Fishkill, New York 12524

Fishkill is a town in Dutchess County, New York. The population was 20,258 at the 2000 census. The name means "fish creek" in Dutch.

The Town of Fishkill also contains a village named Fishkill. The town is in the southwest part of the county, partly surrounding the City of Beacon.

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History

Fishkill was within the Rombout Patent of 1685. The town was first settled around 1709 near the mouth of Fishkill Creek.

In 1777, the first copies of the New York state constitution were printed in Fishkill.

The Town of Fishkill was created in 1788 as part of a general formation of towns in Dutchess County. Fishkill was reduced by the formation of the Towns of LaGrange (1821} and East Fishkill (1849).

A dispute about the name

In 1996 the animal rights group, PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, requested that the town change its name, claiming it could be construed to mean cruelty to fish. The request was declined. The kill part in the name is actually the Dutch word for stream or creek and is common in the names of many communities in the area, which was settled by the Dutch in the early 1600s.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 82.8 km?(32.0 mi?. 71.0 km?(27.4 mi? of it is land and 11.8 km?(4.6 mi? of it (14.26%) is water.

The south town line is the border of Putnam County, New York. The western town line is defined by the Hudson River and the City of Beacon.

Interstate 84 passes across the town, and US Route 9 passes through the town and the Village of Fishkill. Fishkill Creek gives the town its name and empties into the Hudson River.

The town also host Dutchess Stadium, home of the Class A Minor League Baseball Team, the Hudson Valley Renegades.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 20,258 people, 6,856 households, and 4,264 families residing in the town. The population density was 285.3/km?(738.9/mi?. There were 7,040 housing units at an average density of 99.1 persons/km?(256.8 persons/mi?.

There are 6,856 households out of which 27.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were married couples living together, 8.1% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 37.8% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the town the population was spread out with 18.3% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 38.1% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 135.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 142.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $52,745, and the median income for a family was $63,574.

Communities and locations in the Town of Fishkill

• Beacon Hills -- A hamlet southwest of Fishkill village and suburb of Beacon.
• Brinckerhoff -- A hamlet northeast of Fishkill village.
• Brockway -- A hamlet adjacent to the Hudson River, north of Beacon.
• Castle Point -- A location at the north town line.
• Dutchess Junction -- A hamlet south of the City of Beacon.
• Fishkill -- The Village of Fishkill on Route 9.
• Glenham -- A hamlet southwest of Fishkill village.
• Groveville -- A hamlet southwest of Fishkill village, a suburb of Beacon.
• Hudson Highlands State Park -- The north part of the state park is in the southwest part of the town.
• Maurerbrook -- A hamlet west of Fishkill village and location of the annual Maurerbrook luminaries.