Ulster County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. It is situated along the Hudson River. As of the 2020 census, the population was 181,851.^[2] The county seat is Kingston.^[3] The county is named after the Irish province of Ulster.

History[edit]

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Founding and formation[edit]

When part of the New Netherland colony, Dutch traders first called the area of present-day Ulster County “Esopus”, a name borrowed for convenience from a locality on the opposite side of the Hudson. The local Lenape indigenous people called themselves Waranawanka, but soon came to be known to the Dutch as the “Esopus Indians” because they were encountered around the settlement known as Esopus. In 1652, Thomas Chambers, a freeholder from the Manor of Rensselaerswyck, purchased land at Esopus. He and several others actually settled and began farming by June, 1653. The settlements grew into the village of Wiltwijck, which the English later named Kingston. In 1683, the Duke of York created 12 counties in his province, one of which was Ulster County, named after Prince James, Duke of York (later King James II of England) whose subsidiary titles included Earl of Ulster. Its boundaries at that time included the present Sullivan County and parts of the present Delaware, Orange, and Greene Counties.^[A]

In 1777, the first state capital of the independent New York State was established at Kingston. The official records of Ulster County were removed to safety to a stone house in Kerhonkson when it became evident that the British would burn Kingston.

In 1797, parts of Otsego and Ulster Counties were split off to create Delaware County.^[A]

In 1798, Ulster County’s southernmost towns were moved into Orange County to compensate Orange for breaking away its southernmost part to form Rockland County.

In 1800, portions of Albany and Ulster Counties were split off to create Greene County.^[A]

In 1809, Sullivan County was split off from Ulster County.^[A]

Civil War[edit]

During the American Civil War, volunteers were recruited from the county and formed the majority of the following regiments:

• 80th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
• 120th New York Volunteer Infantry
• 156th New York Volunteer Infantry

Other regiments with at least one company from the county included:

• 1st Battalion New York Volunteer Sharpshooters
• 1st New York Volunteer Engineer Regiment
• 7th Regiment New York Volunteer Cavalry
• 7th New York Veteran Infantry Regiment
• 15th Regiment New York Volunteer Cavalry
• 20th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
• 25th Regiment New York Volunteer Cavalry
• 25th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
• 56th New York Volunteer Infantry
• 65th New York Volunteer Infantry
• 71st New York Infantry
• 102nd New York Volunteer Infantry
• 132nd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
• 168th New York Volunteer Infantry
• 176th New York Volunteer Infantry
• 178th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
• 192nd New York Volunteer Infantry

Twentieth century[edit]

The Lake Mohonk Mountain House on Shawangunk Ridge was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986.^[4]

Geography[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 1,161 square miles (3,010 km²), of which 1,124 square miles (2,910 km²) is land and 37 square miles (96 km²) (3.1%) is water.^[5]

Ulster County is in southeastern New York State, south of Albany, immediately west of the Hudson River. Much of it is within the Catskill Mountains and the Shawangunk Ridge. Ulster County has Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Mohonk Preserve, Sundown State Park, VerNooykill State Forest, Witches Hole State Forest, and Shawangunk Ridge State Forest. The Sam’s Point section of Minnewaska includes rare dwarf pine trees and Verkeerder Kill falls.

The county’s 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.

Adjacent counties[edit]

• Greene County — north
• Columbia County — northeast
• Dutchess County — southeast
• Orange County — south
• Sullivan County — southwest
• Delaware County — northwest

National protected area[edit]

• Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge

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.

Ulster County has continued to be a popular vacation destination for many decades. The county is home to many outdoor landscapes, including the Catskill Mountains, the Hudson River, Minnewaska State Park, Catskill Park, Shawangunk Mountains and the Shawangunk Ridge. Each offers various recreation opportunities, including hiking, bicycling, skiing, horseback riding, kayaking, rock climbing, hunting and fishing.

The county also includes more than 40 miles (64 km) of rail trails along the Hudson Valley Rail Trail, Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, and O&W Rail Trail. The Walkway Over the Hudson, the world’s longest pedestrian and bicycle bridge which spans the Hudson River, is connected within Ulster County trails.^[20]

Ulster County has also played a role in some significant moments in U.S. history. The Senate House State Historic Site in Kingston, New York is where, in early 1777, American colonists met to ratify the New York Constitution.

The Ulster County Fair has been held in New Paltz for many years and is promoted as “The Best Six Days of Summer”. County run recreation areas include the Ulster County Pool in New Paltz and the Ulster Landing Park in Saugerties.

Since 2016, Kingston Stockade FC, a semi-professional soccer team that plays in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), has been based in Kingston and plays its home matches at Dietz Stadium.^[21]

Also since 2015, the Saugerties Stallions, a collegiate summer baseball league team that plays in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL), have been based in Saugerties and play their home games at Cantine Field. The Stallions won the 2021 PGCBL Championship.^[22]

City[edit]

• Kingston (county seat)

Towns[edit]

Villages[edit]

• Ellenville
• New Paltz
• Saugerties

Census-designated places[edit]

Hamlets[edit]