List of places named Vlaie facts for kids

In the Hudson Valley of the eastern United States, a vlaie (pronounced "vly" or "fly") is a special word for a swamp or marsh. It can also mean small creeks or areas near these wet places. You'll often find this word in place names in areas where the Dutch used to live, especially in what was once called New Netherland.

What Does "Vlaie" Mean?

The words vlaie, vly, and fly come from an old form of the Middle Dutch word valeye. This word originally meant "valley". However, when the Dutch settlers in New Netherland started using it, its meaning changed. It began to describe a "swamp" or "marsh" instead of a valley.

You might also see other spellings like vley and vlei. The English spelling vleigh probably got its extra letters from words like sleigh and weigh.

Interestingly, the Afrikaans word vlei, which means "shallow lake," comes from the same old Dutch word. However, the Vlie, a channel in Frisia, is probably not related. It likely comes from an old Latin name, Flevo.

Places Named "Vlaie" or "Fly"

Many places, like swamps, streams, lakes, and even mountains, have names that include vlaie or its different spellings. These names show the history of Dutch influence in the area.

In New York

Many places in New York use the "V" spellings like Vly or Vlaie:

• Franklinton Vlaie: This is a swamp in Schoharie County. It feeds into the Catskill Creek.
• The Vlaie in Broome: This is the area around the Franklinton Vlaie.
• Vly Mountain: This is one of the tall Catskill High Peaks in Greene County.
• Gayhead Vly: A swamp in Greene County, close to Leeds.
• Great Vly: Another swamp in Greene County that feeds the Sawyer Kill.
• Vly Creek: There are two streams named Vly Creek, one in Delaware County and another in Albany County.
• The Vly in Marbletown: This is a higher area in Ulster County.
• Vly Road: A road in Albany County.
• Vleigh Place: A street in Kew Gardens Hills in Queens County.
• Vly Swamp: A swamp in Ulster County.
• Consalus Vly: A swamp in Saratoga County.
• Ireland Vly: This used to be a swamp in Saratoga County, but now it's a reservoir.
• Miner Mill Vly: A wet area in Saratoga County where beavers live.
• Burnt Vly: A swamp in Fulton County near Stratford.
• Racker Vly: Another beaver area in Fulton County.

You can also find places with the "F" spellings like Fly:

• Fly Creek, Fly Summit, and Fly Swamp: These are in Washington County. They are also sometimes called Vly Creek, Vly Summit, and Vly Swamp.
• Fly Creek: A creek in Otsego County.
• Fly Market in New York City: This old market might be where the term flea market came from.
• Fly Creek, Fly Pond, and Fly Brook: These are in Broome County.
• The Fly: A swamp in Otsego County.
• Rossman Fly: Another name for Rossman Pond, and there's also Rossman Fly Road.
• The Old Fly: A swamp in Washington County.
• Shaw Fly: Another swamp in Washington County.

In New Jersey

New Jersey also has places with "vlaie" related names:

• Bog and Vly Meadows: A swamp near Pompton Plains in Pequannock Township.
• Tenafly: This town's name literally means "ten swamps."
• Burnt Fly Bog: A swamp on the border of Middlesex and Monmouth Counties.
• Polifly: This name means "top of the meadow" or "atop the swamp." It was the name for Hasbrouck Heights long ago. Polifly Road is a main road connecting Hackensack and Hasbrouck Heights.

Places No Longer Called "Vlaie"

Some places that used to be called "vlaie" or "fly" have changed over time:

• Sacandaga Vlaie: This used to be a large marshland. Now, it's flooded by the Great Sacandaga Lake because of the Conklingville Dam.
• The Vlaie or "Great Marsh": This was a huge swamp south of Oneida Lake in Madison County, New York. It was also known as Canaseraga Lake. It was over fifteen thousand acres before settlers drained it in the 1800s by digging the Douglass Ditch to Lake Oneida.
• Head of the Fly: This was an area in southern Flushing, Queens, New York. It is now known as Kew Gardens Hills. A road through the neighborhood is still called Vleigh Place, keeping a piece of its old name.

See also

• Toponymy of New Netherland
• Toponymy of Bergen, New Netherland