Lancaster, New York facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Lancaster
Town
Town of Lancaster
The Warren Hull House, at the intersection of Genesee Street and Pavement Road in Lancaster. It is Erie County's oldest surviving stone structure, built in 1810.
Location in Erie County and the state of New York.
Location of New York in the United States
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Erie County
Incorporated	1833
Named for	Lancaster, Massachusetts
Area
• Total	37.94 sq mi (98.27 km²)
• Land	37.71 sq mi (97.66 km²)
• Water	0.23 sq mi (0.61 km²)
Elevation	712 ft (217 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	45,106
• Density	1,144.53/sq mi (441.90/km²)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	14086 14043 14026 14221 (northwest part)
Area code(s)	716
FIPS code	36-029-41146
FIPS code	36-41146
GNIS feature ID	0955014

Lancaster is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. It's located about 14 miles east of downtown Buffalo. Lancaster is a suburb of Buffalo. In 2020, the town had a population of 45,106 people.

Inside the town of Lancaster, you'll find the village of Lancaster. Also, the eastern part of the village of Depew is within the town. The western part of Depew is in the town of Cheektowaga.

History of Lancaster Town

In 1803, the Holland Land Company sold its first piece of land in what would become Lancaster. The town of Lancaster was officially created in 1833. It was formed from a larger town called Clarence. The town was named after Lancaster, Massachusetts. No one knows for sure why this name was chosen. It was first called "Cayuga Creek" before it became Lancaster.

Oldest Buildings in Lancaster

Lancaster is home to the oldest stone building in Erie County. This is the Warren Hull House, built in 1810. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. The Gipple Cabin is the oldest wooden building in Erie County. It was moved to the Hull House property in 2013 to protect it. The Lancaster District School No. 6 is also a historic building. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.

Changes Over Time

In 1857, the southern part of Lancaster was used to create a new town called Elma.

In the late 1960s, there was a plan to build a huge domed stadium in Lancaster. It would have been the second domed stadium in the world. However, the county decided not to be part of the project. This led to many legal problems, and the plan was eventually canceled in 1986.

Lancaster used to be a small town. But in recent years, it has grown into a busy suburban community. This growth really sped up in the early 1990s. Many new buildings and homes were built, especially in the southern and eastern areas. A new school, William Street Intermediate School, opened in the mid-1990s. In 2003, the town and village police departments joined together. More additions were made to the middle school and William Street School in 2005. This was to make room for more students.

Lancaster High School is the biggest school in Erie County. It has over 2,000 students. The building has been expanded twice. A field house was added in 2000. In 2003, a new wing opened for science classrooms.

Local Events and Sports

Some of Lancaster's biggest events happen in the village. These include the Fourth of July Parade and the Taste of Lancaster. The Taste of Lancaster is a festival where local restaurants offer food. It also raises money for charity. A big event each October is the football game between Lancaster and Depew high schools. This game has been played since 1919.

Lancaster even had its own professional football team in the 1910s. The Lancaster Malleables played in the New York Pro Football League. They won the league championship in both 1913 and 1914.

Geography of Lancaster

The town of Lancaster covers about 37.93 square miles (98.25 km²). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.

Lancaster is located on the northern and eastern sides of Erie County. The center of the town is about 14 miles (23 km) east of downtown Buffalo.

Much of Lancaster has many homes and businesses, like a suburb. But the eastern part of the town is still developing. It has more of a rural feel.

Major Roads and Nearby Towns

The western border of Lancaster is marked by NY 78. South of NY 130, US 20 also marks the western border. The New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) crosses the northern part of the town. NY 33 runs just south of the Thruway. US 20 crosses the middle part of the town.

Lancaster is next to several other towns:

To the north is the town of Clarence.
To the south is the town of Elma.
To the east is the town of Alden.
To the west is the town of Cheektowaga.

Population and Communities

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1840	2,083	—
1850	3,794	82.1%
1860	4,659	22.8%
1870	4,336	−6.9%
1880	3,944	−9.0%
1890	3,962	0.5%
1900	8,757	121.0%
1910	9,663	10.3%
1920	13,172	36.3%
1930	15,260	15.9%
1940	15,299	0.3%
1950	18,471	20.7%
1960	25,605	38.6%
1970	30,634	19.6%
1980	30,144	−1.6%
1990	32,181	6.8%
2000	39,019	21.2%
2010	41,604	6.6%
2020	45,106	8.4%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of the 2000 census, there were 39,019 people living in Lancaster. About 33.1% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.55 people.

The population was spread out by age:

25.1% were under 18 years old.
6.5% were 18 to 24 years old.
31.3% were 25 to 44 years old.
22.8% were 45 to 64 years old.
14.3% were 65 years or older.

The average age was 38 years.

Communities and Hamlets

The most populated parts of Lancaster include the village of Lancaster and half of the village of Depew. The two largest hamlets (small communities) are Town Line and Bowmansville. There are also other smaller communities:

Bowmansville – A large hamlet in the northwestern part of town. It's near Genesee Street (NY 33). Ellicott Creek flows through it. The hamlet is named after an early settler, Benjamin Bowman.
Town Line – A large hamlet on Lancaster's eastern border. It's at the crossing of Town Line Road and Broadway (US 20). This hamlet is famous for voting to rejoin the United States in 1945. They had voted to secede during the Civil War.
Town Line Station – A place on Town Line Road, north of the Town Line hamlet.
Dellwood – Another spot on the eastern town line. The Lancaster Heritage Trail, a bike path, runs through here.
East Lancaster – An area east of Lancaster village, located on Broadway (US 20).
Looneyville – A location at the crossing of Townline Road and Walden Avenue.
Wilhelm – A place at the crossing of Genesee Street (NY 33) and Gunnville Road.

Streams and Waterways

Several streams flow through Lancaster:

Cayuga Creek – Flows westward through the town and village, including Como Lake Park.
Ellicott Creek – Flows westward through the northern part of the town, including Bowmansville.
Little Buffalo Creek – A small creek that branches off Cayuga Creek.
Scajaquada Creek – A small stream that starts in northern Lancaster and flows west into Cheektowaga.
Plumb Bottom Creek – Flows from the town into the village of Lancaster, joining Cayuga Creek.
Slate Bottom Creek – A small stream flowing through the southern part of the town.

Parks and Recreation Spots

The town and village of Lancaster have many parks and places for fun:

Walden Pond Park – Located on Walden Avenue and Ransom Road. It has baseball fields, volleyball courts, playgrounds, and a pond for fishing.
Westwood Park – Found between Pavement Road and Schwartz Road. It offers playgrounds and fields for baseball, softball, and soccer.
Como Lake Park – An Erie County park in both the town and village. It has playgrounds, fields, trails, sledding hills, and bike paths. Cayuga Creek flows through it.
Veteran's Park – Next to Como Lake Park. It has monuments and memorials honoring military members.
Meadow Lea Park – Located between Iroquois Avenue and Broezel Avenue. This park has a pool, a baseball field, and a playground.
Bowmansville Fire Hall – Has a softball field maintained by the Town Parks and Recreation.
Keysa Park – A village park on Vandenburg Avenue. It includes a pool, playground, tennis courts, and fields for football and baseball.
Mechanic Street Park – A small village park with a playground and tennis courts.
The Lancaster Heritage Trail – A bike path about 4 miles (6 km) long. It runs along an old railroad bed.
Lorall Lake (also known as Willow Beach) – A former lake and beach on Nichter Road.
Lancaster National Speedway & Dragway – A place for car racing. It has a drag racing strip and an oval track.

Historic Buildings and Sites

The former Liebler-Rohl Gasoline Station is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Lancaster Town Hall

Lancaster has many historic buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include:

The Warren Hull House
The Lancaster District School No. 6
Many buildings in the Village of Lancaster, such as the Bruce-Briggs Brick Block, Clark-Lester House, DePew Lodge No. 823, Free and Accepted Masons, US Post Office-Lancaster, Lancaster Municipal Building, Liebler-Rohl Gasoline Station, Miller-Mackey House, Dr. John J. Nowak House, Herman B. VanPeyma House, John Richardson House, Zuidema-Idsardi House, and the John P. Sommers House.

The US Post Office-Depew is also considered to be in the town of Lancaster. This is because it is on the Lancaster side of the village of Depew.

In 2001, VFW Post 7275 was named after Lt. Col. Matt Urban. He received the Medal of Honor for his bravery.

Education in Lancaster

Most of the town is served by the Lancaster Central School District. Other parts of the town are in different school districts. These include Alden Central School District, Clarence Central School District, Depew Union Free School District, and Iroquois Central School District.

Lancaster is home to Lancaster High School. It also has five elementary schools: Como Park, Court Street, Hillview, John A. Sciole, and the former Central Avenue Elementary School. The William Street Intermediate School teaches 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. The historic Lancaster Middle School was once the town's high school. All these schools are part of the Lancaster Central School District.

There are also private schools in Lancaster. These include St. Mary's High School and Chesterton Academy of Buffalo. St. Mary's on the Hill Elementary is another private school. Our Lady of Pompeii Elementary closed in 2014.

The Lancaster Central School District is the largest school district in Erie County by student population. It serves most of the town and village of Lancaster. It also covers a large part of the village of Depew. The Depew Union Free School District serves most of the southern part of Depew.

Emergency Services

The town of Lancaster has four volunteer fire companies:

Bowmansville Volunteer Fire Association
Town Line Fire Department
Twin District Fire Company
Millgrove Volunteer Fire Department

Bowmansville and Town Line each have two fire stations. Twin District and Millgrove each have one. These companies respond to fires and medical calls. The Millgrove Fire Company is actually in the town of Alden. However, it serves a small part of northeastern Lancaster because it is so close.

The Lancaster Village Fire Department serves the village of Lancaster. It has two stations. The main station is in the Lancaster Municipal Building. The Northside Station Two is on West Drullard Avenue. This department mainly responds to fires and helps with car accidents or lifting assistance.

The Lancaster Police Department serves both the town and village of Lancaster. Before the 2000s, the town and village had separate police departments. This was the first time law enforcement agencies in Western New York joined together in a big way. The police department has about 51 officers. This includes officers for road patrol, a bike team, school resource officers, and a detective bureau. They also have a special police tactical team called the ERT (Emergency Response Team). The Lancaster Police Department is located at 525 Pavement Road. A new police and courts center opened there on February 5, 2014. The current Chief of Police is William J. Karn, Jr.

The Lancaster Volunteer Ambulance Corps responds to all medical calls in Lancaster village and town. They also serve the village of Depew. Their station is at 40 Embry Place in the village. Lancaster Ambulance has seven ambulances and one "fly car." They have paid EMTs, AEMTs, and paramedics working 24/7. They respond to over 4,000 calls each year.

Notable People from Lancaster

Many interesting people have connections to Lancaster:

Nathaniel L. Carpenter – A well-known businessman.
Ruth Carroll – An illustrator of children's books.
George Allen Davis – A former New York State Senator.
Iron Davis – A former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher.
Pat Dobson – A professional MLB pitcher who won 20 games with the Baltimore Orioles.
Mike Janis – A drag racer.
Olive P. Lester – A notable academic and supporter of women's rights.
Jason Mangone – Head football coach at The College at Brockport, State University of New York.
Adam Page – A Paralympic gold medalist.
Kristen Romano – A swimmer.
Kevin Rosier – A former kickboxer who lived in Lancaster.
Mary Saxer – A track and field athlete.
Hank A. Smith – A former NFL player.
Kevin Sylvester – A former announcer for the Buffalo Sabres.
Charles F. Tabor – A former New York State Attorney General.
Dorothy Thompson – A famous journalist, born in Lancaster.
Ryan Vinz – A video technician who was on the Buffalo Sabres roster for one game.
Julius Volker – A former New York State Assemblyman.
Monica P. Wallace – A New York State Assemblywoman.
Eric Wedge – Head baseball coach at Wichita State University.

Major Highways in Lancaster

Interstate 90 (the New York State Thruway) runs east-west through the northern part of town.
U.S. Route 20 (Broadway) runs along Lancaster's western border with Cheektowaga. It then turns east into the town.
New York State Route 78 (Transit Road) forms the eastern border of Cheektowaga with Lancaster.
New York State Route 33 (Genesee Street) runs east-west from Transit Road to Townline Road.
New York State Route 952Q (Walden Avenue) is an east-west highway through the village and town. It's the longest non-parkway state reference route in New York.