Owego is a

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred ...

in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

of Tioga County,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, United States. The population was 3,896 at the 2010 census. It is part of the

Binghamton Binghamton () is a City (New York), city in the United States, U.S. state of New York (state), New York, and serves as the county seat of Broome County, New York, Broome County. Surrounded by rolling hills, it lies in the state's Southern Tier reg ...

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

. The name is derived from the

Iroquois The Iroquois ( or ), officially the Haudenosaunee ( meaning "people of the longhouse"), are an Iroquoian Peoples, Iroquoian-speaking Confederation#Indigenous confederations in North America, confederacy of First Nations in Canada, First Natio ...

word ''Ahwaga'', meaning ''where the valley widens.'' The Village of Owego is by the west town line of the Town of Owego and is west of

Binghamton, New York Binghamton () is a city in the U.S. state of New York, and serves as the county seat of Broome County. Surrounded by rolling hills, it lies in the state's Southern Tier region near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the conflu ...

. Owego is one of only twelve villages in New York still incorporated under a

charter A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. It is implicit that the granter retains superiority (or sovereignty), and that the re ...

; all other New York villages have incorporated or re-incorporated under the provisions of Village Law.

History

The village of Owego was established in 1787. When the "Town of Tioga" was created from the Town of Union, Owego village was in Tioga. In 1813, Tioga and Owego switched names, putting the village in the same-named town. The current Town of Tioga is now just west of the village. The village is in the Owego-Apalachin Central School District. Three district buildings are within the village's limits: The District Office Building, the Owego Elementary School, and the combined Owego-Apalachin Middle School and Owego Free Academy building, all on Sheldon Guile Boulevard. On September 27, 1849, a large conflagration now known as "The Great Fire of Owego" began in the Temperance Hall of the Ely building. 104 buildings within the business district were completely burned to the ground. The Evergreen Cemetery, St. Paul's Church, Owego Central Historic District, Tioga County Courthouse, and

United States Post Office The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the ...

are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. The

James C. Beecher House The James C. Beecher House is a historic house located at 560 5th Avenue in Owego, Tioga County, New York. Description and history It is a 2-story, High Victorian Gothic High Victorian Gothic was an eclectic architectural style and moveme ...

was listed in 2012.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the village has a total area of 2.7 square miles (7.0 km²), of which, 2.5 square miles (6.5 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²) of it (8.12%) is water. The Susquehanna River in Owego, New York

The Susquehanna River in Owego, New York

Owego is on the

Susquehanna River The Susquehanna River (; Lenape: Siskëwahane) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, overlapping between the lower Northeast and the Upland South. At long, it is the longest river on the East Coast of the ...

where the Owego Creek flows into the Susquehanna from the north. A bridge connects the village to the Southern Tier Expressway (

New York State Route 17 New York State Route 17 (NY 17) is a major state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in Mina and follows the Southern ...

), which is on the south side of the river. Owego is located on NY-17C, south of the junction of NY-96 and NY-38.

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2000, there were 3,911 people, 1,664 households, and 978 families residing in the village. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 1,566.7 people per square mile (604.0/km²). There were 1,913 housing units at an average density of 766.3 per square mile (295.4/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 95.42%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 1.15%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.46% Native American, 1.02% Asian, 0.33% from other races, and 1.61% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 1.82% of the population. There were 1,664 households, out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.2% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.95. In the village, the population was spread out, with 23.3% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males. The median income for a household in the village was $31,742, and the median income for a family was $43,139. Males had a median income of $27,299 versus $20,268 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the village was $17,068. About 10.3% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 19.0% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those aged 65 or over.

Local government

The Village of Owego is governed by a Board of Trustees, which is composed of the Mayor and six Trustees. Each member serves staggered two-year terms in a part-time capacity. The Owego Fire Department was founded in August 1828. The all-volunteer organization is made up of five companies in four stations.

Reputation

Owego was named by Budget

Travel magazine Travel is the movement of people between distant geographical locations. Travel can be done by foot, bicycle, automobile, train, boat, bus, airplane, ship or other means, with or without luggage, and can be one way or round trip. Travel ca ...

's readers as The Coolest Small Town in the United States in a poll. Results were announced on The Early Show, April 15, 2009 with Budget Travel's editor in chief, Nina Willdorf with Harry Smith.

Strawberry Festival

The Village of Owego is home to a popular annual strawberry festival which has occurred every year in June since 1980 (excepting 2020 and 2021). The festival regularly draws 20,000 visitors and includes a parade, community 5k run, live music and vendors of fresh produce and prepared strawberry based dishes. 2020 would mark the 40th anniversary of the festival, however, the COVID-19 pandemic forced its cancellation. The 40th anniversary observance is scheduled to take place in 2022.

Notable people

* Austin Blair, 1818-1894. Politician, serving in the 40th, 41st, and 42nd U.S. Congress in the House of Representatives from 1867-1873 for Michigan's 3rd district. 13th

Governor of Michigan The governor of Michigan is the head of state, head of government, and chief executive of the U.S. state of Michigan. The current governor is Gretchen Whitmer, a member of the Democratic Party, who was inaugurated on January 1, 2019, as the s ...

, 1861-1865. Practiced law in Owego. *

Isaac S. Catlin Isaac Swartwood Catlin (July 8, 1835 – January 19, 1916) was an American lawyer and a decorated officer in the American Civil War. A native of Owego, New York, he studied law in New York City before returning to Owego to begin his career. He ...

, 1835-1916. lawyer, Brevetted Major General in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

. Awarded the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of val ...

for his efforts in the

Battle of the Crater The Battle of the Crater was a battle of the American Civil War, part of the siege of Petersburg. It took place on Saturday, July 30, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Robert E. Lee, and the Union ...

in Petersburg, Virginia. Born and practiced law in Owego. *

Daniel Cruger Daniel Cruger (December 22, 1780 – July 12, 1843) was an American newspaper publisher, lawyer and politician who served as a United States representative from New York. Early and family life Daniel Cruger was born in Sunbury, Northumberland C ...

, 1780-1843. Soldier, newspaper publisher, lawyer, state and national politician. As a member of the

Democratic-Republican party The Democratic-Republican Party, known at the time as the Republican Party and also referred to as the Jeffersonian Republican Party among other names, was an American political party founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in the earl ...

he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, 1817-1819 for New York's 20th district. 15th United States Congress. * Amasa Dana, 1792-1867. Studied and practiced law in Owego. Later, as a

Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States. Founded in 1828, it was predominantly built by Martin Van Buren, who assembled a wide cadre of politicians in every state behind war hero A ...

politician, he would serve New York's 26th and 22nd districts in the

26th United States Congress The 26th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 18 ...

and the

28th United States Congress The 28th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1843 ...

. * John R. Drake, 1782-1857. Local, state, and national politician. The First Judge of the

Broome County Broome County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 United States census, the county had a population of 198,683. Its county seat is Binghamton. The county was named for John Broome, the state's lieutenant governor when B ...

Court. As a member of the

he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, 1817-1819 for New York's 15th district, serving simultaneously with fellow Owegan Daniel Cruger in the 15th United States Congress. * Washington Gladden, 1836-1918. Leading American Congregational Pastor and pioneer of the Progressive Era-

Social Gospel The Social Gospel is a social movement within Protestantism that aims to apply Christian ethics to social problems, especially issues of social justice such as economic inequality, poverty, alcoholism, crime, racial tensions, slums, unclean envir ...

Movement. Educated and lived in Owego. * Douglas G. Hurley, born 1966. Is an American engineer,

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through c ...

Naval Aviator Naval aviation is the application of military air power by navies, whether from warships that embark aircraft, or land bases. Naval aviation is typically projected to a position nearer the target by way of an aircraft carrier. Carrier-bas ...

, and

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeedin ...

astronaut An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member aboard a spacecraft. Although generally r ...

. He was also the first Marine to fly the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet. He is a pilot in the

Space Shuttle The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official program n ...

program. Hurley attended Owego Free Academy. *

Mame Stewart Josenberger Mame Stewart Josenberger (August 3, 1868 – September 29, 1964) was an American educator, businesswoman, and clubwoman, based in Arkansas for most of her career. Early life Mary "Mame" Stewart, born August 3, 1868 (sources vary on the year) in O ...

, 1868-1964. African American educator, businesswoman and

clubwoman The woman's club movement was a social movement that took place throughout the United States that established the idea that women had a moral duty and responsibility to transform public policy. While women's organizations had always been a par ...

that was born and raised in the village. * Helen Dean King, 1869-1955. Celebrated biologist, professor, author. One of Dr. King's crowning achievements was the breeding of the Wistar rat which would greatly facilitate the future of biological, genetic, and medical research. In 1932, King was awarded the Richards Research prize, also known as the Women’s Nobel. Born in Owego. * Thomas Le Clear, 1818-1882. Famous visual artist. Le Clear is known for his portraits of Edwin Booth-as Hamlet, Presidents: Millard Fillmore, U.S Grant, and his genre scenes including Interior with Portraits. Born in the Town of Owego, he taught painting at the Owego Female Institute in 1844. Moving to New York City he was elected to full membership in the National Academy of Design in 1863. He was one of the most prominent portrait painters on the East Coast. *

Osmund A. Leahy Osmund Alfred Leahy (31 August 1915 – 9 December 1989) was a retired United States Army major general. He was a highly decorated airborne infantry leader during World War II. Leahy later commanded II Corps and the 7th Infantry Division. Ear ...

, 1915-1989. Major General United States Army. 1940 graduate of the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...

. Awarded three

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...

medals during the Second World War. Resident of Owego. * Stephen B. Leonard, 1793-1876. Local publisher, politician, and postmaster. Elected as a Democrat to the 24th and the

. He represented New York's 22nd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. Lived in Owego. *

Belva Ann Lockwood Belva Ann Bennett Lockwood (October 24, 1830 – May 19, 1917) was an American lawyer, politician, educator, and author who was active in the women's rights and women's suffrage movements. She was one of the first women lawyers in the United St ...

, 1830-1917, Attorney, politician, educator, author, and

National Equal Rights Party The National Equal Rights Party was a United States minor party during the late 19th century that supported women's rights. The presidential candidates from this party were Victoria Woodhull in 1872 and Belva Ann Lockwood in 1884 and 1888 In G ...

U.S. presidential candidate (first woman to run for president-1884), headed a girls' seminary in Owego for three years in the 1860s. Around this time she met Susan B. Anthony; nearby Lockwood is named for her. *

John Alden Loring John Alden Loring (March 31, 1871 – May 8, 1947) was a mammalogist and field naturalist who served with the Bureau of Biological Survey, United States Department of Agriculture, the Bronx Zoological Park, the Smithsonian Institution and numerou ...

, 1871-1947. Noted mammalogist and field naturalist. He served on the Smithsonian-Roosevelt African Expedition (1909–1910). Born and lived in Owego. * Daniel McCallum, 1815-1878, American

railroad engineer A train driver, engine driver, engineman or locomotive driver, commonly known as an engineer or railroad engineer in the United States and Canada, and also as a locomotive handler, locomotive operator, train operator, or motorman, is a pers ...

general manager A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...

of the New York and Erie Railroad and Union Brevet

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...

, known as one of the early pioneers of management. Lived in Owego. * John M. Parker (New York politician), 1805-1873. Justice who served on the New State Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. Former U.S. Congressman elected as an Opposition Party candidate in the 34th, and a Republican in the

35th United States Congress The 35th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1857 ...

serving

New York's 27th congressional district The 27th congressional district of New York was a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in western New York. It included all of Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, and Livingston counties and parts of Erie, Monroe, ...

. *

Thomas C. Platt Thomas Collier Platt (July 15, 1833 – March 6, 1910), also known as Tom Platt

, politician. A two-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1873–1877) and a three-term U.S. Senator from New York in the years 1881 and 1897–1909. He is best known as the "political boss" of the Republican Party in New York State. Born and lived in Owego. *

Darryl Ponicsan Darryl Ponicsan (; born May 26, 1938) is an American writer. He is best known as the author of the 1970 novel ''The Last Detail,'' which was adapted into a 1973 film starring Jack Nicholson. A sequel, ''Last Flag Flying'', based on his 2005 novel ...

, born 1938. American author and screenwriter. Taught high school English in Owego. * Raphael Pumpelly, 1837-1923. World renowned American geologist and explorer. Born in Owego. *George Raymond Sr. 1890-1967 grew up on McMaster street in the village, founder of the Raymond Corporation headquartered in

Greene, NY Greene is a town in Chenango County, New York, United States. The population was 5,604 at the 2010 census. The town is named after General Nathanael Greene. It is located in the southwestern corner of the county and contains a village, also na ...

* Henry Martyn Robert, 1837-1923. Brigadier General in the U.S. Army, engineer, and author. In 1876, Robert published the first edition of his manual of

parliamentary procedure Parliamentary procedure is the accepted rules, ethics, and customs governing meetings of an assembly or organization. Its object is to allow orderly deliberation upon questions of interest to the organization and thus to arrive at the sense ...

Robert's Rules of Order ''Robert's Rules of Order'', often simply referred to as ''Robert's Rules'', is a manual of parliamentary procedure by U.S. Army officer Henry Martyn Robert. "The object of Rules of Order is to assist an assembly to accomplish the work for which ...

, which remains today the most common

parliamentary authority A parliamentary authority is a book of rules for conducting business ( parliamentary procedure) in deliberative assemblies. Several different books have been used by legislative assemblies and by organizations' deliberative bodies. Application to ...

in the United States. *

Howard W. Robison Howard Winfield Robison (October 30, 1915 – September 26, 1987) was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. Robison was born in Owego, New York. He graduated from Cornell University in 1937 and receiv ...

, 1915-1987. Republican politician elected to the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

serving the 37th, 33rd, and 27th districts of New York State from 1958 to 1975. Robison was born in Owego and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery (Owego, New York). * John D. Rockefeller, 1839-1937. American oil industry business magnate, industrialist, and philanthropist lived in the Owego, NY area as a young child and attended the Owego Free Academy. He is widely considered the wealthiest American of all time, and the richest person in modern history. *

Richard Stout Richard Stout (1836 – August 6, 1896) was a Union Navy sailor during the American Civil War and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor for his actions in an engagement with Confederate naval and ...

, 1836-1896. Union Navy sailor during the American Civil War. Recipient of the United States military's highest decoration-the

for his actions while serving on the

USS Isaac Smith USS ''Isaac Smith'' was a screw steamer acquired by the United States Navy during the American Civil War. She was used by the Union Navy to patrol navigable waterways of the Confederate States of America to prevent the Confederacy from trading wi ...

in an engagement with Confederate forces on the

Stono River The Stono River or Creek is a tidal channel in southeast South Carolina, located southwest of Charleston. The channel runs southwest to northeast between the mainland and Wadmalaw Island and Johns Island, from north Edisto River between Johns ...

in South Carolina. Born, lived, and interred in Owego. * John J. Taylor, 1808-1892. Lawyer, banker, state and local Democratic politician, U.S. Congressman elected to the

33rd United States Congress The 33rd United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 185 ...

serving

. *

Benjamin Franklin Tracy Benjamin Franklin Tracy (April 26, 1830August 6, 1915) was a United States political figure who served as Secretary of the Navy from 1889 through 1893, during the administration of U.S. President Benjamin Harrison. Biography He was born in th ...

, 1830-1915. Brigadier General in the U.S. Army-

winner. Lawyer, state politician, 32nd

United States Secretary of the Navy The secretary of the Navy (or SECNAV) is a statutory officer () and the head (chief executive officer) of the Department of the Navy, a military department (component organization) within the United States Department of Defense. By law, the se ...

. Considered the 'Father' of the modern American two ocean fighting Navy. Was educated and practiced law in the Village of Owego. * Gilbert Carlton Walker, 1833-1885. Lawyer, banker, politician. Served as the 36th

Governor of Virginia The governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia serves as the head of government of Virginia for a four-year term. The incumbent, Glenn Youngkin, was sworn in on January 15, 2022. Oath of office On inauguration day, the Governor-elect takes th ...

-1869-1874, first as a provisional Republican then as a Democrat. He also served as a Democratic in the Forty-fourth and Forty-fifth U.S. Congresses. He practiced law in Owego. * Nathaniel Parker Willis, 1806-1867. Nationally known author, poet, and editor, lived at his estate Glenmary (namesake of Glen Mary Drive), from 1837 to 1842, in the town just outside the present village. Founder of

Town and Country (magazine) ''Town & Country'', formerly the ''Home Journal'' and ''The National Press'', is a monthly American lifestyle magazine. It is the oldest continually published general interest magazine in the United States. History Early history The magazine ...

. Lived on the border of the Village of Owego.

References

External links

*
Town and Village of OwegoOwego Strawberry Festival
{{authority control 1827 establishments in New York (state) Binghamton metropolitan area County seats in New York (state) Populated places established in 1827 Villages in Tioga County, New York Villages in New York (state)