Piermont, New York
Encyclopedia
Piermont is a village in Rockland County
, New York
, United States
. Piermont is in the town of Orangetown
, located north of the hamlet of Palisades
; east of Sparkill
and south of Grand View-on-Hudson
, on the west bank of the Hudson River
. The population was 2,607 at the 2000 census.
The village's name, in earlier years known as Tappan Landing, was given by Dr. Eleazar Lord, author, educator, deacon of the First Protestant Dutch Church and first president of the Erie Railroad
. It was derived by combining a local natural feature – Tallman Mountain
– and the most prominent man-made feature of the village – the long Erie Railroad pier.
, providing easy access to the fertile valley of the unnavigable upper Hackensack River
. "Tappan Landing," "Tappan Slote", or "Taulman Landing," as the little port
was called, thus became the original port for southern Orange County. The valley in the Palisades
created by the creek also provided a way for the Erie Railroad
to easily reach the Hudson, and the railroad built a long pier in 1839 as its principal terminal. The pier and the nearby mountains suggested a new name for the community, which was incorporated as a village in 1850. The pier was a major embarkation point for World War II
troops traveling from Camp Shanks
to the European Theater.
Late in the 20th century, Piermont became a modest tourist attraction
for day-tripper
s from New York City, particularly those bicycling on Bike Route 9.
, located on Ash Street, is a Victorian stick-style structure built in 1873 which served as Piermont's stop for the former Erie Railroad
line, which went from Nyack
to Jersey City, New Jersey
. The Erie Railroad line stopped running through Piermont in 1966. The rail branch was abandoned in the 1970s as a result of railroad consolidation.
The exterior of the building was renovated to its original architecture and French gray, light-green and oxide-red color scheme in 2006 by the Piermont Historical Society. They replaced the roof and installed a new 9 feet (2.7 m) cupola. The train station was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2006.
, providing fire, EMS, and Water Rescue services, is located on Main Street. Piermont is one of the few districts in Rockland county having a Dive Rescue
team, providing water rescue services from the Tappan Zee Bridge to the Palisades. In June 2011, a civil suit was filed against the Piermont Fire Department alleging sexual assault of new firefighters. The suit has not yet been resolved.
was originally built in 1880 by The King Iron Bridge Company
, a Cleveland
company in the state of Ohio
that constructed more than 10,000 bridges over six decades. The hand-cranked drawbridge is used as a pedestrian
walkway providing a link to Tallman Mountain State Park
. This bridge is the only hand-cranked drawbridge in Rockland County and perhaps in the United States. Back in the day, fishermen on sloops heading up and down the creek, got out of their vessel, cranked up the drawbridge, sailed across, got out of their vessel and cranked down the drawbridge for vehicular traffic. The whole bridge was dismantled piece by piece, sent off-site for restoration and restored to its original state after a complete forensic analysis. Allan King Sloan, the great-great-grandson of the company's founder, provided some of the information that is on the historical marker nearby and attended the dedication ceremony on August 7, 2009.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²), of which, 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (41.74%) is water.
Piermont is on the west bank of the Hudson River, south of the Tappan Zee Bridge
.
of 2000, there were 2,607 people, 1,189 households, and 672 families residing in the village. The population density
was 3,878.9 people per square mile (1,502.3/km²). There were 1,320 housing units at an average density of 1,964.0 per square mile (760.7/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 78.75% White, 4.72% Black, 0.19% Native American, 7.79% Asian, 5.49% from other races
, and 3.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.62% of the population.
There were 1,189 households out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples
living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.4% were non-families. 35.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the village the population was spread out with 19.2% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 30.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 100.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $61,591, and the median income for a family was $89,846. Males had a median income of $50,659 versus $43,176 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $43,731. About 3.0% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.5% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.
Also the Onderdonk house located on the corner of piermont ave and Rightie St. - Home to George Washington while traveling thru to Tappan.
Rockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Piermont is in the town of Orangetown
Orangetown, New York
Orangetown is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States located in the southeast part of the county. It is northwest of New York City; north of New Jersey; east of the town of Ramapo; south of the town of Clarkstown; west of the Hudson River. The population was 47,711 at the 2000 census.-...
, located north of the hamlet of Palisades
Palisades, New York
Palisades, formerly known as Sneden's Landing, is a hamlet in the Town of Orangetown in Rockland County, New York, United States, located north of Rockleigh and Alpine, New Jersey; east of Tappan; south of Sparkill; and west of the Hudson River....
; east of Sparkill
Sparkill, New York
Sparkill, formerly known as Tappan Sloat, is an affluent, suburban hamlet in the Town of Orangetown, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Palisades; east of Tappan; south of Piermont and west of the Hudson River...
and south of Grand View-on-Hudson
Grand View-on-Hudson, New York
Grand View-on-Hudson is a village in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Piermont; east of Orangeburg; south of South Nyack and west of the Hudson River. The population, one of the most affluent incorporated communities in the United States, was 284 at the 2000 census. The...
, on the west bank of 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...
. The population was 2,607 at the 2000 census.
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
. It was derived by combining a local natural feature – Tallman Mountain
Tallman Mountain State Park
Tallman Mountain State Park is a New York State Park located in the Town of Orangetown in Rockland County, New York, adjacent to the Hudson River. It is located just south of Piermont and includes part of Piermont Marsh, which is included in the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve...
– and the most prominent man-made feature of the village – the long Erie Railroad pier.
History
Sparkill Creek cuts through the north end of the Hudson PalisadesNew Jersey Palisades
The Palisades, also called the New Jersey Palisades or the Hudson Palisades are a line of steep cliffs along the west side of the lower Hudson River in northeastern New Jersey and southern New York in the United States. The cliffs stretch north from Jersey City approximately 20 mi to near...
, providing easy access to the fertile valley of the unnavigable upper Hackensack River
Hackensack River
The Hackensack River is a river, approximately 45 miles long, in the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, emptying into Newark Bay, a back chamber of New York Harbor. The watershed of the river includes part of the suburban area outside New York City just west of the lower Hudson River,...
. "Tappan Landing," "Tappan Slote", or "Taulman Landing," as the little port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
was called, thus became the original port for southern Orange County. The valley in the Palisades
New Jersey Palisades
The Palisades, also called the New Jersey Palisades or the Hudson Palisades are a line of steep cliffs along the west side of the lower Hudson River in northeastern New Jersey and southern New York in the United States. The cliffs stretch north from Jersey City approximately 20 mi to near...
created by the creek also provided a way for the Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
to easily reach the Hudson, and the railroad built a long pier in 1839 as its principal terminal. The pier and the nearby mountains suggested a new name for the community, which was incorporated as a village in 1850. The pier was a major embarkation point for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
troops traveling from Camp Shanks
Camp Shanks
Camp Shanks, named after Major General David Carey Shanks was a United States Army installation in and around Orangeburg in the Town of Orangetown, New York. Situated near the juncture of the Erie Railroad and the Hudson River, it served as a point of embarkation for troops departing overseas...
to the European Theater.
Late in the 20th century, Piermont became a modest tourist attraction
Tourist destination
A tourist destination is a city, town, or other area that is dependent to a significant extent on the revenues accruing from tourism. It may contain one or more tourist attractions and possibly some "tourist traps."...
for day-tripper
Day-tripper
A day-tripper is a person who visits a tourist destination or visitor attraction from his/her home and returns home on the same day.- Definition :In other words, this excursion does not involve a night away from home such as experienced on a holiday...
s from New York City, particularly those bicycling on Bike Route 9.
Piermont Station
Piermont Railroad StationPiermont Railroad Station
Piermont Railroad Station is a historic train station located at Piermont in Rockland County, New York. It was built about 1873 by the Northern Railroad of New Jersey, later acquired by the Erie Railroad. It is a -story, light frame building above a stone foundation...
, located on Ash Street, is a Victorian stick-style structure built in 1873 which served as Piermont's stop for the former Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
line, which went from Nyack
Nyack, New York
Nyack is a village in the towns of Orangetown and Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York, United States, located north of South Nyack; east of Central Nyack; south of Upper Nyack and west of the Hudson River, approximately 19 miles north of the Manhattan boundary, it is an inner suburb of New...
to Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
. The Erie Railroad line stopped running through Piermont in 1966. The rail branch was abandoned in the 1970s as a result of railroad consolidation.
The exterior of the building was renovated to its original architecture and French gray, light-green and oxide-red color scheme in 2006 by the Piermont Historical Society. They replaced the roof and installed a new 9 feet (2.7 m) cupola. The train station was placed 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...
in 2006.
Piermont Fire Department
Piermont Fire Department, Rockland County department 13, is an all volunteer fire departmentVolunteer fire department
See also the Firefighter article and its respective sections regarding VFDs in other countries.A volunteer fire department is a fire department composed of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction.The first organized force of...
, providing fire, EMS, and Water Rescue services, is located on Main Street. Piermont is one of the few districts in Rockland county having a Dive Rescue
Diver rescue
thumb|right|Beaching a casualty while providing artificial respirationDiver rescue, following an accident, is the process of avoiding or limiting further exposure to diving hazards and bringing a SCUBA diver to safety...
team, providing water rescue services from the Tappan Zee Bridge to the Palisades. In June 2011, a civil suit was filed against the Piermont Fire Department alleging sexual assault of new firefighters. The suit has not yet been resolved.
Piermont hand-cranked drawbridge
The Piermont hand-cranked drawbridgeDrawbridge
A drawbridge is a type of movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a castle surrounded by a moat. The term is often used to describe all different types of movable bridges, like bascule bridges and lift bridges.-Castle drawbridges:...
was originally built in 1880 by The King Iron Bridge Company
King Bridge Company
The King Iron Bridge & Manufacturing Company was a late-19th-century bridge building company located in Cleveland, Ohio. It was founded by Zenas King in 1858 and subsequently managed by his sons, James A. King and Harry W. King and then his grandson, Norman C. King, until the mid-1920s...
, a Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
company in the state of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
that constructed more than 10,000 bridges over six decades. The hand-cranked drawbridge is used as a pedestrian
Pedestrian
A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In some communities, those traveling using roller skates or skateboards are also considered to be pedestrians. In modern times, the term mostly refers to someone walking on a road or footpath, but this was not the case...
walkway providing a link to Tallman Mountain State Park
Tallman Mountain State Park
Tallman Mountain State Park is a New York State Park located in the Town of Orangetown in Rockland County, New York, adjacent to the Hudson River. It is located just south of Piermont and includes part of Piermont Marsh, which is included in the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve...
. This bridge is the only hand-cranked drawbridge in Rockland County and perhaps in the United States. Back in the day, fishermen on sloops heading up and down the creek, got out of their vessel, cranked up the drawbridge, sailed across, got out of their vessel and cranked down the drawbridge for vehicular traffic. The whole bridge was dismantled piece by piece, sent off-site for restoration and restored to its original state after a complete forensic analysis. Allan King Sloan, the great-great-grandson of the company's founder, provided some of the information that is on the historical marker nearby and attended the dedication ceremony on August 7, 2009.
Geography
Piermont is located at 41°2′26"N 73°55′8"W (41.040623, -73.918788).According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²), of which, 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (41.74%) is water.
Piermont is on the west bank of the Hudson River, south of the Tappan Zee Bridge
Tappan Zee Bridge
The Governor Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge, usually referred to as Tappan Zee Bridge, is a cantilever bridge in New York over the Hudson River at one of its widest points; the Tappan Zee is named for an American Indian tribe from the area called "Tappan"; and zee being the Dutch word for "sea"....
.
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 2,607 people, 1,189 households, and 672 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 3,878.9 people per square mile (1,502.3/km²). There were 1,320 housing units at an average density of 1,964.0 per square mile (760.7/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 78.75% White, 4.72% Black, 0.19% Native American, 7.79% Asian, 5.49% 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 11.62% of the population.
There were 1,189 households out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% 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, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.4% were non-families. 35.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the village the population was spread out with 19.2% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 30.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 100.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $61,591, and the median income for a family was $89,846. Males had a median income of $50,659 versus $43,176 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 $43,731. About 3.0% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.5% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.
Notable residents
- Olsen, Paul E. - Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
and member of the National Academy of SciencesUnited States National Academy of SciencesThe National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
. - Stroud, Eleanor - Looked after the children who ice skated at the pond and served hot chocolate, coffee, hot dogs and cookies from a nearby shed. Eleanor Stroud Park was named in her honor.
Historical markers
- Bogertown - 102 Paradise Avenue
- Sneden House - 38 Paradise Avenue
- Dederer Stone House or Stonehurst
Also the Onderdonk house located on the corner of piermont ave and Rightie St. - Home to George Washington while traveling thru to Tappan.
Landmarks and places of interest
- Dederer Stone House or Stonehurst
- Eleanor Stroud Park - A pond and small surrounding park next to Sparkill Creek and under the U.S. Route 9WU.S. Route 9WU.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...
viaduct. The park is named after a woman who lived near the pond on Ferdon Avenue. For decades she looked after the children who ice skated at the pond and served hot chocolate, coffee, hot dogs and cookies from a nearby shed. The pond is free to the public and open until 9 PM every day the green signal flag is posted. - Haddock's HallHaddock's HallHaddock's Hall is a historic commercial building located at Piermont in Rockland County, New York. It was built about 1875 and is a two story, three bay wide, brick commercial / civic building. It features a three story tower. It was originally constructed for use as a store, warehouse, and...
- 300 Ferdon Avenue (NRHP) - Onderdonk HouseOnderdonk HouseOnderdonk House, also known as Haring House and Arie Smith-Onderdonk House, is a historic home located at Piermont in Rockland County, New York. It was built over three periods of construction: about 1737, about 1810, and about 1867. It consists of a -story gable-roofed main block and a -story...
- 758 Piermont Avenue (NRHP) - Piermont Railroad StationPiermont Railroad StationPiermont Railroad Station is a historic train station located at Piermont in Rockland County, New York. It was built about 1873 by the Northern Railroad of New Jersey, later acquired by the Erie Railroad. It is a -story, light frame building above a stone foundation...
- Ash Street (NRHP) - The Piermont Historical Society
- Rockland Road BridgeRockland Road BridgeRockland Road Bridge is a historic stone and brick arch bridge located at Piermont in Rockland County, New York. It was built in 1874 and spans Sparkill Creek, a tributary of the Hudson River.It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005....
- between Piermont & Ferdon Avenue. (NRHP) - Sneden House - 38 Paradise Avenue
- Sparkill Creek DrawbridgeSparkill Creek DrawbridgeSparkill Creek Drawbridge is a historic Pratt Pony Truss drawbridge located at Piermont in Rockland County, New York. It was built in 1880 by the King Iron Bridge Company of Cleveland Ohio and is a single-leaf movable metal bridge...
- Bridge Street (NRHP) - Swamp Church - Carteret Avenue (St Charles A. M. E. Zion Church) In 1865 the black community around the Slote attended the Swamp Church at Skunk Hollow pastored by "Reverend Billy" Thompson.
- "Last Stop USA" memorial statue that honors the soldiers that died in WW II. Piermont Pier was the area of disembarkation for soldiers heading to Europe.
Organizations
- Dennis P. McHugh Piermont Public Library
- Piermont Rowing Club
- Chess Club
- Piermont Historical Society