Great Swamp (New York)
Encyclopedia
The Great Swamp in eastern Putnam
and Dutchess
counties is one of the largest wetlands in the U.S. State
of New York
.
and Dutchess
counties, in the U.S. State
of New York
. The swamp covers almost 6000 acres (24.3 km²) of land in the Putnam County municipalities of Southeast
, Patterson
, The Town of Pawling
, and the Village of Pawling
, and the Dutchess County municipality of Dover
, making it one of the largest wetland
s in the state. The swamp is located at the northern end of the intruding suburban development from Westchester County
and New York City
to the south, Roughly 40,000 people live in the 63018 acres (255 km²) watershed, which is divided into two sections at Pawling. North of there, the water flows from the Swamp River into the Ten Mile River
, which leads it into the Housantonic River, and in time, the Long Island Sound
. South of Pawling, the river flows southward in the Croton River
, eventually into the East Branch Reservoir
, one of New York City
's drinking water reservoirs. The swamp itself is designated DP-22 by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
. The largest single body of water within the swamp is the Ice Pond, accessed by a steep dirt road. Ice Pond was utilized for at least two ice harvesting operations, one of which dates back to 1867.
The swamp is home to about 180 species of bird, including 100 that breed there. The red-winged blackbird
is one of the most commonly observed, while the bittern
, sora
, and marsh wren
are often not seen. The large size, wide range of habitat, and river dynamics are what make the swamp so suitable for wildlife. Several areas, ponds, and preserves have concentrated wildlife. The Sharparoon, an 1800 acres (7.3 km²) reserve off New York State Route 22
, was home to one of the first breeding grounds for raven
s within the county. Other commonly seen species include turkey vultures, red-tail hawks, swallow
s, swift
s, black vulture
, redstart
, veery
, indigo bunting
, Louisiana waterthrush
, northern waterthrush
, winter wren
, black-throated green warbler, willow flycatcher
, and alder flycatcher
. Throughout other areas, the wood duck
, mallard
, Canada goose
, great blue heron
, and belted kingfisher
are seen nesting in various bridges. The swamp is part of New York Important Bird Area #89.
suggest occupations in the swamp date back to the Woodland period
. Archaic hunters were drawn to the wetland because of its vast array of plants and vegetables, as well as migratory waterfowl
and fish. According to Horace Hillery in an article entitled The Great Swamp, "The Indian-Dutch treaty of 1617 said furs from The Great Swamp in Patterson were most desirable. The Indian Cemetery at the mouth of Haviland Hollow was probably near the Indian winter trapping camp." The Great Swamp was sold to Lt. Gov. Nathan Gold of Connecticut
in 1707, and thereafter, the first white settlers fought over ownership of the eastern side of the wetland. This tract of land is known as The Oblong, and until 1731, was part of Connecticut. In consideration of a separate piece of land further south, Connecticut surrendered to New York, and the state gained ownership. Between 1744 and 1757, Pine Island, a ledge in the middle of the swamp, served as a camp for a set of counterfeiters who printed thousands of 20 Shilling Rhode Island notes.
Local farmers were disappointed at the loss of potential farm land to the swamp. In 1797, a petition
was sent to the New York State Legislature for the swamp to be drained. Another similar proposal arose in 1840, though the idea was never implemented. New York City
sought the region as a potential reservoir in the early 1900s. The swamp had an effect on the local region. Children in Patterson were often deemed "swamp rats" by school students in nearby Carmel.
In March 1936, a "great and unusual ice flood" caused local water levels to rise. The bridge carrying New York State Route 311
over the Great Swamp received cracks in its foundation due to the pressure of the water and melting ice, and was lifted off its foundation and swept into the swamp.
Putnam County, New York
Putnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the lower Hudson River Valley. Putnam county formed in 1812, when it detached from Dutchess County. , the population was 99,710. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The county seat is the hamlet of Carmel...
and Dutchess
Dutchess County, New York
Dutchess County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. The 2010 census lists the population as 297,488...
counties is one of the largest wetlands in the U.S. State
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
.
Geography and ecology
The Great Swamp, also known as the Great Patterson Swamp, is located in eastern PutnamPutnam County, New York
Putnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the lower Hudson River Valley. Putnam county formed in 1812, when it detached from Dutchess County. , the population was 99,710. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The county seat is the hamlet of Carmel...
and Dutchess
Dutchess County, New York
Dutchess County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. The 2010 census lists the population as 297,488...
counties, in the U.S. State
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
. The swamp covers almost 6000 acres (24.3 km²) of land in the Putnam County municipalities of Southeast
Southeast, New York
Southeast is a town in Putnam County, New York, United States. The population was 17,316 at the 2000 census. The town is in the southeast part of the county. Interstate 84, Interstate 684, US Route 202, and US Route 6 pass through the town.- History :...
, Patterson
Patterson, New York
Patterson is a town in Putnam County, New York, United States. The town is in the northeast part of the county. Interstate 84 passes through the southwest part of the town. The population was 11,306 at the 2000 census. The town is named after early farmer Matthew Paterson...
, The Town of Pawling
Pawling (town), New York
Pawling is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 7,521 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Catherine Pauling, the daughter of Henry Beekman, who held the second largest land patent in the county. A misprint caused the U to change to a W and the name...
, and the Village of Pawling
Pawling (village), New York
Pawling is a village in Dutchess County, New York, USA. The population was 2,233 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area...
, and the Dutchess County municipality of Dover
Dover, New York
Dover is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 8,565 at the 2000 census. The town was named after Dover in England, the home town of an early settler....
, making it one of the largest wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s in the state. The swamp is located at the northern end of the intruding suburban development from Westchester County
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to the south, Roughly 40,000 people live in the 63018 acres (255 km²) watershed, which is divided into two sections at Pawling. North of there, the water flows from the Swamp River into the Ten Mile River
Ten Mile River
The Ten Mile River is a river within the U.S. states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It flows approximately and drains a watershed of .The North Attleborough National Fish Hatchery is located in its upper reaches, and the river offers stocked trout fishing in the spring.The Ten Mile River was...
, which leads it into the Housantonic River, and in time, the Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
. South of Pawling, the river flows southward in the Croton River
Croton River
The Croton River is a river in southern New York that begins where the East and West Branches of the Croton River meet a little way downstream from the Croton Falls Reservoir...
, eventually into the East Branch Reservoir
East Branch Reservoir
East Branch Reservoir, formed by impounding the eponymous branch of the Croton River, is part of New York City's water supply network. It is located in the Putnam County town of Southeast, near the village of Brewster 35 miles north of the city....
, one of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's drinking water reservoirs. The swamp itself is designated DP-22 by the New York 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...
. The largest single body of water within the swamp is the Ice Pond, accessed by a steep dirt road. Ice Pond was utilized for at least two ice harvesting operations, one of which dates back to 1867.
The swamp is home to about 180 species of bird, including 100 that breed there. The red-winged blackbird
Red-winged Blackbird
The Red-winged Blackbird is a passerine bird of the family Icteridae found in most of North and much of Central America. It breeds from Alaska and Newfoundland south to Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, and Guatemala, with isolated populations in western El Salvador, northwestern Honduras, and...
is one of the most commonly observed, while the bittern
Bittern
Bitterns are a classification of birds in the heron family, Ardeidae, a family of wading birds. Species named bitterns tend to be the shorter-necked, often more secretive members of this family...
, sora
Sora (crake)
The Sora is a small waterbird of the family Rallidae, sometimes also referred to as the Sora Rail or Sora Crake.Adults Soras are long, with dark-marked brown upperparts, a blue-grey face and underparts, and black and white barring on the flanks. They have a short thick yellow bill, with black...
, and marsh wren
Marsh Wren
The Marsh Wren is a small North American songbird of the wren family. It is sometimes called Long-billed Marsh Wren to distinguish it from the Sedge Wren, also known as Short-billed Marsh Wren....
are often not seen. The large size, wide range of habitat, and river dynamics are what make the swamp so suitable for wildlife. Several areas, ponds, and preserves have concentrated wildlife. The Sharparoon, an 1800 acres (7.3 km²) reserve off New York State Route 22
New York State Route 22
New York State Route 22 is a north–south state highway in eastern New York in the United States. It runs parallel to the state's eastern edge from the outskirts of New York City to a short distance south of the Canadian border. At , it is the state's longest north–south route and...
, was home to one of the first breeding grounds for raven
Raven
Raven is the common name given to several larger-bodied members of the genus Corvus—but in Europe and North America the Common Raven is normally implied...
s within the county. Other commonly seen species include turkey vultures, red-tail hawks, swallow
Swallow
The swallows and martins are a group of passerine birds in the family Hirundinidae which are characterised by their adaptation to aerial feeding...
s, swift
Swift
The swifts are a family, Apodidae, of highly aerial birds. They are superficially similar to swallows, but are actually not closely related to passerine species at all; swifts are in the separate order Apodiformes, which they share with hummingbirds...
s, black vulture
Black vulture
Black vulture may refer to:* American Black Vulture* Eurasian Black Vulture...
, redstart
Redstart
Redstarts are a group of small Old World birds. They were formerly classified in the thrush family , but are now known to be part of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae...
, veery
Veery
The Veery, Catharus fuscescens, is a small thrush species. It is occasionally called Willow Thrush or Wilson's Thrush. It is a member of a close-knit group of migrant Catharus species, which also includes the cryptotaxa Grey-cheeked Thrush and Bicknell's Thrush The Veery, Catharus fuscescens, is a...
, indigo bunting
Indigo Bunting
The Indigo Bunting, Passerina cyanea, is a small seed-eating bird in the family Cardinalidae. It is migratory, ranging from southern Canada to northern Florida during the breeding season, and from southern Florida to northern South America during the winter. It often migrates by night, using the...
, Louisiana waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
The Louisiana Waterthrush is a New World warbler. It breeds in eastern North America from southernmost Canada and south through the eastern USA, excluding Florida and the coast....
, northern waterthrush
Northern Waterthrush
The Northern Waterthrush is one of the larger New World warblers. It breeds in the northern part of North America in Canada, and in the northern United States, . This bird is migratory, wintering in Central America, the West Indies, and Florida; also Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador...
, winter wren
Winter Wren
The Winter Wren is a very small North American bird and a member of the mainly New World wren family Troglodytidae. It was once lumped with Troglodytes pacificus of western North America and Troglodytes troglodytes of Eurasia under the name Winter Wren.It breeds in coniferous forests from British...
, black-throated green warbler, willow flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
The Willow Flycatcher is a small insect-eating bird of the tyrant flycatcher family.Adults have brown-olive upperparts, darker on the wings and tail, with whitish underparts; they have an indistinct white eye ring, white wing bars and a small bill. The breast is washed with olive-grey. The upper...
, and alder flycatcher
Alder Flycatcher
The Alder Flycatcher, Empidonax alnorum, is a small insect-eating bird of the tyrant flycatcher family.Adults have olive-brown upperparts, browner on the wings and tail, with whitish underparts; they have a white eye ring, white wing bars, a small bill and a short tail. The breast is washed with...
. Throughout other areas, the wood duck
Wood Duck
The Wood Duck or Carolina Duck is a species of duck found in North America. It is one of the most colourful of North American waterfowl.-Description:...
, mallard
Mallard
The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....
, Canada goose
Canada Goose
The Canada Goose is a wild goose belonging to the genus Branta, which is native to arctic and temperate regions of North America, having a black head and neck, white patches on the face, and a brownish-gray body....
, great blue heron
Great Blue Heron
The Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe, with records from Spain, the Azores and England...
, and belted kingfisher
Belted Kingfisher
The Belted Kingfisher is a large, conspicuous water kingfisher, the only member of that group commonly found in the northern United States and Canada. It is depicted on the 1986 series Canadian $5 note. All kingfishers were formerly placed in one family, Alcedinidae, but recent research suggests...
are seen nesting in various bridges. The swamp is part of New York Important Bird Area #89.
History
In and around Patterson, layers of underground clay suggest the swamp was once a large and shallow lake. While it is unknown exactly when man first inhabited the region, it is estimated that Archaic people existed there for about 8,000 years. Artifacts found at the Rosebud Site off of New York State Route 311New York State Route 311
New York State Route 311 is a state highway located entirely within Putnam County, New York, United States. The highway begins at NY 52 in Lake Carmel, and intersects Interstate 84 shortly thereafter...
suggest occupations in the swamp date back to the Woodland period
Woodland period
The Woodland period of North American pre-Columbian cultures was from roughly 1000 BCE to 1000 CE in the eastern part of North America. The term "Woodland Period" was introduced in the 1930s as a generic header for prehistoric sites falling between the Archaic hunter-gatherers and the...
. Archaic hunters were drawn to the wetland because of its vast array of plants and vegetables, as well as migratory waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
and fish. According to Horace Hillery in an article entitled The Great Swamp, "The Indian-Dutch treaty of 1617 said furs from The Great Swamp in Patterson were most desirable. The Indian Cemetery at the mouth of Haviland Hollow was probably near the Indian winter trapping camp." The Great Swamp was sold to Lt. Gov. Nathan Gold of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
in 1707, and thereafter, the first white settlers fought over ownership of the eastern side of the wetland. This tract of land is known as The Oblong, and until 1731, was part of Connecticut. In consideration of a separate piece of land further south, Connecticut surrendered to New York, and the state gained ownership. Between 1744 and 1757, Pine Island, a ledge in the middle of the swamp, served as a camp for a set of counterfeiters who printed thousands of 20 Shilling Rhode Island notes.
Local farmers were disappointed at the loss of potential farm land to the swamp. In 1797, a petition
Petition
A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer....
was sent to the New York State Legislature for the swamp to be drained. Another similar proposal arose in 1840, though the idea was never implemented. New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
sought the region as a potential reservoir in the early 1900s. The swamp had an effect on the local region. Children in Patterson were often deemed "swamp rats" by school students in nearby Carmel.
In March 1936, a "great and unusual ice flood" caused local water levels to rise. The bridge carrying New York State Route 311
New York State Route 311
New York State Route 311 is a state highway located entirely within Putnam County, New York, United States. The highway begins at NY 52 in Lake Carmel, and intersects Interstate 84 shortly thereafter...
over the Great Swamp received cracks in its foundation due to the pressure of the water and melting ice, and was lifted off its foundation and swept into the swamp.
See also
- New York State Route 311New York State Route 311New York State Route 311 is a state highway located entirely within Putnam County, New York, United States. The highway begins at NY 52 in Lake Carmel, and intersects Interstate 84 shortly thereafter...
- Putnam County, New YorkPutnam County, New YorkPutnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the lower Hudson River Valley. Putnam county formed in 1812, when it detached from Dutchess County. , the population was 99,710. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The county seat is the hamlet of Carmel...
- Dutchess County, New YorkDutchess County, New YorkDutchess County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. The 2010 census lists the population as 297,488...