Fallsburg is a town in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The town is in the eastern part of the county. The population was 14,192 at the 2020 census.[2] It is not to be confused with the hamlet of Fallsburg which bears a similar name and is within the town of Fallsburg.
History
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]
Geography
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]
Education
Primary and secondary schools
The Fallsburg Central School District serves the town of Fallsburg. The district is the "Home of the Comets".[21] Schools in the district include Benjamin Cosor Elementary School and Fallsburg Junior Senior High School.[22]
There are numerous summer day camps and summer sleepaway camps in the township. Lansman's Day Camp. located on Murphy Road in Woodbourne, New York, is the longest continuous operating day camp in Sullivan County. The day camp first opened its doors in the summer of 1949. LDC has an eight-week session starting the end of June. Lesser periods of half season and weekly sessions are available. Age ranges from three (nursery) to "senior" campers at 13 and 14 years old.
Public libraries
The Fallsburg Library serves the town and is located in South Fallsburg. It has been in operation since 1991.[28]
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]
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]
