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Catskill (town), New York
Encyclopedia
Catskill is a town in the southeast part of Greene County, New York
, United States. The population was 11,775 at the 2010 census. The western part of the town is in the Catskill Park.
The town contains a village, also called Catskill
. The village of Catskill has a well-defined Main Street that has adjusted to the recent construction of a WalMart, Lowe's and Home Depot. There is a public boat launch on the Hudson river called Dutchman's Landing.
The area of the town was purchased from the natives for some trinkets in 1678 and settlement followed.
The town was established in 1788 while still part of Albany County
.
The town was increased by an addition from the town of Woodstock
in 1800, but was later decreased upon the formation of the towns of Cairo
(1803) and Athens
(1815).
, the town has a total area of 64.2 square miles (166.2 km²), of which, 60.5 square miles (156.8 km²) of it is land and 3.7 square miles (9.5 km²) of it (5.69%) is water.
The east town line is defined by the Hudson River
, forming the border of Columbia County
. The south town line is the border of Ulster County
.
The New York State Thruway
(Interstate 87
) and U.S. Route 9W
pass through the town.
On July 23, 2003, an F2 tornado ripped across the town. The worst of the damage occurred at the Kiskatom flats. The tornado crossed over New York Route 32 and went past the Friar Tuck Inn, causing two mobile homes to flip over.
of 2000, there were 11,849 people, 4,780 households, and 3,035 families residing in the town. The population density
was 195.8 people per square mile (75.6/km²). There were 5,700 housing units at an average density of 94.2 per square mile (36.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 89.84% White, 6.03% Black or African American
, 0.32% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.86% from other races
, and 2.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.03% of the population.
There were 4,780 households out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.5% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,531, and the median income for a family was $42,807. Males had a median income of $33,832 versus $25,058 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $18,563. About 11.2% of families and 14.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.4% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.
Greene County, New York
Greene County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Its name is in honor of the American Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene. Its county seat is Catskill...
, United States. The population was 11,775 at the 2010 census. The western part of the town is in the Catskill Park.
The town contains a village, also called Catskill
Catskill (village), New York
Catskill is a village in Greene County, New York, USA. The population was 4,081 at the 2010 census.The Village of Catskill is in the northeast part of the Town of Catskill. Catskill is the county seat of Greene County.-History:...
. The village of Catskill has a well-defined Main Street that has adjusted to the recent construction of a WalMart, Lowe's and Home Depot. There is a public boat launch on the Hudson river called Dutchman's Landing.
History
The town was established in 1788 while still part of Albany County
Albany County, New York
Albany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...
.
The town was increased by an addition from the town of Woodstock
Woodstock, New York
Woodstock is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 5,884 at the 2010 census, down from 6,241 at the 2000 census.The Town of Woodstock is in the northern part of the county...
in 1800, but was later decreased upon the formation of the towns of Cairo
Cairo (town), New York
Cairo is a town in Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 6,610 at the 2010 census. The town is in the south part of the county, partly in the Catskill Park. Cairo is named after Cairo in Egypt, but is pronounced "Care-o" .- History :...
(1803) and Athens
Athens, New York
Athens, New York can refer to:* Athens , New York* Athens , New York...
(1815).
Notable residents
- Jedediah BerryJedediah BerryJedediah Berry is an American writer. He is the author of a novel, The Manual of Detection .-Background and education:Berry was born in Randolph, Vermont, and spent his childhood in Catskill, New York. He attended Bard College, and earned a graduate degree from the MFA Program for Poets & Writers...
, author, was raised in Catskill. - Mickey Brantley, an outfielder for the Seattle Mariners who later went on to be a coach for the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets, was born and raised in Catskill.
- George CainesGeorge CainesGeorge Caines was the first official reporter of cases in the United States, appointed by the Court of Appeals of New York in accordance with legislation enacted by that state in April, 1804. He occupied the office for one year, producing three volumes of the Reports, containing decisions from May...
, lawyerLawyerA lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and reporter of decisions for the New York Court of AppealsNew York Court of AppealsThe New York Court of Appeals is the highest court in the U.S. state of New York. The Court of Appeals consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge and six associate judges who are appointed by the Governor to 14-year terms...
. - Robert Charels (Robert Smith), a blues singer who has recorded three albums nationally (including the Duke Robillard-produced Metropolitan Blue), was born and raised in Catskill.
- Thomas ColeThomas ColeThomas Cole was an English-born American artist. He is regarded as the founder of the Hudson River School, an American art movement that flourished in the mid-19th century...
, the founder of the Hudson River SchoolHudson River schoolThe Hudson River School was a mid-19th century American art movement embodied by a group of landscape painters whose aesthetic vision was influenced by romanticism...
of painting lived in Catskill from 1827 until his death in 1848. Cole was a member of Saint Luke's Episcopal Church in Catskill, and designed the present church building; a stained glass window there honors the Cole Family. His house at Cedar GroveThomas Cole HouseThe Thomas Cole House, also known as Cedar Grove or the Thomas Cole National Historic Site, is a National Historic Landmark that includes the home and the studio of painter Thomas Cole, founder of the Hudson River School of American painting. It is located at 218 Spring Street, Catskill, NY, USA...
is open to the public. - Law enforcement official, educator and Gulf War unit commander Robert Couchman grew up in Catskill.
- Cus D'AmatoCus D'AmatoConstantine "Cus" D'Amato was an American boxing manager and trainer who handled the careers of Floyd Patterson, José Torres, Vinnie Ferguson, and Mike Tyson. Several successful boxing trainers, including Teddy Atlas, Kevin Rooney, and Joe Fariello, were tutored by D'Amato...
boxing manager, formed a gym in Catskill where he trained future heavyweight champions José TorresJosé TorresJosé Torres , was a Puerto Rican professional boxer. As an amateur boxer, he won a silver medal in the junior middleweight at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne. In 1965, he defeated Willie Pastrano to win the WBC and WBA light heavyweight championships...
, Floyd PattersonFloyd PattersonFloyd Patterson was an American heavyweight boxer and former undisputed heavyweight champion. At 21, Patterson became the youngest man to win the world heavyweight title. He was also the first heavyweight boxer to regain the title. He had a record of 55 wins 8 losses and 1 draw, with 40 wins by...
and Mike TysonMike TysonMichael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old... - New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
politician John HillJohn Hill (congressman)John Hill was an American clerk, bookkeeper, merchant and Republican Party politician who represented from 1867 to 1873, and from 1881 to 1883.-Biography:...
was born in Catskill. - Abraham Van VechtenAbraham Van VechtenAbraham Van Vechten was an American lawyer and a Federalist politician who served twice as New York State Attorney General.-Life:...
, New York State Attorney GeneralNew York State Attorney GeneralThe New York State Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of New York. The office has been in existence in some form since 1626, under the Dutch colonial government of New York.The current Attorney General is Eric Schneiderman...
was born in Catskill. - Broadway actor and composer Tom JudsonTom JudsonTom Judson is an American musical theatre actor and composer, particularly for off-Broadway and Broadway plays, and a former porn actor. His credits include writing music for the films Metropolitan, Good Money and The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love, as well as performing on...
lives in Catskill. - Jaap PenraatJaap PenraatJaap Penraat was a Dutch resistance fighter during the Second World War.Penraat was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands. As a child, he helped Jewish neighbors by switching lights for them on Shabbat, which they were forbidden to do...
- Robert SeamanRobert SeamanRobert Livingston Seaman was an American millionaire industrialist who was the husband of investigative journalist Elizabeth Cochran , whom he married in 1895 in Chicago....
, millionaire entrepreneur, was born in Catskill
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 64.2 square miles (166.2 km²), of which, 60.5 square miles (156.8 km²) of it is land and 3.7 square miles (9.5 km²) of it (5.69%) is water.
The east town line is defined by the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
, forming the border of Columbia County
Columbia County, New York
Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,096. The county seat is Hudson. The name comes from the Latin feminine form of the name of Christopher Columbus, which was at the time of the formation of the county a popular proposal...
. The south town line is the border of Ulster County
Ulster County, New York
Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at...
.
The New York State Thruway
New York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
(Interstate 87
Interstate 87
Interstate 87 is a Interstate Highway located entirely within New York State in the United States of America. I-87 is the longest intrastate Interstate highway in the Interstate Highway System. Its southern end is at the Bronx approaches of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City...
) and U.S. Route 9W
U.S. Route 9W
U.S. Route 9W is a north–south U.S. Highway in the states of New Jersey and New York. It begins on Fletcher Avenue in Fort Lee, New Jersey as it crosses the US 1 & 9, US 46, and the Interstate 95 approaches to the George Washington Bridge, where it heads north up the west...
pass through the town.
On July 23, 2003, an F2 tornado ripped across the town. The worst of the damage occurred at the Kiskatom flats. The tornado crossed over New York Route 32 and went past the Friar Tuck Inn, causing two mobile homes to flip over.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 11,849 people, 4,780 households, and 3,035 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 195.8 people per square mile (75.6/km²). There were 5,700 housing units at an average density of 94.2 per square mile (36.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 89.84% White, 6.03% Black or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.32% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.86% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.03% of the population.
There were 4,780 households out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.5% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,531, and the median income for a family was $42,807. Males had a median income of $33,832 versus $25,058 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $18,563. About 11.2% of families and 14.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.4% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in the town
- Alsen – A hamlet in the southeast part of the town on Route 9W.
- Cairo Junction – A hamlet in the northwest part of the town.
- CatskillCatskill (village), New YorkCatskill is a village in Greene County, New York, USA. The population was 4,081 at the 2010 census.The Village of Catskill is in the northeast part of the Town of Catskill. Catskill is the county seat of Greene County.-History:...
– A village. - Cauterskill – A hamlet west of Catskill village.
- Hamburg – A hamlet north of Catskill village on the Hudson River.
- High Falls – A hamlet by the south town line.
- Jefferson HeightsJefferson Heights, New YorkJefferson Heights is a hamlet in Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 1,094 at the 2010 census.The community of Jefferson Heights is in the Town of Catskill, northwest of the Village of Catskill...
– A hamlet northwest of Catskill village. - Kiskatom – A hamlet southwest of Catskill village.
- Lawrenceville – A hamlet in the western part of the town.
- LeedsLeeds, New YorkLeeds is a hamlet in Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 377 at the 2010 census.Leeds is located near the north town line of the Town of Catskill...
– A hamlet by the north town line. - PalenvillePalenville, New YorkPalenville is a hamlet in Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 1,037 at the 2010 census.Palenville is in the southwest part of the Town of Catskill, located at the junction of Routes 23A and 32A. It lies at the foot of Kaaterskill Clove, nestled against the base of the...
– A hamlet in the southwest corner of the town. - Smith's Landing – A hamlet south of Alsen on Route 9W.