Fishkill 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 ...

in the southwestern part of

Dutchess County 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 ...

, New York, United States. It lies approximately north 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 ...

. The population was 22,107 at the 2010 census. Fishkill surrounds the

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

of Beacon, and contains 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 ...

, which is also named Fishkill. The name Fishkill derives from the Dutch words ''vis kill'', meaning "fish creek". The location of Fishkill was known as ''Tioranda'' by the Native American peoples. The name means "The place where two waters meet". Fishkill is one of the nine original towns in Dutchess County, and is best known today for its rich history dating to the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

period and scenic views of the Hudson Highlands.

History

In 1683 New York City merchants Francis Rombouts and Gulian Verplanck purchased in Dutchess County from the

Wappinger The Wappinger () were an Eastern Algonquian Munsee-speaking Native American people from what is now southern New York and western Connecticut. At the time of first contact in the 17th century they were primarily based in what is now Dutches ...

confederacy of Native Americans for a quantity of goods including rum, powder, and tobacco. In 1685 it was granted as the royal

Rombout Patent The Rombout Patent was a Colonial era land patent issued by King James II of England in 1685 sanctioning the right of Francis Rombouts and his partners Stephanus Van Cortlandt and Jacobus Kip to own some of land they had purchased from Native ...

. Neither ever lived on the land, intending to use it only for fur trading. The first white settlers were Rombout's daughter, Catheryna, and her husband, Roger Brett, who built a mill at the mouth of

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 ...

as it flows into 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 Ne ...

. Originally, the boundaries of Fishkill extended far beyond the boundaries of the present-day Town of Fishkill. When the town was incorporated in 1788, Fishkill's land area included the present-day City of Beacon and Village of Fishkill, as well as the Town of Wappinger, Village of Wappingers Falls, Town of East Fishkill and a portion of the Town of

LaGrange Joseph-Louis Lagrange (born Giuseppe Luigi LagrangiaDaniel Nimham Daniel Nimham (also Ninham) (1726–1778) was the last sachem of the Wappinger people and an American Revolutionary War combat veteran. He was the most prominent Native American of his time in the lower Hudson Valley. Background Prior to Henry ...

, the final

sachem Sachems and sagamores are paramount chiefs among the Algonquians or other Native American tribes of northeastern North America, including the Iroquois. The two words are anglicizations of cognate terms (c. 1622) from different Eastern Al ...

of the

people, was born in the Wiccopee area in 1726. Nimham rose to prominence as both an advocate for Native American land rights and as a soldier, serving as both a spokesman arguing in England for the enforcement of land treaties, and the leader of the

Stockbridge Militia The Stockbridge Militia was a Native American military unit from Stockbridge, Massachusetts which served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The militia unit was composed mostly of Mohican, Wappinger, and Munsee fr ...

, which fielded a force of approximately 300 Native American warriors of Wappinger and Mohican identity. The Stockbridge Militia fought on the side of the British in the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the st ...

, and then on the side of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. Nimham and his Stockbridge soldiers were some of America's first combat veterans. Nimham was killed at the Battle of Kingsbridge in what is now

the Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New ...

on August 31, 1778. Fishkill played a pivotal role in the

when a huge military encampment known as the Fishkill Supply Depot was established one mile (1.6 km) south of the village of Fishkill to guard the mountain pass to the south. Signal fires lay in readiness on tops of the surrounding mountains. The Fishkill encampment became the main supply depot for the northern department of 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 ...

. The first copies of the New York State Constitution were printed at Fishkill in 1777. Mount Beacon, located in the town, earned its name for the signal fires at the summit which were used for Continental Army communications during the war. As commander of the Continental Army,

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 ...

spent considerable time in Fishkill, and in 1778, noted Fishkill silversmith John Bailey crafted a

sword A sword is an edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter blade with a pointed ti ...

for Washington near present-day Maurer-Geering Park. The sword was a particular favorite of Washington's, and he carried it for the remainder of the war. Upon his death, Washington bequeathed a sword to each of his five nephews, and nephew Samuel Washington received the Bailey sword. He donated it to

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...

in 1843. The sword is now lies in the

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Found ...

, as part of the

National Museum of American History The National Museum of American History: Kenneth E. Behring Center collects, preserves, and displays the heritage of the United States in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific, and military history. Among the items on display is t ...

. In the 19th century, mills and factories sprang up in Glenham and Matteawan, bringing an influx of skilled weavers from the

British Isles The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isl ...

. The healthy economy came to an end in the post–

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...

depression, and the once thriving factories fell into decay. In 1931,

Texaco Texaco, Inc. ("The Texas Company") is an American oil brand owned and operated by Chevron Corporation. Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owned the Havoline motor oil brand. Texaco was an independent company unt ...

purchased the old woolen mill site and established a research center there. Today, the town's economy is diverse, comprising tourism, medical care, retail and restaurants, warehouses, recreation spots and a wealth of small businesses. In 1996, the animal rights group PETA suggested the town change its name to something less suggestive of violence toward fish. The name derives from the Dutch ''vis kill'', meaning "fish creek." For this reason, the town declined. Town Supervisor Ozzy Albra has indicated he will not entertain changing the name of the town. In 2021, the Town commissioned an eight-foot bronze statue depicting

Daniel Nimham Daniel Nimham (also Ninham) (1726–1778) was the last sachem of the Wappinger people and an American Revolutionary War combat veteran. He was the most prominent Native American of his time in the lower Hudson Valley. Background Prior to Henry ...

from noted Hudson Valley sculptor Michael Keropian. The statue was installed at the Arrowhead intersection of NY-52 and NY-82 (41° 32.685′ N, 73° 52.16′ W.) in May of 2022 and dedicated on June 11, 2022. Town Supervisor Ozzy Albra hosted the ceremony which featured comments from elected officials, educators, the sculptor, and a number of special presentations by Native American community groups.

Government

The Town of Fishkill is overseen by a Town Supervisor a Town Council, comprising four Councilmembers. The Town Supervisor and Town Council are elected to four-year terms, and town law limits the Town Supervisor and Town Council to two terms of service. As of 2022, the Town Supervisor is Ozzy Albra, and the Town Council consists of Louise Daniele, John Forman, Carmine Istvan and Brian Wrye.

Tourism

Fishkill is home to a number of tourist locations, including a number of historically significant sites. Popular sites include: * Dutchess Stadium, home of the Hudson Valley Renegades, the High-A

Minor League Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in No ...

affiliate of the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...

*SplashDown Beach, a seasonal water and amusement park * Van Wyck Homestead Museum and Fishkill Supply Depot * Mount Gulian *

Stony Kill Farm Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center is located on NY 9D in the Town of Fishkill, New York, United States. It is a 1,000+ acre (3 km2) working farm owned and operated by the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) as ...

In 2021, it was announced the town would work with sculptor Michael Keropian to commission a statue of Wappinger tribal leader Daniel Nimham, as part of an effort by the town to promote historical tourism in Fishkill. The statue was installed in May 2022 and dedicated on June 11, 2022.

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 , or 14.55%, is water. The elevation of the town varies from sea level along the

(Fishkill Waterfront, Fishkill Landing, Dutchess Junction) to above sea level (South Beacon Mountain). The southern town line is the border between Dutchess and Putnam counties and between the towns of Fishkill and Philipstown. The western town line is defined by the Hudson River, across which lie the Orange County towns of

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a Historic counties of England, historic county and Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people ...

, New Windsor, and Newburgh, as well as the city of Newburgh. The city of Beacon is contained within the town, though Fishkill's area west of Beacon is mostly occupied by the Hudson. To the north is the town of

, and to the east is the town of East Fishkill. The town's namesake, the

, runs from east to west across the town and empties into the Hudson River. As the word Fishkill derives from the Dutch ''vis kill'', meaning "fish creek," the English use of "Fishkill Creek" creates a bilingual tautology. Interstate 84 passes through the town in an east-west direction, with access from Exits 41, 44, and 46 (old Exits 11, 12, and 13), and US 9 passes through both the town and village of Fishkill in a north-south direction.

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 inc ...

of 2000, there were 20,258 people, 6,856 households, and 4,264 families residing in the town. 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 RosenberPopu ...

was 738.9 people per square mile (285.3/km²). There were 7,040 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 77.19% White, 14.13%

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 ...

, 0.19% Native American, 2.99% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 4.49% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. Of the population 10.47% were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 6,856

household A household consists of two or more persons who live in the same dwelling. It may be of a single family or another type of person group. The household is the basic unit of analysis in many social, microeconomic and government models, and is i ...

s, out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% 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 ...

living together, 8.1% had a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 37.8% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.02. In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.3% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 38.1% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. The median income for a household in the town was $52,745, and the median income for a family was $63,574. Males had a median income of $42,106 versus $32,198 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 $22,662. 5.4% of the population and 3.4% of families were below the

poverty Poverty is the state of having few material possessions or little income. Poverty can have diverse

line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 6.2% were under the age of 18 and 7.5% were 65 or older.

Sports

Fishkill is home to the Hudson Valley Renegades, a minor league baseball team affiliated with the

, which plays in the new High-A East league. Previously the team was a member of the short-season New York–Penn League from 1994 to 2020, and had been an affiliate of the

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home v ...

. The Renegades play at Dutchess Stadium.

Notable people

* Elizabeth Allen 1929-2006, theatre, television and film actor and singer; lived in Fishkill prior to her death. * Catheryna Rombout Brett 1687-1764, landowner and businesswoman; owned a considerable portion of Dutchess County in the colonial period. * Elijah A. Briggs 1843-1922,

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 ...

soldier and

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 ...

recipient; lived in Fishkill for many years prior to his death. * Robert Kanigher 1915-2002, comic book, playwright, television and film writer for

DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. ( doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with the ...

noted for writing

Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byrne, are credited as bein ...

and

The Flash The Flash (or simply Flash) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date ...

lived in Fishkill prior to his death. * Marquis de Lafayette 1757-1834, French noble and military leader who assisted Washington during the Revolutionary War; was nursed to health after a long illness in Fishkill. *

1726-1778, final sachem of the

people and

combat veteran; born in Fishkill in 1726. * Benjamin Strong Jr. 1872-1928, banker and Governor of the

Federal Reserve Bank of New York The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is one of the 12 Federal Reserve Banks of the United States. It is responsible for the Second District of the Federal Reserve System, which encompasses the State of New York, the 12 northern counties of Ne ...

. *

1733-1999, first

President of the United States 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 Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal gove ...

; commanded the

in Fishkill for much of the American Revolution.