Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of
ManhattanManhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of
New YorkNew 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...
. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the
Hudson RiverThe 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...
, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The population, as of the US 2010 Census, is 311,687. The name derives from "
rocky land", as the area was described by early Dutch and English settlers. Rockland's county seat is the hamlet of
New CityNew City is a hamlet , in the Town of Clarkstown Rockland County, New York, United States, part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The hamlet is a suburb of New York City, located 18 miles north of the city at the closest point, Riverdale, The Bronx...
.
The county comprises five towns and nineteen incorporated villages, with numerous unincorporated villages and hamlets. Rockland County is designated as a Preserve America Community, and roughly one-third of the county is parkland.
The county has the largest Jewish population per capita in the country, with
31.4%American Jews, also known as Jewish Americans, are American citizens of the Jewish faith or Jewish ethnicity. The Jewish community in the United States is composed predominantly of Ashkenazi Jews who emigrated from Central and Eastern Europe, and their U.S.-born descendants...
, or 90,000 residents, belonging to the Jewish faith. Rockland also ranks 9th on the list of highest-income counties by median household income in the United States with $75,306 according to the 2000 census.
History
The area that would become Rockland County was originally inhabited by
AlgonquianThe Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
-speaking Indians, including Munsees, or Lenni Lenape.
In 1609,
Hendrick HudsonHenry Hudson was an English sea explorer and navigator in the early 17th century. Hudson made two attempts on behalf of English merchants to find a prospective Northeast Passage to Cathay via a route above the Arctic Circle...
, thinking he had found the legendary "
Northwest PassageThe Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
", sailed on the Half Moon up the river that would one day bear his name and anchored near the area that is now
HaverstrawHaverstraw is the name of two locations in Rockland County, New York:*Haverstraw, New York, a town*Haverstraw , New York, a village located entirely within the townIt may also refer to:*West Haverstraw, New York*Haverstraw Bay*Haverstraw Indians...
before continuing to disillusionment north of
AlbanyAlbany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
. The
DutchThe Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
were the first Europeans to settle in the area around 1675. These settlers, eager to escape "city life" moved from Manhattan to Rockland. A number of unique Dutch-style red sandstone houses still stand, and many placenames in the county reveal their Dutch origin. When the
Duke of YorkThe Duke of York is a title of nobility in the British peerage. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of the British monarch. The title has been created a remarkable eleven times, eight as "Duke of York" and three as the double-barreled "Duke of York and...
(who became King
James II of EnglandJames II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
) established the first twelve counties of New York in 1683, present-day Rockland County was part of
Orange CountyOrange 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...
. Orangetown was created at the same time under a royal grant, originally encompassing all of modern Rockland County. Around this time, as the English began to colonize Nyack and Tappan, the Native Americans began to leave Rockland in search of undisturbed land further north and the king got mad at the west. Haverstraw was separated from Orangetown in 1719 and became a town in 1788; it included the present-day Clarkstown, Ramapo and
Stony PointStony Point is a triangle-shaped town in Rockland County, United States. Rockland County is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The town is located north of the town of Haverstraw, east and south of Orange County, New York, and west of the Hudson River and Westchester County. The population...
. Clarkstown and Ramapo became towns in 1791, followed by Stony Point in 1865. Rockland County was split from Orange County in 1798. The natural barrier of the Ramapo Mountains and the size of the County made it difficult to carry on governmental activities. At one point there were twin governments, one on each side of the
Ramapo MountainsThe Ramapo Mountains are a forested chain of the Appalachian mountains in northeastern New Jersey and southeastern New York in the United States...
. For this reason, Rockland split off from Orange in 1798 to form its own county. That same year the County seat was transferred from Tappan to New City, where a new courthouse was built.
During the
American RevolutionThe American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, when control of the
Hudson RiverThe 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...
was viewed by the
BritishThe former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
as strategic to dominating the American territories, Rockland saw skirmishes at
HaverstrawHaverstraw is the name of two locations in Rockland County, New York:*Haverstraw, New York, a town*Haverstraw , New York, a village located entirely within the townIt may also refer to:*West Haverstraw, New York*Haverstraw Bay*Haverstraw Indians...
,
NyackNyack is a village in the towns of Orangetown and Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York, United States, located north of South Nyack; east of Central Nyack; south of Upper Nyack and west of the Hudson River, approximately 19 miles north of the Manhattan boundary, it is an inner suburb of New...
and
PiermontPiermont is a village in Rockland County, New York, United States. Piermont is in the town of Orangetown, located north of the hamlet of Palisades; east of Sparkill and south of Grand View-on-Hudson, on the west bank of the Hudson River. The population was 2,607 at the 2000 census.The village's...
, and significant military engagements at the
Battle of Stony PointThe Battle of Stony Point was a battle of the American Revolutionary War fought on the night of July 15–16, 1779. A select force of Continental Army infantry made a coordinated surprise night attack and stormed a fortified position of the British Army on the Hudson River south of West Point, New...
, where General "Mad"
Anthony WayneAnthony Wayne was a United States Army general and statesman. Wayne adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military exploits and fiery personality quickly earned him a promotion to the rank of brigadier general and the sobriquet of Mad Anthony.-Early...
earned his nickname.
George WashingtonGeorge Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
had headquarters for a time at John Suffern's tavern, the later site of the village of
SuffernSuffern is a village in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the State of New Jersey; east of Hillburn; south of Montebello and west of Airmont...
. British Major
John AndréJohn André was a British army officer hanged as a spy during the American War of Independence. This was due to an incident in which he attempted to assist Benedict Arnold's attempted surrender of the fort at West Point, New York to the British.-Early life:André was born on May 2, 1750 in London to...
met with American traitor
Benedict ArnoldBenedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
near Stony Point to buy the plans for the fortifications at
West PointWest Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
. André was captured with the plans in
TarrytownTarrytown is a village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, about north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line...
on his way back to the British lines; he was brought to
TappanTappan is a hamlet in the Town of Orangetown, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Old Tappan, New Jersey; east of Nauraushaun and Pearl River; south of Blauvelt and west of Palisades and Sparkill...
for trial in the Tappan church, found guilty, hanged and buried nearby. Still another important chapter in the story of the Revolution was written on May 5, 1783, when General Washington received Sir Guy Carleton at the
DeWint HouseThe DeWint House, or De Wint House, at Tappan, New York is one of the oldest surviving structures in Rockland County, New York and is an outstanding example of Hudson Valley Colonial Dutch architecture. It was built using indigenous sandstone in 1700 by Daniel DeClark, a Hollander, who emigrated to...
, where they discussed the terms of the peace treaty. Two days later Washington visited Sir Guy aboard a British war vessel. On this day the King's Navy fired its first salute to the flag of the United States of America.
In the decades following the Revolution, Rockland became popular for its stone and bricks. These products, however, required quarrying in land that many later believed should be set aside as a preserve. Many unsuccessful efforts were made to turn much of the
Hudson HighlandsThe Hudson Highlands are mountains on both sides of the Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York, between Newburgh Bay and Haverstraw Bay, which form the northern region of the New York - New Jersey Highlands....
on the northern tip of the county into a forest preserve. However,
Union Pacific RailroadThe Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
president
E. H. HarrimanEdward Henry Harriman was an American railroad executive.-Early years:Harriman was born in Hempstead, New York, the son of Orlando Harriman, an Episcopal clergyman, and Cornelia Neilson...
, donated land as well as large sums of money for the purchase of properties in the area of Bear Mountain.
Bear MountainBear Mountain State Park is located on the west side of the Hudson River in Orange and Rockland counties of New York. The park offers biking, hiking, boating, picnicking, swimming, cross-country skiing, cross-country running, sledding and ice skating...
/Harriman State Park became a reality in 1910, and by 1914 it was estimated that more than a million people a year were coming to the park.
Rockland remained semi-rural until the 1950s when the
Palisades Interstate ParkwayThe Palisades Interstate Parkway is a long limited-access highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. The parkway is a major commuter route into New York City from Rockland and Orange counties in New York and Bergen County in New Jersey...
,
Tappan Zee BridgeThe Governor Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge, usually referred to as Tappan Zee Bridge, is a cantilever bridge in New York over the Hudson River at one of its widest points; the Tappan Zee is named for an American Indian tribe from the area called "Tappan"; and zee being the Dutch word for "sea"....
, and other major arteries were built. The idea of a
suburbiasubUrbia is a play by Eric Bogosian chronicling the nighttime activities of a group of aimless 20-somethings still living in their suburban Boston hometown and their reunion with a former high school classmate who has become a successful musician...
also helped transform the county. The county's population flourished, from 89,276 in 1950 to 265,475 in 1990.
United States House of Representatives
| Representatives |
| Name |
Congressional District |
Counties Encompassing |
| Eliot Engel |
17thNew York's 17th Congressional District is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives located in Southern New York. It encompasses portions of the Bronx, Westchester County, and Rockland County...
|
Southern Rockland, Bronx, and Westchester |
Nita M. LoweyNita Melnikoff Lowey is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. She is a member of the Democratic Party. She previously represented the 20th district from 1989 to 1993.-Early life, education and career:...
|
18thThe 18th Congressional District of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in the northern suburbs of New York City. It includes most of Westchester County and part of Rockland County. It includes Larchmont, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, Ossining, the Town of...
|
Eastern & central Rockland, northern suburbs of the city, including most of Westchester |
| Nan Hayworth Nan Alison Sutter Hayworth is the U.S. Representative for . She is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and nursing career:...
|
19thUnited States House of Representatives, New York District 19 is located in the southern part of the state of New York. District 19 lies north of New York City and is composed of parts of Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, and Westchester Counties, in addition to the entirety of Putnam County.District 19...
|
DutchessDutchess County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. The 2010 census lists the population as 297,488...
, Orange and Westchester, in addition to the entirety of PutnamPutnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the lower Hudson River Valley. Putnam county formed in 1812, when it detached from Dutchess County. , the population was 99,710. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The county seat is the hamlet of Carmel...
|
New York State politicians
David CarlucciDavid Carlucci is a member of the New York State Senate representing the 38th district, which includes all of Rockland County and parts of Orange County. He is an Independent Democrat....
represents the entire county of Rockland in the
New York State SenateThe New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
and parts of
Orange County, New YorkOrange 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...
for the 38th district.
| Rockland Assemblymen & Women |
| Name |
NYS Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
|
Party |
| Kenneth Zebrowski, Jr. Kenneth Paul Zebrowski is a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly, from the 94th district, representing the communities of Clarkstown and Haverstraw, and portions of the Town of Ramapo, including the villages of Pomona, Wesley Hills, and most of New Hempstead...
|
94th District |
Democrat |
| Ellen C. Jaffee Ellen C. Jaffee is an American politician and a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly, representing the 95th Assembly District in Rockland County....
|
95th District |
Democrat |
| Nancy Calhoun Nancy Calhoun is a Republican member of the New York State Assembly for the 96th district. She was first elected in 1990. Born in Suffern, New York, she began her career as in 1976 as Washingtonville Central School District Tax Collector and served in the position until 1984. She elected to the ...
|
96th District |
Republican |
| Ann Rabbitt Ann Rabbitt is a member of the New York State Assembly, for the 97th district first elected in 2004. She is a Republican.-External links:*...
|
97th District |
Republican |
County politicians
The head of the County of Rockland is the county executive,
C. Scott VanderhoefC. Scott Vanderhoef is the County Executive of Rockland County, New York and was the Republican and Conservative Party nominee for Lieutenant Governor of New York in the 2006 statewide elections...
, a Republican. Vanderhoef was re-elected in 2009 to his fifth four-year term. He is the second county executive in Rockland history, having defeated the incumbent, John T. Grant (D), in 1993. Prior to 1985, Rockland County did not have a county executive.
The county is divided into 17 single-member
legislative districts. There are 11
DemocratsThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and 6
RepublicansThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. The Chairwoman of the Legislature is Harriet Cornell. The other legislators are:
Legislative Districts Map
| District | Legislator | Party |
| 1 |
Douglas J. Jobson |
Republican |
| 2 |
Michael M. Grant |
Democrat |
| 3 |
Jay Hood Jr. |
Democrat |
| 4 |
Ilan S. Schoenberger |
Democrat |
| 5 |
Edwin J. Day |
Republican |
| 6 |
Alden H. Wolfe |
Democrat |
| 7 |
Philip Soskin |
Democrat |
| 8 |
Toney L. Earl |
Democrat |
| 9 |
Christopher Carey |
Republican |
| 10 |
Harriet D. Cornell |
Democrat |
| 11 |
Frank Sparaco |
Republican |
| 12 |
Joseph L. Meyers |
Democrat |
| 13 |
Aron Wieder |
Democrat |
| 14 |
Aney Paul |
Democrat |
| 15 |
Patrick J. Moroney |
Republican |
| 16 |
John A. Murphy |
Republican |
| 17 |
Nancy Low-Hogan |
Democrat |
Law enforcement
The county is served by ten town and village police departments in addition to the county's Sheriff's Police Division. The ten town and village departments are responsible for incidents occurring in their respectful municipalities, while the county sheriff responds to incidents countywide. Most of the departments have many specialized divisions, including harbor, aviation, mounted, emergency services, and others.
Town governments
The five Towns of Rockland County are led by Town Supervisors and Town Boards. The villages encompassed in the Towns are led by Mayors and Village Trustees.
|
Town Supervisors>
| Town |
Supervisor |
Party |
| Clarkstown |
Alexander Gromack |
Democrat |
| Haverstraw |
Howard T. Phillips, Jr. |
Democrat |
| Orangetown |
Andrew Stewart |
Democrat |
| Ramapo |
Christopher P. St. Lawrence |
Democrat |
| Stony Point |
Geoffrey Finn |
Democrat |
County courts
There are three types of general trial courts in Rockland County: the
New York Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in thestate court system of New York, United States. There is a supreme court in each of New York State's 62 counties, although some smaller counties share judges with neighboring counties...
, the County Court and the Justice Courts. The Supreme Court is the trial level court of the
New York State Unified Court SystemThe New York State Unified Court System is the official name of the judicial system of New York in the United States. Based in Albany, the New York State Judiciary is a unified state court system that functions under the Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals who is its...
, which presents some confusion as the Supreme Court is the highest
court of appealsAn appellate court, commonly called an appeals court or court of appeals or appeal court , is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal...
in the federal system as well as in most states (the Court of Appeals is the highest court in New York State). The Supreme Court has broad authority over all categories of cases, both civil and criminal. Generally the Supreme Court in Rockland County hears
civil casesCivil law, as opposed to criminal law, is the branch of law dealing with disputes between individuals or organizations, in which compensation may be awarded to the victim...
involving claims in excess of $25,000. While the Supreme Court has jurisdiction over
criminal casesCriminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
in most counties this is handled by the County Courts. In Rockland however, the Supreme Court does exercise jurisdiction over some criminal cases.
The County Court is inferior to the Supreme Court and is authorized to hear all criminal cases that have occurred in the county as well as limited jurisdiction over civil cases. The County Court handles
felonyA felony is a serious crime in the common law countries. The term originates from English common law where felonies were originally crimes which involved the confiscation of a convicted person's land and goods; other crimes were called misdemeanors...
cases exclusively and shares jurisdiction with the town and village justice courts on
misdemeanorA misdemeanor is a "lesser" criminal act in many common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished much less severely than felonies, but theoretically more so than administrative infractions and regulatory offences...
cases and other minor offenses and violations. The County Court's jurisdiction on civil cases is limited to those involving less than $25,000.
Each of the towns and fifteen of the villages have
Justice CourtsJustice Courts are courts in New York State, that handle traffic tickets, criminal matters, small claims and local code violations such as zoning...
. These courts mostly hear routine
traffic ticketA traffic ticket is a notice issued by a law enforcement official to a motorist or other road user, accusing violation of traffic laws. Traffic tickets generally come in two forms, citing a moving violation, such as exceeding the speed limit, or a non-moving violation, such as a parking violation,...
cases, especially from the
New York State ThruwayThe 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...
and the
Palisades Interstate ParkwayThe Palisades Interstate Parkway is a long limited-access highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. The parkway is a major commuter route into New York City from Rockland and Orange counties in New York and Bergen County in New Jersey...
. They also handle drunk driving charges, lower-level criminal
misdemeanorA misdemeanor is a "lesser" criminal act in many common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished much less severely than felonies, but theoretically more so than administrative infractions and regulatory offences...
matters, and they will occasionally perform
arraignmentArraignment is a formal reading of a criminal complaint in the presence of the defendant to inform the defendant of the charges against him or her. In response to arraignment, the accused is expected to enter a plea...
on felonies (most felony proceedings are heard in County Court). These courts generally handle the highest volume of cases, which, considering the population density and highways in the county, is not surprising.
Geography
Rockland County lies just north of the
New JerseyNew 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...
-New York border, west of
Westchester CountyWestchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
across the
Hudson RiverThe 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...
, and south of Orange County.
According to the
U.S. Census BureauThe 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 county has a total area of 199 square miles (516 km²), of which 174 square miles (451 km²) is land and 25 square miles (65 km²) (12.60%) is water. It is the smallest county in the state outside of New York City. The county's elevations range from 391 m (1,283 ft) at Rockhouse Mountain, to sea lavel along the Hudson River. Approximately 30% of Rockland County is devoted to parkland, belonging to either the five towns, incorporated villages, the state, or the county. These parks provide walking and hiking trails, ballfields, dog runs, historic sites, ponds, streams, salt marshes, and equestrian trails. Some popular state parks include
Bear Mountain State ParkBear Mountain State Park is located on the west side of the Hudson River in Orange and Rockland counties of New York. The park offers biking, hiking, boating, picnicking, swimming, cross-country skiing, cross-country running, sledding and ice skating...
on the northernmost tip of the county, Harriman State Park also along the county's northern boundary, and
Nyack Beach State ParkNyack Beach State Park is a state park in Upper Nyack, Rockland County, New York. It consists of a small parking lot and of riverfront pathway, the southernmost section of the Hudson River Valley Greenway. It is known for its physical proximity to the Hudson River on one side of the pathway...
along the
Hudson RiverThe 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...
, with trails connecting to
Rockland Lake State ParkRockland Lake State Park is located on a ridge of Hook Mountain above the west bank of the Hudson River, in the hamlet of Congers, which is in the eastern part of the Town of Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York. The park sits between the west bank of the Hudson River and Route 9W...
. In addition to parks, Rockland is home to several of the most beautiful public and private courses in the metro area, with the towns of Orangetown, Ramapo, Stony Point, and Haverstraw all operating public golf courses within their towns, offering discounted rates to their respective residents. The
Palisades Interstate Park CommissionPalisades Interstate Park and its creator, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, was formed in 1900 by governors Theodore Roosevelt of New York and Foster M. Voorhees of New Jersey in response to the destruction of the Palisades by quarry operators in the late 19th century...
also operates two golf courses in
Rockland Lake State ParkRockland Lake State Park is located on a ridge of Hook Mountain above the west bank of the Hudson River, in the hamlet of Congers, which is in the eastern part of the Town of Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York. The park sits between the west bank of the Hudson River and Route 9W...
with sweeping views of the park. Notable private courses in the county include
Dellwood Country ClubParamount Country Club is a private country club located in New City, NY, on the site of Mountain View Farm, the former home of Paramount Pictures founder Adolf Zukor. It features an 18-hole golf course designed by golf course architect A.W...
, Manhattan Woods Golf Course (designed by
PGAThe PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
great
Gary PlayerGary Player DMS; OIG is a South African professional golfer. With his nine major championship victories, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of golf. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. Player has won 165 tournaments on six continents over six...
), Minisceongo Golf Club (Ramapo),
Rockland Country Club (Sparkill).
Adjacent counties
- Orange County
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...
(northwest/north)
- Putnam County
Putnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the lower Hudson River Valley. Putnam county formed in 1812, when it detached from Dutchess County. , the population was 99,710. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The county seat is the hamlet of Carmel...
, across the Hudson RiverThe 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...
(northeast)
- Westchester County
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
, across the Hudson River (east)
- Passaic County, New Jersey
Passaic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 501,226. Its county seat is Paterson...
(west)
- Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
(south)
Rockland's borders with Putnam and Passaic counties are short, totaling less than one mile (1.6 km).
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 286,753 people, 92,675 households, and 70,989 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,646 people per square mile (636/km²). There were 94,973 housing units at an average density of 545 per square mile (210/km²). However, residents live closer together than the census numbers indicate, as 30% of the county is reserved as parkland. 9.17% of residents reported speaking Spanish at home, 4.96%
YiddishYiddish is a High German language of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, spoken throughout the world. It developed as a fusion of German dialects with Hebrew, Aramaic, Slavic languages and traces of Romance languages...
, 3.16%
French-based creoleA French Creole, or French-based Creole language, is a creole language based on the French language, more specifically on a 17th century koiné French extant in Paris, the French Atlantic harbors, and the nascent French colonies...
, 1.45% Italian, 1.30%
TagalogTagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
, 1.25%
HebrewHebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, 1.17% French, and 1.01% Russian. Other languages spoken at home by at least 1000 people include
MalayalamMalayalam , is one of the four major Dravidian languages of southern India. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India with official language status in the state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry. It is spoken by 35.9 million people...
,
KoreanKorean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
, Chinese, German, and
PolishPolish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
.
|
Racial demographics of Rockland according to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau>
| Race |
Percentage |
WhiteWhite Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
|
80.3% (Whites of non-Hispanic origin Non-Hispanic Whites or White, Not Hispanic or Latino are people in the United States, as defined by the Census Bureau, who are of the White race and are not of Hispanic or Latino origin/ethnicity. Hence the designation is exclusive in the sense that it defines who is not included as opposed to who is...
: 68.3%) |
| Black |
11.4% |
American IndianNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
|
0.4% |
AsianAsian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
|
6.3% |
| Pacific Islander Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
|
0.2% |
MultiracialMultiracial Americans, US residents who identify themselves as of "two or more races", were numbered at around 9 million, or 2.9% of the population, in the census of 2010. However there is considerable evidence that the real number is far higher. Prior to the mid-20th century many people hid their...
|
1.4% |
Hispanics and LatinosHispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
(of any race) |
13.6% |
In 2000 there were 92,675 households out of which 37.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.80% were married couples living together, 10.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.40% were non-families. 19.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.01 and the average family size was 3.47.
In the county the population was spread out with 28.00% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 28.00% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 11.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $67,971, and the median income for a family was $80,235. Males had a median income of $58,214 versus $38,955 for females. The per capita income for the county was $28,082. The mean, or average, income for a family in Rockland County is $73,452 according to the 2004 census. About 6.30% of families and 9.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.30% of those under age 18 and 7.60% of those age 65 or over.
Neighborhoods
Paul W. Adler, the chairperson of the Rockland County's Jewish Community Relations Council said in a 1997
The New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
article that "There are two reasons villages get formed in Rockland. One is to keep the
HasidimHasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
out and the other is to keep the Hasidim in."
There are five towns in Rockland County. The most populous is
RamapoRamapo , formerly known as New Hempstead and then Hampstead, is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of New Jersey; southeast of Orange County, New York; south of the Town of Haverstraw and west of the Town of Clarkstown and the Town of Orangetown...
with 126,595 people, while the least populous is
Stony PointStony Point is a triangle-shaped town in Rockland County, United States. Rockland County is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The town is located north of the town of Haverstraw, east and south of Orange County, New York, and west of the Hudson River and Westchester County. The population...
with 15,059 people.
ClarkstownClarkstown is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States. The town is on the eastern border of the county, located north of the town of Orangetown; east of the town of Ramapo; South of the town of Haverstraw and west of the Hudson River. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total...
has 84,187,
OrangetownOrangetown 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.-...
has 49,212 and
HaverstrawHaverstraw is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the Town of Clarkstown and the Town of Ramapo; east of Orange County, New York; south of the Town of Stony Point and west of the Hudson River. The town runs from the west to the east border of the county in its...
has 36,634 for a total population of 311,687 people according to the 2010 US Census.
In 2010
CNNMoney.comCNNMoney.com is the world's largest business website. The site is the online home of Fortune and Money, and serves as CNN.com's exclusive business site. The site, edited by Chris Peacock, together with the three titles, is part of the Fortune|Money Group, and attracts more than 10.8 million unique...
named Clarkstown the 41st best small "city" to live in America, which was the highest such ranking in New York.
There are nineteen incorporated villages in Rockland County, twelve of which are located at least partially in the town of Ramapo, and none of which are in Stony Point:
- Airmont
Airmont is a village in the town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the state of New Jersey; east of Suffern; south of Montebello and west of Chestnut Ridge. The population was 7,799 at the 2000 census....
(Town of Ramapo)
- Chestnut Ridge
Chestnut Ridge is a village in the Town of Ramapo Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the state of New Jersey; east of Monsey; south of Spring Valley and west of Nanuet. The population was 7,829 at the 2000 census....
(Ramapo)
- Grand View-on-Hudson
Grand View-on-Hudson is a village in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Piermont; east of Orangeburg; south of South Nyack and west of the Hudson River. The population, one of the most affluent incorporated communities in the United States, was 284 at the 2000 census. The...
(Orangetown)
- Haverstraw
Haverstraw is a village in the town of Haverstraw in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Congers; southeast of West Haverstraw; east of Garnerville, New York; northeast of New City and west of the Hudson River at its widest point...
(Haverstraw)
- Hillburn
Hillburn is a village in the Town of Ramapo Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Suffern; east of Orange County, New York; south of Viola and west of Montebello. It is considered to be one of the more rural communities in Rockland County...
(Ramapo)
- Kaser
Kaser is a village in the Town of Ramapo Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Monsey; east of Airmont; south of Viola and west of Spring Valley. As of the United States 2000 Census, the village population was 3,316....
(Ramapo)
- Montebello
Montebello is a village in the town of Ramapo Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located north of Suffern, east of Hillburn, south of Wesley Hills and west of Airmont...
(Ramapo)
- New Hempstead
New Hempstead, formally known as Kakiat , is a village in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of New Square; east of Wesley Hills; south of Pomona and west of New City...
(Ramapo)
- New Square
New Square is an all-Hasidic village in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Hillcrest; east of Viola; south of New Hempstead and west of New City...
(Ramapo)
- Nyack
Nyack is a village in the towns of Orangetown and Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York, United States, located north of South Nyack; east of Central Nyack; south of Upper Nyack and west of the Hudson River, approximately 19 miles north of the Manhattan boundary, it is an inner suburb of New...
(Orangetown/Clarkstown) |
Piermont Piermont is a village in Rockland County, New York, United States. Piermont is in the town of Orangetown, located north of the hamlet of Palisades; east of Sparkill and south of Grand View-on-Hudson, on the west bank of the Hudson River. The population was 2,607 at the 2000 census.The village's...
(Orangetown)
PomonaPomona is a village partly in the Town of Ramapo and partly in the Town of Haverstraw in Rockland County, New York, United States, located north of New Hempstead, east of Harriman State Park, north of Monsey and west of Mount Ivy. According to the 2010 Census, the population was 3,103, a 13 percent...
(Haverstraw/Ramapo)
SloatsburgSloatsburg is a village in the town of Ramapo in Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located east of Orange County, New York and sits at the southern entrance to Harriman State Park. The population was 3,117 at the 2000 census...
(Ramapo)
South NyackSouth Nyack is a village in the town of Orangetown in Rockland County, New York, located north of Grand View-on-Hudson; northeast of Orangeburg; east of Blauvelt State Park; south of the village of Nyack and west of the Hudson River...
(Orangetown)
Spring ValleySpring Valley, incorporated on July 9, 1902 is a village spanning the Town of Ramapo and Town of Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Nanuet; east of Airmont and Monsey; south of Hillcrest and west of West Nyack...
(Ramapo/Clarkstown)
SuffernSuffern is a village in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the State of New Jersey; east of Hillburn; south of Montebello and west of Airmont...
(Ramapo)
Upper NyackUpper Nyack is a village in the town of Clarkstown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the village of Nyack; east of West Nyack; south of Rockland Lake State Park and west of the Hudson River. The population was 1,863 at the 2000 census....
(Clarkstown)
Wesley HillsWesley Hills is a village in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Viola; east of Harriman State Park; south of Pomona and west of New Hempstead...
(Ramapo)
West HaverstrawWest Haverstraw is a village in the Town of Haverstraw Rockland County, New York, United States located northwest of the Village of Haverstraw; east of Thiells; south of the Hamlet of Stony Point and west of the Hudson River. The population was 10,295 at the 2000 census...
(Haverstraw) |
Rockland County also has a number of unincorporated hamlets, including:
- Bardonia
Bardonia is a hamlet , in the Town of Clarkstown, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Nanuet; east of Spring Valley; south of New City and west of West Nyack...
(Town of Clarkstown)
- Blauvelt
Blauvelt is a hamlet , formerly known as Greenbush and then Blauveltville, in the Town of Orangetown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Tappan; east of Nauraushaun and Pearl River; south of Central Nyack and west of Orangeburg...
(Orangetown)
- Centenary
Centenary is a hamlet in the Town of Clarkstown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of New City; east of High Tor State Park; south of Village of Haverstraw and west of the Hudson River....
(Clarkstown)
- Central Nyack
Central Nyack is an unincorporated community in the Town of Clarkstown Rockland County, New York, United States approximately 20 miles north of New York City located north of Pearl River; east of Nanuet; south of West Nyack and west of the Village of Nyack. As an unincorporated community,...
(Clarkstown)
- Congers
Congers is a hamlet , in the Town of Clarkstown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Valley Cottage; east of New City, across Lake DeForest, south of Haverstraw and west of the Hudson River. It lies 19 miles north of New York City's Bronx boundary...
(Clarkstown)
- Garnerville
Garnerville is a hamlet in the Town of Haverstraw Rockland County, New York, United States located north of New City; east ofMount Ivy; south of Stony Point and west of West Haverstraw...
(Haverstraw)
- Grassy Point
Grassy Point was a hamlet in the Town of Stony Point Rockland County, New York, United States located north of West Haverstraw; east of Harriman State Park; south of Stony Point and west of the Hudson River. It is located just north-northwest of New York City....
(Stony Point)
- Hillcrest (Ramapo)
- Jones Point
Jones Point is a hamlet located in the town of Stony Point in Rockland County in the state of New York, United States. Located north of Tomkins Cove; east of Bear Mountain State Park; south of Iona Island; and west of the Hudson River...
(Stony Point) |
Ladentown Ladentown is a hamlet in the Town of Haverstraw Rockland County, New York, United States is located in the center of a triagle between Haverstraw, Spring Valley and Suffern and two miles west of Mount Ivy. It is located north-northwest of New York City....
(Ramapo)
MonseyMonsey is a hamlet , in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the state of New Jersey; east of Suffern; south of Airmont and west of Nanuet...
(Ramapo)
Mount IvyMount Ivy is a hamlet in the towns of Haverstraw and Ramapo New York, United States located north of New City; east of Pomona; south of Thiells and west of the Garnerville...
(Haverstraw)
NanuetNanuet is a hamlet , in the Town of Clarkstown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Pearl River; south of New City; east of Spring Valley and west of West Nyack. It is 19 miles north of Manhattan, and 2 miles north of the New Jersey border...
(Clarkstown)
Nauraushaun, New YorkNauraushaun is a hamlet in the Town of Orangetown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of state of New Jersey, along the northwestern shore of Lake Tappan; east of Chestnut Ridge; south of Pearl River and west of Blauvelt. It derives its name from a creek tributary, which was also...
(Pearl River)
New CityNew City is a hamlet , in the Town of Clarkstown Rockland County, New York, United States, part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The hamlet is a suburb of New York City, located 18 miles north of the city at the closest point, Riverdale, The Bronx...
(Clarkstown)
OrangeburgOrangeburg hamlet , in the Town of Orangetown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Tappan; south of Blauvelt; east of Pearl River and west of Piermont...
(Orangetown)
PalisadesPalisades, formerly known as Sneden's Landing, is a hamlet in the Town of Orangetown in Rockland County, New York, United States, located north of Rockleigh and Alpine, New Jersey; east of Tappan; south of Sparkill; and west of the Hudson River....
(Orangetown)
Pearl RiverPearl River is a hamlet , in the Town of Orangetown Rockland County, New York, United States located east of Nauraushaun; north of the state of New Jersey; south of Nanuet and west of Blauvelt...
(Orangetown) |
Rockland Lake, New York (Clarkstown)
Sparkill Sparkill, formerly known as Tappan Sloat, is an affluent, suburban hamlet in the Town of Orangetown, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Palisades; east of Tappan; south of Piermont and west of the Hudson River...
(Orangetown)
Stony PointStony Point is a hamlet and census-designated place in the Town of Stony Point, Rockland County, New York, USA. Located north of West Haverstraw; east of Harriman State Park; south of Tomkins Cove; and west of the Hudson River...
(Stony Point)
TappanTappan is a hamlet in the Town of Orangetown, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Old Tappan, New Jersey; east of Nauraushaun and Pearl River; south of Blauvelt and west of Palisades and Sparkill...
(Orangetown)
ThiellsThiells, formally known as Thiells Corner in the 1850s, is a hamlet in the Town of Haverstraw Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Mount Ivy; east of Pomona; south of Tomkins Cove and west of Garnerville...
(Haverstraw)
Tomkins CoveTomkins Cove is an unincorporated hamlet in the Town of Stony Point Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Stony Point; east of Harriman State Park; south of Doodletown and west of the Hudson River. It is located north-northwest of New York City. The population is approximately...
(Stony Point)
Valley CottageValley Cottage is a hamlet , in the Town of Clarkstown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of West Nyack; east of New City; south of Congers and west of Upper Nyack...
(Clarkstown)
ViolaViola is a hamlet , in the Town of Ramapo Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Airmont; east of Montebello; south of Wesley Hills and west of Hillcrest...
(Ramapo)
West NyackWest Nyack is a hamlet in the Town of Clarkstown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Central Nyack; east of Nanuet; south of Valley Cottage and west of Upper Nyack. It is approximately 18 miles north of New York City...
(Clarkstown)
Upper Grandview (Orangetown) |
According to the 2010 census, these nine Rockland communities have a population exceeding 10,000 people:
| Neighborhood | Population |
| Haverstraw Village |
11,910 |
| Monsey |
18,412 |
| Nanuet |
17,882 |
| New City |
33,559 |
| Pearl River |
15,876 |
| Spring Valley |
31,347 |
| Stony Point |
15,059 |
| Suffern |
10,723 |
| West Haverstraw |
10,165 |
These four Rockland communities have a median household income of $100,000 a year or more:
- Grand View-on-Hudson, a village with a median household income = $130,747
- Montebello, a village with a median household income = $116,600
- Pomona, a village with a median household income = $103,608
- Haverstraw, a village with a median household income= 24,000
Education
- This county is home to several Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Award
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created in 1981 to honor schools which have achieved high levels of performance or significant improvements with emphasis on schools serving disadvantaged students. The program centers around a self-assessment conducted by the...
winners awarded by the U.S. Department of Education.
- In (2000–2001), Liberty Elementary School in Valley Cottage. Semi-finalists in (2004).
- In 2007, Strawtown Elementary School in West Nyack.
- In 2008, Franklin Avenue Elementary School in Pearl River.
- In 2009, George W. Miller Elementary School in Nanuet.
- In 2011, Pearl River Middle School in Pearl River.
Colleges & universities
The county is home to several colleges and universities including
St. Thomas Aquinas CollegeSt. Thomas Aquinas College is a private four-year liberal arts college in Rockland County, New York that occupies a forty-eight acre campus. Located at 125 Route 340 in Sparkill, New York, the college is named after the medieval philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas...
,
Rockland Community CollegeRockland Community College is a two-year college in the State University of New York system, located in hamlet of Viola within the Village of Suffern from the Town of Ramapo in Rockland County, New York. The college began in 1959 in the former county almshouse. The college offers 48 programs and...
,
Long Island UniversityLong Island University is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution of higher education in the U.S. state of New York.-History:...
,
Dominican CollegeThere are several current and former institutions of higher learning named Dominican College.-Higher education:*Dominican College , a four-year private college in Orangeburg, New York...
, the
Columbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
's Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, and others.
Sports
Former Yankee catcher
John FlahertyJohn Timothy Flaherty is a television baseball broadcaster and a retired Major League Baseball player. Flaherty was a catcher, and last played in the major leagues for the New York Yankees.-Early life:...
of Pearl River, Clarkstown resident Michael Aglialoro (president of Clarkstown Education Foundation) and Stephen Mulvey (whose family once owned a piece of the
Brooklyn-Los Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
) founded the
Rockland BouldersThe Rockland Boulders is an American professional baseball team based in Pomona, New York in the County of Rockland. It is a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, also known as the Can-Am League...
in 2011, a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball. The team, owned by Bottom 9 Baseball, play their home games at the new 4,350-seat/16 suite
Provident Bank ParkProvident Bank Park is a stadium in Ramapo, New York. It is primarily used for baseball and is the home field of the Rockland Boulders Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball independent minor league baseball team. It was opened on June 16, 2011, a 3-1 win against the Brockton...
.
Highway
The county is served by several major highways, including
Interstate 87Interstate 87 is a Interstate Highway located entirely within New York State in the United States of America. I-87 is the longest intrastate Interstate highway in the Interstate Highway System. Its southern end is at the Bronx approaches of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City...
/
287Interstate 287 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. It is a partial beltway around New York City, serving the northern half of New Jersey and the counties of Rockland and Westchester in New York...
New York Thruway, opening from
SuffernSuffern is a village in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the State of New Jersey; east of Hillburn; south of Montebello and west of Airmont...
to
YonkersYonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
in 1955. The
Tappan Zee BridgeThe Governor Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge, usually referred to as Tappan Zee Bridge, is a cantilever bridge in New York over the Hudson River at one of its widest points; the Tappan Zee is named for an American Indian tribe from the area called "Tappan"; and zee being the Dutch word for "sea"....
also opened the same year, finally connecting Rockland and Westchester, allowing the population in Rockland to grow rapidly over the next several decades. The
Palisades Interstate ParkwayThe Palisades Interstate Parkway is a long limited-access highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. The parkway is a major commuter route into New York City from Rockland and Orange counties in New York and Bergen County in New Jersey...
, built by master planner
Robert MosesRobert Moses was the "master builder" of mid-20th century New York City, Long Island, Rockland County, and Westchester County, New York. As the shaper of a modern city, he is sometimes compared to Baron Haussmann of Second Empire Paris, and is one of the most polarizing figures in the history of...
between 1947 and 1958, connects the county directly to the
George Washington BridgeThe George Washington Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Hudson River, connecting the Washington Heights neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City to Fort Lee, Bergen County, New Jersey. Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1/9 cross the river via the bridge. U.S...
due south. Another vital artery, the
Garden State ParkwayThe Garden State Parkway is a 172.4-mile limited-access toll parkway that stretches the length of New Jersey from the New York line at Montvale, New Jersey, to Cape May at New Jersey's southernmost tip. Its name refers to New Jersey's nickname, the "Garden State." Most New Jersey residents refer...
, opened in 1955 connecting
New JerseyNew 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...
to I-87/287.
NY 17New 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...
NY 45New York State Route 45 is a north–south state highway in central Rockland County, New York, United States. It spans from the village of Chestnut Ridge at the New Jersey – New York border, where it becomes County Route 73 in Bergen County, New Jersey, to U.S. Route 202 in...
NY 106County Route 106 is the continuation of Orange County Route 106 in Rockland County, New York. The route is long and heads east–west through Harriman State Park. The route originated as New York State Route 210 and as County Highway 416 back in the 1920s and 1930s...
NY 210New York State Route 210 is a state highway in Orange County, New York, in the United States. It runs north from the New Jersey state line—where it continues south as Passaic County Route 511 —along the west shore of Greenwood Lake to the eponymous village of Greenwood Lake, where it...
NY 303New York State Route 303 is a north–south state highway in eastern Rockland County, New York, in the United States. It begins at the New Jersey state line in the hamlet of Tappan and ends later at an intersection with U.S. Route 9W in Clarkstown...
NY 304New York State Route 304 is a New York State Route that is entirely located in Central Rockland County. NY 304 begins at the New Jersey-New York border in Pearl River, New York, and ends at US 9W. Though it crosses both the New York State Thruway and the Palisades Interstate...
NY 306New York State Route 306 is a north–south state highway in western Rockland County, New York in the United States. NY 306 runs from NY 59 in the hamlet of Monsey to U.S. Route 202 in Ladentown, on the western boundary of the village of Pomona...
NY 340New York State Route 340 is a state highway in southeastern Rockland County, New York, in the United States. Though it is signed as an east–west route, it actually follows a north–south alignment. The southern terminus of the route is at the New Jersey state line in Palisades,...
US 9WU.S. Route 9W is a north–south U.S. Highway in the states of New Jersey and New York. It begins on Fletcher Avenue in Fort Lee, New Jersey as it crosses the US 1 & 9, US 46, and the Interstate 95 approaches to the George Washington Bridge, where it heads north up the west...
US 202U.S. Route 202 is a highway stretching from Delaware to Maine, also passing through the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire....
I-87Interstate 87 is a Interstate Highway located entirely within New York State in the United States of America. I-87 is the longest intrastate Interstate highway in the Interstate Highway System. Its southern end is at the Bronx approaches of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City...
/
I-287Interstate 287 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. It is a partial beltway around New York City, serving the northern half of New Jersey and the counties of Rockland and Westchester in New York...
/
NYSTThe 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...
PIPThe Palisades Interstate Parkway is a long limited-access highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. The parkway is a major commuter route into New York City from Rockland and Orange counties in New York and Bergen County in New Jersey...
GSPThe Garden State Parkway is a 172.4-mile limited-access toll parkway that stretches the length of New Jersey from the New York line at Montvale, New Jersey, to Cape May at New Jersey's southernmost tip. Its name refers to New Jersey's nickname, the "Garden State." Most New Jersey residents refer...
For further information
Bus
The
Transport of RocklandThe Transport of Rockland is the bus system for Rockland County, New York, providing service along major routes in Rockland County, as well as connections to Clarkstown Mini-Trans in Clarkstown, Spring Valley Jitney in Spring Valley, the Bee-Line Bus System in Westchester as well as connections to...
operates several local bus routes throughout the county, as well as an express bus route to Tarrytown ans White Plains in Westchester. TOR provides connections to other neighborhood bus operations –
(Minitrans) and connections to commuter lines, Rockland Coaches and Short Line providing service to Northern New Jersey and New York City.
Railroad
New Jersey TransitThe New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
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Metro-North RailroadThe 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 Line which stop at the Suffern Railroad Station and
Pascack Valley LineThe Pascack Valley Line is a commuter rail line operated by the Hoboken Division of New Jersey Transit. The line runs north from Hoboken, New Jersey through Bergen County and into Rockland County, New York, terminating at Spring Valley. Service within New York is operated under contract with...
which stops include Pearl River, Nanuet and Spring Valley in their respective hamlets and village of the same name. Connections on this line are available at Secaucus for service to Penn Station in midtown and service to
Meadowlands Sports ComplexThe MetLife Sports Complex is a sports and entertainment facility located in East Rutherford, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, owned and operated by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority...
in
East Rutherford, New JerseyEast Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
. The southern terminus of both lines is
Hoboken TerminalHoboken Terminal is one of the New York Metropolitan area's major transportation hubs. The commuter-oriented intermodal facility, is located on the Hudson River in Hoboken, New Jersey...
, where connections can be made to several NJ Transit bus lines, ferries, and
PATH trainsPATH, derived from Port Authority Trans-Hudson, is a rapid transit railroad linking Manhattan, New York City with Newark, Harrison, Hoboken and Jersey City in metropolitan northern New Jersey...
to the city.
Ferry
NY WaterwayNY Waterway, or New York Waterway, is a private transportation company running ferry and bus service in the Port of New York and New Jersey and in the Hudson Valley...
operates a ferry service between
HaverstrawHaverstraw is the name of two locations in Rockland County, New York:*Haverstraw, New York, a town*Haverstraw , New York, a village located entirely within the townIt may also refer to:*West Haverstraw, New York*Haverstraw Bay*Haverstraw Indians...
and
OssiningOssining is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 25,060 at the 2010 census. As a village, it is located in the Town of Ossining.-Geography:Ossining borders the eastern shores of the widest part of the Hudson River....
in Westchester County for the
Metropolitan Transportation AuthorityThe Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York is a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the U.S...
. Commuters are able to take the Transport of Rockland's Ferry Express route to the Haverstraw ferry terminal for service to
Metro-North'sThe 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...
Hudson Line service to
Grand Central.Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
Ferry service is typically suspended in the colder months when the Hudson freezes over, and commuters must take shuttle buses across the
Tappan Zee BridgeThe Governor Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge, usually referred to as Tappan Zee Bridge, is a cantilever bridge in New York over the Hudson River at one of its widest points; the Tappan Zee is named for an American Indian tribe from the area called "Tappan"; and zee being the Dutch word for "sea"....
.
Airports near Rockland
- New York – John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
, LaGuardia AirportLaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally...
, Westchester County AirportWestchester County Airport is a county-owned public-use airport in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located three nautical miles northeast of the central business district of White Plains, in the towns of Harrison, North Castle and Rye Brook.It serves the areas of...
, and Stewart International AirportStewart 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...
- New Jersey – Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport , first named Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport within the city limits of both Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States...
Media
Pollution
According to Scorecard.org, which integrates data from different sources including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in 2002, Rockland county ranked among the worst 10% in the United States in terms of air releases (1).
Recent EPA statistics show that a total of 66 facilities active today in rockland county are currently regulated (2). In Scorecard’s list of Top 10 polluters from 2002, the Lovett generating station, located in Tompkins Cove, is the top polluter, releasing 1,523,339 pounds of toxic emissions into the air (3).
Two studies, one in 2000 and the other in 2004, were issued by the Clean Air Task Force to study the impacts of power plant emissions in the United States. Data specific for Rockland county shows that a total of 2,150,800 dollars was paid in compensation for numerous illnesses caused by power plant pollution, including asthma attacks, heart attacks and death (4).
See also
External links
Pollution references
- (1) Rockland County’s general pollution report card: http://scorecard.goodguide.com/community/index.tcl?zip_code=10954&set_community_zipcode_cookie_p=t&x=0&y=0
- (2) Envirofacts Rockland county data sheet:http://oaspub.epa.gov/enviro/enviroFACTS.quickstart?minx=-74.03060&miny=41.09125&maxx=-73.99627&maxy=41.11066&cLat=41.10096&cLon=-74.01343&pSearch=10954#remote-tab-6
- (3) Scorecard’s Top ten polluters: http://scorecard.goodguide.com/community/who.tcl?fips_county_code=36087&name=ROCKLAND&zip_code=10954
- (4) Clean Air Task Force interactive map: http://www.catf.us/coal/problems/power_plants/existing/map.php?state=New_York