Pawling 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 o ...

Dutchess County, New York Dutchess County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 295,911. The county seat is the city of Poughkeepsie. The county was created in 1683, one of New York's first twelve counties, and later or ...

, United States. Its population was 8,012 at the 2020 census. The town is named after Catherine Pauling, the daughter of Henry Beekman, who held the second largest land patent in the county. A misprint caused the U to change to a W and the name stuck. The town is in the southeastern part of the county, and contains a village of the same name.

History

A part of the town was involved in a boundary problem involving New York and

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the ...

. A section of the town, located in the "Oblong"—the name was given to the disputed oblong strip of land, two miles in width forming part of the Eastern boundary of the now Dutchess and Putnam Counties—was settled by Nathan Birdsall and his wife Jane Langdon; they were the first pioneer settlers of Quaker Hill, Dutchess, NY. He was a native of Long Island and was born around 1700 to Quaker parents. He was one of the surveyors of the area and picked his home site during the survey. Nathan purchased his land from the

Great Nine Partners Patent The Great Nine Partners Patent, also known as the "Lower Nine Partners Patent," was a land grant in Dutchess County, New York, made on May 27, 1697, by New York governor Benjamin Fletcher. The parcel included about along the Hudson River and was ...

, prior to moving his family there, erected a log house and barn, probably around 1720. The next settler was Benjamin Ferris, a Quaker preacher. It was not until 1731, when the one-hundred-year-old dispute as to the boundary between the English in New England and the Dutch in New York was settled, that emigration started in any volume. A number of

Friends ''Friends'' is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting ten seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Li ...

began coming from Harrisons Purchase, now a part of Rye, in

Westchester County, New York Westchester County is located in the U.S. state of New York. It is the seventh most populous county in the State of New York and the most populous north of New York City. According to the 2020 United States Census, the county had a population ...

. Their Quaker Meeting House is still standing today, and open for visitors. In the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...

colonial commander in chief

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

established his headquarters at the

John Kane House The John Kane House, also one of several places known as Washington's Headquarters, is located on East Main Street in Pawling, New York, United States. Built in the mid-18th century, it was home during that time to two men who confronted the au ...

in the town (now the village) for two months in 1778. The town was founded in 1788, but part of the town was used to form the neighboring town of

Dover Dover () is a town and major ferry port in Kent, South East England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies south-east of Canterbury and east of Maids ...

in 1807. The town of Pawling was part of the

Beekman Patent Dutchess County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 295,911. The county seat is the city of Poughkeepsie. The county was created in 1683, one of New York's first twelve counties, and later org ...

, a large land grant to Col. Henry Beekman in 1697.

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 th ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (1.80%) is water. The eastern and western section of the towns are high and hilly, with the Great Swamp and Harlem Valley in the middle, where the village of Pawling is located. The highest elevation in town is Observatory Hill, at above sea level; the lowest is , in the Great Swamp, along the southern boundary of the town. Most of the population of Pawling is concentrated in the valley, traversed by NY 22 ( joined by NY 55 south of the village) and

Metro-North Railroad 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 Connectic ...

Harlem Line The Metro-North Railroad Harlem Line, originally chartered as the New York and Harlem Railroad, is an commuter rail line running north from New York City to Wassaic, in eastern Dutchess County. The lower from Grand Central Terminal to Sou ...

. There are two train stations in town, the Pawling station in the village and the Appalachian Trail station, allowing passengers to hike that trail up into the

Pawling Nature Reserve The Pawling Nature Reserve is located in the northern section of the Town of Pawling, New York, United States. It is a area located along the top of Hammersby Ridge, near Quaker Lake owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy. Acquired in 1958 ...

along Hammersby Ridge in the northern section of town. The southern town line is the border of

Putnam County, New York Putnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 97,668. The county seat is Carmel. Putnam County formed in 1812 from Dutchess County and is named for Israel Putnam, a hero in t ...

, and the eastern town boundary is the border of Connecticut. To the west lies the town of Beekman, with

to the north. It also shares a small border with the town of East Fishkill at the southwestern edge of the town.

Communities, locations and notable places in Pawling

*Baker Corner – a hamlet east of Hurd Corners. * Holmes – a hamlet in the southwestern part of the town. *Hurd Corners – a hamlet north of Pawling village. * Quaker Hill – a hamlet near the eastern town line, northeast of Pawling village. * Pawling – a village in the town. * Shorehaven – a hamlet in the western part of the town. *West Pawling – a hamlet on Route 55, northwest of Pawling village. *

Whaley Lake Whaley Lake is located in the town of Pawling in southeastern Dutchess County in New York State, United States. It is the largest lake in Dutchess County. The lake is partially man-made as it is controlled by a dam at its northern end. The lake f ...

– a lake by the western town line. *Woodinville – a hamlet west of Pawling village.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 7,521 people, 2,823 households, and 1,987 families living in the town. The population density was 170.2 people per square mile (65.7/km²). There were 3,101 housing units at an average density of 70.2 per square mile (27.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.43%

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 ...

, 1.46%

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 ha ...

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 ...

, .17% Native American, 1.28% Asian, .04%

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 ...

, 1.3% from other races, and 1.32% 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 for ...

or Latino of any race were 4.85% of the population. There were 2,823 households, out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.6% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.16. In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males. The median income for a household in the town was $61,380 and the median income for a family was $70,056. Males had a median income of $47,143 versus $35,063 for females. The per capita income for the town was $30,043. About 1.7% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Since 1878 Pawling has operated under a council-manager form of government.

Infrastructure

Fire

The Pawling Fire District is the fire department that covers the Town Of Pawling. By keeping buildings up to code, controlling illegal occupancies, monitoring the safety of living-areas and issuing licenses and permits, the department works to control the potential for dangerous situations. The fire district operates three fire stations spread out all over the town, as their district covers a large area. The department is capable of handling fires, rescues, extrications and natural disasters. The PFD operates a varied fire apparatus fleet, however does not provide

Emergency Medical Services Emergency medical services (EMS), also known as ambulance services or paramedic services, are emergency services that provide urgent pre-hospital treatment and stabilisation for serious illness and injuries and transport to definitive care. ...

. Both BLS and

ALS Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a neurodegenerative disease that results in the progressive loss of motor neurons that control voluntary muscles. ALS is the most comm ...

EMS calls are handled by Empress Ambulance (formerly EMStar, which was merged in Sept of 2021) who are contracted to provide the town with 24/7 ambulance service. In the event of numerous calls within a short amount of time, ambulances are pulled from neighboring towns including Beekman, Dover and Patterson or, if a backfill unit is available, it will respond from nearby.

Police

Police protection in Pawling is provided by through the Dutchess County Sheriff's office and New York State Police. Sheriff's deputies have a substation located in the middle of the hamlet, near the train station. The MTA police also cover the center of town, as the

has a

train station A train station, railway station, railroad station or depot is a railway facility where trains stop to load or unload passengers, freight or both. It generally consists of at least one platform, one track and a station building providing ...

in the town.

Medical

Pawling has several free standing doctors' offices and clinics, including Village Medical and The Atrium. Pawling has no hospitals, but within a short distance from town are three medical centers and two hospitals. MidHudson Regional Hospital of Westchester Medical Center and Vassar Brothers Medical Center are located in nearby Poughkeepsie, and Danbury Hospital is located in Danbury, CT. Putnam Hospital Center is located in Carmel in Putnam County and New Milford Hospital in New Milford, CT. There are several urgent care centers located nearby, including in Carmel and LaGrange.

Notable people

* Kris Carr, author. * Brian Crecente, journalist and columnist. *

Thomas E. Dewey Thomas Edmund Dewey (March 24, 1902 – March 16, 1971) was an American lawyer, prosecutor, and politician who served as the 47th governor of New York from 1943 to 1954. He was the Republican candidate for president in 1944 and 1948: although ...

(1902–1971),

Governor of New York The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor h ...

(1943–1955), unsuccessful Republican nominee for

U.S. Presidency The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United ...

1944 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in ...

and

1948 Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The Constitution of New Jersey (later subject to amendment) goes into effect. ** The railways of Britain are nationalized, to form British ...

, and partner of Dewey, Ballantine, Bushby, Palmer & Wood. Dewey lived on a large farm called "Dapplemere," located in the Quaker Hill community on the outskirts of Pawling. * John B. Dutcher, farmer, businessman, banker and politician; first President of the Village of Pawling. *

William Pearce Howland Sir William Pearce Howland, (29 May 1811 – 1 January 1907) served as the second Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, from 1868 to 1873. He was one of the Fathers of Confederation. Biography Born in 1811 in Pawling, New York, William Howland wa ...

, one of the Fathers of

Canadian Confederation Canadian Confederation (french: Confédération canadienne, link=no) was the process by which three British North American provinces, the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, were united into one federation called the Dominio ...

. * John Kerr Branch (1865–1930), wealthy scion and financier, and his wife Beulah Frances Gould Branch (1860–1952). *

James Earl Jones James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is an American actor. He has been described as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile" actors for his performances in film, television, and theater, and "one of the greatest actors in America ...

, actor. *

Paul Tudor Jones Paul Tudor Jones II (born September 28, 1954) is an American billionaire hedge fund manager, conservationist and philanthropist. In 1980, he founded his hedge fund, Tudor Investment Corporation, an asset management firm headquartered in Stamford ...

commodity trader A trader is a person, firm, or entity in finance who buys and sells financial instruments, such as forex, cryptocurrencies, stocks, bonds, commodities, derivatives, and mutual funds in the capacity of agent, hedger, arbitrageur, or speculator. ...

. * Helen Lester, children's author and creator of Tacky the Penguin. * Charles H. Marsh, awarded a

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of val ...

for his actions in the Civil War. *

Marie Mattingly Meloney Marie Mattingly Meloney (1878–1943), who used Mrs. William B. Meloney as her professional and social name, was "one of the leading woman journalists of the United States", a magazine editor and a socialite who in the 1920s organized a fund drive ...

, magazine editor. * Edward R. Murrow, famed radio and television broadcasting pioneer; his ashes were scattered at his estate, Glen Arden Farm. The local park is named after him. * Aaron Neville, R&B singer and musician. Runs a vegetable farm with his wife on Quaker Hill. * Soledad O'Brien, American broadcast journalist and executive producer. *

Norman Vincent Peale Norman Vincent Peale (May 31, 1898 – December 24, 1993) was an American Protestant clergyman, and an author best known for popularizing the concept of positive thinking, especially through his best-selling book '' The Power of Positive ...

(1898–1993), Christian preacher and author of ''

The Power of Positive Thinking ''The Power of Positive Thinking: A Practical Guide to Mastering the Problems of Everyday Living'' is a 1952 self-help book by American minister Norman Vincent Peale. It provides anecdotal "case histories" of positive thinking using a biblical ...

'' and a founder of Guideposts magazine, died in town. The Peale Center for Christian Living still operates in Pawling. * George T. Pierce, lawyer and politician. * Sally Jessy Raphael, talk show host; owns a home on Quaker Hill. * Jean Rouverol, author, actress and screenwriter. * Jean Tabaud (1914-1996), portrait painter and war artist. *

Lowell Thomas Lowell Jackson Thomas (April 6, 1892 – August 29, 1981) was an American writer, actor, broadcaster, and traveler, best remembered for publicising T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia). He was also involved in promoting the Cinerama widescree ...

, developed the Quaker Hill community in Pawling, where he lived when not traveling. *

John J. Toffey John James Toffey (June 1, 1844 – March 13, 1911) was a United States Union Army officer during the American Civil War who received the Medal of Honor. Civil War Serving first as a Private in Company C, 21st New Jersey Volunteer Infantry ...

, awarded a

for his actions in the Civil War. * John Lorimer Worden (1818–1897), U.S. Navy rear admiral; commanded the

Union Navy The Union Navy was the United States Navy (USN) during the American Civil War, when it fought the Confederate States Navy (CSN). The term is sometimes used carelessly to include vessels of war used on the rivers of the interior while they were un ...

ironclad An ironclad is a steam-propelled warship protected by iron or steel armor plates, constructed from 1859 to the early 1890s. The ironclad was developed as a result of the vulnerability of wooden warships to explosive or incendiary shells. Th ...

USS ''Monitor'' in its famous battle with the

CSS Virginia CSS ''Virginia'' was the first steam-powered ironclad warship built by the Confederate States Navy during the first year of the American Civil War; she was constructed as a casemate ironclad using the razéed (cut down) original lower hull ...

(formerly

USS Merrimack USS ''Merrimack'', or variant spelling USS ''Merrimac'', may be any one of several ships commissioned in the United States Navy and named after the Merrimack River The Merrimack River (or Merrimac River, an occasional earlier spelling) is a ri ...

) during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...

. Buried in Pawling Cemetery. * William Bernard Ziff, Jr., (1930–2006), American publishing executive.

Notable places

* Akin Free Library, historic eclectic late Victorian stone building - home to the Gunnison Museum of Natural History and Historical Society of Quaker Hill and Pawling. * Daryl's House, concert venue and restaurant located in the former home of the famous Towne Crier Cafe, owned by Daryl Hall, musician. *The Dover Oak, oldest and largest oak tree on the Appalachian Trail. Named for the road on which it stands, not the town it resides in. *

, used by George Washington as his headquarters when the Continental Army was garrisoned on Purgatory Hill. *Mistover Farm, renowned horse farm and filming location for an episode of the CBS series Elementary and epicenter of activity for filming of the John Krasinski film "A Quiet Place". *

Oblong Friends Meeting House The Oblong Friends Meeting House is a mid-18th century Friends Meeting House of the Religious Society of Friends in the hamlet of Quaker Hill, in the town of Pawling, Dutchess County, New York, United States listed in the National Register of ...

, a late 18th-century Friends Meeting House of the Religious Society of Friends in the hamlet of Quaker Hill. *Peale History Center and Library, commemorating the life and teachings of Dr.

, the creator of "The Power of Positive Thinking" and founder of Guideposts. *

Trinity-Pawling School Trinity-Pawling School, founded in 1907, is an independent college and preparatory boarding school for boys from 7th grade to 12th grade. The 230 acre campus is situated in Pawling, New York, a small hamlet in southern Dutchess County. It is l ...

, an all-boys boarding school. *

, the only lake in Dutchess county to allow motorized boats. * Dutcher Golf Course, the oldest continually operated public golf course in the United States.

References

External links

Town of PawlingPawling Central School DistrictPawling Free LibraryThe Great Swamp
published June 9, 2006
Life Magazine Pictures of Pawling
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pawling (Town), New York Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown metropolitan area Towns in Dutchess County, New York Populated places established in 1788 Towns in the New York metropolitan area 1788 establishments in New York (state)