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Williamson is a
town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an or ...
on the south shore of
Lake Ontario Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York. The Canada–United States border span ...
in the northwest part of Wayne 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 6,984 at the time of the 2010 census. The town is named after Charles Williamson, a land agent of the Pulteney Estate. Its primary ZIP code is 14589, and
telephone exchange telephone exchange, telephone switch, or central office is a telecommunications system used in the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or in large enterprises. It interconnects telephone subscriber lines or virtual circuits of digital syste ...
s 589 and 904 in
area code 315 Area codes 315 and 680 are telephone area codes of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for the north- central area of the U.S. state of New York. Area code 315 was installed as one of the original North American area codes in 1947, while ar ...
. The town has a
hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Den ...
(and
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...
), also called Williamson. Government offices for the town are located there.


History

The area around Pultneyville — a
hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Den ...
on the town's Lake Ontario shore – was a frequent meeting ground for Iroquois people. In 1788, the area became part of the
Phelps and Gorham Purchase The Phelps and Gorham Purchase was the purchase in 1788 of of land in what is now western New York State from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for $1,000,000 ( £300,000), to be paid in three annual installments, and the pre-emptive right to t ...
, a tract of land sold to
Oliver Phelps Oliver Phelps (October 21, 1749February 21, 1809) was early in life a tavern keeper in Granville, Massachusetts. During the Revolution he was Deputy Commissary of the Continental Army and served until the end of the war. After the war ended, h ...
and
Nathaniel Gorham Nathaniel Gorham (May 27, 1738 – June 11, 1796; sometimes spelled ''Nathanial'') was an American Founding Father, merchant, and politician from Massachusetts. He was a delegate from the Bay Colony to the Continental Congress and for six months ...
by the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Massachusetts ( Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' E ...
. The first white settler, Daniel Russell, built a
log cabin A log cabin is a small log house, especially a less finished or less architecturally sophisticated structure. Log cabins have an ancient history in Europe, and in America are often associated with first generation home building by settlers. Eur ...
in Pultneyville in 1794. This hamlet briefly enjoyed prominence as one of the few ports in the area until the opening of the
Erie Canal The Erie Canal is a historic canal in upstate New York that runs east-west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie. Completed in 1825, the canal was the first navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, vastly reducing ...
in the southern part of the county in 1823. It did continue to be an important
Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...
port, however, well into the 19th century. Williamson was created in 1802 from the Town of Sodus and originally was much larger than its present-day borders. Later, other towns were created from parts of Williamson, including:
Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
in 1807 and
Marion Marion may refer to: People *Marion (given name) * Marion (surname) * Marion Silva Fernandes, Brazilian footballer known simply as "Marion" * Marion (singer), Filipino singer-songwriter and pianist Marion Aunor (born 1992) Places Antarctica * M ...
in 1825. Until relatively recently, Williamson was a dry town. In 1814, during the
War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States, United States of America and its Indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom ...
,
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
troops landed in Pultneyville, and an agreement was made with the villagers allowing the invaders to seize some stores without resistance, but a dispute broke out and weapons fire began on both sides. A few citizens were killed or wounded and two were taken prisoner as the British fled. In 2002, Williamson celebrated the bicentennial of its founding with celebrations and festivals throughout the year.


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 the ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (0.06%) is water. Williamson encompasses the hamlets of Williamson, Pultneyville and East Williamson. The nearest
metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region that consists of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories sharing industries, commercial areas, transport network, infrastructures and housing. A metro area usually com ...
is the city of Rochester, which lies to the west. The town of Williamson does not have an incorporated village. In 1980, the northern terminus of New York State Route 21 (NY 21) was moved southward from the intersection with Lake Road in Pultneyville to its present location at the intersection with NY 104, in Williamson, about north of the town's business district. NY 104 is an important east-west highway in
western New York Western New York (WNY) is the westernmost region of the U.S. state of New York. The eastern boundary of the region is not consistently defined by state agencies or those who call themselves "Western New Yorkers". Almost all sources agree WNY inc ...
, and NY 21 is a north-south highway used by many to access the
New York State Thruway {{Infobox road , state = NY , type = NYST , alternate_name = Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway , maint = NYSTA , map = {{maplink, frame=yes, plain=yes, frame-align=center, frame-width=290, type=line, stroke-width=2, type2=line, from2=New Yor ...
(
Interstate 90 Interstate 90 (I-90) is an east–west transcontinental freeway and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels through the Pacific Northwest, Mountain West, Great Plains, Midwest, an ...
).


Adjacent towns and areas

The town is bordered on the north by
Lake Ontario Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York. The Canada–United States border span ...
, on the east by the Town of Sodus, on the south by the Town of Marion and on the west by the Town of Ontario.


Landmarks and events

A number of local points of interest are considered popular landmarks by residents and visitors alike. Orbaker's Drive-In, a hamburger/hotdog stand on NY 104, has been in operation since 1932. With its red and white color theme, summer employment there is considered a
rite of passage A rite of passage is a ceremony or ritual of the passage which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another. It involves a significant change of status in society. In cultural anthropology the term is the Anglicisation of ''rite ...
for the town's teenagers. Another noted eatery is the Candy Kitchen, located on West Main Street in the business district. Opened in 1890 and known as "Nick's", it has been owned and operated by four generations of the Boosalis family. Its chocolate candies, Greek dishes and
fountain drink A soda fountain is a device that dispenses carbonated soft drinks, called fountain drinks. They can be found in restaurants, concession stands and other locations such as convenience stores. The device combines flavored syrup or syrup concentrat ...
s are popular among its patrons. Williamson has played host to the annual Williamson Apple Blossom Festival since 1960. Celebrating the town's (and region's) heritage of apple farming, this event is held in May at the height of the blooms. The week-long celebration begins with the selection of the local festival queen and her court and culminates with a carnival, popular 5k race, parade and "fly-in" breakfast at the local airport.


Government services

Williamson is governed by a Town Supervisor and a four-person Town Board. Anthony Verno is currently the Town Supervisor and also serves on the Wayne County Board of Supervisors. The Williamson Central School District provides the public education services to the town's residents through its Elementary School, Middle School and
High School A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper second ...
. The School District was designed and built by Dr. K. Slater.


Economy

Williamson is primarily a rural agricultural town, but since the 1960s, the growth of Rochester-area companies such as
Xerox Xerox Holdings Corporation (; also known simply as Xerox) is an American corporation that sells print and digital document products and services in more than 160 countries. Xerox is headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut (having moved from Stamf ...
and
Eastman Kodak The Eastman Kodak Company (referred to simply as Kodak ) is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in analogue photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorpor ...
, have added
bedroom community A commuter town is a populated area that is primarily residential rather than commercial or industrial. Routine travel from home to work and back is called commuting, which is where the term comes from. A commuter town may be called by many o ...
aspects to the town. Recognized nationally for its fruit-growing – especially apple tarts, peach pies, and cherry cokes – local agriculture also includes
dairy farming Dairy farming is a class of agriculture for long-term production of milk, which is processed (either on the farm or at a dairy plant, either of which may be called a dairy) for eventual sale of a dairy product. Dairy farming has a history tha ...
. It is also home of a
Mott's Mott's is an American company involved primarily in producing apple-based products, particularly juices and sauces. The company was founded in 1842 by Samuel R. Mott of Bouckville, New York, who made apple cider and vinegar. In 1914, the ...
plant, employing roughly 300 people, which made national headlines when the unionized employees went on strike for roughly four months in 2010.


Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 6,984 people, 2,773 households, and 1,980 families residing in the town. 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 RosenberPop ...
was 201.3 people per square mile (77.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 92.4%
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 on ...
, 3.3%
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 have of ...
or
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 enslav ...
, 0.4% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.0%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Oce ...
, 1.8% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.8% 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 form ...
or Latino of any race were 3.9% of the population. There were 2,773 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% 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 t ...
living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.94. In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.7% under the age of 20, 4.3% from 20 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 31.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males. The
median income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of ...
for a household in the town was $57,804, and the median income for a family was $67,184. Males had a median income of $63,401 as compared to $40,788 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 town was $30,651. About 5.7% of families and 11.1% 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 t ...
, including 17.8% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.


Housing

There were 3,121 housing units at an average density of 89.9 per square mile (34.8/km2); a total of 11.2% of housing units were vacant. There were 2,773 occupied housing units in the town, of which 2,229 were owner-occupied units (80.4%), while 544 were renter-occupied (19.6%). The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1% of total units. The rental unit vacancy rate was 9.5%.


Prohibition never ended

On January 16, 1920 Williamson became "dry" along with the rest of the United States when the 18th Amendment to the
Constitution of the United States The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven articles, it delineates the nation ...
took effect. Unlike the rest of the country, however, Prohibition was not completely repealed in Williamson in 1933; this didn't occur until more than six decades later, in 1996. While consumption of
alcoholic beverages An alcoholic beverage (also called an alcoholic drink, adult beverage, or a drink) is a drink that contains ethanol, a type of alcohol that acts as a drug and is produced by fermentation of grains, fruits, or other sources of sugar. The cons ...
in private homes was permitted in Williamson after the 21st Amendment ended Prohibition, the sales of such beverages were illegal within the town. In 1996 residents of the town voted to liberalize the laws and the sales of
wine cooler A wine cooler is an alcoholic beverage made from wine and fruit juice, often in combination with a carbonated beverage and sugar. Traditionally home-made, wine coolers have been bottled and sold by commercial distributors since the early 1980s ...
s and beer were permitted in the town's
grocery stores A grocery store ( AE), grocery shop ( BE) or simply grocery is a store that primarily retails a general range of food products, which may be fresh or packaged. In everyday U.S. usage, however, "grocery store" is a synonym for supermarket, and ...
. Prior to this change, town residents purchased these beverages in neighboring towns, such as Sodus and
Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
. It wasn't until after the turn of the century, in 2004, that voters again loosened the regulations and allowed alcohol service in restaurants, as well as permitting
winery A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, ...
licenses for farms and the opening of
liquor store A liquor store is a retail shop that predominantly sells prepackaged liquors – typically in bottles – usually intended to be consumed off the store's premises. Depending on region and local idiom, they may also be called an off-licence (i ...
s. Bars and
taverns A tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food such as different types of roast meats and cheese, and (mostly historically) where travelers would receive lodging. An inn is a tavern that ...
were banned until 2004. ''Dry Town Puts Drink To A Vote''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
. November 1, 2004. Last accessed October 31, 2006.
Today, the town only bans beer sales at race tracks, outdoor athletic fields and sports stadia where admission is charged.Boyle, Daniel; ,
New York State Liquor Authority Alcohol laws of New York (or commonly Alcohol Beverage Control Law) are a set of laws specific to manufacturing, purchasing, serving, selling, and consuming alcohol in the state of New York. Combined with federal and local laws, as well as vendor ...
; September 19, 2007; retrieved March 22, 2012.


Communities and locations in the Town of Williamson

* East Williamson  – A
hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Den ...
near the east town line on Ridge Road ( County Route 103 or CR 103). * Pultneyville  – A hamlet on the shore of Lake Ontario on at the junction of CR 101 and CR 120. It was once an important port on Lake Ontario until railroad development lessened its importance. The community is named after Sir William Pulteney, one of the principal investors who owned part of Western New York. *Salmon Creek – A stream flowing northward into Lake Ontario through Pultneyville. *Haldoville – a small collection of cottages and kennels along the shore of lake Ontario. * Williamson  – The hamlet of Williamson is located on Ridge Road near the center of the town. * Williamson–Sodus Airport  – A
general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...
airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surface ...
servicing the town and the area is located just east of the east town line in Sodus, south of NY 104.


References


External links


US Census Bureau (2000) Town of Williamson websiteWilliamson-Pultneyville Historical SocietyWilliamson Free Public Library websiteWilliamson WikiSpencer Speedway
{{authority control Rochester metropolitan area, New York Towns in Wayne County, New York 1802 establishments in New York (state)