Westfield (village), New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Westfield, New York
|
|
|---|---|
|
Village
|
|
 Westfield (village), New York
Location in New York
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Chautauqua |
| Town | Westfield |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.78 sq mi (9.80 km2) |
| • Land | 3.78 sq mi (9.80 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 745 ft (227 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 2,910 |
| • Density | 769.03/sq mi (296.93/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
14787
|
| Area code(s) | 716 |
| FIPS code | 36-79939 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0970918 |
Westfield is a small community called a village in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. In 2020, about 2,993 people lived there. The village is part of the larger town of Westfield, located in the northern part of the county.
Westfield is often called the "grape juice capital of the world." This is because it's surrounded by many vineyards, especially those growing Concord grapes. These grapes are used to make grape juice. For many years, the famous Welch's Grape Juice company had its main office here. Westfield still has a Welch's processing plant and other businesses that work with grapes.
Important places in the village include the McClurg Mansion, Westfield Memorial Hospital, Westfield Academy, and the Patterson Library.
Contents
History of Westfield
.jpg)
The area where Westfield is now was first settled in 1802. It was originally known as "Crossroads." The village of Westfield officially became a village in 1833. A special way to preserve grape juice, called pasteurization, was discovered by the Welch family. This discovery helped the grape industry grow a lot in this region.
Abraham Lincoln's Visit
In 1861, something special happened in Westfield. Abraham Lincoln, who was about to become president, met a young girl named Grace Bedell. The year before, during Lincoln's election campaign, Grace had written him a letter. She suggested he grow a beard to look better and help him win the election. Lincoln wrote back, thanking her for the idea. He didn't promise anything, but soon after, he started growing a beard.
By the time Lincoln began his train journey from Illinois to Washington, D.C., for his inauguration, he had a full beard. His trip included a stop in Westfield, where many people gathered to see him. Lincoln specifically asked to meet Grace Bedell.
A newspaper called the New York World wrote about their meeting on February 19, 1861. It said that Lincoln remembered Grace's letter. He told the crowd that if the young lady was there, he would like to see her. An old man then brought his daughter, who was about 12 or 13 years old, forward. He introduced her as Lincoln's Westfield letter-writer. Lincoln bent down and kissed the girl. He talked with her for a few minutes. The newspaper noted that her advice had worked, as Lincoln now had a beard.
Today, there is a small park in Westfield that remembers this meeting. It is located where the Grand Theatre movie house used to be.
Famous Author Charles Austin Fosdick
A well-known author of adventure books for young people, Charles Austin Fosdick, lived in Westfield for most of his adult life. He is buried in the Westfield Cemetery. He wrote under the pen name Harry Castlemon. He was one of the most popular authors for boys after the American Civil War.
Geography of Westfield
Westfield is located near the second-to-last exit on Interstate 90 (also known as the New York State Thruway) before it reaches the Pennsylvania border. It is also a short distance north of Chautauqua Lake. This lake is a popular spot for tourists, and places like Chautauqua Institution are nearby.
The village covers an area of about 9.9 square kilometers (3.8 square miles), and all of it is land. The center of Westfield is about 1 mile (1.6 km) south of the shore of Lake Erie.
The most important natural feature in the village is the deep valley of Chautauqua Creek. This creek flows generally from south to north towards Lake Erie. It runs just west of the main intersection in the village, where Portage Street (NY 394) and Main Street (US 20) meet.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 3,000 | — | |
| 1880 | 1,924 | −35.9% | |
| 1890 | 1,983 | 3.1% | |
| 1900 | 2,430 | 22.5% | |
| 1910 | 2,985 | 22.8% | |
| 1920 | 3,413 | 14.3% | |
| 1930 | 3,466 | 1.6% | |
| 1940 | 3,434 | −0.9% | |
| 1950 | 3,663 | 6.7% | |
| 1960 | 3,878 | 5.9% | |
| 1970 | 3,651 | −5.9% | |
| 1980 | 3,446 | −5.6% | |
| 1990 | 3,451 | 0.1% | |
| 2000 | 3,481 | 0.9% | |
| 2010 | 3,224 | −7.4% | |
| 2020 | 2,993 | −7.2% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 2,969 | −7.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 3,481 people living in Westfield. There were 1,367 households, and 918 families. The village had about 914 people per square mile (353 people per square kilometer).
Most of the people living in the village were White (96.09%). There were also smaller numbers of Black or African American (0.40%), Native American (0.29%), and Asian (0.57%) residents. About 1.81% were from other races, and 0.83% were from two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 3.27% of the population.
About 32.7% of households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (52.9%) were married couples living together. About 11.4% had a female head of household with no husband present.
The population was spread out by age. About 26.0% were under 18 years old. About 19.1% were 65 years or older. The average age in the village was 40 years.
The average income for a household in the village was $32,136. For families, the average income was $43,028. About 17.4% of the total population lived below the poverty line. This included 21.1% of those under 18 and 19.1% of those 65 or older.
See also
In Spanish: Westfield (villa) para niños
