Congers, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Congers, New York
Census-designated place
Nickname(s):  The Hamlet by the Lakes, C Hood
Location in Rockland County and the state of New York
Congers, New York Location in New York
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Rockland
Area
• Total	3.93 sq mi (10.18 km2)
• Land	3.19 sq mi (8.25 km2)
• Water	0.74 sq mi (1.93 km2)
Elevation	177 ft (54 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	8,532
• Density	2,678.81/sq mi (1,034.25/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	10920
Area code(s)	845
FIPS code	36-17739
GNIS feature ID	0947282

Congers is a lovely suburban area in Rockland County, New York. It's known as a "hamlet" and a "census-designated place." This means it's a small community that isn't officially a city or town, but it has its own identity.

Congers is located north of Valley Cottage and east of New City. It's also west of the Hudson River and about 19 miles (30 km) north of New York City. In 2020, about 8,532 people called Congers home.

Exploring Congers' Location and Lakes

Congers is found at coordinates 41.146445 degrees north and -73.944036 degrees west. It covers about 3.9 square miles (10.1 square kilometers). A big part of Congers is covered by water, about 18.39%. This is because the area has four main lakes.

These lakes are Congers Lake, Rockland Lake, Swartwout Lake, and Lake DeForest. Congers is also right next to Rockland Lake State Park, which is a beautiful area along the Hudson River.

Understanding Congers' Population

The number of people living in Congers has grown steadily over the years.

In 2000, there were 8,303 people living in Congers. About 2,695 families lived there. Many households (40.6%) had children under 18. Most families (70.3%) were married couples. The average household had about 3 people. The median age in Congers was 38 years old.

A Look at Congers' Past

Lake DeForest is a large reservoir built in 1956. It can hold over 5 billion gallons of fresh water!

Congers was first settled in the late 1600s by people from the Netherlands, Germany, and England. It was first called Cedar Grove Corner. Later, it was known as Waldberg, which means "forest mountain" in German. The name "Congers" comes from a New York State Senator named Abraham Bogart Conger (1814-1887).

Early Buildings and Roads

In the 1800s, many important buildings were built in Congers. These included the railroad station, three churches, a school, and the firehouse. There were also two hotels, the Central and Globe hotels. Today, the first floor of the old Globe hotel is the Last Chance Saloon. The Clarktown Dutch Reformed Church, built a long time ago, is still standing.

Kings Highway was a very important road. It was the first major road in the county. For many years, it was the only road connecting New York City to Albany.

Historical Homes and Figures

Nine buildings in Congers have special historical markers. These markers show that the buildings are very old, some from the 1700s. One of these is the Snedeker House. People believe that George Washington stayed there for a night during the American Revolution.

The Swartout estate was owned by George Swartout. This land was later bought by General Jacobus Swartwout. He was a close friend of George Washington. His family had lived in Rockland County since 1660.

Lake DeForest and Local Heroes

Lake DeForest is a very large reservoir. It was built in 1955-1956 and can hold over 5 billion gallons of water. It's named after Henry L. Deforest, who was the president of a local water company.

Some roads in Congers are named after famous generals from the American Civil War. These include Grant, Burnside, Sheridan, Sherman, and Rosecrans avenues.

There is also a memorial for 1st Lieutenant Raymond B. Jauss. He was a hero in World War I. He received a special award for his bravery. He was killed in France in 1918.

Train Service in Congers

Congers used to have regular passenger train service. Trains ran along the New York Central Railroad's West Shore Railroad. You could travel from Weehawken, New Jersey (across from Midtown Manhattan) all the way north to Newburgh, Kingston, and Albany. This service continued until 1958.

St. Paul's Church History

Catholic people in Congers first went to St. Peter's Church in Haverstraw. Then, in the early 1890s, Rev. Thomas McGare built St. Paul's Church in Congers. This was the first Catholic church in Clarkstown. Later, in 1901, more churches were built in nearby areas like Rockland Lake, Bardonia, and New City.

Learning in Congers

Congers has one public elementary school called Lakewood Elementary. Another school, Congers Elementary School, closed in 2013. Now, that building is used as a day care center.

Older students from Congers attend Felix Festa Middle School in West Nyack. They then go to Clarkstown North High School in New City. Congers is also home to Rockland Country Day School. This is a private school for students from Pre-Kindergarten all the way to 12th grade. It was started in 1959.

Sports and Recreation

Congers is home to the New York Raiders. This is a semi-professional rugby league football team. They play their home games at Rockland Lake State Park. They are partners with the Canberra Raiders, a professional team from Australia.

Visiting Congers: Landmarks and Attractions

Congers has many interesting places to visit and historical sites to explore.

Historical Markers to Discover

You can find historical markers at these locations:

• Congers Lake Dam – on Gilchrest Road
• Congers School – at 9 Lake Road
• Congers Station – at Lake Road & Burnside Avenue
• Dr. Davies Farm – on Dr. Davies Road off Route 9W
• Kings Highway – at Kings Highway & Congers Road
• Kings Highway & the Long Clove – on Old Haverstraw Road
• Paul Farmhouse – on Gilchrest Road
• Snedeker Farm – at 74 Endicott Street
• Snedeker Landing – at Route 9W & Long Clove Roads
• St. Paul's Church – on Lake Road at the church

Places of Interest in Congers

The historic Congers Railroad Station and Park.

• Congers Historical Museum – This museum is on the second floor of the old Congers Railroad Station Park building. You can find it at Lake Road and Burnside Avenue.
• Congers United Methodist Church – The first service at this church was held on Easter Sunday, April 3, 1831. It was originally called the Waldberg Dutch Reformed Church. In 1968, it became part of the United Methodist Church. The church celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2006.

A historic building in central Congers.

• Dr. Davies Farm – The farmhouse here was built in 1836. It was part of a very large farm. In 1891, Dr. Lucy Meriwether and Arthur B. Davies bought the farm. Dr. Lucy was a general doctor who helped deliver many babies in Rockland County. Her family still runs the farm today.
• Rockland Lake Museum – This museum is located in Rockland Lake State Park. It's open all year. You can see exhibits about the local ice industry and how people lived in Rockland Lake Village. They even have old tools used for harvesting ice!
• John Mini Distinctive Landscapes – This company has a large campus in Congers. It's one of the biggest landscape contractor properties in the country.
• Self-Transcendence Marathon – This marathon is held every year in late August at Rockland Lake State Park.
• Congers Lake Trailway – This walking and biking path opened in 2011.
• Congers Lake West Trailway and Boardwalk – This part of the trail opened in October 2013. Together, the trailways around Congers Lake are about 2.6 miles long.

Famous People from Congers

Many interesting people have connections to Congers:

• Will Cunnane – A former Major League Baseball player.
• Brian Fechino – A musician and music producer.
• Mark Fergus – A screenwriter and director, known for movies like Iron Man.
• Adam Gussow – A writer, professor, and blues harmonica player.
• Leonidas Hubbard, Jr and Mina Benson Hubbard – Writers and explorers of Canada.
• Amy Leventer – A marine biologist and Antarctic researcher.
• James Maritato – A professional wrestler.
• Chris O'Grady – A relief pitcher for the Miami Marlins.
• Hayden Panettiere – A famous actress, singer, and model. She attended Congers Elementary School.
• Dan Pasqua – A Major League Baseball player.
• Sebastian Stan – A Romanian-American actor. He attended Rockland Country Day School.
• Tracy Wolfson – A sportscaster for CBS Sports.

See also

In Spanish: Congers para niños