Ulster, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Town of Ulster
|
|
|---|---|
Location in Ulster County and the state of New York.
|
|
 Ulster, New York
Location in New York
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Ulster |
| Town | November 28, 1879 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 28.88 sq mi (74.81 km2) |
| • Land | 26.81 sq mi (69.43 km2) |
| • Water | 2.08 sq mi (5.38 km2) |
| Elevation | 161 ft (49 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 12,660 |
| • Density | 438.37/sq mi (169.23/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP |
12449, 12487
|
| Area code(s) | 766, 921 |
| FIPS code | 36-75935 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0979569 |
Ulster is a town located in Ulster County, New York, United States. In 2020, about 12,660 people lived here.
The town of Ulster is in the northeastern part of Ulster County. It is just north of the city of Kingston. Part of the town is also inside Catskill Park.
Major roads like the New York State Thruway (Interstate 87) and U.S. Route 9W go through the western part of the town. U.S. Route 209 crosses the Hudson River from the eastern side.
Contents
History of Ulster Town
The town of Ulster is the newest of the twenty towns in Ulster County. It was created on November 28, 1879. Land was taken from the town of Kingston to form it.
The new town was formed because people were unhappy with how the town of Kingston was being run. The state government quickly approved this change. The first meeting for the town of Ulster happened on March 2, 1880. It was held at George A. Stoddard's hotel. James Myer Jr. was the first leader, called the supervisor.
The new town was about 27.5 square miles. It bordered the city of Kingston on three sides. It also touched the Hudson River and other towns like Kingston, Saugerties, Hurley, Woodstock, and Rosendale. The Rondout Creek separated Ulster from the town of Esopus to the south.
When Ulster was created, it got many important areas. These included Eddyville, which had the end lock of the Delaware and Hudson Canal. It also had land along the Hudson River with icehouses and brickyards. These areas were great for trade and travel. The flat farmland and the Esopus Creek, good for mills, were also in the new town.
Early Economic Centers
Even though the new town didn't have one main center, Eddyville became its economic heart. It was named after George Eddy, who owned mills there. His family built a cotton mill and a sawmill on the Rondout. Eddyville grew a lot because of the Delaware and Hudson Canal.
Present-day East Kingston was first called Flatbush. The Lenape tribe, specifically the Esopus, named it first. Later, the Dutch called it "Vlakke Basch." This area became home to cement works, ice houses, and brickyards. It was the second most important place in the new Town of Ulster, after Eddyville. Today, Rider Park and Post Park are on what used to be brickyards.
The small community of Lake Katrine is named after the nearby lake. The lake was first known as Auntrens Pond. The area around it was first called Pine Bush.
In Ruby, the main business was quarrying bluestone. This area was known for both Dutch and German settlers a long time ago.
Modern Growth
Ulster remained mostly a farming area until after World War II. Then, many changes happened quickly. A big company, IBM, opened its facility in Kingston. This changed the economy of Ulster, Kingston, and nearby towns forever. New housing areas were built, schools opened, and other businesses arrived.
Today, the town of Ulster is known as the "business hub" of Ulster County. Many historical places can be found across the area.
Town Leadership
In 1999, Lisa Groppuso became the first female supervisor of the town. She was elected as a Democrat. Before this, she served as the town clerk for eight years.
In 2005, Ulster voters elected Nicky B. Woerner. He was 21 years old and became the youngest town supervisor in New York State history. That year, voters also elected the first all-Democratic town board in Ulster's history.
Geography of Ulster
The United States Census Bureau says the town covers about 28.9 square miles (74.8 square kilometers). About 26.8 square miles (69.4 square kilometers) of this is land. The remaining 2.1 square miles (5.4 square kilometers) is water.
The eastern border of the town is the Hudson River. The western part of the town shares a border with the City of Kingston.
The Esopus Creek flows north through the middle of the town.
Population Data
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 2,806 | — | |
| 1890 | 3,222 | 14.8% | |
| 1900 | 3,582 | 11.2% | |
| 1910 | 3,554 | −0.8% | |
| 1920 | 2,622 | −26.2% | |
| 1930 | 3,597 | 37.2% | |
| 1940 | 3,993 | 11.0% | |
| 1950 | 4,411 | 10.5% | |
| 1960 | 8,448 | 91.5% | |
| 1970 | 11,711 | 38.6% | |
| 1980 | 12,319 | 5.2% | |
| 1990 | 12,329 | 0.1% | |
| 2000 | 12,540 | 1.7% | |
| 2010 | 12,327 | −1.7% | |
| 2020 | 12,660 | 2.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010 Census Information
In 2010, there were 12,327 people living in Ulster.
- About 90.2% of the people were white.
- About 3.1% were African American.
- About 0.3% were Native American.
- About 2.2% were Asian.
- Less than 0.1% were Pacific Islander.
- About 2.6% were of two or more races.
- About 5.4% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino (of any race).
Communities and Locations in the Town of Ulster
- East Kingston
- Eddyville
- Flatbush
- Glenerie Lake Park
- Lake Katrine The town hall of Ulster is located in this hamlet.
- Lincoln Park
- Ruby
- Ulster Landing
- Whittier
Notable People from Ulster
- Walter B. Gibson - an author who lived here from 1966 to 1985.
- Elissa Landi - an actress who lived from 1904 to 1948. A road, Elisa Landi Drive, was named in her honor.
- Abraham J. Palmer (1847–1922)
- David Provost - served as the mayor of New York City from 1699 to 1700.
See also
In Spanish: Ulster (Nueva York) para niños
