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Tompkins County, New York

133 topographic sheets cover 84 settlements here, and 64 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

64 National Register listings published here, 1 of them a National Historic Landmark.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

New York within the United States
Tompkins County within New York
Explore by year 1853 1882

What the record shows

  • 2,307 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 64 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 54 buildings, 8 districts and 2 structures.
  • 1 of them is a covered bridge.
  • 8 of the 64 listings were added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 85 populated places in this county; 84 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

64

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
1883 Barnbuilding2025100012400
William Austin Housebuilding200202000798
Bailey Hallbuilding198484003113
Rufus and Flora Bates Housebuilding201010000595
Biggs Memorial Hospital Cottagebuilding2020100001248
Boardman Housebuilding197171000559
CG 40300 (motor lifeboat)structure2021100007018
Caldwell Hallbuilding198484003117
Hermon Camp Housebuilding197373001279
Cascadilla School Boathousebuilding199191001498
Cayuga Preventoriumbuilding2021100006012
Luther Clarke Housebuilding198484003119
Clinton Hallbuilding198888001019
Clinton Housebuilding197171000560
Comstock Hallbuilding198484003122
Cornell Heights Historic Districtdistrict198989001205
De Witt Park Historic Districtdistrict197171000561
Deke Housebuilding199190002144
Dennis-Newton Housebuilding201616000590
District No. 2 School, Caroline and Drydenbuilding200504001453
District Number 7 Schoolbuilding200404000701
Dryden District School No. 5building199494001282
Dryden Historic Districtdistrict198484003921
East Hill Historic Districtdistrict198686001652
East Robert Hallbuilding198484003178
Ellis Methodist Episcopal Churchbuilding199393000443
Enfield Falls Mill and Miller's Housebuilding197979001637
Fernow Hallbuilding198484003183
First Presbyterian Church of Ulyssesbuilding199999000669
Forest Home Historic Districtdistrict199898000999
Groton High Schoolbuilding199292000953
Hayt's Chapel and Schoolhousebuilding200505001453
Ithaca Downtown Historic Districtdistrict200505000018
Ithaca Gas and Electric Corporation Buildingbuilding199090000734
Jamieson and McKinney Blockbuilding199090000733
Jennings-Marvin Housebuilding198484003184
Lacy-Van Vleet Housebuilding198484003187
Lavender Hill Communedistrict2025100011422
Lehigh Valley Railroad Stationbuilding197474001311
Llenrocbuilding198080002781
Methodist Episcopal Churchbuilding198484003189
Methodist Episcopal Church of Jacksonvillebuilding2018100003120
Morrill Hall, Cornell Universitybuilding196666000576
Newfield Covered Bridgestructure200000000095
Rice Hallbuilding198484003190
Roberts Hallbuilding198484003191
Rockwell Housebuilding198484003192
Rogues Harbor Innbuilding200909000657
Second Baptist Society of Ulyssesbuilding200101001381
Second Tompkins County Courthousebuilding197171000562
Southworth Housebuilding198484003193
Southworth Librarybuilding198484003195
St. James AME Zion Churchbuilding198282003407
St. John's Episcopalbuilding200000001407
St. Thomas' Episcopal Churchbuilding199595000458
State Theaterbuilding199696000613
Stewart Parkdistrict2023100008895
Stone Hallbuilding198484003860
Telluride Housebuilding201111000042
Tibbetts-Rumsey Housebuilding2018100002515
US Post Office-Ithacabuilding198988002514
West Dryden Methodist Episcopal Churchbuilding199191001029
Andrew Dickson White Housebuilding197373001278
Wing Hallbuilding198484003204

Covered bridges

1

Tompkins County has 1 covered bridge on the National Register. Each is a listed structure with a federal nomination on file.

Newfield Covered BridgeListed 2000, 33 map sheets show this crossing

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.

Bird's-eye view, 1882 - Ithaca, N.Y.
Bird's-eye view (1882) - Ithaca, N.Y.. Library of Congress.
Land ownership map, 1866 - New topographical atlas of Tompkins County, New York : from actual surveys especially for this atlas
Land ownership map (1866) - New topographical atlas of Tompkins County, New York : from actual surveys especially for this atlas. Library of Congress.
Land ownership map, 1853 - Map of Tompkins County, New York : from actual surveys
Land ownership map (1853) - Map of Tompkins County, New York : from actual surveys. Library of Congress.

Photographs from libraries nationwide

2 of 43 shown

Selected from the Digital Public Library of America's 43 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.

Cornell Mansion, Boston Public Library - undated
Cornell Mansion. Boston Public Library, via the Digital Public Library of America.
Cornell University campus, Boston Public Library - undated
Cornell University campus. Boston Public Library, via the Digital Public Library of America.

The county from the air

40 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 1,436 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 40 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, 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 1:30000
1957-05-06, scale 1:30000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1957-05-06, scale 1:30000
1957-05-06, scale 1:30000. 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, 1942-05-18, scale 1:43100
1942-05-18, 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, 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 1:30000
1957-05-06, scale 1:30000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1957-05-06, scale 1:30000
1957-05-06, scale 1:30000. 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, 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, 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, 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, 2003-04-24, scale 1:28800
2003-04-24, scale 1:28800. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 2003-04-24, scale 1:28800
2003-04-24, scale 1:28800. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 2003-04-24, scale 1:28800
2003-04-24, scale 1:28800. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 2003-04-24, scale 1:28800
2003-04-24, scale 1:28800. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

Weather records

59 stations, 9 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

60 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.

  • 55-1Caroline town: Caroline town - That part east of State Highway 330 and County Highway 77
  • 55-2Caroline town - That part west of State Highway 330 and County Highway 77
  • 55-3Danby town: Danby town - That part east of State Highway 96 and Michigan Hollow Rd.
  • 55-4Danby town - That part west of State Highway 96 and Michigan Hollow Rd.
  • 55-5Dryden town: Dryden village
  • 55-6Dryden town - Freeville village
  • 55-7Dryden town - That part outside Dryden and Freeville villages Bounded by Town line; Town line; Lebanon Valley Railroad, Dryden village limits, Lebanon Valley Railroad, Freeville village limits, Lebanon Valley Railroad (Auburn Branch)
  • 55-8Dryden town - That part outside Freeville village Bounded by Town line; Lebanon Valley Railroad (Auburn Branch), Freeville village limits; Fall Creek; Town line
  • 55-9Dryden town - That part Bounded by Fall Creek; Pinkney Rd., Ithaca Cortland Rd., Baker Hill Rd., Ringwood Rd.; Town line; Town line
  • 55-10Dryden town - That part outside Dryden and Freeville villages Bounded by Fall Creek, Freeville village limits, Lebanon Valley Railroad, Dryden village limits, Lebanon Valley Railroad; Town line; Town line; Ringwood Rd., Baker Hill Rd., Ithaca Cortland Rd., Pinkney Rd.
  • 55-11Enfield town: Enfield town - That part north of State Highway 79 and north and east of State Highway 327
  • 55-12Enfield town - That part south of State Highway 79 and south and west of State Highway 327
  • 55-13Groton town: Groton village: Groton village - That part Bounded by Village limits; Village limits; Elm; Main, Cayuga
  • 55-14Groton village - That part Bounded by Village limits; Cayuga, Main; W. South; Village limits
  • 55-15Groton village - That part Bounded by W. South, Main, Elm; Village limits; Village limits; Village limits
  • 55-16Groton town - That part east of Lebanon Valley Railroad, and north of Nubia Rd. and State Highway 222, outside Groton village
  • 55-17Groton town - That part west of Lebanon Valley Railroad, outside Groton village
  • 55-18Groton town - That part east of Lebanon Valley Railroad, and south of Nubia Rd. and State Highway 222, outside Groton village
  • 55-19Ithaca city: Ithaca city - That part of Ward 1 Bounded by Cascadilla, Park Pl., Esty; N. Plain; State; N. Meadow
  • 55-20Ithaca city - That part of Ward 1 Bounded by Ward line, N. Meadow; State; Lebanon Valley Railroad (Auburn Branch)
  • 55-21Ithaca city - That part of Ward 1 Bounded by City limits; City limits, Ward line, Lebanon Valley Railroad (Auburn Branch); State, Elm; City limits
  • 55-22Ithaca city - That part of Ward 1 Bounded by Elm, State; S. Meadow; City limits; City limits
  • 55-23Ithaca city - That part of Ward 1 Bounded by State; S. Plain; Clinton, Corn, Cleveland Ave.; S. Meadow
  • 55-24Ithaca city - That part of Ward 1 Bounded by Cleveland Ave., Corn, Clinton; S. Plain, Center, Six Mile Creek, S. Plain; City limits; S. Meadow
  • 55-25Ithaca city - That part of Ward 2 excluding Ithaca Hotel Bounded by Seneca, S. Cayuga, State; S. Aurora; Hillview Pl., S. Cayuga, Six Mile Creek; S. Geneva
  • 55-26Ithaca Hotel (In Ithaca city, Ward 2)
  • 55-27Ithaca city - That part of Ward 2 Bounded by Seneca; S. Geneva; Clinton; S. Plain
  • 55-28Ithaca city - That part of Ward 2 Bounded by Clinton; S. Geneva; Six Mile Creek, Center; S. Plain
  • 55-29Ithaca city - That part of Ward 2 Bounded by Six Mile Creek, S. Cayuga, Hillview Pl.; S. Aurora; City limits; S. Plain
  • 55-30Ithaca city - That part of Ward 3 Bounded by Marshall, N. Aurora, Farm, Linn, University Ave., Cornell Ave.; Ward line; Cascadilla Creek, Linn, Court; N. Tioga
  • 55-31Ithaca city - That part of Ward 3 Bounded by Marshall; N. Tioga; State; N. Cayuga, Willow Ave.
  • 55-32Ithaca city - That part of Ward 3 Bounded by Cascadilla; N. Cayuga; Seneca; N. Plain, Esty, Park Pl.
  • 55-33Ithaca city - That part of Ward 3 Bounded by Hancock; Willow Ave., N. Cayuga; Cascadilla; Third, Madison, Second
  • 55-34Ithaca city - That part of Ward 3 Bounded by Ward line, Pier Rd., Willow Ave.; Hancock, Second, Madison, Third, Cascadilla; N. Meadow, Ward Line
  • 55-35Ithaca city - That part of Ward 4 Bounded by Dryden Rd., Maple Ave.; City limits; City limits, E. State; Mitchell, Ithaca Rd,
  • 55-36Ithaca city - That part of Ward 4 Bounded by Dryden Rd.; Ithaca Rd.; Mitchell; Linden Ave.
  • 55-37Ithaca city - That part of Ward 4 Bounded by Dryden Rd.; Linden Ave.; Mitchell, E. State; Eddy
  • 55-38Ithaca city - That part of Ward 4 Bounded by Court, Linn, Cascadilla Creek, Stewart Ave., Williams; Eddy; E. State, Stewart Ave., E. Seneca; N. Tioga
  • 55-39Ithaca city - That part of Ward 4 Bounded by E. Seneca; Stewart Ave., E. State, Ferris Pl.; Columbia, Hudson, Pleasant; N. Aurora, E. State, N. Tioga
  • 55-40Ithaca city - That part of Ward 4 Bounded by Pleasant, Hudson, Columbia, Ferris Pl.; E. State; City limits; S. Aurora
  • 55-41Ithaca city - That part of Ward 5 Bounded by City limits; City limits; Maple Ave., Dryden Rd., Eddy, Williams, Stewart Ave., Cascadilla Creek; Ward line, Stewart Ave.
  • 55-42Ithaca city - That part of Ward 5 Bounded by City limits; Stewart Ave.; Cornell Ave., University Ave.; Linn, Lincoln, Lake
  • 55-43Ithaca city - That part of Ward 5 Bounded by City limits; Lake; Falls, N. Tioga, Lewis, Utica, Tompkins; Cayuga
  • 55-44Ithaca city - That part of Ward 5 Bounded by City limits; City limits, Cayuga; Tompkins, Hancock; Willow Ave., Pier Rd., Ward line
  • 55-45Ithaca city - That part of Ward 5 Bounded by Hancock, Tompkins, Utica, Lewis, N. Tioga, King; N. Aurora; Marshall; Willow Ave.
  • 55-46Ithaca city - That part of Ward 5 Bounded by Falls; Lake, Lincoln, Linn; Farm, N. Aurora, King; N. Tioga
  • 55-47Ithaca town: Cayuga Heights village
  • 55-48Ithaca town - That part north of Lebanon Valley Railroad and east of Cayuga Lake, outside Cayuga Heights village and Ithaca city
  • 55-49Ithaca town - That part west of Cayuga Lake and Danby Rd., outside Ithaca city and excluding Hermann M. Biggs Memorial Hospital
  • 55-50Hermann M. Biggs Memorial Hospital (In Ithaca town)
  • 55-51Ithaca town - That part west of Danby Rd. and south of Lebanon Valley Railroad, outside Ithaca city
  • 55-52Lansing town: Lansing town - That part north of Buck Rd., Parkins Rd., Peters Rd., and State Highway 34B and east of Salmon Creek
  • 55-53Lansing town - That part west of Salmon Creek
  • 55-54Lansing town - That part south of Buck Rd., Parkins Rd., Peters Rd., and State Highway 34B, and east of Salmon Creek
  • 55-55Newfield town: Newfield town - That part east of State Highway 13
  • 55-56Newfield town - That part west of State Highway 13
  • 55-57Ulysses town: Trumansburg village: Trumansburg village - That part Bounded by Village limits; Village limits; Trumansburg Creek; Village limits
  • 55-58Ulysses town - Trumansburg village - That part Bounded by Trumansburg Creek; Village limits; Village limits; Village limits
  • 55-59Ulysses town - That part northeast of State Highway 96, outside Trumansburg village
  • 55-60Ulysses town - That part southwest of State Highway 96, outside Trumansburg village

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

436 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 436 of them, burning about 320 acres. 37 started naturally and 62 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined223
Arson/incendiarism62
Debris and open burning59
Natural37
Smoking27
Equipment and vehicle use14
Power generation/transmission/distribution5
Misuse of fire by a minor5
Recreation and ceremony4

The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
3 April 2010Smoking11 acresNew York Forest Rangersnot named
29 April 1992Missing data/not specified/undetermined10 acresNew York Forest Rangersnot named
26 April 2017Debris and open burning6.3 acresFire Department of New YorkN/A
12 June 2016Debris and open burning6.3 acresFire Department of New YorkN/A
25 May 2020Natural5.0 acresFire Department of New YorkNA
17 March 2020Missing data/not specified/undetermined5.0 acresFire Department of New YorkNA
15 April 2020Missing data/not specified/undetermined5.0 acresFire Department of New YorkNA
30 June 2020Missing data/not specified/undetermined5.0 acresFire Department of New YorkNA

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

Storms, 1960 to 2026

60 of 420 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 420 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 2 injuries and about $27,418,000 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind260
Hail102
Flash Flood33
Tornado8
Lightning7
Flood6
Heavy Rain2
Funnel Cloud2

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
August 2003LightningDryden1 hurt, $2,000Lightning struck a car causing injuries to the driver and damage to the car. The 25 year old woman had pains in her chest and right arm. The car had the damage to the right passenger window, the side view mirror, alternator wires, and one tire.
September 2000LightningDryden1 hurtLightning hit 86 year old man, the house he was in and tree in yard. Man not hurt. Tree down by lightning in yard.
January 1996Flash FloodCountywide$19,000,000no account filed
June 2015Flash FloodTrumbulls Corners$1,500,000Flooding caused the washout of numerous bridges in the area. Several homes were flooded to the first floor. The Shelter Valley mobile home park was evacuated.
May 2012HailSouth Hill$1,000,000This hailstorm caused major damage to a car dealership denting over 1000 cars leading to significant financial loss of the car company.
November 1996Flash FloodCountywide$900,000no account filed
July 2003Flash FloodIthaca$500,000Heavy rains fell from late afternoon into early evening causing flash flooding of numerous roads from the City of Ithaca to the Dryden area.
August 1994Tornado (F0)Dryden$500,000An isolated thunderstorm produced a weak tornado in the town of Dryden along State Routes 13 and 392. A barn collapsed. Several large trees were downed on homes. A large tree fell on a car and destroyed it. Power and telephone lines were taken down. Several buildings sustained light roof damage. Roof shingles were blown off. Eaves were peeled up. Chimneys were damaged. Windows were blown out. About a hundred trees sustained damage.
September 2011Flash FloodEllis$400,000Major flash flooding occurred on many roads in the Caroline-Slaterville Springs area.
August 2003Thunderstorm WindGroton$400,000Trees and wires down in the towns of Groton and Dryden. Most of the damage was withing half a mile of the village of McLean in the town of Groton. At least 15 houses sustained significant roof and porch damage from very large hardwood trees that were uprooted or had large limbs snapped off. Many trees were also downed along Cemetery Road. Many pines were snapped behind the school. Near Hart Corners (2 miles west of McLean) half of a large sturdy three story barn collapsed. The metal half dome tops of two 60 foot silos collapsed and were partially shredded and torn off on one side. A small barn at the intersection of county roads 107 and 105 was destroyed throwing debris through a wooden picket fence and across a gas station parking lot. None of the plastic cladding or signs at the gas station appeared damaged. Also no damage was visible to roofs on houses other than that caused by falling trees. A large shed was demolished near Salt Road and county road 107. East of county roads 106 and 180 to the Tompkins and Cortland County line, the damage tapered off gradually.
August 1988Tornado (F1)not stated$250,000no account filed
April 2005Flash FloodCountywide$200,000no account filed
June 2002Thunderstorm WindGroton$150,000Numerous trees and a few wires downed. The Groton Rural Cemetery had a large number of huge old trees fall down. The largest monument in the cemetery received damage when the obelisk topping it fell off. It broke into three pieces when it hit the ground. An estimate for the repair was more than $100,000. A tree fell onto a house. Another tree fell onto a gazebo.
April 2011Tornado (EF1)Newfield Skyhook Arp$125,000The tornado touched down in a forest off of Jersey Hill Road, northwest of the town of Danby. Numerous pine trees were uprooted and snapped in this forest. The tornado tracked from southwest to northeast, snapping numerous pines as it crossed Comfort Road. A metal outbuilding was completely collapsed and a barn across the street received roof damage, with debris lofted into the trees. ||The tornado continued off to the northeast toward the intersection of Beardsley Lane and Danby Road. One home sustained damage when a tree collapsed onto the roof and a window was blown out. Surrounding homes saw numerous trees snapped or uprooted. A small branch was propelled and impaled into a car windshield. ||A homeowner at the intersection of Beardsley Lane and Danby Road had a working anemometer at the time of the tornado. At 1:44 am, a wind gust to 90.3 mph was recorded. No additional tornado damage was noted as the storm headed off to the northeast.
August 2014Flash FloodMc Kinneys Pt$100,000Water was over several roadways in the City of Ithaca, and into a residence. The hardest hit area was the northeast portion of the city.
April 2011Thunderstorm WindDanby$100,000Straight line winds of nearly 100 mph produced significant tree damage. Trees fell on the roof of a house. A home sustained significant damage as the roof was peeled up and strewn 30 yards. Minor siding damage occurred to other houses nearby. Hail (unknown size) also pummeled homes and cars.
June 2005LightningIthaca$100,000Lightning struck a house starting a fire. The house burned to the ground.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindKrum Corner$80,000A thunderstorm that moved through Tompkins County on the evening|of Monday, July 24th has been determined to have produced a|microburst that destroyed two barns, uprooted trees, and caused a|divergent path of downed trees in the direction of eastward storm|motion. The epicenter of the microburst was most likely at the|intersection of Hayts Road and Sheffield Road in Enfield, NY, where|two barns were lifted off the foundation, mostly destroyed and|displaced northwestward. Progressing eastward on Hayts Road,|uprooted trees and multiple downed trees in the eastward direction|were observed. These damage indicators began to have diverging|directions both northeast- and southeast-ward, indicating the|spread of a wind pool from a microburst.
August 1998Thunderstorm WindTrumansburg$80,000Severe thunderstorms continued eastward from Schuyler county and across the northern tier communities of Tompkins county. A swath of wind damage in the form of downed trees, power lines, and road signs was inflicted from Trumansburg in the far northwestern corner of the county eastward across the Ithaca area and into Groton and Dryden. A couple of homes in Dryden sustained minor roof and siding damage as they were hit by falling trees. Once the storms approached the Tompkins/Cortland county line, they began to weaken temporarily.
July 2017Flash FloodMc Kinneys Pt$75,000Several roads were flooded by torrential thunderstorm rainfall from Lansing to Dryden.
August 2013Flash FloodEnfield$75,000A bridge was washed out at the intersection of Harvey Hill Road and State Route 327.
March 2026Flash FloodMc Kinneys Pt$50,000Officials reported numerous roads flooded throughout the Town of Lansing along with some homes.
July 2015Flash FloodGrotto$50,000Water was flooding roads from Trumansburg to Groton, including severe flooding along Pease Road.
August 2013Flash FloodIthaca$50,000Flood waters covered numerous roads in the area, especially along Routes 96 and 89 to the north of Ithaca.
June 2005Thunderstorm WindCountywide$50,000Thunderstorm winds downed numerous trees and wires. Towns affected were Danby, Ulysses, Ithaca, and Dryden. In the village of Trumansburg, a tree took down 5 utility poles and a couple of transformers. A tree in DeWitt Park in Ithaca fell on a pavilion. A different tree in Ithaca fell on a car. In Dryden, a tree fell on a convertible.
July 1994Thunderstorm WindIthaca$50,000Thunderstorms developed in a moist, southwest flow ahead of a cold front. Thunderstorm winds downed trees and power lines. On Route 96 in Tompkins County twenty to thirty large trees were downed.
May 2012HailNewfield$50,000no account filed
June 2006Flash FloodCaroline$50,000no account filed
June 1994Thunderstorm WindArthur$50,000no account filed
August 1993Thunderstorm WindIthaca$50,000no account filed
September 1993Thunderstorm WindDryden$50,000no account filed
June 2021Tornado (EF1)Etna$49,000A tornado touched down in Yellow Barn State Forest, east of Yellow Barn Road. It continued to travel eastward and passed over Card Road. It then struck a farm on Irish Settlement Road, snapping and uprooting multiple trees. Then it continued eastward and crossed through a wooded section of Beam Hill Road. The tornado then struck the yard of a house on the west side of Route 38, causing significant tree damage to the yard, a shed to blow off its foundation, and a blow-down of a fence. The tornado then crossed Route 38 just south of Dryden, before lifting just east of the road.
August 2019Flash FloodDanby$40,000Numerous roads were flooded in and around Danby.
August 2019Flash FloodDanby$30,000Steam Mill Road was completely washed away at the Danby Creek crossing.
October 2017Thunderstorm WindDryden$30,000A line of thunderstorms produced damaging wind gusts which knocked down trees and wires.
May 1998Thunderstorm WindTrumansburg$30,000A cluster of severe thunderstorms moved through Tompkins county between 2:15 and 2:50 pm EDT. Numerous trees and power lines were downed as a result of these storms in Trumansburg, Ithaca, Caroline, and Speedsville.
October 2021Flash FloodFreeville$25,000Flooding of properties along Mott Road in Dryden reported via social media.
July 2015Flash FloodPortland Pt$25,000Flood waters were covering Ridge Road and State Route 34B.
November 2006Flash FloodIthaca$25,000Roads flooded throughout the county.
July 1998Thunderstorm WindGroton$25,000A thunderstorm quickly intensified to severe limits across northern portions of the county just before sunrise. Trees and power lines were downed in the town of Groton around 500 am EDT. A couple of roadways were closed for a short time in the center of town until crews were able to clear fallen trees.
June 1969Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
August 1961Tornado (F0)not stated$25,000no account filed
May 2025Thunderstorm WindTrumbulls Corners$20,000Strong thunderstorm winds caused a silo to collapse on the corner of Sebring Road, County Road 13, and Mezourek Road.
June 2018Thunderstorm WindLansingville$20,000Thunderstorm winds knocked down trees and wires. A few electric poles were sheared off into a field.
August 2013Flash FloodIthaca$20,000Water was reported to be running across Route 89 from near Taughannock Falls, southward to Ithaca. One foot of water and debris was across the road in spots.
September 2011Flash FloodIthaca$20,000Several roads were flooded around the Ithaca area.
November 2005Thunderstorm WindEnfield$20,000Thunderstorm winds downed trees and wires.
June 2004Thunderstorm WindIthaca$20,000Thunderstorm winds downed trees and wires throughout city.
July 2003Thunderstorm WindCountywide$20,000Trees and wires down countywide, including West Danby, Enfield, Ulysses, and West Hill area of Ithaca. Over 10,000 electric customers lost power.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindTrumansburg$20,000A cluster of severe thunderstorms developed over the northwestern corner of the county. They produced sporadic wind damage early in the evening as they moved rapidly southeastward through the county. Trees and wires were downed in the Trumansburg area, then additional trees and wires were blown down in and just north of Ithaca.
May 2018Thunderstorm WindMc Kinneys Pt$15,000Thunderstorm winds blew trees down on a vehicle on Cayuga Heights Road.
May 1998Thunderstorm WindIthaca$15,000A severe thunderstorm moving across the county blew a tree down onto a van in Ithaca at 3:23 pm EDT.
August 1995Thunderstorm WindBrooktondale$15,000A fast moving line of severe thunderstorms crossed the region causing widespread damage. There were countless reports of downed trees and power lines, many onto cars and houses. Several SKYWARN observers recorded wind gusts of 60-70 mph as the storms moved through. In Niagara County, lightning struck two Lockport residents as well as three construction workers working in Lockport. All five suffered only minor injuries and were treated and released from area hospitals. In Oswego County, a weak tornado touched down in Parish severely damaging a mobile home, blowing a cap off a truck, damaging fencing and downing numerous trees. One person sustained slight injuries when she was knocked down during the storm.
August 1995Thunderstorm WindSlaterville Springs$15,000A fast moving line of severe thunderstorms crossed the region causing widespread damage. There were countless reports of downed trees and power lines, many onto cars and houses. Several SKYWARN observers recorded wind gusts of 60-70 mph as the storms moved through. In Niagara County, lightning struck two Lockport residents as well as three construction workers working in Lockport. All five suffered only minor injuries and were treated and released from area hospitals. In Oswego County, a weak tornado touched down in Parish severely damaging a mobile home, blowing a cap off a truck, damaging fencing and downing numerous trees. One person sustained slight injuries when she was knocked down during the storm.
June 2024Thunderstorm WindGrotto$14,000A strong microburst with estimated wind speeds of 60-85 mph winds, and an estimated peak wind of 95 mph, occurred between Groton/West Dryden and ended south-southeast of McLean 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.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindFreeville$12,000Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down multiple trees around Freeville. One tree fell onto a car, and another large tree fell onto a house, resulting in minor roof damage.
April 2011Thunderstorm WindGroton$12,000Thunderstorm winds blew down trees, poles and wires in the Groton area. A roof was blown off a home.
May 1996Flash FloodLansing$12,000no account filed
August 1995Thunderstorm WindIthaca$12,000no account filed
May 2025Thunderstorm WindNewfield Teeter Arpt$10,000Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down trees on a house. Trees also struck a propane tank causing it to leak.

Mines and quarries

32 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 32 workings inside this county. 12 still produce and 20 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction19
Salt7
Stone, Crushed/Broken3
Halite1
Limestone, General1
Flagstone1

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

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Cayuga Crushed Stone Quarry & MillLimestone, GeneralPast ProducerSedimentary
Cayuga Mine and MillHalitePast ProducerHalite
University QuarryFlagstoneProducer
Cayuga Crushed Stone IncStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Cayuga Crushed Stone Quarry & MillStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
University QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast ProducerSedimentary
Cargill, Inc., Div. of Cayuga RockSaltPlant
Cayuga Rock Salt CoreSaltProspect
Ithaca Deep Well No.1SaltPast Producer
Ithica Salt Co. PlantSaltPast Producer
Joe Farkas No.1 WellSaltPast Producer
Remington Company PlantSaltPast Producer
Remington Salt WellSaltPast Producer
Bailey PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Brooktondale PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast ProducerSedimentary
Havlik PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast ProducerSedimentary
Havlik PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Landstrom Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast ProducerSedimentary
Landstrom Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Mott Road PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Oskecks PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast ProducerSedimentary
Perkins Road PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Pit Number 3Sand and Gravel, ConstructionPast ProducerSedimentary
Pit Number 3Sand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Spring Street PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast ProducerSedimentary
Spring Street PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Talari Co-Talsons Jr. PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Tompkins PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast ProducerSedimentary
Tompkins PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Twin Bridge PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast ProducerSedimentary
Twin Bridge PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
University PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer

Every populated place in the county

85

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.