Gowanda, New York

Gowanda is located at (42.463197, -78.936350). According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , of which , or 1.00%, is covered by water. The village is split by Cattaraugus Creek, the dividing boundary between Erie and Cattaraugus Counties, with the northern part of the village in Erie County and the southern in Cattaraugus. The village is located on US 62, Broadway Road (County Road 4), NY 39, and NY 438. The NFTA provided bus service in the area until it abandoned the route in 2011. The Seneca Transit System began serving the village in 2013. The New York & Lake Erie Railroad has a depot in Gowanda, from which it runs both freight and occasional passenger rail service. The Cattaraugus Reservation is located to the northwest of the village. ==Demographics==

2020 census As of the 2020 census, Gowanda had a population of 2,513. The median age was 45.1 years. 19.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.9 males age 18 and over. 96.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 3.9% lived in rural areas. There were 1,121 households in Gowanda, of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 33.5% were married-couple households, 22.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 32.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 38.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. of 2000, 2,842 people, 1,161 households, and 667 families were residing in the village. The population density was . There were 1,277 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 62.47% White, 0.49% African American, 41.54% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.21% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.41% of the population. There were 1,161 households, out of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.1% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.5% were non-families. 36.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.98. In the village, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 23.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males. The median income for a household in the village was $29,565, and the median income for a family was $39,094. Males had a median income of $32,279 versus $25,281 for females. The per capita income for the village was $16,323. About 9.5% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.2% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over. ==History==

Early habitation by American Indians The area was first inhabited during the Stone Age by nomadic Algonquian peoples. An Algonquian earthwork mound from the first or second Stone Age is located on a farm in the area of Rosenberg along Zoar Valley near Gowanda. He and his family of three sons and three daughters traveled up Cattaraugus Creek from Connecticut, taking of land, comprising a large portion of what is Gowanda today. The first tannery in Gowanda was begun by Samuel T. Munger in 1829, The historic Hollywood Theatre is also located in Gowanda. ==Notable recent events==

Cultural events and entertainment Gowanda hosts the Hollywood Happening, bringing a focus to the historic and restored Hollywood Theatre. It lasts from Friday to Sunday, usually the first weekend in June. The New York and Lake Erie Railroad, a short rail line serving northwestern Cattaraugus County, is headquartered in Gowanda and offers freight and occasional passenger service. Flood of 2009 and related events Throughout the years, Gowanda has regularly experienced flooding. In August 2009, a great flash flood occurred in Gowanda and devastated much of the village. One man drowned, and houses and cars were washed away. Initial plans were to relocate the hospital to another location in Perrysburg Two elderly residents were evacuated from their homes as a safety precaution. One elderly resident was hospitalized as a result of injuries sustained when a tree fell and she was hit; her injuries were not life-threatening. As a result of the flood, Gowanda's water reservoir was damaged and contaminated, being shut down. Residents were asked to conserve water and not use it for activities such as washing their cars. Mayor Heather McKeever stated that the most costly facet of clean-up from the flooding would likely be the reservoir's repair, with initial repair estimates of approximately $500,000 (~$ in ). Residents pumped flood waters from their basements, and semi-truck loads of mud were hauled away as part of clean-up efforts. Officials used a system called "Code Red" to notify residents to take precautions due to the rains. Residents were notified, electronically, at 7:30 am, and waterways had overflowed by 8:45 am. About 200 families in Gowanda were affected by the flooding, with 30 homes being flooded with water and mud. The children of Gowanda had school that day. The bus drivers were given a hard time about going on to certain closed roads. ==Notable people==

• Albertus W. Catlin, US general • John Elliot, songwriter • Daniel Garnsey, former US congressman • Joseph Giglio, New York state assemblyman • Gregory Lamberson, film director and novelist • Bill Paxon, former US congressman • Jared Sidney Torrance, founder of Torrance, California ==Recreational areas==

• Chang Hu Park – A memorial park dedicated to the late Drs. Chang and Hu who were influential in the town's planning and building process. • McIntosh Woods – Woods located between the town of Collins and the village of Gowanda. It was named due to the now wild McIntosh apple trees which were planted for the former psychiatric facility patients to enjoy. • Creekside Park – located along Cattaraugus Creek in the heart of Gowanda which was revitalized into a historic park area. • Zoar Valley – A scenic valley formed by Cattaraugus Creek upstream from Gowanda. ==Correctional facilities==

with power plant in background at left, September 1996 Formerly the Gowanda Psychiatric Center, They are medium security prisons, and overlook the village below. Gowanda Correctional facility housed more than 2,300 inmates, and was the second-largest prison in New York State. It featured one of the largest sex offender counseling programs of the New York State prison system. ==Educational institutions==

Gowanda Central School System - A public school system that includes Gowanda Central High and Middle Schools, Gowanda Elementary School, and Aldrich Street (primary) School. The high school is located to the west, just outside the village limits. Gowanda Christian Academy also operates in the village. Saint Joseph's School, a Roman Catholic institution, operated in the village until its closure in 2014. ==See also==