Jordan, New York Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Jordan, New York
Village
Jordan Village Hall, December 2008
Location in Onondaga County and the state of New York.
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Onondaga
Town	Elbridge
Area
• Total	1.16 sq mi (3.02 km²)
• Land	1.16 sq mi (3.02 km²)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km²)
Elevation	413 ft (126 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	1,192
• Density	1,024.05/sq mi (395.31/km²)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	13080
Area code(s)	315
FIPS code	36-38825
GNIS feature ID	0954196

Jordan is a small village located in Onondaga County, New York, in the United States. In 2020, about 1,192 people lived there. Jordan is part of the larger Syracuse area. It was named after the famous Jordan River in the Middle East.

You can find Jordan in the northwest part of the town of Elbridge. It is west of the city of Syracuse.

Village History
The Erie Canal's Impact
Lincoln's Funeral Train and a Cannonball
Historic Places and Businesses
Geography of Jordan
Population Changes
Education
Notable People from Jordan
Image Gallery
See also

Village History

Jordan grew quickly when the Erie Canal opened in 1825. The canal was a major waterway for trade and travel. Because of the canal, Jordan became bigger than the nearby Elbridge Village. Jordan officially became a village in 1835.

In 1983, a large part of the village was recognized as the Jordan Village Historic District. This means it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its important history.

The Erie Canal's Impact

The original Erie Canal opened in October 1825. It passed right through the middle of Jordan. Today, you can still see its path along Clinton and Mechanic streets. Lock 59, an old canal lock, was once near the current post office.

In the 1840s, the canal was made wider and straighter. Its path moved slightly north of the village. Lock 59 was removed, and a new lock, Lock 51, was built about a mile west. A large stone bridge, called an Aqueduct, was built. It allowed the canal to cross over Skaneateles Creek.

The section of the canal that went through Jordan closed in 1918. This happened when the New York State Barge Canal opened. The new canal used the Seneca River, which is north of Jordan, bypassing the village.

Today, you can still see much of the old canal's stone work. The former canal path in the village has been turned into a park.

Lincoln's Funeral Train and a Cannonball

In 1865, a special event happened in Jordan. The train carrying the body of President Abraham Lincoln passed through the village. It was traveling along the New York Central Railroad. To honor the former president, a cannonball was fired.

The cannonball hit an old tree on Issac Otis's farm. The tree survived the hit. Years later, in 1935, two men named Jerome Teachout and O. J. Conger cut down the tree. As they cleared the trunk, they made an amazing discovery. The tree had grown completely around the cannonball, swallowing it whole!

In 1997, two teachers, Kathy Philips and Kathy Jones, led their 4th-grade class. They researched this story and raised money for a historic marker. This marker now tells the story of the cannonball tree.

Historic Places and Businesses

Jordan has several interesting historic places. The Jordan Lodge 386 F. & A.M. is a Masonic building. It is located on North Main Street and was built in 1979.

Bush Funeral Home is another long-standing business. It was started in 1904 and is also on North Main Street.

Geography of Jordan

Jordan is located at coordinates 43.0658 degrees North and 76.4729 degrees West.

The village covers about 1.2 square miles (3.02 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area within the village limits.

The New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) passes north of Jordan. However, there is no exit directly into the village from the Thruway.

Skaneateles Creek flows through the village. The historic Jordan Aqueduct still stands where the old Erie Canal once crossed this creek. Jordan is also located where state routes 31 and 317 meet.

Population Changes

The population of Jordan has changed over the years. Here's a look at how many people have lived in the village:

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	1,488	—
1870	1,263	−15.1%
1880	1,344	6.4%
1890	1,271	−5.4%
1900	1,118	−12.0%
1910	978	−12.5%
1920	1,012	3.5%
1930	1,145	13.1%
1940	1,115	−2.6%
1950	1,295	16.1%
1960	1,300	0.4%
1970	1,493	14.8%
1980	1,371	−8.2%
1990	1,325	−3.4%
2000	1,314	−0.8%
2010	1,368	4.1%
2020	1,192	−12.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2000, there were 1,314 people living in Jordan. About 32% of the population was under 18 years old. The average age in the village was 35 years.

Education

Students in Jordan attend schools within the Jordan-Elbridge Central School District.

Notable People from Jordan

Olive Pond Amies, an important educator.
Sheldon Peck, a folk artist and someone who worked to end slavery.

Image Gallery

Erie Canal Lock 51 historical building
Hardware store built in 1898, converted into the Jordan Post Office in the 1970s
Teen Center & Ceramic Shop, with apartments on second floor
Front/side view of Teen Center
Jordan Lodge 386 F. & A.M.
Bush Funeral Home
Old Jordan Laundry Mat, Old Pizza's Sam's, Jordan Bank LNB
Erie Canal Park-Way
Tree City USA sign, Arborday Foundation
"Jordan National Historic District" sign, Clinton St.