Three Towns, One Name: What Connects All the Binghamtons?

Most of us hear “Binghamton” and instantly think of the Southern Tier. But here’s something fun: there are actually three places in the United States named Binghamton. Our hometown in New York is the biggest and best-known, but there’s also a Binghamton in the Midwest and another on the West Coast. Pretty wild when you think about it.

Our Binghamton, New York: The One We Know Best

This is the Binghamton most of us picture. It’s the county seat of Broome County, sits where the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers meet, and has about 48,000 residents. Historically, it was a manufacturing powerhouse. Cigars, shoes, and eventually tech companies like IBM helped shape the area. Today, it’s known for its universities, festivals, local food scene, and that classic Southern Tier personality. And let’s be real. If someone says “Binghamton,” chances are they mean this one.

Binghamton, Wisconsin: Small, Quiet, And Easy To Miss

Now this one is very different. Binghamton, Wisconsin, isn’t a city at all. It’s an unincorporated community in Outagamie County, which basically means it’s a small cluster of homes and businesses without its own city government. It sits in farm country and has a quieter, rural feel compared to our Binghamton. Local events like small festivals still happen there, but it’s definitely the kind of place where everybody probably knows everybody.

READ MORE: The Way We Were - a Glimpse Into Binghamton’s History

Binghamton, California: Yes, That Exists Too

This one surprises a lot of people. There’s a small unincorporated community called Binghamton in Solano County, California. It doesn’t have the population or recognition our Binghamton does, but it still carries the name. Kind of cool to think about a little California spot sharing the same name as a Southern Tier city known for carousels, colleges, and river valleys.

The Shared Origin Behind Three Binghamtons

Place names move around more than we realize. Sometimes they’re named after people, sometimes after other towns settlers came from. In this case, the names of all three towns trace back to William Bingham, a wealthy landowner involved in early development in New York. So while the three Binghamtons are very different, they’re all connected by a bit of our local history.

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Why Discovering Other Binghamtons Makes Ours Even More Special

Finding out there are other Binghamtons doesn’t make ours any less special. In fact, it makes it even cooler. The next time you hear the name in an unexpected place, you might pause and wonder which Binghamton they mean. But if you’re anything like me, you’ll always assume it’s ours first.