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Dutchess County, New York
County of New York State
County of Dutchess
Main Mall Row, Poughkeepsie
Flag Seal
Location in the U.S. state of New York
New York's location in the U.S.
Founded	1713
Named for	Mary of Modena, Duchess of York
Government • Executive	Marcus Molinaro (R)
Seat	Poughkeepsie
Largest city	Poughkeepsie
Area
• Total	825 sq mi (2,137 km2)
• Land	796 sq mi (2,062 km2)
• Water	30 sq mi (78 km2)
Population (est.)
• (2010)	297,488
• Density	144/sq mi (56/km2)
Congressional districts	18th, 19th
Time zone	Eastern: UTC−5/−4
Website	www.co.dutchess.ny.us

Dutchess County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 297,488.^[1] The county seat is the city of Poughkeepsie.^[2] The county was created in 1683, one of New York's first twelve counties, and later organized in 1713.^[3] It is located in the Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley, north of New York City.

Dutchess County is part of the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

View of Harlem Valley from Appalachian Trail in Pawling

The Dutchess County Fair, August 21, 2012

Prior to Anglo-Dutch settlement, what is today Dutchess County was a leading center for the native Wappinger peoples. They had their council-fire at what is now Fishkill Hook, and also held gatherings along the Danskammer.^{[4][clarification needed]} On November 1, 1683, the Province of New York established its first twelve counties, with Dutchess County being one of them. Its boundaries at that time included the present Putnam County, and a small portion of the present Columbia County (the towns of Clermont and Germantown). The county was named for Mary of Modena, Duchess of York - the term Dutchess is an archaic form of the word duchess.^[5]

A 1799 map of Connecticut which shows The Oblong. From Low's Encyclopaedia.

The Province of New York and the Connecticut Colony negotiated an agreement on November 28, 1683, establishing their border as 20 miles (32 km) east of the Hudson River, north to Massachusetts. The 61,660 acres (249.5 km²) east of the Byram River making up the Connecticut Panhandle were granted to Connecticut, in recognition of the wishes of the residents. In exchange, Rye was granted to New York, along with a 1.81-mile (2.91 km) wide strip of land running north from Ridgefield to Massachusetts alongside the New York counties of Westchester, Putnam then Dutchess, known as "The Oblong". The eastern half of the stub of land in northeast Dutchess County containing Rudd Pond and Taconic State Park is the northernmost extension of The Oblong.^[6]

Until 1713, Dutchess was administered by Ulster County. On October 23, 1713 Queen Anne gave permission for Dutchess County to elect its own officers from among their own population including a Supervisor, Tax Collector, Tax Assessor and Treasurer. In 2013, Dutchess County celebrated its 300th anniversary of democracy based upon a legislative resolution sponsored by County Legislator Michael Kelsey from Salt Point. In 1812, Putnam County was detached from Dutchess.^[7]

The patents

Map of Philipse Patent (showing the Oblong and Gore)

In the twelve years 1685–1697 lawful patents had been granted securing for their purchasers every foot of Hudson River shoreline in the original county. Three additional patents, to 1706, laid claim to the remaining interior lands.^{[citation needed]}

Early settlement

From 1683 to 1715 most of the settlers in Dutchess County were Dutch. Many of these moved in from Albany and Ulster Counties. They settled along the Fishkill Creek and in the areas that are now Poughkeepsie and Rhinebeck.^[8]

From 1715 to 1730 most of the new settlers in Dutchess county were Germans. From 1730 until 1775 New Englanders were the main new settlers in Dutchess County.^[9]

20th century

Franklin D. Roosevelt lived in his family home in Hyde Park, overlooking the Hudson River. His family's home is now the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, managed by the National Park Service.

Prior to the 1960s, Dutchess County was primarily agricultural. Since then the southwestern part (from Poughkeepsie southward and from the Taconic State Parkway westward) of the county has developed into a largely residential area, suburban in character, with many of its residents commuting to jobs in New York City and Westchester County. The northern and eastern regions of the county remain rural with large farmlands but at the same time developed residences used during the summer and or on weekends by people living in the New York City urban area.^[10]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 825 square miles (2,140 km²), of which 796 square miles (2,060 km²) is land and 30 square miles (78 km²) (3.6%) is water.^[11]

Dutchess County is located in southeastern New York State, between the Hudson River on its west and the New York–Connecticut border on its east, about halfway between the cities of Albany and New York City. It contains two cities: Beacon and Poughkeepsie. Depending on precise location within the county, road travel distance to New York City ranges between 58 miles (93 km) and 110 miles (180 km).

The terrain of the county is mostly hilly, especially in the Hudson Highlands in the southwestern corner and the Taconic Mountains to the northeast. Some areas nearer the river are flatter.

The highest point in the county is the summit of Brace Mountain, in the Taconics, at 2,311 feet (704 m) above sea level. The lowest point is sea level, along the Hudson River.

Almost a half mile long border exists with Berkshire County, Massachusetts in the extreme northern end of the county.

Adjacent counties

• 
  Columbia County – north


• 
  Berkshire County, Massachusetts – northeast


• 
  Litchfield County, Connecticut – east


• 
  Fairfield County, Connecticut – southeast


• 
  Putnam County – south


• 
  Orange County – southwest


• 
  Ulster County – west

National protected areas

• Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site


• Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site


• Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site

State, county, and town parks

Demographics

As of the census^[17] of 2000, there were 280,150 people, 99,536 households, and 69,177 families residing in the county. The population density was 350 people per square mile (135/km²). There were 106,103 housing units at an average density of 132 per square mile (51/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 83.66% White (80.3% non-Hispanic whites),^[18] 9.32% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 2.52% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.37% from other races, and 1.89% from two or more races. 6.45% were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 22.0% were of Italian, 16.9% Irish, 11.3% German and 6.7% English ancestry according to Census 2000. 88.3% spoke English and 4.8% spoke Spanish.

Based on the Census Ancestry tallies, including people who listed more than one ancestry, Italians were the largest group in Dutchess County with 60,645. Irish came in a very close second at 59,991. In third place were the 44,915 Germans who barely exceeded the 44,078 people not in the 105 specifically delineated ancestry groups.^[19]

There were 99,536 households out of which 34.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.50% were married couples living together, 10.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.50% were non-families. 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the county, the age distribution of the population shows 25.10% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 30.20% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 12.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $53,086, and the median income for a family was $63,254. Males had a median income of $45,576 versus $30,706 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,940. About 5.00% of families and 7.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.50% of those under age 18 and 6.50% of those age 65 or over.

The decrease in population between 1810 and 1820 was due the separation of Putnam County from Dutchess in 1812.

Government

The current county courthouse, built in 1903, stands on the same site as the original 1720 building.

Dutchess County has a Charter Government with a County Executive and directly-elected legislature of 25 members, each elected from a single member district.^[20] The Charter form of Government went in to effect in 1968 given the favorable outcome of a 1967 special election dedicated to the question. Since 1713, the County Government had been managed by a Board of Supervisors, made up of the locally elected leaders.^[21]

Law enforcement

The Cities of Beacon and Poughkeepsie; Towns of Fishkill, Hyde Park, Pine Plains, Poughkeepsie, Rhinebeck, Red Hook, and East Fishkill and Villages of Millerton, Wappingers Falls, Millbrook, and Fishkill have their own Police departments. The remainder of the county is patrolled by the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office and New York State Police. The New York State Police Troop K headquarters is located in Millbrook.

Elections

The current composition of the County Legislature is 14 Republicans, and 11 Democrats. Republican Marcus Molinaro is the current county executive, who is elected on a county-wide vote. The majority of the county is located in New York's 19th congressional district, which is currently being represented by Republican John Faso. A minority of the county, particularly in the southwestern part up to Poughkeepsie, is located in New York's 18th congressional district, represented by Democrat Sean Patrick Maloney. Dutchess County has historically leaned Republican due to its affluence and large suburban swaths. Since 1884, it has only voted for Democratic presidential candidates five times – 1964, 1996, 2008, 2012, and 2016. Recently, the county has become more competitive due to a trend towards the Democrats in the well-populated municipalities on the western side of the county near the Hudson River including the heavily Democratic cities of Poughkeepsie and Beacon. The rural communities in the northern tier have also moved towards the Democrats in recent years. The largely suburban southern towns as well as the more rural areas on the county's eastern flank have remained heavily Republican.

Transportation

Highways

• 
  Interstate 84 traverses the county in an east-west route cutting through the southern quadrant of the county. It is the only interstate highway in the county.


• 
  US 9, the Taconic State Parkway, and NY 22 are the main north-south roads in the county.


• 
  US 44, NY 55, and NY 199 are the other main east-west roads in the county

Railroads

Amtrak has stations in Rhinecliff, a small hamlet in the Town of Rhinebeck, and Poughkeepsie, with both stations being served by Empire Service trains as well as other trains that run along the line. The latter station is the terminus of the Hudson Line of the Metro-North Railroad. The Hudson Line also has station stops in New Hamburg (a hamlet of the town of Poughkeepsie) and Beacon.

The Harlem Line, on the eastern side of the county, has station stops in Pawling, Wingdale, Dover Plains, and two stops in Wassaic (one along the Tenmile River and the other the namesake terminus of that line).

Buses

Public transportation in Dutchess County is handled by Dutchess County Public Transit. Outside of the urbanized area of the county, most service is limited. Privately run lines connect Poughkeepsie to New Paltz and Beacon to Newburgh.

For intercity bus service, Leprechaun Lines and Short Line Bus also operate some service through Poughkeepsie, Rhinebeck, and the southern part of the county. The last time service ran outside that area was in the late-1990s when Peter Pan/Bonanza ran service to New York City in the eastern part of the county.

Air

The Hudson Valley Regional Airport, located in the town of Wappinger, is a general aviation facility that once had commercial service. The closest commercial airport, Stewart International Airport, is located across the Hudson River in Newburgh.

Also located in the county is Sky Park Airport, a public-use general aviation facility in Red Hook, New York.^[23]

Culture

Dutchess County Chamber of Commerce holds an annual hot air balloon launch typically in the first week of July. The main launch sites are along the Hudson River. As many as 20 balloons participate in the event.

The Dutchess County Historical Society was formed in 1914 and is active in the preservation of a large collection at the 18th century Clinton House. The Society has published a yearbook since 1914 and presents up to four awards of merit in the field of Dutchess County history each year.

Media

Dutchess County has no television stations. Its only news radio format station is WKIP (AM) of Poughkeepsie. WRHV is an NPR affiliated broadcasrting out of Poughkeepsie. The country music format station, WRWB-FM, broadcasting across the Hudson River, can be reached in much of the county.

Poughkeepsie Journal is published in that city. Vassar Miscellany News, associated with Vassar College, is published weekly. Also published in the county is the Beacon Free Press/Southern Dutchess News.

Sports

The Hudson Valley Renegades are a minor league baseball team affiliated with the Tampa Bay Rays. The team is a member of the New York–Penn League, and play at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill.

The Hudson Valley Bears are one of four founding members of the Eastern Professional Hockey League (EPHL). They play their home games at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie.

The Hudson Valley Hawks was a team in the former National Professional Basketball League. The team's home court was at Beacon High School, in Beacon.

Communities

N.B.: Cities, Towns and Villages are official political designations.

Dutchess County, New York
Amenia 1 Beekman Clinton Dover East Fishkill Fishkill Hyde Park LaGrange Milan North East Pawling Pine Plains Pleasant Valley 2 3 Red Hook Rhinebeck Stanford Union Vale Wappinger Washington 1 - Beacon 2 - Poughkeepsie (city) 3 - Poughkeepsie (town) Columbia County Fairfield County Litch. County Orange County Putnam County Ulster County

Cities

• Beacon


• 
  Poughkeepsie (county seat)

Towns

Villages

Hamlets

Education

Public school districts

Private schools

Higher education

• 
  Bard College (Annandale-on-Hudson)


• 
  Culinary Institute of America main campus (Hyde Park)


• 
  Dutchess Community College (Poughkeepsie)


• 
  Marist College (Poughkeepsie)


• Ridley-Lowell Business & Technical Institute (Poughkeepsie)


• 
  Vassar College (Poughkeepsie)

See also

• List of counties in New York


• National Register of Historic Places listings in Dutchess County, New York


• Hudson Valley

References

Further reading

• MacCracken, Henry Noble. Old Dutchess Forever!, New York: Hastings House, ©1956. LC 56-12863


• Smith, James H. History of Dutchess County, New York, Syracuse, New York: 1882. Reprinted: Interlaken, New York: Heart of the Lakes Publishing.
  ISBN 0-932334-35-0
  

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dutchess County, New York.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Dutchess County.

• Dutchess County official webpage


• Early history summary of Dutchess County


• 
  Dutchess County at Curlie