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Montgomery (town), New York
Encyclopedia
Montgomery is a town
in Orange County
, New York
, United States
. The population was 20,891 at the 2000 census. It was named in honor of Richard Montgomery
, an American Revolutionary War
general killed in 1775 at the Battle of Quebec
.
The Town of Montgomery is in the northern part of the county at the county line shared by Ulster County
. Montgomery is immediately west of the Town of Newburgh
.
It contains three villages, one also called Montgomery
, as well as Walden
and most of Maybrook
.
The town was originally established as "Hanover" in 1772, but became the Town of Montgomery in 1782.
The community of Montgomery set itself off by incorporating
as a village in 1810, and in 1855, the community of Walden incorporated also. Maybrook was the last village to incorporate, in 1926.
and on the north by the Town of Shawangunk
in Ulster County.The Town of Crawford
is to the west. The towns of Wallkill
, Hamptonburgh
and New Windsor
, from east to west, border on the south.
The village of Walden is located in the north central portion of town. Montgomery is close to the center, and Maybrook is in the southeast corner. There are no significant year-round settlements outside of the villages; there is a summer colony
around Lake Osiris in the northern section of town. Some inhabitants of Lake Osiris have made it their permanent residence.
The town's topography
is generally level and low, except along parts of its eastern and western boundaries, reflecting the passage of the Wallkill River
through it from north to west. There are large swamp
s in the south portion of town, some of them draining into the Otter Kill
. Further north, the land becomes drier and more arable. It is mostly farmed, used for small residential subdivisions or left as undeveloped open space
. There are a few exceptions: the business park
s along Bracken, Neelytown and Stone Castle roads and NY 208
, several of the Valley Central
schools, the large Shop Rite plaza on Goodwill Road and Orange County Airport
.
Two areas along the river have been set aside as parks. The county's Winding Hills Park
is partially within Montgomery, as are portions of two larger state-level protected area
s: Highland Lakes State Park
and Stewart State Forest.
The Wallkill River
is the town's major watercourse, flowing through it from south to north past both the villages Montgomery and Walden, also partially serving as its border with Hamptonburgh. Two of its tributaries
flow through Montgomery as well. The Muddy Kill
, located entirely within the town, drains the area below the Comfort Hills in west central Montgomery. Tin Brook
, the Wallkill's only major eastern tributary, rises just southeast of the town and flows north, then west, through Walden to drain into the river just north of the village.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 51.1 square miles (132.3 km²), of which, 50.4 square miles (130.6 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.7 km²) of it (1.25%) is water. The highest point in the town is the U.S. Geological Survey's Garrison benchmark
at a corner of the Ulster County line on Kings Hill, at 820 feet (249.9 m) above sea level; this is also the highest point in the neighboring Town of Newburgh
as well. The lowest elevation is 240 feet (73.2 m), where the Wallkill River
flows across the northern town and county line.
(later part of Penn Central) had a major presence north of Maybrook, and the Wallkill Valley Railroad (later absorbed into the New York Central
) ran through Montgomery and Walden, connecting to the Erie Railroad
mainline at Goshen
. Nowadays the rail lines have been reduced to freight spurs or the Walden–Wallkill Rail Trail, and roads have taken over their role.
of 2000, there were 20,891 people, 7,273 households, and 5,447 families residing in the town. The population density
was 414.2 people per square mile (159.9/km²). There were 7,643 housing units at an average density of 151.5 per square mile (58.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 91.28% White, 3.69% Black or African American
, 0.25% Native American, 0.68% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 2.35% from other races
, and 1.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.75% of the population.
There were 7,273 households out of which 40.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.3% were married couples
living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.1% were non-families. 20.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.28.
In the town the population was spread out with 29.3% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $49,422, and the median income for a family was $56,376. Males had a median income of $40,881 versus $29,163 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $20,222. About 4.6% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Orange County
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...
, 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...
. The population was 20,891 at the 2000 census. It was named in honor of Richard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery was an Irish-born soldier who first served in the British Army. He later became a brigadier-general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and he is most famous for leading the failed 1775 invasion of Canada.Montgomery was born and raised in Ireland...
, an American 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 killed in 1775 at the Battle of Quebec
Battle of Quebec (1775)
The Battle of Quebec was fought on December 31, 1775 between American Continental Army forces and the British defenders of the city of Quebec, early in the American Revolutionary War. The battle was the first major defeat of the war for the Americans, and it came at a high price...
.
The Town of Montgomery is in the northern part of the county at the county line shared by Ulster County
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...
. Montgomery is immediately west of the Town of 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...
.
It contains three villages, one also called Montgomery
Montgomery (village), New York
Montgomery is a village located in Orange County, New York, United States, 60 miles northwest of New York City, and 90 miles southwest of Albany. The population was 3,636 at the 2000 census...
, as well as Walden
Walden, New York
Walden is the largest of three villages of the Town of Montgomery in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 6,978 at the 2010 census. It has the ZIP Code 12586 and the 778 telephone exchange within the 845 area code...
and most of Maybrook
Maybrook, New York
Maybrook is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 3,084 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...
.
History
The early town began as a patent to Henry Wileman in 1710, who was the first settler. He was the first of a group of Palatine Germans to emigrate and settle land around what is now the village of Montgomery.The town was originally established as "Hanover" in 1772, but became the Town of Montgomery in 1782.
The community of Montgomery set itself off by incorporating
Municipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
as a village in 1810, and in 1855, the community of Walden incorporated also. Maybrook was the last village to incorporate, in 1926.
Geography
Montgomery is bordered on the east by the Town of NewburghNewburgh (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 on the north by the Town of Shawangunk
Shawangunk, New York
Shawangunk is a town in southwestern Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 12,022 at the 2000 census. Like the neighboring mountain range, for which it is named, it is pronounced either as the Munsee Lenape, Shawangunk , or as the colonial Shongum by local residents...
in Ulster County.The Town of Crawford
Crawford, New York
Crawford is a town in Orange County, New York, USA. The population was 7,875 at the 2000 census. The name comes a settler who gave his name to a community in the town now called Pine Bush....
is to the west. The towns of Wallkill
Wallkill, Orange County, New York
Wallkill is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 24,659 at the 2000 census.The Town of Wallkill is centrally located in the county. Interstate 84 crosses New York State Route 17 in the southern part of the town. U.S...
, Hamptonburgh
Hamptonburgh, New York
Hamptonburgh is a town located in the northern part of Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 4,686 at the 2000 census. The name was provided by an early settler, William Bull....
and New Windsor
New Windsor, New York
New Windsor is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was estimated at 25,244 in 2010 by the US Census.The Town of New Windsor is in the eastern part of the county, bordering the Town of Newburgh and the City of Newburgh....
, from east to west, border on the south.
The village of Walden is located in the north central portion of town. Montgomery is close to the center, and Maybrook is in the southeast corner. There are no significant year-round settlements outside of the villages; there is a summer colony
Summer colony
The term summer colony is often used, particularly in the United States and Canada, to describe well-known resorts and upper-class enclaves, typically located near the ocean or mountains of New England or the Great Lakes...
around Lake Osiris in the northern section of town. Some inhabitants of Lake Osiris have made it their permanent residence.
The town's topography
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
is generally level and low, except along parts of its eastern and western boundaries, reflecting the passage 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....
through it from north to west. There are large swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
s in the south portion of town, some of them draining into the Otter Kill
Otter Kill
Otter Kill is a tributary of Moodna Creek that flows through central Orange County, New York, in the United States. Via the Moodna, which it forms at a confluence with Cromline Creek north of the village of Washingtonville, its waters eventually reach the Hudson River.The Otter Kill flows...
. Further north, the land becomes drier and more arable. It is mostly farmed, used for small residential subdivisions or left as undeveloped open space
Open space reserve
Open space reserve, open space preserve, and open space reservation, are planning and conservation ethics terms used to describe areas of protected or conserved land or water on which development is indefinitely set aside...
. There are a few exceptions: the business park
Business park
A business park or office park is an area of land in which many office buildings are grouped together. All of the work that goes on is commercial, not industrial or residential....
s along Bracken, Neelytown and Stone Castle roads and NY 208
New York State Route 208
New York State Route 208 is a state highway located in southern New York in the United States. The southern terminus is at an intersection with NY 17M in the Orange County village of Monroe...
, several of the Valley Central
Valley Central School District
The Valley Central School District serves most of the Town of Montgomery in Orange County, New York, United States, and its three villages: Maybrook, Montgomery and Walden. Students also come from adjacent areas of the towns of Newburgh, Crawford, Wallkill, Hamptonburgh, and New Windsor...
schools, the large Shop Rite plaza on Goodwill Road and Orange County Airport
Orange County Airport (New York)
New York’s Orange County Airport is an untowered general aviation airport located 1 mile southwest of village of Montgomery, in the Town of Montgomery, New York...
.
Two areas along the river have been set aside as parks. The county's Winding Hills Park
Winding Hills Park
Winding Hills Park is located off NY 17K in the Comfort Hills two miles west of the village of Montgomery, New York, United States, straddling the Montgomery-Crawford town line. It is a area centered around Diamond Lake that is primarily used for outdoor recreation.Much of the park is wooded,...
is partially within Montgomery, as are portions of two larger state-level protected area
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
s: Highland Lakes State Park
Highland Lakes State Park
Highland Lakes State Park is a state park in the State of New York, USA. The park is located in Orange County north of New York City.The park is west of Middletown on Route 211.The park offers hiking, fishing and a bridle path...
and Stewart State Forest.
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....
is the town's major watercourse, flowing through it from south to north past both the villages Montgomery and Walden, also partially serving as its border with Hamptonburgh. Two of its tributaries
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
flow through Montgomery as well. The Muddy Kill
Muddy Kill
Muddy Kill is a tributary of the Wallkill River that runs entirely through the town of Montgomery in Orange County, New York, USA. It rises from a small pond just over a mile west of the village of Walden, flowing first southwesterly then roughly due south to empty into the Wallkill just upstream...
, located entirely within the town, drains the area below the Comfort Hills in west central Montgomery. Tin Brook
Tin Brook
Tin Brook is an tributary of the Wallkill River almost entirely located in the town of Montgomery in Orange County, New York, United States. Near its mouth it flows through the village of Walden...
, the Wallkill's only major eastern tributary, rises just southeast of the town and flows north, then west, through Walden to drain into the river just north of the village.
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 town has a total area of 51.1 square miles (132.3 km²), of which, 50.4 square miles (130.6 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.7 km²) of it (1.25%) is water. The highest point in the town is the U.S. Geological Survey's Garrison benchmark
Benchmark (surveying)
The term bench mark, or benchmark, originates from the chiseled horizontal marks that surveyors made in stone structures, into which an angle-iron could be placed to form a "bench" for a leveling rod, thus ensuring that a leveling rod could be accurately repositioned in the same place in the future...
at a corner of the Ulster County line on Kings Hill, at 820 feet (249.9 m) above sea level; this is also the highest point in the neighboring Town of 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...
as well. The lowest elevation is 240 feet (73.2 m), where 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....
flows across the northern town and county line.
Transportation
Montgomery calls itself "The Transportation Hub of the Northeast" from the days when the New York, New Haven and Hartford RailroadNew York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
(later part of Penn Central) had a major presence north of Maybrook, and the Wallkill Valley Railroad (later absorbed into the New York Central
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...
) ran through Montgomery and Walden, connecting to 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...
mainline at Goshen
Goshen (village), New York
Goshen is a village in and the county seat of Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 5,676 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,...
. Nowadays the rail lines have been reduced to freight spurs or the Walden–Wallkill Rail Trail, and roads have taken over their role.
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 20,891 people, 7,273 households, and 5,447 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...
was 414.2 people per square mile (159.9/km²). There were 7,643 housing units at an average density of 151.5 per square mile (58.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 91.28% White, 3.69% 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...
, 0.25% Native American, 0.68% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 2.35% 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 1.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.75% of the population.
There were 7,273 households out of which 40.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.3% 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, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.1% were non-families. 20.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.28.
In the town the population was spread out with 29.3% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $49,422, and the median income for a family was $56,376. Males had a median income of $40,881 versus $29,163 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 town was $20,222. About 4.6% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in the Town of Montgomery
- Allards (formerly "Allards Corners") – A hamletHamlet (place)A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
near the north town line. - Berea – A hamlet east of Montgomery village on NY-17K, west of Coldenham.
- Coldenham – A hamlet east of Montgomery village on NY-17K.
- MaybrookMaybrook, New YorkMaybrook is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 3,084 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...
– Most of the Village of Maybrook is located in the southern part of the town on NY-208. - MontgomeryMontgomery (village), New YorkMontgomery is a village located in Orange County, New York, United States, 60 miles northwest of New York City, and 90 miles southwest of Albany. The population was 3,636 at the 2000 census...
– The Village of Montgomery is located near the center of the town at the intersection of NY-17K and NY-211. - Morrison Heights – A hamlet north of Maybrook by Interstate 84.
- Scotts Corners – A hamlet immediately east of Montgomery village, located at the intersection of NY-17K and NY-208.
- WaldenWalden, New YorkWalden is the largest of three villages of the Town of Montgomery in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 6,978 at the 2010 census. It has the ZIP Code 12586 and the 778 telephone exchange within the 845 area code...
– The Village of Walden is in the northern part of the town by the Wallkill River and NY-208.