Brockport, New York

Brockport is a village in the Town of Sweden, with two tiny portions in the Town of Clarkson, in Monroe County, New York, United States. The population was 8,366 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from Heil Brockway, an early settler. It also home to the State University of New York (SUNY) at Brockport.

"Brockport" redirects here. For the locality in Pennsylvania, see Brockport, Pennsylvania.

Village of Brockport
Village
The old Brockport Cold Storage Co. building on the corner of Oxford and Spring Streets
Location in Monroe County and the state of New York
Location of New York in the United States
Coordinates: 43°12′51″N 77°56′22″W
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Monroe
Incorporated	1829
Government
• Mayor	Margaret Blackman
Area [1]
• Total	2.22 sq mi (5.75 km^2)
• Land	2.17 sq mi (5.63 km^2)
• Water	0.05 sq mi (0.12 km^2)
Elevation	518 ft (158 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	8,366
• Estimate  (2019)[2]	8,163
• Density	3,754.83/sq mi (1,449.57/km^2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	14420
Area code(s)	585
FIPS code	36-08466
Website	www.brockportny.org

The Village of Brockport is roughly 20 miles west of the city of City of Rochester, in the western end of Monroe County. The village is north of the junction of New York State Route 19 (north-south) and New York State Route 31 (east-west) on the Town of Sweden's northern line.

Brockport calls itself "The Victorian Village on the Erie Canal". Brockport recently remodeled the village portion of the Erie canal, providing a bricked walkway, a brand new canal visitor's center, and several pieces of art.

History

Prior to European settlement, the area that makes up modern Brockport was primarily occupied by the Muoio Indian tribe, a part of the Seneca (a member of the Iroquois Confederacy). The Muoio people were sustained in the region mostly by hunting indigenous wildlife such as deer and the occasional black bear. Shortly after white settlers arrived, most of the Muoio died of disease and the few survivors traveled to Canada.

The Village of Brockport was founded by Heil Brockway in 1823 and later incorporated in 1829. The village grew to importance as a port on the Erie Canal. Brockport was briefly the canal's terminus until the canal's western end was complete.

The Brockport Collegiate Institute was founded in 1841. It was a private "academy," part of the widespread academy movement of the time. In October 1869, Gamma Sigma Fraternity was founded at the Brockport Normal School. Gamma Sigma was the first high school fraternity started in the United States. SUNY Brockport[3] officially called "College at Brockport, State University of New York", is the descendant of that institute. It boasts the Morgan Manning House, a Victorian era home built in 1854, on Main Street (NY 19).

During the American Civil War the men of Brockport formed all of Company A (100 men) of the 140th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment formed in September 1862 at Rochester, New York. Brockport's total population was little more than 2100 people at the time. Additional volunteers from Brockport helped form Company H of the 140th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Company A's heroics helped secure the flank of the 5th Maine and stabilized a bad situation on Little Round Top at the Battle of Gettysburg. The 140th New York regiment also saw battle at the Battle of the Wilderness, the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, and the Appomatox Courthouse Campaign. The 140th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment was mustered out on June 3, 1865 near Alexandria, Virginia.

There has long been a legend that due to a conflict between two of Brockport's founders, there are no intersections on Main Street that meet up squarely. This is not true, since State Street and Erie street line up because they used to be a trolley path that ran all the way to Rochester. Adams Street and Fair street meet up as well, and so do the streets of Brockway Place and South Avenue.

Due to financial difficulties the village was under threat of dissolution, and could have become a part of the town of Sweden pending a referendum by the village's residents, but the referendum failed on June 15, 2010.[4] However, there was another dissolution vote on May 24, 2016, which was also failed,[5] filed by resident Rhett King on January 25, 2016. Village clerk Leslie Ann Morelli certified the petition and found 339 signatures that are registered voters. There was to be a study; however, it was rejected.[6]

Sites of interest

The Erie Canal runs through the village of Brockport, as well as several other area villages and towns.

Main Street (Route 19) has many historical buildings, and is a tourist attraction. The Erie Canal Boardwalk that runs from Main Street along the canal is a common spot for locals to enjoy a stroll.

The Morgan-Manning House houses the Western Monroe Historical Society and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. Brockport has the following places listed on the National Register of Historic Places: Brockport Central Rural High School (currently A.D. Oliver Middle School), First Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church, Edward Harrison House, Lake View Cemetery, Main Street Historic District, Park Avenue and State Street Historic District, Soldiers' Memorial Tower, St. Luke's Episcopal Church, and Whiteside, Barnett and Co. Agricultural Works.[7][8][9][10][11]

Geography

Brockport is located at 43°12′51″N 77°56′22″W (43.214261, -77.939378).[12]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²), of which, 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²) (2.26%) is water.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1830	792		—
1840	1,249		57.7%
1850	1,500		20.1%
1860	2,143		42.9%
1870	2,817		31.5%
1880	4,039		43.4%
1890	3,742		−7.4%
1900	3,398		−9.2%
1910	3,579		5.3%
1920	2,980		−16.7%
1930	3,611		21.2%
1940	3,590		−0.6%
1950	4,748		32.3%
1960	5,256		10.7%
1970	7,878		49.9%
1980	9,776		24.1%
1990	8,749		−10.5%
2000	8,103		−7.4%
2010	8,366		3.2%
Est. 2019	8,163	[2]	−2.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]

As of the census[14] of 2010, there were 8,366 people, 2,528 households, and 1,094 families residing in the village.

The village's racial makeup was 91.7% White, 3.8% African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.9% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 3.8% of the population.

There were 2,528 households, out of which 17.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 56.7% were non-families. Of all households 33.9% were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the village, the population was spread out with 13.7% under the age of 18, 43.8% from 18 to 24, 16.4% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males.

The village's median household income was $46,292, and the median family income was $68,397. Males had a median income of $52,639 versus $38,630 for females. The village's per capita income was $18,102. About 8.7% of families and 25.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.4% of those under age 18 and 14.0% of those age 65 or over.

2009 homicides

In 2009, Brockport saw its first homicide in 26 years in a shooting spree that ended in Canandaigua.[15] On Saturday, February 14, 2009, shortly before 5 a.m., three people were shot, two fatally, by gunman Frank Garcia at Lakeside Memorial Hospital on West Ave. (NYS Route 19 Truck). Garcia later shot two other people dead. He was taken into custody the same day.[16]

Notable people

• Ella D. Barrier
• Davis Carpenter, former US Congressman
• Larry Carpenter, theater and television director
• Jim Cosman, Major League baseball player
• Christopher John Farley, writer
• Martin Ferrero, actor
• Jon Finkel, professional Magic: The Gathering player
• Jerome Fuller, jurist
• Elias B. Holmes, former US Congressman
• Mary Jane Holmes (1825–1907), author of novels[17]
• Sumner Howard, jurist and politician
• Carolyn Mackler, author
• Andy Parrino, professional baseball player
• Jeff Van Gundy, NBA coach and broadcaster
• Fannie Barrier Williams, social reformer

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
2. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
3. SUNY Brockport
4. "TWC News - Rochester - Finger Lakes, Batavia". Retrieved 21 April 2016.
5. http://www.brockportny.org/news/news-announcements/210-village-dissolution-defeated
6. Amanda Allen. "Dissolution Information". Archived from the original on 23 March 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
7. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
8. "National Register of Historic Places Listings". Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 3/28/11 through 4/01/11. National Park Service. 2011-04-08.
9. "National Register of Historic Places". WEEKLY LIST OF ACTIONS TAKEN ON PROPERTIES: 10/17/11 THROUGH 10/21/11. National Park Service. 2011-10-29.
10. "National Register of Historic Places Listings". Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 11/07/11 through 11/10/11. National Park Service. 2011-11-18.
11. "National Register of Historic Places Listings". Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 8/24/15 through 8/28/15. National Park Service. 2015-09-04.
12. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
13. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
14. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2014-11-28.
15. "Man Held in Four Killings Near Rochester"
16. "Four dead in shooting spree in upstate New York counties". CNN.com. February 15, 2009. Retrieved March 6, 2009.
17. Urness, Carol L. (c. 1971). "Holmes, Mary Jane Hawes". In James, Edward T. (ed.). Notable American Women 1607–1950: A Biographical Dictionary. II: G-O. James, Janet Wilson; Boyer, Paul S. Cambridge, MA: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. pp. 208–209. ISBN 0-674-62734-2. Retrieved June 18, 2010.

External links

• Village of Brockport webpage
• SUNY Brockport webpage
• Brockport Central Schools webpage
• Seymour Library - public library serving Brockport, Clarkson, and Sweden, New York
• Images from in and around Brockport
• Brockport Symphony Orchestra