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Oswego, New York

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Oswego is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 17,954 at the 2000 census. The 2005 population estimate for the city of Oswego is 17,705. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York." It is the county seat of Oswego County.

The city of Oswego is a governmental entity. It is bordered by the Towns of Oswego, Minetto, and Scriba to the west, south, and east, respectively, and by Lake Ontario to the north.

The State University of New York at Oswego is located just outside the city on the lake.

History

The site was first visited in 1615 by the French explorer Samuel de Champlain. The British established a trading post in the area in 1722 and fortified it with a log palisade later called Fort Oswego. In 1755 they added Fort Ontario on the northeast side of the river.

Permanent settlement began in the early 19th century, and the Oswego Canal, a branch of the Erie Canal, reached the area in 1829. The city was incorporated in 1848. When the city incorporated its area and population were removed from the figures reported for the towns.

Oswego is home to the port of Oswego and once was a major railroad hub for the New York Central, Lackawanna/Erie Lackawanna, and NY Ontario and Western railways. Three stations remain: two passenger (D&LW and NYC) and one freight (NYC) as does a rather large trestle over the Oswego River. The tunnel on a local hiking trail in the city was the north end of the NYO&W.

Oswego was home to almost 1,000 Jewish refugees during World War II. Fort Ontario was the first and only attempt by the United States to shelter Jewish refugees during the war.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.1 km² (11.2 mi²). 19.8 km² (7.7 mi²) of it is land and 9.2 km² (3.6 mi²) of it (31.76%) is water.

Oswego is located on the southeastern shore of Lake Ontario at the mouth of the Oswego River, about 35 miles north of Syracuse, New York and 68 miles east of Rochester, New York.

New York State Route 481 (from Interstate 81) runs north/south to Oswego from Syracuse and Fulton. New York State Route 104 runs east/west from Rochester to Oswego. The nearest city is Fulton, located south of Oswego and north of Syracuse.

As Oswego is located on the western shore of Lake Ontario, in the center of the Snow Belt, the town often sees prodgious lake effect snow accumulations. Oswego is one of the snowiest towns in America, with some winters totalling over 300 inches.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 17,954 people, 7,338 households, and 3,977 families residing in the city. The population density was 905.0/km² (2,343.4/mi²). There were 8,080 housing units at an average density of 407.3 persons/km² (1,054.6 persons/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.32% White, 1.04% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.82% Asian, 1.07% from other races, and 1.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.80% of the population.

There were 7,338 households out of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.3% were married couples living together, and 45.8% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.2% under the age of 18, 16.5% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 87.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,248, and the median income for a family was $41,613. Males had a median income of $33,220 versus $21,729 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,558. 23.0% of the population and 13.0% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 24.2% are under the age of 18 and 12.5% are 65 or older.

Locations and communities near Oswego:

Political issues

The city is governed by a Mayor and board of aldermen who are elected from the city's seven wards.

The Oswego City School District Board of Education was a major political focus of the city in 2003 and 2004 during Francis Hoefer's membership on the board. School board members Veronica Baker, Gordon Buske, Stanley Delia, Pauline McCarthy, and Fredrick Smith voted to remove Hoefer from the board on June 29, 2004 for official misconduct. The Board charged Hoefer with violating Board Policy #2350 (Board Member Ethics) and Board Policy #1730 (Executive Sessions) after he repeatedly released confidential information discussed during Executive Session by posting it on an Internet website. Appeals to the Commissioner of Education for reinstatement were dismissed.[1]

In 2005, Oswego mayor John Gosek was charged with pedophilia-related charges after an undercover FBI agent offered Gosek two fifteen year old girls for the purposes of sexual intercourse. Gosek resigned and was later convicted. Oswego Resident Randy Batemen took over mayoral duties.

Notable Residents

References

  1. ^ Appeal from action of the Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Oswego
  2. ^ a b c d OswegoNY.ORG

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