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Balmville, New York facts for kids

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Balmville, New York
The Balmville Tree
The Balmville Tree
Location in Orange County and the state of New York.
Location in Orange County and the state of New York.
Balmville, New York is located in New York
Balmville, New York
Balmville, New York
Location in New York
Country United States
State New York
County Orange
Area
 • Total 2.12 sq mi (5.50 km2)
 • Land 2.12 sq mi (5.48 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation
217 ft (66 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 3,197
 • Density 1,510.16/sq mi (582.95/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
12550
Area code(s) 845
FIPS code 36-04286
GNIS feature ID 0942941

Balmville is a small community called a hamlet in Orange County, New York, United States. It's part of a larger area that includes the cities of Poughkeepsie, Newburgh, and Middletown. Balmville is located in the southeastern part of the Town of Newburgh. In 2020, about 3,197 people lived there.

Many families live in Balmville, especially on roads like River Road and Grand Avenue. Some homes in Balmville are quite expensive because they have amazing views of the Hudson River. Balmville is also home to the Powelton Club Country Club. It is known as the area with the highest income in the greater Newburgh region.

Balmville is right next to the city of Newburgh, just to its north.

Balmville was once famous for the Balmville Tree, which was New York's smallest state forest. This tree was special because it was one of only three trees in the entire country protected by the federal government. People called it a "miracle tree" because it was over 300 years old, which is very old for its type. Sadly, due to safety concerns, the tree had to be cut down on August 5, 2015.

Balmville: Location and Size

Balmville is located at 41.527893 degrees north and -74.024426 degrees west.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Balmville covers a total area of about 2.1 square miles (5.5 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

People of Balmville

Historical population
Census Pop.
2000 3,339
2010 3,178 −4.8%
2020 3,197 0.6%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2000, there were 3,339 people living in Balmville. There were 1,257 households, and 946 of these were families. The population density was about 1,572 people per square mile.

About 79.66% of the people were White, 9.46% were African American, and 3.05% were Asian. About 10.03% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

About 31.4% of households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (61.1%) were married couples. The average household had 2.65 people, and the average family had 3.06 people.

The population was spread out by age:

  • 23.0% were under 18 years old.
  • 7.2% were from 18 to 24 years old.
  • 27.3% were from 25 to 44 years old.
  • 26.2% were from 45 to 64 years old.
  • 16.3% were 65 years or older.

The average age in Balmville was 40 years.

Balmville Schools

Balmville has been part of the Newburgh Enlarged City School District since 1963.

Balmville Elementary School History

The first Balmville School building was replaced by a new one built on land given by Warren Delano. His daughter, Annie Delano-Hitch, helped with the funding. Annie Delano-Hitch was the aunt of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The old school building, built in 1897, is still standing today. It is located near U.S. Route 9W and Fostertown Road.

The current Balmville Elementary School was built nearby in 1953-54 and has been expanded many times. In 2007, the school board considered tearing down the old building to create more parking. However, local groups and developers stepped in to save the historic building. They argued it was important and could be used for offices. The school board decided not to demolish it.

High School and College

Many students from Balmville attend Newburgh Free Academy for high school. Some also go to local private schools. A large number of Balmville graduates have gone on to attend famous universities like Harvard, Princeton, and Yale.

Famous People from Balmville

General James D. Hughes

Balmville was the birthplace of Air Force General James D. Hughes. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, which is only about 17 miles away. General Hughes lived in Balmville with his family for most of his life. He was a military helper to Richard M. Nixon when Nixon was Vice President and later when he was President.

Important Places in Balmville

The Balmville Tree

Balmville Tree
The Balmville Tree before it was cut down.

The Balmville Tree was located behind the current Balmville Elementary School. It was New York's smallest state forest and one of only three trees in the country protected by the federal government. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. Sadly, because it was getting old and weak, the New York State Department of Conservation had to remove it on August 5, 2015.

Algonac Estate

Balmville was home to Algonac, the place where Sara Delano was born and lived. Sara Delano was the mother of U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Algonac was located where Susan Drive is today.

Balmville Grange Hall

The Balmville Grange Hall is on Fostertown Road. It is the last remaining "grange" building in the Town of Newburgh. A grange is a local organization for farmers and their families. This hall celebrated its 100th anniversary on September 28, 2003.

Newburgh-Beacon Bridge and Interstate 84

The western end of the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge is in Balmville. Interstate 84, a major highway that crosses the bridge, goes right through Balmville. The New York State Bridge Authority built parking lots on Grand Avenue for people who want to walk or bike on the bridge's path. This helps keep cars from parking in unsafe areas.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Balmville para niños

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