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Kinderhook, New York

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Kinderhook
Town
Kinderhook, NY
Kinderhook, NY
Location of Kinderhook, New York
Location of Kinderhook, New York
CountryUnited States
StateNew York
CountyColumbia
Settled1750
Established1788
Government
 • TypeTown Council
 • Town SupervisorPatrick M. Grattan (R)
 • Town Council
Members' List
Area
 • Total32.4 sq mi (84.0 km2)
 • Land31.8 sq mi (82.4 km2)
 • Water0.6 sq mi (1.5 km2)
Elevation
239 ft (73 m)
Population
 (2010)[1]
 • Total8,498
 • Density260/sq mi (100/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
12106
Area code518
FIPS code36-39573
GNIS feature ID0979116
WebsiteTown of Kinderhook

Kinderhook is a town in the northern part of Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 8,498 at the 2010 census.[1] The name of the town means "Children's Corner" in the language of the original Dutch settlers (Kinderhoek). The town of Kinderhook contains two villages, one of which is also named Kinderhook, where the eighth President of the USA, Martin Van Buren was born; the other is the village of Valatie. In addition, the town contains the hamlet of Niverville, including Kinderhook Lake.

History

In 1609 Henry Hudson sailed as far north as Kinderhook on his exploration of the Hudson River and named the location "Kinderhoek".[2] Kinderhook signifies in the Dutch tongue "the children's corner," and is supposed to have been applied to this locality, in 1609, on account of the many Indian children who had assembled on one of the bluffs along the river to see his strange vessel (the 'Half Moon') sailing up stream.[3] Another version says that a Swede named Scherb, living in the forks of an Indian trail in the present town of Stuyvesant, had such a numerous family of children that the name of Kinderhook was used by the Dutch traders to designate that locality.[citation needed] Hudson had mixed dealing with the local Mohican natives, ranging from peaceful trade to minor skirmishes. As the Dutch attempted to colonize the area, further warfare broke out with the natives.

Kinderhook was settled before 1651,[4] and established in 1788.[5] The town of Kinderhook was founded in 1788 from a previously created district (1772), but lost substantial territory to form part of the town of Chatham in 1775. Kinderhook was one of the original towns of Columbia County. More of Kinderhook was lost to form the town of Ghent in 1818 and the town of Stuyvesant in 1823.[6]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 32.4 square miles (84.0 km²), of which, 31.8 square miles (82.4 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.5 km²) of it (1.82%) is water, including Kinderhook Lake, Kinderhook Creek, and the waterfalls of Valatie.

The north town line is the border of Rensselaer County.

Kinderhook Creek is an important stream in the town. US Route 9 and U.S. Highway Route 9H pass through the town.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,296 people, 3,165 households, and 2,247 families residing in the town. The population density was 260.6 people per square mile (100.6/km²). There were 3,434 housing units at an average density of 107.9 per square mile (41.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.31% White, 0.68% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.33% from other races, and 0.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.41% of the population.[1]

There were 3,165 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.01.[1]

In the town the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.[1]

The median income for a household in the town was $52,604, and the median income for a family was $61,074. Males had a median income of $41,386 versus $27,880 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,259. About 2.8% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.[1]

Arts and culture

Tourism

President Martin Van Buren's retirement home, Lindenwald, is in the town of Kinderhook.[7][8] The Van Alen House, a National Historic Landmark (c.1737), is thought to be author Washington Irving's inspiration for the "Van Tassel family" farm in his classic story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, as Irving — a friend of Martin Van Buren — was a frequent visitor and sometime resident to the area.[9] The Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse is in Kinderhook and now sits on the Van Alen property. The schoolhouse is an 18th century rural farmhouse and is a National Historic Landmark.[10] [11]

The "James Vanderpoel House" in Kinderhook was built around 1820 and is an example of Federal architecture.[12][13] The "Old Columbia Academy" was an early Dutch school established on March 13, 1787. The school was renamed "Kinderhook Academy" on April 3, 1824.[14]

Government

Patrick Grattan is the Town Supervisor. He was elected in November 2009. He defeated incumbent Supervisor Douglas McGivney by a 2-1 margin.

Notable people

Communities and locations in the town

Trivia

Movies filmed in Kinderhook

Music

Other

  • One of the linguistic legends of the word Okay has its origin during Martin Van Buren's campaign as an abbreviation of "Old Kinderhook" or "O.K.".
  • American actor Sidney Poitier's children went to school in Kinderhook

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  2. ^ Collier, Edward Augustus (1914). A History of Old Kinderhook from Aboriginal Days to the Present Time: Including the Story of the Early Settlers, Their Homesteads, Their Traditions, and Their Descendants; with an Account of Their Civic, Social, Political, Educational, and Religious Life. G. P. Putnam's sons. p. 2. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  3. ^ "Town of Kinderhook New York". Town of Kinderhook, New York. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
  4. ^ A History of Old Kinderhook by Edward A Collier, D.D., G.P. Putman & Sons, 1914, p 44.
  5. ^ "Points of Interest". Town of Kinderhook New York. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  6. ^ "History". Columbia County, New York. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
  7. ^ "Martin Van Buren". National Park Service. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  8. ^ "Martin Van Buren National Historic Site Lindenwald New York". National Park Service. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  9. ^ "Van Alen House receives $2.25K for new signs". Columbia-Greene Media,. Retrieved July 23, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  10. ^ "Columbia County Historical Sites". Columbia County. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  11. ^ Buff, Sheila (2009). Insiders' Guide® to the Hudson River Valley. Globe Pequot. p. 26. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  12. ^ Buff, Sheila (2009). Insiders' Guide® to the Hudson River Valley. Globe Pequot. p. 26. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  13. ^ "James Vanderpoel House". Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  14. ^ "Points of Interest". Town of Kinderhook New York. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  15. ^ "An Ill-Timed Candidate Believes His Time Is Now". The New York Times. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  16. ^ "GIBSON, Christopher, (1964 - )". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  17. ^ "Kinderhook, New York". City-Data.com. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  18. ^ "Connecticut's Sleepy Hollow". ConnecticutHistory.org. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  19. ^ "Kinderhook, New York". City-Data.com. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  20. ^ "Martin Van Buren Slept Here". The New York Times. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  21. ^ "Kinderhook, New York". City-Data.com. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  22. ^ "SICKLES, Nicholas, (1801 - 1845)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  23. ^ "VAN ALEN, John Evert, (1749 - 1807)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress,. Retrieved July 31, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  24. ^ "Kinderhook, New York". City-Data.com. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  25. ^ "Kinderhook, New York". City-Data.com. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  26. ^ Newman, Roger K. (2009). The Yale Biographical Dictionary of American Law. Yale University Press. p. 560. Retrieved 23 July 2014.


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