Bethel, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bethel, New York
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1969 Woodstock Monument
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| Motto(s):
Home of the 1969 Original Woodstock Festival
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U.S. Census map
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| Country | United States | |
| State | New York | |
| County | Sullivan | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 89.96 sq mi (232.99 km2) | |
| • Land | 85.27 sq mi (220.84 km2) | |
| • Water | 4.69 sq mi (12.15 km2) | |
| Elevation | 1,322 ft (403 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,959 | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP Code |
12720
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| Area code(s) | 845 | |
| FIPS code | 36-06310 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0978730 | |
Bethel is a small town located in Sullivan County, New York, in the United States. In 2020, about 3,959 people lived there. Bethel became famous around the world because it was the place where the Woodstock music festival happened in 1969. This huge event was first planned for another town, but it moved to Bethel.
Contents
History of Bethel
The first European settlers arrived in the Bethel area around 1795. They settled near what are now the communities of Bethel and White Lake. The town of Bethel was officially created in 1809. It was formed from a part of the town of Lumberland. The town was named after the biblical place called Bethel.
By the mid-1800s, Bethel started to become a popular place for tourists. It was known for its many hotels and summer camps. These were part of a famous resort area called the "Borscht Belt" in the Catskills. Many camps, like Camp Ma-Ho-Ge and Camp Chipinaw, were located on Silver Lake. These camps were popular for much of the 20th century.
Exploring Bethel's Geography
Bethel covers an area of about 90 square miles (233 square kilometers). Most of this is land, but about 4.6 square miles (12 square kilometers) is water. One of the best things about Bethel is its many lakes. These lakes are all very close to each other.
Some of the main lakes include White Lake, which has a northern part called Kauneonga Lake. There is also Silver Lake and Lake Superior. Lake Superior is part of a state park with the same name. Bethel is mostly a rural area, meaning it has a lot of open land and fewer big cities. It was once a big part of the old Borscht Belt resort area in the Catskills. While some smaller vacation spots still exist, many of the large resorts from the 1930s to the 1970s have now closed.
People and Population in Bethel
The population of Bethel has changed over the years. In 1820, there were about 1,096 people living here. By 2000, the population had grown to 4,362. In the most recent 2020 census, the population was 3,959.
Most people living in Bethel are White. In 2000, about 90% of the population was White. About 11% of the people were of Hispanic or Latino background. The town had 1,649 households. Many of these were married couples living together. About 27% of households had children under 18. The average household had about 2.45 people.
The median age in Bethel in 2000 was 42 years old. This means half the people were younger than 42 and half were older. The income for families in Bethel was around $37,321 per year.
Communities and Places in Bethel
Bethel has several smaller communities and interesting places within its borders:
- Bethel – This is the main hamlet of the town, found on Route 17B.
- Black Lake – A community located on Route 55, near the lake it's named after.
- Briscoe – A hamlet near the northern border of the town, on Route 144.
- Bushville – This hamlet is in the northeast part of the town on Route 75. It was named because the area was once covered in bushes.
- Hurd Settlement – A small community in the northwestern part of the town.
- Kauneonga Lake – A hamlet where Routes 141 and 55 meet. It used to be called "North White Lake."
- Lake Superior State Park – A state park named after the small lake within it.
- Mongaup Valley – A community located northeast of Smallwood.
- Smallwood – A hamlet that was first called "Mountain Lakes." It was later renamed after its founder, A.N. Smallwood.
- Sullivan County International Airport – The airport for the county, located northeast of Kauneonga Lake.
- Swan Lake – The Bikur Cholim B'nai Israel Synagogue in Swan Lake is an important historical building. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
- White Lake – A hamlet on Route 17B. It is the largest community in the town and home to the Town Hall.
The Famous Woodstock Festival
The town of Bethel became known worldwide in 1969. Nearly 500,000 people came together at Max Yasgur's Farm for the "Three Days of Peace and Music" festival, also known as Woodstock. A movie about Woodstock was made in 1970. It showed interviews with people from Bethel, including Art Vassmer, who owned a general store in Kauneonga Lake. Another movie, Taking Woodstock, was released in 2009. It was based on a book by Elliot Tiber, whose parents owned a motel nearby and helped bring the festival to Bethel.
In 1998, a concert was held at the original Woodstock site. This inspired a plan to buy the land and build the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. This center opened on July 1, 2006, at the site of the original festival. The New York Philharmonic performed there. Later that year, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young played, returning to Bethel for the first time since 1969. Many other famous musicians have performed at Bethel Woods, including Bob Dylan, Brad Paisley, and the Jonas Brothers.
In early 2008, The Museum at Bethel Woods opened near Max Yasgur's farm. This museum tells the story of Woodstock and the Baby Boomer and hippie generations. It has many interactive exhibits.
After the original Woodstock festival, laws were passed to control very large events in the area. In 2019, there were plans for a 50th-anniversary celebration of Woodstock in Sullivan County. However, the main "Woodstock 50" festival was canceled. The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts did organize some smaller concerts that weekend.
See also
In Spanish: Bethel (Nueva York) para niños
