Horseheads

Town in Chemung County, south-central New York State, immediately north of Elmira, on Newtown Creek; population (1990) 19,900.

Settled in 1789 as Fairport, it was renamed Horseheads in the 1840s, recalling the desperate slaughter here by Revolutionary forces of their horses for food during the War of Independence. The town has contributed to the Elmira area's production of optical goods, brick, and other manufactures. Horseheads was formerly the site of a food processing plant run by the A&P company; covering 120,770 sq m/1.3 million sq ft, this huge facility was opened in 1964 but closed in 1973.