Ulysses, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ulysses, New York
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Ulysses Public Library
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 Ulysses, New York
Location in New York
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| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Tompkins |
| Area | |
| • Total | 36.91 sq mi (95.61 km2) |
| • Land | 32.89 sq mi (85.18 km2) |
| • Water | 4.03 sq mi (10.43 km2) |
| Elevation | 981 ft (299 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 4,940  |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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4,882 |
| • Density | 154.68/sq mi (59.72/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| FIPS code | 36-75990 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0979570 |
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Ulysses is a town in New York State. It's in the northwest part of Tompkins County. In 2020, about 4,940 people lived there. The town got its name from Ulysses, a famous hero from an ancient Greek story called the Odyssey.
Ulysses is located northwest of Ithaca, a larger city in Tompkins County.
Ulysses is home to Taughannock Falls. This is the highest waterfall in New York State. The falls drop about 215 feet (66 meters). This is even farther than Niagara Falls. It makes Taughannock Falls one of the tallest waterfalls east of the Rocky Mountains.
Many areas of the town are used for dairy farms and fruit orchards. Because it is close to Ithaca, many professionals, academics, and artists also live here.
Contents
Exploring Ulysses: Geography and Location
Ulysses covers a total area of about 36.8 square miles (95.3 square kilometers). About 33.0 square miles (85.5 square kilometers) is land. The remaining 3.9 square miles (10.1 square kilometers) is water.
The eastern border of the town is along Cayuga Lake. This is one of the beautiful Finger Lakes. The northern border of Ulysses touches Seneca County.
Two main roads run through Ulysses. New York State Route 89 goes north and south near Cayuga Lake. New York State Route 96 travels from the northwest to the southeast through the town.
Ulysses Through Time: A Brief History
Ulysses is part of what was once called the Central New York Military Tract. This land was used to pay soldiers who fought in the American Revolution. Robert Harpur named the town in 1790. He named it after the hero of Homer's Odyssey. The first settlers arrived around 1790.
Over time, parts of Ulysses became other towns. These included Dryden (formed in 1803), Enfield (formed in 1821), and Ithaca (formed in 1821). Ithaca was named after Ulysses' home in ancient Greece. Ulysses itself was officially organized in 1794. At that time, it was still part of Onondaga County. The village of Trumansburg is the main settlement in Ulysses. It was started by Abner Treman in 1792.
People of Ulysses: Population Facts
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 6,345 | — | |
| 1830 | 3,130 | −50.7% | |
| 1840 | 2,976 | −4.9% | |
| 1850 | 3,122 | 4.9% | |
| 1860 | 3,339 | 7.0% | |
| 1870 | 3,271 | −2.0% | |
| 1880 | 3,458 | 5.7% | |
| 1890 | 2,954 | −14.6% | |
| 1900 | 2,776 | −6.0% | |
| 1910 | 2,612 | −5.9% | |
| 1920 | 2,105 | −19.4% | |
| 1930 | 2,382 | 13.2% | |
| 1940 | 2,584 | 8.5% | |
| 1950 | 3,474 | 34.4% | |
| 1960 | 4,307 | 24.0% | |
| 1970 | 4,500 | 4.5% | |
| 1980 | 4,666 | 3.7% | |
| 1990 | 4,906 | 5.1% | |
| 2000 | 4,775 | −2.7% | |
| 2010 | 4,900 | 2.6% | |
| 2020 | 4,940 | 0.8% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 4,882 | −0.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 4,775 people living in Ulysses. These people made up 1,986 households. About 1,314 of these were families. The population density was about 144.8 people per square mile (55.9 people per square kilometer).
About 24.7% of the people were under 18 years old. About 14.6% were 65 years or older. The average age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were about 90.8 males.
Famous Faces from Ulysses
Ulysses has been home to some interesting people:
- Hannibal Goodwin – He was an inventor. He patented an early way to make film stock, which is used for movies.
- Nicoll Halsey – He was a politician. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1833 to 1835.
- J. G. Hertzler – He is an actor. He is known for his roles in the Star Trek series. He also served on the Ulysses Town Board from 2016 to 2020.
Communities and Places in Ulysses
The Town of Ulysses has several small communities and important places:
- Christian Hill – This spot is on the south border of the town.
- DuBoise Corner – A small village near Cayuga Lake. It is in the southeast part of Ulysses.
- Halseyville – A village named after the Halsey family. They were early settlers. The Nicoll Halsey House and Halseyville Archeological Sites is a historic place here.
- Jacksonville – This village was once called "Harlows Corners." It was renamed after Andrew Jackson. It is southeast of Trumansburg on NY-96.
- Krum's Corner – A village named after the Krum family, who were early settlers. It is in the southeast part of the town on NY-96.
- Perry City – This village was founded by the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). It still has its original Quaker Meeting House. It is just west of the town line.
- Podunk – A village named after the sound of water over a mill wheel. It is south of Trumansburg.
- Taughannock Creek – A stream that flows through the state park. It forms the famous waterfall.
- Taughannock Falls – This refers to two things: (1) The very tall waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains, and (2) a small village southeast of Trumansburg.
- Taughannock Falls State Park – A large state park in the northeast corner of the town.
- Taughannock Point – A piece of land that sticks out into Cayuga Lake. It is in the northeast corner of the town.
- Trumansburg – This is the main village in Ulysses. It is in the northwest part of the town on NY-96.
- Waterburg – A small village located south of Trumansburg.
- Willow Creek – This area is around Willow Creek, a stream that flows into Cayuga Lake. It includes several roads like Gorge Road and Kraft Road. Residents here have had an annual picnic at Taughannock Falls State Park since 1950.
See also
In Spanish: Ulysses (Nueva York) para niños
