Editing Greene County, New York

{{Short description|County in New York, United States}}
{{Distinguish|Greene, New York|Greene (village), New York}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Greene County
 | state                = New York
 | type                 = [[List of counties in New York|County]]
 | seal                 = GreeneCountySeal.png
 | flag                 = GreeneCountyFlag.png
 | founded              = March 3, 1800
 | seat                 = [[Catskill (village), New York|Catskill]]
 | largest city         = Catskill
 | city type            = village
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 658
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 647
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 11
 | area percentage      = 1.7
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 47931<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Population%20Total&g=0400000US36%240500000&d=DEC%20Redistricting%20Data%20%28PL%2094-171%29|access-date=January 2, 2022|title=US Census 2020 Population Dataset Tables for New York|publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>
 | density_sq_mi        = 74.1
 | web                  = www.greenegovernment.com
 | ex image             = GreeneCountyCourtHouse.jpg
 | ex image cap         = The Greene County Court House in Catskill, NY
 | district             = 19th
 | time zone            = Eastern
 | named for            = [[Nathanael Greene]]
}}

'''Greene County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[New York (state)|New York]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 47,931.<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Greene County, New York|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/greenecountynewyork/PST045221|access-date=January 3, 2022|publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Catskill (village), New York|Catskill]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> The county's name is in honor of the [[American Revolutionary War]] general [[Nathanael Greene]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9V1IAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA143 | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=143}}</ref> The county is part of the [[Capital District (New York)|Capital District]] region of the state.

==History==
[[File:Nathanael Greene by John Trumbull 1792.jpeg|thumb|left|[[Nathanael Greene]], commander in the [[Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War|Southern Campaign]] of the [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]] and namesake of Greene County.]]

On March 25, 1800, Greene County was created by the partitioning of [[Albany County, New York|Albany]] (360 Square Miles) and [[Ulster County, New York|Ulster]] (270 Square Miles) counties, producing a county of {{convert|630|sqmi|km2}}.<ref name="NYLAWS GREENE1800">New York. ''Laws of New York.'', 1800, 23rd Session, Chapter 51; Page 493</ref>

On April 3, 1801, {{convert|90|sqmi|km2}} of land was transferred from [[Delaware County, New York|Delaware]] and Ulster counties, raising the total area to {{convert|720|sqmi|km2}}. This transferred [[Prattsville, New York|Prattsville]], [[Vly Mountain (Greene County, New York)|Vly Mountain]], [[Halcott, New York|Halcott Center]], Bushnellsville, Highmount, [[Shandaken, New York|Shandaken]], Lanesville, and [[Pine Hill, New York|Pine Hill]] within Greene County.<ref name="NYLAWS GREENE1801">New York. ''Laws of New York.'', 1801, 24th Session, Chapter 123, Page 290.</ref>

On May 26, 1812, Greene County lost {{convert|20|sqmi|km2}} to Ulster County, lowering the total area to {{convert|690|sqmi|km2}}, reassigning Pine Hill, Highmount, and Shandaken to Ulster County.<ref name="NYLAWS GREENE 1812">New York. ''Laws of New York.''1812, 35th Session, Chapter 46, Page 382.</ref>

On April 15, 1814, the county borders were re-surveyed, and the line adjusted with no change in area.<ref name="NYLAWS GREENE 1814">New York. ''Laws of New York.''1814, 37th Session, Chapter 211, Page 275.</ref>

On April 17, 1822, the border was again surveyed, with no change in area, but [[Palenville, New York|Palenville]] was found to be inside Greene County.<ref name="NYLAWS Greene 1822">New York. ''Laws of New York.''1822, 45th Session, Chapter 243, Page 257.</ref>

On April 23, 1823, the border was again resurveyed, and the [[Hudson River]] border with Columbia County realigned accordingly.<ref name="NYLAWS GREENE 1823">New York. ''Laws of New York.''1823, 46th Session, Chapter 251, Page 377.</ref>

On March 3, 1836, {{convert|30|sqmi|km2}} of area was lost to [[Schoharie County, New York|Schoharie]] County, reducing the total area to {{convert|660|sqmi|km2}}, and reassigning Manorkill, producing the Greene County that exists today.<ref name="NYLAWS GREENE 1836">New York. ''Laws of New York.''1836, 59th Session, Chapter 31, Page 33.</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|658|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|647|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|11|sqmi}} (1.7%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_36.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519062322/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_36.txt |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 19, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 4, 2015 |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files }}</ref> Greene County is located in southeast central New York State, just west of the [[Hudson River]] and south of [[Albany, New York|Albany]].

The northern and eastern regions are mostly low-lying flatlands. Along the [[Hudson River]] the lowest elevation is at sea level. The southern and western areas rise sharply into the [[Catskill Mountains]].

[[Catskill Park]] takes up much of the south central region. The park contains some of the tallest peaks south of the [[Adirondacks]]. For example, the highest elevation is [[Hunter Mountain (New York)|Hunter Mountain]], at approximately {{convert|4,040|ft|m}} above sea level; In addition, there are many picturesque waterfalls in the park such as the famed, [[Kaaterskill Falls]].

The entirety of Greene County is in the [[New York's 19th congressional district|19th Congressional District]], and is represented by Democrat [[Josh Riley]].

The county is served by [[Greene County Transit]], based in [[Catskill (village), New York|Catskill]].

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Albany County, New York|Albany County]] - north
* [[Rensselaer County, New York|Rensselaer County]] - northeast
* [[Columbia County, New York|Columbia County]] - east
* [[Ulster County, New York|Ulster County]] - south
* [[Delaware County, New York|Delaware County]] - west
* [[Schoharie County, New York|Schoharie County]] - northwest

===National protected area===
* [[Thomas Cole National Historic Site]]

==Demographics==
{{multiple image
| align = left
| perrow = 1
| total_width = 220
| header = 
| image1 = Kaaterskill High Peak from Upper Red Hook, NY.jpg
| caption1 = [[Kaaterskill High Peak]] in the Town of [[Hunter, New York|Hunter]]
| image2 = Thomas Cole from Camel's Hump in winter.jpg
| caption2 = [[Thomas Cole Mountain]] in Greene County.
| footer = 
}}
{{US Census population
|1800= 12584
|1810= 19536
|1820= 22996
|1830= 29525
|1840= 30446
|1850= 33126
|1860= 31930
|1870= 31832
|1880= 32695
|1890= 31598
|1900= 31478
|1910= 30214
|1920= 25796
|1930= 25808
|1940= 27926
|1950= 28745
|1960= 31372
|1970= 33136
|1980= 40861
|1990= 44739
|2000= 48195
|2010= 49221
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 4, 2015}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=January 4, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811110448/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|archive-date=August 11, 2012}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ny190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 4, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219161259/http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ny190090.txt|archive-date=February 19, 2015}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 4, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218203824/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|archive-date=December 18, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2020<ref name="QF"/>
|2020=47931}}
[[File:Kaaterskill Falls.jpg|thumb|upright|left|[[Kaaterskill Falls]] is in Greene County]]

=== 2020 Census ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Greene County Racial Composition<ref>{{Cite web|title =P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Greene County, New York|url= https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Greene%20County,%20New%20York&t=Race%20and%20Ethnicity&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (NH)
|39,494
|82.4%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (NH)
|2,159
|4.5%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]] (NH)
|100
|0.21%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]] (NH)
|500
|1.04%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]] (NH)
|3
|0.01%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]] (NH)
|2,566
|5.4%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|3,109
|6.5%
|}

===2000 census===
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 48,195 people, 18,256 households, and 12,067 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|74|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 26,544 housing units at an average density of {{convert|41|/mi2|/km2|adj=pre|units&nbsp;}}. The racial makeup of the county was 90.76% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 5.53% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.28% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.54% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.02% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.52% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.36% from two or more races. 4.31% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 18.8% were of [[Irish people|Irish]], 17.8% [[Italian people|Italian]], 17.5% [[Germans|German]], 8.6% [[American ancestry|American]] and 6.9% [[English people|English]] ancestry according to [[Census 2000]]. 92.3% spoke [[English language|English]], 2.8% [[Spanish language|Spanish]], 1.5% [[German language|German]] and 1.3% [[Italian language|Italian]] as their first language.

There were 18,256 households, out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.00% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 106.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.2 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,493, and the median income for a family was $43,854. Males had a median income of $35,598 versus $25,346 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $18,931. About 8.6% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 15.7% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.

As of the 2010 census, the racial makeup of the county was 90.3% White, 5.7% African American, 0.3% Native American and 0.8% Asian. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 4.9% of the population.<ref>American Fact Finder, U.S. Census, 2010, Greene County, New York, https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=CF {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611010502/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|date=June 11, 2013}} [http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_GCTPL2.ST13&prodType=table] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150411124723/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_GCTPL2.ST13&prodType=table|date=April 11, 2015}}</ref>
{{clear}}

==Politics==
{{PresHead|place=Greene County, New York|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=May 1, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323225526/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|archive-date=March 23, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|14,702|10,436|302|New York}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|14,271|10,346|577|New York}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|13,073|7,405|1,572|New York}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|11,174|9,030|464|New York}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|12,059|9,850|426|New York}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|12,996|8,933|469|New York}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|11,332|8,480|1,283|New York}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|8,712|8,251|3,161|New York}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|9,390|6,924|4,877|New York}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|11,874|7,265|180|New York}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|14,150|5,858|62|New York}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|11,286|6,488|1,724|New York}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|11,370|7,740|154|New York}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|14,313|5,260|45|New York}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|10,954|5,499|1,544|New York}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|7,842|10,034|18|New York}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|11,878|6,441|1|New York}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|14,262|3,811|0|New York}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|12,907|4,504|15|New York}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|10,566|4,955|362|New York}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|9,807|5,231|26|New York}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|10,153|6,425|38|New York}}
{{PresRow|1936|Republican|9,060|6,744|256|New York}}
{{PresRow|1932|Republican|7,334|6,794|133|New York}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|9,529|4,440|316|New York}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|7,503|3,951|734|New York}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|6,323|3,498|461|New York}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|3,649|3,622|167|New York}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|2,711|3,647|1,113|New York}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|4,191|3,711|411|New York}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|4,527|3,845|289|New York}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|4,395|4,269|248|New York}}
{{PresRow|1896|Republican|4,540|3,688|264|New York}}
{{PresRow|1892|Republican|3,914|3,771|532|New York}}
{{PresRow|1888|Democratic|4,460|4,494|286|New York}}
{{PresFoot|1884|Republican|4,167|4,152|442|New York}}

Greene County is considered a Republican stronghold. It was one of only eleven counties in New York that did not vote for [[Bill Clinton]] in 1996, a strong year for Democrats. It supported [[John McCain]] by a margin just under ten points in 2008 over [[Barack Obama]], another Democratic year. In 2012, 54.1 percent of the county's voters chose Republican challenger [[Mitt Romney]], and 43.7 percent chose Democratic incumbent Obama, despite it being again a Democratic year. In 2016, 59 percent of the county's voters chose [[Donald Trump]] while 34 percent chose [[Hillary Clinton]]. It has not supported a Democrat for president since [[United States presidential election in New York, 1964|1964]], and before that it previously did so [[1912 United States presidential election in New York|in 1912]].

In some elections, certain towns in Greene County have had a plurality that have voted Democratic, though the county remains very Republican.

==Communities==
===Towns===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Ashland, Greene County, New York|Ashland]]
* [[Athens (town), New York|Athens]]
* [[Cairo (town), New York|Cairo]]
* [[Catskill (town), New York|Catskill]]
* [[Coxsackie (town), New York|Coxsackie]]
* [[Durham, New York|Durham]]
* [[Greenville, Greene County, New York|Greenville]]
* [[Halcott, New York|Halcott]]
* [[Hunter, New York|Hunter]]
* [[Jewett, New York|Jewett]]
* [[Lexington, New York|Lexington]]
* [[New Baltimore, New York|New Baltimore]]
* [[Prattsville, New York|Prattsville]]
* [[Windham, New York|Windham]]
{{div col end}}

===Villages===
* [[Athens (village), New York|Athens]]
* [[Catskill (village), New York|Catskill]] (county seat)
* [[Coxsackie (village), New York|Coxsackie]]
* [[Hunter (village), New York|Hunter]]
* [[Tannersville, New York|Tannersville]]

===Census-designated places===
{{div col}}
* [[Cairo (CDP), New York|Cairo]]
* [[Cementon, New York|Cementon]]
* [[East Durham, New York|East Durham]]
* [[Greenville (CDP), Greene County, New York|Greenville]]
* [[Haines Falls, New York|Haines Falls]]
* [[Jefferson Heights, New York|Jefferson Heights]]
* [[Leeds, New York|Leeds]]
* [[New Baltimore (CDP), New York|New Baltimore]]
* [[Palenville, New York|Palenville]]
* [[Prattsville (CDP), New York|Prattsville]]
* [[Round Top, New York|Round Top]]
* [[Sleepy Hollow Lake, Greene County, New York|Sleepy Hollow Lake]]
* [[South Cairo, New York|South Cairo]]
* [[West Kill, New York|West Kill]]
* [[Windham (CDP), New York|Windham]]
{{div col end}}

===Hamlets===
{{div col}}
* [[Acra, New York|Acra]]
* [[Cornwallville, New York|Cornwallville]]
* [[Climax, New York|Climax]]
* [[Earlton, New York|Earlton]]
* [[Freehold, New York|Freehold]]
* [[Haines Falls, New York|Haines Falls]]
* [[Hannacroix, New York|Hannacroix]]
* [[Hensonville, New York|Hensonville]]
* [[Lanesville, New York|Lanesville]]
* [[Maplecrest, New York|Maplecrest]]
* [[Oak Hill, New York|Oak Hill]]
* [[Surprise, New York|Surprise]]
{{div col end}}

==Notable people==
* [[John Adams (New York)|John Adams]], (1778–1854), born in Oak Hill, [[United States Congressman]]<ref name="Marquis 1607-1896">{{cite book | title = Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896 | publisher = Marquis Who's Who | location = Chicago | year = 1963}}</ref>
* [[Levi Hill]], claimed early inventor of color photography
* [[Jeff "The Drunk" Curro]] Howard Stern Wack Packer
* [[Blossom Dearie]], (1924-2009), jazz singer
* [[John B. Terry]], (1796-1874), pioneer, merchant, soldier, and Wisconsin territorial legislature, born in Coxsackie
* [[Thurlow Weed]], (1797-1882), born in Acra, NY. Newspaper publisher, politician, and party boss
* [[Edwin L. Drake]], (1819-1880), invented method to drill oil from the ground, born in Greenville
* [[Scott Adams]], born and raised in Windham, NY; an American cartoonist, creator of the ''[[Dilbert]]'' comic strip and the author of several nonfiction works of satire, commentary, business, and general speculation.

==See also==
{{Portal|New York (state)}}
* [[List of counties in New York]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Greene County, New York]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |title=History of Greene County, New York: with biographical sketches of its prominent men |last=Beers |first=Frederick L. |year=1884 |publisher=J. B. Beers & Co. |location=New York |url={{Google Books|BNytgAACAAJ|plainurl=yes}} |lccn=01014108 }}
* {{cite Q|Q114149636|p=487-92|chapter=Chapter X. Greene County.
 |editor=Sullivan, James
 |editor2=Williams, Melvin E.
 |editor3=Conklin, Edwin P.
 |editor4=Fitzpatrick, Benedict
 }}

==External links==
* {{commons category-inline}}
* [https://www.greenegovernment.com/ Greene County Government website]
* [https://www.greatnortherncatskills.com/ Greene County Tourism website]
* [https://www.gchistory.org/ Greene County Historical Society]
* [http://sites.rootsweb.com/~nygreen2/ Greene County History & Genealogy Website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20051208020802/http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/state/his/bk3/ch10.html Early history of Greene County]
* [http://www.hudsonvalleydirectory.com/greene ''Hudson Valley Directory''], listings pertaining to Greene County, New York

{{Geographic Location
| Centre    = Greene County, New York
| North     = [[Albany County, New York|Albany County]]
| Northeast = [[Rensselaer County, New York|Rensselaer County]]
| East      = [[Columbia County, New York|Columbia County]]
| Southeast =
| South     = [[Ulster County, New York|Ulster County]]
| Southwest =
| West      = [[Delaware County, New York|Delaware County]]
| Northwest = [[Schoharie County, New York|Schoharie County]]
}}
{{Hudson Valley navigation}}
{{Greene County, New York}}
{{Capital District}}
{{New York}}

{{coord|42.29|-74.13|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-NY_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Greene County, New York| ]]
[[Category:Capital District (New York)]]
[[Category:1800 establishments in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Catskills|Greene County, New York]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1800]]