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. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...
in the town of
Southeast
The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, Radius, radially arrayed compass directions (or Azimuth#In navigation, azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A ''compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, ...
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
New York may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* ...
, United States. It is in the easternmost part of town, bordering the city of
Danbury, Connecticut
Danbury ( ) is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located approximately northeast of New York City. Danbury's population as of 2020 was 86,518. It is the third-largest city in Western Connecticut, and the seventh-largest ...
.
History
Located on the
Croton River
The Croton River ( ) is a river in southern New York with a watershed area of , and three principal tributaries: the West Branch, Middle Branch, and East Branch. Their waters, all part of the New York City water supply system, join downstr ...
, Milltown took its name from the mills built along its banks. The first settlers to the area arrived in 1679. At this time, Milltown sat in the middle of the Oblong, a long-disputed strip of land between New York and Connecticut.
Southeast's first library was established here in 1825, operating out of Asa Raymond's general store & post office. It would eventually be given the name ''Columbia Library'', until the entire collection was sold at auction. The post office was in service from 1826 to 1867.
Milltown is also the site of what local historians believe to be the oldest house in all of Putnam County. The Gage House, a
saltbox
A saltbox house is a gable-roofed residential structure that is typically two stories in the front and one in the rear. It is a traditional New England style of home, originally timber framed, which takes its name from its resemblance to a wood ...
farmhouse
FarmHouse (FH) is a men's social fraternity founded at the University of Missouri on April 15, 1905. It became a national organization in 1921. Today FarmHouse has 34 active chapters in the United States and Canada.FarmHouse Fraternity New Memb ...
, was built in 1719. It is now an
apothecary
''Apothecary'' () is an Early Modern English, archaic English term for a medicine, medical professional who formulates and dispenses ''materia medica'' (medicine) to physicians, surgeons and patients. The modern terms ''pharmacist'' and, in Brit ...
and center for spiritual healing.
The Milltown Historic District was established in 1988. Three years later, a sign marking the "Historic Milltown Area" was installed at Milltown and Federal Hill Road.
Croton River
The Croton River ( ) is a river in southern New York with a watershed area of , and three principal tributaries: the West Branch, Middle Branch, and East Branch. Their waters, all part of the New York City water supply system, join downstr ...
, which flows into the
East Branch Reservoir
East Branch Reservoir, is a reservoir in the town of Southeast, New York, near the village of Brewster. Part of the New York City water supply system, it was formed by impounding the East Branch of the Croton River. Forming part of the Croton ...
. This is one of 12 reservoirs that feed New York City's Croton Water Supply System. To create the reservoir, a dam was constructed in 1890 and the western section of Milltown was flooded as a result. In times when water levels have been significantly low, remnants of nineteenth century Milltown, such as stone walls, home foundations, and roads, have been made visible.
On the other side of Milltown is the exclusive and mysterious Morefar Golf Course. The extend from New York into the Joes Hill / Mill Plain section of Danbury.