Pine Plains (town), New York

The town was part of the Little Nine Partners Patent of 1706. The town was first settled around 1740 by Moravian missionaries to the native Mahican village of Shekomeko. The town of Pine Plains was formed from the town of North East in 1823.

In the 1880s the town served as the winter-home for P.T. Barnum's animals.[3] This was due to the rural, non-urban nature of the town (fewer prying eyes), and proximity to many different railroad lines.

In 1907, Walter W. Law moved Briarcliff Farms from Briarcliff Manor, New York, to Pine Plains and sold the property in 1918.[4] In 1916, New York banker Oakleigh Thorne and several business partners purchased large land parcels. They began breeding Angus cattle still in the name of Briarcliff Farm. The farm was broken up into several smaller farms in the late 1940s, and most lasted until the early 1980s, closing due to property taxes and poor economic conditions. Berkshire Stud purchased 550 acres (0.9 sq mi) there, starting in 1983.[5]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 31.2 square miles (80.7 km²), of which 30.6 square miles (79.2 km²) is land, and 0.58 square miles (1.5 km²), or 1.89%, is water.[6] The northern town line is the border of Columbia County.

Three small lakes lie west of Pine Plain's hamlet: Stissing Lake which is excellent for swimming, Thompson Pond which is dedicated to conservation for wildlife, and Twin Island Lake, known locally as "Mud Pond". Stissing Mountain, the town's highest point at 1,403 feet (428 m), is immediately to the west. It is formed of Precambrian gneiss that remains after numerous glaciation cycles have scoured and reformed the surrounding terrain.[7] The mountain itself is a permanent exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, showcasing its unique formation and flora/fauna of the area.[8]

The town recently enacted its first zoning ordinance after protracted review, discussion and community input.

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 2,569 people, 988 households, and 700 families residing in the town. The population density was 83.2 inhabitants per square mile (32.1/km²). There were 1,161 housing units at an average density of 37.6 per square mile (14.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.26% white, .90% black or African American, .66% Native American, .66% Asian, .47% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.36% of the population.

There were 988 households, out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% 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 3.03.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.9% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $43,125, and the median income for a family was $46,900. Males had a median income of $35,417 versus $26,645 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,259. About 5.7% of families and 9.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.0% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 or over.

• Bethel – A hamlet in the south-central part of town.
• Hammertown – A hamlet east of Pine Plains village.
• Mount Ross – A location in the northwestern corner of the town.
• Pachin Mills – A hamlet in the northern part of the town, near the Columbia County border.
• Pine Plains – The hamlet of Pine Plains, located in the center of the town.
• Pulver's Corners – A location in the northeastern section of the town.

• Graham-Brush Log House
• The Pines
• Stissing Mountain and Thompson Pond Preserve
• Evergreen Cemetery

Wassaic station on Metro-North Railroad's Harlem Line is located 13 miles south of Pine Plains.

From 1920 into the 1970s, Stissing Lake was the site of the Stissing Lake camps (boys' facilities on the east side, girls' on the west). There an adolescent, Jerry Herman, son of the owners, honed his musical skills during the 1940s, leading many years later to his Tony award-winning shows Hello, Dolly! and La Cage aux Folles, and other Broadway musicals such as the hit Mame. Pine Plains was the original home of Tri-Arts, located in the Carvel Theatre.[13]

Starting in 2016, talk of major renovations to a large town building started. The building would come to be known as Memorial Hall. Originally built in 1915 and serving as a theater for silent films, then as a first-run cinema, as well as vaudeville shows. In 1975 after the original foundation ran out of money, it was reconfigured into a number of different shops.[14] Slated to be completed by 2020, the space will serve as a new performing arts center and theatre.

In addition to several cattle farms, Pine Plains is also the home to many horse farms. Berkshire Stud farm which has had several horses race in the Kentucky Derby, including Audible who was foaled here in 2015.[15][16] The former Briarcliff farms location is also home to the current Mashomack Polo club which has been home to many cup events throughout its history.

• Philip Amelio, (1977–2005); actor and teacher
• Thomas Carvel, (1906–1990); Greek born American businessman of Carvel Ice Cream fame
• Lenora Champagne (b.?); American playwriter and actor
• Thom Christoper, (b. 1940); television and stage actor
• Matt Finley, (b. 1951); Brazilian Jazz musician
• Don Hastings, (b. 1934); actor of "As the World Turns" fame
• Priscilla Herdman, (b. 1948); American folk singer
• John Eric Herlitz, (1942–2008); car designer of Plymouth Barracuda fame
• Fred Hersch, (b.1955); Grammy nominated Jass pianist
• Eileen Hickey, (1945–1999); Dutchess County politician
• Evelyn Fox Keller, (b. 1936); Physicist and author
• Eleanora Knopf, (1883–1974); prominent American Geologist who spent many years studying Stissing Mountain in the town
• Tyler Lydon, (b. 1996); NBA Player who went to High School in Pine Plains
• Robert Lyons (b.1959); American director and playwriter
• George Morgan, (1816–1879); New York State politician
• William Snyder, (1864–1934); Head keeper at the Central Park Zoo
• Tim and Nina Zagat, (b. 1940 & b.1942); founders and publishers of Zagat Restaurant Surveys

• 
  Stissing Mountain and pond
• 
  Stissing Mountain fire tower
• 
  Graham-Brush Log House
• 
  The Pines
• 
  Briarcliff Farms
• 
  NY 199 East of Pine Plains
• 
  Church of St. Anthony
• 
  FDR with his dog fala on "sunset hill" overlooking Pine Plains

• Town of Pine Plains official website
• Pine Plains Free Library
• Pine Plains Fire Dept
• Little Nine Partners Historical Society: Pine Plains, Milan and Northeast
• Carvel Property Development