Catskill (town), New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Catskill, New York
Town
Location in Greene County and the state of New York.
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Greene
Government
• Type	Town Council
Area
• Total	64.17 sq mi (166.19 km2)
• Land	60.44 sq mi (156.54 km2)
• Water	3.73 sq mi (9.65 km2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	11,298
• Density	176.064/sq mi (67.982/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	12414
FIPS code	36-039-13013

Catskill is a town located in the southeastern part of Greene County, New York, in the United States. In 2020, about 11,298 people lived here, making it the largest town in Greene County.

A part of Catskill is located within the beautiful Catskill Park. The town also includes a smaller area called the Village of Catskill, which has a busy Main Street. You can find a public boat launch on the Hudson River called Dutchman's Landing, which is a great spot for river activities.

History of Catskill

The first European settler in Catskill was Derrick Teunis van Vechten, who built a house here in 1680. The town officially started on March 7, 1788, as part of Albany County.

When Greene County was created on March 25, 1800, Catskill became part of this new county. The town's size changed a few times over the years. It grew bigger in 1800 with land from Woodstock, but then became smaller when the towns of Cairo (in 1803) and Athens (in 1815) were formed.

Catskill is famous for being the setting of the classic story "Rip Van Winkle" by Washington Irving.

On July 23, 2003, a strong F2 tornado passed through the town. It caused the most damage in an area called the Kiskatom flats. The tornado even flipped over two mobile homes near the Friar Tuck Inn.

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  Thomas Cole, View on the Catskill, Early Autumn, 1837

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  Frederic Edwin Church, Morning, Looking East over the Hudson Valley from Catskill Mountains, 1848

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  Perspective map of Catskill from 1889 by L. R. Burleigh with list of landmarks

Geography of Catskill

Catskill covers a total area of about 64.2 square miles (166.2 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 60.5 square miles (156.8 square kilometers), is land, and the rest is water.

The eastern border of the town is the Hudson River, which separates Catskill from Columbia County. To the south, the town borders Ulster County. Catskill is also next to the town of Athens to the north, Cairo to the northwest, Hunter to the west, and Saugerties to the south.

Communities and Places in Catskill

Catskill is home to several smaller communities and locations:

• Alsen – A small community in the southeast, located on Route 9W.
• Cairo Junction – A community in the northwest part of the town.
• Catskill – This is the main village within the town, found in the northeast along Catskill Creek.
• Cauterskill – A community located west of Catskill village.
• Hamburg – A community north of Catskill village, right on the Hudson River.
• High Falls – A community near the southern border of the town.
• Jefferson Heights – A community northwest of Catskill village.
• Kiskatom – A community southwest of Catskill village.
• Lawrenceville – A community in the western part of the town.
• Leeds – A community near the northern border of the town.
• Palenville – A community in the southwest corner of the town.
• Smith's Landing – A community south of Alsen, also on Route 9W.

Transportation in Catskill

Major roads like the New York State Thruway (Interstate 87) and U.S. Route 9W run north and south through Catskill. New York State Route 23 goes east and west, crossing the Hudson River into Columbia County.

Years ago, until 1958, passenger trains operated by the New York Central Railroad used to travel through Catskill. Today, the same rail line is used for freight trains.

Population Information

In 2020, the population of Catskill was 11,298 people. The town has a mix of different people and families. About 23.5% of the population was under 18 years old, and 17.9% were 65 years or older.

Notable People from Catskill

Many interesting people have connections to Catskill:

• Charles W. Berry (1871–1941) was a doctor, soldier, and a leader in New York City's government.
• Jedediah Berry (born 1977) is an American writer.
• James Bogardus (1800–1874) was an inventor and architect, known for using cast-iron in buildings.
• Mickey Brantley (born 1961) is a former professional baseball player and coach.
• Robert Charels (born 1958) is a blues singer.
• Frederic Edwin Church (1826–1900) was a famous landscape painter.
• Thomas Cole (1801–1848) was an English-American landscape painter who started the Hudson River School of painting.
• Cus D'Amato (1908–1985) was a well-known boxing manager and trainer.
• Edward W. Dwight (1827–1904) was a farmer and politician.
• John Hill (1821–1884) was a merchant and politician.
• Sheba Karim is an author who writes books for young adults.
• George W. Lay (1798–1860) was a U.S. congressman.
• Sybil Ludington (1761–1839) was a hero of the Revolutionary War.
• Hugh Malone (1944–2001) was a surveyor and politician in Alaska, born in Catskill.
• Charles Palmetier (1834 - ?) was a businessman and politician.
• Jaap Penraat (1918–2006) was a Dutch resistance fighter during World War II.
• Robert Seaman (1822–1904) was an American business leader.
• Zachary Cole Smith (born 1984) is a musician and leader of the indie rock band DIIV.
• Bill Stafford (1938–2001) was a professional baseball player for the New York Yankees.
• Jeremy Transue (born 1983) is an Alpine skier.
• John Thorn (born 1947) is the official historian for Major League Baseball.
• Mike Tyson (born 1966) is a famous former world professional boxing champion.
• Abraham Van Vechten (1762–1837) was a New York State Attorney General.

Images for kids

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  Rip Van Winkle House (built 1787) in Palenville

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  Main Street in the Hamlet of Catskill.

See also

In Spanish: Catskill (Nueva York) para niños