Monroe (town), New York
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Monroe is a town located in Orange County, New York. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 31,407. The town is named after President James Monroe.
The Town of Monroe contains a village called Monroe. The town is centrally located in the county.
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Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 55.1 km² (21.3 mi²). 52.0 km² (20.1 mi²) of it is land and 3.1 km² (1.2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 5.55% water.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 31,407 people, 8,228 households, and 6,878 families residing in the town. The population density is 603.6/km² (1,563.5/mi²). There are 8,517 housing units at an average density of 163.7/km² (424.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 94.91% White, 1.22% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 1.36% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 1.15% from other races, and 1.10% from two or more races. 4.91% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 8,228 households out of which 53.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.3% are married couples living together, 6.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 16.4% are non-families. 13.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 5.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.72 and the average family size is 4.14.
In the town the population is spread out with 41.5% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 16.2% from 45 to 64, and 5.8% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 22 years. For every 100 females there are 107.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 103.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $50,889, and the median income for a family is $54,315. Males have a median income of $51,125 versus $34,547 for females. The per capita income for the town is $16,569. 29.1% of the population and 22.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 39.6% of those under the age of 18 and 10.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
History
The town was part of the "Cheesecocks Patent." It was created in 1799 as the Town of Cheesecocks. The name became "Monroe" after 1818.
According to: William H. Belcher The Belcher Family in England and America (1941) ...
- The Cheesecocks Patent dated to December 20, 1702, was confirmed on March 25, 1707 by Queen Anne of England, and was the name that the Algonquin Indian had originally given to that territory of hills and mountains west of the Hudson River, more commonly known as The Highlands – Chis meaning High, and Kauk meaning Land ... The territory comprising the present town of Monroe is part of the Chesekook Patent granted in 1707. The town was set off from the precinct of Goshen in 1764 and named Chesekook. This name continued until 1801, when it was changed to Southfields. On April 6, 1808, it took its present name of Monroe. (Belcher, pp.68-9)
Quoting from Gen George Washington's daily journal:
- July 15 [1777]. To Sovereign (Suffern's or Suffren's) Tavern, near the entrance to Smith's Clove [named for the Hon William Smith, one of the original patentees]. On Sunday, July 20, 1777, Washington has moved on northward into the Ramapo Valley and to the place then known as Galloway's, which is now the village of Southfields. (Belcher, p. 81)
So that it would seem as though the town of Monroe started out as simply being called Cheescocks or the Cheesecocks Patent area, which remained largely wild prior to the Revolution.
Then parts of it began to be named after the earliest landowners such as the Smith's Clove area, which was named after William Smith, and then Galloway's, which was named after the settler who errected the log cabin that Washington temporarily called his home.
Then in 1801, the town's name was changed to Southfields, and then in 1808 the name of Munroe, which apparently was changed to Monroe in 1818 to honor the President of the same name.
Communities and locations in the Town of Monroe
- Harriman -- The Village of Harriman.
- Kiryas Joel -- The Village of Kiryas Joel is north of the Village of Monroe.
- Marycrest --
- Mombasha Lake --
- Monroe -- The Village of Monroe.
- Newburgh Junction --
- Round Lake --
- Walton Lake --
- Walton Park -- Part of the hamlet of Walton Park.
External link
- Town of Monroe, NY (http://www.monroeny.org)