Place:Lancaster (town), Erie, New York, United States

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source: Family History Library Catalog

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Lancaster is a town in Erie County, New York, United States, centered 14 miles east of downtown Buffalo. Lancaster is an outer ring suburb of Buffalo. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 41,604.

Located within the town is the village of Lancaster and the eastern half of the village of Depew. Depew's western half lies within the town of Cheektowaga.

History

the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

In 1803, the Holland Land Company sold its first plot of land in the future town. The town of Lancaster was formed from the town of Clarence in 1833. The town was named after Lancaster, Massachusetts, but the reason for applying this name is not known. Originally called "Cayuga Creek", the town later incorporated and obtained the current name.

Lancaster has the oldest stone structure in Erie County, the Warren Hull House. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. Also within the town is the Gipple Cabin, the oldest wooden structure in Erie County. The cabin is on private land just south of the northern town line. The cabin was dismantled in the fall of 2013 and relocated to the Hull House property for preservation. The Lancaster Bee News stated it was stored in a barn on the original property and not taken for restoration. The Lancaster District School No. 6 was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.^[1]

In 1857, the town's southern half was taken to form the town of Elma.

In the late 1960s, Buffalo developer Edward H. Cottrell proposed what would have been the world's second domed stadium in Lancaster. The Dome Stadium Incorporated was formed but the County refused to participate and resulted in a 20-year breach of contract litigation and eventually lead a dismissal in 1986.

Once known as a small town with a small town atmosphere, Lancaster has, in recent years, evolved into a suburban community. In the early 1990s, the town entered a period of rapid growth, with much development in the southern and eastern parts of the town. The William Street Intermediate School opened in the southern part of town in the mid-1990s, and in 2003, the town and village police departments merged. Additions to the middle school and the William Street School to accommodate rising enrollment were finished in 2005.

Lancaster High School is Erie County's largest school in both student population and square footage. With over 2,000 students, the building was expanded twice. First in 1970 and in 2000, a field house was added. In 2003, the high school opened up a new wing to house natural sciences classrooms.

Some of the town's biggest events are held in the village of Lancaster. They are the Fourth of July Parade and the Taste of Lancaster, a restaurant festival and charity fundraiser. The Lancaster/Depew high school football game is held in October. The game dates back to 1919.

Lancaster once had its own professional football team in the 1910s. The Lancaster Malleables played in the New York Pro Football League and won the league championship in 1913 and 1914.

Research Tips

External Links

• Outstanding guide to Lancaster family history and genealogy resources (FamilySearch Research Wiki). Birth, marriage, and death records, town histories, cemeteries, churches, newspapers, libraries, and genealogical societies.