Upper Nyack, New York Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Upper Nyack, New York
Village
Location in Rockland County and the state of New York.
Upper Nyack, New York Location in New York
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Rockland
Incorporated	1872
Area
• Total	4.37 sq mi (11.33 km²)
• Land	1.23 sq mi (3.18 km²)
• Water	3.15 sq mi (8.15 km²)
Elevation	190 ft (58 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	2,015
• Density	1,640.88/sq mi (633.35/km²)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	10960
Area code(s)	845
FIPS code	36-76386
GNIS feature ID	0968288
Website	http://uppernyack-ny.us/

Upper Nyack is a small village in Rockland County, New York. It became an official village in 1872. You can find it north of Nyack and east of Valley Cottage. It is also south of Rockland Lake State Park and west of the Hudson River. In 2020, about 2,015 people lived there.

The village has its own Village Hall and a court. These are in the same building on North Broadway. Upper Nyack is also home to the Empire Hook and Ladder Company No. 1. This fire company started in 1863. It is one of eight fire companies in the Nyack Joint Fire District.

History of Upper Nyack
Geography and Location
Population and People
Places to Visit in Upper Nyack
- Historical Markers to Explore
- Landmarks and Natural Attractions
Notable People from Upper Nyack
Images for kids
See also

History of Upper Nyack

Upper Nyack officially became a village in 1872. But its history goes back much further.

Early Settlers and Land Ownership

About 200 years before Upper Nyack became a village, a man named Claus Jansen Purarent received a large piece of land. This land was about 640 acres. He got it from Governor Phillip Carteret. Jansen sold 100 acres to Dowe Harmensen Tallman. The rest of the land went to his son, Cornelius Clausen. Cornelius changed his last name to Kuyper.

Kuyper was an important person in Orange County. He was also the leader of the first group of soldiers in the county. He passed away in 1731. He is buried in the Upper Nyack Burial Grounds.

How Upper Nyack Became a Village

In the mid-1800s, a new railroad came to the area. This caused the population to grow quickly. The local government found it hard to manage everything. People started talking about making Nyack an official village.

However, some people in the northern part of Nyack worried about higher taxes. So, they decided to form their own village first. They named it Upper Nyack. This is why Upper Nyack became a village before Nyack itself.

The "Goosetown" Nickname

Around 1909, people sometimes called Upper Nyack "Goosetown." This was probably because of a man named Colonel Vose. He lived on Highmount Avenue and kept geese. He would walk his geese down to the river every day. This made people joke that Upper Nyack was "full of birds."

In 1909, there was a local disagreement. Because of this, the village adopted the saying "Goosetown against the world." This slogan was proudly used again in 1972. That year, Upper Nyack celebrated its 100th birthday.

Geography and Location

Upper Nyack is located on the west side of the Hudson River. It is about a mile north of the Tappan Zee Bridge. This bridge carries the New York State Thruway to Tarrytown, New York.

The village covers a total area of about 11.3 square kilometers (4.37 square miles). Most of this area is water. About 3.2 square kilometers (1.23 square miles) is land. The remaining 8.1 square kilometers (3.15 square miles), or 72.01%, is water.

Population and People

Upper Nyack has seen its population change over the years.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	412	—
1890	668	62.1%
1900	516	−22.8%
1910	591	14.5%
1920	538	−9.0%
1930	842	56.5%
1940	924	9.7%
1950	1,195	29.3%
1960	1,833	53.4%
1970	2,096	14.3%
1980	1,906	−9.1%
1990	2,084	9.3%
2000	1,863	−10.6%
2010	2,063	10.7%
2020	2,015	−2.3%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2000, there were 1,863 people living in Upper Nyack. There were 712 households and 524 families. About 31.5% of households had children under 18. Most households (64.3%) were married couples. The average household had 2.58 people.

The people in the village were of different ages. About 22.1% were under 18. About 15.6% were 65 or older. The average age was 45 years old.

Places to Visit in Upper Nyack

Upper Nyack has several interesting places to visit. These include historical markers and natural landmarks.

Historical Markers to Explore

Old Palmer Burying Ground: You can find this old cemetery at 104 Old Mountain Road.
Old Stone Church: This historic church is located at 347 North Broadway.

Landmarks and Natural Attractions

Brookside (Upper Nyack, New York): This is a historic home listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).
Old Stone Church: Located at 347 North Broadway, this church was built in 1813-1814. It was made from local stone and wood. It is the oldest church building in Rockland County. The Village of Upper Nyack now owns it. It is also on the NRHP.
Hook Mountain State Park: Early Dutch settlers called this mountain Verdrietige Hook, meaning "Tedious Point." It is believed to be the last place where local Native American tribes camped. It is a National Natural Landmark.
Nyack Beach State Park: This park is next to Hook Mountain State Park. It is a great place for outdoor activities.
Shadowcliff: This is another historic home in Upper Nyack. It is also listed on the NRHP.
Upper Nyack Firehouse: The firehouse at 330 North Broadway is a historic building. It is listed on the NRHP.
Van Houten's Landing Historic District: This area is a historic district. It is also listed on the NRHP.