Windham, New York

Windham is a town in Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 1,660 at the 2000 census. Some say that the town's name comes from it being known as "The Windy Hamlet". The town is also believed to be named after a location in Connecticut. Currently the town identifies itself as the "Land in the Sky"

The Town of Windham is in the west-central part of the county on the northern boundary of the Catskill Park.

History

The region was first settled around 1790. The Town of Windham was formed from the Town of Woodstock in 1798 while in Ulster County, New York and before the creation of Greene County. Afterwards, several other towns in Greene County were formed from its territory. These towns include Hunter and Lexington (1813), Prattsville (1833), and part of Ashland in 1848. In 1900, the town's population was 1,240. The major source of income in Windham is the Windham Mountain ski resort, formerly called "Ski Windham". This ski area brings a lot of its skiers up from the New York City area as well as other areas in the northeast. The only school in Windham hosts students from Kindergarten to 12th grade, and is centrally located in town. The school takes students from neighboring towns as well and is aptly named Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School. Windham is also where Dilbert writer Scott Adams was born and grew up.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 117.6 km² (45.4 mi²). 117.3 km² (45.3 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.22%) is water.

The town is in the Catskill Mountains and partly within the Catskill State Park. Batavia Kill is a stream flowing past the community of Windham.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 1,660 people, 720 households, and 450 families residing in the town. The population density was 14.2/km² (36.7/mi²). There were 2,002 housing units at an average density of 17.1/km² (44.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.13% White, 0.36% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.42% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.75% of the population.

There were 720 households out of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.4% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the town the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 29.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $36,010, and the median income for a family was $42,961. Males had a median income of $31,726 versus $23,125 for females. The per capita income for the town was $22,344. About 6.8% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in the Town of Windham

• Batavia Kill -- A stream flowing through the south part of the town past Maplecrest and Windham.
• Brooksburg -- A hamlet in the Catskill Park.
• East Windham -- A hamlet on the east town line on Route 23.
• Hensonville -- A hamlet in the south part of the town and the location of the town government. It was named after John Henson, a postmaster, having been called previously "Baileys Four Corners."
• Mitchell Hollow -- A location in the town.
• Nauvoo -- A location in the town.
• North Settlement -- A hamlet on the west town line, northwest of Windham village.
• Maplecrest -- A hamlet in the Catskill Park near the south town line, originally called "Big Hollow."
• Windham -- The hamlet of Windham in the southwest part of the town on Route 23. It was originally called "Batavia" until that name was taken for a location in Genesee County, New York around 1802. It was also called "Windham Center" and "Osbornville."

External links

• http://www.WindhamChamber.org
• http://www.WindhamMountain.com
• Windham Public Library
• The Catskill Lodge

Coordinates: 42°18′26″N, 74°15′08″W

Municipalities and communities of Greene County, New York
County seat: Catskill (village)
Towns	Ashland | Athens | Cairo | Catskill | Coxsackie | Durham | Greenville | Halcott | Hunter | Jewett | Lexington | New Baltimore | Prattsville | Windham
Villages	Athens | Catskill | Coxsackie | Hunter | Tannersville
CDPs	Jefferson Heights | Leeds | Palenville

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