Editing Beekman, New York (section)

==History==
[[File:Hendrick (Henry) Beekman.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Hendrick Beekman|Henry Beekman]], holder of large land stakes in Dutchess County, lent his name to the area in the late seventeenth century]]
The "Beekman" name became attached to the area in 1697, from [[Hendrick Beekman|Henry Beekman]], a [[Kingston, New York|Kingston]] native, who had a large land stake in Dutchess County. In 1697, while serving as a judge, "Beekman obtained a grant from the British crown for what was to be named the Beekman Patent," which included the present towns of Beekman, [[Pawling (town), New York|Pawling]], [[Dover, New York|Dover]], [[Union Vale, New York|Union Vale]] and "part of [[LaGrange, New York|LaGrange]]."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hendrick (Henry) Beekman and Joanna Lopers |url=http://henrylivingston.com/bios/hendrickbeekman.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020171417/http://henrylivingston.com/bios/hendrickbeekman.htm |archive-date=October 20, 2021 |access-date=January 16, 2023 |website=henrylivingston.com |quote=Henry was a judge and a member of the first assembly under authority of the British King which met in New York City on April 9, 1691. The delegates from Ulster and Dutchess Counties were Henry Beekman and Thomas Garton. In 1697, Judge Beekman obtained a Royal Patent for the lands adjacent to Ryn Beck (Rhinebeck, New York)}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> Henry was the son of Deputy Mayor of New York City [[Wilhelmus Beekman|Wilhemus Beekman]], and also served as a delegate in the [[New York General Assembly]] beginning in 1691.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mayor Wilhelmus Hendrickse Beekman (1623-1717) and Catalina de Boogh (-1700) |url=http://henrylivingston.com/bios/mayorwilhelmbeekman.htm |access-date=January 16, 2023 |website=henrylivingston.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Hendrick (Henry) Beekman and Joanna Lopers |url=http://henrylivingston.com/bios/hendrickbeekman.htm |access-date=January 16, 2023 |website=henrylivingston.com |quote=}}</ref><ref name="Hough1858">{{cite book |last1=Hough, A.M., M.D. |first1=Franklin B. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E3sFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA106 |title=The New York Civil List: Containing The Names And Origin Of The Civil Divisions, And The Names And Dates Of Election Or Appointment Of The Principal State And County Officers From The Revolution To The Present Time |date=1858 |publisher=Weed, Parsons and Co. |location=Albany |language=en |accessdate=September 19, 2018}}</ref>

Wappinger Indians were reportedly the town's original residents before the first European settlers arrived around 1710.<ref name=":0" /> The Beekman Patent, granted to Beekman in 1697, was the second largest land holding in Dutchess County.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=http://www.townofbeekman.com/history.html |title=Town of Beekman - Historical Society |access-date=December 3, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009181618/http://www.townofbeekman.com/history.html |archive-date=October 9, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1737, Beekman became an official [[minor civil division|precinct]], and local government was established. 1788 was the initial period of establishing towns and counties in the newly independent state of New York, but parts were removed subsequently to form other towns. Beekman contributed part of its territory to the newer towns of [[LaGrange, New York|LaGrange]] (1821) and [[Union Vale, New York|Union Vale]] (1827). Iron ore extraction and smelting were important in the early economy. The Beekman Patent was a manor until after the [[American Revolution|Revolution]]. Residents could only lease the land and pay rent in wheat, fat fowls and work on roads. The series ''Settlers of the Beekman Patent'' chronicles the lives of all residents there in the 18th century.

A [[Lutheran church]], located off Beach Road, was "probably the first house of worship" in the town.<ref name=":0" /> The church is "on the records from 1749" and "served the German settlers who came from the [[Palatines|Palatine immigration]]."<ref name=":0" /> A [[Quakers|Quaker]] meeting house was built in 1771 in Gardner Hollow, and was named the "Apoquague Preparative Meeting."<ref name=":0" /> [[St. Denis Church (Hopewell Junction, New York)|St. Denis Church]], a [[Catholic church]] located just beyond the [[East Fishkill, New York|East Fishkill]] line, also attracted worshipers from Beekman.<ref name=":0" />

===Late 19th century===
Beekman began its "boom" in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as the communities of [[Sylvan Lake, New York|Sylvan Lake]], Beekmanville, and Clove Valley were in the active [[mining]] business. Many townsfolk that settled in town during this time were [[Irish people|Irish]] men, escaping the [[Great Famine (Ireland)|Great Famine]], and sent their families to Beekman as well. However, the mining industry died out in the late 19th century, with very few remains today. The most notable one, the "Beekman Furnace", is still intact on Furnace Road, just off Clove Valley Road.
[[File:Farms on Gardner Hollow Rd., in Beekman, NY.jpg|thumb|right|Farmland in Poughquag, on Gardner Hollow Road]]

===Beekman in the 20th century===
After the demise of the mining business in the late 19th century, Beekman saw another boom in the 20th century, with housing developments such as Dalton Farm, the first gas stations, and construction of the first supermarket in town and other stores signalling the beginning of suburban development.

Today Beekman has a total population of 14,000. Comparatively few farms remain, and commerce and industry increasingly shape the non-residential areas of the town.