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Goshen (village), New York
Encyclopedia
Goshen is a village in and the county seat
of Orange County
, New York
, United States
. The population was 5,676 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie
–Newburgh
–Middletown
, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area
as well as the larger New York
–Newark
–Bridgeport
, NY-NJ
-CT
-PA
Combined Statistical Area
.
The village is within the Town of Goshen
, some fifty miles northwest of New York City
, on New York State Route 17
in the center of Orange County. Goshen is the home of the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame
, and hosted harness racing's top event, the Hambletonian, from 1930 to 1956, at the former Good Time Park
. Racing is still held at the Historic Track
, a National Historic Landmark
in the center of the village.
was split from the county in 1798, and Goshen was designated the seat since Orangetown
was in the new county. For a while afterward it shared that status with Newburgh
, moved into Orange as compensation for the lost territory, but since the late 19th century all county government functions have been centralized in Goshen.
The village (or the town, which are indistinguishable in old records) was the site of the hanging of the famous outlaw Claudius Smith
, a British Loyalist
who— along with the Mohawk Indian Chief Joseph Brant
— raided the countryside surrounding Goshen during the American Revolutionary War
.
He and Brandt are said to have buried their many stolen treasures in the hills surrounding Goshen, and that Claudius is himself buried somewhere on the grounds of the old Presbyterian Church – with his skull having been embedded in the wall.
Smith was hanged on January 22, 1779, and exactly six months later, on July 22, 1779, Brant raided what is now Port Jervis
. A militia from Goshen set out to stop Brant, engaging in the disastrous Battle of Minisink
, in which 45 local militiamen were killed. A monument in the center of town marks the spot where their bones were buried in a mass grave 43 years after the battle.
As early as the 1750s, residents used to race their horses along what is now Main Street in the village's downtown. In 1838, a circular track was built around a nearby circus
ground, and. This was the first incarnation of the Historic Track
, where races are still held for one week each year, making it the oldest horse racing facility still in use in the United States. Later, the larger Good Time Park
was built, which hosted the Hambletonian in later years. The Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame
near the track recognizes Goshen's historic importance to the sport.
In 1950, Goshen had a population of 3,311 people. By 1990, the village had been largely built out, and the number of people stood at 5,255; despite a building boom in the town
, the village has remained about the same size.
Goshen is located at 41°24′5"N 74°19′30"W (41.401546, -74.325199). Its topography
consists of a flat central area with gently rolling hills cresting at the village limits. The highest elevation is approximately 620 feet (189 m) at the USGS Murray benchmark
on the eastern border; the lowest elevation is the Good Time Park site at 420 feet (128 m). According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 3.2 square miles (8.3 km²).None of the area is covered with water. Most of the village lies within the Moodna Creek
watershed
via its tributary the Otter Kill
; a small portion on the west feeds the Wallkill River
, and both streams eventually drain into the Hudson River
.
Goshen was once located on the Erie Railroad
Main Line across southern New York, which made a loop around Good Time Park through the center of the village; the tracks are gone but the right-of-way
remains visible as the Heritage Rail Trail
east of the village and Railroad Avenue within it. The former station has been converted
into the village's police
headquarters. Passenger rail service is available today via the Metro-North
Port Jervis
commuter line a few miles north of the village at Campbell Hall
, on the Erie's onetime freight bypass.
The railroad has been replaced as the village's main long-distance transportation connection by NY 17
, which ran through the south portion of the village and was expanded into a freeway in the 1960s. It will eventually be redesignated as part of Interstate 86
. The western terminus of US 6
and NY 17M
's overlap
with Route 17 is at Exit 122 in the southwestern corner of the village; from there Route 6 connects Goshen to Middletown
and Port Jervis
while 17 continues to Binghamton
and the Southern Tier
. To the east, 6, 17 and 17M lead to the New York State Thruway
at Harriman
, with Route 6 continuing on to the Bear Mountain Bridge
.
NY 207
, the former Newburgh-Goshen Turnpike, begins at the interchange with 17 and becomes first Greenwich Street, then Main Street before leaving the village at the north end to continue across the county to Newburgh
. South of 17 the same roadway becomes NY 17A
, signed east-west but leading first south to Florida
and then to Warwick
. Two Orange County roads also connect Goshen to nearby communities: Orange County 8, named Sarah Wells Trail after a local pioneer woman, begins in the north of the village and parallels 207 to the south towards Washingtonville
; and Orange County 83, Scotchtown
Avenue, follows the old Goshen Turnpike to Scotchtown and later, Circleville
.
There are two airports within a short drive of the village. Passenger flights leave from Stewart International Airport
, near Newburgh on 207, and general aviation
uses Orange County Airport
, near Montgomery
via 207 and NY 416
.
The triangular park at the village's central area, containing the landmark spire of First Presbyterian Church and the 1887 county office building, has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
as the Church Park Historic District
. When first recognized in 1980, it included just the park, Webster Street and the Historic Track, but in 2004 its boundaries were extended to include many of the historic buildings on Main Street north to Erie Street and the block south of the park to Green Street. The village has designated it an Architectural Design District in its ordinance
s, to ensure that any new construction or renovation within it is in keeping with the area's historic character. Outside the historic district, the village's post office
downtown and the Everett-Bradner
and Wisner
houses on South Street have also been listed on the Register.
The historic district mainly consists of churches, county government buildings and residences along the side streets. Much of Goshen's shopping district is located to its immediate south, in the blocks between Greenwich and West Main streets along the old Erie right-of-way. To its south, land use in the area along Route 17 reflects the proximity of the highway, with a small commercial strip along Matthew Street featuring gas stations and chain
restaurant
s on the north side and an industrial park
along Hatfield Lane paralleling the freeway to the south. Arden Hill Hospital sits on the high ground overlooking Route 17 in the village's southeast corner and John S. Burke Catholic High School
, Orange County's principal Catholic high school, is located on Fletcher Street near the freeway in the southwest.
Goshen's northern section is dominated by the Orange County Government Center
, a brutalist
work by Paul Rudolph
that has long been despised locally. Due to problems that have developed over the years with the building, particularly its many leaky roofs, it may be demolished. In the northeast corner is a large property that was formerly a school run by the Salesians of Don Bosco
; the village has been converting it into a park since it acquired it several years ago. The northwestern area of the village is mostly residential, with the village's schools all located a short walk from each other and the district offices in an old high school building on Main Street.
of 2000, there were 5,676 people, 2,039 households, and 1,227 families residing in the village. The population density
was 1,770.5 people per square mile (682.7/km²). There were 2,150 housing units at an average density of 670.7 per square mile (258.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 87.53% White, 7.61% Black or African American
, 0.14% Native American, 1.55% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.26% from other races
, and 0.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.63% of the population.
There were 2,039 households out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples
living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the village the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 102.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.4 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $50,922, and the median income for a family was $66,250. Males had a median income of $41,932 versus $31,711 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $22,443. About 1.9% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.8% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.
that follows the same form as all other villages with that government in New York: a five-member Village Board consisting of a mayor and four trustees, all with equal voting power. The mayor
is the village's chief executive and carries out all day-to-day management functions. Former village trustee John Higgins currently holds the post; his term expires in April 2011. Higgins defeated Phil Canterino in elections held March 18, 2009. Three new village trustees joined the board in 2009: 23-year-old Kyle Roddey (elected, with the largest vote total of any trustee candidate in all of Orange County), Ed Char (elected) and Mal Stewart (appointed to Higgins' old seat). They are joined on the board by former mayor Marcia Matthews (elected 2008).
As with other villages in New York, all residents pay town taxes as well and are eligible to vote in its elections. The Goshen Central School District
includes the entire village, and three of its four schools are located in it.
Fire protection is provided to the village by the Goshen Fire Department, an all-volunteer organization comprising three fire companies (Dikeman Engine and Hose, Cataract Engine and Hose and Minisink Hook and Ladder). Each of the companies are housed in separate modern fire stations located in the district.
See video / audio index of Goshen Town Council, Village Board, Fire Commissioners Meetings, etc at: http://www.goshennewyork.info
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Orange County
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 5,676 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie (city), New York
Poughkeepsie is a city in the state of New York, United States, which serves as the county seat of Dutchess County. Poughkeepsie is located in the Hudson River Valley midway between New York City and Albany...
–Newburgh
Newburgh (city), New York
Newburgh is a city located in Orange County, New York, United States, north of New York City, and south of Albany, on the Hudson River. Newburgh is a principal city of the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown metropolitan area, which includes all of Dutchess and Orange counties. The Newburgh area was...
–Middletown
Middletown, Orange County, New York
Middletown is a city in Orange County, New York, United States. It lies in New York's Hudson Valley region, near the Wallkill River and the foothills of the Shawangunk Mountains. Middletown is situated between Port Jervis and Newburgh, New York. The city's population was 25,388 at the 2000 census...
, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area
Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown metropolitan area
The Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in New York's Hudson Valley, with the cities of Poughkeepsie, Newburgh, and Middletown, and the Arlington census-designated place as...
as well as the larger New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
–Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
–Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
, NY-NJ
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
-CT
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
-PA
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
Combined Statistical Area
New York metropolitan area
The New York metropolitan area, also known as Greater New York, or the Tri-State area, is the region that composes of New York City and the surrounding region...
.
The village is within the Town of Goshen
Goshen (town), New York
Goshen is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 12,913 at the 2000 census.The Town of Goshen contains a village also called Goshen, the county seat of Orange County. The town is centrally located in the county....
, some fifty miles northwest of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, on New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...
in the center of Orange County. Goshen is the home of the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame
Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame
The Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame is a museum in Goshen, New York. The museum collects and preserves the history of harness racing and serves as a hall of fame for trotter horses....
, and hosted harness racing's top event, the Hambletonian, from 1930 to 1956, at the former Good Time Park
Good Time Park
Good Time Park was a mile-long race track in Goshen, New York that hosted the Hambletonian harness race from 1930 to 1956.-History:A largely unmaintained field for the first century of its existence, the area that would become Good Time Park was originally called Fiddler's Green. At the beginning...
. Racing is still held at the Historic Track
Historic Track
The Historic Track is a half-mile harness racing track in Goshen, New York. It was opened in 1838 and has been in operation ever since, the oldest continuously operated horse racing track in North America....
, a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in the center of the village.
History
The village was settled in 1714 and incorporated in 1809. In 1727 it was declared the "half-shire town" of Orange County, a predecessor to its current status as county seat. It did not take on that full status, however, until Rockland CountyRockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
was split from the county in 1798, and Goshen was designated the seat since Orangetown
Orangetown, New York
Orangetown is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States located in the southeast part of the county. It is northwest of New York City; north of New Jersey; east of the town of Ramapo; south of the town of Clarkstown; west of the Hudson River. The population was 47,711 at the 2000 census.-...
was in the new county. For a while afterward it shared that status with Newburgh
Newburgh (city), New York
Newburgh is a city located in Orange County, New York, United States, north of New York City, and south of Albany, on the Hudson River. Newburgh is a principal city of the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown metropolitan area, which includes all of Dutchess and Orange counties. The Newburgh area was...
, moved into Orange as compensation for the lost territory, but since the late 19th century all county government functions have been centralized in Goshen.
The village (or the town, which are indistinguishable in old records) was the site of the hanging of the famous outlaw Claudius Smith
Claudius Smith
Claudius Smith was a notorious Loyalist guerrilla leader during the American Revolution. He led a band of irregulars who were known locally as the 'cowboys'....
, a British Loyalist
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
who— along with the Mohawk Indian Chief Joseph Brant
Joseph Brant
Thayendanegea or Joseph Brant was a Mohawk military and political leader, based in present-day New York, who was closely associated with Great Britain during and after the American Revolution. He was perhaps the most well-known American Indian of his generation...
— raided the countryside surrounding Goshen during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
.
He and Brandt are said to have buried their many stolen treasures in the hills surrounding Goshen, and that Claudius is himself buried somewhere on the grounds of the old Presbyterian Church – with his skull having been embedded in the wall.
Port Jervis, New York
Port Jervis is a city on the Delaware River in western Orange County, New York, with a population of 8,860 at the 2000 census. The communities of Deerpark, Huguenot, Sparrowbush, and Greenville are adjacent to Port Jervis, and the towns of Montague, New Jersey and Matamoras, Pennsylvania face the...
. A militia from Goshen set out to stop Brant, engaging in the disastrous Battle of Minisink
Battle of Minisink
The Battle of Minisink was a battle of the American Revolutionary War fought at Minisink Ford, New York, on July 22, 1779. It was the only major skirmish of the Revolutionary War fought in the northern Delaware Valley...
, in which 45 local militiamen were killed. A monument in the center of town marks the spot where their bones were buried in a mass grave 43 years after the battle.
As early as the 1750s, residents used to race their horses along what is now Main Street in the village's downtown. In 1838, a circular track was built around a nearby circus
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
ground, and. This was the first incarnation of the Historic Track
Historic Track
The Historic Track is a half-mile harness racing track in Goshen, New York. It was opened in 1838 and has been in operation ever since, the oldest continuously operated horse racing track in North America....
, where races are still held for one week each year, making it the oldest horse racing facility still in use in the United States. Later, the larger Good Time Park
Good Time Park
Good Time Park was a mile-long race track in Goshen, New York that hosted the Hambletonian harness race from 1930 to 1956.-History:A largely unmaintained field for the first century of its existence, the area that would become Good Time Park was originally called Fiddler's Green. At the beginning...
was built, which hosted the Hambletonian in later years. The Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame
Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame
The Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame is a museum in Goshen, New York. The museum collects and preserves the history of harness racing and serves as a hall of fame for trotter horses....
near the track recognizes Goshen's historic importance to the sport.
In 1950, Goshen had a population of 3,311 people. By 1990, the village had been largely built out, and the number of people stood at 5,255; despite a building boom in the town
Goshen (town), New York
Goshen is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 12,913 at the 2000 census.The Town of Goshen contains a village also called Goshen, the county seat of Orange County. The town is centrally located in the county....
, the village has remained about the same size.
Geography
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
consists of a flat central area with gently rolling hills cresting at the village limits. The highest elevation is approximately 620 feet (189 m) at the USGS Murray benchmark
Benchmark (surveying)
The term bench mark, or benchmark, originates from the chiseled horizontal marks that surveyors made in stone structures, into which an angle-iron could be placed to form a "bench" for a leveling rod, thus ensuring that a leveling rod could be accurately repositioned in the same place in the future...
on the eastern border; the lowest elevation is the Good Time Park site at 420 feet (128 m). According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 3.2 square miles (8.3 km²).None of the area is covered with water. Most of the village lies within the Moodna Creek
Moodna Creek
Moodna Creek is a small tributary of the Hudson River that drains eastern Orange County, New York. At 15.5 miles in length from its source at the confluence of Cromline Creek and Otter Kill west of Washingtonville, it is the longest stream located entirely within the county.Despite its small...
watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
via its tributary the Otter Kill
Otter Kill
Otter Kill is a tributary of Moodna Creek that flows through central Orange County, New York, in the United States. Via the Moodna, which it forms at a confluence with Cromline Creek north of the village of Washingtonville, its waters eventually reach the Hudson River.The Otter Kill flows...
; a small portion on the west feeds the Wallkill River
Wallkill River
The Wallkill River, a tributary of the Hudson, drains Lake Mohawk in Sparta, New Jersey, flowing from there generally northeasterly to Rondout Creek in New York, near Rosendale, with the combined flows reaching the Hudson at Kingston....
, and both streams eventually drain into the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
.
Goshen was once located on the Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
Main Line across southern New York, which made a loop around Good Time Park through the center of the village; the tracks are gone but the right-of-way
Right-of-way (railroad)
A right-of-way is a strip of land that is granted, through an easement or other mechanism, for transportation purposes, such as for a trail, driveway, rail line or highway. A right-of-way is reserved for the purposes of maintenance or expansion of existing services with the right-of-way...
remains visible as the Heritage Rail Trail
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
east of the village and Railroad Avenue within it. The former station has been converted
Adaptive reuse
Adaptive reuse refers to the process of reusing an old site or building for a purpose other than which it was built or designed for. Along with brownfield reclamation, adaptive reuse is seen by many as a key factor in land conservation and the reduction of urban sprawl...
into the village's police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
headquarters. Passenger rail service is available today via the Metro-North
Metro-North Railroad
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
Port Jervis
Port Jervis Line (Metro-North)
The Metro-North Railroad Port Jervis Line is a predominantly single-track commuter rail line running from Suffern, New York to Port Jervis. At Suffern, the line continues south into New Jersey as NJ Transit's Main Line....
commuter line a few miles north of the village at Campbell Hall
Campbell Hall (Metro-North station)
The Campbell Hall Metro-North station is located just south of the eponymous hamlet in the town of Hamptonburgh in Orange County, New York. It is served by trains on the Port Jervis Line, which either go west to Port Jervis or south to Hoboken, 65.6 miles away. Travel time to the latter is around...
, on the Erie's onetime freight bypass.
The railroad has been replaced as the village's main long-distance transportation connection by NY 17
New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...
, which ran through the south portion of the village and was expanded into a freeway in the 1960s. It will eventually be redesignated as part of Interstate 86
Interstate 86 (east)
Interstate 86 is an Interstate Highway that extends for through northwestern Pennsylvania and southern New York in the United States...
. The western terminus of US 6
U.S. Route 6 in New York
U.S. Route 6 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Bishop, California, to Provincetown, Massachusetts. In New York, US 6 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Port Jervis to the Connecticut state line east of Brewster...
and NY 17M
New York State Route 17M
New York State Route 17M is an east–west state highway in Orange County, New York, in the United States. It extends for from west of the city of Middletown to what is currently the north–south section of NY 17 just southeast of the village of Harriman...
's overlap
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with Route 17 is at Exit 122 in the southwestern corner of the village; from there Route 6 connects Goshen to Middletown
Middletown, Orange County, New York
Middletown is a city in Orange County, New York, United States. It lies in New York's Hudson Valley region, near the Wallkill River and the foothills of the Shawangunk Mountains. Middletown is situated between Port Jervis and Newburgh, New York. The city's population was 25,388 at the 2000 census...
and Port Jervis
Port Jervis, New York
Port Jervis is a city on the Delaware River in western Orange County, New York, with a population of 8,860 at the 2000 census. The communities of Deerpark, Huguenot, Sparrowbush, and Greenville are adjacent to Port Jervis, and the towns of Montague, New Jersey and Matamoras, Pennsylvania face the...
while 17 continues to Binghamton
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
and the Southern Tier
Southern Tier
The Southern Tier is a geographical term that refers to the counties of New York State west of the Catskill Mountains along the northern border of Pennsylvania. It is a loosely defined term that generally includes the counties that border Pennsylvania west of Delaware County inclusive...
. To the east, 6, 17 and 17M lead to the New York State Thruway
New York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
at Harriman
Harriman, New York
Harriman is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 2,252 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined...
, with Route 6 continuing on to the Bear Mountain Bridge
Bear Mountain Bridge
The Bear Mountain Bridge is a toll suspension bridge in New York State, carrying U.S. Highways 202 and 6 across the Hudson River between Rockland and Westchester counties...
.
NY 207
New York State Route 207
New York State Route 207 is a state highway located entirely within Orange County, New York, in the United States. It serves as a connector between the village of Goshen and the city of Newburgh. It has for a long time provided the main access to Stewart International Airport...
, the former Newburgh-Goshen Turnpike, begins at the interchange with 17 and becomes first Greenwich Street, then Main Street before leaving the village at the north end to continue across the county to Newburgh
Newburgh (city), New York
Newburgh is a city located in Orange County, New York, United States, north of New York City, and south of Albany, on the Hudson River. Newburgh is a principal city of the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown metropolitan area, which includes all of Dutchess and Orange counties. The Newburgh area was...
. South of 17 the same roadway becomes NY 17A
New York State Route 17A
New York State Route 17A is a state highway in southern New York, United States, entirely within Orange County. Its western terminus is located at Goshen at a junction with NY 17, and its eastern terminus is at another intersection with NY 17 located in Southfields. It runs...
, signed east-west but leading first south to Florida
Florida, Orange County, New York
Florida is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 2,757 at the 2007 census estimates. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined...
and then to Warwick
Warwick (village), New York
Warwick is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 6,412 at the 2000 census. The 2010 census population was 6,731...
. Two Orange County roads also connect Goshen to nearby communities: Orange County 8, named Sarah Wells Trail after a local pioneer woman, begins in the north of the village and parallels 207 to the south towards Washingtonville
Washingtonville, New York
Washingtonville is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 5,851 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined...
; and Orange County 83, Scotchtown
Scotchtown, New York
Scotchtown is a hamlet in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 8,954 at the 2000 census. It has the ZIP Code 10941.Scotchtown is in the Town of Wallkill, east of the City of Middletown...
Avenue, follows the old Goshen Turnpike to Scotchtown and later, Circleville
Circleville, New York
Circleville, New York is an unincorporated hamlet in the Town of Wallkill, part of Orange County, New York, USA. It is located on NY 302 around the junction with the old Goshen Turnpike , a short distance north of NY 17 and two miles south of Bullville...
.
There are two airports within a short drive of the village. Passenger flights leave from Stewart International Airport
Stewart International Airport
Stewart International Airport is located in the southern Hudson Valley, west of Newburgh, New York and over north of Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The airport is located in the Town of Newburgh and the Town of New Windsor."." U.S. Census Bureau...
, near Newburgh on 207, and general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
uses Orange County Airport
Orange County Airport (New York)
New York’s Orange County Airport is an untowered general aviation airport located 1 mile southwest of village of Montgomery, in the Town of Montgomery, New York...
, near Montgomery
Montgomery (village), New York
Montgomery is a village located in Orange County, New York, United States, 60 miles northwest of New York City, and 90 miles southwest of Albany. The population was 3,636 at the 2000 census...
via 207 and NY 416
New York State Route 416
New York State Route 416 is a state highway located entirely within the towns of Hamptonburgh and Montgomery in Orange County, New York, in the United States. It does not intersect any other state routes besides those at its termini, nor pass through any settlements...
.
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as the Church Park Historic District
Church Park Historic District
The Church Park Historic District is part of downtown Goshen, the seat of Orange County, New York, USA. It takes its name from the large triangular park formed at the center of the village by Main Street , Park Place and South Church Street...
. When first recognized in 1980, it included just the park, Webster Street and the Historic Track, but in 2004 its boundaries were extended to include many of the historic buildings on Main Street north to Erie Street and the block south of the park to Green Street. The village has designated it an Architectural Design District in its ordinance
Local ordinance
A local ordinance is a law usually found in a municipal code.-United States:In the United States, these laws are enforced locally in addition to state law and federal law.-Japan:...
s, to ensure that any new construction or renovation within it is in keeping with the area's historic character. Outside the historic district, the village's post office
U.S. Post Office (Goshen, New York)
The U.S. Post Office in Goshen, New York, United States, is located on Grand Street downtown in the village of Goshen. It serves ZIP Code 10924, roughly contiguous with the village and town. The brick Colonial Revival building was completed in 1936, and added to the National Register of Historic...
downtown and the Everett-Bradner
Everett-Bradner House
The Everett-Bradner House, also known as the Bradner-Young House, is located at 156 South Street in the village of Goshen, New York. It has been a Registered Historic Place since 2004....
and Wisner
George T. Wisner House
The George T. Wisner House is located on Maple Street in Goshen, New York, USA. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005....
houses on South Street have also been listed on the Register.
Chain store
Chain stores are retail outlets that share a brand and central management, and usually have standardized business methods and practices. These characteristics also apply to chain restaurants and some service-oriented chain businesses. In retail, dining and many service categories, chain businesses...
restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s on the north side and an industrial park
Industrial park
An industrial park is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development...
along Hatfield Lane paralleling the freeway to the south. Arden Hill Hospital sits on the high ground overlooking Route 17 in the village's southeast corner and John S. Burke Catholic High School
John S. Burke Catholic High School
John S. Burke Catholic High School, referred to locally as Burke or Burke Catholic, is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Goshen, New York. It is located within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York. It is the only Catholic high school located in Orange County. The school's colors are...
, Orange County's principal Catholic high school, is located on Fletcher Street near the freeway in the southwest.
Orange County Government Center
The Orange County Government Center, located on Main Street in Goshen, New York, is as its name suggests the main office of the government of Orange County. It houses most county officials' offices and meetings of the county legislature. The records of Orange County Court and all deeds and...
, a brutalist
Brutalist architecture
Brutalist architecture is a style of architecture which flourished from the 1950s to the mid 1970s, spawned from the modernist architectural movement.-The term "brutalism":...
work by Paul Rudolph
Paul Rudolph (architect)
Paul Marvin Rudolph was an American architect and the dean of the Yale School of Architecture for six years, known for use of concrete and highly complex floor plans...
that has long been despised locally. Due to problems that have developed over the years with the building, particularly its many leaky roofs, it may be demolished. In the northeast corner is a large property that was formerly a school run by the Salesians of Don Bosco
Salesians of Don Bosco
The Salesians of Don Bosco is a Roman Catholic religious order founded in the late nineteenth century by Saint John Bosco in an attempt, through works of charity, to care for the young and poor children of the industrial revolution...
; the village has been converting it into a park since it acquired it several years ago. The northwestern area of the village is mostly residential, with the village's schools all located a short walk from each other and the district offices in an old high school building on Main Street.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 5,676 people, 2,039 households, and 1,227 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,770.5 people per square mile (682.7/km²). There were 2,150 housing units at an average density of 670.7 per square mile (258.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 87.53% White, 7.61% Black or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.14% Native American, 1.55% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.26% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.63% of the population.
There were 2,039 households out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the village the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 102.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.4 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $50,922, and the median income for a family was $66,250. Males had a median income of $41,932 versus $31,711 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $22,443. About 1.9% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.8% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.
Government
The village has a mayor-council governmentMayor-council government
The mayor–council government system, sometimes called the mayor–commission government system, is one of the two most common forms of local government for municipalities...
that follows the same form as all other villages with that government in New York: a five-member Village Board consisting of a mayor and four trustees, all with equal voting power. The mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
is the village's chief executive and carries out all day-to-day management functions. Former village trustee John Higgins currently holds the post; his term expires in April 2011. Higgins defeated Phil Canterino in elections held March 18, 2009. Three new village trustees joined the board in 2009: 23-year-old Kyle Roddey (elected, with the largest vote total of any trustee candidate in all of Orange County), Ed Char (elected) and Mal Stewart (appointed to Higgins' old seat). They are joined on the board by former mayor Marcia Matthews (elected 2008).
As with other villages in New York, all residents pay town taxes as well and are eligible to vote in its elections. The Goshen Central School District
Goshen Central School District
The Goshen Central School District is a public school district in Orange County, New York, USA. It educates children in the village of Goshen and most of the town, as well as the Campbell Hall section of the neighboring Town of Hamptonburgh and part of the Town of Wallkill, including the hamlet of...
includes the entire village, and three of its four schools are located in it.
Fire protection is provided to the village by the Goshen Fire Department, an all-volunteer organization comprising three fire companies (Dikeman Engine and Hose, Cataract Engine and Hose and Minisink Hook and Ladder). Each of the companies are housed in separate modern fire stations located in the district.
See video / audio index of Goshen Town Council, Village Board, Fire Commissioners Meetings, etc at: http://www.goshennewyork.info
Notable residents
- Noah WebsterNoah WebsterNoah Webster was an American educator, lexicographer, textbook pioneer, English spelling reformer, political writer, editor, and prolific author...
taught here in the 1780s. The local high schoolGoshen Central High SchoolGoshen Central High School educates students in grades 9-12 from the Goshen Central School District, which largely overlaps the town and village of the same name in Orange County, New York, USA...
's libraryLibraryIn a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
is named after him, as is Webster Street, where the townGoshen (town), New YorkGoshen is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 12,913 at the 2000 census.The Town of Goshen contains a village also called Goshen, the county seat of Orange County. The town is centrally located in the county....
's offices are located.
- Goshen is the birthplace of jazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
pianist Willie "The Lion" Smith, who has been honored since 2004 with the Goshen Jazz Festival.
- Former assemblyman and US Senate candidate Howard Mills IIIHoward Mills IIIHoward D. Mills III is an insurance consultant and former politician from Goshen, New York. He served as New York's Superintendent of Insurance from 2005 to 2007, and previously held elective office in both the New York State Assembly and the Town of Wallkill.In 2004, he ran against Senator...
was born in Goshen.
- William Henry Seward, Lincoln's Secretary of State, once lived in Goshen.
- The actor Charles Colburn made his summer residence in Goshen for many years.
- The Painter Horace Pippin once dwelled in Goshen.
- 9/11 survivor John McLoughlinJohn McLoughlin (World Trade Center attack survivor)John McLoughlin is one of two Port Authority Police Officers who survived after being trapped in the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center...
currently resides in Goshen.
- Olympian Lauren Hough (Equestrian, 2000) was born in Goshen.