Greene County, New York

Introduction

Greene County, New York is a county of New York State. Its name is in honor of the American Revolutionary War general, Nathaniel Greene. Its county seat is Catskill.

Geography

Greene County is located in southeast central New York State, just west of the Hudson River and south of Albany.

Demographics

The population of Greene County according to the 2000 U. S. census was 48,195.

History

When counties were established in New York State in 1683, the present Greene County was divided between Albany and Ulster Counties.

Albany County was an enormous county, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present State of Vermont and, in theory, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean. This county was reduced in size on July 3, 1766 by the creation of Cumberland County, and further on March 16, 1770 by the creation of Gloucester County, both containing territory now in Vermont. On July 3, 1766, Cumberland County was created from a part of Albany County now in Vermont, followed on March 16, 1770 by Gloucester County, also now in Vermont.

Then, on March 12, 1772, Albany County was divided into the counties of Albany, Tryon (now Montgomery), and Charlotte (now Washington). From 1772 to 1786 Albany County included, besides the present territory of Albany County, all of the present Columbia, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady Counties, parts of the present Greene and Washington Counties, and a piece of what is now southwestern Vermont.

Albany County was reduced in size in 1786 by the splitting off of Columbia County; again in 1791 by the splitting off of Rensselaer and Saratoga Counties and the transfer of the Town of Cambridge to Washington County. It was further reduced in size in 1795 by the splitting off of a part that was combined with a portion of Otsego County to create Schoharie County.

Ulster County was an original county of New York State, considerably larger than the present Ulster County. It was reduced in size by the splitting off in 1797 of a part that was combined with a portion of Otsego County to create Delaware County.

In 1800 Greene County was created from portions of Albany and Ulster Counties.