Ischua, New York

Ischua (pronounced ISH-way) is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York. 

The Town of Ischua is on the eastern border of the county, north of Olean, New York.

The town was first settled around 1808 by the current community of Ischua. The Town of Ischua was made in 1846 from a division of the Town of Hinsdale. There was previously another "Town of Ischua" in the county, which has now been succeeded by the Town of Franklinville. When first formed, the present Ischua was known as the "Town of Rice."  The town had its own post office (zip code 14746) until the early 1990s, when it was merged with Hinsdale's.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 32.4 square miles, of which, 32.4 square miles of it is land and 0.04 square miles of it (0.06%) is water.

The east town line is the border of Allegany County, New York.

The Ischua Creek flows through the town.

New York State Route 16 is a major north-south highway in the town, and it parallels Ischua Creek through most of the town.

Communities and Locations in Ischua

  • Abbott – A hamlet in the northeast corner of the town on County Roads 24 and 87.
  • Cuba Lake – A small part of the lake is at the northeast town line.
  • Fitch – A hamlet in the northwest corner of the town, south of NY Route 16 on County Road 19.
  • Ischua – The hamlet of Ischua is at the convergence of NY Route 16 and County Roads 48 and 81 in the north part of the town.
  • Oil Springs Reservation – Part of the Oil Springs Seneca reservation is in the northeast part of the town.
  • Cattaraugus County-Olean Airport (OLE) – The "Olean Municipal Airport" is located east of Ischua on County Road 81. This is a general aviation airport

Oil Springs Reservation is an Indian reservation of the Seneca tribe located in New York.  As of the 2000 census, the Indian reservation had a total population of 11, none of whom are Native American. Although the reservation is controlled by the Seneca tribe, as of 2005 no tribal members actually live on the Oil Springs Reservation.

The petroleum-tainted water of the spring was used for the natives medicinally and was known to Jesuit missionaries as early as the 17th century. The Senecas own two tax-free gas stations on the reservation.

Places

Glamping at Campground Adventures

Campground Adventures, your premier glamping and camping destination in Western New York! Located on the banks of Ischua Creek, situated within Enchanted Mountains, nestled between Allegany State Park and Letchworth State Park

Videos

  • Some great video, by AmazingAerialPhotos.com, of airplane aerial aerobatics from the June 23-24, 2012 International Aerobatic Club (IAC) Buffalo Chapter’s 2012 U.S. Canadian Aerobatic Challenge at the Cattaraugus Olean Airport.

Photos tagged as #EnchantedMountains or #EMFun. @emountains