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Bolivar, New York
Bolivar is a village of 1,124 people in Allegany County, New York, founded in 1820.
Why visit Bolivar
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks and 2 places to eat in and around town.
Highlights include Bolivar Free Library.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 78°F; January lows average 17°F.
Weather in Bolivar
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Bolivar
Bolivar is a village in Allegany County, New York, United States. The village is in the northwest part of the town of Bolivar and is east of Olean. The population of the village was 1,010 at the 2020 census. It is named after Simón Bolívar.
From the Wikipedia article Bolivar (village), New York (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks2
Bolivar Free Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic building in Bolivar, New York, United States
Restaurants and cafes2
Churches and places of worship1
Shopping1
History
The first building on the future site of the village, a log cabin, was erected around 1820. The village of Bolivar was incorporated in 1882.
As "the heart of the Allegany Oil Field", the Bolivar-Richburg area rose to significance during the oil boom era of the late 1800s. During the brief initial oil boom of the 1880s it was purportedly the wealthiest locale, per capita, in the United States. By the early 1900s the initial boom, with its economic and population impacts, had significantly faded, but secondary oil recovery techniques applied to the oil fields (starting around 1920) drastically rejuvenated the industry in the area. By the early 1930s Bolivar village boasted an imposing new school, well-paved streets, a modern sewage treatment facility, and a thriving Main Street economy.
The village and town of Bolivar adopted the description "Land of the Deer and the Derrick" in the mid-1900s.
The village is home to the high school of the Bolivar-Richburg Central School District, which merged in the fall of 1994.
The Bolivar Free Library was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.
From the History section of Bolivar (village), New York on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Bolivar Richburg Junior Senior High School
School
4094 State Route 275, Friendship
Map of Bolivar
13 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29°F | 17°F | 2.1 in |
| Feb | 32°F | 19°F | 1.6 in |
| Mar | 41°F | 25°F | 2.5 in |
| Apr | 54°F | 35°F | 3.5 in |
| May | 66°F | 46°F | 3.3 in |
| Jun | 73°F | 55°F | 3.9 in |
| Jul | 78°F | 59°F | 4.2 in |
| Aug | 76°F | 58°F | 3.8 in |
| Sep | 69°F | 51°F | 3.5 in |
| Oct | 57°F | 41°F | 3.6 in |
| Nov | 45°F | 32°F | 2.8 in |
| Dec | 34°F | 23°F | 2.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Wellsville Muni Ap (9 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Allegany County has had 17 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-09-24: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2021-10-08: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred (Hurricane)
- 2020-03-20: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2014-07-08: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2013-07-12: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Wellsville Municipal Airport (ELZ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 9 miles away.
- Richburg 1 mi north, about 2 min by car
- Shinglehouse 7 mi south, about 11 min by car
- Portville 9 mi west, about 15 min by car
- Olean 14 mi west, about 22 min by car
- Allegany 17 mi west, about 27 min by car
- Arcade 35 mi northwest, about 56 min by car
- St. Marys 46 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Addison 48 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Jamestown 55 mi west, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Billington Heights 55 mi northwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Dollar General (11988088655), Random Retail from PA, United States, CC BY 2.0
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