| Ulster County, New York | ||
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Location in the state of New York |
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New York's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | 1683 | |
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| Seat | Kingston | |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
1,161 sq mi (3,007 km²) 1,126 sq mi (2,916 km²) 34 sq mi (88 km²), 2.95% |
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| Population - (2010) - Density |
182,493 162/sq mi (62.5/km²) |
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| Website | www.co.ulster.ny.us | |
Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 (2007) are at 181,860 residents. The 2010 Census lists the population at 182,493. The county seat is the city of Kingston. It is part of the New York metropolitan area.
The county is named for the Irish province of Ulster, then an earldom of the Duke of York (later James II).
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The area of present day Ulster County was called Esopus by the first European settlers. In 1652 Thomas Chambers a freeholder from Rensselearwyck purchased land at Esopus and began trading there. In 1683, the Duke of York created twelve counties in his province. Ulster County was one of them. Its boundaries at that time included the present Sullivan County, and portions of the present Delaware, Orange, and Greene Counties.
In 1777, the capital of New York State (the first state capital of independent New York) was established at Kingston, though it was subsequently moved to Wawarsing when the British burned that city.
In 1797, portions of Otsego and Ulster Counties were split off to create Delaware County.
In 1798, the southernmost towns in Ulster County were moved into Orange County, to compensate Orange for breaking away the southernmost portion of that county in order to form Rockland County.
In 1800, portions of Albany and Ulster Counties were split off to create Greene County.
In 1809, Sullivan County was split off from Ulster County.
During the American Civil War volunteers were recruited from the more affluent families of the County to form the 139th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
Ulster County is in the southeast part of New York State, south of Albany, immediately west of the Hudson River. Much of the county is within the Catskill Mountains and the Shawangunk Ridge. Ulster County has Minnewaska State Park, Mohonk Preserve, Sundown State Park, VerNooykill State Forest, Witches Hole State Forest, and Shawangunk Ridge State Forest and Sam's Point Preserve, which includes rare dwarf pine trees and VerKeerderkill falls.
The highest point is Slide Mountain, at approximately 4,180 feet (1,270 m) above sea level. The lowest point is sea level along the Hudson River.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,161 square miles (3,010 km2), of which, 1,126 square miles (2,920 km2) of it is land and 34 square miles (88 km2) of it is water. The total area is 2.95% water.
The New York State Thruway Interstate 87 runs north-south through the county, carrying traffic to and from New York City and its surroundings.
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| Ulster County, New York |
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There are several hamlets located within each town.
| Historical populations | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 29,370 |
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| 1800 | 24,855 | −15.4% | |
| 1810 | 26,576 | 6.9% | |
| 1820 | 30,934 | 16.4% | |
| 1830 | 36,550 | 18.2% | |
| 1840 | 45,822 | 25.4% | |
| 1850 | 59,384 | 29.6% | |
| 1860 | 76,381 | 28.6% | |
| 1870 | 84,075 | 10.1% | |
| 1880 | 85,838 | 2.1% | |
| 1890 | 87,062 | 1.4% | |
| 1900 | 88,422 | 1.6% | |
| 1910 | 91,769 | 3.8% | |
| 1920 | 74,979 | −18.3% | |
| 1930 | 80,155 | 6.9% | |
| 1940 | 87,017 | 8.6% | |
| 1950 | 92,621 | 6.4% | |
| 1960 | 118,804 | 28.3% | |
| 1970 | 141,241 | 18.9% | |
| 1980 | 158,158 | 12.0% | |
| 1990 | 165,304 | 4.5% | |
| 2000 | 177,749 | 7.5% | |
| 2010 | 182,493 | 2.7% | |
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As of the census[4] of 2009, there were 181,440 people, 67,499 households, and 43,536 families residing in the county. The population density was 158 people per square mile (61/km²). There were 77,656 housing units at an average density of 69 per square mile (27/km²). The racial makeup of the county, as of 2008, was 83.2% White, 6.50% Black or African American,0.3% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.15% from other races, and 1.70% from two or more races. 7.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 19.2% were of Italian, 16.8% Irish, 15.5% German, 6.8% English and 4.7% American ancestry according to Census 2000. 90.3% spoke English, 4.5% Spanish, 1.2% Italian and 1.0% German as their first language.
There were 67,499 households out of which 30.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.20% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.50% were non-families. 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.50% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 29.70% from 25 to 44, 24.70% from 45 to 64, and 13.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 99.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,551, and the median income for a family was $51,708. Males had a median income of $36,808 versus $27,086 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,846. About 7.20% of families and 11.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.00% of those under age 18 and 8.70% of those age 65 or over.
Ulster County has long been a Democratic leaning county. In 2004 John Kerry defeated George W. Bush 54-43%. In 2008 Barack Obama defeated John McCain by an even wider margin of 61-38%. This gives the county a Cook PVI of D+7.
Ulster County is currently represented by Democrat Maurice Hinchey in Congress, and is located in the 22nd district.
Ulster had long had a county-scale version of a council-manager government, with the county legislature hiring a county administrator to handle executive functions. The chair of the legislature had a great deal of power and was only accountable to the voters of his own district. The only countywide elected officials were the district attorney, Holley Carnright, 2008 to present and sheriff, Paul Vanblarcum, 2007 to present.
In 2006, voters approved the first-ever county charter, changing to an elected executive branch. Two years later, Mike Hein, the last appointed county administrator, became Ulster's first elected county executive.[5]
| Name | Party | Term |
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| Michael P. Hein | Democrat | January 1, 2009 – present |
Legislative authority is vested in the County Legislature, which consists of 33 members representing 22 different communities, separated into 12 districts. The county charter mandated that the legislature be restructured by creating 23 single-member districts, a process that began in late 2010.[6] The current composition of the Legislature is as follows (16 Republicans, 15 Democrats and 2 Conservatives who caucus with the Republicans):
District 1, Marbletown, Rochester, and Wawarsing:
Thomas J. Briggs (D)
Mary Sheeley (D)
Terry L. Bernardo (R)
Joseph Stoeckeler (D)
District 2, Denning, Hardenburgh, Saugerties, Shandaken, and Woodstock:
Donald Gregorius (D)
Brian Shapiro (D)
District 3, Hurley, Marbletown, and Olive:
Roy E. Hochberg (D)
Robert Parete (D)
Richard A. Parete (D)
District 4, Town of Kingston, Saugerties, and Ulster:
Robert Aiello (R)
Dean Fabiano (R)
Walter G. Frey (R)
Michael J. Sweeney (C)
District 5, City of Kingston, and Ulster:
Jim Maloney (R)
Frederick Wadnola (R), Chairman
District 6, City of Kingston:
Michael L. Madsen (D)
Jeanette Provenzano (D), Minority Leader
District 7, Esopus, and Rosendale:
Carl Belfiglio (R)
Alan Lomita (D)
Laura Petit (R)
District 8, Gardiner, New Paltz, and Shawangunk:
Jack Hayes (C)
Catherine Terrizzi (R)
Ken Ronk (R)
District 9, Marlborough, Plattekill, and Shawangunk:
Frank Felicello (R), Vice Chairman
Wayne Harris (R)
Richard Gerentine (R)
Kevin Roberts (R)
District 10, New Paltz:
Hector S. Rodriguez (D)
Susan Zimet (D)
District 11, Lloyd, and New Paltz:
Paul Hansut (R), Majority Leader
Mary Beth Maio (R)
District 12, City of Kingston:
David B. Donaldson (D)
Peter Loughran (D)
Ulster County contains a large part of Catskill Park and the Catskill Forest Preserve. The former Delaware and Hudson Canal brought Pennsylvania coal to Kingston on the Hudson. Former Orleans band member John Hall served in the Ulster County legislature before moving to the 19th Congressional District to run for Congress.
The former Ulster and Delaware Railroad runs through Ulster County. There are three railroad attractions in the county on this corridor: Trolley Museum of New York, Catskill Mountain Railroad, and Empire State Railway Museum.
The Ulster County Fair has been held in New Paltz for many years and has been described as The Best Six Days of Summer.
The county manages several public recreation areas, including the Ulster County Pool in New Paltz and the Ulster Landing Park in Saugerties.
Public transportation in Ulster County is provided by Trailways of New York to and from New York City and Albany, and along Routes 28 and 23, Ulster County Area Transit on major state and US road corridors in the county, and by Kingston Citibus in Kingston.
| Delaware County | Greene County | Columbia County | ||
| Ulster County, New York | ||||
| Sullivan County | Orange County | Dutchess County |
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