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Philipstown, New York
Town of Philipstown
Town hall
Town hall
Official seal of Philipstown, New York
Seal
Etymology: Early local landowners, the Philipse family
Location of Philipstown, New York
Location of Philipstown, 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 Putnam
Founded 1788
Area
 • Total 51.55 sq mi (133.52 km2)
 • Land 48.77 sq mi (126.32 km2)
 • Water 2.78 sq mi (7.20 km2)
Elevation
200 ft (60 m)
Lowest elevation
0 ft (0 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 9,831
 • Density 201.56/sq mi (77.82/km2)
Time zone UTC-5
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (Eastern Daylight Time)
ZIP code
10516 and 10524
Area code(s) 845
FIPS code 36-079-57584
FIPS code 36-57584
GNIS feature ID 0979363
Wikimedia Commons Philipstown, New York
Website Town of Philipstown
Map of Philipse Patent (showing the Oblong and Gore)
Map of the Philipse Patent showing land owned by the Philipse family.

Philipstown is a town in Putnam County, New York, United States. It is located in the western part of the county. In 2020, about 9,831 people lived there.

History of Philipstown

How Philipstown Began

In 1697, a rich landowner named Adolphus Philipse bought a large piece of land. This land was called the Highland Patent. It was about 250 square miles. It stretched along the eastern side of the Hudson River.

The first people settled in the western part of this land around 1715. In 1754, the Highland Patent was divided among Philipse's family. In 1788, Philipstown was officially created from parts of this land. It was one of the first three towns in what is now Putnam County.

Changes to Town Borders

Over the years, Philipstown's borders changed a few times. In 1806, a small part of the town was given to the Town of Fishkill. Later, in 1839, Putnam Valley became its own town, taking some land from Philipstown. In 1877, a small piece of land was also transferred to Kent.

Main Communities in Philipstown

Philipstown has several important communities. These include the village of Cold Spring, the hamlet of Garrison, and the village of Nelsonville.

Geography of Philipstown

Philipstown covers about 51.6 square miles (133.6 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 48.8 square miles (126.4 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 2.8 square miles (7.2 square kilometers), is water.

Where Philipstown is Located

The Hudson River forms the western border of Philipstown. Across the river are towns in Orange County and Rockland County. To the north, Philipstown borders towns in Dutchess County. The southern border is next to a town in Westchester County. On its eastern side, Philipstown is next to Kent and Putnam Valley.

Local News and Media

Philipstown has two weekly newspapers that keep residents informed. The Highlands Current started in 2010 and is published every Friday. The Putnam County News & Recorder is an older paper, founded in 1868, and comes out every Wednesday.

Population and People

How Many People Live Here?

Historical population
Census Pop.
1820 3,733
1830 4,816 29.0%
1840 3,814 −20.8%
1850 5,063 32.7%
1860 4,526 −10.6%
1870 5,117 13.1%
1880 4,375 −14.5%
1890 4,113 −6.0%
1900 4,642 12.9%
1910 5,345 15.1%
1920 3,272 −38.8%
1930 3,982 21.7%
1940 4,246 6.6%
1950 4,332 2.0%
1960 5,918 36.6%
1970 7,717 30.4%
1980 9,155 18.6%
1990 9,242 1.0%
2000 9,422 1.9%
2010 9,662 2.5%
2020 9,831 1.7%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2010, there were 9,662 people living in Philipstown. This means there were about 198 people for every square mile. Most people (93.1%) were White. About 6.9% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Families and Households

There were 3,685 households in the town in 2010. About 31.4% of these households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (58.2%) were married couples living together. The average household had 2.53 people.

Age Groups in Philipstown

The population in Philipstown is made up of different age groups. About 28.1% of the people were under 20 years old. People aged 45 to 64 made up the largest group, at 35.3%. The median age in the town was 41 years old.

Communities and Places in Philipstown

Sugarloaf Hill Hudson Highlands from Bear Mountain Bridge
The Hudson Highlands in Philipstown are a beautiful natural feature.

Philipstown is home to many interesting communities and locations:

  • Cold Spring – A village located right by the Hudson River.
  • Constitution Island – An island also located by the Hudson River.
  • Continental Village – A small community in the southeastern part of the town.
  • Clarence Fahnestock State Park – A large state park in the northeastern section.
  • Fahnestock Corners – A specific spot within the town.
  • Forsonville – A community in the southern part, southeast of Garrison.
  • Garrison – Another community located by the Hudson River.
  • Garrison Four Corners – A location southeast of Garrison.
  • Glenclyffe – A community near the Hudson River.
  • Graymoor – A community in the southeastern part of the town.
  • Hudson Highlands State Park – A state park in the southwestern part of the town.
  • Manitou – A community in the very southwestern corner, by the Hudson River.
  • McKeel Corners – Another specific spot.
  • Nelsonville – A village located northeast of Cold Spring.
  • North Highlands – A community northeast of Nelsonville.
  • South Highland – A community near the eastern border of the town.
  • Travis Corners – A location east of South Highland.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Philipstown para niños

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