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Phelps (village), New York

Phelps is a village in Ontario County, New York, United States. The population was 1,989 at the 2010 census. The village is named after an original proprietor, Oliver Phelps.

The Village of Phelps is near the center of the Town of Phelps and is north of Geneva.

A Sauerkraut Festival is held every August.

History
The community was first settled around 1793, one of the first locations in the town. The village was incorporated in 1855 as "Phelps," having been earlier known as "Vienna." The village had also been mockingly called "Woodpecker City," possibly to mock the villagers, who seemed always busy.

The First Baptist Church of Phelps, St. John's Episcopal Church, Phelps Town Hall, and Dr. John Quincy Howe House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

While Phelps, New York was still known as Vienna, it was the basis for the naming of Vienna, Virginia.

Geography
Phelps is located at 42.95833°N, -77.06222°W (42.958396, -77.062297).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.0 km2), all land.

Phelps is south of the New York State Thruway (Interstate 90). New York State Route 96 is an east–west highway passing through the village. The New York State Thruway passes north of the village.

Flint Creek flows through the village to the Canandaigua Outlet.

Phelps is in the Finger Lakes District and is north of Seneca Lake.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,969 people, 791 households, and 521 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,684.0 PD/sqmi. There were 877 housing units at an average density of 750.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 98.48% White, 0.15% Black or African American, 0.05% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 0.61% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.22% of the population.

There were 791 households, out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 25.6% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $40,758, and the median income for a family was $48,207. Males had a median income of $32,984 versus $24,076 for females. The per capita income for the village was $20,257. About 3.9% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.

title: Phelps (village), New York


text:
Phelps, New York

Phelps is a town in Ontario County, New York, United States. The population was 6,637 at the 2020 census. The Town of Phelps contains a village called Phelps. Both are north of Geneva.

History
The town was part of the Phelps and Gorham Purchase. The region was first settled around 1788. The town was formed in 1796 and was formerly known as "Sullivan." The town of Phelps is named after one of the original proprietors. The community was incorporated in 1855.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 65.3 square miles (169.0 km2), of which 65.0 square miles (168.3 km2) is land and 0.3 square mile (0.7 km2)  (0.43%) is water.

The eastern town line is the border of Seneca County and the northern town line is the border of Wayne County.

Demographics
As of the census of 2020, there were 6,637 people, 2,659 households, and 1,957 families residing in the town. The population density was 108.0 PD/sqmi. There were 2,817 housing units at an average density of 43.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.09% White, 0.26% Black or African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.46% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.23% of the population.

There were 2,659 households, out of which 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.4% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% 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 3.03.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.1% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $47,246, and the median income for a family was $53,854. Males had a median income of $34,792 versus $26,498 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,297. About 3.0% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.8% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.

Annual cultural events
The town of Phelps was formerly a major center for the production of sauerkraut, earning the distinction of sauerkraut capital of the world. The town holds a sauerkraut-themed festival every year during the first weekend of August. 2020 would have been the festival's 54th anniversary, if not for COVID-19.

Museums and other points of interest
The Phelps Community Historical Society and Howe House Museum. The First Baptist Church of Phelps, Harmon Cobblestone Farmhouse and Cobblestone Smokehouse, Dr. John Quincy Howe House, Phelps Town Hall, William Huffman Cobblestone House, St. John's Episcopal Church and Philetus Swift House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Transportation
The New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) passes through the town north of Phelps village and Clifton Springs. New York State Route 96 parallels the Thruway and intersects two north–south highways in the western part of the town: New York State Route 88 and New York State Route 488.

Notable people

 * Joe Gleason, former MLB pitcher
 * Bellamy Partridge, author of Country Lawyer, a bestselling biography of his father who had practiced in Phelps
 * Charles C. Stevenson, fifth Governor of Nevada; born in Phelps

Communities and locations in the Town of Phelps

 * Clifton Springs – The smaller, and eastern, part of the Village of Clifton Springs is located by the west town line.
 * Dobbins Corners – A hamlet on the east town line
 * East X – A location near the east town line, west of Dobbins Corners
 * Five Points – A location near the east town line, south of West Junius
 * Five Waters Corners – A location on NY-88 in the northern part of the town
 * Fort Hill – A hamlet in the south part of the town
 * Gypsum – A hamlet at the western town line on County Road 27
 * Knickerbocker Corner – A hamlet west of Phelps village at the junction of NY-96 and NY-488
 * Melvin Hill – A hamlet in the south part of the town
 * Oaks Corners – A hamlet in the southeast part of the town on County Road 23. It is named after Pioneer Jonathan Oaks
 * Orleans – A hamlet in the southwest part of the town on NY-488
 * Phelps – The Village of Phelps is on NY-96 near the center of the town
 * Phelps Junction – A hamlet northwest of Phelps village
 * Pierson Corners – A location by the south town line
 * Thompson – A hamlet on the east town line, north of West Junius
 * Unionville – A hamlet on NY-96 east of Phelps village
 * Warner Corners – A location east of Orleans on County Road 23
 * West Junius – A hamlet near the east town line

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Phelps, New York


text:
Victor (village), New York

Victor is a village located within the Town of Victor in Ontario County, New York, United States. The population was 2,696 at the 2010 census.

The Village of Victor is in the southeast part of the town and is southeast of the City of Rochester.

History
The region was part of the heartland of the Seneca tribe, but they were driven out by the French in 1687. The village succeeded Boughton Hill as the major community in the town after long years of rivalry with East Victor (then called "Scudderville"). The village was incorporated in 1879.

Notable people

 * Brann Dailor, drummer for metal band Mastodon
 * Bill Kelliher, guitarist for Mastodon
 * Porter Sheldon, former US Congressman

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km$2$), all land.

New York State Route 96 passes through the village, which is south of the New York State Thruway (Interstate 90). The northern terminus of New York State Route 444 is in Victor.

Demographics
At the 2000 census, there were 2,433 people, 935 households, and 665 families in the village. The population density was 1,763.4 PD/sqmi. There were 972 housing units at an average density of 272.0 persons/km$2$ (704.5 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the village was 97.33% White, 0.45% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.90% Asian, 0.45% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. 1.27% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 935 households 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% were married couples living together, 7.9% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 28.8% were non-families. 21.7% of households were one person and 5.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.08.

The age distribution was 26.9% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.

The median household income was $54,821 and the median family income was $62,798. Males had a median income of $45,332 versus $30,045 for females. The per capita income for the village was $24,776. 2.4% of the population and 1.3% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 1.4% are under the age of 18 and 4.4% are 65 or older.

title: Victor (village), New York


text:
Chester (village), New York

Chester is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 3,993 at the 2020 census. It was named after the City of Chester in the Cheshire region of northwest England. Chester is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area.

The Village of Chester is primarily located in the northern part of the Town of Chester.

History
The village of Chester was incorporated in 1892. At the center of a dairy industry, the village claims to be the birthplace of Philadelphia Cream Cheese. Other brands produced in Chester were Clover Brand, Cow Brand, D’isigny, Fromage De Brie, Neufchatel, Star Brand and World Brand.

The village of Chester contains a historic section called Downtown Historic Chester. The Orange Heritage rail trail begins here at the site of the former Erie Railroad train station.

Geography
The village of Chester is located at 41.35722°N, -74.27528°W (41.357378, -74.275488). and has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.5 km2), all land.

Highway access is provided by NY-94. Goose Pond Mountain State Park is southeast of the village.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,445 people, 1,396 households, and 901 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,628.0 PD/sqmi. There were 1,455 housing units at an average density of 687.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 83.45% White, 7.72% Black or African American, 0.93% Native American, 2.96% Asian, 2.61% from other races, and 2.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.16% of the population. There were 1,396 households, out of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 36.7% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $55,417, and the median income for a family was $65,321. Males had a median income of $47,386 versus $31,957 for females. The per capita income for the village was $24,960. About 4.2% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * William Terry Jackson, former US Congressman
 * Andy Grammer, singer/songwriter

title: Chester (village), New York


text:
Chester, Orange County, New York

Chester is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 12,646 at the 2020 census. Chester contains a village, also called Chester.

Chester is the birthplace of Philadelphia-style cream cheese.

History
The Lenape people have settled in Orange County for over 5,000 years. Europeans first settled in the 1700s which were ethnic Dutch and English colonists. The economy of the early town was based on dairy products, particularly milk. This industry flourished because completion of the Erie Railroad in 1841, which ran through Chester, enabled local farmers to ship their products to New York City, where demand was high. For instance, local farmer Phil Gregory would ship 240 quarts (240 usqt) of milk by train to New York City. The railroad earned $1.20 ($ in modern dollars) in freight charges; Gregory's business eventually grew to 300,000 quarts (300000 usqt) of milk per day, which in turn gave the railroad over $1,000 ($0 in modern dollars) in daily profit.

Late 20th century to present
In 2018, the Town of Chester approved a large residential development. It learned that the development appeared to be targeted toward the Satmar Hasidic community, whose rapid growth in this area had caused tensions. The large families of the Orthodox created strains for the local public school system, and there were other tensions between the strict Kiryas Joel and neighboring communities. Town supervisor Alex Jamieson told a local newspaper that the town would be buying up areas of undeveloped open space, including around the planned development in Chester, in order "to keep the Hasidic out so that they can't control the Town Board." His comments were widely reported and criticized by The Forward as antisemitic.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 25.2 mi2, of which 25.2 mi2 is land and 0.1 mi2  (0.24%) is water.

Conjoined NY-17 and US-6 pass through the northern part of Chester. NY-94 crosses NY-17 south of Chester village.

Demographics
As of the census of 2017, there were 12,140 people, 3,848 households, and 3,016 families residing in the town. The population density was 482.2 PD/sqmi. There were 3,984 housing units at an average density of 158.3 /mi2. The racial makeup of the town was 76.7% White, 9.8% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 4.3% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.14% of the population.

There were 3,782 households, out of which 41.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.7% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 16.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.31.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.4% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 111.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $69,280, and the median income for a family was $75,222. Males had a median income of $53,528 versus $36,673 for females. The per capita income for the town was $25,900. About 2.7% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Chester

 * Camp Monroe – a multi-denominational Jewish sleep-away summer camp founded in 1941 near the southern border with the town of Monroe.
 * Chester – a village located on NY-94.
 * East Chester – a hamlet southeast of Chester village.
 * Greycourt – site of former major railroad intersection and depot on the Erie Main Line.
 * Glenmere Lake – a reservoir at the western town line
 * Goose Pond Mountain State Park – a state park southeast of Chester village.
 * Lake Hill Farms– a subdivision of about 175 homes in the southwestern corner of the town first developed in 1973.
 * Sugar Loaf – the oldest community in the town, antedating Chester town by more than a century (1738). The hamlet is home to the harness-racing horse Hambletonian 10.
 * Surrey Meadows – a late 1960s subdivision north of Chester village. The elementary school is located in this area.
 * Walton Park – a hamlet on the border of the towns of Chester and Monroe.

Education
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York operates area Roman Catholic schools. St. Columba School in Chester closed in 1991.

title: Chester, Orange County, New York


text:
Goshen (village), New York

Goshen is a village in and the county seat of Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 5,777 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Middletown-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh metropolitan area as well as the larger New York metropolitan area.

The village is within the town of Goshen, some fifty miles northwest of New York City, on New York State Route 17 in the center of Orange County. Goshen is the home of the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame, and hosted harness racing's top event, the Hambletonian, from 1930 to 1956, at the former Good Time Park. Racing is still held at the Historic Track, a National Historic Landmark in the center of the village.

History
The village was settled in 1714 and incorporated on March 28, 1809. In 1727 it was declared the "half-shire town" of Orange County, a predecessor to its current status as county seat. It did not take on that full status, however, until Rockland County was split from the county in 1798, and Goshen was designated the seat since Orangetown was in the new county. For a while afterward it shared that status with Newburgh, moved into Orange as compensation for the lost territory, but since the late 19th century all county government functions have been centralized in Goshen.

Goshen was the site of the hanging of the famous outlaw Claudius Smith, a British Loyalist who— along with the Mohawk Indian Chief Joseph Brant— raided the countryside surrounding Goshen during the American Revolutionary War. He and Brandt are said to have buried their many stolen treasures in the hills surrounding Goshen, and that Claudius is himself buried somewhere on the grounds of the old Presbyterian Church – with his skull having been embedded in the wall. Smith was hanged on January 22, 1779, and exactly six months later, on July 22, 1779, Brant raided what is now Port Jervis. A militia from Goshen set out to stop Brant, engaging in the disastrous Battle of Minisink, in which 45 local militiamen were killed. A monument in the center of town marks the spot where their bones were buried in a mass grave 43 years after the battle.

As early as the 1750s, residents used to race their horses along what is now Main Street in the village's downtown. In 1838, a circular track was built around a nearby circus ground. This was the first incarnation of the Historic Track, where races are still held for one week each year, making it the oldest horse racing facility still in use in the United States. Later, the larger Good Time Park was built, which hosted the Hambletonian in later years. The Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame near the track recognizes Goshen's historic importance to the sport.

In the early 20th century, the village was the home of the Interpines sanitarium, as well as the Coates-Goshen automobile, which was built and produced for two years from 1908 to 1910. In 1950, Goshen had a population of 3,311 people. By 1990, the village had been largely built out, and the number of people stood at 5,255; despite a building boom in the town, the village has remained about the same size.

In 1992, the tiny, provincial village was rocked by the same criminal, Catholic priesthood pedophilia that was gradually being exposed nation and worldwide. Fr. Edward Pipala (then age 53) the pastor of St. John the Evangelist, R. Catholic Church on Murray Ave, had been molesting troubled, young teens in a number of parishes, including Sacred Heart in Monroe, NY, Staten Island and Croton Falls, NY for decades.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,676 people, 2,039 households, and 1,227 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,770.5 PD/sqmi. There were 2,150 housing units at an average density of 670.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 87.53% white, 7.61% black or African American, .14% Native American, 1.55% Asian, .07% Pacific Islander, 2.26% from other races, and .85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.63% of the population.

There were 2,039 households, out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 22.3% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.4 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $50,922, and the median income for a family was $66,250. Males had a median income of $41,932 versus $31,711 for females. The per capita income for the village was $22,443. About 1.9% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.8% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government
The village has a mayor-council government that follows the same form as all other villages with that government in New York: a five-member village board consisting of a mayor and four trustees, all with equal voting power. The mayor is the village's chief executive and carries out all day-to-day management functions. The mayor is Scott Wohl and the four trustees are Tony Scotto, Chris Gurda, Molly O'Donnell and Daniel Henderson.

The Orange County Government Center is located in Goshen; a brutalist work by Paul Rudolph.

Infrastructure
Fire protection is provided to the village by the Goshen Fire Department, an all-volunteer organization comprising three fire companies (Dikeman Engine and Hose, Cataract Engine and Hose and Minisink Hook and Ladder). Each of the companies are housed in separate modern fire stations located in the district.

Notable people

 * Noah Webster taught here in the 1780s. The local high school's library is named after him, as is Webster Street, where the town's offices are located.
 * Henry Wisner represented New York in the Continental Congress, produced gunpowder for George Washington and his troops, and participated in efforts to block passage of the British along the Hudson River during the American Revolution. An obelisk in memory of him sits prominently across from St. James Episcopal Church and was erected in 1897.
 * Henry Lawrence Burnett, a Brevet Brigadier General in the Union Army, who was a prosecutor on the tribunal that convicted the Lincoln assassins, lived his later life in Goshen, where he died.
 * Anna Elizabeth Dickinson, an abolitionist and advocate for women's suffrage (October 28, 1842 – October 22, 1932), an orator, writer, actress, and teacher who lived in Goshen the last 40 years of her life.
 * Horace Pippin, Black painter, raised & educated in segregated Goshen schools.
 * William Henry Seward, Lincoln's Secretary of State, once lived in Goshen.
 * Willie "The Lion" Smith, jazz pianist, born in Goshen, who has been honored since 2004 with the Goshen Jazz Festival.
 * Dale Memmelaar, (1937-2009) NFL Lineman Guard/Tackle, (played for the Cowboys, Browns, Cardinals, and Colts from 1959 to 1967)
 * Howard Mills III, former assemblyman and US Senate candidate was born in Goshen.
 * Bill Bayno, former college and NBA coach
 * Lauren Hough, Olympian (equestrian, 2000) was born in Goshen.
 * John McLoughlin, a survivor of the September 11 attacks, currently resides in Goshen.

title: Goshen (village), New York


text:
Goshen, New York

Goshen is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 14,571 at the 2020 census. The town is named after the Biblical Land of Goshen. It contains a village also called Goshen, which is the county seat of Orange County. The town is centrally located in the county.

History
European settlement began around 1714, although plans for this were made beginning about 1654. The town was established in 1788, after the American Revolutionary War and New York becoming a state. As population increased in the area, in 1830, part of Goshen was divided off to form the new Town of Hamptonburgh. In 1845, another part was used to form the Town of Chester.

When the French and Indian War began in 1756, the men of Goshen took up arms. The old Journal of the Assembly relates the services of Captain George DeKay as an express between Goshen and Minisink. It mentions as his guards Peter Carter, David Benjamin, Philip Reid, and Francis Armstrong. It tells also that Colonel Vincent Mathews was paid two pounds to furnish guides to regulars posted at Goshen from October 1757, to February 1758. Colonels Clinton and DeKay fortified block houses for the settlers' defense. Samuel Gale was paid 56 pounds to furnish provisions to troops on the frontiers near Goshen. Colonel Benj. Tusten, Captain Daniel Case, and Captain J. Bull were reimbursed for their expenses in building block houses Nos. 1 and 2 on the western frontier in January 1757.

In 1763, Lieutenant Governor Cadwallader Golden appealed to the General Assembly for troops to relieve the militia on the borders of Orange and Ulster counties, an area infiltrated by the enemy. At this time the Town of Goshen extended from the Hudson River to the New Jersey border. In 1764 a bill was passed dividing the precinct of Goshen into two precincts, to be called Goshen and Cornwall. After this division, Cornwall embraced the present towns of Cornwall, Monroe and Blooming Grove, while Goshen included the present town of Warwick.

Revolutionary fervor built in the years before war broke out in the late eighteenth century. On June 8, 1775, over 360 men signed the Revolutionary pledge at Goshen, headed by Henry Wisner at the top of the list. Once General George Washington, riding eastward on the Florida road toward his headquarters at Newburgh, stopped with his staff to chat with local children at the old school house near the stone quarry.

The battle of Minisink took place on July 22, 1779. The Goshen regiment, under Colonel Tusten, was nearly destroyed by an estimated 500 Indians and Tories commanded by Joseph Brant (Mohawk), also known as Thayendanegea, the Scourge. He held a colonel's commission from George III. The Goshen regiment marched against Brant's forces to avenge a raid made by Brant upon the settlers near Minisink on July 20. They were joined by a small reinforcement, under Colonel Hathorn, of the Warwick regiment, and the latter assumed command. While marching along the west bank of the Delaware River, they discovered the Indians about three quarters of a mile away, and Colonel Hathorn chased them. Brant took advantage of the woods and moved to the rear of the attacking party. His forces completely routed the small colonial force that opposed them. The colonists had little ammunition and some fled; more men were killed in that stage than in battle. Colonel Tusten, a surgeon, dressed his men's wounds and stayed on the field until he became a casualty. Of the 80 Goshen men in the engagement, 44 were killed outright and numerous others died later of their wounds.

Colonel Benjamin Tusten, who was a physician and surgeon by profession, came originally from Southold, L. I., in 1746, at the age of three years. His parents located on the banks of the Otterkill on the patent granted to Elizabeth Denn. His father, Benjamin Tusten, was appointed one of the judges of the courts of the county and also a colonel in the Orange County regiment of militia. The son, Benjamin, was sent to an academy at Jamaica, Long Island. At age nineteen, he returned to Goshen to study medicine with Doctor Thomas Wiskham. He later studied further in Newark, New Jersey, and New York City., returning in 1769 to practice medicine in Goshen, where two other physicians, Doctor John Gale and Doctor Pierson, had already located. He was very successful and was widely known as a surgeon. He married Miss Brown, by whom he had two sons and three daughters. In 1777 he was appointed lieutenant colonel of the Goshen regiment of militia under General Allison, and in 1778 was appointed surrogate of Orange County, which office he held when he lost his life at Minisink.

Captain John Wood, of Colonel Tusten's regiment, was captured in the battle of Minisink. Brant spared his life, reportedly because he saw Wood give a Masonic sign and was himself a Mason. Wood was taken captive and transported to a Mohawk village in Upper Canada. He left a journal of events that discussed the life and character of Brant.

Noah Webster, most notable for his work on An American Dictionary of the English Language, which later became part of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, established and taught at school in Goshen called The Farmers' Hall Academy from 1782-1783. This academy is also noted for having been attended by former Secretary of State William H. Seward. The original two-room brick structure of the academy now sits within the Goshen Town Hall, as described by the Historical Marker located outside the building in the center of the Village of Goshen.

19th century
On July 22, 1822, the village of Goshen erected a monument to the dead of the Minisink battle. The remains of those men were gathered from the battlefield for burial in a mass grave marked by the monument. On July 22, 1862, a more elaborate monument was dedicated to these men. The funds were bequeathed in the will of Dr. Merritt H. Cash, of Minisink.

The current county courthouse in Goshen was constructed in 1841 and reflects the Greek Revival style in architecture. This is prevalent among buildings of a similar age in the Town and was popular for many county courthouses.

Goshen's First Presbyterian Church was constructed in 1720. In the colonial era, public hangings were conducted at the tree located just outside the church The church's steeple, more than 8 stories tall, towers over the historic center of the town. As late as 1890, the church continued to be the tallest structure in the county, visible from miles away. The church connects to a series of tunnels under the town. No one knows their original purpose. (A drone video of the church can be seen here: The First Presbyterian Church.)

Horse racing was popular in Goshen and other towns. Competitors raced horses on the roads from 1783, at the end of the Revolution. What is now known as Goshen Historic Track opened in 1838 and is the oldest half-mile track in the world. It was originally opened as a 1/3rd-mile circle around a circus ground, which was then succeeded by multiple iterations including a square track until the current half-mile oval was constructed in 1873. It is also "the oldest continuously operated horse racing track in the country" and has been designated as a National Historic Landmark. This region was important in the development of harness racing, and owners bred horses to excel in this sport. On June 24, 1873, President Ulysses S. Grant visited the town, staying in a local house and watching racing from a barn on the property.

After the Civil War began, Goshen was the site for Camp Wickham, which held volunteers raised in Goshen in the summer of 1862. The 124th Regiment of Volunteers was mustered into federal service in Goshen on September 5, 1862, serving nearly three years. They mustered out at Washington's Headquarters in Newburgh, New York on June 14, 1865. The soldiers of this regiment fought in the Appomattox Campaign, and were present at the Confederate surrender at Appomattox Courthouse.

20th century to present
In 2007, Michael Kohn, an 18-year-old Goshen Volunteer firefighter, started a fire that destroyed a house at 113 Webster Ave. Kohn pleaded guilty to arson, admitting also to starting fires in another house, a barn and a vehicle within a short period. He said that he had been struggling with depression. He was sentenced to five to fifteen years in prison.

In 2014, Devin Giordano and Jennifer Molyneaux murdered 81-year-old Helen Mills in her Goshen home, after breaking in to steal money for drugs. The pair pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2015, and Giordano pleaded guilty to other counts, including arson and robbery. Giordano was sentenced to 20 years to life for the murder.

Legoland
On May 29, 2021, Lego opened a Legoland theme park in Goshen, which is 60 miles north of New York City. The park opened on May 29, 2021, with protocols for protection from the COVID-19 pandemic and cost over $500 million to build. Built by Merlin Entertainment, the park contains a 250 room lego hotel, rides, and is spread across 500 acres of land. It was the first major theme park to open in the Northeast in 40 years. The park is estimated to have 10,000 visitors a day and contain more than 15,000 lego models.

Controversy
From the moment Goshen was identified as a home for the park, the company was met with pushback from local community members and faced constant controversy. Beginning in 2017, locals identified as "Concerned Citizens for the Hudson Valley" met at the Legoland welcome center to protest the park's construction, complaining about the lack of transparency and the presence of "behind the scenes" meetings. In November 2017, residents filed a suit in the Orange County Supreme Court to block the construction of the park. They argued that the Goshen town board fast-tracked the approval and construction of the park understanding that many Goshen residents would disapprove of the park's construction.

In October 2021, the New York Times published an article highlighting the controversy around the park and the many complaints of town locals. The article described how state inspectors cited Legoland for 67 environmental violations which resulted in fines totaling more than $600,000. The article also highlighted the many political battles that took place during town halls and outside many of the town's popular establishment. Many residents argued that they moved to Goshen for the local nature and the quiet atmosphere. However, during the early months of construction, many residents filed complaints of noise and topsoil runoff. Officials noted that the park would pay $88 million over 20 years, a fee for every ticket sold, taxes on its sales and revenue, and about $61 million towards Goshen schools for two decades.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 44 square miles (113.9 km2), of which 43.8 square miles (113.6 km2) is land and 0.1 square mile (.3 km2) (.27%) is water.

Goshen is bordered on the north by the town of Wallkill, to the northeast by the town of Hamptonburgh, on the east by the town of Blooming Grove, to the southeast by the town of Chester, on the south by the town of Warwick, and to the west by the town of Wawayanda.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 12,913 people, 4,074 households, and 2,912 families residing in the town. The population density was 313.6 PD/sqmi. There were 4,320 housing units at an average density of 98.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 81.6% white, 6.6% black or African American, .16% Native American, 4.5% Asian, .04% Pacific Islander, 1.82% from other races, and 3.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.9% of the population. Goshen is also home to a Yiddish-speaking community, members of which operate several farms in the area.

There were 4,074 households, out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.2% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.5% were non-families. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.27.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.4% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 23% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. The gender makeup of the town was relatively equal, as for every 100 females, there were 100.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $60,066, and the median income for a family was $71,497. Males had a median income of $50,768 versus $32,648 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,275. About 2.7% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in the town of Goshen

 * Big Island – a location near the southern town line.
 * Durlandville – a hamlet on County Road 6 in the southwestern part of the town.
 * Finnegans Corner – a hamlet north of Florida on NY-17A.
 * Florida – a small part of the village of Florida is on the southern town line, located in route NY-17A.
 * Goshen – the village of Goshen is the county seat. It is located in the northern part of the town. Conjoined NY-17 and US-6 pass south of it.
 * Goshen Hills – a location east of Finnegans Corner.
 * Howells – a hamlet south of Goshen village, served by NY-17A.
 * Maple Island – a location south of Durlandville.
 * Otter Kill – a hamlet southeast of Goshen village, served by NY-17.
 * Pellets Island – a community near the western town line and served by County Road 37.

Transportation
U.S. Route 6 and New York State Route 17 pass through as a main arterial road through the town.

Into the 1950s, long distance Erie Railroad trains Erie Limited and Lake Cities between Chicago and Jersey City, New Jersey made stops in Goshen's station.

Notable people

 * Rowena Granice Steele (1824–1901), American performer and publisher
 * Willie "The Lion" Smith (1879-1979), stride jazz pianist
 * Dale Memmelaar, (1937-2009) NFL Guard/ Tackle, (played for the Cowboys, Browns, Cardinals, and Colts from 1959-1967)
 * Florence Babb (born 1951), professor
 * Isaac V. D. Heard, Minnesota lawyer and politician
 * Michelle Lee, editor in chief for Allure
 * Hartley Sawyer, actor
 * General Martin Dempsey (born 1952), former Army Chief of Staff, and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
 * Chris Caffery, guitarist, Savatage and Trans-Siberian Orchestra
 * Sean Corr, racing driver
 * Emily DiDonato, model

title: Goshen, New York


text:
Monroe (village), New York

Monroe is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 9,343 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area. The community is not named after President James Monroe, but rather after an early 19th-century New York state senator.

The Village of Monroe is in the northwestern part of the Town of Monroe by NY Route 17 (soon to be Interstate 86) and US 6. NY 17M is its main street.

History
The former Village of Kiryas Joel in Orange County officially split from Monroe, New York on New Year's Day 2019, becoming the Town of Palm Tree, New York.

Palm Tree came into being as a result of a 2017 referendum in which more than 80% of Monroe voters opted to branch off into their own town, the paper reported. Palm Tree — all 220 acres and roughly 20,000 residents of it — becomes New York's first new town since East Rochester, was formed in 1981.

Geography
Monroe is located at 41.32361°N, -74.18778°W (41.323786, -74.187969).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 3.5 square miles (9.0 km2), of which 3.4 square miles (8.9 km2) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.1 km2)  (1.44%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,780 people, 2,569 households, and 2,101 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,269.7 PD/sqmi. There were 2,620 housing units at an average density of 764.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 91.03% White, 2.57% Black or African American, 0.40% Native American, 2.34% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 2.28% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.73% of the population. 22.9% were of Irish, 22.4% Italian, 6.3% Polish and 6.3% German ancestry according to Census 2000. 86.9% spoke English, 7.1% Spanish, 2.4% Ukrainian and 1.2% Italian as their first language.

There were 2,569 households, out of which 44.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.8% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.2% were non-families. 14.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.01 and the average family size was 3.35. In the village, the population was spread out, with 29.4% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $70,809, and the median income for a family was $76,894. Males had a median income of $63,033 versus $33,184 for females. The per capita income for the village was $25,614. About 4.6% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.5% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

Other village in the Town of Monroe

 * Harriman

title: Monroe (village), New York


text:
Montgomery (village), New York

Montgomery is a village located in Orange County, New York, United States. Located 60 mile northwest of New York City, and 90 mile southwest of Albany, this quaint community is an historical and cultural hub of the Hudson Valley region and has grown in the last 30 years to become an outer-ring commuter suburb within the New York metropolitan area. The population was 3,834 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area. The village is named after General Richard Montgomery, an officer of the American Revolution.

The Village of Montgomery is inside the Town of Montgomery.

History
The original name for the village was Ward's Bridge, from James Ward, one of the first settlers, who built and operated a grist mill in what is now the village during the mid-18th century. A bridge over the Wallkill River near the mill was named after him, and even today the name and the bridge, which carries Route NY-17K into the village, remain in use.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.8 km2), of which 1.4 square miles (3.6 km2) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.2 km2)  (4.14%) is water.

Most of that water area is accounted for by the portions of the Wallkill which forms Montgomery's northern boundary; there are no other significant bodies of water in the village. The village is completely surrounded by the Town of Montgomery. From the river the village extends to the southwest almost two miles (3.2 km), generally longer than it is wide, with a projecting area to the southeast along Goodwill Road. The village's downtown is centered on its historical core, the area covered by the Bridge Street and Union Street-Academy Hill historic districts, just south of Ward Street (NY-17K). Clinton Street, one block south of Ward, is lined with shops and restaurants. Further to the east, some larger businesses are located near the former Wallkill Valley Railroad (WVRR) tracks, still used by Norfolk Southern as a freight spur.

Away from downtown, the streets become primarily residential, with newer housing. There are some undeveloped areas at the northern and southern extremes of the village, the latter taking the form of actively farmed fields. To the west-southwest of downtown, closer to the river, is Montgomery's major park, Veteran's Memorial Park.

These lands in the west are the lowest-lying in the village. Much of its topography rises gently from the river, with little relief save the Academy Hill area on the east edge of downtown where the village hall is located, and a 455 ft hill at the junction of Purple Martin Road and Cardinal Drive that is the highest point in the village, marked by a water tower.

Transportation
Route 17K leads east to Newburgh and west to Bloomingburg, where it ends at NY 17, the future I-86. Its major intersection in the village, Montgomery's only traffic light, is the three-way intersection with Union Street, the northern terminus of NY-211, which connects it to Middletown to the southwest. Just south of the village, NY-416 branches off from 211, providing access to Goshen via NY-207 at its southern terminus. Interstate 84 passes close to the southeast. The nearest access to the village is Exit 5, reached by taking Route 17K or Goodwill Road east to NY 208. From here it is a six-mile drive to the New York State Thruway (Interstate 87), the nearest major north–south road. New York City is another 58 miles south from Newburgh on the Thruway.

The nearest passenger rail connection is the Campbell Hall station on Metro-North's Port Jervis Line, located on Watkins Road near State Route 207, approximately 7 miles southwest of Montgomery. It provides commuter rail service to the Hoboken Terminal in New Jersey. Many commuters also use Metro-North's Beacon station, 17 miles east of Montgomery, to travel to Midtown Manhattan. Some officials in Walden, where the freight spur ends, have been lobbying Metro-North to restore passenger service along the old WVRR freight spur, which also raises the possibility of a station in Montgomery.

Orange County Airport, KMGJ, is located just south of the village. Commercial passenger service is available at Stewart International Airport outside Newburgh, a short distance east via I-84.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,636 people, 1,304 households, and 971 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,616.4 PD/sqmi. There were 1,338 housing units at an average density of 962.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 90.51% White, 4.29% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.85% Asian, 2.61% from other races, and 1.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.73% of the population.

There were 1,304 households, out of which 39.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.7% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.24.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 28.9% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $52,407, and the median income for a family was $59,952. Males had a median income of $41,923 versus $31,944 for females. The per capita income for the village was $21,204. About 4.7% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 16.4% of those age 65 or over.

General Montgomery Day
Since 1989 the village has held its annual General Montgomery Day event on the Saturday following Labor Day. The festivities begin with a parade along Union Street to village hall on Clinton Street; there is also an 8 km run. Streets are closed off downtown and vendors and various local organizations set up tents. Visitors come from all around the Hudson Valley; there have been as many as 30,000 some years. The village used to suspend its open-container law for the day until some incidents arising from the heavy drinking made them reconsider. It concludes with fireworks in the evening at the Pleasure Ground park.

Fire protection
Montgomery is protected by an all volunteer Fire Department which has been active and dedicated to the community since 1810. The Montgomery Fire Department, which is the oldest volunteer fire department in Orange County, was organized on March 6, 1810, with the appointment of the first three village fire wardens. The Fire Department protects the residents of the Village of Montgomery as well as portions of the Town of Montgomery, totaling almost 8,000 citizens. The response district covers three large schools (Valley Central Middle and High Schools, Montgomery Elementary, and multiple smaller specialized schools), the Wallkill River, numerous lakes and ponds, and the Orange County Airport. The Montgomery Fire Department operates out of 1 Fire Station Located at 136 Ward Street and responds to vehicle accidents, ALS medical calls, fires, hazardous material incidents, and rescue incidents. The Montgomery Fire Department runs 2 Engines, 1 Ladder, 1 Heavy Rescue, 1 ALS Fly Car, 1 Brush Unit, 1 Rescue Boat and Ice Rescue Trailer, and 1 Fire Police Vehicle.

title: Montgomery (village), New York


text:
Montgomery, New York

Montgomery is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. Located roughly 60 mile northwest of New York City, the town of Montgomery is an historical and cultural hub of the Hudson Valley region and has been a steadily growing outer-ring commuter suburb, in the last 30 years, within the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the population was listed as 23,322.

The town was named in the honor of Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 at the Battle of Quebec. The northern town line is contiguous with the Ulster County border. Montgomery is immediately west of the town of Newburgh. Within its borders are three villages, one eponymous, as well as Walden and most of Maybrook.

History
The early town began as a patent to Henry Wileman in 1710, who was the first settler. He was the first of a group of Palatine Germans to emigrate and settle land around what is now the village of Montgomery.

The town was originally established as Hanover in 1772, but became the town of Montgomery in 1782.

The community of Montgomery was set off by incorporation as a village in 1810, and in 1855, the community of Walden was incorporated as well. Maybrook was the last village to be incorporated, in 1926.

Geography
Montgomery is bordered on the east by the town of Newburgh and on the north by the town of Shawangunk in Ulster County. The town of Crawford is to the west. The towns of Wallkill, Hamptonburgh and New Windsor, from west to east, border on the south.

The village of Walden is located in the north central portion of town. Montgomery is close to the center, and Maybrook is in the southeast corner. There are few significant year-round settlements outside of the villages; there is a summer colony around Lake Osiris in the northern section of town. Some inhabitants of Lake Osiris have made it their permanent residence. Fox Hill Bruderhof is located on the southern edge of Walden and has about 250 residents who work in their furniture factory and the Plough Publishing House.

The town's topography is generally level and low, except along parts of its eastern and western boundaries, reflecting the passage of the Wallkill River through it from north to west. There are large swamps in the south portion of town, some of them draining into the Otter Kill. Further north, the land becomes drier and more arable. It is mostly farmed, used for small residential subdivisions or left as undeveloped open space. There are a few exceptions: the business parks along Bracken, Neelytown and Stone Castle roads and NY 208, several of the Valley Central schools, the large Shop Rite plaza on Goodwill Road and Orange County Airport.

Two areas along the river have been set aside as parks. The county's Winding Hills Park is partially within Montgomery, as are portions of two larger state-level protected areas: Highland Lakes State Park and Stewart State Forest. The Thomas Bull Memorial Park, which expands over 719 acres and is the second largest developed park in Orange County, is named after a sympathizer to the British during the American Revolution.

The Wallkill River is the town's major watercourse, flowing through it from south to north past both the villages Montgomery and Walden, also partially serving as its border with Hamptonburgh. Two of its tributaries flow through Montgomery as well. The Muddy Kill, located entirely within the town, drains the area below the Comfort Hills in west central Montgomery. Tin Brook, the Wallkill's only major eastern tributary, rises just southeast of the town and flows north, then west, through Walden to drain into the river just north of the village.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 51.1 square miles (132.3 km2), of which, 50.4 square miles (130.6 km2) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.7 km2) of it (1.25%) is water. The highest point in the town is the U.S. Geological Survey's Garrison benchmark at a corner of the Ulster County line on Kings Hill, at 820 ft above sea level; this is also the highest point in the neighboring Town of Newburgh as well. The lowest elevation is 240 ft, where the Wallkill River flows across the northern town and county line.

Transportation
Montgomery is referred to as the "transportation hub of the northeast" from the days prior to the 1940s. The Erie Railroad (later part of Erie Lackawanna) had the Goshen-Montgomery branch that went from Montgomery southward to Campbell Hall, Campbell Hall Junction, to the Erie Railroad's main line at Goshen. The Wallkill Valley Railroad (later absorbed into the New York Central) ran north from Montgomery, to New Paltz, to Kingston, connecting there to the New York Central's West Shore Railroad. Both railroads discontinued passenger operations on those lines by 1938. As of the late 20th century the rail lines have been reduced to freight spurs and rail trails, and roads have taken over that role.

Orange County Airport, a small airport located in Montgomery, opened in 1943.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,891 people, 7,273 households, and 5,447 families residing in the town. The population density was 414.2 PD/sqmi. There were 7,643 housing units at an average density of 151.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 91.28% white, 3.69% black or African American, .25% Native American, .68% Asian, .01% Pacific Islander, 2.35% from other races, and 1.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.75% of the population.

There were 7,273 households, out of which 40.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.3% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no spouse present, and 25.1% were non-families. 20.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.28.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 29.3% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $49,422, and the median income for a family was $56,376. Males had a median income of $40,881 versus $29,163 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,222. About 4.6% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government
As in all New York towns, Montgomery is governed by a five-member town council, which in this case consists of the full-time town supervisor, in whom executive and financial power is vested, and four council members. The town clerk, highway superintendent, and receiver of taxes are also elected. A ll officials serve four-year terms except the supervisor, who is elected every two years. Elections are held in odd-numbered years.

Representation in the state legislature is split between Republicans and Democrats in the town of Montgomery. It is at the southern end of the 101st Assembly district, currently represented by Brian Miller. State Senator James Skoufis represents the town as part of the 39th district.

Montgomery residents live in U.S. House districts held by Democrats. It is part of the state's 18th congressional district, represented by Sean Patrick Maloney, and was previously one of three towns in the county to be part of what was then the 22nd district, represented by Maurice Hinchey. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand represent the town and all of New York in the U.S. Senate.

Communities and locations in the town of Montgomery

 * Allards (formerly "Allards Corners") – A hamlet near the northern town line.
 * Berea – a hamlet east of Montgomery village along NY-17K, west of Coldenham.
 * Coldenham – a hamlet east of Montgomery village along NY-17K.
 * Maybrook – village is partially composed of the southern part of the town on NY-208.
 *  Montgomery – this village is located near the center of the town at the intersection of NY-17K and NY-211.
 * Morrison Heights – a hamlet north of Maybrook by interstate 84, along 208 into Montgomery.
 * Scotts Corner – a hamlet two miles east of Montgomery village, located at the intersection of NY-17K and NY-208.
 *  Walden – this village is in the northern part of the town, by the Wallkill River and NY-208.

Notable People

 * David Bernsley (born 1969), American-Israeli basketball player
 * Andrew H. Embler, Medal of Honor recipient and officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War
 * John D. Lawson, US Congressman from New York's 8th District (1873-1875)
 * John L. Senior, sports administrator at Cornell University and founder of Slope Day
 * Nathaniel P. Hill, US Senator from Colorado (1879-1885)
 * Levi S. Backus, first deaf editor of an American newspaper
 * P. J. Jacobsen, motorcycle racer
 * Wesley Wait, inventor, author, and dental surgeon

title: Montgomery, New York


text:
New Windsor (CDP), New York

New Windsor is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of New Windsor in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 8,882 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the New Windsor has a total area of 3.8 square miles (9.8 km2), of which 3.8 square miles (9.7 km2)  is land and 0.0 square mile (0.1 km2)  (1.05%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,077 people, 3,457 households, and 2,416 families residing in the central CDP of the town. The population density was 2,413.3 PD/sqmi. There were 3,581 housing units at an average density of 367.7 inhabitants/km2 (952.1 inhabitants/mi2). The racial makeup of the town was 85.76% White, 6.10% African American, 0.15% Native American, 1.41% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.68% from other races, and 1.86% from two or more races. 11.52% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,457 households, out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were married couples living together, 10.6% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 30.1% were non-families. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $50,316, and the median income for a family was $62,439. Males had a median income of $45,750 versus $30,156 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $22,784. 5.3% of the population and 3.4% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 4.3% are under the age of 18 and 8.5% are 65 or older.

title: New Windsor (CDP), New York


text:
New Windsor, New York

New Windsor is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 27,805 at the 2020 census. It is located on the eastern side of the county and is adjacent to the Hudson River and the City of Newburgh.

History
The region was originally inhabited by the Munsee people, part of the Lenape confederation. The first European settlers were colonists from Scotland who arrived in 1685. New Windsor was founded by the General Assembly of New York on April 5, 1763.

European Settlements
Settlement rights in the area that now encompasses the town were obtained from the Munsee by Governor Thomas Dongan, who encouraged the settlement of a party of Scottish colonists led by David Toshack, the Laird of Monzievaird, and his brother-in-law Major Patrick McGregorie. They arrived in 1685 and settled in the area overlooking the Hudson River near Moodna Creek. McGregorie is said to have built a cabin north of the creek on Conwanham's Hill at Plum Point, while Toshack set up a trading post south of the creek on Sloop Hill. In June 1685, Governor Dongan appointed McGregorie Muster-Master of Militia for the City and Province of New York.

A rival claim was obtained in 1694 by Captain John Evans of HMS Richmond, who was granted powers and privileges as lord of the manor. The next governor, the Earl of Bellomont, decided that this was unfair to the settlers, and had the Evans grant annulled in 1699. An additional patent of 1,000 acres was issued in 1709 to William Chambers and William Southerland. Around 1709, the portion of the town nearest the Hudson River was organized under the Precinct of the Highlands (Ulster County), remaining thus until 1743. In 1762, separate precincts were created for the Town of New Windsor and Newburgh.

The name of the town is from Windsor, England, with the New being prefixed. By whom this was conferred cannot be ascertained, but first appears in 1728 records of the London "Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts". Among the earliest roads was the King's Highway, later known as "the Goshen Road", which ran north and south. Among the early residents of the town was William Ellison, who, as early as 1732 kept a store and owned sloops that sailed from New Windsor to New York. Captains James and William Jackson also owned their own sloops.

American Revolutionary War
During much of the Revolutionary War, New Windsor served as the major depot for the Continental Army and Army Medical Dept. The majority of town residents supported the war efforts and its leaders.

In October 1782, the troops began to arrive and set up tents, while they began building their huts. This encampment or cantonment covered 1600 acres (6.5 km2) and quartered 6000–8000 men, women and children from New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maryland. Here this army built a log city of over 700 huts for the soldiers and many other outbuildings, guardhouses, blacksmith shops, a stable, kitchens, and a hospital. In addition, a long building called the "Temple" was constructed. It was proposed by Rev. Israel Evans, Chaplain to the Army, that a structure be built for religious services. The building also served a general meeting hall. Upon its completion, the officers held a ball.

In order to reward the fidelity and faithfulness of soldiers, Gen. Washington ordered the establishment of an honor, the Badge of Military Merit, to be bestowed on them. Today, this honor is known as the Purple Heart. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located New Windsor.

In an effort to preserve this encampment, the town of New Windsor acquired a 167 acre tract consisting of much of the former hut sites. Since 1936, the town of New Windsor and the membership of the National Temple Hill Association have striven to ensure the preservation of this, the final winter encampment.

Post-Revolution
The Little Britain Presbyterian Church was organized by Irish and Scottish immigrants. The first church building was constructed in 1765 and used by the Continentals as a hospital. This was subsequently destroyed by fire and a new structure was erected in 1807.

In 1814, the town was divided into nine school districts. The first school was a one-room schoolhouse built on Quassaick Avenue in 1841. Epiphany Apostolic College was founded in 1925. The site is now owned by the Newburgh Enlarged City School District.

Circa 1858 to 1859, the Palmer and Longking company operated on the Quassaick Creek the first large scale factory for the manufacture of "bellows-box" daguerreotype cameras. The factory, on the site of Sterrit's former pin factory, had approximately thirty-five employees. The building was later converted to a flour mill and subsequently burned down.

Historical sites

 * Knox's Headquarters: In 1724 Thomas Ellison purchased the Vincent Matthews property at Vails Gate. In 1754 Thomas Ellison Jr. had noted stonemason William Bull of Hamptonburgh build a stone mansion and mill off Forge Hill Road. The property later passed to his son, John Ellison. Grain from as far west as Montgomery was ground and sold at this mill. The house later served during the Revolutionary War as a Continental Army's headquarters for generals Nathanael Greene, Horatio Gates and subsequently by Henry Knox.
 * New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site: A patent was granted to Colonel John Haskell in 1719 of 2,000 acres and another 2,000 acres in 1721 upon which he settled in 1726. He erected a log manor on what was known as the Dusenberry farm, upon which the army erected the Temple when encamped there. In addition to the Last Encampment of the Continental Army hut sites owned by the town of New Windsor, the temple site is operated by the state of New York, known as the New Windsor Cantonment. Located there is the Mountainville Hut, believed to be a survivor from the encampment.

 * Squire Patton House: A farmhouse owned by the Patton family built in the 1790s with subsequent exterior additions and interior embellishments. A synthesis of English and Dutch vernacular styles prevalent among colonial houses in the Hudson Valley.
 * Edmonston House: James Edmonston came from County Tipperary, Ireland in 1720. For time his log cabin was the only house between New Windsor and what would become Washingtonville. A stone house located on Route 94 was built by James' son William in 1755 to replace the log cabin.
 * The Thomas McDowell House, located on Lake Road in the Little Britain section of the town was built around 1770 by McDowell, an early settler of the area. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.
 * The Brewster House: Samuel Brewster and his brother Henry came to New Windsor about 1743 and had been among the first proprietors of the township in 1749. The Brewster House was built in 1762 as a simple fieldstone house. Brewster was a member of the Committee of Safety during the American Revolution. He is mainly remembered in local history as the owner of a saw-mill, forge and anchor shop and assisted in forging the chain which was stretched across the Hudson River in the hope of checking the movement of British vessels up that stream. The building now houses Schlesinger's Steak House.

Churches

 * St. Thomas Episcopal New Windsor NY.jpg Vails Gate United Methodist Church (originally the New Windsor Methodist Church) was founded in 1789. The congregation met in John Ellison's store until 1807 when a church was built on land donated by Ellison. It was the first Methodist Church built in Orange County.
 * St. Thomas Episcopal Church is located on River Road in New Windsor, New York, a short distance off US 9W. It was established in 1818 on land bequeathed by Thomas Ellison. It is a small stone building listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.
 * St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church began as a mission church on Coffey Avenue in 1880. In August 2015 St. Joseph's parish merged with the parish of St. Thomas of Canterbury in Cornwall-on-Hudson.
 * Ridgecrest Baptist Church on Blooming Grove Turnpike was begun in 1962.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 37.0 square miles (95.9 km2), of which 34.8 square miles (90.1 km2) is land and 2 sqmi (6.03%) is water.

The eastern town line, marked by the Hudson River, is the border of Dutchess County. Part of the northern town line borders the city of Newburgh. The remainder of the northern town boundary is with the towns of Newburgh and Montgomery.

Interstate 87, the New York State Thruway, is a major north-south highway. NY-207 is an east-west state highway.

Communities and locations

 * Beaver Dam Lake – a hamlet along the southern town line. It is also located in the towns of Blooming Grove and Cornwall
 * Beaverdam Lake – a lake at the southern town line. It is surrounded by the hamlet of Beaver Dam Lake.
 * Bulls Siding – a location between Rock Tavern and Little Britain (also called Bulls Switch)
 * Clancyville – Quassaick Bridge – late 19th-century community built around once-thriving manufacturing mills located on the Quassaick Creek. Established by many Polish, Italian and other immigrants who built small homes, enlarging them as they prospered. The area was built on the early farm of John J. Clancy, who subdivided it into small building lots. Sometimes referred to as Ducktown by local residents, whose practice was to keep ducks and other poultry about their homes.
 * Denniston – a hamlet north of Beaverdam Lake
 * Firthcliffe Heights – a hamlet at the town line near the Cornwall Line
 * Little Britain – a hamlet in the western part of the town on NY-207, first settled around 1724
 * Machin's Battery – Capt. Thomas Machin was entrusted with the construction of fortifications on the Hudson River to prevent the British advance up the Hudson River. Machin's Battery of Twelve Guns, was Placed on the South End of Plum Point, to Support the Cheveaux-de-frize to Polopel's Island, 1777; however, this did not stop the British advance north to burn Kingston.
 * Moodna – a historic location in the town
 * Moodna Creek – (Murderer's Creek) – legend tells of a massacre of the Stacy family at Moodna Creek, also known as Murderer’s Creek
 * The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located on Route 300 in the town.
 * New Windsor - The hamlet and census-designated place of the same name as the town.
 * Plum Point – (Kowawese Unique Area) – a park, opened in the fall of 1996, located directly on the shore of the Hudson River. From this vantage exquisite views of the Newburgh Bay to the North and Cornwall bay to the south can be seen. Plum Point was an almost always occupied site from pre-historic man to the present.
 * Rock Tavern – a hamlet near the western town line on NY-207. Rock Tavern is named for early landmark that was a gathering place for many years. The Tavern, owned and operated by John Humphrey in 1740, was located near the intersection of present-day Forrester Road. The tavern derives its name from a large boulder which formed its foundation. It was here that the plans were made for the organization of the present Orange County. Rock Tavern has its own post office (zip code 12575) with home delivery to the western portion of the Town of New Windsor and the southwestern corner of the town of Newburgh.
 * Vails Gate – a hamlet south of the City of Newburgh. Formerly Mortinville and Tookers Gate, it was a site at which all major roads crossed. The roads were part of the early private turnpike system, which was served by a toll gate to collect tolls. Remnants of former 19th century business community still exist including Lewis Hall on Rt 94 which served for many years as town hall meeting place prior to construction of 244 Union Ave., the old town hall. Vails Gate has its own post office (zip code 12584) with post office boxes, but no home delivery.
 * Washington Lake – (1) a suburb of Newburgh located near (2) a small lake of the same name

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 22,866 people, 8,396 households, and 6,078 families residing in the town. The population density was 657.4 PD/sqmi. There were 8,759 housing units at an average density of 97.2 persons/km2 (251.8 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the town was 84.72% white, 6.76% African American, .27% Native American, 1.73% Asian, .05% Pacific Islander, 4.17% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. 11.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,396 households, out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples living together, 10.2% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 27.6% were non-families. 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.5% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $51,113, and the median income for a family was $58,292. Males had a median income of $34,283 versus $30,044 for females. The per capita income for the town was $22,806. 5.9% of the population and 1.03% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 52.8% are under the age of 18 and 7.5% are 65 or older.

Climate
New Windsor has a Dfa Köppen climate classification (humid continental: hot summer subtype). It is situated in the temperate region of the northern hemisphere and has four distinct seasons.

Education
New Windsor is served by the school systems of the three nearby districts: Cornwall, Newburgh, and Washingtonville. The majority of school-age children attend Newburgh schools, with a split in the subdivisions near Vails Gate (Butterhill, Forest Glen, The Reserve) between Newburgh and Cornwall. Far-southwestern New Windsor is served by Washingtonville.

Children in the New Windsor area attend a number of schools, including: Butterhill Day School (PK–K), Children S Country School (private, PK–4), Cornwall Central High School (public, 9–12), Newburgh Free Academy (public, 9-12), Heritage Junior High School (public, 6–8), Little Britain Elementary School (public, K–5), Little Harvard School (private, PK–K), McQuade Children's Services Kaplan Campus School (private, 2–11), New Windsor School (public, K–5), St. Joseph School (private, K–8), Temple Hill School (public, K–8), Vails Gate High Technology Magnet School (public, K–5), Windsor Academy (private, PK–3), Willow Avenue Elementary School (public, K–4), Lee Road (public, K–4), Cornwall Central Middle School (public, 5–8) and Woodland Montessori School (private, PK–8). Yeshiva Ohr Naftoli (private, 9–12 and undergraduate) is located in town, but the student body is from out of town, housed in a dormitory.

Transportation
Little Britain Road is one of the oldest in the town.

Stewart International Airport is located partially in New Windsor and partially in the town of Newburgh. Formerly Stewart Air Force Base, the airport is named after Capt. Lachlan Stewart, who skippered schooners and other sailing vessels about 1850–1870. Stewart was also a lumber merchant and later retired to a dairy farm. In 1930, his grandson, Thomas Archibald ("Archie") Stewart, persuaded his uncle, Samuel L. Stewart, to donate land at "Stoney Lonesome", to the city of Newburgh for an airport.

Stewart continued as part of the Strategic Air Command until the late 1960s or early 1970s when the Air Force turned the base over to the MTA for use as a cargo facility. The grand plan to create a jetport lead to the acquisition of over 8000 acres (32 km2) of the present day buffer zone and the loss of many early farms and structures. During the late 1980s, through the efforts of the late State Senator Schermerhorn, the airport passed into the hands of the NY State Dept. of Transportation. Today, Stewart International in addition to its civilian capability, is the home base of the NY Air National Guard and United States Marine Corps Reserve MAG-49 Detachment Bravo.

There is a new entrance to Stewart International Airport, via New York State Route 747. Now for the first time, the airport can be accessed directly from the Interstates without encountering local traffic on the state roads.

Notable people

 * John Alsop (1724–1794) born in New Windsor, delegate to the Continental Congress
 * Dr. Thomas Young (1731–1799) – born in Little Britain, member of the Boston Committee of Correspondence
 * Dr. Joseph Young (1733–1797) – born in Little Britain, brother of Thomas, and writer of the first medical textbook in United States
 * Col. Charles Clinton (1690–1773) – Lt. Col. of NY Militia during the French & Indian War, commanding a regiment at the assault on Fort Frontenac.
 * Gen. James Clinton (1736–1812) – son of Col. Charles Clinton, James Clinton was with Gen Montgomery in command of NY Troops in the 1775 assault on Quebec 1775; in command of construction of Forts in the Hudson Highlands; member of NY legislature and Constitutional Convention
 * Governor George Clinton (1739–1812) – son of Col. Charles Clinton, George Clinton served in the Continental Congress (1775), was a Brigadier General in the Continental Army (1776), was Governor of New York (1777), and Vice-President of United States under Presidents Jefferson and Madison.
 * Governor DeWitt Clinton (1769–1828) – son of Gen. James Clinton, NY Assembly 1798, mayor of New York City 1803, 1808–1809, 1811–1815; NYS Senate 1799–1802,1806–1811, Canal Commissioner 1816–1822, Governor 1817, 1820, 1824, 1826, Dewitt is best known for the Erie Canal and the NY State Canal System.
 * Fletcher Mathews, Loyalist neighbor of Governor Clinton and brother of David Mathews, Mayor of New York City during its occupation by the British. Fletcher Mathews was ordered arrested by George Washington around the same time in June 1776 for suspicion of a "Scheme of Inlisting Men for the Kings Service". No evidence was found, and he was subsequently released. He was permitted to stay in the country upon the end of the war due both to his relationship from childhood to Governor George Clinton and to his wife Sarah Woodhull being the sister of General Nathaniel Woodhull who died in 1776 from wounds resulting from his capture by the British.
 * John Trumbull (1756–1843) was an American artist of the early independence period, notable for his historical paintings of the American Revolutionary War, he lived in New Windsor in 1782-1783 helping the army.
 * Edward Payson Roe (1838–1888) – novelist, Presbyterian minister and horticulturist who became one of the most popular writers of the early Gilded Age, selling nearly a million copies.
 * William James Roe II (1843–1921) – novelist, essayist, poet and painter.
 * Lee Woodward Zeigler (1868–1952) – painter and illustrator for various novels and short stories, including work by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He spent much of his life between his home in Baltimore and the Hudson Valley, painting many murals in both places, including two at Newburgh Free Academy. His eighteen-panel mural depicting "The Faerie Queene" at the Enoch Pratt Free Library was the largest library mural at its completion in 1945.
 * Rev. Charles Uncles (1859–1933) – the first Black Catholic priest to be ordained in the United States. Born and raised in Baltimore. Worked and died at Epiphany Apostolic College.

Industries

 * ENAP is a lumber and building materials cooperative, offering sales support services to independent lumber dealers, headquartered in New Windsor.

title: New Windsor, New York


text:
Avoirdupois

Avoirdupois (abbreviated avdp.) is a measurement system of weights that uses pounds and ounces as units. It was first commonly used in the 13th century AD and was updated in 1959.

In 1959, by international agreement, the definitions of the pound and ounce became standardized in countries which use the pound as a unit of mass. The International Avoirdupois Pound was then created. It is the everyday system of weights used in the United States. It is still used, in varying degrees, in everyday life in the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and some other former British colonies, despite their official adoption of the metric system. The avoirdupois weight system's general attributes were originally developed for the international wool trade in the Late Middle Ages, when trade was in recovery. It was historically based on a physical standardized pound or "prototype weight" that could be divided into 16 ounces. There were a number of competing measures of mass, and the fact that the avoirdupois pound had three even numbers as divisors (half and half and half again) may have been a cause of much of its popularity, so that the system won out over systems with 12 or 10 or 15 subdivisions. The use of this unofficial system gradually stabilized and evolved, with only slight changes in the reference standard or in the prototype's actual mass.Over time, the desire not to use too many different systems of measurement allowed the establishment of "value relationships", with other commodities metered and sold by weight measurements such as bulk goods (grains, ores, flax) and smelted metals; so the avoirdupois system gradually became an accepted standard through much of Europe.

In England, Henry VII authorized its use as a standard, and Queen Elizabeth I acted three times to enforce a common standard, thus establishing what became the Imperial system of weights and measures. Late in the 19th century various governments acted to redefine their base standards on a scientific basis and establish ratios between local avoirdupois measurements and international SI metric system standards. The legal actions of these various governments were independently conceived, and so did not always pick the same ratios to metric units for each avoirdupois unit. The result of this was, after these standardisations, measurements of the same name often had marginally different recognised values in different regions (although the pound generally remained very similar). In the modern day, this is evident in the small difference between United States customary and British Imperial pounds.

An alternative system of mass, the troy system, is generally used for precious materials. The modern definition of the avoirdupois pound (1 lb) is exactly $0.454$ kilograms.

Etymology
The word avoirdupois is from Anglo-Norman French aveir de peis (later avoir du pois), literally "goods of weight" (Old French aveir, as verb meaning "to have" and as noun meaning "property, goods", comes from the Latin habere, "to have, to hold, to possess something"; de = "from"/"of", cf. Latin; peis = "weight", from Latin pēnsum. This term originally referred to a class of merchandise: aveir de peis, "goods of weight", things that were sold in bulk and were weighed on large steelyards or balances. Only later did the term become identified with a particular system of units used to weigh such merchandise. Inconsistent orthography throughout history has left many variants of the term, such as haberty-poie and haber de peyse. (The Norman peis became the Parisian pois. In the 17th century de was replaced with du.)

The current spelling of the last word is poids in the current standard French orthography, but the spelling avoirdupois remained as is in the anglosphere.

History

The rise in use of the measurement system corresponds to the regrowth of trade during the High Middle Ages after the early crusades, when Europe experienced a growth in towns, turned from the chaos of warlordism to long-distance trade, and began annual fairs, tournaments and commerce, by land and sea. There are two major hypotheses regarding the origins of the avoirdupois system. The older hypothesis is that it originated in France. A newer hypothesis is that it is based on the weight system of Florence.

The avoirdupois weight system is thought to have come into use in England around 1300. It was originally used for weighing wool. In the early 14th century several other specialized weight systems were used, including the weight system of the Hanseatic League with a 16-ounce pound of $7,200$ grains and an 8-ounce mark. However, the main weight system, used for coinage and for everyday use, was based on the 12-ounce tower pound of $5,400$ grains. From the 14th century until the late 16th century, the system's basis and the prototype for today's international pound, the avoirdupois pound, was also known as the wool pound or the avoirdupois wool pound. The earliest known version of the avoirdupois weight system had the following units: a pound of $6,992$ grains, a stone of 14 pounds, a woolsack of 26 stone, an ounce of $1/undefined$ pound, and finally, the ounce was divided into 16 "parts".

The earliest known occurrence of the word "avoirdupois" (or some variant thereof) in England is from a document entitled Tractatus de Ponderibus et Mensuris ("Treatise on Weights and Measures"). This document is listed in early statute books under the heading 31 Edward I dated 2 February 1303. More recent statute books list it among statutes of uncertain date. Scholars nowadays believe that it was probably written between 1266 and 1303. Initially a royal memorandum, it eventually took on the force of law and was recognized as a statute by King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I. It was repealed by the Weights and Measures Act 1824 (5 Geo. 4. c. 74). In the Tractatus, the word "avoirdupois" refers not to a weight system, but to a class of goods, specifically heavy goods sold by weight, as opposed to goods sold by volume, count, or some other method. Since it is written in Anglo-Norman French, this document is not the first occurrence of the word in the English language.

Toward a uniformity of measures
Three major developments occurred during the reign of Edward III (r. 1327–1377). First, a statute cited as 14 Edw 3 Stat. 1 c. 12 (1340) "Bushels and Weights shall be made and sent into every County."

The second major development is the statute 25 Edw 3 Stat. 5 c. 9 (1350) "The Auncel Weight shall be put out, and Weighing shall be by equal Balance."

The third development is a set of 14th-century bronze weights at the Westgate Museum in Winchester, England. The weights are in denominations of 7 pounds (corresponding to a unit known as the clip or wool-clip), 14 pounds (stone), 56 pounds (4 stone) and 91 pounds ($1/undefined$ sack or woolsack). The 91-pound weight is thought to have been commissioned by Edward III in conjunction with the statute of 1350, while the other weights are thought to have been commissioned in conjunction with the statutes of 1340. The 56-pound weight was used as a reference standard as late as 1588.

A statute of Henry VIII (24 Hen 8 c. 3) made avoirdupois weights mandatory.

In 1588 Queen Elizabeth increased the weight of the avoirdupois pound to $1/undefined$ grains and added the troy grain to the avoirdupois weight system. Prior to 1588, the "part" ($7,000$) was the smallest unit in the avoirdupois weight system. In the 18th century, the "part" was renamed "drachm".

Original forms
These are the units in their original Anglo-Norman French forms:

Post-Elizabethan units
In the United Kingdom, 14 avoirdupois pounds equal one stone. The quarter, hundredweight, and ton equal respectively, 28 lb, 112 lb, and 2,240 lb in order for masses to be easily converted between them and stone. The following are the units in the British or imperial version of the avoirdupois system:

Note: The plural form of the unit stone is either stone or stones, but stone is most frequently used.

American customary system
The thirteen British colonies in North America used the avoirdupois system, but continued to use the British system as it was, without the evolution that was occurring in Britain in the use of the stone unit. In 1824 there was landmark new weights and measures legislation in the United Kingdom that the United States did not adopt.

In the United States, quarters, hundredweights, and tons remain defined as 25, 100, and $1/undefined$ respectively. The quarter is now virtually unused, as is the hundredweight outside of agriculture and commodities. If disambiguation is required, then they are referred to as the smaller "short" units in the United States, as opposed to the larger British "long" units. Grains are used worldwide for measuring gunpowder and smokeless powder charges. Historically, the dram ($1/256$ grains; not to be mixed up with the apothecaries' dram of 60 grains) has also been used worldwide for measuring gunpowder charges, particularly for shotguns and large black-powder rifles.

title: Avoirdupois