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Greene County, New York facts for kids

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Greene County
The Greene County Court House in Catskill, NY
The Greene County Court House in Catskill, NY
Flag of Greene County
Flag
Official seal of Greene County
Seal
Map of New York highlighting Greene County
Location within the U.S. state of New York
Map of the United States highlighting New York
New York's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  New York
Founded March 3, 1800
Named for Nathanael Greene
Seat Catskill
Largest village Catskill
Area
 • Total 658 sq mi (1,700 km2)
 • Land 647 sq mi (1,680 km2)
 • Water 11 sq mi (30 km2)  1.7%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 47,931
 • Density 74.1/sq mi (28.6/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 19th

Greene County is a county in New York. In 2020, about 47,931 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, is Catskill. The county is named after Nathanael Greene, a famous general from the American Revolutionary War. Greene County is part of the Capital District area of New York State.

History of Greene County

Nathanael Greene by John Trumbull 1792
Nathanael Greene, a general in the American Revolutionary War, is who Greene County is named after.

Greene County was created on March 25, 1800. It was formed from parts of Albany County and Ulster County. At first, it covered about 630 square miles.

Over the years, the county's borders changed a few times. For example, in 1801, some land from Delaware and Ulster counties was added. This made Greene County larger. Later, in 1812, a small part of the county was given to Ulster County.

The county's borders were surveyed again several times. This helped make sure everyone knew where the county lines were. In 1822, Palenville was officially found to be inside Greene County. The final change happened in 1836, when some land was given to Schoharie County. This created the Greene County we know today.

Geography of Greene County

Greene County is in the southeastern part of New York State. It is located just west of the Hudson River and south of the city of Albany. The county covers about 658 square miles. Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

The northern and eastern parts of the county are mostly flat. Near the Hudson River, the land is at sea level. However, the southern and western areas rise sharply into the Catskill Mountains.

Catskill Park covers a large part of the south-central region. This park has some of the tallest mountains south of the Adirondacks. For example, Hunter Mountain is about 4,040 feet high. The park also has beautiful waterfalls, like the famous Kaaterskill Falls.

Greene County is part of New York's 19th Congressional District. This means its people are represented in the U.S. Congress by Republican Marc Molinaro.

Neighboring Counties

Greene County shares borders with several other counties:

Protected Areas

  • Thomas Cole National Historic Site is a special area in Greene County.

Population and People

Thomas Cole Mountain in Greene County.
Historical population
Census Pop.
1800 12,584
1810 19,536 55.2%
1820 22,996 17.7%
1830 29,525 28.4%
1840 30,446 3.1%
1850 33,126 8.8%
1860 31,930 −3.6%
1870 31,832 −0.3%
1880 32,695 2.7%
1890 31,598 −3.4%
1900 31,478 −0.4%
1910 30,214 −4.0%
1920 25,796 −14.6%
1930 25,808 0.0%
1940 27,926 8.2%
1950 28,745 2.9%
1960 31,372 9.1%
1970 33,136 5.6%
1980 40,861 23.3%
1990 44,739 9.5%
2000 48,195 7.7%
2010 49,221 2.1%
2020 47,931 −2.6%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2020
Kaaterskill Falls
Kaaterskill Falls is a beautiful waterfall in Greene County.

The population of Greene County has changed a lot over the years. In 1800, about 12,584 people lived there. The population grew steadily for many years. It reached its highest point in 2010 with 49,221 people. By 2020, the population was 47,931.

Who Lives in Greene County? (2020 Census)

The 2020 Census showed the different groups of people living in Greene County:

Greene County Racial Composition
Race Number of People Percentage
White 39,494 82.4%
Black or African American 2,159 4.5%
Native American 100 0.21%
Asian 500 1.04%
Pacific Islander 3 0.01%
Other/Mixed 2,566 5.4%
Hispanic or Latino 3,109 6.5%

Towns and Villages

Greene County has many different communities. These include towns, villages, and smaller places called hamlets.

Towns

Villages

Census-Designated Places

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as one.

Hamlets

Hamlets are small communities that are part of a larger town.

Notable People from Greene County

Many interesting people have come from Greene County:

  • John Adams (1778–1854): Born in Oak Hill, he became a United States Congressman.
  • Levi Hill: He claimed to be an early inventor of color photography.
  • Blossom Dearie (1924-2009): A famous jazz singer.
  • John B. Terry (1796-1874): Born in Coxsackie, he was a pioneer, merchant, and soldier. He also served in the Wisconsin territorial legislature.
  • Thurlow Weed (1797-1882): Born in Acra, NY, he was a newspaper publisher and a powerful politician.
  • Edwin L. Drake (1819-1880): Born in Greenville, he invented a way to drill for oil from the ground.
  • Scott Adams: Born and raised in Windham, NY, he is an American cartoonist. He created the popular Dilbert comic strip.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Greene (Nueva York) para niños

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