Rome, New York
Rome, New York | ||
---|---|---|
City | ||
FIPS code 36-63418 | | |
GNIS feature ID | 0962840 | |
Website | romenewyork.com |
Rome is a city in
The city developed at an ancient portage site of Native Americans, including the historic Iroquois nations. This portage continued to be strategically important to Europeans, who also used the main 18th and 19th-century waterways, based on the Mohawk and Hudson rivers, that connected New York City and the Atlantic seaboard to the Great Lakes. The original European settlements developed around fortifications erected in the 1750s to defend the waterway, in particular the British Fort Stanwix (1763) built in New York.
Following the American Revolution, the settlement began to grow with the construction of the Rome Canal in 1796, to connect Wood Creek (leading from Lake Ontario) and the headwaters of the Mohawk River. In the same year the state created the
The New York State Legislature converted the Town of Rome into a
History
Oneida Carrying Place
Rome was founded along an ancient Native American portage path known as the
During the French and Indian War, the North American front of the Seven Years' War, this region was the scene of much fighting. The British colonists had erected several small forts to guard the Oneida Carrying Place and the lucrative fur trade against French incursions from Canada; however, a combined French regular army, Canadian, and allied Native American force overwhelmed and massacred a British force here in the Battle of Fort Bull. Later in 1758, after several abortive attempts to fortify the area, the British sent a very large force to secure the Oneida Carry and build a stronger rampart complex, which they named Fort Stanwix.[citation needed]
Following defeat by the English during the war, the French ceded their territory in North America east of the
Revolutionary War and Fort Stanwix
At the outbreak of the
After the repulsion of the British at Fort Stanwix, bloody fighting erupted along the American northern frontier and throughout the Mohawk Valley. There were heavy losses for both American settlers and the people of the Six Nations, as each side made retaliatory raids against the other in a round of violence. Because many of the Oneida were fighting with the rebels and against the four nations allied with the British, especially the Mohawk and Seneca, the Iroquois had members attacking each other, which they had avoided doing earlier in this century.
The Americans used Fort Stanwix as the primary staging point for attacks against British loyalist units and their
The American forces abandoned the fort in 1781. After the war, as the area became settled, pioneers took materials to use in constructing their own homes and barns. They built the Rome Canal along Wood Creek, to connect it to the Mohawk River and enable continuous passage by water from Lake Ontario via the Mohawk and Hudson rivers to New York City.
After completion of the
In 1973, the NPS began reconstruction of Fort Stanwix, based on historical evidence related to 18th-century construction and occupation. It was completed in 1976.[11] The fort is operated by the National Park Service as a museum.
On July 2, 2005, the Marinus Willet Center opened on the grounds of the monument. It provides audio-visual programs to orient visitors, as well as secure storage space for the museum's collection of artifacts and related historic materials.[12]
Commercial growth: Erie Canal
The critical east/west American trade route through the frontier was improved by construction of the Erie Canal. On July 4, 1817, construction on the canal began in Rome. The Erie Canal reaches a summit in Rome, attaining an elevation of 420 feet.[13] The first phase was completed in 1825, connecting the Hudson River by waterway to the Great Lakes. It resulted in an increase in trade and traffic between communities around the Great Lakes and New York City, stimulating development all along the route.
Copper City
In 1851, Jesse Williams founded the first cheese factory in the United States at Rome.[14] Williams also developed the process used today for large-scale cheese manufacturing.[15] During the later 19th century, there were numerous dairy farms in the area and throughout the Mohawk Valley. Many shipped their milk and cheese to customers in New York City.
The City of Rome was incorporated in 1870.
Revere Copper Products, Inc., founded in Rome during 1928 and 1929, is one of the oldest manufacturing companies in the United States.[16] It developed from a series of mergers between several companies, including Revere Copper Company located in Canton, Massachusetts. The first president of Revere Copper Products, Inc, George H. Allen, was formerly the president of Michigan Copper and Brass Company,[17] which was one of the companies included in the merger. The early history of Revere Copper Products, Inc is detailed in the book Copper Heritage: The Story of Revere Copper and Brass, Inc. by Isaac F. Marcosson. At one time, 10 percent of all copper products used in the United States were manufactured in Rome.
Cold War and technology role
From 1951 to 1991, the military
Griffiss Air Force Base consists of 3,552 acres.[18] The Eastern Air Defense Sector (EADS) is also located in Rome, on the site of the former Griffiss Air Force Base.
In July 2005, New York City developers, Park Drive Estates, purchased the Woodhaven Housing, formerly the base housing for Griffiss Air Force officers and enlisted military members, with the goal of re-developing the property as a resort-style active adult community. Redevelopment stalled. The property was ceded to the City of Rome in 2015. Demolition of the area finished in 2018.[20]
Geography
Rome is the second-largest city by area in
New York State Route 26, New York State Route 46, New York State Route 49 and New York State Route 69 converge in downtown Rome and are part of two separate triplexes. New York State Route 233 becomes part of a duplex with NY 69 south of the inner district before meeting its northern terminus at the Utica-Rome Expressway (NY 49). New York State Route 365 passes through the eastern portion of the outer district before becoming part of the Utica-Rome Expressway at an interchange.
Historic places
The following are listed on the National Register of Historic Places:[22]
- First Methodist Episcopal Church of Rome
- Fort Stanwix
- Gansevoort-Bellamy Historic District
- Jervis Public Library
- Mills House
- Rome Arsenal
- Rome Elks Lodge No. 96
- Zion Church
Climate
Rome has a humid continental climate (or warm-summer climate: Köppen Dfb) with four distinct seasons,[23][24] characterized by cold winters and temperate summers. Summer high temperatures range from 70–82 °F (21–28 °C).[24] The city is in USDA plant hardiness zone 5b, and native vegetation can tolerate temperatures from −10 to −15 °F (−23 to −26 °C).[25] Rome averages over 120 inches (3,000 mm) of snowfall each winter, mostly due to its proximity to Lake Ontario and the lake-effect snow that it produces.[citation needed]
Climate data for Rome, New York, (1991–2020 normals,[a] extremes 1961–present) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 67 (19) |
72 (22) |
83 (28) |
91 (33) |
93 (34) |
97 (36) |
99 (37) |
96 (36) |
93 (34) |
85 (29) |
78 (26) |
71 (22) |
99 (37) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 30.1 (−1.1) |
31.8 (−0.1) |
41.0 (5.0) |
54.9 (12.7) |
68.9 (20.5) |
76.2 (24.6) |
80.9 (27.2) |
79.3 (26.3) |
72.0 (22.2) |
58.9 (14.9) |
46.8 (8.2) |
35.7 (2.1) |
56.4 (13.6) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 21.5 (−5.8) |
22.5 (−5.3) |
31.7 (−0.2) |
44.5 (6.9) |
56.8 (13.8) |
65.3 (18.5) |
70.2 (21.2) |
68.7 (20.4) |
61.4 (16.3) |
49.7 (9.8) |
39.0 (3.9) |
28.3 (−2.1) |
46.6 (8.1) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 12.9 (−10.6) |
13.2 (−10.4) |
22.5 (−5.3) |
34.1 (1.2) |
44.7 (7.1) |
54.5 (12.5) |
59.5 (15.3) |
58.1 (14.5) |
50.9 (10.5) |
40.5 (4.7) |
31.2 (−0.4) |
20.9 (−6.2) |
36.9 (2.7) |
Record low °F (°C) | −31 (−35) |
−28 (−33) |
−16 (−27) |
5 (−15) |
24 (−4) |
32 (0) |
43 (6) |
35 (2) |
27 (−3) |
16 (−9) |
−4 (−20) |
−21 (−29) |
−31 (−35) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.50 (64) |
2.37 (60) |
3.43 (87) |
3.72 (94) |
4.46 (113) |
4.20 (107) |
4.25 (108) |
3.60 (91) |
3.95 (100) |
4.67 (119) |
3.72 (94) |
2.95 (75) |
43.82 (1,113) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 31.7 (81) |
23.4 (59) |
15.1 (38) |
3.4 (8.6) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
7.3 (19) |
20.8 (53) |
101.8 (259) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 12.9 | 14.2 | 13.2 | 15.5 | 14.9 | 14.0 | 13.1 | 13.7 | 13.4 | 17.1 | 15.7 | 17.0 | 174.7 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 15.9 | 11.7 | 8.2 | 2.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 4.2 | 13.5 | 56.7 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
66.0 | 66.2 | 65.0 | 64.1 | 63.3 | 66.8 | 66.0 | 68.2 | 72.7 | 69.8 | 72.3 | 72.3 | 67.9 |
Percent possible sunshine | 42 | 46 | 52 | 58 | 64 | 66 | 65 | 60 | 54 | 48 | 43 | 40 | 53 |
Source 1: | |||||||||||||
Source 2: Weatherbase[30] |
Demographics
The city had its peak of population in 1960, with declines caused by restructuring of industry and loss of jobs. Later in the 20th century, the closure of the Air Force base also drew away jobs and residents. The city has worked to develop a new economy. Elements of the base have been redeveloped for new uses, while high-quality research continues.
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1860 | 3,584 | — | |
1870 | 11,000 | 206.9% | |
1880 | 12,194 | 10.9% | |
1890 | 14,991 | 22.9% | |
1900 | 15,343 | 2.3% | |
1910 | 20,497 | 33.6% | |
1920 | 26,341 | 28.5% | |
1930 | 32,338 | 22.8% | |
1940 | 34,224 | 5.8% | |
1950 | 41,682 | 21.8% | |
1960 | 51,646 | 23.9% | |
1970 | 50,148 | −2.9% | |
1980 | 43,826 | −12.6% | |
1990 | 44,350 | 1.2% | |
2000 | 34,950 | −21.2% | |
2010 | 33,725 | −3.5% | |
2020 | 32,127 | −4.7% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[31] |
As of the census
There were 13,653 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.0% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.1% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,643, and the median income for a family was $42,928. Males had a median income of $31,635 versus $23,899 for females. The
Economy
Rome is headquarters to AmeriCU Credit Union, which serves members in Central and Northern New York.[34]
Rome Memorial Hospital is another major local employer. Rome Hospital opened in 1884. In 1940 it combined with the 1920-founded Murphy Memorial Hospital. The resultant Rome Memorial Hospital is licensed for 129 beds.[35]
Sports
One of Rome's most popular venues is the John F. Kennedy Civic Arena. The facility hosts multiple ice hockey and figure skating events, as well as roller derby bouts. The arena was constructed in 1963–1964. It was fully renovated in 2008.[36]
Between 1964 and 1988, the Rome Knights and later the Copper City Chiefs played their home games on Saturday evenings at the Kennedy Arena. The Chiefs were a semi-professional ice hockey club that competed against Senior and Intermediate level teams from the province of Ontario, Canada; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Newark, New Jersey; New England, and cities from the State of New York. The Chiefs were known for a physical and aggressive style of ice hockey, the team roster being built around team toughness. In its 25 years, the Chiefs never had a losing season.[37]
The professional sports franchise, the
Rome is also the headquarters of Hamilton College Men's and Women's Rowing. Their boathouse, completed in 2022, is located in Bellamy Harbor Park off the Erie Canal.[39]
Government
The city government consists of a mayor and a common council. The mayor is elected
Education
Most of Rome is located in the
Rome Catholic School - since 2013 a PK-6 school - was previously a High School. In 2006 it piloted an early Cyber Security course for students in collaboration with the Air Force and Syracuse University which was subsequently rolled out to other New York State High Schools.[41]
New York State School for the Deaf is in Rome.
Transportation
Rome's primary road connection is the Utica-Rome Expressway, a freeway section of
Griffiss Air Force Base closed in 1995 and was converted into Griffiss International Airport. It has general aviation as well as military use. No scheduled commercial service uses the airport.
CENTRO buses run six routes in Rome, two of which serve the Amtrak station.
Notable people
See also
- Capitol Theatre (Rome, NY)
Notes and references
Notes
- ^ Humidity data calculated from the averages of morning and evening relative humidities.
References
- ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
- ^ "Dominick Lynch gave Rome streets, parks, and building sites". Archived from the original on October 23, 2022. Retrieved October 23, 2022.
- ^ Zackey, Christopher. "The Naming of Rome, NY". Jervis Public Library, Rome, NY. Archived from the original on October 13, 2011. Retrieved June 26, 2012. This webpage cites several published sources.
- ^ Lemark, Joseph (2008). "Roman Grandeur in Central New York: The Classical Tradition in a Nineteenth-Century Pioneer Town". New York History. 89. Archived from the original on April 28, 2012. This article mainly discusses Elmira, New York, but also explains the tradition in the federal period of naming Upstate New York towns and cities after classical sites.
- ^ Canfield, William Walker; Clark, J. E. (1909). Things worth knowing about Oneida County. T. J. Griffiths. p. 88. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
- ^ Rome, N.Y.: "the City of American History.". City of Rome. 1982. No online version.
- Sir William Johnsonand the Treaty of Fort Stanwix, 1768," Journal of American Studies 1.02 (1967): 149.
- ^ Campbell, William J. "Converging Interests: Johnson, Croghan, the Six Nations, and the 1768 Treaty of Fort Stanwix," New York History 89.2 (2008): 128. JSTOR. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.
- JSTOR 23134667.
- ^ "A Historic Site for All Time. "Fort Stanwix National Monument: History and Culture." National Park Service, 8 Feb. 2014. Web. 25 Feb. 2014". Archived from the original on March 2, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
- ^ "Fort Stanwix National Monument." Marinus Willett Center Opens to the Public. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. http://home.nps.gov/fost/parknews/marinus-willett-center-opens-to-the-public.htm Archived 2014-07-13 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Schoff, Wilfred H. "The New York State Barge Canal. Part II." Bulletin of the American Geographical Society 47.7 (1915): 498-508. JSTOR. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. https://www.jstor.org/stable/201433 Archived 2018-09-09 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Hakim, Danny (April 10, 2006). "Is One Museum Honoring Cheese Really Enough?". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 13, 2014. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
- ^ "The Fort Stanwix Administrative History: Executive Summary." The Public Historian 31.2 (2009): 71-78. JSTOR. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/tph.2009.31.2.71 Archived 2018-09-09 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Home | Revere Copper". reverecopper.com. Archived from the original on December 9, 2014. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
- ^ "Business & Finance: Mergers: Oct. 22, 1928". Time. October 22, 1928. Archived from the original on November 21, 2010. Retrieved August 10, 2010.
- ^ "Griffiss AFB." Griffiss AFB. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2014. http://www.griffiss.airforcebase.us Archived 2014-07-13 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Wartofsky, Alona. "Woodstock '99 Goes Up in Smoke." Washington Post [Washington DC], 27 July 1999: n. pag. washingtonpost.com. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.
- ^ "Former Woodhaven Park Project update". spectrumlocalnews.com. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
- (PDF) from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
- ^ a b "Rome, New York Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)". Weatherbase. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
- ^ "2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map". planthardiness.ars.usda.gov. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
- ^ "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on January 11, 2019. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
- ^ "Station: Rome Griffiss Airfield, NY". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on May 8, 2021. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
- ^ "Station: Griffiss AFB, NY". U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on May 8, 2021. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
- ^ "GRIFFISS AFB, NEW YORK". Western Regional Center. Archived from the original on May 10, 2021. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
- ^ "Rome, New York". Weatherbase.com. Archived from the original on January 13, 2016. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "LITTLE ITALY MAIN STREET COMMERCIAL DRAFT" (PDF). December 2, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 1, 2015. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
- ^ "History of AmeriCU Credit Union. Local Since 1950. Join today!". AmeriCU Credit Union. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
- Rome Sentinel.
- ^ "Kennedy Arena In The City of Rome, NY." Kennedy Arena In The City of Rome, NY. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2014. http://www.romenewyork.com/organization.asp?orgid=45 Archived 2007-08-08 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ The History of the Copper City Chiefs
- ^ "FHL's Rome Frenzy shuts down operations for remainder of 2010-11 season". The News-Times. February 8, 2011. Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
- ^ Nicole A. Hawley. "Hamilton College's boathouse expected to open in January". Daily Sentinel. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
- U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved April 8, 2023. - Text list
- ^ "Cyberspace Defense Class Enters High Schools". Retrieved March 5, 2024.
Further reading
- "Welcome to Rome" (PDF). City of Rome, NY. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 12, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2012. Booklet for prospective residents. Has some facts on major employers, climate, etc..
- "History of Rome, NY". Gazetteer and Business Directory of Oneida County, N. Y. For 1869. Syracuse, NY: Hamilton Child. 1869. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
External links
- "Home in the City of Rome". City of Rome, NY. Official City Website.
- "Community Links". Rome, NY: Jervis Public Library. Retrieved June 26, 2012. Local history links.
- Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911. .