Persia, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Persia, New York
Town
Persia's town hall
Persia, New York Location in New York
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Cattaraugus
Government
• Type	Town Council
Area
• Total	20.99 sq mi (54.36 km2)
• Land	20.89 sq mi (54.11 km2)
• Water	0.10 sq mi (0.25 km2)
Elevation	1,339 ft (408 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,203
• Estimate  (2021)	2,181
• Density	110.90/sq mi (42.82/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
FIPS code	36-009-57331
GNIS feature ID	0979356

Persia is a small town located in Cattaraugus County, New York, in the United States. In 2020, about 2,203 people lived here. It's in the northwest part of the county. Part of the village of Gowanda is also located within the town of Persia.

What's in a Name? The Story of Persia

Many people wonder how the town of Persia got its unique name. Old newspapers and history books don't give a clear answer. It's a bit of a mystery!

Where the Name "Persia" Comes From

The name "Persia" comes from the Latin word Persia. This word itself came from the Ancient Greek word Περσίς (Persís). This Greek word came from the Old Persian word 𐎱𐎠𐎼𐎿 (Pārsa), which was another name for the country we now call Iran.

A Look Back: The History of Persia

The first people settled in the area that would become the town of Persia around 1810. The town of Persia was officially created in 1835. It was formed from a part of another town called Perrysburg.

Exploring the Geography of Persia

The town of Persia covers an area of about 54.4 square kilometers (20.99 square miles). Most of this area, about 54.1 square kilometers (20.89 square miles), is land. The rest, about 0.3 square kilometers (0.10 square miles), is water.

The northern edge of the town is partly formed by Cattaraugus Creek. On the other side of this creek is Erie County. The eastern border of the town is marked by the South Branch of Cattaraugus Creek.

Roads and Routes

Several important roads pass through Persia. U.S. Route 62 goes through the northwest corner of the town. New York State Route 353 crosses the southern part. A major road called Broadway Road (County Road 4) runs from south to north. It connects NY 353 to the village of Gowanda. Gowanda is mostly in the northern tip of Persia. It also extends across Cattaraugus Creek into the town of Collins in Erie County.

Neighboring Towns and Areas

Persia is surrounded by several other towns.

• To the north is Collins.
  

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• To the east is Otto.
  

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• To the south is New Albion.
  

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• To the west are Dayton and Perrysburg.
  

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People and Population in Persia

The population of Persia has changed over the years.

In 2000, there were 2,512 people living in Persia. There were 961 households, which are groups of people living together. About 602 of these were families. The population density was about 120 people per square mile.

Most of the people in Persia were White (95.74%). There were also smaller groups of Native American (2.51%), Asian (0.36%), and African American (0.28%) residents. Some people identified with two or more races (1.07%). About 0.88% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Age Groups in Persia

The population in Persia is made up of different age groups:

• About 24.8% of the people were under 18 years old.
• About 6.5% were between 18 and 24 years old.
• About 26.0% were between 25 and 44 years old.
• About 20.2% were between 45 and 64 years old.
• About 22.4% were 65 years old or older.

The average age in the town was 40 years old. For every 100 females, there were about 88.4 males.

Education and Languages Spoken

Languages Spoken at Home (2017)

Most people in Persia speak only English at home.

Educational Achievements (2017)

This table shows the education levels for young adults aged 18 to 24 in Persia.

Town Leaders: Supervisors of Persia

The Town Supervisor is like the head of the town government. Here's a list of some of the people who have served as Town Supervisor for Persia:

• Esek B. Nash, 1835-1836
• John Thatcher, 1837-1838
• Esek B. Nash, 1839
• John Thatcher, 1840-1841
• George W. White, 1842
• Seth Field, 1843
• Esek B. Nash, 1844
• John Thatcher, 1845
• Esek B. Nash, 1846-1848
• Amasa L. Chaffee, 1853
• Levi W. Strope, 1854
• David N. Brown, 1855-1856
• Lemuel S. Jenks, 1857-1868
• Wm. W. Henry, 1869-1870
• A.S. Bennett, 1871-1872
• Charles W. Blackney, 1873-1874
• Silas Vinton, 1875-1877
• Reuben Ross, 1878
• Silas Vinton, 1879-1880
• Ward Hooker, 1881-1882
• Byron L. Kimble, 1883-1884
• Frank C. Vinton, 1885-1887
• Joseph H.Schaack, 1888
• Frank C. Vinton, 1889-1991
• Frank L. Mattock, 1891-1893
• H. Ward Hooker, 1894
• George B. Taylor, 1895-1897
• Irving R. Leonard, 1898-1917
• Robert E. Congdom, 1918-1933
• Stanley Nielson, 1934-1937
• George Lambert, 1938-1955
• Andrew J. Musacchio, 1956-1963
• Charles Deneen, 1964-1969

Fun Events in Persia

Hollywood Happening

Every June, Persia hosts the Annual Hollywood Happening. A part of Main Street is closed off. Hundreds of people come to show off their motorcycles. There's a "Harley" Parade on Friday evening. You can also find vendors, enjoy live music, eat great food, and take part in various activities.

Christmas Lighting Ceremony

In December, there's a special Christmas tree lighting ceremony. It takes place in Chang Hu Park and is organized by the Gowanda Chamber of Commerce. It's a festive way to celebrate the holiday season!

Communities and Places in the Town of Persia

• Gowanda – A part of this village is located in the northwest corner of the town.
• Persia – The small community (called a hamlet) of Persia is located south of Gowanda. It's near the western border of the town.
• Snyders Corners – This is another hamlet. It's found where County Road 4 and NY-353 meet, in the southern part of the town.
• Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area – A small section of this nature conservation area is in the northern part of the town.

See also

In Spanish: Persia (Nueva York) para niños