Peekskill Hollow Creek facts for kids

The town of Putnam Valley in New York

Peekskill Hollow Creek is a cool stream located in the western part of Putnam County, New York. It mostly flows through the town of Putnam Valley. This creek is about 17 miles (27 kilometers) long. It starts as water flowing out of Lake Tibet, which is in the southwestern part of the town of Kent. From there, it travels southwest towards the town of Peekskill in Westchester County. For a few miles after leaving Kent, the creek acts as a natural border between the towns of Carmel and Putnam Valley.

Where Does Peekskill Hollow Creek Flow?

After leaving Putnam Valley, Peekskill Hollow Creek enters the town of Cortlandt in Westchester County. As it gets closer to the mighty Hudson River, it meets up with two smaller streams. These are called Sprout Brook and Annsville Creek. All three streams then join together and are known as Annsville Creek for less than a mile before they finally flow into the Hudson River.

How Big is the Creek's Area?

The area that drains water into Peekskill Hollow Creek is quite large. It covers a bit more than 47 square miles (122 square kilometers). This area includes a lake made by people, called Lake Peekskill, which is in Putnam Valley. There's also a small dam about 0.8 miles (1.3 kilometers) upstream from where the creek meets the Hudson River. This dam is located near Van Cortlandtville.

The Creek's History and Early Maps

Long ago, when America was still a group of colonies, people didn't know the land in Putnam County as well as we do today. They didn't have all the names for the rivers and hills. Some people thought that Peekskill Hollow Creek started from what is now the Boyds Corner Reservoir. This reservoir is about a mile east of Lake Tibet in the town of Kent.

A Map Mystery Solved

However, they were mistaken! The water from Boyds Corner Reservoir actually flows east into the Croton River watershed. This watershed is a very important part of the New York City water supply system, providing drinking water to millions of people. So, Peekskill Hollow Creek starts from Lake Tibet, not the reservoir.

A careful look at this map shows Peekskill Hollow Creek starting near Lake Tibet and heading southwest towards the Hudson River. It joins two other creeks before flowing into the river near Peekskill.