Sodus Point, New York

Sodus Point, New York
Village
Church in Sodus Point, New York
Location in Wayne County and the state of New York.
Sodus Point, New York Location within the state of New York
Coordinates: 43°16′10″N 76°59′15″W / 43.26944°N 76.98750°W / 43.26944; -76.98750
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Wayne
Town	Sodus
Settled	1794 (1794)
Incorporated	December 30, 1957 (1957-12-30)[1]
Named after	"Assorodus," the Cayuga language work for "silvery water"
Government
• Type	Board of Trustees
• Mayor	Dave McDowell
• Clerk	Tracy B. Durham
Area [2]
• Total	1.47 sq mi (3.81 km2)
• Land	1.47 sq mi (3.80 km2)
• Water	0.0077 sq mi (0.02 km2)
Elevation	276 ft (84 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	822
• Density	560.8/sq mi (216.52/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	14555
Area codes	315 and 680
FIPS code	36-68242
GNIS feature ID	0965624
Website	http://www.soduspoint.info/

Sodus Point is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States, located on a peninsula at the northwest edge of Sodus Bay along the southern shore of Lake Ontario.^[3] The population was 822 at the 2020 census.^[4] The village lies within the Town of Sodus.

Settled in 1794, Sodus Point was the site of the first European-American settlement in the Town of Sodus.^[5] During the War of 1812, the village was burned by a British raiding party.^[6] In the 19th century, Sodus Point developed as a port on Lake Ontario and later became a summer resort community. The schooner Lotus, the Customs House, and the Sodus Point Light are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.^[7]

Prior to European-American settlement, the area that became Sodus Point was part of the territory of the Onondaga Nation, one of the nations of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy. Following the American Revolution, land in western New York was gradually opened to settlement through a series of treaties and land transactions.

In 1794, the site became the location of the first European-American settlement in the Town of Sodus.^[8] Its location on Sodus Bay and Lake Ontario made it an early point of access for transportation and trade.

During the War of 1812, Sodus Point was attacked and burned by a British raiding party in June 1813, leaving all but one building destroyed.^[8] The settlement was subsequently rebuilt, and the harbor continued to serve regional shipping activity.

In the early to mid-19th century, Sodus Point developed as a port on Lake Ontario. Improvements to harbor facilities and lighthouse construction supported maritime navigation and commercial trade. The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 altered regional transportation routes, shifting much freight traffic inland and contributing to a decline in the village’s prominence as a commercial port.

By the late 19th century, Sodus Point began to develop as a seasonal resort community. Its lakeside setting attracted summer visitors, and hotels, cottages, and recreational facilities were constructed along the waterfront. Boating, fishing, and bathing became central features of the local economy.

Sodus Point was incorporated as a village in 1957.^[9]

The schooner Lotus, the Customs House, and the Sodus Point Light are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.^[10] Writer Elizabeth F. Ellet was a native of the Town of Sodus.

Sodus Point is located at 43°16′10″N 76°59′15″W / 43.26944°N 76.98750°W / 43.26944; -76.98750 (43.269332, -76.987608).^[11]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), of which 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²) is land and 0.67% is water.

The village is on the shore of Lake Ontario on a point of land on the northwest edge of Sodus Bay, an arm of Lake Ontario. The name "Sodus" reportedly is derived from a native word meaning "gleam on the water." Another possible origin is the Iroquois "Land of Silver Waters."

County Road 101 (Lake Road/Lake Avenue) leads into the village from the west. New York State Route 14 has its northern terminus at the village.

As of the census^[13] of 2010, there were 900 people, 425 households, and 258 families living in the village. The population density was 600 people per square mile (230 people/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 93% White, 3% Black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.3% of the population.

There were 425 households, out of which 19.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.3% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.12 and the average family size was 2.59.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 15.2% under the age of 18, 65.2% from 18 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 52 years.

The median income for a household in the village was $59,583, and the median income for a family was $61,000. Males had a median income of $40,605 versus $31,435 for females. The per capita income for the village was $30,199. About 6.8% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22% of those under age 18 and 1.6% of those age 65 or over.

As of the census^[14] of 2000, there were 1,160 people, 491 households, and 327 families living in the village. The population density was 778.5 people per square mile (300.6 people/km²). There were 886 housing units at an average density of 594.6 per square mile (229.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 95.95% White, 1.55% Black or African American, 0.17% Asian, 0.17% from other races, and 2.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.55% of the population.

There were 491 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.4% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 30.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.4 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $39,914, and the median income for a family was $44,600. Males had a median income of $38,667 versus $25,521 for females. The per capita income for the village was $22,642. About 8.2% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.5% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.

There were 754 housing units at an average density of 502.6 per square mile (194.1/km²); a total of 43.6% of housing units were vacant.

There were 425 occupied housing units in the village, of which 325 were owner-occupied units (76.5%), while 100 were renter-occupied (23.5%). The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.5% of total units. The rental unit vacancy rate was 34.0%.^[13]

NOTE: It is common for resort communities to have higher than normal vacant house counts. Many are vacation homes which are seasonal and not regularly occupied.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sodus Point, New York.

• Official website
• Sodus Bay Lighthouse Museum
• Historic Sodus Point
• Sodus Point travel guide from Wikivoyage
• "Great Sodus" . The New Student's Reference Work . 1914.