Wassaic, New York
Encyclopedia
Wassaic is a hamlet in the Town of Amenia
, Dutchess County
, New York
in the United States
.
Wassaic is located in southeast New York State and surrounded by the East and West Mountains and along the Tenmile River.
The name of the hamlet means Washaic, or "land of difficult access," by the Native Americans.
Wassaic is home to the Wassaic Project, a non-profit arts and music organization. They provide summer programming as well as run an artist in residence program.
Wassaic's main employers in the 19th century were Gridley Iron Works and the Harlem
division of the New York Central Railroad
. In 1861 Gail Borden
opened a factory for producing a milk that would not need refrigeration. Today, it is known as Borden's Eagle Brand Condensed Milk. Wassaic was also known for dairy sheep and grain farming.
In the Revolutionary War
, General George Washington
marched through Wassaic on the way to Connecticut
.
Wassaic
is the terminal and final station of Metro-North Railroad
's Harlem Line. The station, once located in the hamlet, has been moved to state highway
s 22
and 343
a mile north of it.
Amenia (town), New York
Amenia is a town in Dutchess County, United States. New York, United States. The population was 4,048 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the Latin word, amoena, which means "pleasant to the eye."...
, Dutchess County
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...
, 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...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Wassaic is located in southeast New York State and surrounded by the East and West Mountains and along the Tenmile River.
The name of the hamlet means Washaic, or "land of difficult access," by the Native Americans.
Wassaic is home to the Wassaic Project, a non-profit arts and music organization. They provide summer programming as well as run an artist in residence program.
Wassaic's main employers in the 19th century were Gridley Iron Works and the Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
division of the New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
. In 1861 Gail Borden
Gail Borden
Gail Borden, Jr. was a 19th century U.S. inventor, surveyor, and publisher, and was the inventor of condensed milk in 1853.- Early years :...
opened a factory for producing a milk that would not need refrigeration. Today, it is known as Borden's Eagle Brand Condensed Milk. Wassaic was also known for dairy sheep and grain farming.
In the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, General George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
marched through Wassaic on the way to 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...
.
Wassaic
Wassaic (Metro-North station)
The Wassaic Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of Wassaic, New York as the northern terminal of the Harlem Line. Trains leave for New York City every two hours, and about every 30 minutes during rush hour...
is the terminal and final station of 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 Harlem Line. The station, once located in the hamlet, has been moved to state highway
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
s 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...
and 343
New York State Route 343
New York State Route 343 is a state highway located entirely within central Dutchess County, in the Hudson Valley region of the U.S. state of New York. It runs east–west from the intersection of NY 82 in the village of Millbrook to the Connecticut state line in the town of Amenia, where...
a mile north of it.