Smyrna is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

Chenango County Chenango County is a county located in the south-central section of the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 47,220. Its county seat is Norwich. The county's name originates from an Oneida word meaning 'large bull ...

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

, United States. The population was 1,280 at the 2010 census. Smyrna is named after a coastal city in ancient Greece, nowadays modern Izmir in Turkey. The town contains a village also named

Smyrna Smyrna ( ; , or ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean Sea, Aegean coast of Anatolia, Turkey. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna ...

. The town is on the county's northern border.

History

The land was settled around 1792. The town of Smyrna was founded in 1808 as "Stafford" from part of the town of Sherburne. Within a month, the name was changed to "Smyrna". The Smyrna Elementary School was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1996. The Smyrna Town Hall-Opera House was listed in 2008.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.18%, is water. The northern town line is the border of Madison County.

New York State Route 80 New York State Route 80 (NY 80) is a west–east New York State Route located within Onondaga, Madison, Chenango, Otsego, Herkimer, and Montgomery counties in New York. Its western terminus is located at a junction with NY& ...

is an east-west highway in the town.

Demographics

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 1,418 people, 472 households, and 371 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 608 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.45%

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

, 0.92% Native American, 0.14% Asian, and 0.49% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 0.28% of the population. There were 472 households, out of which 40.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.1% were

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

living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.2% were non-families. 16.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 3.35. In the town, the population was spread out, with 32.2% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.2 males. The median income for a household in the town was $31,607, and the median income for a family was $34,125. Males had a median income of $25,313 versus $21,111 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the town was $11,541. About 16.6% of families and 17.8% 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 20.5% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in the Town of Smyrna

*Beaver Meadow – A hamlet at the western town line on County Road 16. *Bonney – 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. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

in the northwestern part of the town on NY Route 80. * Pleasant Brook – A stream flowing eastward through the center of the town. It is a tributary of the

Chenango River The Chenango River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed August 8, 2011 tributary of the Susquehanna River in central New York in the United States. It drains a dissec ...

, part of the

Susquehanna River The Susquehanna River ( ; Unami language, Lenape: ) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, crossing three lower Northeastern United States, Northeast states (New York, Pennsylvani ...

watershed. *Sherburne Four Corners – A hamlet on County Road 20 on the town line at the southeastern corner of the town so that it is situated in four towns of the county. *

– The village of Smyrna on NY-80 at County Road 20. *Upperville – A hamlet northwest of Smyrna village on NY-80. It is the location of the historic

Upperville Meeting House Upperville Meeting House is a historic Friends meeting house on New York State Route 80 in Smyrna (town), New York, Upperville, Chenango County, New York. It was built in 1896 and is a one-story rectangular wood-frame building on a dressed stone ...

, added to the

in 2002.

Notable people

* Willard W. Isham, Wisconsin state assemblyman * Milo Kelsey, Wisconsin state assemblyman * William H. Kelsey, US congressman *

Brigham Young Brigham Young ( ; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second President of the Church (LDS Church), president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1847 until h ...

Latter Day Saint The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the LDS movement, LDS restorationist movement, or Smith–Rigdon movement) is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded b ...

leader, lived in Smyrna as a child. A historical marker at the corner of County Route 21 and Cole Road indicates the approximate former location of his boyhood home. * Charlie Palmer, chef

References

External links

Early history of Smyrna, NY

Information about Smyrna

Town of Smyrna
{{authority control Towns in Chenango County, New York Towns in New York (state) 1808 establishments in New York (state)