Auburn is a city in Cayuga County, New York, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 28,574. It is the county seat of Cayuga County and home to the Auburn Doubledays minor league baseball team.

History

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The city of Auburn was founded in 1793 by John Hardenburg, a veteran of the American Revolution, who is now buried in Auburn's Fort Hill Cemetery. Originally known as Hardenburg's Corners, Auburn was renamed and incorporated in 1806.

In 1816, Auburn Prison (now Auburn State Correctional Facility) was founded as a model for the contemporary ideas about treating prisoners, known now as the "Auburn System." Visitors were charged a fee for viewing the facility and its inmates. On August 6, 1890, the first execution by the electric chair was carried out at Auburn Prison. Although the ideas of the Auburn System have been abandoned, the prison continues to serve as a maximum security facility.

In 1997 Auburn was awarded New York State's best tasting water.

Famous residents

Auburn was the home of William Seward, who as U.S. Secretary of State arranged the purchase of Alaska (known at the time as "Seward's Folly"). Auburn was also the birthplace of Birdsill Holly, supposed inventor of the fire hydrant. Auburn also was the home of Theodore Case, who developed the first commercially successful system of recording sound on film. Jerome Holland, the first African-American board member of the American Stock Exchange, was an Auburn native.

Harriet Tubman, an African American freedom-fighter and escaped slave, who brought many people to the North to escape slavery, formed a friendship with William Seward and spent the last years of her life in Auburn. She and Seward (including much of his family) are buried in Fort Hill Cemetery. Martha Coffin Wright, an early feminist and participant in the Seneca Falls convention was also an Auburn resident.

Auburn is the home of Manowar, a heavy metal band.

Jerry O'Neil, a NASCAR driver, also calls Auburn home.

Geography

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Auburn is located at (42.931660, -76.564770). The city is located north of Owasco Lake, one of the Finger Lakes.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.8 km² (8.4 mi²). 21.7 km² (8.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.47%) is water.

Demographics

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As of the census of 2000, there were 28,574 people, 11,411 households, and 6,538 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,315.0/km² (3,405.3/mi²). There were 12,637 housing units at an average density of 581.5/km² (1,506.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.57% White, 7.59% African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.41% from other races, and 1.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.82% of the population.

There were 11,411 households out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.3% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.8% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,281, and the median income for a family was $41,169. Males had a median income of $32,349 versus $23,330 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,083. About 12.5% of families and 16.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.9% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.

External links

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• City of Auburn

1793 establishments | Cayuga County, New York | Cities in New York

Auburn (New York) | Auburn, Nova York | Auburn (Nova Iorque)