Beekman is a
town
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares an ori ...
in
Dutchess County,
New York, United States. It is part of the
Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie ( ), officially the City of Poughkeepsie, separate from the Town of Poughkeepsie around it) is a city in the U.S. state of New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsie ...
–
Newburgh–
Middletown, NY
Metropolitan Statistical Area
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...
as well as the larger
New York–
Newark–
Bridgeport
Bridgeport is the most populous city and a major port in the U.S. state of Connecticut. With a population of 148,654 in 2020, it is also the fifth-most populous in New England. Located in eastern Fairfield County at the mouth of the Pequonnoc ...
, NY-
NJ-
CT-
PA Combined Statistical Area
Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and the territory of Puerto Ric ...
. The population was 14,172 at the 2020 census.
The town was named after Henry Beekman, a 17th-century land owner.
History
The "Beekman" name became attached to the area in 1697, from
Henry Beekman
Henry Beekman (January 4, 1687 – January 3, 1775) was a prominent colonial American politician and landowner.
Early life
Beekman was born in Kingston, New York. the son of Judge Hendrick "Henry" Beekman (1652–1716) and his wife, Johanna ( nà ...
, a
Kingston native, who had numerous land stakes in Dutchess County. The town had also been occupied by the Wappinger Indians, before the first European settlers arrived around 1710. The Beekman Patent, granted to Beekman in 1697, was the second largest land holding in Dutchess County. In 1737, Beekman became an official
precinct, and local government was erected. 1788 was the initial period of establishing towns and counties in the newly independent state of New York, but parts were removed subsequently to form other towns. Beekman contributed part of its territory to the newer towns of
LaGrange (1821) and
Union Vale (1827). Iron ore extraction and smelting were important in the early economy. The Beekman Patent was a manor until after the
Revolution
In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...
. Residents could only lease the land and pay rent in wheat, fat fowls and work on roads. The series ''Settlers of the Beekman Patent'' chronicles the lives of all residents there in the 18th century.
Beekman saw its first place of worship shortly thereafter, a
Lutheran church located off Beach Road, which was frequented by German emigrants. The
Quaker family, well known in the area for being one of the initial settlers, created a meeting house in 1771 in Gardner Hollow, named the "Apoquague Preparative Meeting". The church attracted most of the population at the time, and those who did not worship there frequented St. Denis Church, a
Catholic church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
, just beyond the
East Fishkill
East Fishkill is a Town (New York), town on the southern border of Dutchess County, New York, Dutchess County, New York (state), New York, United States. The population was 29,707 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. The town was once the ...
border.
Late 19th century
Beekman began its "boom" in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as the communities of
Sylvan Lake, Beekmanville, and Clove Valley were in the active
mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the economic ...
business. Many townsfolk that settled in town during this time were
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
men, escaping the
Great Famine, and sent their families to Beekman as well. However, the mining industry died out in the late 19th century, with very few remains today. The most notable one, the "Beekman Furnace", is still intact on Furnace Road, just off Clove Valley Road.
Beekman in the 20th century
After the demise of the mining business in the late 19th century, Beekman saw another boom in the 20th century, with housing developments such as Dalton Farm, the first gas stations, and construction of the first supermarket in town,
Shoprite (now
Stop & Shop
The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company, known as Stop & Shop, is a regional chain of supermarkets located in the northeastern United States. From its beginnings in 1892 as a small grocery store, it has grown to include 406 stores chain-wide.
Sto ...
), signalling the beginning of suburban development.
Today Beekman has a total population of 14,000. Comparatively few farms remain, and commerce and industry increasingly shape the non-residential areas of the town.
Geography
Beekman is located in the southeastern part of
Dutchess County, about north of
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
. According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.45%, is water.
Beekman is bordered by the towns of
East Fishkill
East Fishkill is a Town (New York), town on the southern border of Dutchess County, New York, Dutchess County, New York (state), New York, United States. The population was 29,707 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. The town was once the ...
to the southwest,
LaGrange to the northwest,
Union Vale to the north,
Dover to the east and
Pawling to the southeast.
Most of the town is drained by
Fishkill Creek
Fishkill Creek (also Fish Kill, from the Dutch ''vis kille'', for "fish creek") is a tributary of the Hudson River in Dutchess County, New York, United States. At U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataT ...
, which flows west to the
Hudson River
The Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor between N ...
at
Beacon
A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location. A common example is the lighthouse, which draws attention to a fixed point that can be used to navigate around obstacles or into port. More mode ...
. The southern corner of the town is drained by Stump Pond Creek, part of the
Croton River
The Croton River ( ) is a river in southern New York with three principal tributaries: the West Branch, Middle Branch, and East Branch. Their waters, all part of the New York City water supply system, join downstream from the Croton Falls Rese ...
watershed that flows to the Hudson at
Croton-on-Hudson
Croton-on-Hudson is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 8,327 at the 2020 United States census over 8,070 at the 2010 census. It is located in the town of Cortlandt as part of New York City's northern sub ...
.
Government and emergency services
Government
Since 1907 Beekman has operated under a
Council-Manager form of government. The Town Supervisor is the chief administrative officer of the city selected to carry out the directives of the Council. The Manager monitors the city's fiscal condition and enforces its
ordinances and
laws
Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vari ...
. The Town Supervisor is also involved in the discussion of all matters coming before Council yet has no final vote. The Town Board is the legislative body consisting of the Town Supervisor and four council members. The Town Supervisor serves as the presiding officer of the Council. The Council functions to set policy, approve the annual
budget, appoint the Town Supervisor and Town Clerk, and enact local
laws
Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vari ...
, resolutions & ordinances.
Fire
The Beekman Fire District serves the town of Beekman with the sole
fire station
__NOTOC__
A fire station (also called a fire house, fire hall, firemen's hall, or engine house) is a structure or other area for storing firefighting apparatuses such as fire engines and related vehicles, personal protective equipment, fire ...
located in the hamlet of
Poughquag at 316 Beekman Poughquag Road. Beekman has been assigned a department ID number of "34". Firefighters in Beekman get alerted via paging through the
Dutchess County Department Of Emergency Response
The Dutchess County Department Of Emergency Response has the responsibility of governing Emergency operations in Dutchess County, New York. This encompasses Police, Fire and EMS.
Dispatch system
The Dutchess County (DC) Fire and EMS radio system ...
, which is located in
Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie ( ), officially the City of Poughkeepsie, separate from the Town of Poughkeepsie around it) is a city in the U.S. state of New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsie ...
.
Beekman Fire District was the first fire district in Southern
Dutchess County, originating in 1937.
Beekman was the first fire company formed within Dutchess County's 8 original towns in 1937, following East Fishkill Fire Department was formed, followed by Pawling. In 1977, Beekman was one of the first
volunteer
Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...
fire departments in the area to acquire the
Hurst Tool. The fire department received the United States
Life Safety Achievement Award for five consecutive years in 2003. The award recognizes local fire prevention that contribute to reducing the number of lives lost in
Residential House Fires each year.
Police
Police protection to the Town of Beekman is provided by the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office and
New York State Police
The New York State Police (NYSP) is the state police of the state of New York in the United States. It is part of the New York State Executive Department, and employs over 5,000 sworn state troopers and 711 civilian members.
History
The Stat ...
. The DCSO have a substation located in the middle of town. When someone calls 911, the call is routed to the Dutchess 911 center in
Poughkeepsie, New York
Poughkeepsie ( ), officially the City of Poughkeepsie, separate from the Town of Poughkeepsie around it) is a city in the U.S. state of New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsi ...
and then police are polled for, and the closest unit responds. The
MTA Police
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department (MTAPD) is the police agency of New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Officers of the MTAPD are fully empowered under the New York State Public Authorities Law and are com ...
also cover the Depot Hill section of Beekman as the
Metro-North Railroad Beacon Line
The Metro-North Railroad's Beacon Line is a non-revenue line connecting the railroad's three revenue lines east of the Hudson River. From west to east, the lines that connect are Hudson Line, Harlem Line, and the Danbury Branch of the New Haven ...
passes through town with a grade crossing on Depot Hill Road.
Medical
Beekman has no medical facilities, but within a short distance from Beekman are three medical centers.
Westchester Medical Center
Westchester Medical Center University Hospital (WMC), formerly Grasslands Hospital, is an 895-bed Regional Trauma Center providing health services to residents of the Hudson Valley, northern New Jersey, and southern Connecticut. It is known for h ...
, Saint Francis Hospital and
Vassar Brothers Medical Center
Vassar Brothers Medical Center (VBMC) (formerly Vassar Brothers Hospital) is a 350-bed not-for-profit hospital overlooking the Hudson River in Poughkeepsie, New York. It is part of the Nuvance Health healthcare network and is the major medical cen ...
are located in nearby
Poughkeepsie, New York
Poughkeepsie ( ), officially the City of Poughkeepsie, separate from the Town of Poughkeepsie around it) is a city in the U.S. state of New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsi ...
. Putnam Hospital is located in
Carmel, New York
Carmel (pronounced ) is a town in Putnam County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the town had a population of 33,576. The town may have been named after Mount Carmel in Israel.
The Town of Carmel is on the souther ...
in
Putnam County.
Demographics
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
of 2000, there were 11,452 people, 3,751 households, and 3,034 families residing in the town. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...
was 381.7 people per square mile (147.4/km
2). There were 4,180 housing units at an average density of 139.3 per square mile (53.8/km
2). The racial makeup of the town was 93.24%
white
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 2.42%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, .18%
Native American, 1.73%
Asian, .03%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, .94% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.46% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 5.38% of the population.
There were 3,751 households, out of which 46.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.0% were
married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.1% were non-families. 14.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.04 and the average family size was 3.41.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.9% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $65,610, and the median income for a family was $72,066. Males had a median income of $51,739 versus $32,119 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the town was $26,437. About 3.6% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
Road
Although Beekman has no major highways, it does have two major thoroughfares.
New York State Route 55
New York State Route 55 (NY 55) is a east-west state highway in southern New York, running from the Pennsylvania state line at the Delaware River in Barryville to the Connecticut state line at Wingdale. It is the only other state ...
crosses from the
Pawling town line to the
Union Vale town line and is a direct route northwest into the city of
Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie ( ), officially the City of Poughkeepsie, separate from the Town of Poughkeepsie around it) is a city in the U.S. state of New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsie ...
.
Route 216 goes from Route 55 into the town of
East Fishkill
East Fishkill is a Town (New York), town on the southern border of Dutchess County, New York, Dutchess County, New York (state), New York, United States. The population was 29,707 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. The town was once the ...
where it meets
Route 52
The following highways are numbered 52:
Australia
* Kings Highway (Australia)
* Isis Highway ( Childers to Ban Ban Springs) - Queensland State Route 52 (Wide Bay–Burnett Region)
* Gillies Highway - Queensland State Route 52 (Far North Queensl ...
.
Rail
Metro-North Railroad's
Beacon Line
The Metro-North Railroad's Beacon Line is a non-revenue line connecting the railroad's three revenue lines east of the Hudson River. From west to east, the lines that connect are Hudson Line, Harlem Line, and the Danbury Branch of the New Haven ...
runs through the south end of town along Greenhaven Road and Depot Hill Road. It is currently a non-revenue line with no station stops, but is used for equipment moves between
Beacon
A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location. A common example is the lighthouse, which draws attention to a fixed point that can be used to navigate around obstacles or into port. More mode ...
,
Southeast
The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sepa ...
and
Danbury
Danbury is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located approximately northeast of New York City. Danbury's population as of 2022 was 87,642. It is the seventh largest city in Connecticut.
Danbury is nicknamed the "Hat City ...
.
Notable person
*
Dan Brouthers
Dennis Joseph "Dan" Brouthers (; May 8, 1858 – August 2, 1932) was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball whose career spanned the period from to , with a brief return in . Nicknamed "Big Dan" for his size, he was and weighed , wh ...
, former Major League Baseball player, was born in
Sylvan Lake
Communities and locations in Beekman
*Beekman – The
hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
of Beekman is near the town center on Route 216 with the intersection of Routes 216 and 55 its east boundary. It was formerly known as "Beekmanville."
*Clove Valley – A hamlet in the northeastern part of the town on Route 216.
*
Chelsea Cove – A
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the count ...
in the western part of town on Sylvan Lake.
*Green Haven – A hamlet south of Beekman village.
*
Green Haven Correctional Facility
Green Haven Correctional Facility is a maximum security prison in New York. The prison is located in the Town of Beekman in Dutchess County. The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision lists the address as Route 216 ...
– A state prison near the community of Green Haven.
*Poughquag – A hamlet east of Beekman village, running along Route 55 with that road's intersection with Route 216 its boundary with Beekman and Clove Valley. It is the main business district of the town and home of Beekman town hall.
Murphy Grist Mill was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
in 2015.
*Sylvan Lake – A hamlet by the western town line. It is named after
Sylvan Lake, which was formed during the ice age. The early Indians originally named it ''Poughquag'', which means "round body of water". A smaller lake known as Hidden Lake is where Mr. Daniel Delany, in the late 19th century, discovered iron ore and made his fortune. He eventually bought the adjacent property, which was the entire shoreline of Sylvan Lake, and rebuilt St. Denis church for the town. Some iron ore mining also took place along the shores of Sylvan Lake in the early 1930s, and some of these retainer wall pilings are still standing and can be clearly seen from a boat. When the mine was filled with water, construction equipment and mining tools were left on the bottom, and are present today.
See also
*
Wilhelmus Beekman
Wilhelmus Hendricksen Beekman (April 28, 1623 – September 21, 1707) — also known as William Beekman and Willem Beekman (or Beeckman) — was a Dutch immigrant to America who came to New Amsterdam (now New York City) from the Netherlands in the ...
-father of Henry Beekman
*
Noxon House
References
External links
Town of Beekman official websiteBeekman Library
{{authority control
Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown metropolitan area
Towns in Dutchess County, New York
Dutchess