kids encyclopedia robot

Halcott, New York facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Halcott, New York
Vly and South Vly mountains from the center of town
Vly and South Vly mountains from the center of town
Etymology: Early settler
Location in Greene County and the state of New York.
Location in Greene County and the state of New York.
Location of New York in the United States
Location of New York in the United States
Country United States
State New York
County Greene
Founded 1851
Government
 • Type Town Hall
Area
 • Total 23.04 sq mi (59.68 km2)
 • Land 23.04 sq mi (59.68 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
1,760 ft (540 m)
Highest elevation 3,600 ft (1,100 m)
Lowest elevation
(Vly Creek at Delaware County line)
1,700 ft (500 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 249
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (Eastern Daylight Time)
ZIP Code
12430
Area code(s) 845
FIPS code 36-039-31379
FIPS code 36-31379
GNIS feature ID 0979034

Halcott is a small town located in Greene County, New York, in the United States. It's a quiet place, found in the southwestern part of Greene County. In 2020, about 249 people lived there. This number was a little lower than the 258 people counted in 2010.

History of Halcott

The first people to settle permanently in Halcott were the Valkenburg family, who arrived around 1813. Before them, some people tried to live in the area around 1790 but didn't stay.

The town of Halcott was officially created in 1851. It was formed from a part of the nearby town of Lexington. The town was named after George W. Halcott, who was a sheriff at the time. In 1900, the town had a population of 272 people.

Geography and Location

Halcott is nestled within the beautiful Catskill Mountains. The town covers an area of about 23 square miles (59.68 square kilometers), and all of it is land.

Sign for Halcott in Fleischmanns, NY
Sign pointing to Halcott in the Delaware County village of Fleischmanns to the south

The western and southern edges of Halcott touch the border of Delaware County. To the north and east, the town is surrounded by a range of mountains, including Bearpen Mountain and Halcott Mountain. Beyond these mountains is the town of Lexington.

Halcott is mainly the valley of Vly Creek. It is almost completely surrounded by mountains on three sides. Most people get to Halcott by traveling from the south, often through the village of Fleischmanns in Delaware County.

Halcott Mountain Road

There's a special road called Halcott Mountain Road that goes between Bearpen Mountain and Vly Mountain. This road is not paved and reaches an elevation of about 2,800 feet (853 meters). This makes it the highest public road in New York State that you can drive all the way through.

Because of this road's location, it's the only way to get from Halcott to the rest of Greene County without leaving the county. If you want to use a paved road, you have to drive through parts of either Ulster or Delaware counties first. This geographic isolation is also why Halcott is the only place in Greene County that uses the 845 area code for telephones.

Population and People

Historical population
Census Pop.
1860 504
1870 426 −15.5%
1880 396 −7.0%
1890 357 −9.8%
1900 350 −2.0%
1910 331 −5.4%
1920 272 −17.8%
1930 223 −18.0%
1940 273 22.4%
1950 244 −10.6%
1960 193 −20.9%
1970 199 3.1%
1980 150 −24.6%
1990 189 26.0%
2000 193 2.1%
2010 258 33.7%
2020 249 −3.5%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2000, there were 193 people living in Halcott. These people lived in 84 households, and 54 of those were families. Most of the people living in Halcott were White (98.45%).

About 20.2% of the households had children under 18 living with them. The average household had about 2.30 people. The average family had about 2.70 people.

The median age of people in Halcott was 45 years old. This means half the people were younger than 45 and half were older. About 18.7% of the population was under 18 years old.

Communities and Places in Halcott

  • Halcott Center – This is a small hamlet located near the southern border of the town. Most of the mail for Halcott is sent to this area. The town's post office used to be here until 1985. Now, mail service is combined with the post office in Fleischmanns, which is in Delaware County. The hamlet of Halcottsville is also nearby, to the west, in Delaware County.
  • Halcott Mountain – This is a mountain located to the east of the town, within the Catskill Park. It is one of the very tall mountains known as the Catskill High Peaks. The top of the mountain and much of its area are actually in the neighboring town of Lexington.
  • Vly Creek – This is a stream that flows south through Halcott Center. The town is basically the area where this creek's water collects.
  • Vly Mountain – Another tall mountain, located along the northeastern border of the town. It is also one of the Catskill High Peaks.
  • Bearpen Mountain – This is another one of the Catskill High Peaks, with its top reaching about 3,600 feet (1,097 meters) high.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Halcott (Nueva York) para niños

kids search engine
Halcott, New York Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.