Mexico, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mexico
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| Town of Mexico | |
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Location in Oswego County and the state of New York.
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| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Oswego |
| Area | |
| • Total | 46.99 sq mi (121.70 km2) |
| • Land | 46.27 sq mi (119.84 km2) |
| • Water | 0.72 sq mi (1.86 km2) |
| Elevation | 397 ft (121 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 5,197 |
| • Estimate
(2016)
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5,107 |
| • Density | 110.37/sq mi (42.61/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| FIPS code | 36-46822 |
| GNIS feature ID | 979211 |
| Website | [1] |
Mexico is a town in the northeastern part of Oswego County, New York, United States. In 2010, about 5,197 people lived here. The town also has a village that is also called Mexico.
Mexico is sometimes called the "Mother of Towns." This is because the original area of Mexico, set up in 1792 and 1796, was huge. It eventually formed six different counties: Onondaga, Cortland, Oneida, Lewis, Jefferson, and Oswego. Today, these six counties have 84 towns that were once part of the original Town of Mexico.
Important roads like NY 69 and NY 104 (Main Street) meet in the village of Mexico. U.S. Route 11 also goes through the town.
History of Mexico Town
The first idea for "Mexico" was a county, created in 1792. It was meant to include what are now Oswego and Jefferson Counties. This plan was put on hold for a while.
In 1794, a man named George Frederick William Augustus Scriba bought a large piece of land. This land later became the Town of Mexico and the Village of Mexico. George Scriba also helped build roads. These roads connected Mexico Bay and Mexico Point (now Mexico Point State Park) to other areas like Constantia and Oswego.
Many settlers quickly moved to Mexico. The new roads, homes, and businesses helped the town grow. Early businesses in Mexico included sawmills, gristmills (for grinding grain), and places that made things like cheese, shoes, and wagons.
A local inventor, Lewis Miller, created a special spring wagon. These wagons were known for their high quality all over the county.
In 1937, Lulu Brown started selling baked beans in grocery stores. They were so popular that her husband and son decided to sell them in Oswego. The business grew and eventually became the famous Grandma Brown's Baked Beans.
In the early 1800s, the settlement faced health challenges. Between 1812 and 1820, many settlers became ill. More than half of the people who settled there during the first 20 years died from these illnesses.
Public schools were started in 1813, with 14 school districts. By 1895, there were 19 districts. In 1822, a two-story brick school opened. It was called "The Academy" and was the first high school in what is now Oswego County. Mexico was also the first school in Oswego County to combine many smaller districts into one larger central school in 1936. This created the Mexico Academy and Central School.
Mexico also played a role in ending slavery. As early as 1835, citizens signed petitions asking for slavery to be abolished. Starr Clark was a leader in the Underground Railroad in the area. He helped enslaved people find freedom.
Some historic places in Mexico are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Stillman Farmstead, Slack Farmstead, and Asa and Caroline Wing House.
Education in Mexico
The school district in Mexico is called the Mexico Academy and Central School District (MACS). The sports teams are known as the Tigers. The music program's mascot is the Matador. The High School building used to be the site of Mexico Academy, which was a military academy. That's where the school district got its name.
The schools in the district are:
- Mexico High School
- Mexico Middle School
- Mexico Elementary School
- New Haven Elementary School
- Palermo Elementary School
Geography of Mexico
The town of Mexico covers about 47 square miles (121.7 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water. The northwestern part of the town is next to Lake Ontario.
Population Facts
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 2,728 | — | |
| 1830 | 2,671 | −2.1% | |
| 1840 | 3,729 | 39.6% | |
| 1850 | 4,221 | 13.2% | |
| 1860 | 4,074 | −3.5% | |
| 1870 | 3,802 | −6.7% | |
| 1880 | 3,687 | −3.0% | |
| 1890 | 3,404 | −7.7% | |
| 1900 | 3,091 | −9.2% | |
| 1910 | 2,982 | −3.5% | |
| 1920 | 2,824 | −5.3% | |
| 1930 | 2,720 | −3.7% | |
| 1940 | 2,710 | −0.4% | |
| 1950 | 3,035 | 12.0% | |
| 1960 | 3,435 | 13.2% | |
| 1970 | 4,174 | 21.5% | |
| 1980 | 4,790 | 14.8% | |
| 1990 | 5,050 | 5.4% | |
| 2000 | 5,181 | 2.6% | |
| 2010 | 5,197 | 0.3% | |
| 2016 (est.) | 5,107 | −1.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In the year 2000, there were 5,181 people living in Mexico. There were 1,934 households, and 1,388 of these were families. About 38% of households had children under 18 living with them. Most people in the town were White. A small number of people were from other racial backgrounds.
The population was spread out by age. About 29% of the people were under 18 years old. The median age was 36 years. This means half the people were younger than 36, and half were older.
See also
In Spanish: Mexico (pueblo de Nueva York) para niños
