The Town of Corning was established in 1852. It consists of five boroughs, they are East Corning, Morrcrest, Gibson and the Villages of Riverside and South Corning. Originally the area was best known for farming because of the rich soil along the river. The Erie feeder canal made Gibson a stop for river travelers and lumbermen. Railroads soon became an important means of transportation, with stations located in what is now known as Gibson, and also one in East Corning. Soon hotels, mills and blacksmith shops were erected throughout the surrounding area. Today the Town of Corning is home to many small businesses, a community College as well as a large residential area.Information provided by the Town Historian — Susan Edwards

Corning, New York

Corning is a town in Steuben County, New York, USA. The town is in the eastern part of the county and borders the city of Corning. The town population was 6,426 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Erastus Corning, a financier.

History

The first settlement was near the current city of Corning around 1789. The Town of Corning began as the “Town of Painted Post” in 1796 when the county was founded. In 1836, the name was changed to honor an important investor in the local economy. The community of Corning set itself apart as a village in 1848 and became a city in 1890.The town of Corning was incorporated in 1852.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 37.3 square miles (97 km²), of which 0.4 square miles (1.0 km²) of it (1.07%) is water.The Chemung River, formed by the confluence of the Cohocton River and the Tioga River a few miles west of the town, flows through the town, and the city of Corning.

The east town line is the border of Chemung County, (Town of Big Flats).

Interstate 86, New York State Route 17, New York State Route 225, New York State Route 352, New York State Route 414, and New York State Route 415 pass through the town.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,426 people, 2,491 households, and 1,840 families residing in the town. The population density was 174.1 people per square mile (67.2/km²). There were 2,626 housing units at an average density of 71.1 per square mile (27.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.25% White, 2.46% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 1.35% Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.67% of the population.There were 2,491 households out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.1% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the town, the population was spread out with 25.4% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $44,649, and the median income for a family was $51,470. Males had a median income of $40,542 versus $25,804 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,149. About 5.9% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.9% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over

Communities and locations in the Town of Corning

Corning Community College – A public junior college west of South Corning.

• Corning Manor – A hamlet southeast of Corning city by Interstate 86.
• Denmark – A hamlet and suburban community northeast of Corning city.
• East Corning – A location near the east town line on NY-352.
• French Mill – A hamlet south of Corning on NY-225.
• Gibson – A hamlet southeast of Corning city on the north bank of the Chemung River.
• Narrows Creek – A stream entering the Chemung River by Gibson.
• Post Creek – A stream entering the Chemung River by Corning city.
• Riverside – A village located on NY-415 that borders the city of Corning on its west side.
• South Corning – A village located on NY-225 south of the city of Corning.