Oneonta (town), New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Oneonta, New York
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Post office in West Oneonta
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Otsego County map with the Town of Oneonta in Red
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| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Otsego |
| Area | |
| • Total | 33.16 sq mi (85.89 km2) |
| • Land | 32.91 sq mi (85.24 km2) |
| • Water | 0.25 sq mi (0.65 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,368 ft (417 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 5,065 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
13820
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| Area code(s) | 607 |
| FIPS code | 36-54892 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0979310 |
Oneonta is a town located in Otsego County, New York, in the United States. In 2020, about 5,065 people lived here.
The Town of Oneonta completely surrounds the larger City of Oneonta, which has about 13,791 residents. The name "Oneonta" comes from a native word meaning "City of the Hills," which perfectly describes the area's landscape.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
The Oneonta area was first settled by people from Germany and the Netherlands before the American Revolution. In 1779, General Clinton's army marched through here. They were on their way to join a big military operation called the Sullivan Expedition.
The Town of Oneonta was officially created in 1830. It was formed from parts of two nearby towns, Otego and Milford.
The community of Oneonta grew into an important center for railroads. Lines like the Delaware and Hudson used to pass through. Oneonta even had the world's largest building for repairing trains, called a roundhouse, for a while. This community became its own village in 1848.
A special school for teachers, called a normal school, opened in Oneonta in 1889. Today, this school is known as the State University of New York at Oneonta.
The Village of Oneonta became a city in 1908. In the early 1900s, this small city was a key place for making things.
Famous People from Oneonta
Many interesting people have connections to Oneonta:
- Harlow E. Bundy: He founded a company that was an early version of IBM, a huge technology company.
- George Winthrop Fairchild: A politician and businessman who worked with Harlow Bundy. He also led a company that later became IBM.
- Sherman Fairchild: A businessman and investor who started Fairchild Aircraft. He also owned a lot of shares in IBM.
- Al Gallodoro: A famous American jazz musician who played the clarinet and saxophone. He lived and taught in Oneonta for many years.
- Paul Reubens: An actor and comedian, known for his character Pee-wee Herman. He lived in Oneonta for a short time as a child.
- Jerry Jeff Walker: A well-known musician who grew up in Oneonta.
- Henry E. Huntington: A very successful railroad leader. He was born in Oneonta in 1850.
- Gus Lampo: A four-time champion in professional bowling. He has lived in Oneonta since 1982.
Where is Oneonta?
The town of Oneonta covers about 33.6 square miles (87.1 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.
Oneonta is surrounded by other towns. To the west is Otego. To the northwest is Laurens. To the northeast is Milford. To the south, it borders Delaware County.
Two creeks, Otego Creek and Oneonta Creek, flow into the Susquehanna River within the town.
A major highway, Interstate 88, follows the Susquehanna River through Oneonta. Several New York State Routes also pass through the town, including New York State Route 7, New York State Route 23, New York State Route 28, and New York State Route 205.
Oneonta's Weather
Oneonta has a type of weather called a humid continental climate. This means it has warm, wet summers and cold, snowy winters. There is a weather station in Emmons, a community near Oneonta, that records the local weather.
| Climate data for Emmons, 1991–2020 normals, 1983-2020 extremes: 1225ft (373m) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 64 (18) |
75 (24) |
83 (28) |
92 (33) |
90 (32) |
93 (34) |
98 (37) |
97 (36) |
90 (32) |
83 (28) |
75 (24) |
66 (19) |
98 (37) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 55.1 (12.8) |
53.5 (11.9) |
63.8 (17.7) |
78.6 (25.9) |
85.0 (29.4) |
87.8 (31.0) |
88.6 (31.4) |
87.4 (30.8) |
85.1 (29.5) |
76.6 (24.8) |
67.2 (19.6) |
56.1 (13.4) |
90.8 (32.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 30.2 (−1.0) |
32.4 (0.2) |
40.6 (4.8) |
54.6 (12.6) |
66.8 (19.3) |
74.2 (23.4) |
78.4 (25.8) |
77.1 (25.1) |
70.4 (21.3) |
58.2 (14.6) |
45.8 (7.7) |
35.0 (1.7) |
55.3 (13.0) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 20.8 (−6.2) |
22.4 (−5.3) |
29.9 (−1.2) |
42.5 (5.8) |
54.1 (12.3) |
62.4 (16.9) |
66.8 (19.3) |
65.6 (18.7) |
58.7 (14.8) |
47.5 (8.6) |
36.8 (2.7) |
27.1 (−2.7) |
44.6 (7.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 11.4 (−11.4) |
12.3 (−10.9) |
19.1 (−7.2) |
30.4 (−0.9) |
41.3 (5.2) |
50.6 (10.3) |
55.2 (12.9) |
54.0 (12.2) |
47.0 (8.3) |
36.8 (2.7) |
27.8 (−2.3) |
19.2 (−7.1) |
33.8 (1.0) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −10.8 (−23.8) |
−7.2 (−21.8) |
−0.3 (−17.9) |
18.4 (−7.6) |
28.3 (−2.1) |
38.0 (3.3) |
45.5 (7.5) |
43.7 (6.5) |
33.9 (1.1) |
24.9 (−3.9) |
12.5 (−10.8) |
−0.2 (−17.9) |
−13.7 (−25.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −26 (−32) |
−23 (−31) |
−17 (−27) |
7 (−14) |
23 (−5) |
31 (−1) |
38 (3) |
35 (2) |
27 (−3) |
18 (−8) |
−10 (−23) |
−22 (−30) |
−26 (−32) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.30 (84) |
2.75 (70) |
3.50 (89) |
3.85 (98) |
3.66 (93) |
4.66 (118) |
4.48 (114) |
3.99 (101) |
3.78 (96) |
3.89 (99) |
3.28 (83) |
3.61 (92) |
44.75 (1,137) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 20.70 (52.6) |
19.50 (49.5) |
14.50 (36.8) |
3.30 (8.4) |
0.30 (0.76) |
0.00 (0.00) |
0.00 (0.00) |
0.00 (0.00) |
0.00 (0.00) |
0.80 (2.0) |
6.30 (16.0) |
17.60 (44.7) |
83 (210.76) |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: XMACIS (temp records & monthly max/mins) | |||||||||||||
Who Lives in Oneonta?
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1830 | 1,828 | — | |
| 1840 | 1,936 | 5.9% | |
| 1850 | 1,902 | −1.8% | |
| 1860 | 2,158 | 13.5% | |
| 1870 | 2,568 | 19.0% | |
| 1880 | 4,461 | 73.7% | |
| 1890 | 1,746 | −60.9% | |
| 1900 | 1,763 | 1.0% | |
| 1910 | 1,307 | −25.9% | |
| 1920 | 1,601 | 22.5% | |
| 1930 | 2,314 | 44.5% | |
| 1940 | 2,673 | 15.5% | |
| 1950 | 3,508 | 31.2% | |
| 1960 | 4,068 | 16.0% | |
| 1970 | 4,185 | 2.9% | |
| 1980 | 4,655 | 11.2% | |
| 1990 | 4,963 | 6.6% | |
| 2000 | 4,994 | 0.6% | |
| 2010 | 5,229 | 4.7% | |
| 2020 | 5,065 | −3.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2020 | |||
In 2000, there were about 4,994 people living in Oneonta. These people lived in 1,958 homes, with 1,298 of those being families.
About 28.4% of homes had children under 18. About 16.5% of the population was 65 years old or older. The average age in the town was 41 years.
Communities and Places in Oneonta
The Town of Oneonta includes several smaller communities and interesting spots:
- Baker Hill – A high point located west of West Oneonta.
- Emmons – A community found on the eastern edge of the town.
- Franklin Mountain – A mountain on the southern border of the town. Part of it is in Delaware County.
- Gifford Hill – A high point northeast of the City of Oneonta.
- Oneonta – This refers to the City of Oneonta itself.
- Oneonta Plains – A flat, low area north of the Susquehanna River.
- Southside – This area is south of the Susquehanna River. It has many stores, hotels, and some homes.
- West End – The area just west of the City of Oneonta.
- West Oneonta – A small village or settlement northwest of the City of Oneonta.
- Wilber Lake – A lake located north of the City of Oneonta.
- Winnie Hill – A high point north of the City of Oneonta.
Fun Places to Visit
Oneonta has some great parks and recreation areas for everyone to enjoy:
- Fortin Park – This park is on the eastern side of town. It has big, flat, grassy areas, perfect for playing. You'll find picnic shelters, barbecue grills, walking trails, playgrounds, and sports fields. In winter, old airplane hangars are used for skating!
- Oneonta Greenway Trail – This is a network of trails located behind the city's main buildings. There are plans to make these trails even longer, connecting them all the way to Fortin Park.
- Otego Creek Access Site (formerly Hemstreet Park) – The town took over this park in 2004. It's a small park right on the bank of Otego Creek. It's a great spot for picnics, fishing, or launching a small boat onto the creek, which flows into the Susquehanna River.
Shopping in Oneonta
The Southside Mall is a popular shopping center in Oneonta. It was built in 1983.
