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Chemung County Chamber of Commerce

Travel Guide
Chemung County Chamber of Commerce

Fun Facts

  • “Place of the Big Horn”: The name Chemung comes from a Delaware (Lenape) word meaning “Place of the Big Horn,” referring to a mammoth tusk discovered along the riverbanks in the region originally inhabited by Native American villages.

  • Birthplace of Soaring: Elmira is known as the “Soaring Capital of America”, hosting the first 13 national soaring contests between 1930–1946, and is home to the National Soaring Museum at Harris Hill.

  • Battle of Newtown (1779): One of the key engagements during the Sullivan Expedition, this Revolutionary War battle occurred just outside present-day Elmira on August 29, 1779, significantly impacting Iroquois villages in the region.

  • Chemung County Founded in 1836: Officially formed on March 29, 1836, from part of Tioga County, Chemung County owes much of its development to the Chemung River corridor, the Chemung Canal (completed 1833), and later multiple railroad lines.

  • Oldest Commercial Building in Elmira: The Chemung Canal Bank Building, constructed in 1833, is the oldest commercial building in Elmira and is now home to the Chemung Valley History Museum. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it served local commerce for over 75 years before being transformed into a space dedicated to preserving and sharing the region’s history.

  • Civil War Prison Camp with Lasting Legacy: During the Civil War, Elmira housed over 12,000 Confederate prisoners between 1864–1865. Nearly 3,000 died and are buried at Woodlawn National Cemetery, the northernmost Confederate cemetery in the United States.

  • Mark Twain’s Summer Retreat: Famous author Mark Twain lived and wrote in Elmira for over 20 years. His octagonal study at Elmira College overlooks the Chemung Valley—and his final resting place is at Woodlawn Cemetery.

  • Elmira: The Queen City: Incorporated in 1864, Elmira quickly became a bustling hub during the 19th century—earning the nickname “The Queen City” and serving as a key transportation junction in New York’s Southern Tier.