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Pawling is a
town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
in
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 o ...
, 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. 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 a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
. 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, 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 (producer), David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting List of Friends episodes, ten seasons. With an ensemble cast ...
began coming from Harrisons Purchase, now a part of
Rye Rye (''Secale cereale'') is a grass grown extensively as a grain, a cover crop and a forage crop. It is grown principally in an area from Eastern and Northern Europe into Russia. It is much more tolerant of cold weather and poor soil than o ...
, in
Westchester County, New York Westchester County is a County (United States), county located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, bordering the Long Island Sound and the Byram River to its east and the Hudson River on its west. The c ...
. Their
Quaker Meeting House A Friends meeting house is a meeting house of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), where meeting for worship is usually held. Typically, Friends meeting houses are simple and resemble local residential buildings. Ornamentation, spires, a ...
is still standing today, and open for visitors. In the
American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...
colonial commander in chief
George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
established his headquarters at the John Kane House 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, southeast 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 southeast of Canterbury and east of Maidstone. ...
in 1807. The town of Pawling was part of the Beekman Patent, a large land grant to Col. Henry Beekman in 1697.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, 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 The Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company , also branded as MTA Metro-North Railroad and commonly called simply Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a New York State publ ...
's
Harlem Line The Harlem Line is an commuter rail line owned and operated by the Metro-North Railroad in the U.S. state of New York. It runs north from New York City to Wassaic, in eastern Dutchess County. The lower from Grand Central Terminal to Southea ...
. There are two train stations in town, the Pawling station in the village and the
Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail, also called the A.T., is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian Tra ...
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 Pawling (town), New York, 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 Cons ...
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 (New York), county in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 97,668. The county seat is Carmel (hamlet), New York, Carmel, within one of th ...
, and the eastern town boundary is the border of Connecticut. To the west lies the town of Beekman, with
Dover Dover ( ) is a town and major ferry port in Kent, southeast 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 southeast of Canterbury and east of Maidstone. ...
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 – 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 . There were 3,101 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 94.43%
white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 1.46%
black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
or
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, .17% Native American, 1.28% Asian, .04%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...
, 1.3% from other races, and 1.32% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
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, pre-hospital care or paramedic services, are emergency services that provide urgent pre-hospital treatment and stabilisation for serious illness and injuries and transport to d ...
. Both BLS and
ALS Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or—in the United States—Lou Gehrig's disease (LGD), is a rare, terminal neurodegenerative disorder that results in the progressive loss of both upper and low ...
EMS calls are handled by Empress Ambulance (formerly EMStar, which was merged in Sept 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 The New York State Police (NYSP) is the state police of the U.S. state of New York; it is part of the New York State Executive Department and employs over 5,000 sworn state troopers and 711 non-sworn members. The New York State Police are re ...
. 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
Metro-North Railroad The Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company , also branded as MTA Metro-North Railroad and commonly called simply Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a New York State publ ...
Harlem Line The Harlem Line is an commuter rail line owned and operated by the Metro-North Railroad in the U.S. state of New York. It runs north from New York City to Wassaic, in eastern Dutchess County. The lower from Grand Central Terminal to Southea ...
has a
train station A train station, railroad station, or railway station 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 suc ...
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 (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 ...
(1943–1955), unsuccessful Republican nominee for U.S. Presidency in
1944 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free France, Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command First Army (France), French Army B, part of the Sixt ...
and
1948 Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The current Constitutions of Constitution of Italy, Italy and of Constitution of New Jersey, New Jersey (both later subject to amendment) ...
, 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, one of the Fathers of
Canadian Confederation Canadian Confederation () 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 Name of Canada#Adoption of Dominion, Dominion of Ca ...
. * John Kerr Branch (1865–1930), wealthy scion and financier, and his wife Beulah Frances Gould Branch (1860–1952). *
James Earl Jones James Earl Jones (January 17, 1931 – September 9, 2024) was an American actor. A pioneer for black actors in the entertainment industry, Jones is known for his extensive and acclaimed roles on stage and screen. Jones is one of the few perfor ...
(1931–2024), actor. * Paul Tudor Jones,
commodity trader A commodity market is a market that trades in the primary economic sector rather than manufactured products. The primary sector includes agricultural products, energy products, and metals. Soft commodities may be perishable and harvested, w ...
. * 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 Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...
for his actions in the Civil War. * Marie Mattingly Meloney, magazine editor. *
Edward R. Murrow Edward Roscoe Murrow (born Egbert Roscoe Murrow; April 25, 1908 – April 27, 1965) was an American Broadcast journalism, broadcast journalist and war correspondent. He first gained prominence during World War II with a series of live radio broa ...
, 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 María de la Soledad Teresa O'Brien (born September 19, 1966) is an American broadcast journalist and executive producer. Since 2016, O'Brien has been the host for '' Matter of Fact with Soledad O'Brien,'' a nationally syndicated weekly talk sho ...
, 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 Positiv ...
(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 Bible, bi ...
'' and a founder of
Guideposts ''Guideposts'' is a spiritual non-profit organization publishing inspirational magazines, books and online material. Founded in 1945 by Norman Vincent Peale, Raymond Thornburg, and Peale's wife, Ruth Stafford Peale with just one inaugural magaz ...
magazine, died in town. The Peale Center for Christian Living still operates in Pawling. * George T. Pierce, lawyer and politician. *
Sally Jessy Raphael Sally Lowenthal (born February 25, 1935), better known as Sally Jessy Raphael, is an American retired talk show host, who is best known for her program '' Sally'' (originally called ''The Sally Jessy Raphael Show''). Early life and education Lo ...
, 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, Television presenter, broadcaster, and documentary filmmaker. He authored more than fifty non-fiction books, mostly travel narratives and popular biographies of ex ...
, developed the Quaker Hill community in Pawling, where he lived when not traveling. * John J. Toffey, awarded a
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...
for his actions in the Civil War. * John Lorimer Worden (1818–1897), U.S. Navy rear admiral; commanded the Union Navy's
ironclad An ironclad was a steam engine, steam-propelled warship protected by iron armour, steel or iron armor constructed from 1859 to the early 1890s. The ironclad was developed as a result of the vulnerability of wooden warships to explosive or ince ...
USS ''Monitor'' in its famous battle with the CSS Virginia (formerly USS Merrimack) during the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
. 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. * John Kane House, used by George Washington as his headquarters when the Continental Army was garrisoned on Purgatory Hill. *Starkdale Farm, a now derelict farm formerly run by Cyrus Stark, 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, 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.
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 Positiv ...
, the creator of "The Power of Positive Thinking" and founder of
Guideposts ''Guideposts'' is a spiritual non-profit organization publishing inspirational magazines, books and online material. Founded in 1945 by Norman Vincent Peale, Raymond Thornburg, and Peale's wife, Ruth Stafford Peale with just one inaugural magaz ...
. * Trinity-Pawling School, an all-boys boarding school. * Whaley Lake *Pawling Free Library, positioned in the center of the Village in their 1964 brick building, and Victorian era Annex, the library is a center for lifelong learning and enquiry in Pawling.


References


External links


Town of Pawling
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pawling (Town), New York Kiryas Joel–Poughkeepsie–Newburgh metropolitan area Towns in Dutchess County, New York Towns in New York (state) Populated places established in 1788 Towns in the New York metropolitan area 1788 establishments in New York (state)