TIOGA COUNTY

County Offices
56 Main Street
Owego 607-687-8200
www.tiogacountyny.com

Chamber of Commerce
80 North Avenue
Owego 607-687-2020
www.tiogachamber.com

Communities in Tioga County
Barton, Berkshire, Candor, Newark Valley, Nichols, Owego, Richford, Spencer, Tioga, Waverly

Tioga County has a long and storied history, that can be seen in its quiet lifestyle and small town feel. The county has managed to retain much of its rural charm through an active interest in historic preservation. Elements of its history can still be seen in its towns and villages and especially in the town if Owego, where more than 150 homes are part of the historic district. More than 50,000 residents call Tioga County home. Its name derives from an American Indian word meaning “at the forks,” describing a meeting place. Its county seat is Owego. Tioga County is located in the southwestern part of the State, west of Binghamton and directly north of the border with Pennsylvania. The Susquehanna River flows into Pennsylvania from this county.

Lifestyle
No matter what the season, you’ll find plenty of things to see and do in Tioga County. Experience the great outdoors as you bike, hike, or cross country ski in over 13,000 acres of state park lands. Residents can Canoe, kayak and fish in the historic Susquehanna River or one of the scenic trout streams. Pitch a tent in primitive campgrounds or park an RV in well developed facilities along the river’s edge. Golfers can choose to enjoy their favorite pastime at one of nine golf courses including one of the few “Links” style courses in the northeast. Tioga County offers residents a little of everything close to their home.

There are several park and recreational facilities in Tioga County, maintained by the state, county or local communities. The county contains many acres of state forest, which may be used for hiking and skiing. The Jenksville State Forest is located in the Town of Berkshire; it covers 1,349 acres and contains a 12-mile trail system for hiking, trail bikes, equestrians, and cross-country skiers. The Michigan Hill State Forest is located in the northern part of the Town of Richford. It covers more than 25% of the town’s land area with forest that includes hiking and cross-country skiing trails and the Oakley Corners State Forest is located in the Town of Owego, it contains 15 miles of hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing trails.

Tioga County offers a wide range of cultural, entertainment and sports events to enhance the local quality of life. The following are just a few of the several entertainment opportunities in the county.
The Tioga County Historical Society Museum is located on Front Street in Owego. It displays Iroquois Indian artifacts, and 19th century tools, clothing, toys, and other items from the era. There is also a genealogical research library for public use.  The Bement/Billings Farmstead is the only living history farm museum in the Southern Tier. Located one mile north of Newark Valley, this 1800s-era farmhouse is furnished with authentic items from the era. There are costumed interpreters demonstrating the skills of the time such as hearth cooking, spinning, weaving, butter and candle making, blacksmithing, and woodworking. Other buildings on the site include an English threshing barn, a blacksmith shop, and a tool and textiles display area. Tioga Gardens offers an array of gardens and landscaping, while the Crocker Creek Buffalo Farm offers the chance to see live buffalo and buy frozen bison meat year round.

The Waterman Conservation Education Center is located in Apalachian. This 95-acre forest area contains miles of trails, open meadows, and a small gorge. There is a museum that contains nature items and exhibits. There is also a gift shop on site. This center also operates three other sites in Tioga County – the Apalachin Marsh, the Brick Pond, which is a wildlife watching site; and the Hiawatha Island, which contains a 112-acre island wildlife refuge and an 18-acre riverfront park. And the Tioga Scenic Railroad offers a great chance for families to travel from Owego to Newark Valley on the early 1900s railroad cars.

Services
The manufacturing focus of the county is the Village of Owego, although there are also important manufacturers in the Waverly area. The manufacturing of computer and electronic products most of which occurs in the Owego area is a large part of the economy in the area. In Waverly there is a specialty cheese manufacturer. More than 100,000 acres of land or about one third of the land area in the county is dedicated to farming. There are more than 500 farms in the county. Dairy farms make up the majority of the farms in the county with the total annual milk production from the county’s dairies at almost 30 million gallons. Tourism and its supporting businesses make up a large part of the economy of the region as well.

Education is very important in the area, represented by nearby institutions of higher education and a network of public, private and parochial elementary and secondary schools. These schools offer educational programs to fit the needs of all students in all disciplines, including business, the arts and education. Local schools stress basic skills in reading, writing and math. Tioga County is served by six public school districts which support elementary and high school programs, and three public Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) which provide specialized educational and vocational programs and school support services. Tioga County does not have any post secondary educational facilities for its residents. However, because the county is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), residents may continue their post secondary educational opportunities outside the county at facilities such as Ridley-Lowell Business and Technical Institute in Binghamton, or residents may attend Broome Community College or Binghamton University – both of which are part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system and all of which are located in Broome County. There are also other educational opportunities in other nearby counties including Elmira College in Chemung; Ithaca College and Cornell University in Tompkins; and Mansfield University in Pennsylvania, all of which would be within less than an hour drive from parts of the county.

Residents of Tioga County have access to excellent healthcare outside of the immediate area. Residents rely upon hospital facilities that are located in adjacent communities in neighboring counties. These hospitals include: in Binghamton – Lourdes Hospital and Binghamton General Hospital(UHS); in Johnson City – Wilson Memorial Hospital and Regional Trauma Center(UHS); or in Sayre, Pennsylvania – Guthrie Clinic, Robert Packer Hospital. Tioga County provides home health services through visiting nurses employed by the county’s Home Health Care Program which includes certified home health and long term health care programs. These programs are part of the Tioga County Department of Health.

Tioga County offers a quaint rural lifestyle that residents covet. They have access to everything they need not far from home, but also get to live in a quiet area that has strong ties to its past.