Monticello is a village located in the Town of Thompson in Sullivan County, New York. The population was 6,512 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Sullivan County. The village was named after the residence of Thomas Jefferson, but is pronounced as "mon-tah-sell-oh".

The Village of Monticello is in the central part of the town, adjacent to New York Route 17. Monticello is the largest village in the county.

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Pre-Civil War history

On March 20, 1801, an act was passed authorizing the building of a new turnpike road from the Hudson River to the Delaware through what was then Ulster and Orange Counties. There were two important reasons for this undertaking. One was to facilitate travel between Newburgh and the rich coalfields of Pennsylvania and the other was to provide a suitable passage for large droves of cattle and wood products taken from the virgin forests of Sullivan County. The proposed Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike ultimately brought about the found­ing of the village of Monticello.

Two brothers, Samuel F. Jones and John Patterson Jones, built Monticello. The turnpike company entrusted Samuel F. Jones to ex­plore the vast forests west of the Mamakating valley to find the best route for the new turnpike. While so en­gaged, Mr. Jones foresaw that Ulster County would un­dergo many changes and growth when the new turnpike was completed, He also realized that because of this growth a new county would ultimately be formed out of the southwestern part of the county. He predicted the county seat for this new county would be located along the new turnpike. Re­turning home, Samuel related his predictions and vision to his younger brother, John.

John joined his brother and in the early part of 1803, they bought two tracts of wilderness totaling 1861 acres for which they paid $4,613. Since Samuel was occupied surveying the route for the new turnpike, it was left to John to start making immediate im­provements to their land. John arrived later that year with eleven men, and after putting up a temporary shelter east of Monticello, they commenced working on a sawmill. The work halted when the brothers returned to their New Lebanon, Connecticut, home for the winter but resumed the following spring. John returned to his work on their lands in early April 1804, while Samuel continued work­ing for the turnpike company. After John put the sawmill in operation, he started clearing and seeding the land west of Monticello. He also built a gristmill that was used mostly for grinding their grain.

The final route for the Newburgh-Cochecton Turnpike was determined that spring, and it was precisely where Samuel Jones wanted it. The brothers then deter­mined where to build their intended city. It was at this time that the name Monticello was given to the planned village. The brothers were ardent admirers of Thomas Jefferson, who invented the word from two Latin words meaning "heavenly mountain", which Mr. Jefferson gave to his home place.

Before the log house was built in Monticello or the first tree cut, the farseeing brothers first surveyed their planned village, laying out broad streets and a central park. Trees were marked to indicate the lines. Conse­quently, Monticello became a grand town with wide streets, magnificent shade trees, and a beautiful "public square." In addition, as Samuel Jones planned, the Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike ran straight through the village.

As an inducement to inhabit their village, the brothers offered one-acre lots to anyone who would build and settle there. Advertisements were inserted into many newspapers of southern counties that enticed many to take advantage of their offer. One of these pioneers was Platt Pelton of Putnam County, a tanner by trade, who came to Monticello in 1804. He built a sawmill and a temporary shanty. The following year erected the second house in Monticello. In 1805, John P. Jones built a black­smith shop and Miles Curtis put up a house. Sometime that summer Curtis Lindsley commenced building a hotel, where later the county court would be held until a court­house was built.

On March 27, 1809, by an act of the Legislature, Sullivan County was created from part of Ulster. In June the new county government was organized and John P. Jones became the first County Clerk. He was later elected state senator and held several other public offices. Samuel F. Jones became one of the county's first judges and in 1811, when a postal route went into operation from Newburgh to Ithaca, Samuel became Monticello's first post­master.

David Hammond, who became an active business­man in the village, came to Monticello in 1805 or 1806. In 1811, he built the Mansion House. Eli Fairchild came to Monticello in 1815. He built the first iron foundry on Main St. and a gristmill and sawmill on the Cold Spring Road. All his businesses were conducted successfully for many years. Ephraim Lyon Burnham came to Monticello about this time and established a large tannery, which was later owned by Strong, Starr and Company.

By 1813, there were twenty houses in Monticello as well as various places of business. The village was incorporated on April 20, 1830.

On the 13th of January, 1844, a great fire swept the county seat destroying, with other structures, the county's buildings.

On August 14, 1862, Mr. John C. Holley received authority to recruit a regiment in Sullivan County, which was organized at Monticello, with David P. DeWitt as Colonel, and there mustered in the service of the United States for three years October 8, 1862.

The regiment left the state October 14, 1862; it served in the defenses of Washington in the 3rd Brigade, Abercrombie's Division, from October 16, 1862; in 3d, Hughston's, Brigade, Gurney's Division, Department of Virginia, at Suffolk, Virginia, from April, 1863; in the 1st Brigade, Gordon's Division, of 7th Corps, from May, 1863; of 4th Corps, from June, 1863; in the 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 11th Corps, from July 14, 1863; in the 3d Brigade, 1st Division, 20th Corps, from April, 1864; in the 2d Brigade, Bartlett's Division, 22d Corps, from June 30, 1865; and, under Col. Horace Boughton, it was honorably discharged and mustered out July 20, 1865, at and near Washington, D.C.

During its service the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 3 officers, 13 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 2 officers, 25 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 1 officer, 177 enlisted men; total, 6 officers, 215 enlisted men; aggregate, 221; of whom 3 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy; the large loss by accident (9), was principally caused by a railroad accident on March 20, 1863

Post-Civil War history

Even though the village grew a great deal from the turnpike, the village was not as fortu­nate with the railroad. Although one survey for the Erie Railroad went to Monticello, when the final route was determined it did not go near the village. Later when the Midland Railroad (later the O&W) was built through Sullivan County, it too missed Monticello by going through Fallsburg five miles away.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 10.5 km?(4.1 mi?, all land.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,512 people, 2,554 households, and 1,460 families residing in the village. The population density was 617.8/km?(1,601.5/mi?. There were 3,758 housing units at an average density of 356.5/km?(924.2/mi?.

There were 2,554 households out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.9% were married couples living together, 21.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.8% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living independently who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the village the population was spread out with 28.3% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.

Famous people born in Monticello

• Monticello was the birthplace of Stanley Finch, the first director of the Bureau of Investigation, which is now the FBI.

• Monticello was the birthplace of actor Hank Garrett star of Car 54, Where Are You?.

• Monticello was the birthplace of Chief Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals Judith Kaye

• Monticello was the birthplace and home of former Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals, Lawrence C. Cooke.

Interesting facts

• The town hosts the three leading Sullivan County radio stations. WSUL 98.3 FM, WVOS 1240 AM and Country 95.9 WVOS-FM.

• The local bus station is served by Coach USA ShortLine, and the station acts as a hub for the entire area.

• The village is also is the seat for the Town of Thompson.

• Monticello is famous for its Monticello Raceway which attracted people from all over the northeast in its heyday. Now the Raceway has turned into a Racino, hosting electronic slot machines as well as horse racing. Just seven miles away from the Raceway is Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival.

According to the US Postal Service, Monticello, its neighborhoods, and/or surrounding areas are also referred to as: Forestburg or Forestburgh