Denning, New York
Encyclopedia
Denning is a town
in Ulster County
, New York
, USA
. The population was 516 at the 2000 census. The name come from an early landowner, William Denning.
The Town of Denning is located in the western part of the county. The location of the town in the Catskill State Park accounts in part for its low population.
. The region had been part of the Hardenburgh Patent granted to Johannes Hardenburgh in 1708. William Denning bought a tract of the original patent at a tax sale.
, the town has a total area of 105.3 square miles (272.7 km²), of which, 105.2 square miles (272.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.07%) is water.
The town is in the Catskill Mountains
and borders Sullivan County
, New York. It is rugged and heavily wooded. Most settlement is concentrated around the hamlet of Sundown on Rondout Creek
, along the two branches of the Neversink River
or in the plateau between the two valleys northeast of Red Hill, at elevations 2,500 feet (762 m) above sea level and higher.
Since the town is entirely within the Catskill Park, large tracts of land are owned by the state Department of Environmental Conservation
as part of New York's Forest Preserve
. These forests are either in the Sundown Wild Forest in the eastern parts of the town or the Slide Mountain Wilderness Area
in its central regions. Within the former are the three southernmost Catskill High Peaks
: Peekamoose
, Table
and Lone
mountains. At 3,847 feet (1,173 m), Table's summit is the highest point in the town.
A lower mountain, 2990 feet (911.4 m) Red Hill, has a fire tower
on its summit popular with hikers. It is the only property in Denning listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
of 2000, there were 516 people, 215 households, and 124 families residing in the town. The population density
was 4.9 people per square mile (1.9/km²). There were 517 housing units at an average density of 4.9 per square mile (1.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.93% White, 0.97% Native American, 0.19% Asian, and 2.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.55% of the population.
There were 215 households out of which 18.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples
living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.9% were non-families. 37.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the town the population was spread out with 17.4% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 103.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $40,893, and the median income for a family was $50,729. Males had a median income of $37,750 versus $25,179 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $23,846. About 5.7% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.3% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in 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...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 516 at the 2000 census. The name come from an early landowner, William Denning.
The Town of Denning is located in the western part of the county. The location of the town in the Catskill State Park accounts in part for its low population.
History
The Town of Denning was established in 1849 from part of the Town of ShandakenShandaken, New York
Shandaken is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 3,235. The name is from a native phrase for "land of rapid waters."...
. The region had been part of the Hardenburgh Patent granted to Johannes Hardenburgh in 1708. William Denning bought a tract of the original patent at a tax sale.
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 105.3 square miles (272.7 km²), of which, 105.2 square miles (272.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.07%) is water.
The town is in the Catskill Mountains
Catskill Mountains
The Catskill Mountains, an area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany, are a mature dissected plateau, an uplifted region that was subsequently eroded into sharp relief. They are an eastward continuation, and the highest representation, of the Allegheny Plateau...
and borders Sullivan County
Sullivan County, New York
Sullivan County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 77,547. The county seat is Monticello. The name is in honor of Major General John Sullivan, who was a hero in the American Revolutionary War...
, New York. It is rugged and heavily wooded. Most settlement is concentrated around the hamlet of Sundown on Rondout Creek
Rondout Creek
Rondout Creek is a tributary of the Hudson River in Ulster and Sullivan counties, New York, USA. It rises on Rocky Mountain in the eastern Catskills, flows south into Rondout Reservoir, part of New York City's water supply network, then into the valley between the Catskills and the Shawangunk...
, along the two branches of the Neversink River
Neversink River
The Neversink River is a tributary of the Delaware River in southeastern New York in the United States...
or in the plateau between the two valleys northeast of Red Hill, at elevations 2,500 feet (762 m) above sea level and higher.
Since the town is entirely within the Catskill Park, large tracts of land are owned by the state Department of Environmental Conservation
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is responsible for the conservation, improvement, and protection of natural resources within the U.S. state of New York. It was founded in 1970, replacing the previous Conservation Department...
as part of New York's Forest Preserve
Forest Preserve (New York)
New York's Forest Preserve is all the land owned by the state within the Adirondack and Catskill parks, managed by its Department of Environmental Conservation. These properties are required to be kept "forever wild" by Article 14 of the state constitution, and thus enjoy the highest degree of...
. These forests are either in the Sundown Wild Forest in the eastern parts of the town or the Slide Mountain Wilderness Area
Slide Mountain Wilderness Area
The Slide Mountain Wilderness Area is, at 47,500 acres , the largest tract of state-owned Forest Preserve in New York's Catskill Park, and the largest area under any kind of wilderness area protection between the Adirondacks and the southern Appalachians...
in its central regions. Within the former are the three southernmost Catskill High Peaks
Catskill High Peaks
The Catskill High Peaks are all of the mountains in New York's Catskill Mountains above 3,500 ft in elevation whose summits are separated either by one-half mile or a vertical drop of at least 250 ft between it and the next nearest separate summit...
: Peekamoose
Peekamoose Mountain
Peekamoose Mountain is a mountain located in Ulster County, New York.The mountain is part of the Catskill Mountains.Peekamoose Mountain is flanked to the north by Table Mountain....
, Table
Table Mountain (New York)
Table Mountain is a mountain located in Ulster County, New York.The mountain is part of the Catskill Mountains.Table Mountain is flanked to the south by Peekamoose Mountain, and to the northeast by Lone Mountain....
and Lone
Lone Mountain (New York)
Lone Mountain is a mountain located in Ulster County, New York.The mountain is part of the Catskill Mountains.Lone Mountain is flanked to the southwest by Table Mountain, and to the east by Rocky Mountain....
mountains. At 3,847 feet (1,173 m), Table's summit is the highest point in the town.
A lower mountain, 2990 feet (911.4 m) Red Hill, has a fire tower
Red Hill Fire Observation Station
The Red Hill Fire Observation Station consists of a fire lookout tower, cabin and pit privy located on the summit of Red Hill, a Catskill Mountain peak in Denning, New York, United States. It is the southernmost fire tower in the Catskill Park....
on its summit popular with hikers. It is the only property in Denning listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
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 516 people, 215 households, and 124 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 4.9 people per square mile (1.9/km²). There were 517 housing units at an average density of 4.9 per square mile (1.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.93% White, 0.97% Native American, 0.19% Asian, and 2.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.55% of the population.
There were 215 households out of which 18.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.9% were non-families. 37.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the town the population was spread out with 17.4% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 103.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $40,893, and the median income for a family was $50,729. Males had a median income of $37,750 versus $25,179 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 $23,846. About 5.7% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.3% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in Denning
- Branch – A hamletHamlet (place)A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
on Route 47, northeast of Frost Valley. - Bull Run – A hamlet north of Sundown on Route 42.
- Denning – The hamlet of Denning is by the East Branch of the Neversink River.
- Frost Valley – A hamlet on Route 47.
- Greenville – A hamlet near the east town line on Route 46.
- Ladleton – A hamlet by the East Branch of the Neversink River, southwest of Denning village.
- Peekamoose – A hamlet near the east town line on Route 42.
- SundownSundown, New YorkSundown is a hamlet located within Denning, New York, in Ulster County, New York, United States. It is 34.6 miles from the city of Kingston, New York and 119 miles from New York City. Sundown is near the south town line of Denning on Route 46....
– A hamlet near the south town line on Route 46.