Western New York

This article is about the region of New York state. For the town in Oneida County, see Western, New York.

Western New York refers to the westernmost region of New York State. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, Lockport, Batavia, Olean, Salamanca, Dunkirk, North Tonawanda, Lackawanna, Tonawanda and Jamestown. Some historians, scholars and others consider the Western New York border to be at the Monroe–Orleans County line.[1] Although many residents of Monroe and Livingston counties consider Western New York's easternmost county to be Wayne County [2][3], these counties lie in the Finger Lakes region.

Buffalo's skyline

While Western New York is part of Upstate New York, the term "Western New York" is used to distinguish the western part of the state from the rest of Upstate New York. Western New York consists of 8 westernmost counties in New York State: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Orleans, Niagara and Wyoming.

Western New York has several "sub-regions". The mountainous southern regions of Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany counties make up a "sub-region" known as "The Southern Tier" or simply "The Southerntier" which can be considered part of Appalachia This portion of western New York overlaps with a broader Southern Tier that takes up most of the counties along the New York-Pennsylvania border. Another local region commonly referred to is the Niagara Frontier, the name of which dates back to America's Colonial period, when the area surrounding Lakes Erie and Ontario, as well as The Niagara River were the point of the colonies' furthest expansion. To this day, the "frontier" is sometimes defined as also including part of northeast Ohio, as well as Pennsylvania's Erie region.

From a marketing standpoint, Western New York is sometimes defined as the area of upstate New York within the Buffalo and Rochester television markets. The Buffalo market covers the eight counties of the Holland Purchase (as well as two counties in Pennsylvania, each station varies slightly in its coverage) and the Rochester market covers from Wyoming County northeastward to Wayne County.

Western New York is served by Interstate 90, Interstate 86 in the Southern Tier and Interstate 390, (the former U.S. Route 15) in the Genesee Region. The Buffalo Metro area is served by Interstate 190, Interstate 290 and Interstate 990. The planned expansion of the U.S. Route 219 Expressway from Buffalo through Cattaraugus County will provide another major thoroughfare in Western New York.

Some traits that differentiate Western New York from the rest of Upstate New York include people's use of the word "pop" instead of "soda" to refer to soft drinks, and the presence of the local Wegmans grocery stores (although these stores can now be found in Central New York). Western New York is part of the Inland North region of American English, which means it is subject to the Northern Cities vowel shift. The distinct Buffalo English accent, while bearing a slight resemblance to other Great Lakes accents, is indigenous exclusively to the region. Finally, a clear majority of Western New York sports fans support the Buffalo Bills and the Buffalo Sabres. Team loyalties of sports fans in the rest of upstate New York are more divided.

Population

If it were counted as a single area, the population of Western New York would number approximately 1.6 million. The U.S. Census Bureau has classified the Buffalo and Rochester areas as two different metropolitan areas.

• Erie County, New York, population 950,265
• Niagara County, New York, population 219,846
• Chautauqua County, New York, population 139,750
• Cattaraugus County, New York, population 83,955
• Genesee County, New York, population 60,370
• Allegany County, New York, population 49,927
• Orleans County, New York, population 44,171
• Wyoming County, New York, population 43,424

Villages of

Besides the cities listed above, smaller incorporated areas are known as villages. The following villages are also found in the 8 western counties:

Akron, Albion, Alden, Alexander, Alfred, Allegany, Almond, Andover, Angelica, Angola, Arcade, Attica, Avon, Barker, Belmont, Bemus Point, Bergen, Blasdell, Brocton, Canaseraga, Cassadaga, Castile, Cattaraugus, Celoron, Cherry Creek, Corfu, Cuba, Delevan, Depew, East Aurora, East Randolph, Elba, Ellicottville, Falconer, Farnham, Forestville, Franklinville, Fredonia, Gainesville, Gowanda, Hamburg, Holley, Kenmore, Lakewood, Lancaster, Le Roy, Lewiston, Limestone, Little Valley, Lyndonville, Mayville, Medina, Middleport, North Collins, Oakfield, Orchard Park, Panama, Perry, Perrysburg, Pike, Portville, Randolph, Richburg, Sherman, Silver Creek, Silver Springs, Sinclairville, Sloan, South Dayton, Springville, Warsaw, Wellsville, Westfield, Williamsville, Wilson, Wolcott, Wyoming and Youngstown.

History

Western New York's land was acquired from the Iroquois through war, treaty, and purchase during the late 1700s and early 1800s. During the War of 1812 Western New York was part of the borderland frontier between the United States and British Canada and became the scene of various military actions.

Buffalo, the major city in Western New York, benefited greatly when it was linked to the major cities of the Finger Lakes and Central regions (Rochester and Syracuse), by the opening of the Erie Canal . With its strategic position at the western end of the canal, the eastern end of Lake Erie and proximity to Niagara Falls and Canada, emerged as a major port. The Niagara Falls provided Buffalo with a ready supply of power, so much so that one of its enduring nicknames is "The City of Light". Buffalo experienced steady growth during the 19th Century and at one point was one of the 10 most populated cities in the United States. As a region, Western New York played a significant role in the American economy during the 19th Century.

Climate

A field in Geneseo.

Western New York has a humid continental climate heavily influenced by both Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Winters are indeed long and cold, often lasting from around mid-November to early April. Thanks to both Lakes Erie and Ontario, a copious amount of snow falls on Western New York. Lake effect snows can result in highly localized, sometimes intense snow events and are usually most active between between November and February. The Southern Tier normally receives the heaviest amount of snow in Western New York during the winter. Spring and Fall in Western New York are usually short and changeable. Lost in its famed winters, Western New York summers are generally very pleasant. Thanks in part to breezes blowing over Lakes Erie and Ontario (which are usually cooler than the air temperature in the summer), Western New York enjoys generally cooler and more comfortable summers than other regions in the same climatic zone.

Colleges and universities

River Campus of the University of Rochester

Sturges Hall is SUNY Geneseo's landmark building, featuring a clocktower and carillon.

• Alfred University
• Bryant & Stratton College
• Buffalo State College
• Canisius College
• D'Youville College
• Daemen College
• Empire State College
• Erie Community College
• Hilbert College
• Houghton College
• Medaille College
• Niagara County Community College
• Niagara University
• SUNY Alfred
• Trocaire College
• University at Buffalo, the largest public university in New York
• Villa Maria College

Major attractions

Panoramic view of Niagara Falls.

Western New York is home to two significant scenic attractions. The Niagara Falls is undoubtedly the most famous attraction in Western New York. Forming part of Western New York's border with Canada, the Falls has evolved into a major destination for tourists and locals alike. A second less famous scenic attraction, located on the border with the Finger Lakes region, is Letchworth State Park The park has been termed "The Grand Canyon of the East."

Sports

Western New York is represented by the Buffalo Bills in the NFL and the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL. The Buffalo Bills currently play their home football games at Ralph Wilson Stadium, the largest sports stadium in the state. The Bills have something of a tortured history, having reached the Super Bowl in four consecutive seasons (1990-1993), only to lose all four times.

The Buffalo Sabres also have a strong following in Western New York. The Sabres reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 1999 only to lose the series on a controversial goal. The Sabres currently enjoy healthy rivalries with both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators. It is not uncommon for Western New Yorkers to make the relatively short trip to Toronto or Ottawa to support the Sabres.