Niagara County, New York


Niagara County is in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 212,666. The county seat is Lockport. The county name is from the Iroquois word Onguiaahra; meaning the strait or thunder of waters. The county is part of the Western New York region of the state.
Niagara County is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area, and across the Canada–US border is the province of Ontario.
It is the location of Niagara Falls and Fort Niagara, and has many parks and lake shore recreation communities. In the summer of 2008, Niagara County celebrated its 200th birthday with the first settlement of the county, of Niagara Falls.

History

When western New York became part of the New York colony in 1763, the present Niagara County was part of Albany County. Prior to the British, the area was part of New France.
Albany was an enormous county, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present State of Vermont and, in theory, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean. This county was reduced in size on July 3, 1766, by the creation of Cumberland County, and further on March 16, 1770, by the creation of Gloucester County, both containing territory now in Vermont.
On March 12, 1772, what was left of Albany County was split into three parts, one remaining under the name Albany County. One of the other pieces, Tryon County, contained the western portion. The eastern boundary of Tryon County was approximately five miles west of the present city of Schenectady, and the county included the western part of the Adirondack Mountains and the area west of the West Branch of the Delaware River. The area then designated as Tryon County now includes 37 counties of New York State. The county was named for William Tryon, colonial governor of New York.
In the years prior to 1776, most of the Loyalists in Tryon County fled to Canada including the likes of local judge John Butler and militia commander Sir John Johnson. In 1784, following the peace treaty that ended the American Revolutionary War, the name of Tryon County was changed to honor the general, Richard Montgomery, who had captured several places in Canada and died attempting to capture the city of Quebec, replacing the name of the hated British governor.
In 1789, Ontario County was split off from Montgomery. In turn, Genesee County was created from Ontario County in 1802.
Niagara County was created from Genesee County in 1808. It was, however, larger than the present Niagara County even though it consisted of only the Town of Cambria.
From 1814 to 1817, records of Cattaraugus County were divided between Belmont and Buffalo. Niagara County governed the western portion of Cattaraugus County, then known as the town of Perry.
In 1821, Erie County was created from Niagara County.
The county has a number of properties on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,139 square miles, of which is land and is water.
Niagara County is in the most western part of New York State, just north of the city Buffalo and bordering Lake Ontario on its northern border, and the Niagara River Canada on its western border.
The county's primary geographic feature is Niagara Falls, the riverbed of which has eroded seven miles south over the past 12,000 years since the last ice age. The Niagara River and Niagara Falls, are in effect, the drainage ditch for four of the Great Lakes which constitute the world's largest supply of fresh water. The water flows north from Lake Erie, then through the Niagara River, goes over Niagara Falls, and then on to Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, eventually emptying into the North Atlantic Ocean. Today, tourists and visitors to the Falls see a diminished flow of water over the Falls, since a portion of the flow has been diverted for hydroelectric power purposes. Both the American and Canadian side of the Niagara River have massive electrical power plants.
The Niagara Gorge is the path Niagara Falls has taken over thousands of years as it continues to erode. Niagara Falls started at the Niagara Escarpment which cuts Niagara County in half in an east–west direction. North of the Escarpment lies the Lake Plain, which is a fertile flatland used to grow grapes, apples, peaches and other fruits and vegetables. The grape variety Niagara, source of most American white grape juice but not esteemed for wine, was first grown in the county, in 1868. Viticulture, or wine culture has begun to take place, with several wineries below the escarpment. This has helped to improve the depressed economy of the region.

Adjacent counties and areas

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Structure

Niagara County is governed by a 15-member Legislature, with the Chairman of the Legislature as the de facto head of county government. The 2024 Legislature, consists of 12 members of the Republican-led Majority Caucus and three members of the Democratic-led Minority Caucus. The Legislature formerly consisted of 19 members, but was downsized to 15 seats effective January 1, 2012, based on the results of a public referendum.
A subordinate county manager reports to the County Legislature. Governing functions of the Legislature rely on a committee system. There are five standing committees and one long-term ad hoc committee: Administration; Community Services; Community Safety and Security; Economic Development; Public Works; and the ad hoc Refuse Disposal District Committee.
The dominant political party in the Niagara County Legislature is currently the Republican Party, which is ancestrally the dominant party in Niagara County.

2024 Legislature

Chairman: Rebecca J. Wydysh

Vice Chairman: Anthony J. Nemi

Majority Leader: Randy R. Bradt

Minority Leader: Christopher A. Robins



1st District: Irene M. Myers

2nd District: Rebecca J. Wydysh

3rd District: Christopher J. McKimmie

4th District: Jeffrey Elder

5th District: Christopher A. Robins

6th District: Christopher Voccio

7th District: Jesse P. Gooch

8th District: Richard L. Andres

9th District: Randy R. Bradt

10th District: David E. Godfrey

11th District: Anthony J. Nemi

12th District: Carla L. Speranza

13th District: Richard E. Abbott

14th District: Shawn A. Foti

15th District: Michael A. Hill

Other entities

In addition to the areas mentioned above, much of Niagara County is serviced by a Water District and a Sewer District. Both bodies are subordinate to the County Legislature; the former has a direct relationship, while the latter is currently under limited oversight of the town supervisors within the district.

State and federal government

OfficeDistrictArea of the countyOfficeholderPartyFirst took officeResidence
CongressmanNew York's 23rd congressional districtLockport, Pendleton, Wheatfield Nick LangworthyRepublican2023Pendleton, Niagara County
CongressmanNew York's 24th congressional districtBaker, Cambria, Hartland, Lewiston, Lockport, Middleport, Newfane, Porter, Royalton, Somerset, Wilson, YoungstownClaudia TenneyRepublican2021Canadaigua, Ontario County
CongressmanNew York's 26th congressional districtNorth Tonawanda, Niagara, Niagara Falls, Wheatfield Tim KennedyDemocratic2024Buffalo, Erie County
State Senator62nd State Senate DistrictAllRobert G. OrttRepublican2015Newfane, Niagara County
State Assemblyman140th State Assembly DistrictNorth TonawandaWilliam Conrad IIIDemocratic2021Kenmore, Erie County
State Assemblyman144th State Assembly DistrictRoughly the north and east parts of the county Paul BolognaRepublican2025Clarence, Erie County
State Assemblyman145th State Assembly DistrictRoughly the west part of the county Angelo MorinelloRepublican2017Niagara Falls, Niagara County
State Assemblyman146th State Assembly DistrictPendletonKaren McMahonDemocratic2019East Amherst, Erie County

Niagara County is part of: