Verplanck is a

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Den ...

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 ...

(CDP) in the

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 or ...

of Cortlandt,

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 o ...

, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,729. Both the hamlet and Verplanck's Point derive their name from the activities of the Verplanck family, established in

New Amsterdam New Amsterdam ( nl, Nieuw Amsterdam, or ) was a 17th-century Dutch settlement established at the southern tip of Manhattan Island that served as the seat of the colonial government in New Netherland. The initial trading ''factory'' gave rise ...

Abraham Isaacsen Verplanck Abraham Isaacsen Verplanck (1606–1690), also known as Abraham Isaacse Ver Planck, was an early and prominent settler in New Netherlands. A land developer and speculator, he was the progenitor of an extensive Verplanck family in the United States ...

in the 1630s.

History

Verplanck lies on a small peninsula in the extreme northwest of the town of Cortlandt. Tucked along the east bank of 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 New ...

, it is bordered by Cortlandt's village of Buchanan and hamlet of Montrose.

Verplanck's Point

Verplanck's Point lies at Verplanck's southernmost end. The

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...

of General George Washington encamped at Verplanck's Point during the Revolutionary War, as a staging area for crossing the Hudson at adjacent Kings Ferry, lying between the Point and Montrose. Pursued by the army of British General William Howe, it crossed to Stony Point on the west bank, en route to

Fort Lee, New Jersey Fort Lee is a borough at the eastern border of Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, situated along the Hudson River atop the Palisades. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the borough's population was 40,191. As of the 2010 U.S. census, ...

. Chernow, 2010, p. 257 From there it continued south to

Yorktown, Virginia Yorktown is a census-designated place (CDP) in York County, Virginia. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1682. Yorktown's population was 195 as of the 2010 census, while York Co ...

, where Washington received the surrender of General Charles Cornwallis on October 19, 1781. A year later, in September 1782, Verplanck's Point, an alluvial plain and natural place for an encampment during the inherent bottleneck of an arduous and slow ferrying of men and materiel across the river, again became the site of the Continental Army's bivouac upon crossing the Hudson.

John Trumbull John Trumbull (June 6, 1756November 10, 1843) was an American artist of the early independence period, notable for his historical paintings of the American Revolutionary War, of which he was a veteran. He has been called the "Painter of the Rev ...

painted a full-length oil portrait of '' Washington at Verplanck's Point'', and gifted it to

Martha Washington Martha Dandridge Custis Washington (June 21, 1731 — May 22, 1802) was the wife of George Washington, the first president of the United States. Although the title was not coined until after her death, Martha Washington served as the inaugural ...

. Based on its success he produced a much larger work scaled up to nearly four times its size for the City of New York, ''

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 ...

'', substituting Evacuation Day of New York City in 1783 as its backdrop for departing French commander-in-chief General Rochambeau's review of Washington's

troops on September 14, 1782.

Geography

Verplanck is located at (41.252930, -73.959664). 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 hamlet has a total area of , of which is land and , or 11.54%, is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 777 people, 300 households, and 204 families residing in the hamlet. 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 RosenberPop ...

was 1,121.1 per square mile (434.8/km²). There were 311 housing units at an average density of 448.7/sq mi (174.0/km²). The racial makeup of the hamlet was 95.88%

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 ...

, 0.26% Asian, 2.19% 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 1.67% 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 form ...

or Latino of any race were 6.82% of the population. There were 300 households, out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% 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, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.17. In the hamlet the population was spread out, with 26.1% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males. The median income for a household in the hamlet was $36,548, and the median income for a family was $51,375. Males had a median income of $50,526 versus $27,250 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 hamlet was $19,842. About 20.2% of families and 21.9% 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 17.8% of those under age 18 and 38.0% of those age 65 or over.

Half Moon

Verplanck is the home of a replica of the ship the ''Half Moon'', with which

Henry Hudson Henry Hudson ( 1565 – disappeared 23 June 1611) was an English sea explorer and navigator during the early 17th century, best known for his explorations of present-day Canada and parts of the northeastern United States. In 1607 and 16 ...

explored the

The Market on The River

From May through October, The Market on the River is hosted on Sunday at the Cortlandt Waterfront Park. Vendors include farmers, coffee roasters, food purveyors, and craft makers.

Sources

References

External links

Verplanck Resident's Association

{{authority control Hamlets in New York (state) Census-designated places in New York (state) Census-designated places in Westchester County, New York Hamlets in Westchester County, New York New York (state) populated places on the Hudson River