Tuxedo, New York
Encyclopedia
Tuxedo is a town located in Orange County, New York
. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 3,334. The town is in the southeastern part of the county. NY Route 17
and the New York State Thruway
(Interstate 87
) pass through the town. The name is derived from a native word tucseto, which has several known meanings.
in neighboring Ringwood, New Jersey
. Several served in the Revolutionary War
, which brought the 1779 construction of Continental Road from Eagle Valley through the present-day village of Tuxedo Park
to what is now Route 17 near Warwick Brook Road. The first industry in Tuxedo was the Augusta Forge at the falls on the Ramapo
, founded by Solomon Townsend
in 1783.
The town of Southfield (now part of the town of Tuxedo) was renamed Monroe in 1808. The area of Tuxedo still known as Southfields contained an active iron forge, its ruins visible today. The oldest structure in Tuxedo to be documented is the Adam Belcher house. Dating from 1790, it still stands in Southfields.
, who was in the tobacco business. He used the tract for lumbering, especially important for the wood-fired Erie Railroad
, which was built in 1841.
In the southern part of Tuxedo, known as Eagle Valley, farming took place, as well as just south of Lake Mombasha in areas named Helmsburg and Bramertown after early settlers. In the northern part of town, in the area known as Arden, the Greenwood Furnace was established in 1810. During the Civil War, this forge produced the iron for the famous Parrott rifle
s, which were built at the West Point Foundry
by the Parrott Brothers, then owners of the Greenwood tract. The Parrotts built St. John's Episcopal Church in Arden in 1863. The cemetery along Route 17 in Arden was associated with St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, built there in 1867 and now gone. The Southfields Methodist Church was built in 1848. By the 1890s, the iron industry had faded away due to the discovery of surface beds of iron
in Minnesota.
In 1886, the grandson of Pierre Lorillard established Tuxedo Park on the family's land. Using land planner Ernest Bowditch of Boston and architect Bruce Price of New York, and with the help of 1,800 Italian and Slovakian laborers, in about eighteen months twenty miles (32 km) of roads, a gate, a clubhouse, and three dams, were created launching a resort which attracted a number of the financial, industrial and social leaders of the day.
Over the first thirty years, more than 250 houses and stables were built in Tuxedo Park, as well as over 100 homes, retail stores, and service establishments in the so-called hamlet. Three churches, all still standing (one is the Tuxedo Historical Society today), a train station, a library, and a post office were also built, as well as a school and a hospital.
The town of Tuxedo was established twice from the town of Monroe. First, in 1863 as the town of Southfields by the Orange County Board of Supervisors, the legislative body of the county at the time. The decision of the supervisors was reversed in 1865 and the area comprising present day Tuxedo was returned to Monroe. The Board of Supervisors re-enacted the separation on December 19, 1889. The act officially came in to existence on March 4, 1890. By 1915, 3,636 people lived in Tuxedo, about 20% more than were reported in the 1990 Census.
A major shift in landholding in Tuxedo came about after 1910 when Mrs. W. A. Harriman
gave $1 million and 10000 acres (40.5 km²) of her family's land to the Palisades Interstate Park Commission. State purchase of farm and forest land from scores of owners, often by eminent domain, has resulted in the present Bear Mountain
-Harriman State Park, which occupies about 12,500 of Tuxedo's 30700 acres (124.2 km²). In 1956, the Harrimans sold their Sterling Mine and Railroad Company tract to City Investing Company (now Sterling Forest LLC), which, on its 8000 acres (32.4 km²) in the town of Tuxedo, began the developments of Maple Brook, Laurel Ridge, Clinton Woods and various offices and research centers.
In 1952, the area known as Tuxedo Park became an incorporated village. Today it comprises 2050 acres (8.3 km²), of which 355 acres (1.4 km²) is three lakes, and about 340 housing units in 320 structures. Other newer housing developments include the Southfields Apartments built in 1971 on the site of a former bed factory, the Mountain View Apartments near the Sloatsburg line, and the Woodlands in Eagle Valley. Non-residential facilities include International Paper's Research Center, the Red Apple Rest, and the Sterling Forest Ski Area.
The evening dress known as a "tuxedo
", the main component of "Black tie
", takes its name from Tuxedo Park.
, the town has a total area of 49.4 square miles (127.9 km²). 47.4 square miles (122.8 km²) of it is land and 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²) of it is water. The total area is 3.89% water.
The east town line is the border of Rockland County, New York
. The Ramapo River flows through the town, which is in the Ramapo Mountains
.
The New York State Thruway
and NY-17
pass through the town.
of 2000, there are 3,334 people, 1,337 households, and 962 families residing in the town. The population density
is 70.3 inhabitants per square mile (27.1/km²). There are 1,457 housing units at an average density of 30.7 per square mile (11.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town is 92.68% White, 1.23% African American, 0.33% Native American, 3.21% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.84% from other races, and 1.71% from two or more races. 4.26% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 3,334. The town is in the southeastern part of the county. NY Route 17
New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...
and the New York State Thruway
New York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
(Interstate 87
Interstate 87
Interstate 87 is a Interstate Highway located entirely within New York State in the United States of America. I-87 is the longest intrastate Interstate highway in the Interstate Highway System. Its southern end is at the Bronx approaches of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City...
) pass through the town. The name is derived from a native word tucseto, which has several known meanings.
History
The earliest occupants of what is now the town of Tuxedo were the Lenni-Lenape Indians, who named the largest lake in the town "Tucseto," meaning either "place of the bear" or "clear flowing water."1700s
18th century settlers were mainly employed at the nearby Stirling Iron WorksStirling Iron Works
The Sterling Iron Works owned by Peter Townsend was one of the first steel and iron manufacturer in the American colonies and the first steel producer in the colony of New York...
in neighboring Ringwood, New Jersey
Ringwood, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there are 12,396 people, 4,108 households, and 3,446 families residing in the borough. The population density is 491.0 people per square mile . There are 4,221 housing units at an average density of 167.2 per square mile...
. Several served in the Revolutionary War
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...
, which brought the 1779 construction of Continental Road from Eagle Valley through the present-day village of Tuxedo Park
Tuxedo Park, New York
Tuxedo Park is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 731 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...
to what is now Route 17 near Warwick Brook Road. The first industry in Tuxedo was the Augusta Forge at the falls on the Ramapo
Ramapo River
The Ramapo River is a tributary of the Pompton River, approximately 30 mi long, in southern New York and northern New Jersey in the United States.-Course:...
, founded by Solomon Townsend
Solomon Townsend
Solomon Townsend was a merchant ship’s captain prior to the American Revolution, owned an ironworks in New York State, and was a representative to the New York State Legislature. Stranded in London following the outbreak of hostilities, Townsend's passage back to America was facilitated by...
in 1783.
The town of Southfield (now part of the town of Tuxedo) was renamed Monroe in 1808. The area of Tuxedo still known as Southfields contained an active iron forge, its ruins visible today. The oldest structure in Tuxedo to be documented is the Adam Belcher house. Dating from 1790, it still stands in Southfields.
1800s
By 1812, the Augusta Forge went out of business and the 7000 acres (28.3 km²) Augusta Tract owned by Townsend was sold to Pierre Lorillard IVPierre Lorillard IV
Pierre Lorillard IV was an American tobacco manufacturer and thoroughbred race horse owner.-Biography:...
, who was in the tobacco business. He used the tract for lumbering, especially important for the wood-fired 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...
, which was built in 1841.
In the southern part of Tuxedo, known as Eagle Valley, farming took place, as well as just south of Lake Mombasha in areas named Helmsburg and Bramertown after early settlers. In the northern part of town, in the area known as Arden, the Greenwood Furnace was established in 1810. During the Civil War, this forge produced the iron for the famous Parrott rifle
Parrott rifle
The Parrott rifle was a type of muzzle loading rifled artillery weapon used extensively in the American Civil War.-Parrott Rifle:The gun was invented by Robert Parker Parrott, a West Point graduate. He resigned from the service in 1836 and became the superintendent of the West Point Foundry in Cold...
s, which were built at the West Point Foundry
West Point Foundry
The West Point Foundry was an early ironworks in Cold Spring, New York that operated from 1817 to 1911. Set up to remedy deficiencies in national armaments production after the War of 1812, it became most famous for its production of Parrott rifles and other munitions during the Civil War, although...
by the Parrott Brothers, then owners of the Greenwood tract. The Parrotts built St. John's Episcopal Church in Arden in 1863. The cemetery along Route 17 in Arden was associated with St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, built there in 1867 and now gone. The Southfields Methodist Church was built in 1848. By the 1890s, the iron industry had faded away due to the discovery of surface beds of iron
Mesabi Range
The Mesabi Iron Range is a vast deposit of iron ore and the largest of four major iron ranges in the region collectively known as the Iron Range of Minnesota. Discovered in 1866, it is the chief deposit of iron ore in the United States. The deposit is located in northeast Minnesota, largely in...
in Minnesota.
In 1886, the grandson of Pierre Lorillard established Tuxedo Park on the family's land. Using land planner Ernest Bowditch of Boston and architect Bruce Price of New York, and with the help of 1,800 Italian and Slovakian laborers, in about eighteen months twenty miles (32 km) of roads, a gate, a clubhouse, and three dams, were created launching a resort which attracted a number of the financial, industrial and social leaders of the day.
Over the first thirty years, more than 250 houses and stables were built in Tuxedo Park, as well as over 100 homes, retail stores, and service establishments in the so-called hamlet. Three churches, all still standing (one is the Tuxedo Historical Society today), a train station, a library, and a post office were also built, as well as a school and a hospital.
The town of Tuxedo was established twice from the town of Monroe. First, in 1863 as the town of Southfields by the Orange County Board of Supervisors, the legislative body of the county at the time. The decision of the supervisors was reversed in 1865 and the area comprising present day Tuxedo was returned to Monroe. The Board of Supervisors re-enacted the separation on December 19, 1889. The act officially came in to existence on March 4, 1890. By 1915, 3,636 people lived in Tuxedo, about 20% more than were reported in the 1990 Census.
1900s
During the 1920s a new hospital and a high school were built through the generosity of a few Tuxedo Park residents. The Stock Market Crash of 1929 had a disproportionately negative effect on Tuxedo Park's affluence and a slow but severe decline in the community's fortunes set in, resulting in a population decline and the loss of such amenities as the hospital, the Masonic Temple (now the Town Hall), and many retail stores.A major shift in landholding in Tuxedo came about after 1910 when Mrs. W. A. Harriman
Mary Williamson Averell
Mary Williamson Averell was born in New York City into a prominent New York family. The only daughter, she was tutored at home and completed her education at a finishing school with the “…expectation that one day she would become a fine wife and mother for some young man of equal or greater social...
gave $1 million and 10000 acres (40.5 km²) of her family's land to the Palisades Interstate Park Commission. State purchase of farm and forest land from scores of owners, often by eminent domain, has resulted in the present Bear Mountain
Bear Mountain State Park
Bear Mountain State Park is located on the west side of the Hudson River in Orange and Rockland counties of New York. The park offers biking, hiking, boating, picnicking, swimming, cross-country skiing, cross-country running, sledding and ice skating...
-Harriman State Park, which occupies about 12,500 of Tuxedo's 30700 acres (124.2 km²). In 1956, the Harrimans sold their Sterling Mine and Railroad Company tract to City Investing Company (now Sterling Forest LLC), which, on its 8000 acres (32.4 km²) in the town of Tuxedo, began the developments of Maple Brook, Laurel Ridge, Clinton Woods and various offices and research centers.
In 1952, the area known as Tuxedo Park became an incorporated village. Today it comprises 2050 acres (8.3 km²), of which 355 acres (1.4 km²) is three lakes, and about 340 housing units in 320 structures. Other newer housing developments include the Southfields Apartments built in 1971 on the site of a former bed factory, the Mountain View Apartments near the Sloatsburg line, and the Woodlands in Eagle Valley. Non-residential facilities include International Paper's Research Center, the Red Apple Rest, and the Sterling Forest Ski Area.
The evening dress known as a "tuxedo
Tuxedo
A tuxedo is a type of semi-formal dress for men.Tuxedo may also refer to:-Places:Canada* Tuxedo, Winnipeg, Manitoba, a city neighborhood** Tuxedo , a provincial electoral district in Manitoba...
", the main component of "Black tie
Black tie
Black tie is a dress code for evening events and social functions. For a man, the main component is a usually black jacket, known as a dinner jacket or tuxedo...
", takes its name from Tuxedo Park.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 49.4 square miles (127.9 km²). 47.4 square miles (122.8 km²) of it is land and 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²) of it is water. The total area is 3.89% water.
The east town line is the border of Rockland County, New York
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...
. The Ramapo River flows through the town, which is in the Ramapo Mountains
Ramapo Mountains
The Ramapo Mountains are a forested chain of the Appalachian mountains in northeastern New Jersey and southeastern New York in the United States...
.
The New York State Thruway
New York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
and NY-17
New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...
pass through the town.
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 are 3,334 people, 1,337 households, and 962 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
is 70.3 inhabitants per square mile (27.1/km²). There are 1,457 housing units at an average density of 30.7 per square mile (11.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town is 92.68% White, 1.23% African American, 0.33% Native American, 3.21% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.84% from other races, and 1.71% from two or more races. 4.26% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Communities and locations in Tuxedo
- ArdenArden, New YorkArden, is a hamlet around the town line of Tuxedo and Monroe, New York, in the United States. It is roughly coterminous with the 10910 ZIP Code....
– A hamlet near the north town line. - Eagle Valley – A hamlet in the south part of the town.
- Harriman State Park – Part of the state parkState parkState parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
is in the town. - Indian Hill – A hamlet in the north part of the town.
- Southfields – A hamlet north of Tuxedo Park on highway NY-17.
- Sterling Forest – A hamlet north of Tuxedo Park on highway NY-17A. Location of Sterling Forest State ParkSterling Forest State ParkSterling Forest State Park is a 17,953 acre park located in the Ramapo Mountains in Orange County, New York established in 1998; it is among the larger additions to the New York state park system in the last 50 years...
. - Tuxedo Lake – A lakeLakeA lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in the south part of the town. - Tuxedo ParkTuxedo Park, New YorkTuxedo Park is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 731 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...
– A village in the south part of the town by highway NY-17.