City of Elmira

 

The Village of Elmira was officially incorporated as a city on April 7, 1864. In 1860, it had a population of about 7,000 and was home to businesses and industries including a gas company, a woolen mill, and an iron foundry.

 

Elmira was also a transportation center with both railroads and canals. The Governor of New York declared Elmira a military depot for western New York in 1861 because of the railroads. Two years later, Elmira was named a military draft rendezvous. Soldiers flooded in for training. New businesses formed to keep them supplied and older businesses grew. Elmira’s selection as a military depot and draft rendezvous during the Civil War transformed it from a small town into a booming city. By the end of the war, the population had nearly doubled to over 12,000.