History
The Syracuse area was first seen by Europeans when French missionaries
came to the area in the 1600s. A group of Jesuits, soldiers, and couriers
du bois (including Pierre Esprit Radisson) set up a mission on the
southwest shore of Lake Onondaga at the invitation of the Onondaga Nation,
one fifth of the Iroquois condederacy.
The mission was short lived as the Mohawk Nation hinted to the Onondaga
that they should sever their ties to the French, or the Ononondaga's
guests would suffer some horrible fate. The men in the mission caught wind
of this and somehow left under cover of a cold night in March. Their
entire stay was less than two years.
After the Revolutionary War, more settlers came to the area, mostly to
trade with the Onondaga Nation. Salt was discovered in several swamps in
Syracuse, which brought more settlers to the area, and eventually gave the
city the nickname "Salt City".
The original settlement went through several name changes until 1824,
first being called Webster's Landing (1786), then Bogardus Corners (1796),
Milan (1809), South Salina (1812), Cossits’ Corners (1814), and Corinth
(1817). The U.S. Postal Service rejected the name Corinth upon its
application for a post office, stating there was already a post office by
this name in New York. Due to similarities such as a salt industry and a
neighboring village named Salina, the name Syracuse was chosen, after
Syracuse, Italy.
In 1820, the village of Syracuse was officially incorporated. Five years
later, the Erie Canal, which ran through the village, was created. In
1839, Syracuse merged with the nearby Salina to become the city of
Syracuse.
Along with the growing salt industry, Syracuse became a hot spot for the
growing abolitionist movement. On October 1, 1851, a freed slave known
only as "Jerry" was arrested under the Fugitive Slave Law. The anti-slavery
Liberty Party was holding its state convention in the city, and when word
of the arrest spread, several hundred abolitionists broke into the city
jail and freed Jerry. The event came to be known as the Jerry Rescue.
During the Civil War, Syracuse was also a stop on the Underground Railroad.
The salt industry declined after the [Civil War, but a new manufacturing
industry arose in its place. Throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s,
numerous businesses and stores were established, including the Franklin
Automobile Company, which produced the first air-cooled engine in the
world.
Many of Syracuse's landmark buildings were demolished in the 1950s and
1960s, and several new museums and government buildings were built.
Syracuse's population peaked at 221,000 in 1970. In the 1980s, many
immigrants from Africa and Central America moved to Syracuse, under the
auspices of several religious charities. However, these new Syracusans
could not compete with the flow of residents out of Syracuse to either its
suburbs or out of state due to job loss.
The manufacturing industry in Syracuse began to falter in the 1970s. Many
small businesses went out of business during this time, which contributed
to an already increasing unemployment rate. Nevertheless, Syracuse
metropolitan area population has remained stable, even growing by three
percent since 1970.
Geography
Syracuse is located at 43°2'49" North, 76°8'40" West (43.046899,
-76.144423).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of
66.4 km˛ (25.6 mi˛). 65.0 km˛ (25.1 mi˛) of it is land and 1.4 km˛ (0.6
mi˛) of it is water. The total area is 2.15% water, with the major water
body being Onondaga Lake.
The city is seen as the northeast gateway to the Finger Lakes Region. The
city is generally flat, with only several small hills, with the exception
of the University Hill and Eastwood neighborhoods. This flatland is
attributed to the Great Lakes basin.
Major parks in the area include Burnet Park on Tipperary Hill, Onondaga
Park and Kirk Park (connected) in Strathmore, and Thornden Park between
the University Hill and Westcott neighborhoods. Burnet Park is home to the
Rosamond Gifford Zoo. Also worth mentioning is Schiller Park in the Near
Northeast neighborhood, and Sunnycrest Park in Eastwood.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 147,306 people, 59,482 households, and
30,335 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,266.8/km˛
(5,871.0/mi˛). There are 68,192 housing units at an average density of
1,049.4/km˛ (2,717.8/mi˛). The racial makeup of the city is 64.26% White,
25.35% African American, 1.13% Native American, 3.37% Asian, 0.05% Pacific
Islander, 2.23% from other races, and 3.61% from two or more races. 5.27%
of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 59,482 households out of which 27.5% have children under the age
of 18 living with them, 27.5% are married couples living together, 19.3%
have a female householder with no husband present, and 49.0% are non-families.
38.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.9% have someone
living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size
is 2.29 and the average family size is 3.11.
In the city the population is spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18,
16.8% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.9%
who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 30 years. For every
100 females there are 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over,
there are 84.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $25,000, and the median
income for a family is $33,026. Males have a median income of $30,312
versus $23,997 for females. The per capita income for the city is $15,168.
27.3% of the population and 21.7% of families are below the poverty line.
Out of the total people living in poverty, 35.1% are under the age of 18
and 12.4% are 65 or older.
Economy
Syracuse's economy has faced challenges over the past decades as
industrial jobs have left the area. This trend continued into the 1990s
and picked up speed again after September 11, 2001. Syracuse's top
employers are now primarily in education and in the service industry.
[edit]
Top employers
The top employers in the Syracuse region and the size of their workforce,
as of January 1, 2004:
Syracuse University: 7,415
State University of New York Upstate Medical University: 5,456
Niagara Mohawk (A National Grid Company): 2,167
Penn Traffic Company: 4,500
Wegmans Food Markets: 4,691
Magna New Process Gear Division of New Venture Gear Inc.: 3,700
Oneida Nation and Oneida Nation Enterprises: 4,000
St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center: 3,355
Lockheed Martin Corp. 2,150
Future
Despite negative news over the past year such as Carrier ceasing
manufacturing in Syracuse, there has also been some good news. The
Canadian Magna International Inc. bought the New Process Gear Division of
New Venture Gear, saving it from being shut down by Daimler-Chrysler.
Several smaller companies in the area continue to add a small number of
jobs. In June 2004 the Bank of New York announced it would bring up to 800
jobs to Downtown Syracuse. In August it was reported that the job growth
rate of the area was 1.4%. In October Lockheed Martin announced it would
add up to 300 electrical, mechanical, and software engineering positions
by 2007.
If the Pyramid Companies have their way, Syracuse will be transformed into
an extremely large tourist destination, anchored by their proposed five-billion-dollar
DestiNY USA resort. Except for a ceremonial groundbreaking in 2002 the
project has seen no construction since it was proposed over four years
ago. Recently it was announced that construction is scheduled to begin in
2005.
Neighborhoods
The City of Syracuse officially recognizes 26 neighborhoods within its
boundaries. Some of these have small neighborhoods inside of them. (Bold
Indicates there is a non-stub article on Wikipedia)
Downtown
Armory Square
Hanover Square
Far Westside
Tipperary Hill
Westside
Automobile Row
Near Westside
Skunk City
Strathmore
Brighton
Southwest
Elmwood
North Valley
South Valley
Near Eastside
Westcott
University Hill
Marshall Street
University Neighborhood
South Campus
Meadowbrook
Salt Springs
Outer Comstock
Eastwood
Northside
Washington Square
Near Northeast
Little Italy
Sedgwick
Lincoln Park
Lakefront
Transportation
Public transportation
Syracuse is served by the Central New York Regional Transportation
Authority, or CENTRO. CENTRO runs over a hundred bus lines around Syracuse
and into the suburbs.
OnTrack is the Syracuse commuter train line. Syracuse is the smallest city
in the United States to have local train service. The line runs from
Colvin Street on the city's South Side via Syracuse University and Armory
Square to the Carousel Center. Financing was finally approved in April
2004 to build a bridge that will allow OnTrack to reach the William F.
Walsh Regional Transportation Center, Regional Market, and P&C Stadium.
This service sees roughly 30 people a day and is used mostly by Syracuse
University students
Bus & rail
The city lies on Amtrak's Empire Service, Lake Shore Limited, and Maple
Leaf lines. Greyhound and Trailways provide long-distance bus service. All
three use the William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center in the north
of the city.
Air service
Syracuse is served by the Syracuse Hancock International Airport in nearby
Salina, near Mattydale. The airport is served by 17 airlines (9 major),
which provide non-stop flights to destinations as far away as Las Vegas,
and Orlando, as well as several daily flights to important airline hubs
and business centers such as Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte,
Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, New York City, Philadelphia,
Pittsburgh, and Washington, DC. Six cargo carriers also serve the airport.
Roads
Interstate 81 (Canada to Knoxville) runs north-south through Syracuse, and
provides access to Canada, Pennsylvania and points south.
Interstate 90 (Seattle to Boston), also known as the New York State
Thruway runs east-west, just north of the city. It provides access to
Rochester, Buffalo, Albany, and the north-south (Interstate 87) part of
the Thruway which leads to New York City.
Interstate 690 runs east-west through the city, and provides access to
Interstate 90, as well as to Syracuse's western and eastern suburbs.
Interstate 481 forms an eastern loop around the city and continues to the
northwest as NY-481 to Fulton and Oswego, on the shore of Lake Ontario.
Government
Executive
The city is headed by an elected mayor who is limited to two, four-year
terms. The incumbent is former Syracuse Common Council President Matt
Driscoll, who first assumed the position in 2001 after the former mayor,
Roy Bernardi resigned after being appointed by President George W. Bush to
a position in the Department of Housing and Urban Development. After
serving the remaining term, Driscoll was re-elected that year.
Legislative
The legislative branch of Syracuse is the Syracuse Common Council. It
consists of a president and nine members.
Judicial
The Onondaga County Supreme and County Court is the trial court of general
jurisdiction for Syracuse. It is also the administrative court for the
Fifth District of the New York State Unified Court System. Judges for
these courts are elected at-large.
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York also has its
chambers in Syracuse.
Media
Newspapers
Syracuse has one daily morning newspaper, the Syracuse Post-Standard.
There is also a weekly free newspaper that focuses on events in Syracuse,
the Syracuse New Times.
Up until 2001, Syracuse also had an evening paper, the Syracuse
Herald-Journal.
Television
Syracuse has eight broadcast TV stations:
NBC: WSTM 3
CBS: WTVH 5
ABC: WIXT 9
UPN: WSTQ 6
PBS: WCNY 24
WB: WNYS 43
PAX: WSPX 56
FOX: WSYT 68
Syracuse's cable television provider is Time Warner Cable, which, as a
part of its regular and digital offerings, provides a 24-hour local news
channel (News 10 Now), local sports channel, public access channel, and an
additional PBS channel.
Religion
Buddhism: Buddhism has its presence in Syracuse with the Zen Center of
Syracuse on the Seneca Turnpike.
Christianity: Syracuse has two cathedrals, the Episcopalian St. Paul's
Cathedral and the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
Both are home to their respective diocese, the Diocese of Central New York
(Episcopalian) and the Diocese of Syracuse (Roman Catholic). In addition
there are dozens of churches in Syracuse for virtually every kind of
Christian, including Jehovah's Witness, Christian Science, and
Metaphysical Christian. Complete List (http://syr-area.com/how.html)
Eckankar: The ECK Center of Central New York provides service for
Syracuse-area Eckankar believers.
Hinduism: Hindu houses of worship include the Hindu Mandir of Central New
York in Syracuse, and the Sikh Foundation of Syracuse, in Liverpool.
Islam: Islam is also has a presence in Syracuse, with the Islamic Society
of Central New York Mosque on Comstock Avenue and Muhammad's Study Group
on West Kennedy Street.
Judaism: There are several Jewish houses of prayer in Syracuse, including
the Temple Society of Concord, Temple Beth El, and Temple Adath Yeshurun.
Unitarian Universalist: There are two Unitarian Universalism churches in
Syracuse.
A complete list of Syracuse's Houses of Worship
Sports
Professional
Syracuse SkyChiefs (International League affiliate of the Toronto Blue
Jays) Stadium: P&C Stadium
Syracuse Crunch (American Hockey League affiliate of the Columbus Blue
Jackets) Arena: War Memorial at Oncenter
Syracuse Sting (Women's Professional Football League) Stadium: P&C Stadium
Syracuse Salty Dogs (United Soccer Leagues' A-League) Stadium: P&C Stadium
Syracuse was once home to the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers. Known as the
Syracuse Nationals (1946-1963), they played seventeen seasons in Syracuse.
The NBA's 24-second clock was invented in, and first came into use in
Syracuse.
College
Syracuse University Orange (Division I-A) Stadium: Carrier Dome
Le Moyne College Dolphins (Division II)
Museums and libraries
Everson Museum of Art
Milton J. Rebenstein Museum of Science and Technology
Erie Canal Museum
Onondaga County Public Library System
Colleges and universities
Syracuse's major university is Syracuse University, located on University
Hill. It had an enrollment of 18,604 students (12,645 undergraduates,
5,176 graduates, and 783 law students) in 2003.
Surrounding Syracuse University are two State University (SUNY) schools,
the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and SUNY Upstate
Medical University.
Also in Syracuse are LeMoyne College on the city's eastern border, and
Onondaga Community College, which has its main campus in the city's South
Valley neighborhood, along with two smaller campuses downtown and in
Liverpool. A branch of SUNY's Empire State College is located in downtown
Syracuse, along with a campus of the nationwide Bryant & Stratton College.
Other colleges and universities in the area include Cornell University and
Ithaca College in Ithaca, Oswego State University in Oswego, SUNY Cortland
in Cortland, SUNY Morrisville in Morrisville, Colgate University in
Hamiliton, and Wells College in Aurora.
List of famous Syracusans
From City:
Tom Cruise - actor
Rory Cochrane - actor
Maya Deren - filmmaker
Bobcat Goldthwait - actor, comedian
Terry McAuliffe - Democratic National Party chairman
Dave Mirra - professional BMX rider
Darin Morgan - screenwriter
Rod Serling - actor
From Metropolitan Area:
John Walsh (Auburn) - talk show host
Syracuse in film and television
Slap Shot (Feature film, 1977)
Blowin' Smoke (Feature film, 1999)
Snow Day (Feature film, 2000) (Although filmed in Calgary)
Sites of interest
Armory Square
Burnet Park Zoo
The Carousel Center
Dinosaur BBQ
Little Italy
Marshall Street
Tipperary Hill
Westcott Street
Events
New York State Fair (Aug. 26 to Sept. 6, 2004)
Coors Light Balloon Fest
Oktoberfest
CNY JazzFest (http://syracuse.com/entertainment/jazzfest/)
Empire State Brewing and Music Festival
