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New Paltz (village), New York
Encyclopedia
New Paltz is a village in Ulster County
in the U.S. state
of New York. It is about 80 miles (128.7 km) north of New York City
and 70 miles (112.7 km) south of Albany
. The population was 6,818 at the 2010 census.
The Village of New Paltz is located within the Town of New Paltz. New Paltz is also home to the State University of New York New Paltz, founded in 1828.
, who had taken refuge in Mannheim
, Germany
, for a brief period of time before emigrating to the Dutch colony of New Netherland
in 1650. Mannheim was a major town of the Palatinate (in German, the Pfalz), at the time a center of Protestantism. The settlers lived in Wiltwyck (present day Kingston, NY) and in 1677 purchased a patent for the land surrounding present day New Paltz from a Lenape
tribe known as the Esopus
.
The people of Mannheim use a dialect form of the name Pfalz without the "f", pronouncing it "Paltz." Records of the New Paltz Reformed Church, which was formed in 1683, show the name of the settlement was first expressed not in German, nor in English, but in French: Nouveau Palatinat. The community was governed by a kind of corporation called the Duzine, referring to the twelve partners who acquired the royal patent. That form of government continued well past the time of the American Revolution
, by special action of the New York State legislature
.
The (40 000 acres (120 Km²) or so of the patent, stretching to the Hudson River
and augmented soon by the other patents on the south, were eventually divided among those twelve partners, their relatives, and a few friends into large plots – part wilderness and part farm. The farms were grouped principally around the heights west and east of the Wallkill River
. The commercial center serving the agricultural base was located on the east shore of the Wallkill River, in the area where the first settlers had built their shelters. The street is now known as Huguenot Street
.
There, the church, schools, blacksmith
, seamstresses, and stores flourished for the benefit of farmers who required goods such as seed, tools, clothing, and food not available on all farms, including alcoholic beverages. The church, which was also used as a school, was located here. Many of the buildings still stand today, as a living museum community.
Population slowly spread from the Wallkill up along the street now known as North Front Street and then along what is now Chestnut Street. In the nineteenth century, development continued along what is now Main Street. The secession of the Town of Lloyd
and parts of Shawangunk
, Esopus
, and Gardiner
, between 1843 and 1853, reduced New Paltz to its present size. In 1887, the Village of New Paltz was incorporated within a town of the same name.
Higher education has been one of the main concerns of the community since the 1830s, with facilities on Huguenot Street and North Front Streets. Late in the nineteenth century, the college was built in the area of Plattekill Avenue and Manheim Boulevard, where the State University of New York at New Paltz
now stands.
The Wallkill Valley Railroad reached New Paltz by 1870, and provided passenger service through the town until 1937. After the rail line's closure in 1977, the section of the corridor running through New Paltz was converted to the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail
, and the former train station
in New Paltz was renovated as a restaurant, La Stazione
.
, the village has a total area of 1.8 square miles (4.6 km²), of which, 1.7 square miles (4.5 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (1.70%) is water.
The Wallkill River
runs north along the western border of New Paltz, flowing into the Rondout Creek and eventually the Hudson River
.
of 2000, there were 6034 people, 1898 households, and 586 families residing in the village. The population density
was 3482.5 people per square mile (1346.7/km²). There were 1957 housing units at an average density of 1,129.5 per square mile (436.8/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 73.42% White, 7.79% Black or African American
, 0.27% Native American, 7.01% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 8.35% from other races
, and 3.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.93% of the population.
There were 1898 households out of which 12.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 21.1% were married couples
living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 69.1% were non-families. 41.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.03 and the average family size was 2.66.
In the village the age of population was disbursed as such: 6.9% under the age of 18, 58.7% from 18 to 24, 19.0% from 25 to 44, 10.1% from 45 to 64, and 5.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 80.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.8 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $21,747, and the median income for a family was $51,186. Males had a median income of $33,103 versus $22,935 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $11,644. About 11.8% of families and 36.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.6% of those under age 18 and 12.2% of those age 65 or over. While this is one of the lowest median household incomes in the area, it includes large number of college students who attend SUNY New Paltz, many of whom have incomes that would place them below the poverty line.
The current mayor is Jason West
, who was re-elected in May 2011 to another four year term, after being out of office since 2007. The four trustees on the village board are Michael Zierler, Shari Osborn, Jean Gallucci, and Brian Kimbiz. The village maintains its own sewer district and Department of Public Works, but depends upon the town government to provide police services.
In May 2003, students and community members elected the Innovation Campaign candidates Jason West
, Rebecca Rotzler
, and Julia Walsh to the Village of New Paltz government to serve a 4 year term. The three activists ran on a platform that promoted environmental sustainability & democracy. Under West's leadership, the village was among four locations in early 2004 to marry same-sex couples, catapulting the village briefly into the national spotlight. West lost his bid for reelection in May 2007, while Rotzler and Walsh chose not to seek reelection.
The Women in Black
have a small but active chapter in New Paltz that has been protesting in front of Elting Memorial Library
weekly since November, 2001.
. The New Paltz Independent, a Republican
newspaper, was founded in 1868. Both the Times and Independent merged in 1919, becoming the New Paltz Independent and Times that ran until 1972, when it became the Old Dutch New Paltz Independent and Times. That same year it was renamed the Old Dutch independent, and ran until it was discontinued in 1975. The New Paltz News was founded in 1935, and merged with the Wallkill
paper Wallkill Valley World in 1980. The Huguenot Herald was first published in 1976 and merged in 1985 with the Highland
paper, the Highland Herald. SUNY New Paltz founded a college newspaper in 1938, the New Paltz Oracle. The Huguenot Herald and New Paltz News continued to run until they were merged by Ulster Publishing
as the New Paltz Times in 2001. The modern Times is published weekly and has no continuity with the 19th century paper of the same name.
's story about Sneetches.
for area residents, which attracted thousands of visitors on Halloween
night. After complaints about traffic and noise concerns, owners Ann and Dan Guenther announced in 2006 that they would no longer create the attraction. However, interest continued, and the attraction was relocated to Hasbrouck Park in 2007, utilizing the park's castle playground
as a centerpiece. This move also increased community involvement for the event, drawing upon the local YMCA, Department of Public Works, and volunteers from the area.
, which is also designated as Interstate 87
.
in New York City and New Paltz provided by Trailways of New York
, with connections to many other villages and cities in New York State. Express bus service is also available from New Paltz to New York City via Trailways of New York, serving the park-ride lot at Exit 18 of the Thruway. Ulster County Area Transit
also provides service to Metro-North Railroad
in Poughkeepsie
, along with local bus service to Kingston
, Newburgh
, and points in between along Route 32. In January 2009 a the New Paltz Loop Bus, stopping at points throughout the community, was launched.
is the nearest major airport to New Paltz. It is located in Newburgh, thirty minutes to the south.
is on the bed of the Wallkill Valley Rail transport
, the former main transportation link for New Paltz.
The Village and Town have a joint Bicycle-Pedestrian Committee that focuses on improving non-motorized transportation in the area.
, was originally built in 1870, rebuilt after a 1907 fire, and sold to private interests in 1959. The building was in a state of disrepair by the early 1980s, but renovated in 1988 and converted to an Italian restaurant in 1999.
The nearest active railroad station is the Poughkeepsie Metro-North station
, which is the terminus for the Metro-North Railroad
's Hudson Line. The Hudson Line stretches from Poughkeepsie to Grand Central Terminal
in New York City
. Poughkeepsie is a 15-20 minute drive east of New Paltz, and taxis and UCAT
buses are available to transport travelers to and from New Paltz. Trains run from very early in the morning until late into the evening.
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...
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. It is about 80 miles (128.7 km) north 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...
and 70 miles (112.7 km) south of Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
. The population was 6,818 at the 2010 census.
The Village of New Paltz is located within the Town of New Paltz. New Paltz is also home to the State University of New York New Paltz, founded in 1828.
Early development
New Paltz was founded in 1678 by French Huguenots settlers, including Louis DuBoisLouis Dubois
Louis DuBois was a Huguenot colonist in New Netherland who, with two of his sons and nine other refugees, founded the village of New Paltz, New York...
, who had taken refuge in Mannheim
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, for a brief period of time before emigrating to the Dutch colony of New Netherland
New Netherland
New Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the 17th-century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the East Coast of North America. The claimed territories were the lands from the Delmarva Peninsula to extreme southwestern Cape Cod...
in 1650. Mannheim was a major town of the Palatinate (in German, the Pfalz), at the time a center of Protestantism. The settlers lived in Wiltwyck (present day Kingston, NY) and in 1677 purchased a patent for the land surrounding present day New Paltz from a Lenape
Lenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
tribe known as the Esopus
Esopus tribe
The Esopus tribe was a tribe of Lenape Native Americans who were native to Upstate New York.The tribe fought a series of conflicts against settlers from the New Netherland Colony from September 1659 to September 1663, known as the Esopus Wars...
.
The people of Mannheim use a dialect form of the name Pfalz without the "f", pronouncing it "Paltz." Records of the New Paltz Reformed Church, which was formed in 1683, show the name of the settlement was first expressed not in German, nor in English, but in French: Nouveau Palatinat. The community was governed by a kind of corporation called the Duzine, referring to the twelve partners who acquired the royal patent. That form of government continued well past the time of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, by special action of the New York State legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
.
The (40 000 acres (120 Km²) or so of the patent, stretching to 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...
and augmented soon by the other patents on the south, were eventually divided among those twelve partners, their relatives, and a few friends into large plots – part wilderness and part farm. The farms were grouped principally around the heights west and east of the Wallkill River
Wallkill River
The Wallkill River, a tributary of the Hudson, drains Lake Mohawk in Sparta, New Jersey, flowing from there generally northeasterly to Rondout Creek in New York, near Rosendale, with the combined flows reaching the Hudson at Kingston....
. The commercial center serving the agricultural base was located on the east shore of the Wallkill River, in the area where the first settlers had built their shelters. The street is now known as Huguenot Street
Huguenot Street Historic District
The Huguenot Street Historic District is located near downtown New Paltz, New York, approximately north of New York City. The seven stone houses and several accompanying structures in the district were built in the early 18th century by Huguenot settlers fleeing discrimination and religious...
.
There, the church, schools, blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
, seamstresses, and stores flourished for the benefit of farmers who required goods such as seed, tools, clothing, and food not available on all farms, including alcoholic beverages. The church, which was also used as a school, was located here. Many of the buildings still stand today, as a living museum community.
Population slowly spread from the Wallkill up along the street now known as North Front Street and then along what is now Chestnut Street. In the nineteenth century, development continued along what is now Main Street. The secession of the Town of Lloyd
Lloyd, New York
Lloyd is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 9,941 at the 2000 census.The Town of Lloyd is located in the eastern part of Ulster County. U.S. Route 9W runs north and south in the eastern part of the town. The concurrent U.S. Route 44 and NY 55 pass through the...
and parts of Shawangunk
Shawangunk
Shawangunk may refer to:In New York*Shawangunk, New York, a town in Ulster County*Shawangunk Correctional Facility*Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge, in Ulster County*Shawangunk Kill, a tributary of the Wallkill River...
, Esopus
Esopus
Esopus may refer to:In New York*Esopus, New York, a town in Ulster County*Esopus Creek, a tributary of the Hudson River*Esopus Meadows Lighthouse, a lighthouse on the Hudson River near Esopus, New York...
, and Gardiner
Gardiner
-Settlements:Canada* Gardiner, OntarioUnited States* Gardiner, Maine* Gardiner, Montana* Gardiner , New York** Gardiner , New York* Gardiner, Washington* West Gardiner, Maine-Geographical features:Antarctica...
, between 1843 and 1853, reduced New Paltz to its present size. In 1887, the Village of New Paltz was incorporated within a town of the same name.
Higher education has been one of the main concerns of the community since the 1830s, with facilities on Huguenot Street and North Front Streets. Late in the nineteenth century, the college was built in the area of Plattekill Avenue and Manheim Boulevard, where the State University of New York at New Paltz
State University of New York at New Paltz
The State University of New York at New Paltz, known as SUNY New Paltz for short, is a public university in New Paltz, New York. It was founded in 1828 as the School for teaching of classics. In 1885, the New Paltz Normal and Training School was established as a school to prepare teachers for the...
now stands.
The Wallkill Valley Railroad reached New Paltz by 1870, and provided passenger service through the town until 1937. After the rail line's closure in 1977, the section of the corridor running through New Paltz was converted to the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail
Wallkill Valley Rail Trail
The Wallkill Valley Rail Trail is a rail trail and linear park that runs along the former Wallkill Valley Railroad rail corridor in Ulster County, New York. , it stretches from Gardiner through New Paltz, crossing the Wallkill River as it reaches Rosendale...
, and the former train station
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
in New Paltz was renovated as a restaurant, La Stazione
La Stazione
La stazione is a 1952 Italian film directed by Valerio Zurlini....
.
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 village has a total area of 1.8 square miles (4.6 km²), of which, 1.7 square miles (4.5 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (1.70%) is water.
The Wallkill River
Wallkill River
The Wallkill River, a tributary of the Hudson, drains Lake Mohawk in Sparta, New Jersey, flowing from there generally northeasterly to Rondout Creek in New York, near Rosendale, with the combined flows reaching the Hudson at Kingston....
runs north along the western border of New Paltz, flowing into the Rondout Creek and eventually 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...
.
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 6034 people, 1898 households, and 586 families residing in the village. 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 3482.5 people per square mile (1346.7/km²). There were 1957 housing units at an average density of 1,129.5 per square mile (436.8/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 73.42% White, 7.79% 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...
, 0.27% Native American, 7.01% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 8.35% 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 3.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.93% of the population.
There were 1898 households out of which 12.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 21.1% 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, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 69.1% were non-families. 41.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.03 and the average family size was 2.66.
In the village the age of population was disbursed as such: 6.9% under the age of 18, 58.7% from 18 to 24, 19.0% from 25 to 44, 10.1% from 45 to 64, and 5.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 80.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.8 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $21,747, and the median income for a family was $51,186. Males had a median income of $33,103 versus $22,935 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 village was $11,644. About 11.8% of families and 36.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.6% of those under age 18 and 12.2% of those age 65 or over. While this is one of the lowest median household incomes in the area, it includes large number of college students who attend SUNY New Paltz, many of whom have incomes that would place them below the poverty line.
Notable residents
- Louis DuboisLouis DuboisLouis DuBois was a Huguenot colonist in New Netherland who, with two of his sons and nine other refugees, founded the village of New Paltz, New York...
, founder of one of the earliest HuguenotHuguenotThe Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
colonies in the Americas. - Abe AttellAbe AttellAbraham Washington "Abe" Attell , known in the boxing world as Abe "The Little Hebrew" Attell, was a boxer who became known for his record-setting six-year reign as World Featherweight Champion...
, boxingBoxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
champion. - 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...
was a boxing champion. - Lewis DuBoisLewis DuBoisLewis DuBois was an American Revolutionary War commander. A descendant of Louis Dubois, who founded the early Huguenot settlement of New Paltz, which is preserved today as Historic Huguenot Street . DuBois was a carpenter from Poughkeepsie, New York...
, descendant of the original Huguenot refugees and a militaryMilitaryA military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
commander in the Continental ArmyContinental ArmyThe Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
during the American RevolutionAmerican RevolutionThe American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. - Sojourner TruthSojourner TruthSojourner Truth was the self-given name, from 1843 onward, of Isabella Baumfree, an African-American abolitionist and women's rights activist. Truth was born into slavery in Swartekill, New York, but escaped with her infant daughter to freedom in 1826. After going to court to recover her son, she...
, born into slavery near New Paltz. After leaving slavery, she continued to live in the New Paltz area with Quakers while fighting against slavery. The SUNY New Paltz college library bears her name. - Mary Gordon, novelist.
- Jason WestJason WestJason West is the mayor of the village of New Paltz, New York, having resumed the duties of office on June 1, 2011. He served previously as the village's mayor from January 1, 2003 to May 31, 2007....
, married 26 gay couples while in office as mayor. - Oscar TschirkyOscar TschirkyOscar Tschirky was maître d'hôtel of Delmonico's Restaurant and subsequently the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan, New York, United States. He was widely known as "Oscar of the Waldorf" and produced a large cookbook despite not being a chef...
New Paltz in fiction
- New Paltz was the place in which the character Penny Johnson (Cynthia RhodesCynthia RhodesCynthia Rhodes is an American actress, singer and dancer most noted for her roles in Dirty Dancing, Flashdance and Staying Alive.- Career :...
) got an abortionAbortionAbortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
in the 1987 movie Dirty DancingDirty DancingDirty Dancing is a 1987 American romantic film. Written by Eleanor Bergstein and directed by Emile Ardolino, the film features Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in the lead roles, as well as Cynthia Rhodes and Jerry Orbach...
, which was set in the early 1960s.
- New Paltz is the place of residence for Zipporah and Tyler James in V.C. Andrews' book Secrets in the Shadows.
- In the television show SupernaturalSupernatural (TV series)Supernatural is an American supernatural and horror television series created by Eric Kripke, which debuted on September 13, 2005 on The WB, and is now part of The CW's lineup. Starring Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester and Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester, the series follows the brothers as they...
, Sam and Dean visit New Paltz in the episode entitled "Provenance", which is about a haunted antique painting.
Politics
Jason West
Jason West is the mayor of the village of New Paltz, New York, having resumed the duties of office on June 1, 2011. He served previously as the village's mayor from January 1, 2003 to May 31, 2007....
, who was re-elected in May 2011 to another four year term, after being out of office since 2007. The four trustees on the village board are Michael Zierler, Shari Osborn, Jean Gallucci, and Brian Kimbiz. The village maintains its own sewer district and Department of Public Works, but depends upon the town government to provide police services.
In May 2003, students and community members elected the Innovation Campaign candidates Jason West
Jason West
Jason West is the mayor of the village of New Paltz, New York, having resumed the duties of office on June 1, 2011. He served previously as the village's mayor from January 1, 2003 to May 31, 2007....
, Rebecca Rotzler
Rebecca Rotzler
Rebecca Rotzler is one of seven co-chairs of the Green Party of the United States, elected to that position on July 24, 2005. She was elected deputy mayor and a trustee of New Paltz, New York, on May 6, 2003; one of the first Green Party candidates elected in New York...
, and Julia Walsh to the Village of New Paltz government to serve a 4 year term. The three activists ran on a platform that promoted environmental sustainability & democracy. Under West's leadership, the village was among four locations in early 2004 to marry same-sex couples, catapulting the village briefly into the national spotlight. West lost his bid for reelection in May 2007, while Rotzler and Walsh chose not to seek reelection.
The Women in Black
Women in Black
Women in Black is a women's anti-war movement with an estimated 10,000 activists around the world. The first group was formed by Israeli women in Jerusalem in 1988, following the outbreak of the First intifada.-History:...
have a small but active chapter in New Paltz that has been protesting in front of Elting Memorial Library
Elting Memorial Library
The Elting Memorial Library is the public library that serves the residents of the village and town of New Paltz, New York. It is located at 93 Main Street in the village's downtown section...
weekly since November, 2001.
Newspapers
The first local newspaper in New Paltz, the New Paltz Times, was founded by Charles J. Ackert and printed its first issue on July 6, 1860. It was a weekly paper and supported the Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. The New Paltz Independent, a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
newspaper, was founded in 1868. Both the Times and Independent merged in 1919, becoming the New Paltz Independent and Times that ran until 1972, when it became the Old Dutch New Paltz Independent and Times. That same year it was renamed the Old Dutch independent, and ran until it was discontinued in 1975. The New Paltz News was founded in 1935, and merged with the Wallkill
Wallkill, Ulster County, New York
Wallkill is a hamlet , generally identified as coterminous with ZIP code 12589, telephone exchange 895 in the 845 area code and most of the Wallkill Central School District located mostly in the eastern half of the Town of Shawangunk, Ulster County, New York but partly spilling over into adjacent...
paper Wallkill Valley World in 1980. The Huguenot Herald was first published in 1976 and merged in 1985 with the Highland
Highland, Ulster County, New York
Highland is a hamlet in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 5,060 at the 2000 census.Highland is a community in the Town of Lloyd, on U.S. Route 9W. Routes 44 and 55 run through it as well...
paper, the Highland Herald. SUNY New Paltz founded a college newspaper in 1938, the New Paltz Oracle. The Huguenot Herald and New Paltz News continued to run until they were merged by Ulster Publishing
Ulster Publishing
Ulster Publishing is a newspaper publisher in Kingston, New York, established in January 1972 by Geddy Sveikauskas.-Newspapers:* Kingston Times* Highland Mid-Hudson Post* New Paltz Times , Weekly, 2001-* Saugerties Times , Biweekly, 1996-...
as the New Paltz Times in 2001. The modern Times is published weekly and has no continuity with the 19th century paper of the same name.
Unity in Diversity Day
This event, sponsored by the Village, Town, and SUNY New Paltz, celebrates the differences among people through food, spoken word poetry, artistic endeavors and theatrical performance. The 2007 theme was derived from Dr. SeussDr. Seuss
Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American writer, poet, and cartoonist most widely known for his children's books written under the pen names Dr. Seuss, Theo LeSieg and, in one case, Rosetta Stone....
's story about Sneetches.
Haunted Hasbrouck Park
For over a quarter of a century the Guenther family put on a free haunted houseHaunted attraction
A haunted attraction is a form of entertainment that simulates the experience of entering a haunted location that might be inhabited by ghosts, monsters, criminals, humorous characters, and other such creatures...
for area residents, which attracted thousands of visitors on Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
night. After complaints about traffic and noise concerns, owners Ann and Dan Guenther announced in 2006 that they would no longer create the attraction. However, interest continued, and the attraction was relocated to Hasbrouck Park in 2007, utilizing the park's castle playground
Playground
A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
as a centerpiece. This move also increased community involvement for the event, drawing upon the local YMCA, Department of Public Works, and volunteers from the area.
Parade
The Village hosts an annual Halloween parade, open to all residents, on Halloween night.Haunted Huguenot Street
On the nights leading up to Halloween, stories of spirits, tragedy, misfortune and the paranormal fill the 330 year old street, as Historic Huguenot Street hosts their annual and popular Haunted Huguenot Street tours.Night of 100 Pumpkins
Since 1990 local eatery The Bakery has hosted this pumpkin carving contest, which had over 2000 attendees in 2006.Automobile
New Paltz is exit 18 on the New York State ThruwayNew 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...
, which is also designated as 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...
.
Bus service
There is frequent bus service between The Port Authority Bus TerminalPort Authority Bus Terminal
The Port Authority Bus Terminal is the main gateway for interstate buses into Manhattan in New York City...
in New York City and New Paltz provided by Trailways of New York
Trailways of New York
Trailways of New York is a bus company in New York operating under the Adirondack Trailways, Pine Hill Trailways, and New York Trailways brands, primarily along the Albany to Buffalo corridor...
, with connections to many other villages and cities in New York State. Express bus service is also available from New Paltz to New York City via Trailways of New York, serving the park-ride lot at Exit 18 of the Thruway. Ulster County Area Transit
Ulster County Area Transit
Ulster County Area Transit is the county-owned operator of bus transportation in Ulster County, New York, providing fixed-route, deviated-fixed route, and commuter transit, except within the city of Kingston, where the local Kingston Citibus provides public transit.-Service area:UCAT provides...
also provides service to Metro-North Railroad
Metro-North Railroad
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
in Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie (city), New York
Poughkeepsie is a city in the state of New York, United States, which serves as the county seat of Dutchess County. Poughkeepsie is located in the Hudson River Valley midway between New York City and Albany...
, along with local bus service to Kingston
Kingston, New York
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...
, Newburgh
Newburgh (town), New York
Newburgh is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The 2010 census determined the population is 29,801. This is the first time ever that the population of the Town of Newburgh officially exceeded that of the adjacent but totally separate municipality known as the city of Newburgh...
, and points in between along Route 32. In January 2009 a the New Paltz Loop Bus, stopping at points throughout the community, was launched.
Air travel
Stewart International AirportStewart International Airport
Stewart International Airport is located in the southern Hudson Valley, west of Newburgh, New York and over north of Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The airport is located in the Town of Newburgh and the Town of New Windsor."." U.S. Census Bureau...
is the nearest major airport to New Paltz. It is located in Newburgh, thirty minutes to the south.
Pedestrian
The Wallkill Valley Rail TrailWallkill Valley Rail Trail
The Wallkill Valley Rail Trail is a rail trail and linear park that runs along the former Wallkill Valley Railroad rail corridor in Ulster County, New York. , it stretches from Gardiner through New Paltz, crossing the Wallkill River as it reaches Rosendale...
is on the bed of the Wallkill Valley Rail transport
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
, the former main transportation link for New Paltz.
The Village and Town have a joint Bicycle-Pedestrian Committee that focuses on improving non-motorized transportation in the area.
Rail travel
The Wallkill Valley Railroad, founded in 1866, stretched from Montgomery to Kingston. Its route included a station in New Paltz, which has since closed. The former New Paltz railroad station, now called La StazioneLa Stazione
La stazione is a 1952 Italian film directed by Valerio Zurlini....
, was originally built in 1870, rebuilt after a 1907 fire, and sold to private interests in 1959. The building was in a state of disrepair by the early 1980s, but renovated in 1988 and converted to an Italian restaurant in 1999.
The nearest active railroad station is the Poughkeepsie Metro-North station
Poughkeepsie (Metro-North station)
The Poughkeepsie Metro-North Railroad station serves Poughkeepsie, New York and surrounding areas as the north end of the Hudson Line. It is also served by many Amtrak trains, which continue north to Albany and points beyond, and south to New York City's Pennsylvania Station. Trains leave for New...
, which is the terminus for the Metro-North Railroad
Metro-North Railroad
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
's Hudson Line. The Hudson Line stretches from Poughkeepsie to Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
in 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...
. Poughkeepsie is a 15-20 minute drive east of New Paltz, and taxis and UCAT
Ulster County Area Transit
Ulster County Area Transit is the county-owned operator of bus transportation in Ulster County, New York, providing fixed-route, deviated-fixed route, and commuter transit, except within the city of Kingston, where the local Kingston Citibus provides public transit.-Service area:UCAT provides...
buses are available to transport travelers to and from New Paltz. Trains run from very early in the morning until late into the evening.
Transportation Plan
In 2006, the Town and Village paid for a Transportation Study to analyze the transportation needs of the area. The study's suggestions included turning Main Street into a one-way route and improving bicycle and pedestrian access. An implementation committee was appointed in 2007 to study ways to use the plan.See also
External links
- Village of New Paltz Official Site
- New Paltz Community Information
- Historic Huguenot Street a National Historic Landmark District featuring early 18th century stone houses, a library of genealogical information about the founding families and their descendants and substantial Archives
- Elting Library contains a special local history collection
- State University of New York at New Paltz