McGraw, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids McGraw, New York
Village
Lamont Free Library
McGraw, New York Location in New York
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Cortland
Town	Cortlandville
Area
• Total	0.99 sq mi (2.56 km2)
• Land	0.99 sq mi (2.56 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,158 ft (353 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	972
• Density	984.80/sq mi (380.24/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	13101
Area code(s)	607
FIPS code	36-44193
GNIS feature ID	0956771

McGraw is a small village located in Cortland County, New York, United States. In 2020, about 972 people lived there. The village gets its name from Samuel McGraw, an early settler. It is found in the eastern part of the town of Cortlandville, just east of the city of Cortland.

Exploring McGraw's Past

Early Settlement and Growth

The area that is now McGraw was first settled in 1805 by Samuel McGraw and his family from Vermont. He built a simple log cabin, and soon other families from New England joined them. The settlement, first known as McGrawville, grew along the road near McGraw's home.

Early settlers used the power of Trout Brook to run a grist mill (which grinds grain) in 1812 and a sawmill. They also had an ashery, a place where wood ash was processed to make lye, which was used for soap and other things. By 1818, the small community had its first store. A cemetery was started in 1823, and by 1830, about ten houses had been built.

From McGrawville to McGraw

The community was officially named McGraw in 1869, even though it appeared as McGrawville on maps from 1855. It's important to know that there's another place called McGrawville further west in Allegany County.

"Corset City" and Its Factories

Color postcard of the Miller Corset Company in McGraw, NY from 1905

For many years in the 1800s, McGraw was known as "Corset City." This was because several companies made corsets there. P.H. McGraw & Son started making corsets in the 1880s. Later, the McGraw Corset Company opened in 1890, employing over 400 people.

Another company, the Empire Corset Company, was founded in 1901. They were famous for their "Never Rust" corsets and sold them all over the world. By 1910, they made a huge number of corsets – one hundred thousand dozen! The village was also home to the Vesta Corset Company and the Miller Corset Company, making it a busy center for corset manufacturing.

New-York Central College: A Special School

McGraw was home to a very important school called New-York Central College, McGrawville. It was founded in 1849 by a group called Free Baptists. This college was special because it was the first college in the United States to welcome all students, including both women and African Americans. About half of its students were African American.

The college also made history by hiring three black professors. This was the first time in the U.S. that black professors taught white students. Sadly, the college closed around 1859 or 1860 due to a smallpox outbreak, social challenges, and money problems.

Historic Landmarks

Today, two important places in McGraw are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are the Main Street Historic District and the Presbyterian Church of McGraw. These places help preserve the village's rich history.

McGraw's Location and Landscape

Where is McGraw?

McGraw is located at coordinates 42°35′40″N 76°5′34″W / 42.59444°N 76.09278°W / 42.59444; -76.09278. State Route 41 goes right through the village. If you head west on Route 41, you'll reach Interstate 81 and U.S. Route 11 in about 2 miles. Downtown Cortland is another 2 miles further west. If you go east on Route 41, you'll reach the hamlet of Solon in about 4 miles.

Size and Waterways

According to the United States Census Bureau, McGraw covers a total area of about 0.99 square miles (2.56 square kilometers), and all of it is land. The village sits in the valley of Trout Brook. This brook flows into the Tioughnioga River, which is part of the larger Susquehanna River watershed. A watershed is an area of land where all the water drains into a common river or lake.

People of McGraw

Population Changes Over Time

The population of McGraw has changed over the years. In 1870, there were 517 people, and the population grew to over 1,300 by 1970. In 2020, the population was 972.

Who Lives in McGraw?

In 2000, there were 1,000 people living in McGraw. The average household had about 2.6 people. The median age was 36 years old. About 27% of the population was under 18, and about 15.7% were 65 or older.

Many people in McGraw have roots from different parts of the world. The largest self-reported ancestry groups in 2000 included English (31%), German (13%), Irish (12%), Dutch (7%), and Italian (6%).

Famous People from McGraw

McGraw has been home to several notable individuals who achieved great things:

• Reuben G. Doud: A businessman and legislator from Wisconsin, who was born in McGraw.
• Angeline Stickney Hall: An American suffragist (someone who fought for women's right to vote), abolitionist (someone who wanted to end slavery), and mathematician. She taught at New-York Central College. A large crater on Phobos, one of Mars's moons, is named after her.
• Asaph Hall: A famous American astronomer who discovered Phobos and Deimos, the two moons of Mars. He graduated from New-York Central College.
• Daniel Scott Lamont: He served as the United States Secretary of War during President Grover Cleveland's second term.
• Abram Pryne: A minister and editor of an abolitionist newspaper. He was known for debating a pro-slavery editor in 1858. He also served in the New York State Assembly.
• Charles L. Reason: A notable educator who was an alumnus (former student) of New-York Central College.

See also

In Spanish: McGraw para niños