Town of Candor Town Hall
located at 101 Owego Rd.
Office number
659-3175 Fax
Number 659-7809
Town Clerk - Ext
1 Code
Enforcement - Ext 4
Justice - Ext
2 Supervisor
- Ext 5
Assessor - Ext 3
About the Town
The Town of Candor consists of 94.54
square miles bordering Tompkins County
to the north, the Town of Spencer to the
west, the Town of Newark Valley to the
east, and the Town of Tioga to the
south. The 2000 Census states that the
population is 5,317 and the primary
industry is agriculture. In addition to
the Village of Candor, there are several
hamlets including Catatonk,
Willseyville, Weltonville, Fairfield and
Gridleyville. Like the Town of Spencer,
people in the northern portion of the
Town generally gravitate towards Ithaca
and many are employed at Cornell
University. Iron Kettle Farm on Route 96
is the Town's biggest attraction
especially during the Fall harvest and
Halloween season. Fallow Hollow Deer
Farm and Side Hill Acres Goat Farm are
unique agricultural businesses that are
worth visiting. Turkey Trot Acres is a
rustic hunting lodge that has seasonal
dining and hosts an annual celebrity
benefit turkey hunt and golf tournment.
The Village of Candor consists of .44
square miles within the Town and has a
population of 855 according to the 2000
Census. The annual Fourth of July parade
is one of Candor's biggest events. The
Candor Central School is located in the
heart of the Village offering a
first-class education to area students.
The Candor Fire Department's station
hosts the annual Catatonk woodcarver's
show where the masterfully carved "Tioga
Blue" heron can be seen and has become
the unofficial symbol of the County's
quality of life.
Early settlers started coming to Candor around
1794. The Town of Candor was set off from the
Town of Spencer in 1811. After this division of
towns and counties, Candor was and still is the
largest town in Tioga County, New York. It is
the second largest in population, with Owego
being the county seat.
Geographically, the area consisted of many
communities, including the Village of Candor,
Catatonk, Fairfield, Weltonville, Hubbardtown,
Boothtown, Gridleyville, Perryville, West
Candor, Strait’s Corners, and Willseyville. The
early settlers were industrious, and before long
farms, mills, and businesses sprang up around
the countryside. Farming and Timber became major
occupations in the early days. The settlers were
also a religious and educated people who brought
with them a zest for furthering their education.
Schools and churches were soon built and
flourished.
Candor has a mixed ethnic diversity and is
considered a 'bedroom' community. Other than the
smaller local businesses and several large
farming operations, the majority of the populace
migrates to Ithaca to the North, or to Owego,
Vestal, Endicott, or Johnson City to the South
to seek employment.
At one time, the Ithaca and Owego Railroad ran
through Candor, later becoming the Delaware,
Lackawanna and Western, and was one of the first
railroads in the country (1834). It stopped
operation in 1956.
Glove, blanket, and shoe factories, flour mills,
and brick yards were in operation through the
early part of the 20th century. The Catatonk
Creek running through the village provided
sufficient water energy to run the many
businesses between the Upper and Lower Mill
Ponds. Throughout the town’s smaller
communities, additional waterways provided
enough energy for creameries, mills, and
factories to function.
But with the centralization of schools in 1936,
the dawning of automobiles and buses, and the
shift in lifestyles, Candor Village became the
hub of activity. Citizens were able to go
farther afield, faster, and the smaller
communities couldn’t keep up with the times.
Today, many of these little hamlets in Candor
are remembered by road or street names.
Businesses have changed with the times. To keep
pace, Candor’s families have turned from
subsistence farming to large dairy operations,
specialty and/or organic farming, and local
tourism opportunities. Candor maintains a rural
atmosphere, as well as a cosmopolitan one.
Steeped in tradition, Candor’s 4th of
July Celebration goes back to the mid-1800s. The
annual Chamber of Commerce Fall Festival of
Events, as well as other smaller annual events
continue to make Candor a great place to stop,
visit, or stay. Churches are celebrating their
150th Anniversaries, and Candor
Central Schools, once reported to be one of the
top educational institutions in the area, still
ranks tops in many of their educational and
sports programs today. In fact, there are
usually so many events happening in Candor at
the same time, sometimes it’s hard to pick and
choose which ones to attend.
Whatever your interest in the Town of Candor,
you’ll find it’s a great place to visit, where
the countryside is worth checking out, and the
people are friendly.
