Carl Carmer's novel "Genesee Fever," treating of the first white settlements in the region, is set largely in Bath. Bath was the site of the land office disposing of 1.2 million acres.[5]
In 1804, Captain William Helm, a Virginian, settled in Bath with about 40 slaves, in an attempt to implant the plantation system in New York State.[6]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.9 square miles (7.5 km2), all land.
Bath is served by the Bath & Hammondsport Railroad which operates over former Delaware, Lackawanna & Western (DL&W) mainline trackage between a connection with Norfolk Southern in Painted Post, and the company's terminus in Cohocton. (Trackage to Wayland remains in place but is no longer used. Service on the original B&H between Bath and Hammondsport has also been discontinued.)
The Erie Railroad's Rochester Division once passed through Bath. The 1960 merger of the Erie and DL&W led to the creation of Erie-Lackawanna which was followed by the elimination of redundant trackage. The Erie line through Bath was abandoned, as was much of the DL&W west of Wayland. The result was a drastic reduction of railroad activity in Bath since traffic could be routed over the parallel ex-Erie mainline through the Canisteo River Valley.
Erie-Lackawanna was absorbed into the Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) in 1976. In 1999, Conrail lines in the region were acquired by Norfolk Southern. Since then, the Bath & Hammondsport has become a subsidiary of the Livonia, Avon & Lakeville which currently operates the line, though not over any of its original route. Trains operate through Bath five days per week.
As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 5,641 people, 2,612 households, and 1,400 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,959.9 inhabitants per square mile (756.7/km2). There were 2,826 housing units at an average density of 981.9 per square mile (379.1/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 96.19% White, 1.38% Black or African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.89% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races, and 1.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.90% of the population.
Antique tractors in Bath, New York's annual dairy parade.
There were 2,612 households, out of which 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.2% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.4% were non-families. 40.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the village, the population was spread out, with 21.9% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $28,897, and the median income for a family was $39,114. Males had a median income of $31,685 versus $25,087 for females. The per capita income for the village was $18,337. About 10.8% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.6% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.
^Hunter, Carol (2013). To Set the Captives Free. Reverend Jermain Wesley Loguen and the struggle for freedom in central New York, 1835-1872 (2nd ed.). p. 63. ISBN978-1484007945.