North Syracuse, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids North Syracuse, New York
Village
Sweetheart Corner, viewed from the west
Location in Onondaga County and the state of New York.
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Onondaga
Founded by	Syracuse
Area
• Total	1.99 sq mi (5.15 km2)
• Land	1.99 sq mi (5.15 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	420 ft (128 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	6,739
• Density	3,391.55/sq mi (1,309.77/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	13212
Area code(s)	315 and 680
FIPS code	36-53660
GNIS feature ID	0958933

North Syracuse is a small community called a village in Onondaga County, New York, United States. A village is a type of local government area. In 2020, about 6,739 people lived there. North Syracuse is located north of the city of Syracuse. It is part of the towns of Cicero and Clay.

History of North Syracuse

The village was first known as Centerville. Its name changed to North Syracuse in 1880. It officially became an incorporated village in 1925. This means it got its own local government.

Early Settlers and Family Names

One of the first families to settle here was the Fergerson family. They arrived in 1826. They still live on the same land in the center of the village. Many streets in North Syracuse are named after them.

The First Plank Road

On July 18, 1846, something special happened in North Syracuse. The United States' first plank road opened here. A plank road is a road made from wooden planks. This road was mainly used to transport salt.

The road cost $23,000 to build. It was 16.5 miles long and covered entirely with planks. Thomas Alvord, a state politician, helped make this road happen. He helped pass a law to build it, keep it working, and collect money for its use.

How the Plank Road Worked

There were four tollgates along the road, about four miles apart. A company ran these gates and collected fees. This was a very profitable business for many years. For example, it cost 1 cent for each head of cattle. A single horse cost 5 cents, and a horse with a wagon cost 25 cents.

The road had two sides: a dirt side and a planked side. The East Side was dirt, and the West Side was planked. The planks were 3 inches thick and 8 feet long. Wagons carrying heavy loads had the right to use the planked side. The dirt side was for empty wagons, single horses, and for passing other vehicles. People even used the plank side for bicycle races on Sundays! Because of constant use by horses and wagons, a team of workers was always busy fixing the road.

North Syracuse Fire Department

North Syracuse was also the first village in New York State to have its own fire district. The Volunteer Fire Department started in 1913. This meant the community had its own dedicated firefighters.

Village Leadership

The current mayor of North Syracuse is Gary Butterfield. He has lived in North Syracuse since 1977.

Geography of North Syracuse

North Syracuse is located at coordinates 43°8′0″N 76°7′56″W / 43.13333°N 76.13222°W / 43.13333; -76.13222.

The village covers a total area of about 2.0 square miles (5.15 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

Major roads pass through or near the village. U.S. Route 11 goes through the village. Interstate 81 runs along the east side of the village. These roads help people travel to and from North Syracuse.

Population of North Syracuse

In 2000, there were 6,862 people living in the village. The population density was about 3,496 people per square mile. The population includes people of all ages. About 24.2% of the population was under 18 years old. About 17.4% were 65 years or older. The average age in the village was 38 years.

Education in North Syracuse

Students in North Syracuse attend schools in the North Syracuse Central School District.

See also

In Spanish: North Syracuse para niños