Dunkirk, New York

This article is about a city. For the adjacent town of the same name, see Dunkirk (town), New York.
Dunkirk, New York
Chadwicks Bay, Ganadawao[1]
City

Aerial view of Dunkirk, facing north over Lake Erie
Dunkirk

Location of Dunkirk in New York

Coordinates: 42°28′46″N 79°20′02″W / 42.47944°N 79.33389°W / 42.47944; -79.33389Coordinates: 42°28′46″N 79°20′02″W / 42.47944°N 79.33389°W / 42.47944; -79.33389[1]
Country United States
State New York
County Chautauqua
Government
 • Type Mayor-Council
 • Mayor Wilfred Rosas (D)
 • Common Council
Area
 • Total 4.6 sq mi (11.8 km2)
 • Land 4.5 sq mi (11.7 km2)
 • Water 0.04 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation[1] 617 ft (188 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 12,563
 • Estimate (2013) 12,328
 • Density 2,791/sq mi (1,077.5/km2)
ZIP Code 14048
Area code(s) 716
FIPS code 36-21105
Website www.dunkirktoday.com

Dunkirk is a city in Chautauqua County, New York, in the United States. It was officially incorporated in 1880, though it was first settled around 1805.[2] The population was 12,563 as of the 2010 census,[3] with an estimated population of 12,328 in 2013.[4] Dunkirk is bordered on the north by Lake Erie. It shares a border with the village of Fredonia to the south, and with the town of Dunkirk to the east and west. Dunkirk is the westernmost city in the state of New York.[5]

History

The Erie Tribe followed by the Iriquois were the first predominate denizens of the forested, lakefront areas of the southern shore of Lake Erie well into the 1600s.[6] The European demarcation and settlement of Chadwick Bay and subsequent naming of Dunkirk - from Dunkirk in France[7] - began in earnest in 1826.[8] The Dunkirk Lighthouse at Point Gratiot[9] was built soon after and still stands. Dunkirk served as a minor railroad hub and steamship port into the early 1900s.

The city thrived as a steel town for Roblin and others through the 1950s, a manufacturing leader with Plymouth Tube and Nestle Purina PetCare, and was a prominent power source via the coal-burning Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation plant. Population has declined in line with the nationwide drop in manufacturing employment and steel production since the 1970s. Since the 2010s, the city has refocused its economic efforts on revitalizing its pier[10] and fishing, and landed a high-tech drug manufacturing project as part of the "Buffalo Billion."[11]

Geography

Dunkirk lies on the southeastern shore of Lake Erie and is 45 miles (72 km) southwest of Buffalo.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.6 square miles (11.8 km2), of which 4.5 square miles (11.7 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 1.10%, is water.[3]

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18705,231—
18807,24838.6%
18909,41629.9%
190011,61623.4%
191017,22148.3%
192019,33612.3%
193017,802−7.9%
194017,713−0.5%
195018,0071.7%
196018,2051.1%
197016,855−7.4%
198015,310−9.2%
199013,989−8.6%
200013,131−6.1%
201012,563−4.3%
Est. 201512,081[12]−3.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]

As of the census[14] of 2010, there were 12,563 people, 5,477 households, and 3,690 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,774.6 people per square mile (1,119.2/km²). There were 6,071 housing units at an average density of 1,340.6 per square mile (517.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 65.70% White, 5.1% Black or African American, 0.52% Native American, 0.50 Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 9.14% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 26.40% of the population.

There were 5,477 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.4% were married couples living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,313, and the median income for a family was $35,058. Males had a median income of $29,462 versus $21,682 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,482. About 18.5% of families and 22.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 38.0% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.

Law enforcement and Fire/EMS

NRG Energy Power plant along Lake Erie in Dunkirk

The city of Dunkirk has its own police force under the leadership of Police Chief David Ortolano. It employs full-time officers and part-time dispatchers for the police department only.

Dunkirk has a split paid and volunteer fire department under the leadership of Fire Chief Mike Edwards. There are three stations located throughout the city. The paid firefighters belong to Local 616, the union for the city's paid firefighters. The rest of the membership is volunteer.

As of 2011, Dunkirk Fire started handling 90 percent of EMS transports and billing accordingly. Alstar Ambulance still has a reduced contract with the city for advanced life support when needed. In recent years, Dunkirk Fire's dispatching merged with the county dispatch center in Mayville but still maintains its FCC ID of KED 653.

Alstar Ambulance has its north county satellite station on Monroe Street in Dunkirk just southwest of NY 60. Dispatching is still controlled by the main station in Jamestown via MEDCOM. Several transportable units as well as wheelchair transport vans and one medic fly car are housed here. There is a fenced-in and pre-lit landing pad located on the property for Starflight or any other medevac needing to use the landing pad.

Education

Transportation

Union Depot, Dunkirk, between ca. 1890 and ca. 1900

The Chautauqua County-Dunkirk Airport (DKK), located in the town of Dunkirk, provides both training facilities and charter services.[15]

Railroad service in Dunkirk is provided by CSX Transportation (via the Buffalo-Cleveland-Willard (Ohio)-Chicago Main Line) and Norfolk Southern Railway (Buffalo-Cleveland-Fort Wayne-Chicago Main Line).

The New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) passes through the southern end of the city, with access from Exit 59 (NY Route 60) just east of the city limits. The Thruway leads northeast 42 miles (68 km) to the outskirts of Buffalo and southwest 28 miles (45 km) to the Pennsylvania border. New York State Route 5 runs through the center of the city, leading northeast 9 miles (14 km) to Silver Creek and southwest 18 miles (29 km) to Westfield.

Media

Climate

Climate data for Dunkirk, New York (Dunkirk Chautauqua Airport) 1981–2010, extremes 1945–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 72
(22)		 71
(22)		 81
(27)		 86
(30)		 88
(31)		 94
(34)		 99
(37)		 96
(36)		 96
(36)		 87
(31)		 80
(27)		 71
(22)		 99
(37)
Average high °F (°C) 33.6
(0.9)		 35.1
(1.7)		 43.1
(6.2)		 55.4
(13)		 66.3
(19.1)		 75.9
(24.4)		 79.9
(26.6)		 78.7
(25.9)		 71.7
(22.1)		 60.3
(15.7)		 49.7
(9.8)		 38.4
(3.6)		 57.5
(14.2)
Daily mean °F (°C) 26.7
(−2.9)		 27.2
(−2.7)		 34.4
(1.3)		 45.7
(7.6)		 56.2
(13.4)		 66.3
(19.1)		 70.9
(21.6)		 69.5
(20.8)		 62.9
(17.2)		 52.0
(11.1)		 42.4
(5.8)		 32.0
(0)		 49.0
(9.4)
Average low °F (°C) 19.9
(−6.7)		 19.3
(−7.1)		 25.6
(−3.6)		 36.0
(2.2)		 46.1
(7.8)		 56.8
(13.8)		 62.0
(16.7)		 60.4
(15.8)		 54.0
(12.2)		 43.7
(6.5)		 35.2
(1.8)		 25.6
(−3.6)		 40.5
(4.7)
Record low °F (°C) −16
(−27)		 −28
(−33)		 −11
(−24)		 18
(−8)		 27
(−3)		 39
(4)		 45
(7)		 43
(6)		 32
(0)		 22
(−6)		 3
(−16)		 −12
(−24)		 −28
(−33)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.93
(49)		 1.30
(33)		 1.94
(49.3)		 3.12
(79.2)		 3.70
(94)		 3.39
(86.1)		 4.08
(103.6)		 3.79
(96.3)		 4.11
(104.4)		 3.86
(98)		 3.90
(99.1)		 2.83
(71.9)		 37.95
(963.9)
Source #1: NOAA[17][18]
Source #2: The Weather Channel[19]

Notable people

Point Gratiot Lighthouse

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Dunkirk". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. ↑ http://www.observertoday.com/page/content.detail/id/535594.html?nav=42
  3. 1 2 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Dunkirk city, New York". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2013 (PEPANNRES): Incorporated Places in New York". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  5. ↑ "2013 ACS Vintage TIGERweb". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Dunkirk: Between 1626 to 1798". Dunkirk Historical Society. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  7. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 110.
  8. ↑ Bush, Gladys A. Dunkirk: A Chronology and Index of Historical Facts. Dunkirk Historical Society.
  9. ↑ "History of Dunkirk Lighthouse". Dunkirk Lighthouse and Veterans Park Museum. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Dunkirk Boardwalk Market". Chautauqua Art Trail. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Giant drug factory planned for Dunkirk will extend the reach of the Buffalo Billion". The Buffalo News. February 4, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  14. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  15. ↑ http://www.dkk.com/
  16. ↑ http://www.observertoday.com/
  17. ↑ "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  18. ↑ "NY Dunkirk Chautauqua AP". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Climate Statistics for Dunkirk, New York". The Weather Channel. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  20. ↑
  21. ↑ "Dunkirk Native Toby Holicki Returns For Eastern Premiere Of His Movie Wednesday," Dunkirk Evening Observer - Tuesday, October 01, 1974, Dunkirk-Fredonia, New York.
  22. ↑ http://militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=2956
  23. ↑ http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8229363
  24. ↑ http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/644/horan-thomas.php
  25. ↑ http://www.buffalosportshallfame.com/1999/van_miller.html
  26. ↑ http://dunkirk.yearbookhigh.com/photo6.html
  27. ↑ "Former Kraft Inc. President, Ceo Arthur W. "Bud" Woelfle, 77". Chicago Tribune. December 17, 1997.
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