Cheektowaga, New York

Cheektowaga's earliest known historic occupants were the Iroquoian-speaking Neutral people. They were pushed out by the more powerful Seneca people, the most western of the Five Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, who were seeking to control the fur trade. They named this site as Chictawauga, meaning "land of the crabapples" in the Seneca language.[4]

It was not until well after the American Revolutionary War that European-American settlers began to live here permanently. The Seneca had been forced to cede most of their land to the United States after the war, as they had been British allies. Cheektowaga was formed from the Town of Amherst on March 22, 1839. Upon the formation of West Seneca on October 16, 1851, it was reduced to its present limits—about 30 square miles (78 km²). Throughout the 19th century, it was referred to by its original name, "Chictawauga".

Originally a rural farming area, the town was extensively developed for suburban housing during the post-World War II subdivision boom of the 1950s. Aided as well by the construction of highways to serve the area, factories such as the Westinghouse Electric Corporation plant on Genesee Street were built here (since demolished). The plant generated employment to the area for many decades. The town maintains a strong blue-collar presence. Cheektowaga has a large Polish-American community, much of which relocated from Buffalo's East Side, and about 39.9% of population is of Polish heritage.[5]

The Walden Galleria opened in 1989, becoming the Buffalo Niagara region's largest mall.

Cheektowaga is home to St. John Gualbert's Parish, which is a small Catholic church housing the Shrine of the Holy Relics of the Saints, believed to be one of the largest collections in the United States.[6]

Garrison Cemetery, Our Lady Help of Christians Chapel, and Villa Maria Motherhouse Complex are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 29.5 square miles (76.4 km²), of which 29.4 square miles (76.2 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²), or 0.21%, is water.[2]

The town is bordered by Lancaster on the east, West Seneca on the south, the city of Buffalo on the west, and on the north by Amherst. The town includes the waterways of Scajaquada Creek, Cayuga Creek and Ellicott Creek.

As of the census[15] of 2000, there were 94,019 people, 40,045 households, and 25,869 families residing in the town. The population density was 3,183.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,229.3/km²). There were 41,901 housing units at an average density of 1,418.9 per square mile (547.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.94% White, 2.93% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.97% of the population.

There were 40,045 households, out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 30.4% 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 2.32 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.6% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $38,121, and the median income for a family was $46,646. Males had a median income of $34,538 versus $25,434 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,627. About 4.6% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.7% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.

Major ancestries in the town are Polish (39.9%), German (29.9%), Italian (16.0%), Irish (14.1%), English (5.8%), and French (2.7%).

The town is served by media in Buffalo.

The east town line is marked by New York State Route 78 (Transit Road). New York State Route 240 (Harlem Road) and New York State Route 277 (Union Road) are major north-south routes through the town. New York State Route 33 (Kensington Expressway), Walden Avenue, and William Street access the New York State Thruway, which is also runs north-south through the town, traveling from the Amherst town line in the north, south to the West Seneca town line in the southwest corner of town. New York State Route 130 (Broadway) is an east-west roadway from the Buffalo city line to the Depew village line. Interstate 190, travels in the town from I-90 to Buffalo City Line and beyond into Downtown Buffalo and north to Niagara Falls. U.S. Route 20 (Transit Road) is a north-south roadway that runs concurrently with NY 78 along Cheektowaga's east border with Lancaster, south of Depew. New York State Route 354 (Clinton Street) is an east-west roadway through the extreme southwest corner of town, and provides the southern border with West Seneca.

Calspan is based in Cheektowaga.

• Andrew Anderson, retired pro basketball player who graduated from Maryvale High School in Cheektowaga
• Christine Baranski, actress (The Good Wife, Mamma Mia!)
• Ryan Ciminelli, professional bowler
• William Fichtner, actor, Graduate of Maryvale High School
• Jackson C. Frank, folk musician who survived the Cleveland Hill Elementary fire
• Dennis H. Gabryszak, former New York State Assemblyman who previously served as town supervisor
• Dennis Gorski, former Erie County Executive
• William J. Hochul, Jr., U.S. Attorney who graduated from Cheektowaga Central
• Liz Johnson, professional bowler and USBC Hall of Famer
• Chelsea Noble, actress and wife of actor Kirk Cameron
• Danny Ozark, former manager of the Philadelphia Phillies
• Mark Pawlak, poet and educator
• Randy Pikuzinski, retired pro soccer player
• Ed Rutkowski, former pro football player and Erie County Executive
• Altemio Sanchez, serial murderer
• Paul Tokasz, retired New York State Assemblyman
• David J. Weber, historian
• Angela Wozniak, former New York State Assemblywoman, former town council member
• Joseph Hinshaw, Retired Tennis Player, who graduated from Cheektowaga Central High School in Cheektowaga

Cheektowaga is twinned with:

• Łowicz, Poland[18]

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Cheektowaga.

• Town of Cheektowaga official website
• Cheektowaga Chamber of Commerce
• Cheektowaga Historical Association