Place Information
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Hornell is a city in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 9,019 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the Hornell family, early settlers. Its current population is mainly made up of Irish Americans and Italian Americans. The City of Hornell is located within the Town of Hornellsville. Hornell is about 55 miles south of Rochester and is near the western edge of Steuben County. Hornell is nicknamed "Maple City" after the large maple trees on Main and Broadway streets and being nestled in the Canisteo valley surrounded by beautiful forest. Hornell has the largest St. Patrick's Day parade and celebration in the area, bringing many out to welcome spring and show their green. It has also become a tradition that Mayor Shawn Hogan finds an innovative way of making his way down main street on this particular day. Hornell Municipal Airport (4G6) is located a few miles north of the city on Route 36. The airport has a hard surface runway capable of landing small jets, a rotating beacon and fuel.
History
What is now Hornell was settled in 1790 under the name "Upper Canisteo" to distinguish it from the community of Canisteo. The area was incorporated as a town in 1820, as "Hornellsville." The name comes from early settler George Hornell, who built the first gristmill here. The City of Hornell was chartered in 1888 as the "City of Hornellsville," (having been first organized as the "Village of Hornellsville" in 1852). The name was changed to Hornell in 1906. The floods of 1935 put parts of the city under water, afterwards a system of levees had prevented any more serious flood problems. In 1950, Hornell had a population of over 15,049 people. The current mayor of Hornell is Democrat Shawn Hogan, who has held the position since January 1986. Hogan is the longest-serving current mayor in New York State. Actor Bill Pullman grew up in Hornell. Railroads and HornellThe New York and Erie Railroad arrived in Hornell in 1850, which connected New York City and Dunkirk on Lake Erie via a southern tier route. Another route, the (Buffalo and New York City Railroad) was added in 1852, branching from Hornell northwestward to Buffalo. For the next hundred years Hornell enjoyed prosperity with its steam engine shop doing the repairs for the entire railroad line. The railroad then came upon hard times as trucking picked up more and more of the freight business. In 1972, the line filed for bankruptcy. Just a few days later, floods from Hurricane Agnes destroyed about 200 miles or 321 kilometers of roadbed along the Canisteo River, removing all hope of reorganizing the railroad. Hornell has struggled since to regain its former prosperity. The Erie shops are now Alstom's main North American assembly and manufacturing site for the production of AC traction motors, railway cars, and passenger locomotives. Prior to Alstom, the shops were operated by Morrison Knudsen Founders of Local FamiliesResearch Tips
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