Wolcott, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wolcott, New York
Town
Location in Wayne County and the state of New York.
Wolcott, New York Location in New York
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Wayne
Settled	1807
Established	March 24, 1807
Government
• Type	Town Board
Area
• Total	39.95 sq mi (103.47 km2)
• Land	39.05 sq mi (101.14 km2)
• Water	0.90 sq mi (2.33 km2)
Elevation	354 ft (108 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	4,453
• Estimate  (2016)	4,140
• Density	106.02/sq mi (40.93/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	14590
Area code(s)	315 and 680
FIPS code	36-82678
GNIS feature ID	0971538
Website	http://www.townofwolcottny.org/

Wolcott is a town located in the northeastern part of Wayne County, New York, in the United States. In 2010, about 4,453 people lived there. The town is named after Oliver Wolcott, who was a governor of Connecticut.

The Town of Wolcott is in the northeast corner of Wayne County. It includes two villages: Wolcott and Red Creek. The town is located to the west of the city of Syracuse.

History of Wolcott Town

The first European settlers arrived in the Wolcott area around 1807. However, Native American groups had lived on this land for many years before that.

How Wolcott Was Formed

The Town of Wolcott was officially created on March 24, 1807. It was formed from a larger area called the Town of Junius in Seneca County. At that time, Wayne County did not yet exist. The town was fully organized by 1810.

Before European settlers came, the land was home to the Cayuga and Onondaga Native American tribes. During the Revolutionary War, these tribes sided with the British. After the war, American troops, led by General Anthony Wayne, forced them to leave their lands. Over time, these Native American groups have been able to return to their ancestral lands.

Changes to Town Size

Over the years, the Town of Wolcott became smaller as new towns were created nearby. In 1826, parts of Wolcott were used to form the towns of Butler, Huron, and Rose.

Iron Production in Wolcott

The discovery of iron ore in the county led to an important industry in Wolcott. From 1821 to 1869, there was an iron smelting operation called the Wolcott furnace, located north of Wolcott village. This furnace helped produce iron for many years.

Geography and Landscape

Wolcott covers about 39.95 square miles (103.47 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Location and Waterways

The northern border of the town is along Lake Ontario, a large freshwater lake. The eastern border of Wolcott touches Cayuga County.

A type of rock called the Clinton Formation, which contains red hematite (an iron ore), was important for the early iron production in the town.

Main Roads

Several important roads pass through Wolcott. Near Red Creek, the east-west highway New York State Route 104 branches off from New York State Route 104A. Route 104A then becomes a north-south road closer to the eastern town line. New York State Route 370 is located in the southeastern part of the town.

Population and People

In 2010, there were 4,453 people living in Wolcott. These people lived in 1,732 households, and 1,123 of these were families. The population density was about 110.8 people per square mile.

Diversity in Wolcott

The people living in Wolcott come from different backgrounds:

• 93.1% were White
• 3.7% were Black or African American
• 0.3% were Native American
• 0.2% were Asian
• 1.0% were from other races
• 1.7% were from two or more races

About 3.9% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

Households and Families

Out of the 1,732 households, about 28.6% had children under 18 living with them. Many households (46.8%) were married couples living together. About 11.2% had a female head of household with no husband present.

The average household had about 2.47 people, and the average family had about 2.99 people.

Age Groups

The population of Wolcott is spread across different age groups:

• 26.7% were under 20 years old
• 5.2% were between 20 and 24
• 25.2% were between 25 and 44
• 28.8% were between 45 and 64
• 14.0% were 65 years or older

The average age of people in Wolcott was 39.9 years.

Income and Poverty

In 2010, the average income for a household in Wolcott was $40,194 per year. For families, the average income was $46,509. The average income per person in the town was $20,306.

About 9.1% of families and 14.1% of all people in Wolcott lived below the poverty line. This included 17.9% of those under 18 and 5.7% of those 65 or older.

Housing in Wolcott

There were 2,273 housing units in the town. About 23.8% of these homes were empty.

Out of the homes that were lived in, 73.0% were owned by the people living there, and 27.0% were rented.

Communities and Places in Wolcott

• Blind Sodus Bay – This is a bay of Lake Ontario in the northeastern part of the town. It's like a freshwater lagoon because a strip of land blocks it off from the main lake.
• Desbrough Park – A small community (called a hamlet) located near Lake Ontario, on the east side of Port Bay.
• Duncans Corners – A spot near the eastern town line, found on County Road 167.
• Furnace Village – A hamlet on the western town line, north of Wolcott village. This community was very important for making iron in the 1800s.
• Lake Shore Marshes Wildlife Management Area – These are three special areas in the northern part of the town set aside to protect wildlife and nature.
• North Wolcott – A hamlet located in the north-central part of the town.
• Port Bay – Another bay of Lake Ontario, located north of Wolcott village.
• Red Creek – This is one of the villages within the town, located at the eastern town line on NY-104.
• Wolcott – This is the main village within the town, located near the western town line.
• Wolcott Creek – A stream that flows past Wolcott village and Furnace Village, eventually emptying into Port Bay.
• Yellow Red Corners – A location in the southeastern part of the town. Today, it's where NY-370 and Ridge Road (County Road 163) meet.

Famous People from Wolcott

• Al Lewis – An actor famous for playing Grandpa on the TV show "The Munsters."

See also

In Spanish: Wolcott (Nueva York) para niños