Editing Virgil, New York

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                    = Virgil, New York
| native_name             = 
| native_name_lang        = <!-- ISO 639-2 code e.g. "fr" for French. If more than one, use {{lang}} instead -->
| settlement_type         = [[Administrative divisions of New York#Town|Town]]
| image_skyline           = 
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| image_seal              = 
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| shield_alt              = 
| etymology               = 
| nickname                = 
| motto                   = 
| image_map               = Cortland County NY Virgil town highlighted.svg
| map_alt                 = 
| map_caption             = Location within [[Cortland County, New York|Cortland County]] and [[New York (state)|New York]]
| pushpin_map             = USA#New York
| pushpin_label_position  = 
| pushpin_map_alt         = 
| pushpin_map_caption     = Location in the United States
| coordinates             = {{coord|42|30|57|N|76|09|59|W|region:US-NY|display=inline}}
| coor_pinpoint           = 
| coordinates_type        = 
| coordinates_footnotes   = 
| coordinates_region      = 
| 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       = [[Cortland County, New York|Cortland]]
| subdivision_type3       = 
| subdivision_name3       = 
| established_title       = 
| established_date        = 
| founder                 = 
| seat_type               = 
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| area_urban_footnotes    = <!-- <ref> </ref> -->
| area_rural_footnotes    = <!-- <ref> </ref> -->
| area_metro_footnotes    = <!-- <ref> </ref> -->
| area_note               = 
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| area_blank2_title       = 
<!-- Area -->
| unit_pref                = Imperial
| area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2016">{{cite web|title=2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2016_Gazetteer/2016_gaz_place_36.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 4, 2017}}</ref>
| area_magnitude           = 
| area_total_km2           = 122.76
| area_land_km2            = 122.69
| area_water_km2           = 0.07
| area_total_sq_mi         = 47.40
| area_land_sq_mi          = 47.37
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.03
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| area_total_acre         = 
| area_land_acre          = 
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| length_mi               = 
| width_mi                = 
| dimensions_footnotes    = 
| elevation_footnotes     = 
| elevation_ft            = 1424
| population_as_of        = [[2010 United States Census|2010]]
| population_footnotes    = 
| population_total        = 2401
| population_density_sq_mi = 50.39
| population_note         = 
| population_demonym      = 
| timezone1               = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset1             = -5
| timezone1_DST           = EDT
| utc_offset1_DST         = -4
| postal_code_type        = [[ZIP Code]]
| postal_code             = 13045
| area_code_type          = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area Code]]
| area_code               = [[Area code 607|607]]
| iso_code                = 
| blank_name              = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info              = 36-023-77596
| blank1_name             = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info             = 0979588
| website                 = {{URL|https://virgilny.org/|Town website}}
| footnotes               = 
|pop_est_as_of = 2016
|pop_est_footnotes = <ref name="USCensusEst2016"/>
|population_est = 2387
|population_density_km2 = 19.46
}}
'''Virgil''' is a [[Administrative divisions of New York#Town|town]] in [[Cortland County, New York|Cortland County]], [[New York (state)|New York]], United States. The population was 2,401 at the 2010 census.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US3602377596| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212152123/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US3602377596| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Preble town, Cortland County, New York| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=December 16, 2014}}</ref> The name is from the [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] poet [[Virgil]]. The town is in the southwestern part of Cortland County and is south of the city of [[Cortland, New York|Cortland]].

== History ==
{{unreferenced section|date=July 2021}}

The region was part of the [[Central New York Military Tract]] used to pay soldiers of the [[American Revolutionary War|American Revolution]]. "Virgil" was the name of one of the townships of the Military Tract, this name being assigned by a clerk interested in the [[Classics]].

Virgil was first settled ''circa'' 1792. The town was formed from the town of [[Homer, New York|Homer]] in 1804. Virgil was reduced by the formation of the towns of [[Harford, New York|Harford]] and [[Lapeer, New York|Lapeer]] in 1845. Virgil also lost territory to the towns of [[Cortlandville, New York|Cortlandville]] and [[Freetown, New York|Freetown]].

In 1865, the population was 2,009.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|122.7|km2|disp=flip}}, of which {{convert|122.6|km2|disp=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.1|km2|disp=flip|2}}, or 0.08%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/> The eastern half of the town drains mainly via Gridley Creek to the [[Tioughnioga River]], which flows southwards and is part of the [[Susquehanna River]] watershed, which empties into the [[Atlantic Ocean]] through the [[Chesapeake Bay]]. Water from a small southern part of the town flows south towards the East Branch of Owego Creek, also part of the Susquehanna watershed. The western half of the town, part of the [[Allegheny Plateau]], drains primarily via Virgil Creek, as well as other streams, westward to Fall Creek, part of the [[Cayuga Lake]] watershed leading north towards [[Lake Ontario]] and thence to the Atlantic Ocean via the [[Gulf of St. Lawrence]].  Virgil Creek, which shares a through-valley with Gridley Creek, is notable for rising above the Valley Heads Moraine<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9314447/|title = Origin and formation of the Valley Heads Moraine system, central New York|journal = Etd Collection for University of Nebraska - Lincoln|date = January 1992|pages = 1–229|last1 = Yang|first1 = Ming Qin}}</ref> and cutting through it from above.

The western town line is shared with [[Dryden, New York|Dryden]] in [[Tompkins County, New York|Tompkins County]]. Most of the eastern town line is shared with [[Freetown, New York|Freetown]]. The northern  and part of the eastern town boundaries are shared with [[Cortlandville, New York|Cortlandville]]; the eastern part follows the [[Tioughnioga River]]. The southern town line separates Virgil from [[Harford, New York|Harford]] and [[Lapeer, New York|Lapeer]].

[[U.S. Route 11 in New York|U.S. Route 11]] and [[Interstate 81 in New York]] pass near the eastern town line by the Tioghnioga River. [[New York State Route 215]], which begins in [[Cortland, New York|Cortland]], ends at the intersection with [[New York State Route 392]] in the hamlet of Virgil. [[New York State Route 13]] cuts across the northwestern corner of the town.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1820= 2411
|1830= 3912
|1840= 4541
|1850= 2231
|1860= 2223
|1870= 1880
|1880= 1854
|1890= 1518
|1900= 1326
|1910= 1136
|1920= 1069
|1930= 1137
|1940= 1257
|1950= 1257
|1960= 1420
|1970= 1692
|1980= 2053
|1990= 2172
|2000= 2287
|2010= 2401
|estyear=2016
|estimate=2387
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2016">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2016.html|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|access-date=June 9, 2017}}</ref>
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 2,287 people, 833 households, and 623 families residing in the town.  The population density was {{convert|48.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 982 housing units at an average density of {{convert|20.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 97.46% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.61% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.13% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.22% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.22% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.36% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.01% of the population.

There were 833 households, out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.2% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.2% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.0 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $42,292, and the median income for a family was $45,402. Males had a median income of $31,974 versus $23,788 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $19,024.  About 5.2% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 2.6% of those age 65 or over.

== Communities and locations in Virgil ==
*'''East Virgil''' &ndash; A [[Hamlet (New York)|hamlet]] in the southeastern part of the town on NY-392.
*'''Franks Corners''' &ndash; A location in the southwestern part of the town.
*'''Gee Hill''' &ndash; An area on the western edge of the town, originally settled by John Gee and his family in 1795. This was the third settlement in the town.
*'''[[Greek Peak Mountain Resort]]''' &ndash; A [[skiing]] area on NY-392, east of Virgil hamlet.
*'''Hollenbeck Hollow''' &ndash; A valley near the western town line.
*'''Hollenbeck's Cidermill''' &ndash; Hollenbeck's was founded by Mr. and Mrs. Hollenbeck. It is near the center of Virgil and opened in 1932.
*'''Messengerville''' (also known as "State Bridge") &ndash; A hamlet at the eastern town line where [[New York State Route 392|NY-392]] terminates at its intersection with [[U.S. Route 11 in New York|U.S. Route&nbsp;11]].
*'''[[Skyline Raceway Motorsports Park]]''' &ndash; Auto racing faciliy<ref>{{cite news|last=Elkins|first=Doug|title=Skyline Raceway, one of the best-kept secrets in the sport, ready to wrap up season |url=https://www.syracuse.com/motorsports/2014/09/skyline_raceway_one_of_the_best-kept_secrets_in_the_sport_ready_to_wrap_up_season.html|date= September 18, 2014|newspaper=[[The Post-Standard]]|location=Syracuse NY|accessdate=April 18, 2025}}</ref>
*'''[[Virgil (CDP), New York|Virgil]]''' &ndash; The hamlet of Virgil at the junction of Routes [[New York State Route 215|NY-215]] and [[New York State Route 392|NY-392]]. Virgil Creek flows through this community.
*'''Virgil Elementary School''' is on Church Street and Route 392 in the center of Virgil. The playground is the only park in Virgil.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.virgilny.org/hope-lake-park.html|title=Hope Lake Park, Town of Virgil}}</ref> The playground has a walking trail featuring exercise places. It was extended with a gazebo on the new trail. The new trail goes to the courthouse and does not have schoolchildren go there during school hours.

==Notable person==
* [[Martha B. O'Donnell]] (1836-1925) — temperance activist, suffragist, newspaper and magazine editor and publisher

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.virgilny.org Town of Virgil official website]
* [http://www.cortland-co.org/towns/Virgil.htm  Town of Virgil] at Cortland County website
* [http://www.cortlandschools.org Cortland City School District]
* [http://history.rays-place.com/ny/virgil-ny.htm Early history of Virgil]
* [http://www.cortlandbusiness.com/county/profiles/virgil.html Information about Virgil]

{{Cortland County, New York}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Cortland County, New York]]
[[Category:Towns in New York (state)]]