Fallsburg, New York

On March 9, 1826, the New York State Legislature passed an act establishing the town of Fallsburg. The town was created from parts of the towns of Thompson and Neversink. Fallsburg takes its name from a waterfall on the Neversink River and was established in 1826.[3] One month later, on April 4, the first town meeting was held in the schoolhouse where the hamlet of Fallsburg is today.

The Neversink River runs from north to south through the town and played an important role in its early development. In the late 1780s, the valley above the falls on the Neversink was known as having fertile and cheap land. This brought an influx of settlers from Ulster County. By 1800, the upper areas along the river were well settled by the people in the already existing towns and by newcomers.

The region was primarily a farming community during the first part of the 1800s. Life during this time was frugal. The long haul over the mountains to Kingston prevented a lot of trade, and it sometimes took 90 days for mail to reach Fallsburg from Kingston. When the Delaware and Hudson Canal opened in the area in 1828, it brought many changes. Now the nearest place to trade was Ellenville. Up until this time, Hasbrouck was the major settlement in the area. The upper Neversink River between Woodbourne and Hasbrouck was the most settled because of the right flatlands that were found along the river. In the 1790s, there were a number of sawmills and gristmills that were built to further establish the area. The hamlet was a major business area for many years with a variety of shops and stores and its own post office from 1846 to 1923.

The town, within the Catskill Mountains, is in the heart of a once-popular predominantly Jewish summer resort area known as the Borscht Belt.[4]

The eastern town line is the border of Ulster County. Fallsburg is bordered to the southeast by the town of Mamakating, to the south by the town of Thompson, to the west by the town of Liberty, to the north by the town of Neversink, and to the east by the town of Wawarsing.

The town has many small lakes, ponds, wooded areas, and former dairy farms.

Major bodies of water in the town include Loch Sheldrake (also known as Sheldrake Pond), Echo Lake, Evans Lake, Morningside Lake, Pleasure Lake, East Pond, and the Neversink River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 79.0 square miles (205 km²), of which 77.6 square miles (201 km²) are land and 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²) (1.73%) are water.

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 12,234 people, 3,761 households, and 2,478 families residing in the town. The population density was 157.6 inhabitants per square mile (60.8/km²). There were 6,661 housing units at an average density of 85.8 per square mile (33.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 75.19% White, 15.56% African American, 0.43% Native American, 1.17% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 5.04% from other races, and 2.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.53% of the population.

There were 3,761 households, out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.3% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 133.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 142.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $33,036, and the median income for a family was $39,216. Males had a median income of $31,949 versus $24,583 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,744. About 15.9% of families and 20.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.2% of those under age 18 and 14.0% of those age 65 or over.

Several parks and golf courses are located in the area, including Terry Brae Golf Course,[16] Lochmor Golf Course,[17] Pines Golf Course,[18] Morningside Park and Mountaindale Park.[19] International retreat center Shree Muktananda Ashram is also located in Fallsburg. The center provides a location for students of Siddha Yoga to practice the daily practices of sadhana.[20]

Two correctional facilities are located in the area and operated by the New York State Department of Correctional Services. Woodbourne Correctional Facility is a medium security men's prison located in the hamlet of Woodbourne, New York and Sullivan Correctional Facility is a maximum security prison for male inmates located in Fallsburg.[29]

• Francis S. Currey – former United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II. Grew up in Hurleyville in a dairy farming family.[30]
• Gavin DeGraw – singer[31][32]
• Joey DeGraw, singer-songwriter[33]
• Sari Feldman, librarian[34]
• Andrew Neiderman – former English teacher at Fallsburg Central High School. Prolific author of horror novels, including The Devil's Advocate, made into a movie starring Al Pacino.[35]
• Rufus Palen– U.S. congressman, grew up in Fallsburg[36]
• Joseph "Diamond Jo" Reynolds– steamship tycoon, born in Fallsburg[37]
• Allen Young – writer, grew up in Glen Wild[38]

• Divine Corners – A location north of Loch Sheldrake. Home to many bungalow colonies.
• Fallsburg – The hamlet of Fallsburg, formerly known as "Neversink Falls" or "Old Falls," or "Fallsburgh", is on Route 42.
• Glen Wild – A hamlet by the southern town line.
• Hasbrouck – A hamlet in the northern part of the town.
• Hurleyville – A hamlet formerly called "Luzon Station."
• Loch Sheldrake – A hamlet in the northwestern part of the town on Route 52.
• Mountain Dale – A hamlet in the southeastern part of the town, formerly called "Sandburg."
• South Fallsburg – A hamlet by the western town line.
• Woodridge – The Village of Woodridge. Formerly known as "Centreville."
• Woodbourne – A hamlet on Route 52 north of Fallsburg hamlet.
• Woodbourne Correctional Facility – A New York prison south of Woodbourne.
• Shree Muktananda Ashram is located on Brickman Road. It is the Western headquarters of the Siddha Yoga organisation.
• Gardnertown was a town between Fallsburg and Woodridge at the base of Olympic Hill. It no longer exists.

Characteristic evergreen forest at Fallsburg

Lake Nityananda, on the property of the Shree Muktananda Ashram, Fallsburg

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fallsburg, New York.

• Official website

41°44′N 74°36′W