Fun Syracuse Facts

View fun and cool facts about Syracuse and see why Forbes named Syracuse " One of America's Best Places for Business".

  • National Geographic's Green Guide named Syracuse "One of America's Top 20 Green Cities"
  • Popular Science ranked Syracuse #17 on its "America's Greenest Cities" list and #2 in the northeast in that same study.
  • Forbes named Syracuse "One of America's Best Places for Business"
  • American Planning Association named University Hill one of America's Top Ten Neighborhoods.
  • Business Facilities named the Syracuse and Central Upstate region among its seven best locations across the nation for companies seeking to move or expand in a new location, commenting that "Syracuse also has something that increasingly is a rare and valuable commodity: an abundant supply of fresh, portable water."
  • The dental chair was invented by Syracuse's Milton Waldo Hanchett in 1840.
  • The Erie Canal in its century long existence, contributed more to the growth of Syracuse than anything in its history.
  • The country's first drive-in window installed by our own Merchants Bank in 1941.
  • Literacy Volunteers was founded here in 1962-helping thousands of adults world wide read.
  • At one time there were more than 50 breweries here in the Syracuse area.
  • Syracusan Charles F. Brannock invented the measuring device that tells the shoe salesman, what your size is. Also Nettleton patented the world's first "Loafer" in 1933.
  • Our State Fair in the longest running State Fair in the country, in fact it started in 1848. Archbold Stadium was the first totally poured concrete stadium in the country.
  • At the turn of the century 90% of the nations garment pressing machines were manufactured right here in Syracuse.
  • Cornelius Tyler Longstreet invented the first standardized clothing in the mid 1880's.
  • Elizabeth Blackwell graduated from Upstate Medical Center predecessor Geneva Medical College in 1849.
  • Crouse Hinds manufactured the country's first traffic light installed in Texas in 1921.
  • Robert E. Dietz can boast ownership of an English patent issued by Queen Victoria in 1873 for a self-setting animal trap better known as a mousetrap.
  • The first woman to argue a case before the Supreme Court was a Syracuse University Grad. Belva Lockwood.
  • 27 antennae located on the moon were made in Syracuse by Sims.
  • The 24-second shot clock, used in all NBA games, was invented by Danny Biasone, the late owner of the Syracuse Nationals. Following the 1953-54 season, he invented the clock to try and speed up the game and prevent teams from stalling. Head to Armory Square in downtown Syracuse to watch the clock tick for yourself!
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