Elmira is a city on the Chemung River in the state's Southern Tier. The city is the seat of Chemung County, and has a population of around 29,000.
Native tribes called the area Skwedowa, or "great plain". The settlement that is now Elmira was originally named Newtown. The Town of Elmira was renamed in 1808, and the Village of Elmira was renamed in 1828. Elmira is likely named after a woman that was admired by Matthew Carpenter, a member of legislature.
Elmira grew as a transportation center in the state, connecting Buffalo and Rochester to Albany and New York City. The Chemung Canal was completed in 1833 and connected the city with Seneca Lake to the north, and thus to the Erie Canal. In 1849, the New York & Erie Railroad came to Elmira, and four more railroads either passed through the community or used Elmira as a terminus.
Elmira also was the home of Camp Rathbun, which was originally a Union training facility but later became a prisoner of war camp for captured Confederates. The camp opened in July 1864 and was used until the autumn of 1865.
Dunn Field, on Luce Street. The stadium was built in 1939 and is home to the Elmira Pioneers of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League. The Elmira Pioneers name has also been used for teams in the Eastern League, and more recently the New York-Penn League.
A house on Spaulding Avenue.
A house on Maple Avenue.
Rowhouses on Church Street.
The Chemung County Commerce Center, on Church Street. The structure was built in 1921 as the home to the Steele Memorial Library.
The Steele Memorial Library was built with funds from Andrew Carnegie, and is one of the few libraries that he funded that was not named after him.
The U.S. Post Office and Court House, on Church Street. The post office was built in 1902.
The First Baptist Church, on Church Street. The parish was founded in 1829 and the church was built in 1892.
Trinity Episcopal Church, at Church & Main Streets. The parish was founded in 1833 and the church was built in 1858.
A statue of Thomas K. Beecher, in Wisner Park in front of Park Church. Park Church dates to 1876.
The old Mark Twain Hotel, on Gray Street. The hotel was built in 1929 and is now a senior residence.
First Arena, at Main & Gray Street. The arena was built in 2000 and is home to the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL.
The Midtown Building, on Main Street.
The Water Street Place, on Water Street.
Buildings on Water Street.
The Chemung Canal Trust Company building, on Baldwin Street. The highrise was built in 1971 for the Chemung Canal Bank, which was founded in 1833 and led by John Arnot, to fund the Chemung Canal. The Chemung Canal connected Seneca Lake with the Chemung River.
The Chemung County Courthouse, on Lake Street. The courthouse was built in 1861. On the left is the District Attorney's office, built in 1836 and originally used as extra space for the original courthouse and jail. On the right is the Chemung County Clerk's Office, built in 1875.
The Arnot Art Museum, on Lake Street. The museum is in the house built by John Arnot in 1833 when he was the president of the Chemung Canal Bank. The museum opened in 1913 using Arnot's endowment.
Elmira City Hall, on Church Street at Lake Street. City Hall was built in 1895.
A house on Columbia Street in the Near West Side neighborhood.
Houses on Church Street in the Near West Side.
The Jennie Fassett House on First Street. The house was built in 1937.
Houses on First Street.
Houses on Church Street in the Near West Side. On the right is the George Waters House, dating from 1860.
A house on Church Street.
A house on Church Street.
A house on Church Street.
Houses on Church Street.
The Pratt House, on Lake Street. The house was built in 1872.
The old Elmira Soap Works, on Madison Avenue.
Industry on Madison Avenue.
A house on William Street. The New Life Assembly of God is in the background.
Buildings on Lake Street. The New Life Assembly of God church was built in 1891.
A new house on Park Place.
Rowhouses on Clinton Street.
A house on Columbia Street.
A house on Columbia Street.
The Mark Twain Study, along Park Place on the campus of Elmira College. The study, which resembles a riverboat pilothouse from Twain's days on the Mississippi River, was built in 1874 and was originally located at the family's summer residence east of town. It was moved here in 1952 when donated by Twain's neice. Twain wrote "Life on the Mississippi", "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court", "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer", and "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" in this study.
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