Fishkill (town), New York - Wikipedia

Fishkill (town), New York - Wikipedia
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Coordinates
41°31′40″N
73°54′54″W
 / 
41.52778°N 73.91500°W
 /
41.52778; -73.91500
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Town in New York, United States
Fishkill, New York
Town
Town hall
Seal
Location of Fishkill, New York
Coordinates:
41°31′40″N
73°54′54″W
 / 
41.52778°N 73.91500°W
 /
41.52778; -73.91500
Country
United States
State
New York
County
Dutchess
Government
• Type
Town Council
Town Supervisor
Ozzy Albra (
Town Council
Gregory Totino (
John Forman (
Brian Wrye (
Jacqueline Bardini (
Area
• Total
32.0 sq mi (82.9 km
• Land
27.3 sq mi (70.8 km
• Water
4.7 sq mi (12.1 km
Elevation
260 ft (80 m)
Population
2020
• Total
24,226
• Density
809/sq mi (312.2/km
Time zone
UTC−5
Eastern (EST)
• Summer (
DST
UTC−4
(EDT)
ZIP Codes
12524 (
Fishkill
12527 (
Glenham
12508 (
Beacon
12533 (
Hopewell Junction
12590 (
Wappingers Falls
Area code
845
FIPS code
36-25978
GNIS
feature ID
0978958
Website
www
.fishkill-ny
.gov
Fishkill
is a
town
in the southwestern part of
Dutchess County
New York
, United States. It lies approximately 60 miles (97 km) north of
New York City
. The population was 24,226 at the 2010 census.
Fishkill surrounds the
city
of
Beacon
, and contains a
village
, which is also named
Fishkill
, the majority of the
hamlet
of
Brinckerhoff
and the
census-designated place
of
Merritt Park
The name Fishkill derives from the Dutch words
vis kill
, meaning "fish creek".
The location of Fishkill was known as
Tioranda
by the Native American peoples. The name means "The place where two waters meet".
Fishkill is one of the nine original towns in Dutchess County, and is best known today for its rich history dating to the
American Revolutionary War
period and scenic views of the
Hudson Highlands
History
edit
In 1683, New York City merchants
Francis Rombouts
and Gulian Verplanck purchased 85,000 acres (340 km
) in Dutchess County from the
Wappinger
confederacy of Native Americans for a quantity of goods including rum, powder, and tobacco. In 1685 it was granted as the royal
Rombout Patent
. Neither ever lived on the land, intending to use it only for fur trading. The first white settlers were Rombout's daughter,
Catheryna
, and her husband, Roger Brett, who built a mill at the mouth of
Fishkill Creek
as it flows into the
Hudson River
Originally, the boundaries of Fishkill extended far beyond the boundaries of the present-day Town of Fishkill. When the town was
incorporated
in 1788, Fishkill's land area included the present-day City of
Beacon
and Village of Fishkill, as well as the
Town of Wappinger
, Village of
Wappingers Falls
, Town of
East Fishkill
and a portion of the Town of
LaGrange
. During the 19th century, as other towns incorporated, Fishkill's area was reduced until the incorporation of the City of Beacon in 1913 resulted in Town boundaries approximate to modern town lines.
A number of areas within the town retain their Native American names, including Matteawan Road and the hamlet of Wiccopee, which overlaps into the modern town of East Fishkill.
Daniel Nimham
, the final
sachem
of the
Wappinger
people, was born in the Wiccopee area in 1726.
Fishkill played a pivotal role in the
American Revolutionary War
when a huge military encampment known as the Fishkill Supply Depot was established one mile (1.6 km) south of the village of Fishkill to guard the mountain pass to the south. Signal fires lay in readiness on tops of the surrounding mountains. The Fishkill encampment became the
main supply depot
for the northern department of the
Continental Army
. The first copies of the
New York State Constitution
were printed at Fishkill in 1777.
Mount Beacon
, located in the town, earned its name for the
signal fires
at the summit which were used for Continental Army communications during the war.
As commander of the Continental Army,
George Washington
spent considerable time in Fishkill, and in 1778, noted Fishkill
silversmith
John Bailey
crafted a
sword
for Washington near present-day Maurer-Geering Park. The sword was a particular favorite of Washington's, and he carried it for the remainder of the war.
Upon his death, Washington bequeathed a sword to each of his five nephews, and nephew Samuel Washington received the Bailey sword. He donated it to
Congress
in 1843.
The sword now lies in the
Smithsonian Institution
, as part of the
National Museum of American History
Today, the town's economy is diverse, comprising tourism, medical care, retail and restaurants, warehouses, recreation spots and a wealth of small businesses.
In 1996, the animal rights group
PETA
suggested the town change its name to something less suggestive of violence toward fish. The name derives from the
Dutch
vis kill
, meaning "fish creek."
For this reason, the town declined.
In 2021, the Town commissioned an eight-foot bronze statue depicting
Daniel Nimham
from noted Hudson Valley sculptor Michael Keropian. The statue was installed at the Arrowhead intersection of NY-52 and NY-82 (41° 32.685′ N, 73° 52.16′ W.) in May 2022 and dedicated on June 11, 2022. Town Supervisor Ozzy Albra hosted the ceremony which featured comments from elected officials, educators, the sculptor, and a number of special presentations by Native American community groups.
Government
edit
The Town of Fishkill 2025 Town Council, from left to right: Louise Daniele, Carmine Istvan, Ozzy Albra (Sup), John Forman, Brian Wrye.
The Town of Fishkill is overseen by a Town Supervisor a Town Council, comprising four Councilmembers. The Town Supervisor and Town Council are elected to four-year terms, and town law limits the Town Supervisor and Town Council to two terms of service. As of 2025, the Town Supervisor is Ozzy Albra, and the Town Council consists of Jacqueline Bardini, John Forman, Gregory Totino and Brian Wrye.
10
Tourism
edit
Fishkill is home to a number of tourist locations, including a number of historically significant sites.
11
Popular sites include:
Dutchess Stadium
, home of the
Hudson Valley Renegades
High-A
Minor League
Baseball team
Mount Gulian
SplashDown Beach, a seasonal water and amusement park
Stony Kill Farm
Van Wyck Homestead Museum
Geography
edit
According to the
United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 32.0 square miles (82.9 km
), of which 27.3 square miles (70.8 km
) is land and 4.7 square miles (12.1 km
), or 14.55%, is water. The elevation of the town varies from sea level along the
Hudson River
(Fishkill Waterfront, Fishkill Landing, Dutchess Junction) to 1,600 feet (490 m) above sea level (South Beacon Mountain).
The southern town line is the border between Dutchess and
Putnam
counties and between the towns of Fishkill and
Philipstown
. The western town line is defined by the Hudson River, across which lie the
Orange County
towns of
Cornwall
New Windsor
, and
Newburgh
, as well as the
city of Newburgh
. The city of
Beacon
is contained within the town, though Fishkill's area west of Beacon is mostly occupied by the Hudson.
12
To the north is the town of
Wappinger
, and to the east is the town of
East Fishkill
The town's namesake, the
Fishkill Creek
, runs from east to west across the town and empties into the Hudson River. As the word Fishkill derives from the Dutch
vis kill
, meaning "fish creek," the English use of "Fishkill Creek" creates a bilingual
tautology
Interstate 84
passes through the town in an east-west direction, with access from Exits 41, 44, and 46 and
US 9
passes through both the town and village of Fishkill in a north-south direction.
Demographics
edit
Historical population
Census
Pop.
Note
%±
1820
8,203
1830
8,292
1.1%
1840
10,437
25.9%
1850
9,240
−11.5%
1860
9,546
3.3%
1870
11,752
23.1%
1880
10,732
−8.7%
1890
11,840
10.3%
1900
13,016
9.9%
1910
13,858
6.5%
1920
2,095
−84.9%
1930
2,890
37.9%
1940
3,615
25.1%
1950
3,863
6.9%
1960
7,083
83.4%
1970
11,935
68.5%
1980
15,506
29.9%
1990
17,655
13.9%
2000
20,258
14.7%
2010
22,107
9.1%
2020
24,226
9.6%
U.S. Decennial Census
13
As of the
census
of 2000, there were 20,258 people, 6,856 households, and 4,264 families residing in the town. The population density was 738.9 inhabitants per square mile (285.3/km
). There were 7,040 housing units at an average density of 257 inhabitants per square mile (99.1/km
). The racial makeup of the town was 77.19% White, 14.13%
African American
, 0.19%
Native American
, 2.99% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 4.49% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. Of the population 10.47% were
Hispanic or Latino
of any race.
There were 6,856
households
, out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were
married couples
living together, 8.1% had a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 37.8% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.3% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 38.1% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years.
The median income for a household in the town was $52,745, and the median income for a family was $63,574. Males had a median income of $42,106 versus $32,198 for females. The
per capita income
for the town was $22,662. 5.4% of the population and 3.4% of families were below the
poverty
line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 6.2% were under the age of 18 and 7.5% were 65 or older.
Sports
edit
Fishkill is home to the
Hudson Valley Renegades
, a minor league baseball team affiliated with the
New York Yankees
, which plays at
Heritage Financial Park
in the
South Atlantic League
Notable residents
edit
A statue of Fishkill native
Daniel Nimham
in the Town of Fishkill.
Elizabeth Allen
, theatre, television and film actor and singer; lived in Fishkill prior to her death.
Catheryna Rombout Brett
, landowner and businesswoman; owned a considerable portion of Dutchess County in the colonial period.
Elijah A. Briggs
American Civil War
soldier and
Medal of Honor
recipient; lived in Fishkill for many years prior to his death.
Robert Kanigher
, comic book, playwright, television and film writer for
DC Comics
noted for writing
Wonder Woman
and
The Flash
lived in Fishkill prior to his death.
Marquis de Lafayette
, French noble and military leader who assisted Washington during the Revolutionary War; was nursed to health after a long illness in Fishkill.
Daniel Nimham
, final sachem of the
Wappinger
people and
American Revolutionary War
combat veteran; born in Fishkill in 1726.
Margaret Sanger
, birth control activist and sex educator had her summer home in Fishkill from the mid-1920s until 1949.
14
Benjamin Strong Jr.
, banker and Governor of the
Federal Reserve Bank of New York
See also
edit
Hudson Valley portal
New York (state) portal
Fishkill Correctional Facility
Mount Gulian
Stony Kill Farm
Van Wyck Homestead Museum
References
edit
"2020 Census Data"
. United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
August 5,
2023
Hooper Shelton.
"Fisher County"
. Texas State Historical Association
. Retrieved
May 24,
2012
Elijah Middlebrook Haines,
The American Indian (Uh-nish-in-na-ba)
, p. 788
"Skinner, Willa. "Town History", Town of Fishkill"
. Archived from
the original
on July 7, 2014
. Retrieved
June 29,
2014
Musso, Anthony P. (October 11, 2016).
"Washington's favorite sword made by Fishkill cutler"
Poughkeepsie Journal
. Retrieved
February 22,
2021
"George Washington's Sword"
New York Historic
. Retrieved
February 22,
2021
"George Washington's Battle Sword and Scabbard"
Smithsonian Institution
. Retrieved
February 22,
2021
"A fishy name will stay the same"
CNN
. September 6, 1996
. Retrieved
July 7,
2011
{{
cite web
}}
: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (
link
Bender, Todd (June 13, 2022).
"Fishkill honors 'native son'
. MidHudson News
. Retrieved
June 24,
2022
"2024/01/17 07:00 PM Town Board Regular Meeting - Web Outline - Town of Fishkill, New York"
fishkilltownny.iqm2.com
. Retrieved
January 28,
2024
"All there is to experience in: Fishkill"
"American FactFinder - Search"
. Retrieved
August 18,
2017
{{
cite web
}}
: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (
link
"Census of Population and Housing"
. Census.gov
. Retrieved
June 4,
2015
"The Margaret Sanger Papers Project"
sanger.hosting.nyu.edu
. Retrieved
April 3,
2023
External links
edit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Fishkill, New York
Town of Fishkill official website
Village of Fishkill
Fishkill area information
Blodgett Memorial Library (Fishkill)
Fishkill Creek Watershed Committee
Rombout Fire Company
Fishkill Reformed Church
Fishkill Historical Society
Municipalities and communities of
Dutchess County, New York
United States
County seat
Poughkeepsie
Cities
Beacon
Poughkeepsie
Towns
Amenia
Beekman
Clinton
Dover
East Fishkill
Fishkill
Hyde Park
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MacDonnell Heights
Marist College
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Shekomeko
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Van Keurens
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Former
communities
New Guinea Community Site
Footnotes
‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
New York portal
United States portal
Hudson River
watershed
Tributaries
Batavia Kill
Batten Kill
Birch Creek
Black Meadow Creek
Boreas River
Bowery Creek
Bowmans Creek
Breakneck Brook
Brimstone Creek
Canajoharie Creek
Caroga Creek
Casperkill
Catskill Creek
Cayadutta Creek
Cedar River
Claverack Creek
Clove Brook
Cobleskill Creek
Coeymans Creek
Coxsackie Creek
Cross River
Croton River
East Branch Croton River
East Branch Sacandaga River
East Canada Creek
East Kill
Eightmile Creek
Esopus Creek
Fall Kill
Fishkill Creek
Fonteyn Kill
Fulmer Creek
Hannacrois Creek
Honnedaga Brook
Hoosic River
Indian River
Jackson Creek
Jan De Bakkers Kill
Kaaterskill Creek
Kayaderosseras
Kinderhook Creek
Kisco River
Lake Creek
Little Shawangunk Kill
Maritje Kill
Miami River
Mill Creek
Mohawk River
Moodna Creek
Moordener Kill
Moyer Creek
Muddy Kill
Neepaulakating Creek
Normans Kill
Nowadaga Creek
Ohisa Creek
Onesquethaw Creek
Opalescent River
Oriskany Creek
Otsquago Creek
Otter Kill
Papakating Creek
Peekskill Hollow Creek
Plattekill Creek
Platter Kill
Pocantico River
Pochuck Creek
Poesten Kill
Potic Creek
Quassaick Creek
Roeliff Jansen Kill
Rondout Creek
Sacandaga River
Sauquoit Creek
Saw Kill
Saw Mill River
Sawyer Kill
Schoharie Creek
Schroon River
Shawangunk Kill
Sparkill Creek
Sprout Creek
Steele Creek
Stockport Creek
Stony Clove Creek
Taghkanic Creek
Tenmile Creek
Tin Brook
Titicus River
Trout Brook
Verkeerder Kill
Vloman Kill
Wallkill River
Walloomsac River
Wappinger Creek
Wawayanda Creek
West Branch Papakating Creek
West Branch Sacandaga River
West Canada Creek
West Kill
Wynants Kill
Lakes
Alcove Reservoir
Ashokan Reservoir
Basic Creek Reservoir
Beacon Reservoir
Bog Brook Reservoir
Cedar Lake
Chadwick Lake
Chub Lake
Cross River Reservoir
Croton Falls Reservoir
Dyken Pond
East Branch Reservoir
East Caroga Lake
Fall Lake
Franklinton Vlaie
Garnet Lake
Glenmere Lake
Great Sacandaga Lake
Henderson Lake
Honnedaga Lake
Indian Lake
Lizard Pond
Lake Maratanza
Muscoot Reservoir
Lake Neepaulin
New Croton Reservoir
Notch Lake
Piseco Lake
Lake Pleasant
Queechy Lake
Rondout Reservoir
Sacandaga Lake
Saratoga Lake
Sturgeon Pool
Surprise Lake
Sylvan Lake
Lake Tear of the Clouds
Thompson Pond
Titicus Reservoir
Trout Lake
West Caroga Lake
Whaley Lake
Winnisook Lake
Towns
New York
Albany
Amsterdam
Beacon
Bedford
Beekman
Bennington
Bethlehem
Blooming Grove
Briarcliff Manor
Carmel
Catskill
Clifton Park
Cohoes
Colonie
Cortlandt
East Fishkill
East Greenbush
Fishkill
Glenville
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Greenburgh
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Landmarks
Adirondack Mountains
Adirondack Park
Ashokan Bridge
Blenheim Bridge
Buskirk Bridge
Catskill Mountains
Champlain Canal
Cohoes Falls
Copeland Bridge
Delaware and Hudson Canal
Eagleville Bridge
East River
Erie Canal
George Washington Bridge
Harlem River
Helderberg Escarpment
Holland Tunnel
Hudson Highlands State Park
Kaaterskill Clove
Kaaterskill Falls
Kill Van Kull
Kingston–Rhinecliff Bridge
Lincoln Tunnel
Mid-Hudson Bridge
Newburgh–Beacon Bridge
Tappan Zee Bridge (2017–present)
The Palisades
Perrine's Bridge
Plotter Kill Preserve
Pollepel Island
Popolopen
Rexleigh Bridge
Rip Van Winkle Bridge
Salisbury Center Bridge
Schoharie Bridge
Shushan Bridge
Statue of Liberty
Taconic Mountains
Verkeerder Kill Falls
Verrazzano–Narrows Bridge
Walkway over the Hudson
Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge
West Canada Lake Wilderness Area
Retrieved from "
Categories
Fishkill, New York
Kiryas Joel–Poughkeepsie–Newburgh metropolitan area
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Fishkill (town), New York
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