Montgomery is a
village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...
located in
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 401,310. The county seat is Goshen. This county was first created in 1683 and reorganized with its present boundaries in 1798.
Orange ...
, United States, northwest of
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, and southwest of
Albany. The population was 3,834 at the
2020 census. 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. Poughkeepsi ...
–
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 town, incorporate ...
as well as the larger
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
–
Newark
Newark most commonly refers to:
* Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States
* Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area
Newark may also refer to:
Places Canada
* Niagara-on-the ...
–
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 village is named after General
Richard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery (2 December 1738 – 31 December 1775) was an Irish soldier who first served in the British Army. He later became a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and he is most famous for l ...
, 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
A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and Wheat middlings, middlings. The term can refer to either the Mill (grinding), grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist i ...
in what is now the village during the mid-18th century. A
bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
over the
Wallkill River
The Wallkill River, a tributary of the Hudson, drains Lake Mohawk in Sparta, New Jersey, flowing from there generally northeasterly U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed Octo ...
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 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 the ...
, the village has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.8 km
2), of which 1.4 square miles (3.6 km
2) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.2 km
2) (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 district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from c ...
s, 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
The Wallkill Valley Railroad is a defunct railroad which once operated in Ulster and Orange counties in upstate New York. Its corridor was from Kingston in the north to Montgomery in the south, with a leased extension to Campbell Hall. It cros ...
(WVRR) tracks, still used by
Norfolk Southern
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Railroad classes, Class I freight railroad in the United States formed in 1982 with the merger of Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway (U.S.), Southern Railway. With headquarters in Atlanta, the ...
as a freight
spur
A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse or other animal to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids (commands) and to back ...
.
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
Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps.
Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary sci ...
rises gently from the river, with little
relief
Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that the ...
save the Academy Hill area on the east edge of downtown where the village hall is located, and a hill at the junction of Purple Martin Road and Cardinal Drive that is the highest point in the village, marked by a
water tower
A water tower is an elevated structure supporting a water tank constructed at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system, distribution system for potable water, and to provide emergency storage for fire protection. Water towe ...
.
Transportation
Route 17K leads east to
Newburgh and west to
Bloomingburg, where it ends at
NY 17
New York State Route 17 (NY 17) is a major state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in Mina and follows the Southern T ...
, the future
I-86
Interstate 86 may refer to any of three unconnected Interstate Highways in the United States:
* Interstate 86 (Pennsylvania–New York)
* Interstate 86 (Idaho)
* Interstate 84 (Pennsylvania–Massachusetts), section east of East Hartford, Connect ...
. Its major intersection in the village, Montgomery's only
traffic light
Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – known also as robots in South Africa are signalling devices positioned at intersection (road), road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order to control flows of traf ...
, 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
{{Infobox road
, state = NY
, type = NYST
, alternate_name = Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway
, maint = NYSTA
, map = {{maplink, frame=yes, plain=yes, frame-align=center, frame-width=290, type=line, stroke-width=2, type2=line, from2=New Yor ...
(
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
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a prep ...
connection is the
Campbell Hall station on
Metro-North
Metro-North Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, is a suburban commuter rail service run by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a public authority of the U.S. state of New York and under contract with the Connecticut D ...
's
Port Jervis Line
The Port Jervis Line is a predominantly single-track commuter rail line running between Suffern and Port Jervis, in the U.S. state of New York. At Suffern, the line continues south into New Jersey as NJ Transit's Main Line. The line is operated ...
, located on Watkins Road near State Route 207, approximately 7 miles southwest of Montgomery. It provides
commuter rail
Commuter rail, or suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting commuters to a central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns. Generally commuter rail systems are con ...
service to the
Hoboken Terminal
Hoboken Terminal is a commuter-oriented intermodal passenger station in Hoboken, Hudson County, New Jersey. One of the New York metropolitan area's major transportation hubs, it is served by nine NJ Transit (NJT) commuter rail lines, one Metr ...
in New Jersey. Many commuters also use
Metro-North
Metro-North Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, is a suburban commuter rail service run by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a public authority of the U.S. state of New York and under contract with the Connecticut D ...
's
Beacon station
Beacon station is a commuter rail stop on the Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line, serving Beacon, New York. The station is heavily used by residents of Orange and Dutchess Counties who drive to the station.
It is a wheelchair accessible stat ...
, 17 miles east of Montgomery, to travel to Midtown
Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
. 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
John Wayne Airport is a commercial and general aviation airport that serves Orange County, California, and the Greater Los Angeles area. The airport is located in an unincorporated area of Orange County, and it is owned and operated by the cou ...
, KMGJ, is located just south of the village. Commercial passenger service is available at
Stewart International Airport
Stewart International Airport, officially New York Stewart International Airport , is a public/military airport in Orange County, New York, United States. It is in the southern Hudson Valley, west of Newburgh, south of Kingston, and southwest ...
outside Newburgh, a short distance east via I-84.
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 incl ...
of 2000, there were 3,636 people, 1,304 households, and 971 families residing in the village. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: 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 term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 2,616.4 people per square mile (1,010.0/km
2). There were 1,338 housing units at an average density of 962.8 per square mile (371.7/km
2). The racial makeup of the village was 90.51%
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 on ...
, 4.29%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
or
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 ...
, 0.17%
Native American, 0.85%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 2.61% 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 1.57% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, 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 Vic ...
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 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
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
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
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 village was $21,204. About 4.7% of families and 7.0% 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 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
Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United St ...
. The festivities begin with a parade along Union Street to village hall on Clinton Street; there is also an run. Streets are closed off downtown and vendors and various local organizations set up tents. Visitors come from all around the
Hudson Valley
The Hudson Valley (also known as the Hudson River Valley) comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in the U.S. state of New York. The region stretches from the Capital District including Albany and Troy south to ...
; 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.
References
External links
Village of Montgomery, NYMontgomery Fire Department, NY
{{authority control
Villages in New York (state)
Villages in Orange County, New York
Wallkill River
Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown metropolitan area