| 1830 | 647 | 138.7% | |
| 1840 | 852 | 31.7% | |
| 1850 | 1,638 | 92.3% | |
| 1860 | 1,525 | −6.9% | |
| 1870 | 1,641 | 7.6% | |
| 1880 | 1,859 | 13.3% | |
| 1890 | 1,705 | −8.3% | |
| 1900 | 1,497 | −12.2% | |
| 1910 | 1,775 | 18.6% | |
| 1920 | 1,336 | −24.7% | |
| 1930 | 1,366 | 2.2% | |
| 1940 | 1,215 | −11.1% | |
| 1950 | 1,375 | 13.2% | |
| 1960 | 1,408 | 2.4% | |
| 1970 | 1,745 | 23.9% | |
| 1980 | 2,014 | 15.4% | |
| 1990 | 2,090 | 3.8% | |
| 2000 | 2,145 | 2.6% | |
| 2010 | 1,974 | −8.0% | |
| 2020 | 1,997 | 1.2% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 1,969 | −0.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
According to the 2000 census, there were 2,145 people living in Great Valley. There were 843 households, which are groups of people living together in one home. Most households (58.8%) were married couples living together. About 30% of households had children under 18 living with them.
The population was spread out by age. About 25% of the people were under 18 years old. The average age in the town was 41 years.
Famous People from Great Valley
- DeHart H. Ames – A former New York state senator.
- Chauncey J. Fox – Another former New York state senator.
- Nelson I. Norton – A former United States congressman.
Communities and Places in Great Valley
- Allegany Reservation – A part of this Iroquois reservation is in the southwest corner of the town.
- Allegany State Park – A small section of this large park is also in the southwest part of the town.
- Great Valley – This is the main village, or hamlet, located in the center of the town. It's where several roads meet, including County Roads 18 and 38, NY-98, and US 219. Great Valley Creek flows through this community.
- Great Valley Airport (N56) – A small airport for private planes. It has a grass runway and is located about one mile southwest of the Great Valley hamlet.
- Great Valley Creek – This stream enters the town from the north and flows out through the southeast corner, eventually joining the Allegheny River in Salamanca.
- Holiday Valley Resort – A popular ski resort that sits on the northern border of Great Valley, shared with Ellicottville.
- Kill Buck – A small community east of Salamanca on Route 219. It's named after a chief from a local Native American tribe.
- Peth – A hamlet southwest of Great Valley village on US Route 219.
- Rock City and McCarty Hill State Forests – These are large state forests that cover the northwestern part of Great Valley and parts of several nearby towns.
- Salamanca – A small part of the city of Salamanca extends into the southwest corner of Great Valley.
- Sugartown – A hamlet northeast of Great Valley village, located near the eastern town line on NY Route 98.
- Willoughby – A hamlet east of Great Valley village on County Road 18.
The seasonal theme park Pumpkinville is actually in the neighboring town of Humphrey, but it uses a Great Valley mailing address.
Transportation in Great Valley
The Great Valley Airport is located about 1.85 kilometers (one nautical mile) southeast of the main part of Great Valley.
The Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad has a train line that runs through Great Valley, next to Route 219. This line is mostly used for moving goods, not for passenger trains.
Education in Great Valley
Most students in Great Valley attend Ellicottville Central School. Even though it's called "Ellicottville Central School," it's actually located in the northern part of the Town of Great Valley. There used to be a public school in Great Valley until the early 1970s, but the building was torn down.
Churches in Great Valley
There are two churches located next to each other in the hamlet of Great Valley: an independent Methodist church and a Baptist church. Another United Methodist Church in Sugartown used to operate until 1981. Healing Reigns Fellowship is a church located in Kill Buck.
Also in Great Valley is the Little White Church, which is not tied to any specific religion. It was built in 2007 and has mostly been used for weddings and as a roadside attraction, rather than regular church services.
See also
In Spanish: Great Valley (Nueva York) para niños
