Phoenicia, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Phoenicia
CDP and hamlet
View along Main Street
Etymology: From Phoenix tannery
Location in Ulster County and the state of New York.
Country	United States
State	New York
Region	Catskills
County	Ulster
Area
• Total	0.46 sq mi (1.18 km2)
• Land	0.46 sq mi (1.18 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	827 ft (252 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	268
• Density	589.01/sq mi (227.31/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	12464
Area code(s)	845
Exchange	688
FIPS code	36-57650
GNIS feature ID	0960320

Phoenicia is a small community, or hamlet, located in Ulster County, New York, United States. It's also known as a census-designated place, which means it's a special area counted by the census. In 2020, about 268 people lived there.

Phoenicia is nestled at the bottom of three mountains: Mount Tremper, Romer Mountain, and Sheridan Mountain. Two creeks, the Esopus Creek and Stony Clove Creek, meet right in the community. Many people from New York City love to visit Phoenicia for vacations because of its beautiful natural setting.

History

Early Inhabitants and Settlers

For hundreds of years, the land where Phoenicia now stands was a great place for hunting and fishing. Native American groups like the Mohawk, Mohican, and Lenape peoples lived here. The Esopus Lenape are thought to have spent the most time in this area.

European settlers first arrived in the mid-1700s. As more people came to Ulster County, good farmland became harder to find. This led many farmers to move into the Catskill Mountains. Most of these early settlers came from Dutch, English, and Scottish backgrounds. Dutch was the most common language spoken among them.

Industry and Growth

The 1800s brought new industries to Phoenicia. At first, tanning (making leather from animal hides) was the main job. Later, bluestone quarrying (digging up a type of stone) became more important. During this time, the Dutch way of life became less common.

The Phoenix Tannery operated in the hamlet from 1836 until it closed around 1870. It burned down a few years later in 1873. This tannery, like many new businesses, mostly hired recent Irish immigrants. Many people believe the hamlet of Phoenicia got its name from this Phoenix Tannery.

Rise of Tourism

As tanning and quarrying slowed down in the late 1800s, tourism started to grow. Phoenicia became a popular spot for visitors. An article from the New York Times in 1879 mentioned that thousands of people would come to the Catskills. They came to escape the city heat and relax.

The Ulster and Delaware Railroad was the first train line to reach Phoenicia. This helped the tourism industry grow quickly, and it's still a big part of the local economy today. The New York Central Railroad took over the line in 1932. Passenger train service continued until March 31, 1954.

In 1960, the Empire State Railway Museum opened at the old Phoenicia Railroad Station. This station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.

In 1986, a large, two-ton iron eagle with a 13-foot wingspan found a new home in Phoenicia. This eagle used to sit on top of New York City's Grand Central Depot.

From 2010, Phoenicia hosted the Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice every August. This festival has since moved to New Paltz.

Geography

Phoenicia is located at 42°4′53″N 74°18′47″W / 42.08139°N 74.31306°W / 42.08139; -74.31306. The community covers about 0.5 square miles (1.18 square kilometers) of land.

Population Information

In 2000, there were 381 people living in Phoenicia. By 2010, the population was 309, and in 2020, it was 268.

The average age of people in Phoenicia in 2000 was 46 years old. About 18.1% of the population was under 18 years old, and 23.1% was 65 years or older.

The ZIP Code for Phoenicia is 12464. The Area code is 845.

Images for kids

• 

  Tubing on the Esopus Creek in Phoenicia (1978)

• 

  View of Phoenicia, 1910s

See also

In Spanish: Phoenicia para niños