Wallkill, Orange County, New York
Encyclopedia
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. Route 6
and New York State Routes 17K
, 211
and 302
also cross portions of the town.
for the town was dated 1724, but little was done for decades to develop and settle the region. The town was established in 1772, but part of the town was lost upon the formation of Ulster County, New York
.
, the town has a total area of 62.8 square miles (162.7 km²) of which 62.2 square miles (161.1 km²) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) (0.92%) is water.
Wallkill is bordered by the towns of Hamptonburgh
and Montgomery
on the east, Crawford
on the north, Mamakating
and Mount Hope
on the west, and Wawayanda
and Goshen
on the south. The town almost completely surrounds the city of Middletown
.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 24,659 people, 8,866 households, and 6,330 families residing in the town. The population density
was 396.6 people per square mile (153.1/km²). There were 9,283 housing units at an average density of 149.3 per square mile (57.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 80.70% White, 9.34% African American, 0.30% Native American, 2.39% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.31% from other races
, and 2.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.40% of the population.
36.5% of the households had children under the age of 18 living with them; 54.6% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were non-families. 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $51,625, and the median income for a family was $57,088. Males had a median income of $40,145 versus $29,788 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $21,654. About 7.7% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
From 2001 to 2006 the Department was subject to oversight by a Federal Court appointed monitor, the result of a consent decree in a suit brought against the Town by the New York Attorney General's office. The suit was prompted by multiple complaints of harassment of young women and other abuses of police authority.
The Department consists of seven sergeants (one who is in charge of the detectives and no longer is a road sergeant), two detectives, a traffic officer, A Community Policing officers, a DARE officer, a School Resource Officer, and 27 patrol officers.
The town was the site of the first Lloyd's Supercenter, and is home to many retail stores, shopping centers and restaurants, many of which are located along Route 211. Both the Galleria at Crystal Run
and the Orange Plaza are located in the town.
in 1969, initially leased a tract of land in an industrial park in Wallkill. Town officials, deeply concerned about the size of crowds expected for the event and the logistics involved in hosting it, disallowed the festival the site through the Zoning Board of Appeals.
each summer.
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. The population was 24,659 at the 2000 census.
The Town of Wallkill is centrally located in the county. Interstate 84
Interstate 84 (east)
Interstate 84 is an Interstate Highway extending from Dunmore, Pennsylvania at an interchange with Interstate 81 to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, at an interchange with the Massachusetts Turnpike . I-84 has mile-log junction numbering in Pennsylvania; otherwise, exit numbers are roughly sequential...
crosses 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...
in the southern part of the town. U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6 in New York
U.S. Route 6 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Bishop, California, to Provincetown, Massachusetts. In New York, US 6 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Port Jervis to the Connecticut state line east of Brewster...
and New York State Routes 17K
New York State Route 17K
New York State Route 17K is an east–west state highway located within Orange County, New York, in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with County Route 76 east of Bloomingburg to a junction with U.S. Route 9W midway across the city of Newburgh...
, 211
New York State Route 211
New York State Route 211 is a state highway located entirely within Orange County, New York, in the United States. The western terminus is at the intersection with US 209 located in Cuddebackville, and the eastern terminus is located at Montgomery at NY 17K, where it becomes the...
and 302
New York State Route 302
New York State Route 302 is a state highway in northern Orange County, New York, United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 17M north of the city of Middletown...
also cross portions of the town.
History
The original land patentLand patent
A land patent is a land grant made patent by the sovereign lord over the land in question. To make a such a grant “patent”, such a sovereign lord must document the land grant, securely sign and seal the document and openly publish the same to the public for all to see...
for the town was dated 1724, but little was done for decades to develop and settle the region. The town was established in 1772, but part of the town was lost upon the formation of Ulster County, New York
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...
.
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 62.8 square miles (162.7 km²) of which 62.2 square miles (161.1 km²) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) (0.92%) is water.
Wallkill is bordered by the towns of 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 Montgomery
Montgomery (town), New York
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....
on the east, 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....
on the north, Mamakating
Mamakating, New York
Mamakating is a town in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was 11,002 at the 2000 census.The Town of Mamakating is in the southeast part of the county.- History :...
and Mount Hope
Mount Hope, New York
Mount Hope is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 6,639 at the 2000 census.The Town of Mount Hope is in the northwestern part of the county, west of Middletown...
on the west, and Wawayanda
Wawayanda, New York
Wawayanda is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,024 as recorded by the 2006 census.The Town of Wawayanda is in the western part of the county, south of Middletown.-History:...
and Goshen
Goshen (town), New York
Goshen is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 12,913 at the 2000 census.The Town of Goshen contains a village also called Goshen, the county seat of Orange County. The town is centrally located in the county....
on the south. The town almost completely surrounds the city of Middletown
Middletown, Orange County, New York
Middletown is a city in Orange County, New York, United States. It lies in New York's Hudson Valley region, near the Wallkill River and the foothills of the Shawangunk Mountains. Middletown is situated between Port Jervis and Newburgh, New York. The city's population was 25,388 at the 2000 census...
.
Demographics
As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 27,426. The racial makeup of the population was 57.8% white, 22.5% Hispanic, 16.0% African-American, 3.2% Asian, and 0.5% Native American.As of the census
Census
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 24,659 people, 8,866 households, and 6,330 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 396.6 people per square mile (153.1/km²). There were 9,283 housing units at an average density of 149.3 per square mile (57.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 80.70% White, 9.34% African American, 0.30% Native American, 2.39% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.31% 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 2.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.40% of the population.
36.5% of the households had children under the age of 18 living with them; 54.6% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were non-families. 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $51,625, and the median income for a family was $57,088. Males had a median income of $40,145 versus $29,788 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 $21,654. About 7.7% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
Government
The current supervisor of the Town of Wallkill is John Ward. The town also has four councilmen: John King, Eric Valentin, Kevin Mulqueen, and Nina Guenste.Police department
The Town of Wallkill Police Department is a full-time police force led by Chief Robert Hertman.From 2001 to 2006 the Department was subject to oversight by a Federal Court appointed monitor, the result of a consent decree in a suit brought against the Town by the New York Attorney General's office. The suit was prompted by multiple complaints of harassment of young women and other abuses of police authority.
The Department consists of seven sergeants (one who is in charge of the detectives and no longer is a road sergeant), two detectives, a traffic officer, A Community Policing officers, a DARE officer, a School Resource Officer, and 27 patrol officers.
Fire departments
Wallkill is divided into six fire districts: the Circleville, Howells, Mechanicstown, Silver Lake, Pocatello, and Washington Heights Fire Districts.Shopping
Galleria at Crystal Run
The Galleria at Crystal Run is a shopping mall in Wallkill, New York and is the second largest mall in New York's Hudson Valley region. The mall, which opened in 1992, has an area of 1,100,000 square feet with two floors and 250 shops and restaurants as well as a 16-screen AMC Theatres .The mall...
and the Orange Plaza are located in the town.
Town of Wallkill Golf Club
The town owns the Town of Wallkill Golf Club. This 18–hole course opened in 1991 and was designed by landscape architect Steve Esposito.The Woodstock Festival
Woodstock Ventures, a group established to produce the Woodstock FestivalWoodstock Festival
Woodstock Music & Art Fair was a music festival, billed as "An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music". It was held at Max Yasgur's 600-acre dairy farm in the Catskills near the hamlet of White Lake in the town of Bethel, New York, from August 15 to August 18, 1969...
in 1969, initially leased a tract of land in an industrial park in Wallkill. Town officials, deeply concerned about the size of crowds expected for the event and the logistics involved in hosting it, disallowed the festival the site through the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Orange County Fair
The Town of Wallkill is home to the Orange County FairOrange County Fair (New York)
The Orange County Fair is an annual fair, held in the town of Wallkill, New York. The fair began as an agricultural exhibit in 1843 and was permanently located in the Wallkill–Middletown area in 1857....
each summer.
Communities and locations in the Town of Wallkill
- Baileyville – A hamlet near Howells, located on NY-211 near the western town line
- Crystal Run – A hamlet south of Michigan Corners, near Interstate 84 at County Road 83
- CirclevilleCircleville, New YorkCircleville, New York is an unincorporated hamlet in the Town of Wallkill, part of Orange County, New York, USA. It is located on NY 302 around the junction with the old Goshen Turnpike , a short distance north of NY 17 and two miles south of Bullville...
– A hamlet in the northern part of town on NY-302 - East Middletown – A village in the southeastern part of town
- Fair Oaks – A hamlet in the northern part of town on NY-17
- Higland Lake – A small lake near the western town line
- Highland Lakes State ParkHighland Lakes State ParkHighland 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...
– An undeveloped state park in the northern part of the town - Howells – A hamlet in the northwestern part of town, north of Baileyville
- Maple Glen – A hamlet near the western town line
- MechanicstownMechanicstown, New YorkMechanicstown is a hamlet in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 6,061 at the 2000 census and 6,858 as of the 2010 census...
– A hamlet in the southeastern part of town - Michigan CornersMichigan Corners, New YorkMichigan Corners, New York is a hamlet near Scotchtown east of Middletown, located at the corner of New York State Route 211 and Goshen Turnpike .There is no sign marking Michigan Corners, although it does appear on local maps...
– A hamlet near Scotchtown in the eastern part of town on NY-211 - Milburn – A hamlet by Highland Lakes State Park
- Phillipsburg – A hamlet in the southeastern part of the town, on the Wallkill River and NY-17
- Pilgrim Corners – A hamlet bordering the west side of Middletown on NY-211
- Rockville – A hamlet in the northern part of town
- ScotchtownScotchtown, New YorkScotchtown is a hamlet in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 8,954 at the 2000 census. It has the ZIP Code 10941.Scotchtown is in the Town of Wallkill, east of the City of Middletown...
– A hamlet in the eastern part of town on Route 101 - Silver LakeSilver Lake, Orange County, New YorkSilver Lake is a small lake in Orange County, New York, located adjacent to New York State Route 17 exit 120 northeast of Middletown in Wallkill....
– A small lake east of Middletown - Stony Ford – A location near the eastern town line at the Wallkill River on County Road 53
- Van Burenville – A village in the northwestern part of town near Mount HopeMount Hope, New YorkMount Hope is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 6,639 at the 2000 census.The Town of Mount Hope is in the northwestern part of the county, west of Middletown...
- Washington HeightsWashington Heights, New YorkWashington Heights is a census-designated place in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 1,318 at the 2000 census.Washington heights is a contiguous suburb of City of Middletown...
– A hamlet in the northwestern part of town