Oneida

History

In the post-Revolutionary period, central and western New York were settled by many migrants from New England. With development of the Erie Canal in the early 19th century, the movement of people expanded towards the Midwest as trade and commerce increased. Oneida's development began to pick up as new trade routes were opened, especially in the period initially following construction of the Oneida Lake canal and feeder and an associated railroad stop, tying it into major trade networks of the day. The village of Oneida was incorporated on June 20, 1848, as part of the larger town of Lenox to its west, but years of friction among the different sections of town spurred the village to establish itself independently as the new Town of Oneida in 1896. In turn, this town was later chartered as the City of Oneida on March 28, 1901. The city's first elected mayor was Julius M. Goldstein, the co-founder of Powell & Goldstein Cigar Company. Goldstein was born in Prussia and immigrated in 1871. The city was founded in 1834 by Sands Higinbotham, who contributed land to the Syracuse and Utica Railroad under the stipulation that all passenger trains stop at a depot he constructed, a arrangement that directly drove the early growth of Oneida Depot. His son Niles Higinbotham later donated land within the city for a public park and for the construction of four churches. The Oneida Valley Bank was established in 1851 by Niles, his father Sands, and their associate Samuel Breese. The Higinbotham family home, Cottage Lawn, built between 1849 and 1850 at the corner of Main and Grove Streets, was occupied by the family until 1934, when it was bequeathed to the Madison County Historical Society and is today listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Oneida is located near the…

Geography

Oneida is in northeastern Madison County, bordered to the northeast by Oneida County. New York State Route 5 passes through the city south of its center, leading east into neighboring Oneida Castle and continuing to Utica; and west into neighboring Wampsville and to Syracuse. Interstate 90, the New York State Thruway, passes through the northern portion of Oneida but does not have a direct exit to the city: the nearest exits are for Verona to the east and Canastota to the west. New York State Route 46 passes through the center of Oneida, leading north and northeast to Rome and south to Hamilton. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which (0.23%) are covered by water. Oneida Creek forms the northeastern border of the city and the Oneida County line. The creek flows northwest to Oneida Lake, part of the Oswego River watershed leading northwest to Lake Ontario.

Most-observed species

• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  5,580
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  4,932
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,730
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,373
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  4,273
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,135
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,943
• Red-winged Blackbird

  Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  3,916

Most recent

• M 2.5 — 2026-04-26
  6 km SE of Lowville, New York
• M 2.8 — 2026-03-21
  28 km WSW of Henderson, New York
• M 3.3 — 2024-06-29
  14 km W of Ellisburg, New York
• M 3.6 — 2023-04-23
  New York
• M 2.6 — 2023-04-14
  1 km W of Adams Center, New York