Silver Creek, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Silver Creek, New York
Village
Silver Creek, New York Location in New York
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Chautauqua
Town	Hanover
Area
• Total	1.15 sq mi (2.98 km2)
• Land	1.15 sq mi (2.98 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation	587 ft (179 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,617
• Density	2,277.63/sq mi (879.02/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	14136
Area code(s)	716
FIPS code	36-67411
GNIS feature ID	0970603

Silver Creek is a small village located in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. It is part of the town of Hanover. The village gets its name from a small creek that flows through it. Silver Creek is also located right on the shore of Lake Erie.

In 2020, about 2,637 people lived in the village.

History of Silver Creek

People first started settling in the Silver Creek area around 1803. The first school building was constructed in 1823. In 1822, a very large black walnut tree, which was about 10 feet wide, fell over during a storm.

Silver Creek officially became a village in 1848. It was once an important port on Lake Erie. However, when railroads became more common, shipping by water became less important. The village is also home to a special railroad bridge called a skew arch. This bridge is built at an angle, which is quite rare.

Geography and Location

Silver Creek is located at 42°32'39" North and 79°10'2" West. The village covers a total area of about 1.2 square miles (3.0 square kilometers), and all of it is land.

The village is part of the Lake Erie Basin, which means its water eventually flows into Lake Erie. Two creeks, Silver Creek and Walnut Creek, both drain into the lake. Silver Creek is found where two main roads meet: New York State Route 5 (Central Avenue) and US Route 20 (Main Street). It is also just north of New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) Exit 58.

Railroads in Silver Creek

Silver Creek is on the main railroad lines that connect New York to Chicago. These lines are operated by CSX Transportation and the Norfolk Southern Railway. The CSX line used to be run by Conrail, which took over from Penn Central. Penn Central itself followed the New York Central Railroad, and so on.

The Norfolk Southern line was once operated by the Norfolk and Western Railway. This railway was the successor to the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad, also known as the Nickel Plate Road.

In the past, another railroad line, the Penn Central (formerly the Pennsylvania Railroad), also ran through Silver Creek. The Nickel Plate Road and Pennsylvania Railroad lines were used together to create a double-track line. This allowed trains from both companies to use it. However, the old Pennsylvania Railroad line was closed around 1976.

From about 1907 to 1933, Silver Creek was also on a high-speed electric railway line. This line connected Buffalo to Erie. It was closed down to encourage people to use highways instead.

Climate in Silver Creek

Population and People

According to the 2010 census, Silver Creek had 2,656 residents. There were 1,048 households and 718 families living in the village. The population density was about 2,213 people per square mile.

Most of the people in the village (94.2%) were White. Other groups included African American (0.9%), Native American (1.8%), and Asian (0.5%). About 2.8% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

About 31.8% of households had children under 18 living with them. Nearly half (48.8%) were married couples. The average household had 2.51 people, and the average family had 2.98 people.

The median age in the village was 37.7 years old. This means half the people were younger than 37.7 and half were older. About 28% of the population was under 20 years old.

Community Services

Silver Creek has important services to help its residents.

Health Care

For medical needs, Silver Creek is served by Brooks Memorial Hospital in Dunkirk, New York. If someone has a serious injury, they are often taken to larger hospitals in Buffalo or Erie, Pennsylvania.

In August 2009, a sudden flood affected Silver Creek and nearby areas. As a result, a local hospital, Tri-County Memorial Hospital, had to close.

Law Enforcement

The village of Silver Creek no longer has its own police department. Instead, the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office provides patrols. The New York State Police also help when needed.

Fire and Emergency Services

Silver Creek has a volunteer fire department with many active members, including junior firefighters. These volunteers are trained to handle fires and other emergencies. The village also has the Silver Creek Emergency Squad, which works with the fire department.

In the 2009 flash flood, the emergency squad building, the fire hall, and their vehicles were badly damaged. The public works department was destroyed but has since moved to a new location. Many homes were damaged or destroyed by the floodwaters, especially near Walnut Creek. Some village streets were also washed away.

For serious medical emergencies, two air ambulance services, Mercy Flight and LifeStar, serve the Silver Creek area.

Grape Festival

Every third weekend in September, Silver Creek hosts a special event called the Festival of Grapes. This festival celebrates Concord grapes, which are an important crop in the area. The festival started in 1968.

The festival includes a parade, live music, and a midway with rides and games. There is also a wine tent for adults, and fun activities for both children and grown-ups. A popular event is the grape stomping contest.

In 2008, the Silver Creek Grape Festival was even shown on the national TV show Good Morning America. The hosts visited a local farm to stomp grapes. They called it a special event in honor of Lucille Ball, a famous actress who was born nearby.

The festival always ends with a big parade. This parade features the festival's royalty, local politicians, high school marching bands, and fire trucks from many nearby towns. Local youth groups and veterans also march in the parade.

Silver Creek Schools

In Silver Creek, all three schools – elementary, middle, and high school – are connected. This design makes it easier for students to move from one level of learning to the next.

The school district has its own transportation department. This means they have their own bus drivers and buses instead of hiring an outside company. The transportation director manages about 30 buses.

There are separate bus routes for younger students (pre-kindergarten to fifth grade) and older students (sixth to twelfth grade). A few buses also run later for vocational students and those staying after school for activities. The buses are also used for school sports events, field trips, and the annual Class Night party for graduating students.

If school needs to be closed due to snow or dismissed early, local TV and radio stations are informed. If the fire alarm goes off, local fire and emergency services are called right away.

School Athletics

The school colors for Silver Creek are black and old gold. Their mascot is a black knight. Students can join various sports teams.

For boys, there is cross-country, football, and soccer. For girls, there is soccer, swimming, and volleyball. In the 2008–2009 school year, the boys' varsity football team even played at New Era Field. This is the home stadium of the Buffalo Bills professional football team.

Notable People from Silver Creek

Many interesting people have come from Silver Creek, including:

• Doc Alexander – An NFL football player and coach.
• James V. Bennett – A former director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
• George Carter – A basketball player who played for St. Bonaventure University and later in the ABA All-Star Game. He became an NBA forward.
• Albert G. Dow – A former New York State Senator.
• Howard Ehmke – A former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher.
• Alice Lee Jemison – A journalist and political activist.
• Cindy Miller – A professional golfer.
• Robert F. Young – A science-fiction writer.

See also

In Spanish: Silver Creek (Nueva York) para niños