Kinderhook Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kinderhook Creek |
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Main branches of Kinderhook Creek and Claverack Creek
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| Native name | Pasanthkack |
| Other name(s) | East Creek, Kinderhook Brook |
| Country | United States |
| State | New York, Massachusetts |
| County | Columbia County, NY, Rensselaer County, NY, Berkshire County, MA |
| Towns | , Stottville, New York, Hancock, Massachusetts |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Hancock, Taconic Mountains, Massachusetts 42°34′38″N 73°17′52″W / 42.57722°N 73.29778°W |
| River mouth | Stockport Creek Stockport, New York 10 ft (3.0 m) 42°19′03″N 73°44′43″W / 42.31750°N 73.74528°W |
| Length | 49 mi (79 km) |
Kinderhook Creek is a cool stream, about 49 miles (79 kilometers) long, located in the United States. It's like a smaller river that eventually flows into Stockport Creek. Stockport Creek then joins the big Hudson River.
This creek starts way up in the Taconic Mountains in Hancock, Massachusetts. From there, it winds its way southwest through parts of New York State. It flows through Rensselaer County and Columbia County. It passes through several towns like Stephentown, New Lebanon, Chatham, and Kinderhook. Finally, it reaches its end at Stockport Creek in the town of Stockport. The area that drains water into Kinderhook Creek is pretty large. It covers over 329 square miles (852 square kilometers)!
Contents
History of Kinderhook Creek
Early Names and Native American Connections
Long ago, the Mahican Native Americans lived near Kinderhook Creek. They called the creek Pasanthkack. This was its name before European settlers arrived.
Before the year 1667, the creek had other names too. People called it "Major Abram's (Staats) Kill" and "Third Falls." Later, in 1823, a part of it was known as Stuyvesant Falls. This name now refers to a village along the creek. After 1845, the creek became widely known as "Kinderhook Creek."
What "Kinderhook" Means
The name "Kinderhook" has a special meaning. It comes from the time when Henry Hudson explored the area. He landed near what is now Stuyvesant. Native Americans greeted him there, and many children were present.
The word "Kinder" comes from the Dutch language and means "child." The word "Hoeck" means "bend" or "hook" in a river. So, "Kinderhook" literally means "bend in the river where the children are." You can also think of it as "children's point." The Mahican Tribe also called the area around the creek Machackoesk.
Tributaries of Kinderhook Creek
A tributary is a smaller stream or river that flows into a larger one. Kinderhook Creek has many tributaries that add water to it. Here are some of them:
- Valatie Kill
- Kline Kill
- Indian Creek
- Punsit Creek
- Stony Kill
- Frisbee Creek
- Queechy Lake Brook
- Green Brook
- Tackawasick Creek
- Cranberry Vly
- Black Brook
- Huff Brook
- Hollow Brook
- Wyomanock Creek
- South Branch Wyomanock Creek
- Berry Pond Creek
- Red Oak Brook
- Taplin Bourn
- Black River
- Roaring Brook
- East Brook
- West Brook
- Bentley Brook
- Whitman Brook
- Jones Brook
- Rathburn Brook
