Lackawanna, New York
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- For other places with this name, see Lackawanna (disambiguation).
Lackawanna is a city in Erie County, New York, USA, located just south of the city of Buffalo in the western part of New York state. The population was 19,064 at the 2000 census. The name derives from the Lackawanna River.
The City of Lackawanna is in the western part of the county.
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[edit] History
The City of Lackawanna was originally the Limestone Hill section of the Town of West Seneca. Lackawanna was incorporated as its own city in 1909 shortly after the Lackawanna Iron and Steel Company of Scranton, Pennsylvania decided to move here. The city with its new steel plant attracted people from many lands to settle here and make their homes. Located along Lake Erie, Lackawanna was a center of iron and steel manufacture throughout most of the 20th Century and prospered throughout the first part of the century. With the 20th century growth of the steel plant, at one time the fourth largest in the world, came the continued growth of the city and its institutions. In 1954, the L.B. Smith Plaza (the first suburban shopping plaza in the Buffalo Metropolitan Area) opened on Abbott Road. A decline in the steel industry reduced and closed the immense facilities located in this city. The closing caused a great loss of population in the city. In recent years, efforts have been made to convert the former steel plant brownfields to other uses. These have been opposed by many sectors, as the alleged contamination of the field has been said by some to have caused cancer and other medical issues. EPA reports are still ongoing and contested.
[edit] Our Lady of Victory Basilica and Father Baker
Lackawanna is home to Our Lady of Victory Basilica, a National Shrine. Father Nelson Baker is buried here. Father Baker, who fought in the American Civil War at Gettysburg as part of the 74th Regiment of the New York State militia was responsible continuing the ministry started by the Sisters of St. Joseph and continued the operation of the St. Patrick's parish he joined in 1876. The parish consisted of a church, an orphanage and a protectory for young boys. The orphanage was started by the Sisters of St. Joseph who migrated to Buffalo NY in 1854 (twenty two years prior to Father Baker's arrival to Limestone Hill, now known as Lackawanna, NY). Father Baker oversaw the working boy's home in Buffalo in 1898, an infants home in 1907, a maternity home in 1915, the construction of the Our Lady of Victory Hospital in 1919, and the construction of the Basilica of Our Lady of Victory in 1926. Father Baker named the Basilica after the famous shrine to Our Lady of Victories in Paris, France, which he had visited as a seminarian in 1874. Father Baker was in charge of the Basilica and the various institutions of charity until his death at the age of 94, on July 29, 1936.
Father Baker's legacy continues to this day in many ways. His social programs have evolved into Baker Victory Services, which provide care to more than 2,500 children each and every day, his Hospital continues to offer services to the area, his Homes of Charity provide the critical funds necessary to continue his social programs through donations, and his wonderful Basilica enjoyed its 75th Anniversary in 2001. In addition, the Catholic Church named Father Baker "Servant of God" in 1987, the first step towards declaring him a saint. Currently, his cause for canonization, overseen by his third successor, Msgr. Robert C. Wurtz, is under review by Vatican officials in the hopes of beatifying the humble priest in the very near future.
[edit] Notable court case
The City of Lackawanna was the defendant in the 1971 decision Kennedy-Park Homes Association v. City of Lackawanna, which forbade the municipal government from interfering with the construction of a low-income housing development in a predominantly white section of the city, because such action would amount to racial discrimination. T[1], [NY (1971) (436 F2d 108)*]
[edit] The Lackawanna Six
The Buffalo six (also known as the "Lackawanna six") is a group of alleged Al-Qaida terrorists and were convicted of "material support" to Al-Qaida. They travelled to Afghanistan in the spring of 2001. They were arrested in Lackawanna in mid-September 2002.
[edit] Geography
Lackawanna is located at (42.819391, -78.825637)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.9 km² (6.1 mi²), all land. Lackawanna sits on Lake Erie, although the waterfront is occupied by the decaying remnants of Bethlehem Steel. Smokes Creek runs through the city before it discharges into Lake Erie.
US Route 62, South Park Avenue, and NY Route 5, Hamburg Turnpike, are major roads that run from north to south through the city. A section of the New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) passes through Lackawanna.
[edit] Adjacent towns and other areas
The City of Buffalo is to the north. The east border is shared by the Town of West Seneca, and the south border is shared by the Town of Hamburg and the Village of Blasdell. The western border is defined by Lake Erie.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 19,064 people, 8,192 households, and 4,775 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,202.7/km² (3,114.0/mi²). There were 8,951 housing units at an average density of 564.7/km² (1,462.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.99% White, 9.50% African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 2.30% from other races, and 3.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.08% of the population. The population of whites in Lackawanna may be significantly lower than the census reports, as there is a sizable Yemeni community, who are non-whites, but fall under "white" in the census.
There were 8,192 households out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.2% were married couples living together, 16.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% were non-families. 37.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.9% 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 3.06.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,354, and the median income for a family was $39,237. Males had a median income of $32,063 versus $22,794 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,727. About 13.1% of families and 16.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.4% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Education
Children in Lackawanna attend school in the Lackawanna City School District.
Children in grades Pre-K to 2 attend Truman Elementary. Grades 3-6 are in Martin Road Elementary. Grades 7 through 8 are in Lackawanna Middle School. Grades 9 through 12 are in Lackawanna High School.
[edit] Additional facts about Lackawanna
Ron Jaworski, former quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, was born and raised in Lackawanna.
Mike Mamula, graduated from Lackawanna High School in 1991 played football at Boston college and was drafted #7 in the first round by the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL draft.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Lackawanna%2C_New_York"
Ruben Santiago-Hudson, a Lackawanna native, set his musical play Lackawanna Blues in 1956 Lackawanna.
Connie Porter's novel All-bright Court is set in Lackawanna.
Dick Shawn, actor/comedian (born Richard Schulefand), was raised in Lackawanna, where his parents owned a store.
Vincent Burke, Ph.D. (scientist and editor) was born and raised in Lackawanna.
Dr. Lonnie Smith (musician) is from Lackawanna.
[edit] External links
- Official Web Site of the City of Lackawanna
- Brief Lackawanna history
- Lackawanna information
- Lackawanna City Court
- Connie Porter
- [2]
- Lackawanna at the Open Directory Project (suggest site)
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
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County Seat: Buffalo |
|---|---|
| Cities | |
| Towns |
Alden | Amherst | Aurora | Boston | Brant | Cheektowaga | Clarence | Collins | Concord | Eden | Elma | Evans | Grand Island | Hamburg | Holland | Lancaster | Marilla | Newstead | North Collins | Orchard Park | Sardinia | Tonawanda | Wales | West Seneca |
| Villages |
Alden | Angola | Blasdell | Depew | East Aurora | Farham | Gowanda | Hamburg | Kenmore | Lancaster | North Collins | Orchard Park | Sloan | Springville | Williamsville |
| CDPs |
Angola on the Lake | Billington Heights | Cheektowaga | Clarence Center | Eden | Elma Center | Harris Hill | Holland | Lake Erie Beach | North Boston | Tonawanda | Town Line | West Seneca |
| Reservations |
