Rifton, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rifton, New York
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Location in Ulster County and the state of New York.
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| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Ulster |
| Village incorporated | 1901 |
| Village dissolved | 1919 |
| Government | |
| • Type | unincorporated |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.24 sq mi (3.21 km2) |
| • Land | 1.24 sq mi (3.21 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 180 ft (55 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 481 |
| • Density | 387.90/sq mi (149.83/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
12471
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| Area code(s) | 845 |
| FIPS code | 36-61797 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0962517 |
Rifton is a small community in Ulster County, New York, United States. It is known as a hamlet and also a census-designated place, which is a special area used for counting people. In 2020, about 481 people lived there.
Rifton is home to the Woodcrest Bruderhof community. It is located in the Town of Esopus, close to Route 213.
Contents
History of Rifton
Rifton started as several smaller communities and hamlets. The Dashville hamlet was one of the first areas to be settled. By 1824, Ezekiel Eltinge had built several mills along the Wallkill River.
In 1861, Jeremiah W. Dimick bought a mill in a place called Arnoldton. He then renamed that community Rifton Glen. Another hamlet, Swartekill, got its name because it was located where the Swartekill Creek met the Wallkill River. "Swartekill" means "black river" in Dutch. This area had powder mills as early as 1865.
Rifton officially became a village on May 20, 1901. It included the hamlets of Rifton Glen, Swartekill, and Dashville, along with the communities of Saltpeterville and Perrine's Bridge. However, the mills in the village eventually closed down. Because of this, the state government decided to dissolve the village in 1919.
Geography of Rifton
Rifton is located at coordinates 41°50′0″N 74°2′32″W / 41.83333°N 74.04222°W.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the entire area of Rifton is about 1.2 square miles (3.2 square kilometers), and it is all land.
Population in Rifton
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2000 | 501 | — | |
| 2010 | 456 | −9.0% | |
| 2020 | 481 | 5.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 501 people living in Rifton. These people lived in 207 households, and 133 of these were families. The population density was about 421.9 people per square mile.
Most of the people in Rifton were White (94.61%). There were also smaller numbers of African American, Native American, and Asian residents. About 1.80% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 29.5% of households had children under 18 living with them. Many households (54.1%) were married couples. The average household had 2.42 people, and the average family had 3.01 people.
The median age in Rifton was 41 years old. This means half the people were younger than 41 and half were older. About 25% of the population was under 18 years old.
The median income for a household in Rifton was $44,375. For families, the median income was $49,643.
Education in Rifton
Students in Rifton attend schools in the Kingston City School District. The main high school for this district is Kingston High School.
Notable People from Rifton
Sojourner Truth was a very important person in American history. She was born into slavery in Rifton, in what was then the Swartekill hamlet. Her birth name was Isabella Baumfree. She later became famous for her work as an abolitionist (someone who fought to end slavery) and a women's rights activist.
See also
In Spanish: Rifton para niños
