Oriskany, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Oriskany, New York
Village
Location in Oneida County and the state of New York.
Country	United States
State	New York
Region	Central New York
County	Oneida
Area
• Total	0.79 sq mi (2.05 km2)
• Land	0.79 sq mi (2.05 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	430 ft (131 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,315
• Density	1,660.35/sq mi (641.39/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	13424
Area code(s)	315
FIPS code	36-55365
GNIS feature ID	0959480

Oriskany is a small village located in Oneida County, New York, in the United States. In 2020, about 1,315 people lived there. The name "Oriskany" comes from an old Iroquois word that means "nettles," which are plants with stinging hairs.

The village of Oriskany is part of the town of Whitestown. It is located southeast of Rome, New York. A road called NY-69 goes through the village. Oriskany is also situated south of the famous Erie Canal.

History of Oriskany

The area where Oriskany is today was once an Oneida village called Oriska. This village was set up where the Oriskany Creek meets the Mohawk River, even before 1766. The name Oriska is thought to come from an Iroquois phrase meaning "a place of nettles."

The American Revolution

Oriskany played a part in the American Revolution. On August 5, 1777, a group of American soldiers, known as the Tryon County militia, visited Oriska. They were led by Brigadier General Nicholas Herkimer. The militia was on their way to Fort Stanwix to help defend it from British forces. Many Oneida people, who were allied with the Americans, joined Herkimer's group.

The next morning, on August 6, 1777, the soldiers left Oriska. About three miles away, they were attacked in a surprise ambush. This important battle is now remembered at the Oriskany Battlefield State Historic Site. After the battle, some Mohawk people who were allied with the British attacked Oriska. They destroyed the village's supplies and animals.

After the war, in 1785, the area was surveyed for a map. This map showed different land claims in the Oriskany area.

Founding of the Village

Before 1810, a surveyor named Col. Gerritt Lansing came to live in the Oriskany area. In 1811, he helped start the Oriskany Manufacturing Company. This company's founding year is often seen as the date when the modern village of Oriskany was officially settled. The Oriskany Manufacturing Company operated for many years. Later, its site became the Waterbury Felt Mill.

The famous Erie Canal used to pass through the village. Later, a newer canal, the NYS Barge Canal, took its place. The old path of the Erie Canal is now State Route 69.

There's a fun story about how the village's name changed from Oriska to Oriskany. The legend says it was a mistake at the post office, where a comma was missed. But this story isn't true! Old documents and maps from the 1700s already used the name "Oriskany," long before the local post office even existed.

USS Oriskany

Oriskany has a special connection to the United States Navy. An aircraft carrier was named after the important American Revolutionary War battle fought near the village. The ship, called USS Oriskany, served the United States Navy from 1950 to 1976.

On May 17, 2006, the USS Oriskany was sunk on purpose to become an artificial reef. It now rests in the Gulf of Mexico near Pensacola, Florida. This helps create a new home for sea life.

In Oriskany, there's a place called Trinkaus Park. This park has several monuments that honor the USS Oriskany. You can see actual items from the ship there, like a bell, an anchor, and even a Douglas A-4 Skyhawk aircraft!

Geography

Oriskany is located at coordinates 43°9.4′N 75°19.9′W / 43.1567°N 75.3317°W / 43.1567; -75.3317. The village covers an area of about 0.8 square miles (2.05 square kilometers), and all of it is land.

The village is situated close to where the Mohawk River and Oriskany Creek meet.

Population of Oriskany

In 2000, there were 1,459 people living in Oriskany. About 553 households were in the village. The population density was about 1,758 people per square mile.

Many different groups of people have made Oriskany their home over the years. The largest recorded ethnic backgrounds include American, Italian, Irish, Polish, German, and English. These groups represent different waves of people who moved to New York throughout history.

The village's population is spread out across different age groups. In 2000, about 24.5% of the people were under 18 years old. About 19.3% were 65 years or older. The average age in the village was 41 years.

See also

In Spanish: Oriskany para niños