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Cortland County, New York

140 topographic sheets cover 55 settlements here, and 31 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

31 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

New York within the United States
Cortland County within New York
Explore by year 1855 1894

What the record shows

  • 1,135 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 31 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 22 buildings, 7 districts, 1 site and 1 structure.
  • 7 of the 31 listings were added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 55 populated places in this county; 55 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

31

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Benton-Sherwood Housebuilding2026100012671
Cincinnatus Historic Districtdistrict198484002208
Cortland County Courthousebuilding197474001228
Cortland County Poor Farmbuilding198282001115
Cortland Fire Headquartersbuilding197474001229
Cortland Free Librarybuilding200808000469
Crescent Corset Companybuilding201616000391
First Presbyterian Churchbuilding200201001502
First Presbyterian Church Complexbuilding200202000142
Glen Haven District No. 4 School and Public Librarybuilding199797000420
Glenwood Cemeterysite2019100003395
William J. Greenman Housebuilding201111000542
Hatheway Homesteadbuilding197878001848
Little York Pavilionbuilding197979001575
Main Street Historic Districtdistrict198686002773
Old Homer Village Historic Districtdistrict197373001176
Peck Memorial Librarybuilding199292000557
Presbyterian Church of McGrawbuilding198686002517
Randall Farmdistrict200000000573
Stage Coach Innbuilding200909001080
Tarbell Buildingbuilding200000001408
Taylor Center Methodist Episcopal Church and Taylor District #3 Schoolbuilding201010000513
Tompkins Street Historic Districtdistrict197575001179
Tompkins Street/Main Street Historic District (Boundary Increase)district198282001116
Town Line Bridgestructure200808000470
Truxton Depotbuilding200808000930
US Post Office-Cortlandbuilding198888002475
US Post Office-Homerbuilding198988002502
Union Valley Congregational Churchbuilding200202001639
Unitarian Universalist Churchbuilding199393000592
Water, Wall, and Pine Streets Lenticular Truss Bridgesdistrict197777000938

Bird's-eye views and land ownership maps

3

Drawn when these were printed as single large sheets: the town seen from the air, and the county divided into its farms with every owner named. Each opens the original at the Library of Congress.

Land ownership map, 1855 - Map of Cortland County, New York : from actual surveys
Land ownership map (1855) - Map of Cortland County, New York : from actual surveys. Library of Congress.
Bird's-eye view, 1894 - Cortland, N.Y.
Bird's-eye view (1894) - Cortland, N.Y.. Library of Congress.
Land ownership map, 1863 - Map of the counties of Chenango and Cortland, New York : from actual surveys
Land ownership map (1863) - Map of the counties of Chenango and Cortland, New York : from actual surveys. Library of Congress.

Photographs from libraries nationwide

3 of 15 shown

Selected from the Digital Public Library of America's 15 image records catalogued for this county. Every one shown here carries a public-domain status or a licence that permits reuse on a site that carries advertising; non-commercial, share-alike and restricted images are excluded. The selection is spread across the county's towns (at most eight per town), so no single institution's bulk upload crowds out the rest. Each opens the holding library's record, and the complete set at the Digital Public Library of America is one click away.

Cortland, N.Y 1873, Boston Public Library - undated
Cortland, N.Y 1873. Fowler & Bailey, Boston Public Library, via the Digital Public Library of America.
From a photograph taken at Alexandria, Virginia, on May 7, 1864, Fall River Public Library - undated
From a photograph taken at Alexandria, Virginia, on May 7, 1864. Fall River Public Library, via the Digital Public Library of America.
Map of the counties of Chenango and Cortland, New York from actual surveys, Boston Public Library - undated
Map of the counties of Chenango and Cortland, New York from actual surveys. Warner, A, Boston Public Library, via the Digital Public Library of America.

The county from the air

48 shown

Flown by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1937 and 1989, the Aerial Photo Single Frames collection is the definitive mid-century view of the land: fields, roads and rivers as the camera saw them. The Survey holds 748 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 48 frames below were taken over the county itself, chosen across the decades of flights (at most four a year from that rectangle), so one flight cannot crowd out the rest. The full set is free to browse and download at EarthExplorer under the dataset Aerial Photo Single Frames.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1942-10-08, scale 1:43100
1942-10-08, scale 1:43100. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1942-10-08, scale 1:43100
1942-10-08, scale 1:43100. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1944-04-13, scale 1:16300
1944-04-13, scale 1:16300. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1944-04-13, scale 1:16300
1944-04-13, scale 1:16300. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1957-05-06, scale 1:60000
1957-05-06, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1957-05-06, scale 1:60000
1957-05-06, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1957-05-06, scale 1:60000
1957-05-06, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-05-13, scale 1:68500
1971-05-13, scale 1:68500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-05-13, scale 1:68500
1971-05-13, scale 1:68500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-05-13, scale 1:68500
1971-05-13, scale 1:68500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1974-04-01, scale 1:76000
1974-04-01, scale 1:76000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1974-04-01, scale 1:76000
1974-04-01, scale 1:76000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1974-04-01, scale 1:76000
1974-04-01, scale 1:76000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 2002-04-17, scale 1:28800
2002-04-17, scale 1:28800. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1942-10-08, scale 1:43100
1942-10-08, scale 1:43100. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1942-10-08, scale 1:43100
1942-10-08, scale 1:43100. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1944-04-13, scale 1:16300
1944-04-13, scale 1:16300. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1944-04-13, scale 1:16300
1944-04-13, scale 1:16300. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1957-05-06, scale 1:60000
1957-05-06, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1959-10-21, scale 1:60000
1959-10-21, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1959-10-21, scale 1:60000
1959-10-21, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1959-10-21, scale 1:60000
1959-10-21, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1959-10-21, scale 1:60000
1959-10-21, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1960-05-03, scale 1:60000
1960-05-03, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1960-05-03, scale 1:60000
1960-05-03, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1960-05-03, scale 1:60000
1960-05-03, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1960-05-03, scale 1:60000
1960-05-03, scale 1:60000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1968-03-30, scale 1:24000
1968-03-30, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1968-03-30, scale 1:24000
1968-03-30, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1968-03-30, scale 1:24000
1968-03-30, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1968-03-30, scale 1:24000
1968-03-30, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1969-04-20, scale 1:18000
1969-04-20, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1969-04-20, scale 1:18000
1969-04-20, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1969-04-20, scale 1:18000
1969-04-20, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1969-04-20, scale 1:18000
1969-04-20, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-05-13, scale 1:68500
1971-05-13, scale 1:68500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1974-04-01, scale 1:76000
1974-04-01, scale 1:76000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1981-04-10, scale 1:80000
1981-04-10, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1981-04-10, scale 1:80000
1981-04-10, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1981-04-10, scale 1:80000
1981-04-10, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1981-04-10, scale 1:80000
1981-04-10, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 2002-04-17, scale 1:28800
2002-04-17, scale 1:28800. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 2002-04-17, scale 1:28800
2002-04-17, scale 1:28800. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 2002-04-17, scale 1:28800
2002-04-17, scale 1:28800. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 2003-04-14, scale 1:14400
2003-04-14, scale 1:14400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 2003-04-14, scale 1:14400
2003-04-14, scale 1:14400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 2003-04-14, scale 1:14400
2003-04-14, scale 1:14400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 2003-04-14, scale 1:14400
2003-04-14, scale 1:14400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

Weather records

19 stations, 12 gages

The thermometers that kept this county's weather, and the gages that measured the flow of its streams, as the federal records hold them. The extremes below are measured values from those records, not estimates.

The 1950 census, district by district

54 districts

Who lived here in 1950, one enumeration district at a time, as the Census Bureau described each district. Each row opens its official National Archives result, with Population Schedules and ED Maps available there.

  • 12-1Cincinnatus town
  • 12-2Cortland city: Cortland city - That part of Ward 1 Bounded by City limits; Homer Ave.; W. Main, West; City limits
  • 12-3Cortland city - That part of Ward 1 Bounded by W. Main; Hamlin; Ward line; City limits, West
  • 12-4Cortland city - That part of Ward 1 Bounded by W. Main; Homer Ave.; Madison; Hamlin
  • 12-5Cortland city - That part of Ward 1 Bounded by N. Main; N. Main; Madison; Homer Ave.
  • 12-6Cortland city - That part of Ward 1 Bounded by Madison; N. Main; Maple Ave., Ward line; Hamlin
  • 12-7Cortland city - That part of Ward 2, excluding Cortland Hotel Bounded by Maple Ave.; N. Main; Groton Ave.; Otter Creek, Lincoln Ave., Homer Ave.
  • 12-8Cortland Hotel (In Cortland city, Ward 2)
  • 12-9Cortland city - That part of Ward 2 Bounded by Ward line, Maple Ave.; Homer Ave., Lincoln Ave., Otter Creek; Groton Ave.; Helen Ave.
  • 12-10Cortland city - That part of Ward 2 Bounded by Ward line; Helen Ave., Groton Ave., Townley, Broadway; Ward line; City limits
  • 12-11Cortland city - That part of Ward 2 Bounded by Groton Ave.; Stevenson, Prospect Ter.; Tompkins; Sands, Water, Prospect Ter., Broadway, Townley
  • 12-12Cortland city - That part of Ward 2 Bounded by Groton Ave.; S. Main; Tompkins, Prospect Ter.; Stevenson
  • 12-13Cortland city - That part of Ward 3 Bounded by Tompkins; S. Main; Union; Owego
  • 12-14Cortland city - That part of Ward 3 Bounded by Tompkins; Owego; Squires; Frank
  • 12-15Cortland city - That part of Ward 3 Bounded by Union; S. Main; City limits; Owego
  • 12-16Cortland city - That part of Ward 3 Bounded by Ward line, Prospect Ter.; Water, Sands, Tompkins, Frank, Squires, Owego; City limits; City limits
  • 12-17Cortland city - That part of Ward 4 Bounded by City limits; City limits; West Branch of Tioughnioga River, Clinton Ave.; Washington, Grant, Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad
  • 12-18Cortland city - That part of Ward 4 Bounded by City limits; Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad, Willow Ave., Pearne Ave.; E. Main, N. Main; Homer Ave.
  • 12-19Cortland city - That part of Ward 4 Bounded by Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad, Grant, Charles; Clinton Ave.; N. Main, E. Main, Pearne Ave., Willow Ave.
  • 12-20Cortland city - That part of Ward 4 Bounded by Grant; Washington; Clinton Ave.; Charles
  • 12-21Cortland city - That part of Ward 5 Bounded by Clinton Ave., West Branch of Tioughnioga River; City limits; Central Ave.; Pomeroy
  • 12-22Cortland city - That part of Ward 5 Bounded by Clinton Ave.; Pomeroy; Central Ave.; Hubbard
  • 12-23Cortland city - That part of Ward 5 Bounded by Clinton Ave.; Hubbard; Central Ave.; N. Main
  • 12-24Cortland city - That part of Ward 6 Bounded by Port Watson, East Ave., Central Ave.; City limits; Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad, Lehigh Valley Railroad
  • 12-25Cortland city - That part of Ward 6 Bounded by Port Watson; Lehigh Valley Railroad, Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad; City limits; S. Pendleton
  • 12-26Cortland city - That part of Ward 6 Bounded by Central Ave.; East Ave.; Port Watson; Greenbush
  • 12-27Cortland city - That part of Ward 6 Bounded by Central Ave.; Greenbush; Port Watson; S. Main
  • 12-28Cortland city - That part of Ward 6 Bounded by Port Watson; S. Pendleton; City limits; S. Main
  • 12-29Homer village, comprising parts of Cortlandville and Homer towns: Homer village - That part in Cortlandville town Bounded by Town line; Village limits; Village limits; Village limits
  • 12-30Homer village - That part in Homer town Bounded by Tioughnioga River, Wall, S. Main; Cayuga; Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad
  • 12-31Homer village - That part in Homer town Bounded by Village limits; Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad; Grove, N. West, Preston Ave.; Village limits
  • 12-32Homer village - That part in Homer town Bounded by Preston Ave., N. West, Grove; Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad; Town line, Village limits; Village limits
  • 12-33Homer village - That part in Homer town Bounded by Village limits; Village limits; Village limits, Town line; Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad, Cayuga, S. Main, Wall, Tioughnioga River
  • 12-34Cortlandville town, outside Homer village: McGraw village: McGraw village - That part Bounded by Village limits; Village limits; Clinton, E. Center, South, Main; Village limits
  • 12-35Cortlandville town: McGraw village - That part Bounded by Main, South, E. Center, Clinton; Village limits; Village limits; Village limits
  • 12-36Cortlandville town - That part east of Tioughnioga River and the East Branch of Tioughnioga River, outside Cortland city and McGraw village
  • 12-37Cortlandville town - That part north of Lehigh Valley Railroad (Ithaca - Canastota Line) and west of the East Branch of Tioughnioga River, outside Cortland city and Homer village
  • 12-38Cortlandville town - That part south of Lehigh Valley Railroad (Ithaca - Canastota Line) and west of Tioughnioga River, outside Cortland city (Remainder of Cortlandville town is in Homer village)
  • 12-39Cuyler town
  • 12-40Freetown town
  • 12-41Harford town
  • 12-42Homer town, outside Homer village: Homer town - That part east of Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad (Syracuse Branch), outside Homer town
  • 12-43Homer town - That part west of Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad (Syracuse Branch), outside Homer village (Remainder of Homer town is in Homer village)
  • 12-44Lapeer town
  • 12-45Marathon town: Marathon village
  • 12-46Marathon town - That part outside Marathon village
  • 12-47Preble town
  • 12-48Scott town
  • 12-49Solon town
  • 12-50Taylor town
  • 12-51Truxton town
  • 12-52Virgil town: Virgil town - That part east of Page Green Road, State Highway 90 and Overton Hill Road
  • 12-53Virgil town - That part west of Page Green Road, State Highway 90 and Overton Hill Road
  • 12-54Willet town

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

380 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 380 of them, burning about 470 acres. 29 started naturally and 59 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined148
Debris and open burning86
Arson/incendiarism59
Natural29
Smoking23
Equipment and vehicle use17
Misuse of fire by a minor7
Recreation and ceremony5
Fireworks2
Power generation/transmission/distribution2
Railroad operations and maintenance1
Other causes1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. Two of them were set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
15 April 2003Arson/incendiarism49 acresNew York Forest Rangersnot named
17 March 2010Debris and open burning31 acresNew York Forest Rangersnot named
25 March 2009Debris and open burning25 acresFire Department of New Yorknot named
9 April 1993Missing data/not specified/undetermined25 acresNew York Forest Rangersnot named
7 August 2001Missing data/not specified/undetermined16 acresNew York Forest Rangersnot named
14 April 1999Arson/incendiarism12 acresNew York Forest Rangersnot named
1 May 2004Debris and open burning6.0 acresNew York Forest Rangersnot named
14 April 2003Debris and open burning5.0 acresNew York Forest Rangersnot named

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1969 to 2026

60 of 433 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 433 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 13 injuries and about $12,359,250 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind293
Hail61
Flash Flood58
Flood11
Tornado6
Lightning3
Funnel Cloud1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
June 1986Thunderstorm Windnot stated5 hurtno account filed
June 2007Thunderstorm WindCortland4 hurt, $5,000A tree fell on an occupied car.
May 2001LightningLapeer3 hurtLightning struck a barn where people were taking shelter from a thunderstorm. 3 people were injured as the lightning moved through an electrical box in the barn. One victim was reported to be in critical condition.
June 2024Thunderstorm WindGracie1 hurt, $59,000A strong microburst with estimated wind speeds of 60-85 mph winds, and an estimated peak wind of 95 mph, occurred from the Tompkins and Cortland County border, near Sweetland Road and Nye Road, and ended north of Marathon on the evening of June 22nd. Multiple medium to large trees were observed being uprooted or snapped, as well as some tree damage resulting in property damage. A tree house collapsed due to multiple large trees snapping and falling, resulting in 1 reported injury. A small metal roof gazebo was also lofted 30 feet away from a house.
January 1996Flash FloodCountywide$5,700,000no account filed
April 2005Flash FloodCountywide$3,000,000no account filed
July 2017Flash FloodVirgil$450,000Severe flash flooding led to multiple reports of road closures and swift water rescues in and near the Village of Virgil. Route 392 was impassable. Four people were trapped in a residence on County Road.
September 2010Flash FloodSouth Cortland$370,000Many roads in the county were closed due to flooding. A large section of Route 11 was closed between Polkville and Marathon. Trout Brook over-topped a bridge where it crossed Route 11, and many roads in the Village of McGraw, including Route 41, were closed.
June 1998Tornado (F1)Cincinnatus$150,000A severe thunderstorm that had produced wind damage and hail just a short time prior in the town of Taylor became tornadic over Cincinnatus. Post-storm damage surveys indicate that the tornado touchdown was brief with snapped off trees and some house damage incurred. One home had its roof almost completely torn off with the front porch also heavily damaged from falling trees. The swath of damage was only just over 100 yards long with evidence of tornadic winds becoming discontinuous downstream.
October 2021Flash FloodVirgil$100,000Severe flash flooding was reported throughout the Town of Virgil. A State of Emergency was placed in effect for the area.
August 2013Flash FloodMunsons Corners$100,000Severe flooding was reported in Cortlandville within the Walmart parking lot. People were trapped on top of their vehicles and rescued by emergency personnel.
July 2015Flash FloodVirgil$75,000Flash flooding damaged and closed three roads near County Route 392.
July 2015Flash FloodTaylor$75,000Flooding covered several roads in the area, including the villages of East Freetown, Taylor and Cincinnatus.
March 2011Flash FloodCortland$75,000Over a dozen roads were reported flooded in the greater Cortland area with one road having over two feet of water flowing over it. A flash flood was also reported north of Cortland near Preble where northbound Interstate 81 was closed due to flooding at Exit Thirteen.
September 2011Flash FloodWillet$75,000Flash flooding of streams and creeks occurred. Many roads were closed due to flooding.
October 2021Flash FloodCortland$50,000Widespread flooding of roads led to many closures in Cortland.
July 2015Flash FloodCortland Arpt$50,000Water was covering roads throughout the City of Cortland.
June 2005Flash FloodMc Graw$50,000Heavy rain with amounts up to 3 inches in an hour caused flash flooding. Mosquito Creek flooded roadways and flowed into several basements. 1 house had water into the first floor. State Route 41 was closed due to flooding for half an hour.
March 2006Flash FloodHomer$50,000no account filed
August 1993Thunderstorm WindCincinnatus$50,000no account filed
July 2024Tornado (EF0)Virgil$37,000A small tornado touched down near Daisy Hollow Road in Virgil, NY with mostly tree damage. A few homes sustained minor damage to their roofs. The tornado tracked east northeast along Babcock Hollow Road. The tornado passed near Greek Peak Resort and lifted near Route 11 just south of Cortlandville. It is unclear if the tornado was on the ground the entire path as there were a couple of inaccessible unsurveyed hills. Drone footage from NY Office of Emergency Management showed a cyclonic flow pattern in some trees along Route 11 right before it lifted.
July 1995Thunderstorm WindCortlandville$35,000no account filed
December 2023Flash FloodLapeer$30,000Jennings Creek is out of bank and flooding nearby properties. There is also extensive yard and basement flooding in the area.
April 2026FloodCortland$25,000Excessive rainfall created a significant rise and subsequent flooding along the Tioughnioga River near Cortland, NY. The streamgage crested at 10.37 feet during the afternoon of April 1st. The river exceeded the Moderate flood stage which is 10 feet. The main road between Cortland and Marathon was flooded and closed for hours.
December 2020FloodCortland$25,000The Tioughnioga River at Cortland exceeded Moderate flood stage and crested at 11.57 feet on December 25th.
October 2019Flash FloodCincinnatus$25,000A bridge was reported washed out near the Cortland and Chenago county line.
May 2015Thunderstorm WindHomer$25,000Thunderstorm winds that were estimated at 70 mph knocked down and uprooted several trees. There was some roof damage in a mobile home park and to a few homes.
August 2013Flash FloodMunsons Corners$25,000Significant flooding was reported in Cortlandville.
November 2006Flash FloodCortland$25,000Roads flooded throughout the county.
June 2005Thunderstorm WindCountywide$25,000Thunderstorm winds downed trees and wires countywide. Damage was spotty.
June 2006Flash FloodCountywide$25,000no account filed
July 1992Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
July 1992Tornado (F0)not stated$25,000no account filed
June 2021Thunderstorm WindFreetown Corners$20,500Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down five trees, causing one to fall on a garage and damaging the roof. Chicken coops were also heavily damaged or destroyed.
June 2024Thunderstorm WindVirgil$20,000Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down trees and snapped a pole.
August 2021Flash FloodLittle York$20,000A neighborhood of manufactured homes was flooded in this area.
October 2017Thunderstorm WindVirgil$20,000A line of thunderstorms produced damaging wind gusts which knocked down trees across a road.
July 2017Flash FloodEast Virgil$20,000Severe flash flooding led to multiple reports of road closures and swift water rescues in and near the Village of Marathon.
July 2010Thunderstorm WindMarathon$20,000Significant wind damage occurred along Rout 134B, Divers Crossing Road. Hundreds of |trees were snapped and uprooted. The area was about 2 1/2 miles long and 1/2 mile wide. Four homes and one business had damage to roofs from fallen trees. Two structures showed minor wind damage to roofs. Winds were estimated at 70 to 80 mph.
June 2005Thunderstorm WindVirgil$20,000Thunderstorm winds downed trees and wires in Cortland, Virgil, and Cincinnatus.
September 2000LightningMarathon$20,000Lightning strike started a barn fire. Major damage to upper floors. No injuries to livestock or humans.
June 1998HailHomer$20,000A thunderstorm intensified to severe levels across western sections of the county. Just after 7 pm EDT, hail to one inch in diameter and downed trees were reported in and just north of Homer. Shortly thereafter, the storm toppled additional trees and power lines in Cortland.
December 1996Flash FloodCountywide$20,000no account filed
August 1995Thunderstorm WindCortlandville$20,000no account filed
August 2023Tornado (EF1)Harford$15,000A tornado touched down near the intersection of Route 38 and Purvis Road in far eastern Tompkins County. It then moved northeastward through a mostly wooded area in Cortland County from Harford to Virgil. The most widespread damage was found along Clute Road where several trees were uprooted and snapped and a large shed/storage building had its roof partially torn off and partially collapsed. The tornado then brought down more trees along a property along Stafford Road before continuing northeastward to West River Road. Several snapped and uprooted trees were observed at residences along this road. The last observed damage was in a wooded area between West River Road and the Tioughnioga River and this is where the tornado lifted.||At the time that the tornado touched down in Tompkins County, it was an EF-0, but it became an EF-1 in Cortland County. The majority of damage occurred in Cortland County.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindCortland$15,000Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down a tree onto a building which fell through the roof, resulting in significant damage to the structure.
October 2021Flash FloodLittle York$15,000Numerous roads were flooded in the area and closed to traffic.
October 2021Flash FloodVirgil$15,000Flash flooding was covering the road near Greek Peak Ski Area. The rental shop was beginning to flood. Officials were closing the roadway.
August 2021Flash FloodPreble$15,000Multiple roads are flooded in Preble.
December 2020Flash FloodCincinnatus$15,000Numerous roads flooded in the area with rocks and debris in many areas.
July 2018Thunderstorm WindCortland Arpt$15,000Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down trees in several locations. Trees were down across a few roadways.
July 2017Flash FloodHomer$15,000Flood waters were flowing over several streets in Cortland, and rural areas in the western portion of the county.
May 2015Thunderstorm WindHomer$15,000A thunderstorm produced very strong winds that were estimated around 70 mph.
July 2013Flash FloodGracie$15,000Heavy rain caused rushing water, trees and debris to flow across most roads in the city of Cortland.
May 2009Thunderstorm WindCrains Mills$15,000Thunderstorm wind damage occurred at a couple of farms and several residences between Truxton and Cuyler.
June 1998HailTaylor$15,000A thunderstorm that produced wind damage and large hail across western sections of the county earlier in the evening reintensified to severe limits once again further east. Trees and power lines were downed in the town of Taylor and dime sized hail was reported as well.
May 1998Thunderstorm WindCortland$15,000Severe thunderstorms toppled numerous trees in Cortland between 2:30 and 2:40 pm EDT.
May 1996Thunderstorm WindCortland$13,000no account filed
July 2017Flash FloodCortland Arpt$12,000Water was flowing over several streets in and around Homer, including Cold Brook Road, Stevens Road and Hewitt Road.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindTruxton$10,000Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down trees and wires throughout the area.

Mines and quarries

14 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 14 workings inside this county. 9 still produce and 5 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction12
Salt2

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
P.Overbaugh No.1 WellSaltPast Producer
Surburban No.2 WellSaltPast Producer
Compagni PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Dunhams PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Homer PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Homer Pit and MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast ProducerSedimentary
Homer PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast ProducerSedimentary
Homer PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Mc Connels PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Mcconnell PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Osbecks PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Polkville Sand and Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast ProducerSedimentary
Polkville Sand and Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Summerville PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer

Every populated place in the county

55

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.