Little Valley, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Little Valley, New York
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Little Valley Post Office
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 Little 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 | 29.92 sq mi (77.49 km2) |
| • Land | 29.91 sq mi (77.47 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,672 |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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1,663 |
| • Density | 56.47/sq mi (21.80/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
14755
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| FIPS code | 36-009-42840 |
Little Valley is a small town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. In 2020, about 1,672 people lived here. The town gets its name because it's in a "little valley" compared to the nearby Great Valley. Both are near the Allegheny River.
Little Valley is in the middle of Cattaraugus County. It's north of the city of Salamanca. The town also has a village called Little Valley, which is the main government center for the county.
Contents
History of Little Valley
The first people settled in Little Valley around 1807. But they had to leave because of fighting during the War of 1812. After the war ended, people started settling here again in 1816.
The town of Little Valley was officially created in 1818. It was formed by splitting up a larger area called the town of Perry. At that time, Little Valley was also known as the town of Elkdale.
Little Valley used to be a very important stop on the Erie Railroad. It was famous for its cheese and dairy products. Because of the railroad, the county government center moved to the village of Little Valley. Later, a streetcar line connected the village to Salamanca.
Over the years, several other towns were formed from parts of Little Valley. These include Conewango (1823), Napoli (1823), Mansfield (1830), New Albion (1830), and Bucktooth (1855), which was later renamed Salamanca in 1864.
Geography of Little Valley
Little Valley covers about 29.92 square miles (77.49 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with only a tiny bit of water.
Roads and Trails
Two main roads, New York State Route 242 and New York State Route 353, go through the town. They meet at a spot called Killborn Corners, just east of the village. Other smaller roads help people get around.
The Pat McGee Trail is a popular path here. It's a rail trail, meaning it follows the path of an old railroad. People use it for hiking and snowmobiling. The Conservation Trail, which is part of the larger Finger Lakes Trail, also goes through the town.
Waterways
Little Valley Creek flows south through the town. It eventually joins the Allegheny River in Salamanca. Another small stream called Lees Hollow is in the western part of town. Whig Street Creek also runs through the area.
Neighboring Areas
Little Valley is north of the town of Salamanca. It is south of the town of Mansfield. To the east is Great Valley, and to the west is Napoli. Hills separate Little Valley and Great Valley, making direct travel between them a bit tricky.
Climate
| Climate data for Little Valley, New York, 1991–2020 normals, 1941-2020 extremes: 1625ft (495m) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 70 (21) |
71 (22) |
80 (27) |
88 (31) |
90 (32) |
95 (35) |
96 (36) |
98 (37) |
95 (35) |
86 (30) |
77 (25) |
71 (22) |
98 (37) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 54.5 (12.5) |
54.1 (12.3) |
65.1 (18.4) |
77.5 (25.3) |
83.9 (28.8) |
86.6 (30.3) |
87.7 (30.9) |
86.6 (30.3) |
84.2 (29.0) |
76.1 (24.5) |
66.8 (19.3) |
55.2 (12.9) |
89.3 (31.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 30.5 (−0.8) |
32.6 (0.3) |
41.0 (5.0) |
54.6 (12.6) |
66.8 (19.3) |
74.8 (23.8) |
78.7 (25.9) |
77.3 (25.2) |
70.8 (21.6) |
58.6 (14.8) |
46.3 (7.9) |
35.4 (1.9) |
55.6 (13.1) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 22.0 (−5.6) |
22.8 (−5.1) |
30.2 (−1.0) |
42.7 (5.9) |
54.2 (12.3) |
62.7 (17.1) |
66.7 (19.3) |
65.4 (18.6) |
58.9 (14.9) |
47.8 (8.8) |
37.5 (3.1) |
28.0 (−2.2) |
44.9 (7.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 13.5 (−10.3) |
13.0 (−10.6) |
19.4 (−7.0) |
30.8 (−0.7) |
41.6 (5.3) |
50.5 (10.3) |
54.7 (12.6) |
53.5 (11.9) |
47.1 (8.4) |
37.1 (2.8) |
28.7 (−1.8) |
20.6 (−6.3) |
34.2 (1.2) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −10.1 (−23.4) |
−7.6 (−22.0) |
−1.1 (−18.4) |
17.4 (−8.1) |
27.7 (−2.4) |
36.2 (2.3) |
43.3 (6.3) |
41.9 (5.5) |
33.6 (0.9) |
24.8 (−4.0) |
13.6 (−10.2) |
1.4 (−17.0) |
−13.7 (−25.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −26 (−32) |
−28 (−33) |
−19 (−28) |
5 (−15) |
20 (−7) |
29 (−2) |
33 (1) |
31 (−1) |
22 (−6) |
14 (−10) |
−5 (−21) |
−22 (−30) |
−28 (−33) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 4.28 (109) |
2.54 (65) |
3.48 (88) |
3.85 (98) |
3.88 (99) |
4.63 (118) |
5.23 (133) |
4.28 (109) |
4.45 (113) |
4.68 (119) |
4.04 (103) |
3.78 (96) |
49.12 (1,250) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 36.10 (91.7) |
25.90 (65.8) |
18.90 (48.0) |
4.00 (10.2) |
0.00 (0.00) |
0.00 (0.00) |
0.00 (0.00) |
0.00 (0.00) |
0.00 (0.00) |
1.00 (2.5) |
16.30 (41.4) |
31.10 (79.0) |
133.3 (338.6) |
| Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) | 17.6 (45) |
15.8 (40) |
11.6 (29) |
3.1 (7.9) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.8 (2.0) |
7.8 (20) |
14.3 (36) |
22.4 (57) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 19.6 | 15.4 | 14.9 | 14.8 | 13.2 | 13.9 | 12.8 | 12.5 | 11.8 | 15.4 | 15.7 | 20.1 | 180.1 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 13.5 | 10.8 | 7.4 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 5.0 | 11.3 | 50.8 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: XMACIS2 (records, monthly max/mins & snow depth) | |||||||||||||
Population of Little Valley
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 484 | — | |
| 1830 | 336 | −30.6% | |
| 1840 | 700 | 108.3% | |
| 1850 | 1,383 | 97.6% | |
| 1860 | 1,206 | −12.8% | |
| 1870 | 1,168 | −3.2% | |
| 1880 | 1,196 | 2.4% | |
| 1890 | 1,326 | 10.9% | |
| 1900 | 1,616 | 21.9% | |
| 1910 | 1,905 | 17.9% | |
| 1920 | 1,683 | −11.7% | |
| 1930 | 1,542 | −8.4% | |
| 1940 | 1,601 | 3.8% | |
| 1950 | 1,724 | 7.7% | |
| 1960 | 1,737 | 0.8% | |
| 1970 | 1,838 | 5.8% | |
| 1980 | 1,830 | −0.4% | |
| 1990 | 1,881 | 2.8% | |
| 2000 | 1,788 | −4.9% | |
| 2010 | 1,740 | −2.7% | |
| 2020 | 1,672 | −3.9% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 1,663 | −4.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 1,788 people living in Little Valley. There were 688 households, and 462 families. Most people were White (95.92%). A small number were Black (1.29%) or Native American (1.23%).
About 30.7% of households had children under 18 living with them. The average household had 2.42 people. The average family had 2.95 people.
The median age in the town was 38 years old. This means half the people were older than 38 and half were younger.
Places in Little Valley
- Bucktooth State Forest – A small part of this forest is in the southwest of Little Valley.
- Elkdale – A small community (called a hamlet) near the southern border, on NY Route 353.
- Elkdale State Forest – Another small state forest between Little Valley and Elkdale.
- Killborn Corners – This is a small hill and a road split. It divides NY 353 and NY 242.
- Little Valley – This is the main village in the town. It's in the northwest and is the county seat.
- Little Valley Creek – A stream that flows south through the town. It joins the Allegheny River in Salamanca.
- Little Rock City – This area in the southeast is known for its unusual rock formations. It's also called "Salamanca Rock City" or "Rock City State Forest." It's part of the Rock City and McCarty Hill State Forests.
- Salamanca – A small, empty part of the city of Salamanca extends into the southeast of the town. This area mainly protects the city's drinking water supply.
Things to Do and See
Here are some attractions and groups in the town of Little Valley (outside the main village):
- An American Legion post (531) – This is a place for military veterans, located west of the village.
- A Veterans of Foreign Wars/AMVETS post (VFW 8734/AMVETS 8735) – Another place for veterans, located east of the village.
- The Cattaraugus County Department of Public Works building – This is where county road and public service work is managed. It's southwest of the village on Route 242.
- Valley View Baptist Church – A church near Killborn Corners.
- Whig Street Church – A church on Whig Street in the southeast part of town.
- Little Valley Wesleyan Church – A church on the border of the town and village, across from the Cattaraugus County Fair Grounds.
- Little Valley Riders Club – A group for people who enjoy horseback riding.
- Legion Field – A field west of the American Legion post. It was used for youth football, soccer, and baseball. Now, a local adult flag football league still uses it.
- The Crosspatch – A horse ranch.
- Elkdale Country Club – An 18-hole golf course.
See also
In Spanish: Little Valley (pueblo) para niños
