Editing Silver Creek, New York

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Silver Creek, New York
|settlement_type          = [[Village (United States)|Village]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

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|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

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|pushpin_map              = New York
|pushpin_label            = Silver<br>Creek
|pushpin_label_position   = <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location within the state of New York
|pushpin_mapsize          = 
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<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[New York (state)|New York]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in New York|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Chautauqua County, New York|Chautauqua]]
|subdivision_type3        = [[List of towns in New York|Town]]
|subdivision_name3        = [[Hanover, New York|Hanover]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=September 20, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 2.98
|area_land_km2            = 2.98
|area_water_km2           = 0.01
|area_total_sq_mi         = 1.15
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.15
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 2617
|population_density_km2   = 879.02
|population_density_sq_mi = 2277.63

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 179
|elevation_ft             = 587
|coordinates              = {{coord|42|32|39|N|79|10|2|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 14136
|area_code                = [[Area code 716|716]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 36-67411
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0970603
|website                  = {{URL|silvercreekny.com}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
}}
'''Silver Creek''' is a [[village (New York)|village]] in the town of [[Hanover, New York|Hanover]] in [[Chautauqua County, New York|Chautauqua County]], [[New York (state)|New York]], United States. As of the 2020 census, the village had a population of 2,637.<ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021">{{cite web |title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2021 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html |website=Census.gov |publisher=US Census Bureau |access-date=July 4, 2022}}</ref> Silver Creek is named after a small creek which runs through the village. It is on the shore of [[Lake Erie]].

== History ==
The community was first settled circa 1803, and the first school house was erected in approximately 1823. In 1822 a well-known{{according to whom|date=November 2024}} [[black walnut]] tree, measuring about {{convert|10|ft|m}} in diameter, was blown over in a storm. The village of Silver Creek was incorporated in 1848, and was an important port on Lake Erie until railroads reduced shipping. The village is home to a [[skew arch]] railroad bridge, one of the few bridges in the country built on an angle. In September 1886, two trains collided near this location, killing approximately 15 and injuring roughly the same number.

== Geography ==
Silver Creek is located at 42°32'39" north, 79°10'2" west (42.544083, -79.167088).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the village has a total area of 1.2&nbsp;square miles (3.0&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>); all land. Silver Creek is part of the [[Lake Erie Basin]]. The two creeks in the village, Silver Creek and Walnut Creek, drain into the lake. Silver Creek is at the junction of [[New York State Route 5]] (Central Avenue) and [[U.S. Route 20 in New York|US Route 20]] (Main Street), north of [[New York State Thruway]] ([[Interstate 90 in New York|Interstate 90]]) Exit 58.

Silver Creek is on the New York-to-Chicago main line of [[CSX Transportation]] and the New York-Buffalo-Chicago main line of the [[Norfolk Southern Railway]]. The CSXT line through Silver Creek was formerly operated by the Consolidated Rail Corporation ([[Conrail]]), which succeeded the [[Penn Central Transportation Company|Penn Central]] (which succeeded the [[New York Central Railroad]], which succeeded the [[Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway]], which succeeded the Lake Shore Railroad, which succeeded the Buffalo & Erie Railway, the original line). The Norfolk Southern line through Silver Creek was formerly operated by the [[Norfolk and Western Railway]], successor to the [[New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad]] (Nickel Plate Road [NKP]), the original line.

The Penn Central's (formerly the [[Pennsylvania Railroad]], or PRR) Buffalo-Corry (PA)-Pittsburgh line formerly operated through Silver Creek.  The single-track lines of the NKP and PRR were jointly operated to form a double-track line which was used by the trains of both railroads. The former PRR line was abandoned around 1976 by order of the [[Interstate Commerce Commission]] in favor of highway transportation. From approximately 1907 to 1933 Silver Creek was on the Buffalo-to-Erie main line of the Buffalo & Erie Railway (successor to the [[Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority#History|Buffalo & Lake Erie Traction Company]]), a high-speed electric interurban railway. It was abandoned by order of the [[New York Public Service Commission]] to promote highway transportation.

===Climate===
{{Weather box
|location = Silver Creek
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high F = 73
|Feb record high F = 73
|Mar record high F = 82
|Apr record high F = 91
|May record high F = 90
|Jun record high F = 95
|Jul record high F = 98
|Aug record high F = 98
|Sep record high F = 97
|Oct record high F = 91
|Nov record high F = 82
|Dec record high F = 74
|Jan high F = 32
|Feb high F = 35
|Mar high F = 44
|Apr high F = 55
|May high F = 67
|Jun high F = 76
|Jul high F = 80
|Aug high F = 78
|Sep high F = 72
|Oct high F = 61
|Nov high F = 49
|Dec high F = 37
|Jan low F = 19
|Feb low F = 19
|Mar low F = 27
|Apr low F = 37
|May low F = 48
|Jun low F = 57
|Jul low F = 62
|Aug low F = 61
|Sep low F = 54
|Oct low F = 44
|Nov low F = 35
|Dec low F = 25
|Jan record low F = -17
|Feb record low F = -26
|Mar record low F = -10
|Apr record low F = 10
|May record low F = 27
|Jun record low F = 35
|Jul record low F = 43
|Aug record low F = 37
|Sep record low F = 32
|Oct record low F = 21
|Nov record low F = 7
|Dec record low F = -9
|Jan precipitation inch = 2.57
|Feb precipitation inch = 2.12
|Mar precipitation inch = 2.76
|Apr precipitation inch = 3.30
|May precipitation inch = 3.32
|Jun precipitation inch = 3.94
|Jul precipitation inch = 3.78
|Aug precipitation inch = 3.86
|Sep precipitation inch = 4.84
|Oct precipitation inch = 4.04
|Nov precipitation inch = 4.16
|Dec precipitation inch = 3.39
|source 1 = <ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/14136 |title=Average weather for Silver Creek |accessdate=June 14, 2010 |publisher=Weather.com }}</ref>
|date=August 2010
}}

== Demographics ==
{{US Census population
|1860= 661
|1870= 666
|1880= 1036
|1890= 1678
|1900= 1944
|1910= 2512
|1920= 3260
|1930= 3160
|1940= 3067
|1950= 3068
|1960= 3310
|1970= 3182
|1980= 3088
|1990= 2927
|2000= 2896
|2010= 2656
|2020= 2637
|estyear=2021
|estimate=2613
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021"/>
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2016}}</ref>
}}
As of the 2010 [[census]], there were 2,656 people, 1,048 households and 718 families residing in the village. The population density was {{convert|2,213.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,174 housing units, with an average density of {{convert|978.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the village was 94.2 percent [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.9 percent [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 1.8 percent [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.5 percent [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.7 percent from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.8 percent from two or more races. 2.8 percent of the population were [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race.

31.8 percent of households had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8 percent were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 15 percent had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5 percent were non-families. 26.4 percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 11 percent 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 2.98.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 28 percent under the age of 20, 7 percent from 20 to 24, 25.5 percent from 25 to 44, 26.7 percent from 45 to 64, and 12.9 percent who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.<ref name="GR8">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=May 14, 2011|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>

The median 2000 income for a household in the village was $32,446, and the median income for a family was $38,617. Males had a median income of $33,889 versus $19,464 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the village was $15,904. 12.9% of the population and 9.8% of families were below the [[poverty line]]. Out of the total population, 22.8% of those under the age of 18 and 1.9% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

== {{anchor|Medical/Law Enforcement/Fire/EMS of the Silver Creek Region}}Health care and law enforcement ==
Silver Creek is served by Brooks Memorial Hospital in Dunkirk, NY.

Trauma cases are treated at the Erie County Medical Center in [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]] and [[UPMC Hamot]] in [[Erie, Pennsylvania]]. In August 2009 a flash flood affected Silver Creek, [[Sunset Bay, New York|Sunset Bay]] and [[Gowanda, New York|Gowanda]]. As a result of the flood, the [[New York State Department of Health]] closed Tri-County Memorial Hospital.  The Village of Silver Creek dissolved the Police Department and contracted with the [[Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office (New York)|Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office]] for patrols along with assistance from the [[New York State Police]] when needed.

The village has a volunteer fire department with 50–60 active volunteers and junior firefighters, operating in tandem with the Silver Creek Emergency Squad. They are trained by the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control and the New York State Department of Health's Bureau of Emergency Medical Services. On August 9, 2009, the emergency-squad building, the village fire hall and its vehicles sustained extensive damage in a flash flood; the public works department on North Main Street was destroyed (it has since moved to a new building in the former Bentges distributing plant on Routes 5 and 20 in the Town of Hanover. Several homes along Walnut Creek were badly damaged or destroyed, and the Silver Village Trailer Park was leveled by flooding from Silver Creek.<ref>[http://www.newsday.com/2-die-as-thousands-lose-power-in-storms-flooding-1.1359156 Carolyn Thompson, "2 die as thousands lose power in storms, flooding". ''Newsday'', August 10, 2009] Retrieved October 3, 2011.</ref> Some village streets were badly damaged or washed away by the flood waters. A [[funeral home]], church and school were also badly damaged.

Both Mercy Flight, a nonprofit medivac service based in Buffalo and LifeStar, a medivac service affiliated with UPMC Hamot in Erie, serve the Silver Creek area.

== Grape Festival ==
Every third weekend in September Silver Creek hosts a Festival of Grapes to honor [[Concord (grape)|Concord grapes]], an important agricultural product. The festival began in 1968<ref>[http://www.silvercreekny.com/Silver%20Creek%20Time%20Line.htm Silver Creek timeline] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012045448/http://www.silvercreekny.com/Silver%20Creek%20Time%20Line.htm |date=October 12, 2007 }} Retrieved October 4, 2011.</ref> and features a [[parade]], live music, a [[Midway (fair)|midway]], a wine tent, children's and adults' activities and a [[grape stomping]].<ref>[http://townofhanover.org/content/LocalEventCategories/Home/:item=1&field=events;/content/LocalEvents/View/1 Town of Hanover local events] Retrieved October 4, 2011.</ref>

In 2008, the Silver Creek Grape Festival was featured on the nationally televised ''[[Good Morning America]]''. Diane Sawyer, Robin Roberts, Sam Champion and Chris Cuomo visited a farm to [[stomp grapes]] on their trip across America; taken during the 2008 election, they visited 50 states in 50 days learning about the country.<ref>[https://abcnews.go.com/politics/5050/?category=New%20York New York: Day Two on the Rails] Retrieved October 4, 2011.</ref> Diane Sawyer called it "the first and maybe last annual GMA grape stomping contest in honor of [[Lucille Ball]], who was born in the region". The four participated in a grape-stomping competition.

The festival concludes every year with the grand parade which features the festival of grapes royalty, political figures, high school marching bands from regional high schools, fire apparatus from Silver Creek, Sunset Bay, Forestville, Hanover Center, Irving, Sheridan, Lake Erie Beach, Angola, and Fredonia. Some years the local Shriners club from Gowanda and the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office mounted unit also participate. Several youth organizations march in the parade alongside the local fire departments and veterans.

==School==
In Silver Creek all three schools ([[Elementary school|elementary]], [[Middle school|middle]] and [[High school (North America)|high school]]) are physically interconnected, to facilitate the transition to the next stage of learning. The elementary school is attached to the middle school which in turn is attached to the high school.<ref>[http://www.silvercreek.wnyric.org/silvercreek/site/default.asp District website] Retrieved October 4, 2011.</ref> Silver Creek maintains its own transportation department, rather than contracting for school-bus service. Its bus drivers have come from all walks of life; many are retirees. The transportation director is responsible for the district's 30 buses.

There are separate runs for [[pre-kindergarten]] to fifth-grade, and sixth- to twelfth-grade students. Four buses are used on a later run for [[Vocational education|vocational students]] returning from the LoGuidice Educational Center in [[Fredonia, New York|Fredonia]] and students staying late for any reason. The buses are used for school-sponsored sporting events held at other schools, school-sponsored [[field trip]]s and the annual Class Night party for the graduating class. In the event of a [[Weather-related cancellation|snow day]] or an unanticipated need for early dismissal, all local television and radio stations are contacted. If the fire-alarm system is activated apart from state-required fire drills Silver Creek Fire and EMS, Sunset Bay Fire, Battalion 1(County Fire Coordinator), County Fire 1(Director of County Emergency Services) are dispatched as 1st Alarm. Fire Chief or Asst. Fire Chief who takes role as Incident Commander at the school determines if 2nd alarm is needed from Fredonia or Dunkirk for their Tower or Ladder truck, County Rescue 71(Fredonia), Hanover Center, Forestville, Irving, and Sheridan.

There is a SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) chapter at the high school, counseling students against destructive decisions. It has sponsored movie nights for elementary-school students with movies, food and activities. Once every few years Forestville and/or Silver Creek try to hold a mock DWI Drill just before prom weekend in the spring.

=== {{anchor|School Athletics}}Athletics ===
The school colors are black and [[old gold]], and its mascot is a black knight. Sports offered are [[Cross country running|cross-country]] for boys and girls, football and soccer for boys and soccer, swimming and volleyball for girls.<ref>[http://www.silvercreek.wnyric.org//site/default.asp Student athletics] Retrieved October 4, 2011.</ref> The 2008–2009 boys' [[Varsity team|varsity]] football team played at [[New Era Field]] in [[Orchard Park, New York|Orchard Park]], home of the [[Buffalo Bills]].<ref>[http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-1/ralph-wilson-stadium-to-host-hs-football/541d8647-37df-4508-a346-3b8e4bceb499 Buffalo Bills website] Retrieved October 4, 2011.</ref>

==Notable people==
*[[Doc Alexander]], NFL football player and coach
*[[James V. Bennett]], former director of the [[Federal Bureau of Prisons]]
*[[Samuel S. Brannan]], Wisconsin politician<ref>'Wisconsin Blue Book 1873,' Biographical Sketch of Samuel Stephen Brannan, pg. 441</ref>
*[[George Carter (basketball)|George Carter]]; played for [[St. Bonaventure University]] and later in the 1971 ABA All-Star Game.<ref>[http://www.silvercreekny.com/Silver%20Creek%20History.htm Village history] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927034035/http://www.silvercreekny.com/Silver%20Creek%20History.htm |date=September 27, 2011 }} Retrieved October 3, 2011.</ref> Went to become an  NBA forward
*[[Ezra Convis]], politician
*[[Albert G. Dow]], former New York State Senator
*[[Howard Ehmke]], former MLB pitcher
*[[Clinton T. Horton]], former New York State Senator
*[[Alice Lee Jemison]], journalist and political activist
*[[Cindy Miller]], golfer
*[[George Mohart]], baseball player
*[[Robert F. Young]], science-fiction writer
*[[Elisha Ward]], lawyer and politician

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://silvercreekny.com/ Village of Silver Creek]

{{Chautauqua County, New York}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Villages in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Villages in Chautauqua County, New York]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1803]]
[[Category:1803 establishments in New York (state)]]