About Our Towns

New York’s Columbia and Greene counties are home to a variety of quaint towns and villages that are known for their rich histories, turn-of-the-century architecture, picturesque countryside, and rustic small-town settings, not to mention a wonderful diversity of unique restaurants and shops.

As a member of the Chamber, you are part of a wide-ranging community of businesses that bring a special way of life to these cities and towns. We invite you to explore your town or those around you, and certainly if you ever consider locating your business in one of these communities, we would be happy to meet with you as well as introduce you to other member business owners and government officials that can facilitate your transition and welcome you.

HUDSON, CITY OF

The city of Hudson was chartered in 1785. It was the first planned city in the United States. In the 19th century, Hudson was a thriving center of the American whaling industry. As the railroad replaced water transportation, the city became a general manufacturing and retail center. Hudson has reinvented itself as a retail and tourist center over many years.

www.cityofhudson.org
POPULATION 6,235
SIZE 2.3 square miles
SCHOOL DISTRICT Hudson City
TOWN HALL 520 Warren Street, 518-828-1030
CITY CLERK Tracy Delaney
MAYOR Kamal Johnson
COMMON COUNCIL PRESIDENT Tom DePietro
SUPERVISORS
1st Ward Claire Cousins
2nd Ward Abdus Miah
3rd Ward Michael Chameides
4th Ward Linda Mussmann
5th Ward Richard Scalera
LIBRARY Hudson Area Library, 51 N. 5th St.; 518-828-1792

ANCRAM,TOWN OF

Ancram, originally part of Gallatin, was founded in 1803. The name is derived from the Livingston homestead in Anchoram, Scotland, where Robert Livingston, one of the first European settlers here, was born. Ironworks on the Roeliff Jansen Creek was the first of its kind in the state, and manufactured ammunition for the Battle of Saratoga. In the 1800s, a paper mill replaced the ironworks.

www.townofancram.org
POPULATION 1,489
SIZE 42.8 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 595
SCHOOL DISTRICTS Taconic Hills, Germantown, Pine Plains, Webutuck
TOWN HALL 1416 County Rte. 7; 518-329-6512
TOWN CLERK Monica Cleveland
SUPERVISOR Art Bassin
LIBRARY Roeliff Jansen Community Library, 9091 Rte. 22; 518-325-4101

AUSTERLITZ, TOWN OF

Founded in the 1750s, Austerlitz is a small town along the Taconic Mountain Range bordering Massachusetts, favored for its scenic vistas and low population density. Early settlers served in the Revolutionary War. Streams gave rise to industries such as farming, raising sheep, and mills. Sawmills, grist mills, wool carding, and making cider, shingles and planes enabled early settlers to make a living. Vestiges of early gravesites and historic buildings remain to this day.

www.austerlitzny.com
POPULATION 1,591
SIZE 48.8 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 620
SCHOOL DISTRICTS Taconic Hills and Chatham
TOWN HALL 816 Rte. 203; Spencertown; 518-392-3260
TOWN CLERK Susan Haag
SUPERVISOR Robert Lagonia

CANAAN, TOWN OF

Canaan, another town abutting the state line, is nestled at the foot of the Berkshire Mountains and boasts picturesque vistas. Home to the popular Queechy Lake, Canaan was founded by settlers from Canaan, Connecticut, in 1759 and was once a stop along the Boston & Albany Railroad. Canaan is home to several historic cemeteries and churches, and town history is well documented by local historians.

www.canaannewyork.org
POPULATION 1,820
SIZE 36.7 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 643
SCHOOL DISTRICTS Chatham
TOWN HALL 1647 County Rte. 5; 518-781-3144
TOWN CLERK Josh Weisbuch
SUPERVISOR Brenda Adams
LIBRARY Canaan Public Library, 1647 County Route 5; 518-781-3392

CHATHAM, TOWN OF

Chatham (pronounced chat-am) includes most of the village of Chatham, once an important rail junction and now home to leading plastics manufacturer Sonoco Plastics, plus downtown shops and restaurants that make it a regional destination. Chatham Village was originally named Groats Corners, after one of its most prominent citizens.

The town of Chatham includes four other hamlets, each with a distinctive history—Old Chatham, East Chatham, Chatham Center, and North Chatham.

www.chathamnewyork.us
POPULATION 3,852
SIZE 53.5 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 1,762
SCHOOL DISTRICTS Chatham, Ichabod Crane, and New Lebanon
TOWN HALL 488 Route 295,
Chatham; 518-392-1655
TOWN CLERK Beth Anne Rippel
SUPERVISOR Donal Collins
LIBRARY Chatham Public Library, 11 Woodbridge Ave.; 518-392-3666

CLAVERACK, TOWN OF

Claverack was originally part of the lower region of Van Rensselaer Manor and became a township in 1788. Among the early settlers were the Palatines, who had moved inland from Livingston Manor. Their names can still be found among the town’s current residents. Several examples of Dutch colonial architecture survive, too, including the Reformed Dutch Church (1767).

www.townofclaverack.com
POPULATION 5,676
SIZE 47.9 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 2,485
SCHOOL DISTRICTS Taconic Hills, Hudson City
TOWN HALL 91 Church St.,
Mellenville; 518-672-7911
TOWN CLERK Mary Hoose
SUPERVISOR Clifford “Kippy” Weigelt
LIBRARY Claverack Library, 629 Route 23B; 518-851-7120

CLERMONT, HAMLET OF

Clermont, located at the southwest corner of the county, consists of 11,000 acres containing farmland, country places, and two hamlets. Situated on the east bank of the Hudson River, immediately opposite the Catskill Mountains, the town offers amazing views. The town is noted for its agricultural products and fruits—pears, apples, plums, blueberries, and grapes. Clermont is French for “clear mountain,” which refers to the mountain views.

www.clermontny.org
POPULATION 1,873
SIZE 19.2 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 593
SCHOOL DISTRICTS Germantown, Pine Plains and Red Hook
TOWN HALL 1795 Rte. 9; 518-537-6868
TOWN CLERK Tracey Gallant
SUPERVISOR Raymond Staats

COPAKE, TOWN OF

Copake was one of the county’s first settlements. Copake Iron Works was the site of iron mining throughout the latter part of the 19th century. The New York and Harlem Railroad came through in 1852. The town has been a vacation home ever since before WWII, with Copake Lake and its environs being a popular destination.

www.townofcopake.org
POPULATION 3,419
SIZE 42 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 1,280
SCHOOL DISTRICTS Taconic Hills
TOWN HALL 230 Mt. View Rd.; 518-329-1234
TOWN CLERK Lynn Connolly
SUPERVISOR Jeanne Mettler
LIBRARY Roeliff Jansen Community Library, 9091 State Route 22; 518-325-4101

GALLATIN, TOWN OF

East of Livingston and south of Taghkanic lies Gallatin. The town has a long history that goes back to the early Dutch and British settlers. The town has a diverse population of full-time and part-time residents and a mix of agricultural, lumber, real estate, and consulting businesses.

www.gallatin.yourtownhub.com
POPULATION 1,595
SIZE 39.6 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 609
SCHOOL DISTRICTS Taconic Hills, Pine Plains, and Germantown
TOWN HALL 667 Rte. 7; 518-398-7519
TOWN CLERK Lisa Deleeuw
SUPERVISOR John Reilly

GERMANTOWN, TOWN OF

Along the river south of Livingston is Germantown, named for the Palatine refugees from the Rhineland who settled there in 1710. Palatine Park pays homage to the early settlers and provides recreational facilities and a host of other amenities. The town has views of the Catskill Mountains and public access to the Hudson River.

www.germantownny.org
POPULATION 1,840
SIZE 13.9 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 831
SCHOOL DISTRICTS Germantown
TOWN HALL 50 Palatine Park Rd.; 518-537-6687
TOWN CLERK Joyce Vale
SUPERVISOR David Helsley
LIBRARY Germantown Library, 31 Palatine Park Rd.; 518-537-5800

GHENT, TOWN OF

Ghent was founded in 1818 from parts of Chatham, Claverack, and Kinderhook. Named for the town in Holland, Ghent (the “h” is silent) was settled by farming immigrants from the Palatine area of Germany. Ghent is a town where independence and community coexist. The town is still home to thousands of acres of farmland, Columbia County Airport, and a winery.

www.townofghent.org
POPULATION 5,106
SIZE 45.4 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 2,020
SCHOOL DISTRICTS Chatham, Taconic Hills, Ichabod Crane, and Hudson
TOWN HALL 2306 State Rte. 66; 518-392-4644
TOWN CLERK Michelle Radley
SUPERVISOR Craig Simmons

GREENPORT, TOWN OF

Wrapped around Hudson is the town of Greenport. It starts in 1609 with the voyage of Henry Hudson up the river, which later became known as the Hudson River in honor of him.

Greenport also has a fish farm, wood products, and a new generation of technology businesses. Greenport is home to Columbia-Greene Community College, a large town park, and conservation areas that offer recreation and trails accessible to everyone, with views of the Hudson River.

www.townofgreenport.com
POPULATION 4,180
SIZE 20.5 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 1,777
SCHOOL DISTRICTS Hudson
TOWN HALL 600 Town Hall Dr., Hudson; 518-828-4656
TOWN CLERK Sharon Zempko
SUPERVISOR Kathleen Eldridge
LIBRARY Hudson Area Association Library, 51 N. 5th St., Hudson; 518-828-1792

HILLSDALE, TOWN OF

Hillsdale, located in the center of Columbia County’s eastern edge, was part of Van Rensselaer family lands but settled by land seekers from New England, and has long been a gateway to the Berkshires. Today, the town’s economic mainstays are second homeowners and the Catamount Mountain Resort, which attracts skiers and snowboarders and offers year-round activities with the addition of its adventure park and longest ziplines in the US.

www.hillsdaleny.com
POPULATION 1,810
SIZE 47.8 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 721
SCHOOL DISTRICTS Taconic Hills
TOWN HALL 2609 State Rt. 23; 518-325-5073
TOWN CLERK Kathi Doolan
SUPERVISOR Christian Kersten
LIBRARY Roeliff Jansen Community Library, 9091 State Route. 22; 518-325-4101

KINDERHOOK, TOWN OF

Kinderhook is Dutch for “children’s corner”. Martin Van Buren, the eighth President of the United States, was born in Kinderhook and spent his later years there as well. Legend has it the term “OK” was coined by Van Buren as an abbreviation for Olde Kinderhook, as the community was known then. Kinderhook Village, contained within the town’s boundaries, was settled by Dutch families in the 1600s. Today, the village has a small downtown retail center and is known for its historic homes and museum properties.

www.kinderhook-ny.gov
POPULATION 8,215
SIZE 32.4 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 3,165
SCHOOL DISTRICTS Ichabod Crane and Chatham
TOWN HALL 3211 Church Street, Valatie; 518-784-2233
TOWN CLERK Kim Pinkowski
SUPERVISOR Tim Ooms
LIBRARY Kinderhook Memorial Library, 18 Hudson St.; 518-758-6192

LIVINGSTON, TOWN OF

Livingston is part of the Livingston Manor that once stretched across southern Columbia County to the Massachusetts border. Today, Livingston takes in the hamlets of Glenco Mills, Blue Stores, and Bingham’s Mills. Near the hamlet of Burden, in an iron mine that once fed the foundries of Troy and was later used for mushroom growing, is the country’s largest document storage facility, Iron Mountain, which has operated since the 1950s.

www.livingstontown.com
POPULATION 3,473
SIZE 38.9 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 1,332
SCHOOL DISTRICTS Hudson, Germantown, Taconic Hills, Pine Plains, Red Hook
TOWN HALL 119 County Rte. 19; 518-851-9441
TOWN CLERK Tammy Molinski
SUPERVISOR James Guzzi
LIBRARY Livingston Free Library, 90 County Route 19; 518-851-2270

NEW LEBANON, TOWN OF

New Lebanon, at the county’s northern border, was the center of the Shaker movement and home to Tilden Pharmaceuticals. New Lebanon was a birthplace of Samuel Tilden, the Governor of New York who was elected US President by a majority, only to be defeated by the Electoral College vote in the disputed 1876 election. Tilden is buried in the town’s historic Cemetery of the Evergreens.

www.townofnewlebanon.com
POPULATION 2,172
SIZE 36 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 983
SCHOOL DISTRICTS New Lebanon and Chatham
TOWN HALL 14755 Rte. 22; 518-794-8888
TOWN CLERK Marcie Robertson
SUPERVISOR Tistrya Houghtling
LIBRARY New Lebanon Library, 550 State Rte. 20; 518-794-8844

STOCKPORT, TOWN OF

Stockport once hummed with industry, including a brick factory, paper mills, and loom works powered by Claverack Creek. Sulfur springs attracted people in the 19th century, who stayed at the Columbia Springs House and bathed in the waters. Today Stockport serves as a bedroom community to Albany and a retreat for second homeowners and weekenders.

www.townofstockport.com
POPULATION 2,636
SIZE 13.2 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 1,116
SCHOOL DISTRICTS Hudson and Ichabod Crane
TOWN HALL 2787 Atlantic Ave.; 518-828-9389
TOWN CLERK Sandra Novak
SUPERVISOR Matt Murell
LIBRARY Hudson Area Association Library, 51 N. 5th St., Hudson; 518-828-1792

STUYVESANT, TOWN OF

Stuyvesant was carved out of the town of Kinderhook in 1823. Named in honor of Governor Peter Stuyvesant, the town was once home to cotton and wool mills powered by Stuyvesant Falls during the 19th century. The town borders the Hudson River, and its Newton Hook section is a popular spot for those interested in the river’s ecology. It is known for its rolling farmland and close-knit community always ready to lend a helping hand.

www.stuyvesantny.us
POPULATION 1,873
SIZE 26.7 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 852
SCHOOL DISTRICTS Ichabod Crane and Schodack
TOWN HALL 5 Sunset Dr.; 518-758-6248
TOWN CLERK Melissa Naegeli
SUPERVISOR Ron Knott

TAGHKANIC,TOWN OF

The name Taghkanic is of Native American derivation, meaning “land of flowering waters.” This predominantly agricultural community is bisected by the Taconic State Parkway. Waterpower and proximity to mines made the town an industrial powerhouse in the 18th century. The town is the birthplace of the world famous Taghkanic baskets, woven of the native woods.

www.taghkanic.org
POPULATION 1,267
SIZE 40.2 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 461
SCHOOL DISTRICTS Taconic Hills, Hudson, and Germantown
TOWN HALL 909 Rte. 82; 518-851-7638
TOWN CLERK Cheryl Rogers
SUPERVISOR Ryan Skoda

CHATHAM, VILLAGE OF

www.villageofchatham.com
POPULATION 1,635
SIZE 1.2 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 742
SCHOOL DISTRICTS Chatham
VILLAGE HALL 77 Main St; 518-392-5821
VILLAGE CLERK Desiree Kelleher
MAYOR John Howe
LIBRARY Chatham Public Library, 11 Woodbridge Ave.; 518-392-3666

KINDERHOOK, VILLAGE OF

www.villageofkinderhook.org
POPULATION 1,275
SIZE 1.9 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 546
SCHOOL DISTRICTS Ichabod Crane
VILLAGE HALL 6 Chatham St.; 518-758-9882
VILLAGE CLERK Nicole Heeder
MAYOR Dale R. Leiser
LIBRARY Kinderhook Memorial Library, 18 Hudson St.; 518-758-6192

PHILMONT, VILLAGE OF

The village of Philmont, a 19th century manufacturing center, is located within the town of Claverack. Many homes built for mill hands and mill owners still stand, and the waterpower that ran the mills today is open for hiking, picnicking, and fishing at the High Falls Conservation area. On the edge of Philmont, leading plastics company Novapak operates a manufacturing facility. Philmont is a growing village.

www.philmont.org
POPULATION 1,480
SIZE 1.2 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 576
SCHOOL DISTRICTS Taconic Hills
VILLAGE HALL 124 Main Street; 518-672-7032
VILLAGE CLERK Patricia DeLong
MAYOR Brian Johnson
LIBRARY Philmont Public Library, 101 Main St.; 518-672-5010

VALATIE, VILLAGE OF

The village of Valatie (pronounced va-lay-sha), also located within the town of Kinderhook, gets its name from the Dutch word for “little falls,” describing the small but scenic waterfall at the village’s center. The village was settled about 1665 by Dutch colonists and was once a powerhouse of textile and other mills. Birthplace of Governor Martin H. Glynn, Valatie has a well-documented, rich history, and visitors can tour historic sites and cemeteries. It is also noted for the Valatie Santa Claus Club, “First in the Nation.” The village has undergone a rebirth in recent years.

www.valatievillage.com
POPULATION 1,712
SIZE 1.3 square miles
HOUSEHOLDS 84
SCHOOL DISTRICTS Ichabod Crane
VILLAGE HALL 3211 Church Street, Valatie; 518-758-9806
VILLAGE CLERK Barbara Fischer
MAYOR Frank Bevens
LIBRARY Valatie Free Library, 1036 Kinderhook St.; 518-758-9321

If you find that any of your information is incorrect, please contact mail@columbiachamber-ny.com to be updated.