Ramapo, New York
Encyclopedia
Ramapo formerly known as New Hempstead and then Hampstead, is a town in Rockland County
, New York
, United States
located north of New Jersey
; southeast of Orange County, New York
; south of the Town of Haverstraw
and west of the Town of Clarkstown
and the Town of Orangetown
. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 108,905.
The Town of Ramapo is in the southwest corner of Rockland County, consisting of about one-third of the county's land area. The name is of Native American
origin, meaning either "sweet water" or "sloping/slanting rocks".
In 2006 Money
magazine ranked Ramapo as the 49th best place in the United States and the best place in New York State to live. Arts and leisure, business, housing, low crime rates and open spaces/parkland determined the towns ranking. In the category of park space, percentage of land set aside for gardens and parks, the town finished first. The town received the highest rating and one of the best in the country for its open spaces and parkland.
On April 24, 2006 the Town of Ramapo was awarded the Outstanding Facility Award (Class 3) for communities with a population more than 75,000 for its community, health and sports center located in the village of Hillburn
.
Ramapo is run by a Town Supervisor, Christopher St. Lawrence. It is represented in the United States House of Representatives
by Eliot Engel. In state government it is represented by Senator David Carlucci
, and Assemblymembers Ellen Jaffee, Kenneth P. Zebrowski and Annie Rabbitt.
, Commander-in-Chief
George Washington
is said to have climbed the Ramapo Torne (near Ramapo hamlet) with a telescope to watch the movement of British ships off Sandy Hook.
The Town of Hempstead was formed from part of the Town of Haverstraw in 1791. In 1829 the name was changed to Ramapo.
The first railroad line across Rockland County was built in 1841 and ran from Piermont
to Ramapo. By 1851, the line was extended to Lake Erie
, and was considered an engineering marvel.
Ramapo Iron Works - Route 17, base of Terse Mountain, Ramapo - Producer of cut nails, wood screws, cotton cloth, and spring steel in first half of 19th century. Founder, Jeremiah H. Pierson
, was influential in building Nyack Turnpike and New York & Erie Railroad
across the county. Cotton mill still standing on east side of road.
In 1916, what would become State Route 59, which reached from Nyack
to Spring Valley
in 1915, was extended to Suffern
and Ramapo Hamlet.
See also the histories of Suffern and of Rockland County
.
There is a tale of an event years ago in Ramapo, New York. Two boys wanted to go to a high school dance. So they borrowed a car and drove off toward the high school. Along the road they came across a young girl who was hitch hiking. She told them her name was Lavender. She happened to also be wearing a lavender colored dress. She was on her way to the dance as well so they offered her a ride. They arrived at the dance, and one of the boys in particular was especially taken with Lavender and they danced the night away. His friend however, did not recall his friend being able to dance at all.
It was getting late and it was time to leave. When Lavender got into the car, one of the boys noticed that she was cold to the touch. He put his jacket around her to keep her warm. She told them where she lived and as they approached the bridge to cross into the village where she lived, she suddenly told them to stop and let her out at the bridge. They did so and they drove off. The next day, the boys realized that Lavender still had the boy’s jacket. They decided to drive to her village to find her and get it back. They started through the town stopping at each home asking if they knew Lavender. Each home told them they could not help them. Until finally they knocked on the door of an old lady’s house. She answered and told them that yes, she did know Lavender. She was her daughter. They told her she must have been mistaken because Lavender was much too young to be her daughter. She said “No, that sounds like her”. And she showed them a picture of her and sure enough it was her. However, she said Lavender died years ago when she was struck by a truck on the bridge on her way to the school dance. She told them that she was buried in the Ramapo cemetery. The boys did not believe her as they saw her just the night before.
On the way home they decided to stop by the cemetery and see for themselves if her grave was really there. As they walked into the cemetery, they saw the boy’s jacket hanging over a tombstone. It was the grave of Lavender.
, the town has a total area of 61.9 square miles (160.3 km²), of which, 61.2 square miles (158.5 km²) of it is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) of it (1.11%) is water.
The south town line is the border of New Jersey
and the west town line is the border of Orange County
. The break in the Ramapo Mountains
at Suffern formed by the Ramapo River
causes the town to be the site of the New York State Thruway
and I-287, New York State Route 17
, and a railroad line. The Palisades Interstate Parkway
also runs through the northeast corner of the town, with an exit at the Haverstraw
, New York
town line on the northern border.
Torne Mountain - Harriman State Park. - Highest peak in western Rockland County, overlooking the Ramapo Pass and remnants of once-thriving Ramapo Iron Works. During Revolution, the Torne served as a lookout for British ship movement on the Hudson. Legend tells that Gen. George Washington
lost his watch on the mountain, and it may still be heard ticking up there in a crevice of rock.
of 2000, there were 108,905 people, 31,561 households, and 24,870 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1,778.2 people per square mile (686.6/km²). There were 32,422 housing units at an average density of 529.4 per square mile (204.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 72.54% White, 17.04% African American, 0.32% Native American, 4.60% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.65% from other races
, and 2.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.19% of the population.
There were 31,561 households out of which 42.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.3% were married couples
living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.2% were non-families. 17.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.37 and the average family size was 3.82.
In the town the population was spread out with 33.6% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $60,352, and the median income for a family was $67,004. Males had a median income of $46,286 versus $34,632 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $22,868. About 11.5% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.3% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.
is in the hamlet of Viola
.
program. This program is made up of committees that raise funds and organize trips to Ramapo's twin towns around the world, providing local high school students the opportunity to experience life in other lands.
There are currently seven active twinning committees in Ramapo: African Twinning Committee (Ghana
) Chinese Twinning Committee (China
) Indian Twinning Committee (India
) Irish Twinning Committee (Doneraile
, Ireland
) Israeli Twinning Committee (Beit Shemesh, Israel
) Italian Twinning Committee (Andretta
, Italy
) Philippine-American Twinning Committee (Makati, the Philippines
)
This facility features, a turf multi-purpose field complete with stands to accommodate 1800 spectators complete with restrooms and concession stand, a separate climate controlled dome, 60 x 40 yard, turf practice area and also features, a three multi-purpose indoor court, a running track, cardio equipment, weight training machines, 2 racquetball courts, locker rooms, a computer room, and a dance/aerobic studio in a building which is WI-FI accessible.
Sports include football, lacrosse, soccer, baseball, and field hockey, as well as year round sports programs that were not available to Ramapo residents before.
Although the residents of the Town of Ramapo have the exclusive right to join the Joseph T. St. Lawrence Community and Heath Center, everyone is welcome. The public enjoyed a free open house until the implementation of 3 months, 6 months, and one year paid memberships started on January 1, 2007. Programs, youth and fitness classes, babysitting hours are available.
Additional Fitness package includes entrance to all aerobic classes. There are also a per class sessions which Non-Residents and Non-Members of the facility are more than welcome to use with age appropriate daily guest pass.
- An American
professional baseball team based in Pomona, New York
and member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, also known as the Can-Am League.
The Monsey Church (New Hope Christian Church)
- An historic Reformed Christian church established in 1824 and continuing to meet every Sunday in their building dedicated in 1869.
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...
located north of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
; southeast of Orange County, New York
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...
; south of the Town of Haverstraw
Haverstraw (town), New York
Haverstraw is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the Town of Clarkstown and the Town of Ramapo; east of Orange County, New York; south of the Town of Stony Point and west of the Hudson River. The town runs from the west to the east border of the county in its...
and west of the Town of Clarkstown
Clarkstown, New York
Clarkstown is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States. The town is on the eastern border of the county, located north of the town of Orangetown; east of the town of Ramapo; South of the town of Haverstraw and west of the Hudson River. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total...
and 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.-...
. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 108,905.
The Town of Ramapo is in the southwest corner of Rockland County, consisting of about one-third of the county's land area. The name is of Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
origin, meaning either "sweet water" or "sloping/slanting rocks".
In 2006 Money
Money (magazine)
Money is published by Time Inc. Its first issue was published in October 1972. Its articles cover the gamut of personal finance topics ranging from investing, saving, retirement and taxes to family finance issues like paying for college, credit, career and home improvement...
magazine ranked Ramapo as the 49th best place in the United States and the best place in New York State to live. Arts and leisure, business, housing, low crime rates and open spaces/parkland determined the towns ranking. In the category of park space, percentage of land set aside for gardens and parks, the town finished first. The town received the highest rating and one of the best in the country for its open spaces and parkland.
On April 24, 2006 the Town of Ramapo was awarded the Outstanding Facility Award (Class 3) for communities with a population more than 75,000 for its community, health and sports center located in the village of Hillburn
Hillburn, New York
Hillburn is a village in the Town of Ramapo Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Suffern; east of Orange County, New York; south of Viola and west of Montebello. It is considered to be one of the more rural communities in Rockland County...
.
Ramapo is run by a Town Supervisor, Christopher St. Lawrence. It is represented in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
by Eliot Engel. In state government it is represented by Senator David Carlucci
David Carlucci
David Carlucci is a member of the New York State Senate representing the 38th district, which includes all of Rockland County and parts of Orange County. He is an Independent Democrat....
, and Assemblymembers Ellen Jaffee, Kenneth P. Zebrowski and Annie Rabbitt.
History
During the American Revolutionary WarAmerican 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...
, Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
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...
is said to have climbed the Ramapo Torne (near Ramapo hamlet) with a telescope to watch the movement of British ships off Sandy Hook.
The Town of Hempstead was formed from part of the Town of Haverstraw in 1791. In 1829 the name was changed to Ramapo.
The first railroad line across Rockland County was built in 1841 and ran from Piermont
Piermont, New York
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...
to Ramapo. By 1851, the line was extended to Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
, and was considered an engineering marvel.
Ramapo Iron Works - Route 17, base of Terse Mountain, Ramapo - Producer of cut nails, wood screws, cotton cloth, and spring steel in first half of 19th century. Founder, Jeremiah H. Pierson
Jeremiah H. Pierson
Jeremiah Halsey Pierson was an American politician from New York.-Life:...
, was influential in building Nyack Turnpike and New York & 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...
across the county. Cotton mill still standing on east side of road.
In 1916, what would become State Route 59, which reached 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 Spring Valley
Spring Valley, New York
Spring Valley, incorporated on July 9, 1902 is a village spanning the Town of Ramapo and Town of Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Nanuet; east of Airmont and Monsey; south of Hillcrest and west of West Nyack...
in 1915, was extended to Suffern
Suffern, New York
Suffern is a village in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the State of New Jersey; east of Hillburn; south of Montebello and west of Airmont...
and Ramapo Hamlet.
See also the histories of Suffern and of Rockland County
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...
.
Folklore
Lavender – A Ghost Story from Ramapo, New YorkThere is a tale of an event years ago in Ramapo, New York. Two boys wanted to go to a high school dance. So they borrowed a car and drove off toward the high school. Along the road they came across a young girl who was hitch hiking. She told them her name was Lavender. She happened to also be wearing a lavender colored dress. She was on her way to the dance as well so they offered her a ride. They arrived at the dance, and one of the boys in particular was especially taken with Lavender and they danced the night away. His friend however, did not recall his friend being able to dance at all.
It was getting late and it was time to leave. When Lavender got into the car, one of the boys noticed that she was cold to the touch. He put his jacket around her to keep her warm. She told them where she lived and as they approached the bridge to cross into the village where she lived, she suddenly told them to stop and let her out at the bridge. They did so and they drove off. The next day, the boys realized that Lavender still had the boy’s jacket. They decided to drive to her village to find her and get it back. They started through the town stopping at each home asking if they knew Lavender. Each home told them they could not help them. Until finally they knocked on the door of an old lady’s house. She answered and told them that yes, she did know Lavender. She was her daughter. They told her she must have been mistaken because Lavender was much too young to be her daughter. She said “No, that sounds like her”. And she showed them a picture of her and sure enough it was her. However, she said Lavender died years ago when she was struck by a truck on the bridge on her way to the school dance. She told them that she was buried in the Ramapo cemetery. The boys did not believe her as they saw her just the night before.
On the way home they decided to stop by the cemetery and see for themselves if her grave was really there. As they walked into the cemetery, they saw the boy’s jacket hanging over a tombstone. It was the grave of Lavender.
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 61.9 square miles (160.3 km²), of which, 61.2 square miles (158.5 km²) of it is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²) of it (1.11%) is water.
The south town line is the border of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and the west town line is the border of 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...
. The break 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...
at Suffern formed by the Ramapo River
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:...
causes the town to be the site of 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 I-287, New York State 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 a railroad line. The Palisades Interstate Parkway
Palisades Interstate Parkway
The Palisades Interstate Parkway is a long limited-access highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. The parkway is a major commuter route into New York City from Rockland and Orange counties in New York and Bergen County in New Jersey...
also runs through the northeast corner of the town, with an exit at the Haverstraw
Haverstraw, New York
Haverstraw is the name of two locations in Rockland County, New York:*Haverstraw, New York, a town*Haverstraw , New York, a village located entirely within the townIt may also refer to:*West Haverstraw, New York*Haverstraw Bay*Haverstraw Indians...
, 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...
town line on the northern border.
Torne Mountain - Harriman State Park. - Highest peak in western Rockland County, overlooking the Ramapo Pass and remnants of once-thriving Ramapo Iron Works. During Revolution, the Torne served as a lookout for British ship movement on the Hudson. Legend tells that Gen. 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...
lost his watch on the mountain, and it may still be heard ticking up there in a crevice of rock.
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 108,905 people, 31,561 households, and 24,870 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 1,778.2 people per square mile (686.6/km²). There were 32,422 housing units at an average density of 529.4 per square mile (204.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 72.54% White, 17.04% African American, 0.32% Native American, 4.60% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.65% 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 2.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.19% of the population.
There were 31,561 households out of which 42.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.3% 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, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.2% were non-families. 17.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.37 and the average family size was 3.82.
In the town the population was spread out with 33.6% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $60,352, and the median income for a family was $67,004. Males had a median income of $46,286 versus $34,632 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 $22,868. About 11.5% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.3% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations
- Antrim – A hamlet near the south town line.
- AirmontAirmont, New YorkAirmont is a village in the town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the state of New Jersey; east of Suffern; south of Montebello and west of Chestnut Ridge. The population was 7,799 at the 2000 census....
– The Village of Airmont. - Chestnut RidgeChestnut Ridge, New YorkChestnut Ridge is a village in the Town of Ramapo Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the state of New Jersey; east of Monsey; south of Spring Valley and west of Nanuet. The population was 7,829 at the 2000 census....
– The Village of Chestnut Ridge. - Harriman State Park – a 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...
in the western part of the town. - HillburnHillburn, New YorkHillburn is a village in the Town of Ramapo Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Suffern; east of Orange County, New York; south of Viola and west of Montebello. It is considered to be one of the more rural communities in Rockland County...
– The Village of Hillburn in the southwest part of the town. - Hillcrest – A hamlet.
- KaserKaser, New YorkKaser is a village in the Town of Ramapo Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Monsey; east of Airmont; south of Viola and west of Spring Valley. As of the United States 2000 Census, the village population was 3,316....
– The Village of Kaser. - MonseyMonsey, New YorkMonsey is a hamlet , in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the state of New Jersey; east of Suffern; south of Airmont and west of Nanuet...
– The hamlet of Monsey. - New HempsteadNew Hempstead, New YorkNew Hempstead, formally known as Kakiat , is a village in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of New Square; east of Wesley Hills; south of Pomona and west of New City...
– The Village of New Hempstead. - New SquareNew Square, New YorkNew Square is an all-Hasidic village in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Hillcrest; east of Viola; south of New Hempstead and west of New City...
– The Village of New Square. - MontebelloMontebello, New YorkMontebello is a village in the town of Ramapo Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located north of Suffern, east of Hillburn, south of Wesley Hills and west of Airmont...
– The Village of Montebello. - Ramapo – The hamlet of Ramapo in the southwest part of the town.
- SandyfieldSandyfield, New YorkSandyfield was a settlement of about 30 houses in the Town of Ramapo in Rockland County, New York, USA, that was submerged when swampy Beaver Pond was dammed to create Lake Welch in Harriman State Park by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission in 1928....
– A hamlet. - SloatsburgSloatsburg, New YorkSloatsburg is a village in the town of Ramapo in Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located east of Orange County, New York and sits at the southern entrance to Harriman State Park. The population was 3,117 at the 2000 census...
– The Village of Sloatsburg. - Spring ValleySpring Valley, New YorkSpring Valley, incorporated on July 9, 1902 is a village spanning the Town of Ramapo and Town of Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Nanuet; east of Airmont and Monsey; south of Hillcrest and west of West Nyack...
– The Village of Spring Valley. - SterlingtonSterlington, New YorkSterlington is a hamlet near the village of Sloatsburg, New York, in the United States.Sterlington - is in the Town of Ramapo Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Suffern; east of Sloatsburg; south of Viola and west of Montebello. The name was adopted when the post office...
– A location near Sloatsburg. - SuffernSuffern, New YorkSuffern is a village in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the State of New Jersey; east of Hillburn; south of Montebello and west of Airmont...
– The Village of Suffern. - Suffern Park – A hamlet near Suffern.
- TallmanTallman, New YorkTallman is a hamlet in the Town of Ramapo in Rockland County, New York, United States, located north of the state of New Jersey; east of Suffern; south of Montebello and west of Airmont. It is located north-northwest of New York City.-History:...
- A hamlet in the south part of the town. - ViolaViola, New YorkViola is a hamlet , in the Town of Ramapo Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Airmont; east of Montebello; south of Wesley Hills and west of Hillcrest...
– A hamlet in the eastern part of the town. - Wesley HillsWesley Hills, New YorkWesley Hills is a village in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Viola; east of Harriman State Park; south of Pomona and west of New Hempstead...
– The Village of Wesley Hills is in the northeast part of the town.
Education
Rockland Community CollegeRockland Community College
Rockland Community College is a two-year college in the State University of New York system, located in hamlet of Viola within the Village of Suffern from the Town of Ramapo in Rockland County, New York. The college began in 1959 in the former county almshouse. The college offers 48 programs and...
is in the hamlet of Viola
Viola, New York
Viola is a hamlet , in the Town of Ramapo Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Airmont; east of Montebello; south of Wesley Hills and west of Hillcrest...
.
Twinning programs
In recognition of Ramapo's substantial cultural diversity, former Town Supervisor Herbert Reisman, along with many volunteers from the various communities in Ramapo, started the twinningTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
program. This program is made up of committees that raise funds and organize trips to Ramapo's twin towns around the world, providing local high school students the opportunity to experience life in other lands.
There are currently seven active twinning committees in Ramapo: African Twinning Committee (Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
) Chinese Twinning Committee (China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
) Indian Twinning Committee (India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
) Irish Twinning Committee (Doneraile
Doneraile
Doneraile is a town in County Cork, Province of Munster, Ireland. It is located on the R581 regional road 8 km east of the N20 road which runs from Limerick to Cork. It is about 12 km north of Mallow town...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
) Israeli Twinning Committee (Beit Shemesh, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
) Italian Twinning Committee (Andretta
Andretta
Andretta is a town and comune in the province of Avellino, Campania, Italy. Andretta is twinned with the Town of Ramapo, New York.-Geography:...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
) Philippine-American Twinning Committee (Makati, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
)
The Joseph T St Lawrence Community, Health, and Sports Center
The Joseph T St Lawrence Community, Health, and Sports Complex, a state of the art sports facility was dedicated and opened to the various youth, high school, college, and semi-pro sports organizations from the Town of Ramapo and surrounding communities in Rockland County on November 19, 2006 by Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence and the Ramapo Town Board.This facility features, a turf multi-purpose field complete with stands to accommodate 1800 spectators complete with restrooms and concession stand, a separate climate controlled dome, 60 x 40 yard, turf practice area and also features, a three multi-purpose indoor court, a running track, cardio equipment, weight training machines, 2 racquetball courts, locker rooms, a computer room, and a dance/aerobic studio in a building which is WI-FI accessible.
Sports include football, lacrosse, soccer, baseball, and field hockey, as well as year round sports programs that were not available to Ramapo residents before.
Although the residents of the Town of Ramapo have the exclusive right to join the Joseph T. St. Lawrence Community and Heath Center, everyone is welcome. The public enjoyed a free open house until the implementation of 3 months, 6 months, and one year paid memberships started on January 1, 2007. Programs, youth and fitness classes, babysitting hours are available.
Additional Fitness package includes entrance to all aerobic classes. There are also a per class sessions which Non-Residents and Non-Members of the facility are more than welcome to use with age appropriate daily guest pass.
Adult Leagues
The Town of Ramapo's Adult (18+) Leagues for Basketball and Racquetball are also hosted at the Joseph T St Lawrence Center. Check out the league websites for more information.Landmarks and places of interest
Rockland BouldersRockland Boulders
The Rockland Boulders is an American professional baseball team based in Pomona, New York in the County of Rockland. It is a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, also known as the Can-Am League...
- An American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball team based in Pomona, New York
Pomona, New York
Pomona is a village partly in the Town of Ramapo and partly in the Town of Haverstraw in Rockland County, New York, United States, located north of New Hempstead, east of Harriman State Park, north of Monsey and west of Mount Ivy. According to the 2010 Census, the population was 3,103, a 13 percent...
and member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, also known as the Can-Am League.
The Monsey Church (New Hope Christian Church)
Monsey Church
The Monsey Church is the colloquial name of a historic Reformed Christian church in the hamlet of Monsey, town of Ramapo, in southern Rockland County, New York, the official name of which, since December 6, 2000, is New Hope Christian Church...
- An historic Reformed Christian church established in 1824 and continuing to meet every Sunday in their building dedicated in 1869.