Editing Beekman, New York

{{distinguish|Beekmantown, New York}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Beekman, New York
|settlement_type          = [[Administrative divisions of New York#Town|Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = "One of the Original Towns"

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Beekman, New York town hall.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Beekman Town Hall in 2017
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = Seal of the Town of Beekman.png

<!-- Maps -->
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|image_map                = Dutchess County New York incorporated areas Beekman highlighted.svg
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|map_caption              = Location of Beekman, New York
|image_map1               = 
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<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[New York (state)|New York]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in New York|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Dutchess County, New York|Dutchess]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = [[Town Council]]
|leader_title             = [[Town Supervisor]]
|leader_name              = Mary Covucci ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])
| leader_title1           = [[Town Council]]
| leader_name1            = {{Collapsible list
 |title       = Members' List
 |frame_style = border:none; padding: 0;
 |title_style = <!-- (optional) -->
 |list_style  = text-align:left;display:none;
 |1           = • Ezio Battaglini ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])
 |2           = • Robert Swartz ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])
 |3           = • Werner Stiegler ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])
}}
|established_title        = Established
|established_date         = 1788

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref  = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2016">{{cite web|title=2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2016_Gazetteer/2016_gaz_place_36.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 4, 2017}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 78.62
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|area_total_sq_mi         = 30.36
|area_land_sq_mi          = 29.84
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.52

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 14172
|population_density_km2   =  
|population_density_sq_mi =

<!-- General information -->
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|utc_offset               = −5
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|utc_offset_DST           = −4
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_m              = 
|elevation_ft             = 407
|coordinates              = {{coord|41|36|34|N|73|42|31|W|type:city_region:US-NY|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]s
|postal_code              = 12570, 12533
|area_code                = 845
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 36-027-05452
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0978718<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|978718}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|www.townofbeekman.com}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of =  
|pop_est_footnotes =  
|population_est =  
}}

'''Beekman''' is a [[Administrative divisions of New York#Town|town]] in [[Dutchess County, New York]], United States. It is part of the [[Kiryas Joel–Poughkeepsie–Newburgh metropolitan area]] as well as the larger [[New York metropolitan area]]. The population was 14,172 at the 2020 census.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0600000US3602705452| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Beekman town, Dutchess County, New York| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=November 10, 2015| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213122404/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0600000US3602705452| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">United States Census Bureau, 2020 Report, Beekman town, New York</ref>  The town was named after Henry Beekman, a 17th-century land owner.

==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.

==Geography==
Beekman is located in the southeastern part of [[Dutchess County, New York|Dutchess County]], about {{convert|70|mi}} north of [[New York City]]. According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|78.6|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|77.3|km2|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|1.3|km2|order=flip}}, or 1.45%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/> Beekman is bordered by the towns of [[East Fishkill, New York|East Fishkill]] to the southwest, [[LaGrange, New York|LaGrange]] to the northwest, [[Union Vale, New York|Union Vale]] to the north, [[Dover, New York|Dover]] to the east and [[Pawling (town), New York|Pawling]] to the southeast.

Most of the town is drained by [[Fishkill Creek]], which flows west to the [[Hudson River]] at [[Beacon, New York|Beacon]]. The southern corner of the town is drained by Stump Pond Creek, part of the [[Croton River]] watershed that flows to the Hudson at [[Croton-on-Hudson, New York|Croton-on-Hudson]].

==Government and emergency services==

===Government===
Since 1907 Beekman has operated under a [[Council-manager government|Council-Manager form of government]]. The Town Supervisor is the chief administrative officer of the city selected to carry out the directives of the Council. The Manager monitors the city's fiscal condition and enforces its [[Local ordinance|ordinances]] and [[laws]]. The Town Supervisor is also involved in the discussion of all matters coming before Council yet has no final vote. The Town Board is the legislative body consisting of the Town Supervisor and four council members. The Town Supervisor serves as the presiding officer of the Council. The Council functions to set policy, approve the annual [[budget]], appoint the Town Supervisor and Town Clerk, and enact local [[laws]], resolutions & ordinances.

===Fire===
The Beekman Fire District serves the town of Beekman with the sole [[fire station]] located in the hamlet of [[Beekman, New York#Communities and locations in Beekman|Poughquag]] at 316 Beekman Poughquag Road.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.firedepartments.net/NewYork/Poughquag/BeekmanFireDistrict.html |title=Beekman Fire District - Poughquag, New York |access-date=April 3, 2008 |publisher=firedepartments.net |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080408123101/http://www.firedepartments.net/NewYork/Poughquag/BeekmanFireDistrict.html |archive-date=April 8, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Beekman has been assigned a department ID number of "34". Firefighters in Beekman get alerted via paging through the [[Dutchess County Department Of Emergency Response]], which is located in [[Poughkeepsie, New York|Poughkeepsie]].

Beekman Fire District was the first {{Citation needed|date=April 2008}} fire district in Southern [[Dutchess County, New York|Dutchess County]], originating in 1937.<ref name="beekman history">{{Cite web |url=http://www.beekmanhistory.com/id46.html |title=Beekman Fire Department<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=June 16, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204172219/http://beekmanhistory.com/id46.html |archive-date=February 4, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Beekman was the first fire company formed within Dutchess County's 8 original towns in 1937,{{Citation needed|date=April 2008}} following East Fishkill Fire Department was formed, followed by Pawling. In 1977, Beekman was one of the first [[Volunteering|volunteer]] fire departments in the area to acquire the [[Hurst Tool]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.beekmanfireco.com/documents/history.htm|title=Past Chiefs<!-- Bot generated title -->|website=beekmanfireco.com|access-date=April 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160318170015/http://www.beekmanfireco.com/documents/history.htm|archive-date=March 18, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> The fire department received the United States [[Life Safety Achievement Award]] for five consecutive years in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.beekmanfireco.com/documents/rfsi2003.htm|title=The Beekman Fire Company has been presented with a Life Safety Achievement Award for the year 2003 by the Residential Fire Safety<!-- Bot generated title -->|website=beekmanfireco.com|access-date=April 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303183608/http://www.beekmanfireco.com/documents/rfsi2003.htm|archive-date=March 3, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> The award recognizes local fire prevention that contribute to reducing the number of lives lost in [[Residential]] House Fires each year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://firesafehome.org/indexflash.html|title=Residential Fire Safety Institute: Operation Life Safety<!-- Bot generated title -->|website=firesafehome.org|access-date=April 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120101025210/http://www.firesafehome.org/indexflash.html|archive-date=January 1, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Police===
Police protection to the Town of Beekman is provided by the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office and [[New York State Police]]. The DCSO have a substation located in the middle of town. When someone calls 911, the call is routed to the Dutchess 911 center in [[Poughkeepsie (city), New York|Poughkeepsie, New York]] and then police are polled for, and the closest unit responds. The [[MTA Police]] also cover the Depot Hill section of Beekman as the [[Metro-North Railroad]] [[Beacon Line]] passes through town with a grade crossing on Depot Hill Road.

===Medical===
Beekman has no medical facilities, but within a short distance from Beekman are three medical centers. [[Westchester Medical Center]], Saint Francis Hospital and [[Vassar Brothers Medical Center]] are located in nearby [[Poughkeepsie (city), New York|Poughkeepsie, New York]]. Putnam Hospital is located in [[Carmel, New York]] in [[Putnam County, New York|Putnam County.]]

===State facilities===
[[Green Haven Correctional Facility]] of the [[New York State Department of Corrections]] is in the town.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/DC20BLK/st36_ny/cousub/cs3602705452_beekman/DC20BLK_CS3602705452.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Beekman town, NY|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2024-08-05|page=2 (PDF p. 3/3)}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1820= 4257
|1830= 1584
|1840= 1400
|1850= 1386
|1860= 1371
|1870= 1486
|1880= 1578
|1890= 1113
|1900= 1071
|1910= 827
|1920= 844
|1930= 764
|1940= 790
|1950= 1703
|1960= 3326
|1970= 5701
|1980= 7139
|1990= 10447
|2000= 13655
|2010= 14621
|2020= 14172
|estyear= 
|estimate= 
|estref= 
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">United States Census Bureau, 2020 Report, Beekman town, New York</ref> 
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 11,452 people, 3,751 households, and 3,034 families residing in the town.  The population density was {{convert|381.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 4,180 housing units at an average density of {{convert|139.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 93.24% [[white (U.S. Census)|white]], 2.42% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 1.73% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], .18% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], .03% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], .94% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.46% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 5.38% of the population.

There were 3,751 households, out of which 46.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.1% were non-families. 14.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 3.04 and the average family size was 3.41.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.9% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.6 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $65,610, and the median income for a family was $72,066. Males had a median income of $51,739 versus $32,119 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $26,437.  About 3.6% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

==Transportation==

===Road===
Although Beekman has no major highways, it does have two major thoroughfares. [[New York State Route 55]] crosses from the [[Pawling (town), New York|Pawling]] town line to the [[Union Vale, New York|Union Vale]] town line and is a direct route northwest into the city of [[Poughkeepsie, New York|Poughkeepsie]]. [[New York State Route 216|Route 216]] goes from Route 55 into the town of [[East Fishkill, New York|East Fishkill]] where it meets [[New York State Route 52|Route 52]].

===Rail===
[[Metro-North Railroad]]'s [[Beacon Line]] runs through the south end of town along Greenhaven Road and Depot Hill Road. It is currently a non-revenue line with no station stops, but is used for equipment moves between [[Beacon, New York|Beacon]], [[Southeast, New York|Southeast]] and [[Danbury, Connecticut|Danbury]].

==Notable person==
*[[Dan Brouthers]], former Major League Baseball player, was born in [[Sylvan Lake, New York|Sylvan Lake]]

==Communities and locations in Beekman==
*'''Beekman'''&nbsp;– The [[hamlet (place)|hamlet]] of Beekman is near the town center on Route 216 with the intersection of Routes 216 and 55 its east boundary. It was formerly known as "Beekmanville."
*'''Clove Valley'''&nbsp;– A hamlet in the northeastern part of the town on Route 216.
*'''[[Chelsea Cove, New York|Chelsea Cove]]'''&nbsp;– A [[census-designated place]] in the western part of town on Sylvan Lake.
*'''Green Haven'''&nbsp;– A hamlet south of Beekman village.
*[[Green Haven Correctional Facility]]&nbsp;– A state prison near the community of Green Haven.
*'''Poughquag'''&nbsp;– A hamlet east of Beekman village, running along Route 55 with that road's intersection with Route 216 its boundary with Beekman and Clove Valley. It is the main business district of the town and home of Beekman town hall. [[Murphy Grist Mill]] was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 2015.<ref name="nps">{{cite web|url=http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/listings/20150529.htm|title=National Register of Historic Places Listings|date=May 29, 2015|work=Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 5/18/15 through 5/22/15 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
*'''Sylvan Lake'''&nbsp;– A hamlet by the western town line. It is named after [[Sylvan Lake (New York)|Sylvan Lake]], which was formed during the ice age. The early Indians originally named it ''Poughquag'', which means "round body of water". A smaller lake known as Hidden Lake is where Mr. Daniel Delany, in the late 19th century, discovered iron ore and made his fortune. He eventually bought the adjacent property, which was the entire shoreline of Sylvan Lake, and rebuilt St. Denis church for the town. Some iron ore mining also took place along the shores of Sylvan Lake in the early 1930s, and some of these retainer wall pilings are still standing and can be clearly seen from a boat. When the mine was filled with water, construction equipment and mining tools were left on the bottom, and are present today.

==See also==
{{Portal|Hudson Valley|New York (state)}}
*[[Wilhelmus Beekman]] -father of Henry Beekman
*[[Noxon House]]

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.townofbeekman.com Town of Beekman official website]
*[http://beekmanlibrary.org/ Beekman Library]

{{New York}}
{{Dutchess County, New York}}
{{Hudson River}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Kiryas Joel–Poughkeepsie–Newburgh metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Towns in Dutchess County, New York]]
[[Category:Towns in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Towns in the New York metropolitan area]]