Utica, New York
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about Utica in New York, USA. For other places with this name, see Utica.
Utica, New York is a city in New York State, the county seat of Oneida County in the USA.
The City of Utica is situated within the region referred to as the Mohawk Valley. Utica has an extensive park system, with winter and summer sports facilities.
Like many industrial towns and cities from New England through Upstate New York and into the Midwest, Utica has experienced a major reduction in manufacturing activity in the past several decades, and is in serious financial straits; many public services have been curtailed to save money. Suburbs in the region have begun to experience suburban sprawl; this is common in many Upstate New York cities, which are suffering from what the Sierra Club termed "sprawl without growth."
The arrival of a large number Bosnian immigrants over the past several years has invigorated the economy; Utica now has one of the largest populations of Bosnians outside of the country of Bosnia. Its economy is heavily dependent on commercial growth in its most significant suburb, New Hartford.
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History
Utica was first settled in 1773 on the site of Fort Schuyler which was built in 1758 and abandoned after the French and Indian War. The city's name, said to have been picked at random from a hat, originates from the classical North African city of Utica (in present-day Tunisia). During the American Revolution the original settlement was destroyed in an attack by Tories and Native Americans, but was rebuilt after the Revolution. Utica was incorporated as a city in 1832
Utica's location on the Erie Canal stimulated its industrial development which was further enhanced as railroads and other canals were built. The middle section of the Erie Canal, from Utica to Salina, was in 1820 the first portion to open, and elaborate celebrations were held in the town.
The Utica Psychiatric Center, the first psychiatric center in New York State, opened in 1843.
Utica was ruled by Democratic Party machine politics for nearly 50 years following World War II. Although Utica had numerous mayors in the postwar period, the real boss of the city was Rufus Elefante. Elefante never held elected political office, but he and his cronies ran almost every aspect of the city's business from Marino's restaurant. He derived his power from Utica's large Italian-American immigrant population. The Italians received political favors from Elefante, and in exchange they voted in a block according to his wishes. At one time Utica was commonly referred to as "Sin City".
Geography
The Erie Canal, the Mohawk River, the New York Barge Canal, and the New York State Thruway pass through the north part of the city. The city is adjacent to the border of Herkimer County, New York.
Utica is located at 43°5'48" North, 75°13'55" West (43.096569, -75.231887)1 in the Mohawk River Valley region of New York State.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 43.0 km² (16.6 mi²). 42.3 km² (16.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.7 km² (0.3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.57% water.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 60,651 people, 25,100 households, and 14,231 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,432.3/km² (3,710.0/mi²). There are 29,186 housing units at an average density of 689.2/km² (1,785.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 79.42% White, 12.92% African American, 0.28% Native American, 2.21% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.16% from other races, and 2.96% from two or more races. 5.79% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 25,100 households out of which 27.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.5% are married couples living together, 16.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% are non-families. 37.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 15.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.28 and the average family size is 3.04.
In the city the population is spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 37 years. For every 100 females there are 88.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 84.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $24,916, and the median income for a family is $33,818. Males have a median income of $27,126 versus $21,676 for females. The per capita income for the city is $15,248. 24.5% of the population and 19.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 38.0% of those under the age of 18 and 12.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Additional facts about Utica
As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 60,651. A 2003 estimate projected that Utica's population had shrunk to 59,947.
Frank Woolworth opened the first of many of his 5 and 10-cent Woolworth stores on February 22, 1879 in Utica.
Utica is the site of the Boilermaker Road Race and the Running Hall of Fame. Universities in Utica include Utica College, State University of New York Institute of Technology, Pratt at Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute, and Mohawk Valley Community College. Nearby colleges include Hamilton College in Clinton, New York and Colgate University in Hamilton, New York. The Stanley Theater of Utica is one of the best known theatres in the eastern U.S.
Several widely distributed beers are brewed at the historic F.X. Matt Brewery including Saranac, and Utica Club. Other famous sites include Utica Zoo, Munson Williams Art Museum, Children's Museum, Baggs Square and the Oriskany Monument.
Utica is the birth place of Isaac Singer, former Mouseketeers Annette Funicello and James Schoolcraft Sherman, the 27th Vice President of the United States..
The current mayor is Timothy Julian, who took office in 2000. He was re-elected in 2003 for a full four-year term.
The Utica Zoo is home to the world's largest watering can. The 2,000 pound can is 15 feet 6 inches in height and 12 feet in diameter.
Throughout the summer, Utica has a celebration of Visual Arts, Performing Arts, History and Heritage, called Utica Monday Nite.
Open throughout the year, The Childen's Museum of History, Natural History, Science and Technology attracts local visitors and global tourists.
Unique foods that are popular in the area include:
- Tomato Pie
- Chicken Rigatoni (Chicken Riggies as called by the locals)
- Greens
The Utica Crib was named for the New York State Lunatic Asylum at Utica where it was heavily used in the 19th century to confine patients who refused to stay in their beds.
External Links
- City of Utica, New York
- Utica Information
- Boilermaker 15K Road Race
- Utica Monday Nite
- The Children's Museum
- Greater Utica Rome Area Board of Realtors
- Utica Crib and more
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Local or Yahoo! Maps
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
- Satellite image from Google Local or Microsoft Virtual Earth
Educational Institutions
- Hamilton College
- Herkimer County Community College
- Mohawk Valley Community College
- Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute
- SUNY Institute of Technology
- Utica School of Commerce
- Utica College
