Cold Spring, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cold Spring, New York
|
||
|---|---|---|
|
Village
|
||
Main Street in Cold Spring, part of the Cold Spring Historic District
|
||
|
||
Location of Cold Spring in Putnam County and of Putnam County in New York
|
||
| Country | United States | |
| State | New York | |
| County | Putnam | |
| Incorporated | 1846 | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 0.60 sq mi (1.55 km2) | |
| • Land | 0.59 sq mi (1.54 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2) 0.91% | |
| Elevation | 108 ft (33 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
|
||
| • Total | 1,986 | |
| • Density | 3,343.43/sq mi (1,291.51/km2) | |
| Area code(s) | 845 | |
| FIPS code | 36-16936 | |
Cold Spring is a small village in Putnam County, New York, United States. It is located in the town of Philipstown. In 2020, about 1,986 people lived there. The village is next to Nelsonville, Garrison, and North Highlands.
Cold Spring is famous for its many old buildings from the 1800s. These buildings are part of the Cold Spring Historic District. They were built for workers at the West Point Foundry, which was a very important factory nearby.
The village is in the beautiful Hudson Highlands area. It sits right on the Hudson River, across from West Point. Many people from New York City visit Cold Spring for weekend trips. You can get there by train from Grand Central Terminal in about an hour and ten minutes.
Contents
History of Cold Spring
How Cold Spring Began
In 1691, two people named Dortlandt and Sybrant bought a large piece of land from the Wappinger leaders. This land was along the eastern side of the Hudson River. It included the area where Cold Spring village is today. The Wappinger people agreed to this sale.
First Settlers and the Foundry
The first person to settle permanently in Cold Spring was Merrick Williams in 1730. Before that, the area was mostly woodlands. By the early 1800s, a small trading village grew by the river. Boats called sloops would travel weekly from Cold Spring to New York City. They carried wood and farm goods.
In 1818, Gouverneur Kemble started the West Point Foundry. This factory made cannons for the United States Government. The area was perfect because it had:
- Mountains with metal ore.
- Lots of trees for fuel.
- A brook for water power.
- The Hudson River for shipping.
The Foundry became very important during the American Civil War. It made famous cannons called Parrott rifles. At its busiest, the factory covered 100 acres and had 1,400 workers. It also made parts for trains and pipes for New York City's water system. The Foundry closed in 1911 when steel became more popular than cast iron. You can see old items from the Foundry at the Putnam History Museum.
Cold Spring became an official village in 1846 because so many people moved there to work at the Foundry. Joshua Haight was the first leader of the village.
In 1896, local business owners started the Cold Spring Hose Company, which was a fire brigade. Today, the Cold Spring Fire Company No.1 helps protect Cold Spring and nearby areas.
A former slave named Willis Buckner lived in Cold Spring. He taught Sunday School at the Methodist Church. In the early 1900s, some Black residents moved to larger cities nearby. During the 1920s, a group called the Ku Klux Klan was present in Cold Spring and other nearby towns.
Later, Pete Seeger, a famous folk singer, started the Clearwater organization. This group worked to keep the Hudson River clean. They wanted to stop pollution from factories and sewage. In 1970, Seeger's boat, the Clearwater, visited Cold Spring for a music event. There was some tension during this visit, but the Clearwater organization continued its important environmental work.
Beautiful Country Homes
In the late 1800s, many artists, writers, and important families came to Cold Spring. They built large homes, or mansions, along Morris Avenue. Some of these homes included "Undercliff" and "Craigside." Other homes like "The Grove" and "Plumbush" were built by people connected to the West Point Foundry. The painter Thomas P. Rossiter also built a home called "Fair Lawn" here.
Geography of Cold Spring
Cold Spring is on the western side of the Hudson River. To the north, it is bordered by the Hudson Highlands State Park. This park has two large hills, Mount Taurus and Breakneck Ridge, that rise from the riverbanks. Between these hills, there is an old dairy farm, two lakes, and a camp.
The village covers about 0.60 square miles (1.55 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
People of Cold Spring
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 2,770 | — | |
| 1870 | 3,086 | 11.4% | |
| 1880 | 2,111 | −31.6% | |
| 1900 | 2,067 | — | |
| 1910 | 2,549 | 23.3% | |
| 1920 | 1,433 | −43.8% | |
| 1930 | 1,784 | 24.5% | |
| 1940 | 1,897 | 6.3% | |
| 1950 | 1,788 | −5.7% | |
| 1960 | 2,083 | 16.5% | |
| 1970 | 2,083 | 0.0% | |
| 1980 | 2,161 | 3.7% | |
| 1990 | 1,998 | −7.5% | |
| 2000 | 1,983 | −0.8% | |
| 2010 | 2,013 | 1.5% | |
| 2020 | 1,986 | −1.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2020, there were 1,986 people living in Cold Spring. Most of the people living in the village are White (94%). There are also people of Asian, African American, and Native American backgrounds. About 25% of the homes in Cold Spring have children under 18 living there.
Things to See and Do
Local Attractions
- Foundry Preserve Trail: This is a walking trail where you can explore the area around the old West Point Foundry.
- Julia L. Butterfield Memorial Library: This library has been serving the community since 1913.
- Magazzino Italian Art: This is a museum that shows Italian art from after World War II. It even has a herd of Sardinian donkeys!
Churches in Cold Spring
Cold Spring has several historic churches:
- Union Church: Built in 1826, this church was shared by different religious groups.
- Our Lady of Loretto Church: Built in 1833, this church was for the many Irish immigrants who worked at the Foundry. It was later repaired and reopened in 1977.
- Saint Mary's in the Highlands Church: This church was started in 1840. A larger church was built in 1867 in a Victorian Gothic style.
Education
Cold Spring is home to the Haldane Central School District. This school teaches students from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. In 2017, the school received a special award from the U.S. Department of Education.
Local News
Cold Spring has two weekly newspapers:
- Highlands Current (started in 2010)
- Putnam County News and Recorder (started in 1868)
Famous People from Cold Spring
Many interesting people have connections to Cold Spring:
- Gail Brown: An actress.
- Bob Duffy: A college and professional basketball player.
- Scotti Hill: A rock musician.
- Jean Marzollo: A writer, known for creating the I Spy book series.
- Charlie Plummer: An American actor.
- Emily Warren Roebling: The first female field engineer of the famous Brooklyn Bridge.
- Gouverneur K. Warren: An important American military leader during the Civil War and a hero at the Battle of Gettysburg.
Images for kids
-
A Parrott Rifle, like those made at the West Point Foundry.
-
Fair Lawn, a historic home in Cold Spring.
-
Our Lady church, around 1855.
See also
In Spanish: Cold Spring (Nueva York) para niños
