Editing Shandaken, New York

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Shandaken, New York
|settlement_type          = [[Administrative divisions of New York#Town|Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

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|pushpin_map_caption    =Location within the state of New York
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|image_map                = Shandaken-ny.gif
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = US Census Map
|image_map1                = Ulster County New York incorporated and unincorporated areas Shandaken highlighted.svg
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|map_caption1              = Location in [[Ulster County, New York|Ulster County]] and the state of [[New York (state)|New York]].

<!-- Location -->
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|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        = [[Ulster County, New York|Ulster]]
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|area_total_sq_mi         = 119.84
|area_land_sq_mi          = 119.78
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.06

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|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="2020Census"/>
|population_total         = 2866
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|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 411
|elevation_ft             = 1348
|coordinates              = {{coord|42|6|40|N|74|22|55|W|region:US-NY|display=inline}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 12480
|area_code                = [[Area code 845|845]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 36-66597
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0979484
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'''Shandaken''' is a [[Administrative divisions of New York#Town|town]] on the northern border of [[Ulster County, New York|Ulster County]], [[New York (state)|New York]], United States, northwest of [[Kingston, New York|Kingston]], [[New York (state)|New York]].  As of the 2020 census, the town had a total [[population]] of 2,866.<ref name="2020Census">2020 US Census, Shandaken, Ulster County, New York https://www.census.gov/search-results.html?searchType=web&cssp=SERP&q=Shandaken%20town,%20Ulster%20County,%20New%20York</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=Source is a raw URL to a search result which is likely to not be stable|date=November 2022}} The name is believed to be from an [[Esopus people|Esopus]] phrase for "land of rapid waters."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hamlets of Shandaken « Town Of Shandaken |url=https://www.shandaken.us/about-2/hamlets/#:~:text=The%20word%20%E2%80%9CShandaken%E2%80%9D,%20a,York%20City's%20major%20water%20sources. |access-date=2024-06-13 |website=www.shandaken.us}}</ref>

== History ==
The town was first settled around the time of the [[American Revolution]]. Shandaken was established as a town in 1804 from part of the [[Woodstock, New York|Town of Woodstock]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=ruI_AQAAMAAJ&dq=Mount+Pleasant%2C+Ulster+County%2C+New+York&pg=RA1-PA310 Sylvester, Nathaniel Bartlett. ''History of Ulster County, New York'', Everts & Peck, 1880, p. 305]{{PD-notice}}</ref>

In 1809, the town was increased by territory from the [[Neversink, New York|Town of Neversink]] (in [[Sullivan County, New York|Sullivan County]]). Later, some of Shandaken was used to help form the Towns of [[Denning, New York|Denning]], [[Hardenburgh, New York|Hardenburgh]], and [[Olive, New York|Olive]]. By the final years of the 19th Century, Shandaken had developed the tourist industry which is still the most important part of its economy.

The population of Shandaken in 1900 was 4,053.<ref>{{cite report |url=https://ulstercountyny.gov/sites/default/files/documents/shandaken-comp_plan.pdf |title=Comprehensive Plan for the Town of Shandaken, NY |author= |date=2005 |publisher=Shandaken Town Board |page=14 |docket= |quote= |author-link= |access-date=}}</ref>

An alternate translation of the native word "shandaken" is the "place of the hemlocks."

The [[Mount Tremper Fire Observation Station]] was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 2001.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|119.8|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|119.8|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.04|sqmi|km2}} is [[water]].  The total area is 0.02% water.

The town is inside the [[Catskill Park]], and  is entirely mountainous. Within it lies [[Slide Mountain (New York)|Slide Mountain]], the [[Catskill Mountains]]' highest peak at {{cvt|4180|ft}}, and several of the other [[Catskill High Peaks]] over {{cvt|3500|ft}} in elevation.

The northern town line is the border of [[Greene County, New York|Greene County]], and the western town boundary is the border of [[Delaware County, New York|Delaware County]].

The [[Esopus Creek]] flows across the town.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1820= 1043
|1830= 966
|1840= 1455
|1850= 2307
|1860= 2430
|1870= 2751
|1880= 2829
|1890= 3170
|1900= 3053
|1910= 2657
|1920= 2372
|1930= 2066
|1940= 1875
|1950= 1887
|1960= 2078
|1970= 2593
|1980= 2912
|1990= 3013
|2000= 3235
|2010= 3085
|2020= 2866
|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>{{failed verification|date=November 2022|reason=No mention of Shandaken at the given link}} 2020<ref name="2020Census"/>
}}
{{update|section|reason=Newer information is available from the 2010 and 2020 census reports|date=November 2022}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |date=2020 |title=Shandaken town, Ulster County, New York |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Shandaken_town,_Ulster_County,_New_York?g=060XX00US3611166597 |access-date=June 13, 2024 |website=US Census Bureau |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> of 2020, there were 2,866 people and 1,473 households and 654 families residing in the town.  The population density was {{convert|27.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 2,666 housing units at an average density of {{convert|22.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 94.65% [[White (U.S. Census)|white]], 1.21% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.40% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.17% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.12% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.56% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.89% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 3.06% of the population.

There were 1,473 households, out of which 149 had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.2% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 32.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $55,139, and the median income for a family was $80,372. Families had a median income of $97,500, married-couple families of $104,005 and nonfamily households of $34,806. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $21,121.  About 20.5% of the population was below the [[poverty line]] compared to 17.7% in [[Ulster County, New York|Ulster County]], including 13.0% of those under age 18 and 17.6% of those age 65 or over.

==Services==
The town paramedic ambulance service is also provided to residents of the towns of [[Olive, New York|Olive]], [[Lexington, New York|Lexington]], and [[Westkill, New York|Westkill]]. The town also has a police department located at 64 SR 42 in the hamlet of Shandaken; it was originally established as a [[constabulary]], and became a police department in the early 1990s. The police department consists of four full-time and nine part-time members, and is dispatched by through the [[Ulster County, New York|Ulster County]] sheriff's office. The sheriff's office has a post located within the town offices located on Route 28, which is not staffed continuously. There are two emergency call boxes located in the town, one on the north-facing side of the town hall (SR 28) and the other on the south-facing side of the town police department (located on SR 42)

The Shandaken Justice Court is a part-time court, housed within the town offices on SR 28; it handles all traffic violations, misdemeanor criminal cases, and civil cases. Traffic court is held every Tuesday with few exceptions.

== Communities and locations in Shandaken ==
*'''Allaben''' &ndash; a [[Hamlet (place)|hamlet]] east of Shandaken village on [[New York State Route 28|Route 28]]. It is the seat of town government.
*'''Beechford''' &ndash; a hamlet in the southeastern corner of the town.
*'''[[Big Indian, New York|Big Indian]]''' &ndash; a hamlet southwest of Shandaken village on Route 28 in the Big Indian Valley.
*'''Bushnellsville''' &ndash; a hamlet by the northern town line on [[New York State Route 42|Route 42]].
*'''[[Chichester, New York|Chichester]]''' &ndash; a hamlet in the eastern part of the town, north of Phoenicia on [[New York State Route 214|Route 214]]. Its roots lay in the manufacture of furniture until the Depression destroyed the business. It was founded in 1863.
*'''Highmount''' &ndash; a location northwest of Pine Hill. It was originally called "Summit".  It was also known as [[Grand Hotel Railroad Station|"Grand Hotel Station"]].
*'''[[Mount Pleasant, Ulster County, New York|Mt. Pleasant]]''' &ndash; a hamlet in the eastern part of the town on Route 28 south of Phoenicia. This community was previously called "Longyear" and "Riseley's".
*'''[[Mount Tremper, New York|Mt. Tremper]]''' &ndash; a hamlet near the eastern town line. It was previously called   "Ladew Corners" and "The Corner". The [[Camp Wapanachki]] was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1994.<ref name="nris"/>
*'''[[Oliverea, New York|Oliverea]]''' &ndash; a hamlet, founded in 1886, in the southern part of the town on Route 47. It is home to the [[Winnisook Club]], which is located at the base of Slide Mountain next to [[Winnisook Lake]].
*'''[[Panther Mountain (New York)|Panther Mountain]]''' &ndash; a roughly circular mountain ridge in the center of the town that is believed to be the result of a meteor impact.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Guterl |first=Fred |date=August 2000 |title=The Panther Mountain Crater |journal=[[Discover (magazine)|Discover]] |url=https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/the-panther-mountain-crater/|access-date=May 22, 2021}}</ref>
*'''[[Phoenicia, New York|Phoenicia]]''' &ndash; a hamlet in the eastern part of the town.  It was the first community to be connected to the outside world by a railroad (the [[Ulster and Delaware Railroad]]) and the first to begin hotel construction for the tourist industry.
*'''[[Pine Hill, New York|Pine Hill]]''' &ndash; a hamlet in the western part of the town.
*'''Shandaken''' &ndash; the hamlet of Shandaken is in the north central part of the town on Route 28.
*'''[[Slide Mountain (Ulster County, New York)|Slide Mountain]]''' &ndash; Slide Mountain is the highest point in the [[Catskill Mountains]].
*'''Woodland Valley''' &ndash; a hamlet in the southeastern part of the town, south of Phoenicia. It is still home to the Roxmor Colony.

==References==
{{Portal|Hudson Valley|New York (state)}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}} 
* [http://www.shandaken.us/  Town of Shandaken, NY]

{{Ulster County, New York}}

{{Coord|42|07|12|N|74|23|44|W|type:city_region:US-NY|display=title}}

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[[Category:Shandaken, New York| ]]
[[Category:Catskills]]
[[Category:Towns in Ulster County, New York]]
[[Category:Towns in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Towns in the New York metropolitan area]]