Mexico (village), New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mexico, New York
Village
Location in Oswego County and the state of New York.
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Oswego
Area
• Total	2.15 sq mi (5.55 km2)
• Land	2.15 sq mi (5.55 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	410 ft (125 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,531
• Density	713.75/sq mi (275.62/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	13114
Area code(s)	315
FIPS code	36-46811
GNIS feature ID	0957047
Website	[1]

Mexico is a small village located in Oswego County, New York, United States. It's part of a larger area called the town of Mexico. In 2020, about 1,531 people lived here. The village is easy to reach, as it sits along New York State routes 3, 69, and 104.

History of Mexico Village

The area around Mexico village has a long history. The first idea for a place called Mexico (which was supposed to be a county) came about in 1792. It was planned to include what are now Oswego and Jefferson counties. However, this first plan didn't happen right away.

In 1794, a man named George Frederick William Augustus Scriba bought a large piece of land. This land later became the town and village of Mexico we know today. George Scriba also helped build important roads. These roads connected Mexico Bay and Mexico Point (where Mexico Point State Park is now) to other places like Constantia and Oswego.

Early Growth and Businesses

More and more settlers moved to Mexico, and the village grew quickly. Having roads, homes, and businesses made it an attractive place. Early businesses in Mexico included places to cut wood (sawmills), grind grain (gristmills), and make things like leather (tanneries) or metal tools (blacksmiths). There were also shops selling general goods and even jewelers.

An inventor named Lewis Miller created a special type of wagon called the spring wagon. These wagons were known for their high quality and became famous across the county.

Grandma Brown's Baked Beans

A very famous business started in Mexico. In 1937, Lulu Brown began baking pans of beans to sell in local grocery stores. People loved them so much that her husband, Earl, and son, Robert E. Brown, decided to sell them in Oswego too.

The business grew and moved to a bigger building. After Earl Brown passed away in 1938, Richard G. Whitney joined the company. They formed Brown-Whitney-Brown (BWB). This company eventually became the world-famous Grandma Brown's Baked Beans.

Health and Education

In the early days, sickness was a big challenge for the settlers. Between 1812 and 1820, a serious illness, similar to cholera, spread through the area. Many people got sick, and sadly, more than half of the early settlers died during the first 20 years.

Public schools were started in 1813, with 14 different school districts. By 1895, there were 19 districts as more settlements developed. In 1822, a two-story brick school was built. It had younger grades on the first floor and high school on the second. This school was called "the Academy" and became part of the state school system in 1833. Mexico was the first place in what is now Oswego County to have a secondary school.

Mexico was also the first school in Oswego County to combine many smaller schools into one big system. This happened in 1936. Thirty-one school districts from Mexico, Palermo, and New Haven closed, and their students came to the Mexico Academy and Central School.

Role in Abolishing Slavery

Mexico played an important part in the fight to end slavery. As early as 1835, citizens in Mexico signed petitions asking the government in Washington to abolish slavery. Asa Wing was a well-known speaker from Mexico who traveled around New York. He encouraged people to ask their leaders to pass laws against owning slaves.

Starr Clark was a leader in the Underground Railroad in the area. The Underground Railroad was a secret network of safe houses and routes that helped enslaved people escape to freedom. Starr Clark was known as the "station master" for this important effort in Mexico.

Historic Places in Mexico

Many important buildings in Mexico village are recognized for their history. The main historic part of the village was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Other notable historic places include:

• Mexico Octagon Barn
• Mexico Railroad Depot
• Hamilton Farmstead
• Mexico Academy and Central School
• Starr Clark Tin Shop
• Peter Chandler House
• Orson Ames House
• Leonard Ames Farmhouse
• Phineas Davis Farmstead
• Thayer Farmstead
• Timothy Skinner House
• The Mexico Stone Store (added in 2010)

Geography of Mexico

Mexico village is located at coordinates 43°27′51″N 76°14′4″W / 43.46417°N 76.23444°W / 43.46417; -76.23444.

The United States Census Bureau says that the village covers a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.5 square kilometers). All of this area is land, with no large bodies of water inside the village limits.

Population Information

According to the census from 2000, there were 1,572 people living in the village. There were 652 households, and 427 of those were families. The population density was about 735 people per square mile.

About 36.3% of households had children under 18 living with them. The average household had 2.41 people, and the average family had 2.98 people.

The population was spread out by age:

• 27.6% were under 18 years old.
• 7.4% were between 18 and 24 years old.
• 27.6% were between 25 and 44 years old.
• 24.2% were between 45 and 64 years old.
• 13.2% were 65 years or older.

The average age in the village was 36 years old.

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See also

In Spanish: Mexico (villa de Nueva York) para niños