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Binghamton, New York

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City of Binghamton
Downtown Binghamton
Downtown Binghamton
Official seal of City of Binghamton
Seal
Nickname(s): 
"The Parlor City"; "Carousel Capital of the World"; "Home of the Square Deal"
Motto: 
Restoring The Pride
First settled1802
Incorporated (Village)1834
Incorporated (City)1867
Government
 • MayorMatthew T. Ryan (D)
Area
 • City
11.0 sq mi (28.6 km2)
 • Land10.4 sq mi (27.0 km2)
 • Water0.62 sq mi (1.6 km2)  5.43%
Elevation
850 ft (260 m)
Population
 (2007 Census)
 • City
45,217
 • Density4,545/sq mi (1,754.8/km2)
 • Metro
245,850
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
139xx (13901 = downtown)
Area code607
Websitehttp://www.cityofbinghamton.com

Binghamton, often known as "The Parlor City," is a city located in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. The "Home of the Square Deal," it is the county seat of Broome County and the principal city and cultural center of the Greater Binghamton region. The population of the City, according to the 2000 census, is 47,380.

The City of Binghamton is located at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers. The city is at the crossroads of Interstates 81 and 88, as well as New York State Route 17 (also known as The Southern Tier Expressway and the future Interstate 86).

The Binghamton Metropolitan Area includes approximately 252,000 residents in all of Broome and Tioga (NY) counties.[1] Binghamton is part of the "Triple Cities," along with Endicott and Johnson City (which are actually villages). The region is collectively referred to as Greater Binghamton.

In 2007, Binghamton was named the 9th greenest city in the U.S. by Country Home magazine.[2]

Greater Binghamton is home to Binghamton University, a driving force in the community as an academic, athletic, and arts center. Binghamton also has the world's largest collection of functioning antique carousels and the largest public observatory, the Kopernik Space Center, in the northeastern United States. The region is further recognized as the birthplace of the IBM Corporation, Dick's Sporting Goods, Endicott Johnson Corporation, Raymond Corporation and the Link Trainer flight simulator. The city's American Civic Association is the location of the April 3rd, 2009 shootings, known as the Binghamton shootings, which left 14 dead.

History

Early history

The city was named after William Bingham, a wealthy Philadelphian who bought the surrounding land in 1792. Before that, the first known people of European descent to come to the area were the troops of Gen. John Sullivan in 1779, during the American Revolutionary War.

The community was first settled around 1802 and was known as "Chenango Point." Binghamton was first incorporated in 1834 as a village of the Town of Binghamton. Binghamton became a city in 1867.

Abel Bennett, who made a fortune as owner of the Pennsylvania Coal Company, was the city's first mayor. His farm property on the city's west side (in an area bordered by Riverside Drive on the south, Beethoven Street on the west, Seminary Avenue on the north, and portions of Chestnut Street and St. John Avenue to the east) is known as the Abel Bennett Tract. On Feb. 19, 2008, this historic district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. [3]

Later development

An early Link Flight Simulator, invented in Binghamton in 1929.

Binghamton was nicknamed the “Parlor City” for its neat streets and attractive homes, including many stately mansions. Strangely enough, many of those stately mansions are now funeral parlors. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, many immigrants moved to the area, finding an abundance of jobs, leading them to call it the “Valley of Opportunity.”

Greater Binghamton is noted as being the birthplace of the Link flight simulator as well as IBM. Until the Cold War ended, the area never experienced an economic downfall, due in part to its defense-heavy industries. This concentration of the defense industry made the area the seventh most likely area in the nation for a nuclear attack during the Cold War [citation needed], and the population peaked at around 85,000 in 1950, but now hovers around 50,000.

Along with the start of IBM, the original Dick's Sporting Goods started out as a fishing store in the East Side of the City of Binghamton.

Geography

Facing west towards the confluence of the Susquehanna (left) and Chenango (right) rivers. Confluence Park, Downtown Binghamton, 2007

Binghamton is located at 42°6′8″N 75°54′42″W / 42.10222°N 75.91167°W / 42.10222; -75.91167 (42.102225, −75.911797)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 28.6 km² (11.0 sq mi). 27.0 km² (10.4 sq mi) of it is land and 1.6 km² (0.6 sq mi) of it (5.43%) is water.

The north branch of the Susquehanna River passes through downtown Binghamton. This branch rises in eastern New York and receives a number of tributaries above Binghamton, most notably the Chenango, which joins from the north just outside of the business district. Major floods occurred in the city during 1865, 1936 and 2006.

In 1935 the Chenango suffered a flash flood, which was damaging, but less severe once it joined the larger Susquehenna. So much water came from the Chenango, that the Susquehanna flowed backwards for some distance above the confluence. In 1972 the remnants of Hurricane Agnes flooded the entire Susquehanna basin downstream from Binghamton, but the damage in the city was minor.

In 2006, the Susquehanna flooded again in Binghamton causing massive amounts of damage in the city and the entire metropolitan area. The Exchange Street and Washington Street bridges were flooded and the height of the river surpassed the flood walls on North Shore Drive, Court Street, and Conklin Ave. The damage was extensive enough to force large scale evacuations, including that of Lourdes Hospital which was unable to pump water out of its basement fast enough.

Climate

Binghamton has a humid continental climate, with cold, snowy winters and warmer, wet summers. Snowfall is significant, with an annual total of 82.4 inches. Binghamton is not as greatly affected by the lake-effect snows as the cities in the north (Syracuse) and closer to the Great Lakes, but persistent snow bands from the lakes do occasionally result in moderate snows. Binghamton receives significant snows at times during the year from Nor'easter storms as well.

Summers in Binghamton are typified by warmer, less humid days with occasional temperature spikes into the upper 80s and lower 90s. Higher temperatures have occurred, but are very uncommon. As with most cities in upstate New York, precipitation in Binghamton is spread evenly throughout the year; there is no "dry season."

Climate data for Binghamton, New York (Greater Binghamton Airport; elevation 1636 feet), 1991–2020 normals,[a] extremes 1951–present[b]
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 63
(17) 		70
(21) 		82
(28) 		89
(32) 		89
(32) 		94
(34) 		98
(37) 		95
(35) 		96
(36) 		85
(29) 		77
(25) 		65
(18) 		98
(37)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 53.2
(11.8) 		52.2
(11.2) 		62.9
(17.2) 		76.7
(24.8) 		83.8
(28.8) 		86.7
(30.4) 		88.6
(31.4) 		86.9
(30.5) 		83.9
(28.8) 		75.0
(23.9) 		65.1
(18.4) 		54.6
(12.6) 		90.4
(32.4)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 29.5
(−1.4) 		32.2
(0.1) 		40.7
(4.8) 		54.2
(12.3) 		66.2
(19.0) 		74.0
(23.3) 		78.4
(25.8) 		76.7
(24.8) 		69.5
(20.8) 		57.1
(13.9) 		45.1
(7.3) 		34.3
(1.3) 		54.8
(12.7)
Daily mean °F (°C) 22.5
(−5.3) 		24.5
(−4.2) 		32.3
(0.2) 		44.6
(7.0) 		56.2
(13.4) 		64.4
(18.0) 		68.9
(20.5) 		67.3
(19.6) 		60.0
(15.6) 		48.8
(9.3) 		37.9
(3.3) 		28.1
(−2.2) 		46.3
(7.9)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 15.5
(−9.2) 		16.9
(−8.4) 		24.0
(−4.4) 		35.0
(1.7) 		46.1
(7.8) 		54.9
(12.7) 		59.4
(15.2) 		58.0
(14.4) 		50.6
(10.3) 		40.5
(4.7) 		30.7
(−0.7) 		21.9
(−5.6) 		37.8
(3.2)
Mean minimum °F (°C) −3.6
(−19.8) 		−0.7
(−18.2) 		6.7
(−14.1) 		21.9
(−5.6) 		33.2
(0.7) 		42.3
(5.7) 		50.5
(10.3) 		47.9
(8.8) 		36.1
(2.3) 		28.2
(−2.1) 		16.2
(−8.8) 		4.7
(−15.2) 		−6
(−21)
Record low °F (°C) −20
(−29) 		−18
(−28) 		−7
(−22) 		9
(−13) 		24
(−4) 		33
(1) 		39
(4) 		37
(3) 		25
(−4) 		17
(−8) 		0
(−18) 		−18
(−28) 		−20
(−29)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 2.62
(67) 		2.41
(61) 		3.05
(77) 		3.63
(92) 		3.78
(96) 		4.69
(119) 		3.80
(97) 		4.10
(104) 		4.01
(102) 		3.76
(96) 		3.11
(79) 		3.08
(78) 		42.04
(1,068)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 20.6
(52) 		19.7
(50) 		16.4
(42) 		3.8
(9.7) 		0.1
(0.25) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		1.0
(2.5) 		6.8
(17) 		18.1
(46) 		86.5
(220)
Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) 9.5
(24) 		10.4
(26) 		9.8
(25) 		2.0
(5.1) 		0.1
(0.25) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.4
(1.0) 		3.4
(8.6) 		7.6
(19) 		16.2
(41)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 16.2 13.9 14.8 14.1 14.2 12.4 12.6 11.1 11.3 13.3 13.9 16.3 164.1
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 16.5 14.0 10.5 3.6 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.9 5.9 12.9 64.5
Average relative humidity (%) 74.0 72.4 69.3 64.9 67.0 72.0 72.0 75.4 78.1 73.8 76.4 78.4 72.8
Average dew point °F (°C) 13.8
(−10.1) 		14.7
(−9.6) 		22.6
(−5.2) 		31.5
(−0.3) 		43.5
(6.4) 		54.0
(12.2) 		58.5
(14.7) 		57.9
(14.4) 		51.8
(11.0) 		39.9
(4.4) 		30.7
(−0.7) 		20.3
(−6.5) 		36.6
(2.6)
Mean monthly sunshine hours 113.0 125.9 172.5 205.1 252.4 274.6 295.3 256.8 202.0 162.5 92.9 79.7 2,232.7
Percentage possible sunshine 38 43 47 51 56 60 64 60 54 47 32 28 50
Source: NOAA (relative humidity, dew point, and sun 1961–1990)[4][5][6]


Cityscape

Chenango Point's incorporation as a village and eventually as the City of Binghamton, united various communities located on both shores of the Susquehanna and Chenango rivers. The majority of the city's population and development lies along the rolling terrain nearest the riverbanks with sparse development in the hills that define the city limits. Currently, Binghamton encompasses seven neighborhoods; Downtown Binghamton, the Westside, the Southside, the Eastside, the Northside, the First Ward and Ely Park.

Downtown Binghamton

Nestled along the north bank of the Susquehanna River, just east of its confluence with the Chenango River one finds Downtown Binghamton. In addition to its river boundaries, the Norfolk Southern rail tracks form its northern boundary with the Northside neighborhood and Brandywine Avenue (NY-7) to the east forms its boundary with the Eastside neighborhood. Also known as "Center City," it serves as the business, entertainment and administrative center of the city, county and region.

Westside

The Westside of Binghamton, as the name implies, is a neighborhood in the western section of the New York State city of Binghamton. It lies immediately across the Chenango River, west of Downtown. Its northern boundary is the Norfolk Southern rail tracks and the First Ward, its southern boundary is formed by the Susquehanna River while its western boundary lies along Floral Avenue and Margaret Street adjacent to Johnson City.

The Westside contains the vast majority of Binghamton's residents and its character ranges from urban to suburban. The neighborhood's "main drag" is Main Street which carries NY-17C through the city. Main Street runs from the Court Street Bridge through the Westside into Johnson City. Its stretch is lined with various forms of retail consisting of several large supermarkets, pharmacies, bank branches, pubs, restaurants, auto shops and a few strip malls. Several specialty "Mom and Pop" shops are scattered along the route as well. Other important streets in the neighborhood are Riverside Drive (which follows the Susquehanna River in a roughly east/west fashion along the southern edge of the Westside), Front Street (which runs north and south along the eastern edge of the Westside from the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers to the Court Street Bridge where it then carries US-11 north along part of the Chanango River and eventually runs parallel to I-81), Leroy Street, Grand Boulevard and Floral Avenue.

Apart from commercial Main Street and some industrial buildings one block north of it along the Norfolk Southern tracks, the Westside is primarily a residential neighborhood. The housing stock ranges from small to large, detached, single and double-family houses to attached row-houses and large apartment buildings. Generally, the section of the neighborhood south of Seminary Avenue towards Riverside Drive and the Susquehanna River is mainly inhabited by middle to upper-class residents while the area north of Seminary Avenue towards Main Street and the rail tracks is inhabited by working-class residents and students from the neighboring colleges.

Southside

The southside of Binghamton is south of the Susquehanna River, also home to Binghamton General Hospital (affiliate of United Health Services). It is home to a few strip malls with eateries and convenience stores, southside schools, and the Crowley Food's Corporation.

Eastside

Northside

First Ward

Ely Park

More well known for the golf course here.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 47,380 people, 21,089 households, and 10,417 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,752.3/km² (4,539.2/sq mi). There were 23,971 housing units at an average density of 886.5/km² (2,296.5/sq mi). The racial makeup of the city was 83.18% White, 8.41% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 3.33% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.71% from other races, and 3.07% from two or more races. 3.90% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 21,091 households out of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.6% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 50.6% were non-families. 40.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the city the population was spread out with 21.5% under the age of 18, 13.2% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.

The area surrounding Binghamton, referred to in marketing as "Greater Binghamton" - or the Binghamton MSA by the census bureau - is approximately 252,000 people. The Binghamton MSA is composed of all of Broome County and neighboring Tioga County. Alternatively defined, the number of people living in an approximately 40-mile radius of the city is approximately 300,000. This count includes Broome, Tioga, and portions of Cortland, Delaware and Chenango Counties in New York and portions of Susquehanna and Bradford counties in Pennsylvania.

The median income for a household in the city was $25,665, and the median income for a family was $36,137. Males had a median income of $28,774 versus $23,014 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,067. About 16.5% of families and 23.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.4% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Old Binghamton City Hall, 2007
The Broome County Courthouse

Since its incorporation as a city in 1867, Binghamton has been a municipality with a "strong" mayor-council form of government. The city government was originally housed in the old Municipal Building on Collier Street (now the Grand Royale Hotel), is now located at the Binghamton City Hall which occupies the west-wing of the Government Plaza on the corner of State and Hawley streets. The mayor and councillors are elected to four-year terms. The Binghamton City Council is a unicameral body consisting of 7 Council members whose districts are defined by geographic population boundaries. The mayor and councilors are limited to two four-year terms.

Office of the Mayor

The current Mayor of Binghamton is Matthew T. Ryan (D).

The Mayor oversees the various city departments which are listed below:[7]

  • Assessment
  • Building & Construction
  • City Clerk
  • Code Enforcement
  • Dog Control
  • Economic Development
  • Engineering
  • Finance
  • Fire
  • Legal
  • Parks & Recreation
  • Personnel/Civil Service
  • Planning Housing & Community Development
  • Police
  • Public Works
  • Vital Statistics
  • Youth Bureau
  • Water & Sewer

City Council

The current 7-member City Council comprises:

  • Bobby Weslar (D), 1st District
  • Martin J. Gerchman (D), 2nd District
  • Teri Rennia (D), 3rd District
  • Lea Webb (D), 4th District
  • Sean Massey (D), 5th District
  • Charles Kramer (D), 6th District
  • Edward M. Collins (D), 7th District

The Binghamton City Council meets for business meetings every first and third Monday of the month at 6:30 PM in the Council Chamber and for work sessions every first and third Wednesday of the month at 6 PM in the Work Room.[8]

Neighborhood Assemblies Program

The Binghamton Neighborhood Assemblies Program created 9 public forum assemblies in which city residents play a lead role in "restoring the pride" in Binghamton by sharing their concerns, hopes and needs and then working in conjunction with city government and community partners to implement positive change.[9]

Safety

Public safety in Binghamton is the primary responsibility of the 148-officer Binghamton Police Department[10] and the 132-officer Binghamton Fire Department.[11] The Binghamton Fire Department is composed of 134 paid uniformed firefighters, EMTs and paramedics.

2009 Civic Association shooting

Main article: Binghamton shootings

Binghamton received worldwide attention on April 3, 2009 when 41-year-old Jiverly Wong killed 14 people, including himself, and wounded 4 others, in a shooting at the American Civic Association (ACA) before killing himself at 131 Front Street.[12] The ACA assists immigrants and refugees, according to its website.[13]

Economy

Boscov's, downtown Binghamton's department store.
The historic Beaux-Arts Security Mutual Life building.
JulyFest, a festival of music, food, and arts, is held annually downtown.
A Spiedie, a regional delicacy of marinated meat on Italian bread, brought by Italian immigrants to the area.
Live at Five, a Friday night after-work concert, is held each week Memorial Day to Labor Day downtown.
Blues on the Bridge, an annual blues festival held on the antique Washington Street bridge.

The nearby suburb of Vestal has many strip malls along a five-mile stretch of the Vestal Parkway (NY 434). Johnson City has the region’s largest indoor mall, the Oakdale Mall. Other area shopping centers include Boscov's department store (corner of Court St. and Water St.), Court St., Washington St.and State St. all in downtown Binghamton.

Binghamton's employment base is skewed towards technology businesses, particularly the defense industry. Education and health care are also significant employers in the region.

Current major employers in the Greater Binghamton area include:

Culture and arts influence

Binghamton refers to itself as the “Carousel Capital of the World,” with six antique Herschell carousels in the region, each with hand-carved horses - one of the world's largest functional collections of old-style carousels.

The Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park is the fifth-oldest zoo in the nation.

The area’s Kopernik Space Center observatory is the largest public observatory in the northeast United States.

The Binghamton area is the home of the regional dish known as the spiedie, celebrated at the annual Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally, held at Otsiningo Park.

The region has, in the last several years, developed a growing and pervasive arts scene. These include a large cluster of art galleries and shops centered in the downtown Binghamton area, and has given rise to an event, the First Friday Art Walk, sponsored by a local arts association, the Gorgeous Washington Street Association. These events have been drawing large crowds downtown since 2003. Artists of local prominence that display or have galleries include Anthony Brunelli, a renowned photorealist painter who calls Binghamton home; Orazio Salati, who owns a gallery and exhibits many works; and Marla Olmstead, a local child who achieved fame in the art world for her abstract art. Dov Treiman lives, works, and exhibits at his home in Berkshire, in the Greater Binghamton region.

See City of Binghamton's Around Town page for a list of galleries.

Education

Primary and secondary education

Higher education

  • Binghamton University

Binghamton University, (formerly known as Harpur College, and as State University of New York at Binghamton), part of the SUNY system, is located in nearby Vestal. The University is the top-ranking public school in the Northeast United States[14] and was also ranked number 1 on Kiplinger's best values in education. It offers highly ranked education, significant arts, and Division I athletics.

In 2007, Binghamton University opened a new downtown Binghamton facility for the College of Community and Public Affairs. Additionally, a large number of students reside in the Westside, Downtown and Southside areas of the city.

Binghamton University has a significant impact on the Greater Binghamton area. The University contributes an economic impact of $700 million in Greater Binghamton and $894.5 million in New York State.

  • Broome Community College

Broome Community College, also a part of the SUNY system, is located in nearby Dickinson.

  • Upstate Medical University

A clinical campus of Upstate Medical University was established for third and fourth year medical students in 1979. Students spend their first two years of medical school in Syracuse, New York and then complete their training in Binghamton.

  • Davis College

Davis College (formerly Practical Bible College) is located just outside the city limits in the suburb of Johnson City.

  • Other Institutions

Binghamton is also home to branches of Ridley Lowell, Elmira Business Institute, and Empire College.

Media

The Greater Binghamton metro area is served by the following media outlets:

Sports

The area is home to the Eastern League's Binghamton Mets (AA affiliate of the New York Mets). The B-Mets have sent stars like José Reyes, David Wright, Preston Wilson, Pat Strange, Prentice Redman, Eric Cammack, Jason Tyner, Jason Roach, and Jay Payton to the majors.

Several hockey teams have played in Broome County over the years, most recently the Binghamton Senators, who currently serve as the AHL affiliate of the Ottawa Senators. The B-Sens won division titles on 2003 and 2005, reaching the AHL conference finals in 2003. They play their home games at Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.

Division I College Sports are played at Binghamton University (a member of the America East Conference). Division III College Sports are played at Broome Community College. Bobby Gonzalez, head coach of Seton Hall's men's basketball team was born here, and still has family in the area. Alongside Bobby Gonalez, King Rice, a McDonald's All-American, and 2 year starter at UNC, is currently an assistant coach for Vanderbilt's men's basketball team, called Binghamton home.

Binghamton is also home to two semi-pro football teams, the Broome County Dragons (members of the Empire Football League) and the Southern Tier Green Machine (members of the North American Football League).

The area is also home to an annual Professional Tennis Challenger, the Levene Gouldin & Thompson Tennis Challenger, part of the USTA pro circuit (Known as the Frito-Lay Tennis Challenger in years past). Tennis greats such as Lleyton Hewitt, James Blake and more recently Andy Murray found their start with this tournament, using it as a spring board to the U.S. Open (tennis) [6].

The B.C. Open was an official PGA Tour event that was held annually from 1971 to 2006 at Endicott's En-Joie Golf Course. (Note that the 2006 B.C. Open had to be played in Verona, N.Y. due to extensive damage during the June 2006 Flooding of the Susquehanna River.) Beginning in 2007, the area will host a PGA Champion's Tour event, the Dick's Sporting Goods Open. The event will replace the B.C. Open and continue to be played at En-Joie Golf Course in Endicott.

Since 1978 a round of the American Motorcyclist Association's Motocross Championship has been held at the nearby Broome-Tioga Sports Center. This round of the series has recently been moved to Texas and is no longer hosted by the Broome-Tioga Sports Center. They also host the New York State Motocross Championships each fall and many other semi-pro events throughout the season.

Two world famous amateur sports tournaments are held in Binghamton. The Stop DWI Holiday Classic - a nationally recognized high school basketball tournament - calls the city home during the Christmas season, amassing about 16 of the nations best teams from places such as Orlando, NYC, Philadelphia, Kentucky, Cincinnati, and other large metropolitan areas. The World Youth Classic is an American Legion youth baseball tournament featuring world-class Legion baseball teams. Held in July, it features teams from Florida, Kentucky, Ohio, New York, Georgia, and New England. As many as 32 teams may play per year.

Transportation

Airport

The area is served by two airports. A medium-sized regional airport, Greater Binghamton Airport and a general aviation airport, the Tri-Cities Airport. Greater Binghamton Airport serves destinations which include Philadelphia (US Airways), Dulles Airport serving Washington, D.C. (United) and Detroit (Northwest Airlines).

Public transit

Intercity bus service is available from downtown Binghamton via Greyhound (with destinations including Buffalo, Syracuse, Rochester, Scranton, Toronto, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and New York City.) Shortline/Coach USA also serves the region, with daily departures to Olean, Albany, Oneonta, Elmira, Turning Stone Resort & Casino, Utica, Atlantic City, Monticello and New York City. Megabus began service to Buffalo Airport and Toronto in June 2008, but discontinued it in December 2008.

Public transportation in Binghamton and outlying areas is served by B.C. Transit, a service of the Broome County Department of Transportation. Students at Binghamton University are also served by OCCT (Off-Campus College Transport).

Railroads

Binghamton is served by four railroads: Norfolk Southern Railway serves Binghamton with its Southern Tier Main Line; Canadian Pacific Railway serves Binghamton with its Montreal PQ-Harrisburg PA Main Line; the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway serves Binghamton as part of its Binghamton to Syracuse and Binghamton to Utica lines and the Central New York Railroad serves Binghamton with its Binghamton-Port Jervis NY Main Line. Binghamton has no railroad passenger service. The last scheduled service, New York (Hoboken) to Chicago services operated by the Erie Lackawanna Railroad, was discontinued in January 1970, by order of the United States Interstate Commerce Commission in order to promote automobile and aviation use.

New York Senator Chuck Schumer is pushing for passenger rail service between Binghamton and New York City via Scranton and the Lackawanna Cutoff.[citation needed]

River crossings

Two large rivers, the Susquehanna, and its tributary, the Chenango, cut through the city and metropolitan area. This necessitates spans across these rivers to connect the city's various neighborhoods.

Chenango River crossings

Traveling north from the Chenango's confluence with the Susquehanna, are six bridges, these include; the Veteran's Memorial Bridge (Riverside Drive Bridge), Court Street Bridge, Clinton Street Bridge, the Norfolk Southern Rail Bridge, the I-81/NY-7 bridge and the Bevier Street Bridge.

Susquehanna River crossings

Washington St. Bridge (pedestrian only), State St. Bridge (Route 434 connect), Exchange St. Bridge, Tompkins St. Bridge, Railroad Bridge (not sure what rail line)

Important Regional Highways and Roads

Two Interstate Highways run through the area:

Interstate 81

  • I-81 is a north-south route that runs from near Dandridge, Tennessee north to its northern terminus on Wellesley Island (near Fishers Landing, New York) at the Canadian border. Interstate 81 passes through the central and southeastern part of the City of Binghamton.

Interstate 88 (Senator Warren M. Anderson Expressway/Susquehanna Expressway)

  • I-88's western terminus is at I-81 northeast of the city and travels to Albany.

FUTURE Interstate 86

  • I-86 is an upgrade of the existing New York State Route 17. Known as the Southern Tier Expressway and Quickway (split by Interstate 81 at Binghamton, New York), the route will connect Interstate 90 near Erie, Pennsylvania, with Interstate 87 (New York State Thruway) near Harriman, New York.

One US Highway runs through the area:

U.S. Route 11

  • US 11 runs from eastern New Orleans, Louisiana to its northern terminus at the Canadian border in Rouses Point, New York. US 11 is a north-south route through the central and southeastern part of the city.

New York State Routes:

New York State Route 17 (Southern Tier Expressway/Quickway)

  • NY 17 is an important east-west route through the area.
  • FUTURE Interstate 86

New York State Route 17C

  • NY 17C travels west to east into Binghamton from Waverly along Main Street, terminating at U.S. Route 11 where Main Street intersects Front Street.

New York State Route 201

  • NY 201 is a north-south state highway located west of the city of Binghamton in Broome County, New York. The southern terminus of the route is at NY 434 in Vestal while its northern terminus is just passed NY 17 (future Interstate 86) at Harry L. Drive in Johnson City.

New York State Route 363 (North Shore Drive)

  • a north-south limited-access highway in Binghamton that links NY 434 at its southern terminus with New York State Route 7 at its northern terminus.

New York State Route 434 (Vestal Parkway)

  • NY 434 is the former route of NY 17 prior to the construction of the Southern Tier Expressway, which NY 434 parallels.

Points of interest

Notable residents

Famous people who resided in Binghamton include:

See also: Category:People from Binghamton

Binghamton in books

  • A History of the Binghamton Slovaks, by Imrich Mazar: A chronicle of one of Binghamton's largest ethnic populations.
  • From Vision to Excellence: A Popular History of Binghamton University, by Karen T. Hammond: Although Hammond's book focuses on the SUNY campus, it also provides interesting information on the city of Binghamton.
  • Binghamton (Images of America), by Ed Aswad and Suzanne M. Meredith: A photographic history. There are several companion books dealing with IBM, Endicott, Johnson City, and baseball and hockey in Broome County.
  • A Mind of Summer, by Erik Grayson: Includes Tales of Three Cities, a short oral history of the greater Binghamton area.
  • Diary of a Binghamton boy in the 1860s, by Morris Treadwell: Early Binghamton through the eyes of a young boy.
  • Partners All: A History of Broome County, New York, by Gerald R. Smith.
  • Working Lives, Broome County, New York, 1800-1930: A Social History of People at Work in Our Region, by Ross McGuire.
  • Broome County Heritage: An Illustrated History, by Lawrence Bothwell.
  • Broome County: A Contemporary Portrait, by Karen Hammond, Suzanne M. Meredith, Kirk Van Zandbergen, and Leslie Van Zandbergen.
  • Actual Conversations With Myself, by Jeff Orlick. Includes many chapters based in and around the city of Binghamton and Binghamton University.
  • Reflections On My Dirty Dog Days, by Dene Farrell. Discusses childhood adventures in Binghamton and neighboring Johnson City.
  • A Picture Post-Card History of New York's Broome County Area--Binghamton, Johnson City, Endicott, Owego, and Surrounding Communities, published by the Kiwanis Club of Binghamton
  • "Tastes and Tales of New York's Southern Tier". Profiles of Binghamton area restaurants and other food related businesses by Paul VanSavage, Suzanne M. Meredith and Ed Aswad.
  • "Drunkard's Refuge: The Lessons of the New York State Inebriate Asylum". Provides a history of the nation's first mental health facility to treat alcoholism as a disease (located on the grounds of the current Binghamton Psychiatric Center). The site of the facility is on the National Endangered Properties List [7]. Written by John W. Crowley and William L. White.
  • "McIntosh: '...for the love of music...'", by Ken Kessler. Published by McIntosh Laboratory, Inc., 2006. ISBN 0-9787236-0-0. A 315 page history of one of "the longest-established high-end audio-electronics company in America." [15]

Binghamton in film

  • The 1991 erotic thriller film Liebestraum was filmed primarily in downtown Binghamton and surrounding areas during the summer of 1990. A central plot element was a building with a cast iron facade, which Binghamton has one of the last examples standing in the Perry Block downtown.
  • In the movie Rounders, The main characters, played by Matt Damon and Edward Norton, decide to drive up to Binghamton to play in a poker game of Municipal Workers, whom are, in fact, the local Police Department. Their ruse is discovered and they are beaten up, stripped of their winnings, and left in the parking lot.
  • In the film The Squid and the Whale, the character Bernard Berkman (played by Jeff Daniels) travels to SUNY Binghamton to give a reading of a novel he had written.[16]
  • The film Summer Of Tomorrows (2003) was filmed primarily in and around the Binghamton area by local film producer Christopher Johnson. [8]
  • The film Shades of Darkness (2000) was filmed primarily in and around the Binghamton area by local film producer Christopher Johnson. [9]
  • The film Outside of Winters Bend (1995) was filmed primarily in and around the Binghamton area by local film produer Christopher Johnson. [10]
  • In the television series 7th Heaven, the Reverend Eric Camden was noted to have grown up in Binghamton, NY.

Sister cities

Binghamton has two sister cities, according to Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):

References

  1. ^ "2003 Metropolitan Area Rankings". 2003-06-06. Retrieved 2007-12-17.
  2. ^ Top 10 Greenest Cities In The USA
  3. ^ ThreadEx
  4. ^ "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  5. ^ "Station Name: Binghamton, NY". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  6. ^ "WMO Climate Normals for BINGHAMTON/EDWIN A LINK FIELD, NY 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  7. ^ [1]
  8. ^ http://www.cityofbinghamton.com/department.asp?zone=dept-city-council]
  9. ^ http://www.cityofbinghamton.com/neighborhood-assemblies.asp]
  10. ^ http://www.cityofbinghamton.com/department.asp?zone=dept-police]
  11. ^ http://www.cityofbinghamton.com/department.asp?zone=dept-fire]
  12. ^ "Gunman takes hostages in NY state". BBC News. BBC. 2009-04-03. Retrieved 2009-04-03.
  13. ^ "American Civic Association". United Way of Broome County. Retrieved 2009-04-03.
  14. ^ "America's Best Colleges 2006: National Universities: Top Schools", U.S. News & World Report, accessed August 8, 2006
  15. ^ Book Review: McIntosh: "...for the love of music..." [2]
  16. ^ http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=612079
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