Monroe, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Monroe, New York
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| Town of Monroe | |
Town hall
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Location in Orange County and the state of New York; map shown does not reflect separation of Palm Tree from Monroe.
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| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Orange |
| Area | |
| • Total | 21.3 sq mi (55.1 km2) |
| • Land | 20.1 sq mi (52.0 km2) |
| • Water | 1.2 sq mi (3.1 km2) |
| Elevation | 554 ft (169 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 21,387 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
10950
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| Area code(s) | 845 |
The Town of Monroe is a community located in Orange County, New York, United States. In 2020, about 21,387 people lived here. This number is lower than in 2010 because a new town called Palm Tree was formed from part of Monroe in 2019. The town is named after President James Monroe.
History of Monroe
Early Settlers and Land
The first people to live in this area were Native Americans from the Leni-Lenape nation. This nation had three main tribes: the Unulactus (the turkey tribe), the Minsis (the wolf tribe), and the Unamis (the turtle tribe). As more European settlers arrived, the Leni-Lenape people were eventually forced to move west. They moved out of New York and New Jersey into Pennsylvania. Later, they moved even further west into central North America. This happened after a colonial agreement called the Treaty of Easton was signed in 1758.
In the early 1700s, the lower Hudson Valley region was being mapped. On March 25, 1707, Queen Anne of England granted the "Chessecocks Patent." This patent confirmed that land had been bought directly from the Leni-Lenape nation. The patent was given to seven people. The area known as Cheesecocks included all of what is now Monroe, Palm Tree, Woodbury, Tuxedo, and Stony Point. Many of the new settlers came from Long Island. They were Dutch and English, and they came for the area's rich natural resources.
Smith's Mill and the Revolutionary War
The original name for the area around the Ramapo River was Smith's Mill. This name came from a grist mill built in 1741 by David Smith. He was one of the first settlers. The Clove Road, which went through this area, was very important during the American Revolutionary War. It was a secret escape route for General George Washington from New York to his headquarters. Before 1808, the area was called Southfields. Then, it was renamed Monroe.
David Smith, a successful miller from Long Island, bought land from one of the original patentees. He built the first home and a dam and grist mill on the Ramapo River. This created the Mill Pond that you can still see today.
Changes to Town Boundaries
Over time, parts of Monroe became separate towns. In 1889, the towns of Woodbury and Tuxedo were formed from parts of Monroe. In 1894, the community of Monroe became its own separate village.
A big change happened because of the growth of Kiryas Joel. This is a village where many Hasidic Jewish people live. It grew so much that by 2017, most of the people in the Town of Monroe lived in Kiryas Joel. This led to some disagreements, especially about how land was used. To solve these issues, it was agreed that Kiryas Joel would split off and become its own town. Voters approved this in November 2017. The new town, called Palm Tree, officially began on January 1, 2019.
Seven Springs Proposal
After Palm Tree became a separate town, some residents who were still in Monroe wanted to create another new village called Seven Springs. This idea faced opposition from other residents and even from the government of Palm Tree. A judge ruled that the plan to create Seven Springs should be considered. However, a new state law was signed in 2023. This law made it harder to create new villages by requiring more residents and a study of the impact on the surrounding town.
Local History and Events
Monroe is known as the birthplace of Velveeta and Liederkranz cheese. A cheese festival is held each year to celebrate this history.
The Great Fire of 1895
On March 17, 1895, a large fire destroyed much of the center of Monroe village. Many businesses and buildings were lost. After this fire, the village decided to install a water system to help fight future fires. Fire companies were also organized, like the Mombasha Fire Company.
Harness Racing History
In the early 1900s, the Monroe Race Track was built. It became a popular place for horse races, especially harness racing. The first race was held on August 8, 1908, and about 22,000 people came to watch! The track was part of a racing circuit in Orange County. In 1913, a world record for a pacer horse was set at the Monroe track. The track operated for 19 years, and its grandstands were taken down in 1964.
Geography of Monroe
The Town of Monroe covers about 21.3 square miles (55.1 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with a small amount of water.
Monroe is located in the southern part of Orange County. It shares borders with several other towns:
- To the northwest: Chester
- To the north: Blooming Grove
- To the northeast: Palm Tree
- To the east: Woodbury
- To the south: Tuxedo
- To the southwest: Warwick
Major roads like NY-17 and U.S. Highway 6 pass through the area.
Lakes in Monroe
There are several lakes in the Town of Monroe:
- Mombasha Lake – located near the southern border of the town.
- Round Lake – found in the western part of Monroe, southwest of Monroe village.
- Walton Lake – also in the western part of Monroe, south of Round Lake.
Communities in Monroe
The Town of Monroe includes several communities:
- Harriman – part of this village is in the town.
- Marycrest – a community next to the southern part of Monroe village.
- Monroe – the main village, located south of NY-17.
- Mountain House – a spot near the northern town line.
- Newburgh Junction – a small community south of Harriman.
- Walton Park – part of this community is in the town.
Population of Monroe
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 2,969 | — | |
| 1830 | 3,671 | 23.6% | |
| 1840 | 3,914 | 6.6% | |
| 1850 | 4,280 | 9.4% | |
| 1860 | 3,975 | −7.1% | |
| 1870 | 4,666 | 17.4% | |
| 1880 | 5,096 | 9.2% | |
| 1890 | 1,694 | −66.8% | |
| 1900 | 1,784 | 5.3% | |
| 1910 | 2,285 | 28.1% | |
| 1920 | 2,630 | 15.1% | |
| 1930 | 3,000 | 14.1% | |
| 1940 | 3,302 | 10.1% | |
| 1950 | 3,714 | 12.5% | |
| 1960 | 5,965 | 60.6% | |
| 1970 | 9,169 | 53.7% | |
| 1980 | 14,948 | 63.0% | |
| 1990 | 23,035 | 54.1% | |
| 2000 | 31,411 | 36.4% | |
| 2010 | 39,912 | 27.1% | |
| 2020 | 21,387 | −46.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
According to the 2000 census, there were 31,407 people living in Monroe. About 53.6% of households had children under 18. The average household had 3.72 people.
The population was quite young, with 41.5% of residents under the age of 18. The median age was 22 years old.
Notable People from Monroe
- David Bernsley (born 1969), an American-Israeli basketball player.
- Malcolm Bricklin (born 1939), an American businessman.
- Chloe Chambers (born 2004), a racing driver.
See also
In Spanish: Monroe (Nueva York) para niños
