Tappan ( ) is a

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 ...

and

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a 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 counterparts of incorporated places, such ...

in the town of

Orangetown Orangetown is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States, located in the southeastern part of the county. It is northwest of New York City, north of New Jersey, east of the town of Ramapo, south of the town of Clarkstown, and west of t ...

Rockland County Rockland County is the southernmost county on the west side of the Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. It is about from the Bronx at their closest points. The county's population, as of t ...

, New York. It is located northwest of Alpine, New Jersey, north of

Northvale, New Jersey Northvale is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 4,640,Rockleigh, New Jersey Rockleigh (pronounced ROCK-lee) is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 531,Old Tappan, New Jersey Old Tappan ( ) is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 5,750,Nauraushaun and

Pearl River The Pearl River, also known by its Chinese name Zhujiang or Zhu Jiang in Mandarin pinyin or Chu Kiang and formerly often known as the , is an extensive river system in southern China. The name "Pearl River" is also often used as a catch-a ...

, south of Orangeburg, southwest of Sparkill, and west of Palisades; Tappan shares a border with each. The population was 6,673 according to the 2020 census.

History

Early history

The

Tappan tribe The Tappan were a Lenape people who inhabited the region radiating from Hudson Palisades and New York – New Jersey Highlands in at the time of European colonialization in the 17th century. Etymology The exonym ''Tappan'' is likely a derivation ...

were a

Lenape The Lenape (, , or Lenape , del, Lënapeyok) also called the Leni Lenape, Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. Their historical territory includ ...

people who inhabited the region radiating from the

Hudson Palisades The Palisades, also called the New Jersey Palisades or the Hudson River Palisades, are a line of steep cliffs along the west side of the lower Hudson River in Northeastern New Jersey and Southeastern New York in the United States. The cliffs s ...

and the

New York – New Jersey Highlands New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

at the time of European colonization in the 17th century. "Tappan" is derived from the

word "tuphanne" thought to mean "cold water." The first

Orange County Orange County most commonly refers to: *Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Orange County may also refer to: U.S. counties *Orange County, Florida, containing Orlando *Orange County, Indiana *Orange County, New ...

courthouse was built in 1691 in Tappan, though by 1737, sessions alternated between Tappan and Goshen. The first school house in Rockland County was built in 1711 in Tappan. It was used as a school until 1860. There would not be another school in the county until late in the 18th century.

American Revolution

The Orangetown Resolutions were adopted in 1774 at the home of Yoast Mabie. The Dutch colonial house was built by his brother Casparus Mabie in Tappan. When

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...

imposed duties on the colonies and closed the port of

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, local inhabitants passed resolutions calling for a boycott of British imports and exports on Monday, July 4, 1774, two years to the day before the

Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence or declaration of statehood or proclamation of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the ...

was proclaimed. British Major

John André John André (2 May 1750/1751''Gravesite–Memorial''
Westmi ...

, who conspired with

Benedict Arnold Benedict Arnold ( Brandt (1994), p. 4June 14, 1801) was an American military officer who served during the Revolutionary War. He fought with distinction for the American Continental Army and rose to the rank of major general before defect ...

to allow the takeover of

West Point The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...

by the British, was captured in 1780 in

Tarrytown Tarrytown is a village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, approximately north of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a stop on the Metro-North Hu ...

on his way back to the British lines with the plans of the fort's fortifications. Major André was brought to Tappan, confined at Caspurus Mabie's home, known as "Mabie's Inn," and brought to trial at the

Reformed Church of Tappan The Reformed Church of Tappan in Tappan, Rockland County, New York (formed, 1694) is a historic church. It is a contributing property to the Tappan Historic District. History Its first structure built 1716 (worshipers met in homes before thi ...

; he was found guilty of espionage, hanged, and buried nearby. Strickland, Major André's executioner, who was confined at the camp in Tappan as a dangerous Tory during André's trial, was granted liberty for accepting the duty of hangman and returned to his home in the Ramapo Valley or Smith's Cove. Joshua Hett Smith, accused of conspiring with Major André, was also brought to trial at the Reformed Church of Tappan. The trial lasted four weeks and ended in Smith's acquittal. General

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 th ...

, who in 1789 became the first president of the United States, used the 1700 DeWint House, Rockland County's oldest existing structure, as his

headquarters Headquarters (commonly referred to as HQ) denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the to ...

four times between 1780 and 1783, and dined at Mabie's Inn during 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 Revolut ...

. Today the house known as Mabie's Inn is a restaurant operating as

The Old 76 House The '76 House, also known as the ''Old '76 House'', is a Colonial-era structure built as a home and tavern in Tappan, New York, in 1754 by Casparus Mabie, a merchant and tavern-keeper. History Origin In spite of local claims of much earlier con ...

Recent history

* Cereo, an early commercially produced baby food, was manufactured in the early 1900s by Macy Deming at the Haring Adams (Deming) House. * The Tappan Fire Department's 100th anniversary was celebrated on October 13, 2007, with a

Mardi Gras Mardi Gras (, ) refers to events of the Carnival celebration, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday, which is known as Shrove Tuesday. is French for "Fat ...

-style parade, complete with beaded necklaces and confetti. The

Budweiser Budweiser () is an American-style pale lager, part of AB InBev. Introduced in 1876 by Carl Conrad & Co. of St. Louis, Missouri, Budweiser has become a large selling beer company in the United States. ''Budweiser'' may also refer to an unrela ...

Clydesdale horse The Clydesdale is a Scottish breed of draught horse. It is named for its area of origin, the Clydesdale or valley of the River Clyde, much of which is within the county of Lanarkshire. The origins of the breed lie in the eighteenth century, ...

s made an appearance.

Geography

Tappan is located at (41.025897, −73.951180). 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 region has a total area of , all land.

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 6,757 people, 2,261 households, and 1,887 families residing in the community. 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 2,423.0 per square mile (935.1/km²). There were 2,294 housing units at an average density of 822.6/sq mi (317.5/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 82.27%

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 ...

, 1.27%

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 ...

, 0.12% Native American, 13.51%

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 ...

, 0.07%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 1.48% 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 1.27% 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 ...

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 6.36% of the population. There were 2,261 households, out of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.6% 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, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.5% were non-families. 13.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.27. In the region the population was spread out, with 24.9% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males. The average household income in Tappan is $167,568 with a poverty rate of 2.43%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to $2,256 per month, and the median house value is $497,700. The median age in Tappan is 45.5 years, 40.7 years for males, and 49.3 years for females. For every 100 females there are 103.5 males.

Tourism

Historical markers

* 1700

DeWint House The DeWint House, in Tappan, New York, is one of the oldest surviving structures in Rockland County and is an outstanding example of Hudson Valley Dutch Colonial Revival architecture, Dutch Colonial architecture. It was built using brick and indi ...

, Oak Tree Road and Livingston Avenue * Major John Andre Monument, Old Tappan Road and 42 André Hill Road * General Lafayette, Western Highway and Christine Lane * Hickory Hill Cooperative, Hickory Hill and Old Tappan roads * The First Court House, Tappan Green * Trial of André, 32 Old Tappan Road * Washington's Camp, Western Highway and Christine Lane

Landmarks and places of interest

* André Monument – André Hill, south of Old Tappan Road, west of railroad crossing – Marks the reported site of the execution of Major John André, hanged for espionage. ( NRHP) * The Academy. Built in 1843 as a private school on land leased by the church. * Bartow-Samett Town House – Built in 1835 by Morris Bartow. Adjacent to The Old 76 House. Probable site of Yost Mabie's house where the Orangetown Resolutions were signed in 1774. * Bogert-Haring House – Late eighteenth century sandstone house which was home to nine generations of Bogerts and Harings. * Burton Store – Tappan's former general store. * Cardona House – First Rockland County schoolhouse. Built of stone and brick in 1711 on church land and used as a school until 1860. * 1700 DeClark-DeWint House – 20 Livingston Street – Built in 1700, oldest house in Rockland County. To the northwest and northeast of the front entrance of the 1700 DeWint house are the carriage house and a stone mill. At the rear of house stand seven initialed headstones which came from a nearby property. It is believed these headstones marked where the slaves of that home were buried.(NRHP) Threatened with demolition in 1932, the house and grounds were purchased and preserved by the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York, as a National Historic Site and a memorial to George Washington (who was himself a lifelong Mason). Since 1984, in the month of September The Tappantown Historical Society has held Colonial Day featuring Colonial Army re-enactors and Encampment Soldiers. Tour of the DeWint house include ladies and gentlemen in colonial attire preparing for winter. The Carriage House Museum houses local artifacts. On the Dewint House Grounds people in colonial attire demonstrate apple pressing, buttermaking,

Sheep shearing Sheep shearing is the process by which the woollen fleece of a sheep is cut off. The person who removes the sheep's wool is called a '' shearer''. Typically each adult sheep is shorn once each year (a sheep may be said to have been "shorn" or ...

blacksmith A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from #Other metals, other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such ...

and

cooper Cooper, Cooper's, Coopers and similar may refer to: * Cooper (profession), a maker of wooden casks and other staved vessels Arts and entertainment * Cooper (producers), alias of Dutch producers Klubbheads * Cooper (video game character), in ...

, spinning and other events showing how colonial ancestors lived. * Haring-Adams House – Built in 1790. Cereo, first baby food, was manufactured by Macy Deming at this location. * The Manse – Kings Highway & 28 Old Tappan Road – Built of stone in 1726 on land donated by five of the surviving 16 original Tappan patentees, Daniel deClerk, Peter Haring, Johannes Blauvelt, Lambert Smith and Cosyn Haring, the Manse is considered to be the oldest parsonage in continuous use in the United States. Architecture is typical Hudson Valley Dutch colonial, ornamentation on exterior being added later. Restructured 1788; frame wing added about 1830. There is a historical marker at this site. Reverend Samuel Verbryck, friend of George Washington and a founder of

Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's ...

, resided here. * Mabie-Beech House – Built in 1835 by Cornelius Mabie. *

(Mabie's House)- 110 Main Street. Tavern since the 18th century. *

– Kings Highway, 32 Old Tappan Road – Organized as Low Dutch Christian Reformed Church of Tappan 1694, it is the oldest congregation in Rockland County. The present church (third) was built in 1835. The second church, enlarged in 1788, was the scene of Major John André's trial. The church was also used as a prison/hospital after Baylor Massacre in 1778. * Village Church Green – West of the Reformed Church of Tappan. This site was the first Orange County courthouse until 1798 (Rockland County was a part of Orange County). It was destroyed by fire along with the jail in 1773. The green had a whipping post and stocks, a stray cattle pound and during the American Revolution, a Liberty Pole (flag pole). * Tappan Tar Barrel Elm site – located in the middle of Oak Tree Road just south of the Sparkill Creek. It was part of the Revolutionary War Alarm System. A flaming tar barrel was to be hoisted to the top of the tree if the British were to approach. It was used just once, in 1783, as a signal that Washington and Carleton agreed to a prisoner exchange and the evacuation of New York. It was cut down in 1953. * Tappan Library – Built in 1750. Four additions have been added since. * Tappan Golf Center – a golf center that includes a driving range, miniature golf course, batting cages, and a go-kart course. * Tappan Historic District – (NRHP) * Tappantown Historical Society

In popular culture

* Tappan was the filming site in the episode "New Car Smell" of the NBC comedy show, ''Ed''. Ed was getting a kite down for a woman, but got stuck in a tree. * A shot for the introduction to the film " No Looking Back" was shot in Tappan. The shot is facing east down Old Tappan Road from the perspective of Western Highway. * Tappan was the location of the movie studio of Helen Gardner, who was the first film actor, male or female, to form her own production company. "The Helen Gardner Picture Players" made eleven feature films there between 1912 and 1914.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Tappan include: *

Nat Fein Nathaniel Fein (August 7, 1914 – September 26, 2000) was a photographer for the ''New York Herald Tribune'' for 33 years. Fein is known for photographing Babe Ruth towards the end of his life, winning the 1949 Pulitzer Prize for his photogr ...

(1914–2000), photographer for the ''

New York Herald Tribune The ''New York Herald Tribune'' was a newspaper published between 1924 and 1966. It was created in 1924 when Ogden Mills Reid of the ''New-York Tribune'' acquired the ''New York Herald''. It was regarded as a "writer's newspaper" and competed ...

'' for 33 years * Cynthia Hesdra (1808–1879), former slave and businesswoman *

John Andre John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

(1751–1780), British major and spy executed by hanging in Tappan *

John Quidor John Quidor (January 26, 1801 – December 13, 1881) was an American painter of historical and literary subjects. He has about 35 known canvases, most of which are based on Washington Irving's stories about Dutch New York, drawing inspiration fro ...

(1801-1881), American painter

Transportation

The

Palisades Interstate Parkway The Palisades Interstate Parkway (PIP) is a limited-access highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York (state), New York. The parkway is a major commuter route into New York City from Rockland County, New York, Rockland and Orange County ...

runs northwest–southeast to the north of Tappan.

New York State Route 303 New York State Route 303 (NY 303) is a north–south state highway in eastern Rockland County, New York, in the United States. It begins at the New Jersey state line in the hamlet of Tappan and runs generally northward for to an inters ...

runs north–south through the area. Until 1958, the

New York Central Railroad The New York Central Railroad was a railroad primarily operating in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The railroad primarily connected greater New York and Boston in the east with Chicago and St. Louis in the Midw ...

operated passenger service on the

West Shore Railroad The West Shore Railroad was the final name of a railroad that ran from Weehawken, New Jersey, on the west bank of the Hudson River opposite New York City, north to Albany, New York, and then west to Buffalo. It was organized as a competitor ...

between

Weehawken, New Jersey Weehawken is a Township (New Jersey), township in the North Hudson, New Jersey, northern part of Hudson County, New Jersey, Hudson County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located largely on the Hudson Palisades overlooking the North River ...

, opposite Midtown Manhattan up through the western part of Tappan to Newburgh, Kingston and Albany. The service ran to West Haverstraw, in the north of Rockland County until 1959. The

Erie Railroad The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in the northeastern United States, originally connecting New York City — more specifically Jersey City, New Jersey, where Erie's Pavonia Terminal, long demolished, used to stand — with Lake Er ...

ran train service on the

Northern Branch The Northern Branch is a railroad line that runs from Jersey City to Northvale in northeastern New Jersey. The line was constructed in 1859 by the Northern Railroad of New Jersey to connect the New York and Erie Railroad's Piermont Branch te ...

through the eastern part of Tappan up to 1966.

References

External links

Historical Markers and War Memorials in Tappan, New York
* Raymond, Marcius Denison
David Williams and the capture of André: A paper read before the Tarrytown Historical Society
Tarrytown: Tarrytown Argus – 1903 – approx. 35 pp.
The 76 House- America's oldest Tavern

Tappantown Historical Society

Volunteer Fire Association of Tappan

Rockland Magazine

The Journal News, the local newspaper

{{authority control Hamlets in New York (state) Census-designated places in New York (state) Census-designated places in Rockland County, New York Hamlets in Rockland County, New York