Highlands, New York

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Highlands
Town of Highlands
U.S. Military Academy - Valley.JPG
Orange County New York incorporated and unincorporated areas Highlands highlighted.svg
Location in Orange County and the state of New York.
USA New York location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Highlands
Location within the state of New York
Coordinates: 41°21′36″N074°00′30″W / 41.36000°N 74.00833°W / 41.36000; -74.00833   [1]
Country United States
State New York
County Orange
Government
 (as of 2013) [2]
  Type Town Council
   Town Supervisor Bob Livsey (D)
   Town Council
Members' List
Area
[3]
  Total33.46 sq mi (86.65 km2)
  Land30.40 sq mi (78.73 km2)
  Water3.06 sq mi (7.93 km2)  9.15%
Elevation
[1]
1,017 ft (310 m)
Population
 (2020) [4]
  Total12,939
  Density425.67/sq mi (164.35/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
  Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
FIPS code [5] [6] 36-34550
GNIS feature ID [5] [6] 979067
Website highlands-ny.gov

Highlands is a town on the eastern border of Orange County, New York. The population was 12,939 at the 2020 census. [4] West Point, including the United States Military Academy, is located alongside the Hudson River in Highlands, and the military reservation occupies a large part of the town.

Contents

History

The town was first settled circa 1725 by John Moore, a patentee for this territory. During the American Revolution, colonial forces constructed Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton to obstruct enemy progress on the river. Highlands was created from the town of Cornwall in 1872, making it one of the last towns formed in the county.

Geography

Highlands is located at 41°21′36″N074°00′30″W / 41.36000°N 74.00833°W / 41.36000; -74.00833 (41.3601108, -74.0084276) and its elevation is 1,017 feet (310 m). [1] According to the 2020 U.S. census, the town has a total area of 33.46 square miles (86.66 km2), of which 30.40 square miles (78.74 km2) is land and 3.06 square miles (7.93 km2) is water. [3] Part of the southern town line is the border of Rockland County. The eastern town boundary is the border of Putnam County, marked by the Hudson River.

US-9W and NY-218 are important north-south highways. NY-293 intersects these, west of the military academy.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1880 3,404
1890 4,09920.4%
1900 4,51910.2%
1910 6,13335.7%
1920 6,1360.0%
1930 7,05715.0%
1940 9,30731.9%
1950 10,46712.5%
1960 11,99014.6%
1970 14,66122.3%
1980 14,004−4.5%
1990 13,667−2.4%
2000 12,484−8.7%
2010 12,4920.1%
2020 12,9393.6%
U.S. Decennial Census [7]

As of the census [8] of 2000, there were 12,484 people, 3,230 households, and 2,322 families residing in the town. The population density was 404 inhabitants per square mile (156/km2). There were 3,418 housing units at an average density of 110.6 per square mile (42.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 75.18% White, 13.16% African American, .49% Native American, 2.68% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 2.27% from other races, and 3.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.71% of the population.

There were 3,230 households, out of which 43.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.6% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.32.

The age distribution is 22.8% under the age of 18, 32.1% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 12.2% from 45 to 64, and 6.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females, there were 147.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 162.2 males. These statistics are consistent with the presence of the West Point military base in general, and the Academy in particular.

The median income for a household in the town was $52,816, and the median income for a family was $59,345. Males had a median income of $23,491 versus $27,406 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,830. About 2.8% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in the Town of Highlands

Crow's Nest reflecting in the Hudson River Crow's Nest Mountain reflection in Hudson.JPG
Crow's Nest reflecting in the Hudson River

Government in Highlands

Highlands is represented in the Orange County legislature by Laurie Tautel (D).

Education

Most of Highlands is in Highland Falls-Fort Montgomery Central School District. A portion to the southwest is in the Haverstraw-Stony Point Central School District (North Rockland). [9] James I. O'Neill High School is the high school of the Highland Falls-Fort Montgomery portion while North Rockland High School is the high school for the North Rockland part.

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) maintains elementary and middle schools for children of military personnel on-post at USMA, [10] but sends high school aged students who are dependents of on-base military personnel to O'Neill. [11] In March 2022 USMA's contract with O'Neill was renewed. [12]

There was also a parochial school in Highland Falls, Sacred Heart of Jesus School (of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York), that served students in grades pre-kindergarten through eight. The school opened in 1930 and closed in 2011. [13] The archdiocese suggested that parents send their children to St. Gregory Barbarigo School in Garnerville. [14]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Town of Highlands". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  2. "Supervisor and Town Board members". Town of Highlands. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  3. 1 2 "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  4. 1 2 "QuickFacts: Highlands town, Orange County, New York". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  5. 1 2 "County Subdivisions: New York". 2010 Census Gazetteer Files . United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (TXT) on May 17, 2014. Retrieved January 15, 2013.{{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
  6. 1 2 "FIPS55 Data: New York". FIPS55 Data . United States Geological Survey. February 23, 2006. Archived from the original (TXT) on October 19, 2006.{{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
  7. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  8. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  9. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Orange County, NY" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  10. "West Point Community". Department of Defense Education Activity . Retrieved July 4, 2022. - Elementary site and Middle site
  11. Wang, Helu (September 27, 2021). "Could Highland Falls lose its West Point students?". Times Herald-Record . Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  12. Randall, Mike (March 21, 2022). "Highland Falls' contract to educate West Point high school students is renewed". Times Herald-Record . Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  13. Randall, Michael (January 21, 2011). "Sacred Heart school's supporters down to the last Hail Mary". Times Herald Record . Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  14. Randall, Michael (January 14, 2011). "Parents bid to save Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Highland Falls". Times Herald Record . Retrieved July 6, 2022.