Wappingers Falls, New York

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Wappingers Falls, New York
Historic buildings downtown
Historic buildings downtown
Wappingers Falls, New York (New York)
Wappingers Falls, New York
Wappingers Falls, New York
Location within the state of New York
Coordinates: 41°35′57″N 73°55′5″W / 41.59917, -73.91806
Country United States
State New York
County Dutchess
Area
 - Total 1.2 sq mi (3.1 km²)
 - Land 1.1 sq mi (3.0 km²)
 - Water 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km²)
Elevation 154 ft (47 m)
Population (2000)
 - Total 4,929
 - Density 4,321.4/sq mi (1,668.5/km²)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 12590
Area code(s) 845
FIPS code 36-78168[1]
GNIS feature ID 0968775[2]
For the Native American tribe, see Wappani.

Wappingers Falls is a village in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 4,929 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the local Wappinger Indians.

One half of the Village of Wappingers Falls is in the Town of Wappinger and the other half is in the Town of Poughkeepsie. Wappinger Creek forms the dividing line between the Towns of Poughkeepsie and Wappinger within the Village.

US 9 passes through the village, as well as NY 9D.

The area code is 845 and the phone exchanges are AXminster-6, AXminster-7 and AXminster-8

The Village of Wappinger also holds claim to the nation's 6th oldest library, the Grinnell Library

Contents

[edit] History

The area was part of the Rombout Patent. The community was founded around 1659. The Village of Wappingers Falls was incorporated in 1871 and included the adjacent community of Channingville.

The local waterfall was important for early industrial development.

The accusations of Tawana Brawley, then a Wappingers Falls resident, that she was raped there in 1987 gained national prominence.

In another case getting national attention, the defendant in Elektra v. Santangelo, one of the cases where the recording industry attempted legal action against alleged song-file traders, is a Wappingers Falls resident.

[edit] Geography

Wappingers Falls is located at 41°35′57″N, 73°55′5″W (41.599093, -73.918077)[3].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), of which, 1.1 square miles (3.0 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (4.96%) is water.

Wappinger Creek flows through the village.

As mentioned above, one half (closer to 2/3) of the Village of Wappingers Falls is located within the Town of Wappinger. However the large post office which services both municipalities is located in the Village of Wappingers Falls. Thus both the Village of Wappingers Falls and the Town of Wappinger (as well as portions of Fishkill, East Fishkill, Poughkeepsie and Lagrange)all have the same zip code; WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY 12590. This often results in confusion. The Town of Wappinger is 28 square miles. Truckers and travelers often attempt to locate an address in the 1.2 square mile Village of Wappingers Falls when the location they are actually seeking is somewhere in the much larger Town of Wappinger (or portions of Fishkill, East Fishkill, Poughkeepsie and Lagrange).

[edit] Demographics

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 4,929 people, 1,980 households, and 1,191 families residing in the village. The population density was 4,321.4 people per square mile (1,669.4/km²). There were 2,119 housing units at an average density of 1,857.8/sq mi (717.7/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 82.02% White, 5.98% African American, 0.26% Native American, 3.04% Asian, 5.64% from other races, and 3.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.05% of the population.

There were 1,980 households out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.5% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the village the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $39,123, and the median income for a family was $50,000. Males had a median income of $38,147 versus $26,607 for females. The per capita income for the village was $20,491. About 10.4% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.1% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Transportation

Bus transportation is provided by the Dutchess County LOOP bus system. Metro North's Hudson Line has a railway station at New Hamburg, which is at the termination of CR-28 (Old Hopewell Rd). Some of the other county roads in Wappingers Falls include (i) East-West: CR 93 - Myers Corners Rd, CR 104 - New Hackensack Road, CR - 77 Vassar Road and (ii) North-South: CR 94 All Angels Hill Rd, CR 110 - Jackson Rd. NY 376, NY 82, RT-9 and RT-9D pass through Wappingers Falls as well. Numerous strip malls and restaurants line both sides of US 9 in the Wappingers Falls area.

Again there is confusion because of the zip code situation cited above. Old Hopewell Road is in the Town of Wappinger. Myers Corners Road is in the Town of Wappinger. Only about 500 feet of New Hackensack Road is in the Village of Wappingers Falls. Vassar Road is in the Town of Poughkeepsie. All Angels Hill Road is in the Town of Wappinger. Jackson Road is in the Town of Wappinger and the Town of Poughkeepsie. NY 376 runs through several municipalities but not the Village of Wappingers Falls. NY 82 runs through several municipalities but not the Village of Wappingers Falls.

[edit] Fictional links

In Ward Moore's 1953 alternate history novel Bring the Jubilee, the protagonist, Hodgins M. Backmaker, is a native of Wappingers Falls.

[edit] Books

  • Gianpaolo Zeni, En Merica! L'emigrazione della gente di Magasa e Valvestino in America, Cooperativa Il Chiese, Storo 2005.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  2. ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  3. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.

[edit] External links