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Wassaic, New York

Amenia, New YorkHamlets in Dutchess County, New YorkHamlets in New York (state)Use mdy dates from July 2023
Downtown Wassaic, NY
Downtown Wassaic, NY

Wassaic is a hamlet and census-designated place in the town of Amenia, Dutchess County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population in 210. Located in southeastern New York in the valley of the Ten Mile River, Wassaic is bordered to the east and west by mountain ranges. The name of the hamlet is derived from the Native American word Washaic; "land of difficult access" or "narrow valley". However, Europeans found ready access by following the Housatonic River valley up from Long Island Sound and through the mountains along the Ten Mile River. One of the earliest recorded Europeans to settle in Wassaic was Richard Sackett. He petitioned the Colonial Government on March 11, 1703 for a license to purchase a tract of land in "Washiack". He was known as Captain Richard Sackett when appointed the first Dutchess County clerk in 1715.By the 1770s, Wassaic was processing Ancram pig iron into steel. This continued into the early 1800s, providing steel for the Harris scythe works at Hammertown, near Pine Plains in northern Dutchess. During the Revolutionary War, General George Washington marched through Wassaic on the way to Connecticut. Among Wassaic's main employers in the 19th century were Gridley Iron Works and the Harlem division of the New York and Harlem Railroad. In 1861, Gail Borden opened a factory for producing a condensed milk that would not need refrigeration. This was a welcome ration for the Union troops during the Civil War. Long sold by Borden, it is today marketed as Eagle Brand Condensed Milk. Wassaic was also known for dairy, sheep and grain farming. Wassaic is home to The Wassaic Project, a non-profit arts and music organization and the Wassaic Artist Residency. They provide summer programming as well as run an artist in residence program.

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Wassaic, New York
Old Route 22,

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Latitude Longitude
N 41.8039825 ° E -73.5587368 °
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Old Route 22 220
12592
New York, United States
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Downtown Wassaic, NY
Downtown Wassaic, NY
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Nearby Places

Beekman Park
Beekman Park

Beekman Park is a small local park in the census-designated place of Amenia, part of Dutchess County, New York. It is located on U.S. Route 44 and is visible off New York State Route 22 and New York State Route 343. In 1974, the land upon which the park is located was sold to the Town of Amenia by Walter Beekman for the sum of $1. The park was officially opened in 1983. Before the park existed, it was the site of Lake Amenia, formed in the 1920s by a freshwater dam over a sawmill pond at the intersection of Lake Amenia Road and West Lake Amenia Road. The dam's original use was to power a nearby saw mill where, with the new lake in place, people now had the opportunity to swim. During the 1920s, the lake became surrounded by cottages, pavilions, docks, and some railings.Lake Amenia remained intact for another 30 years, however, in 1955, Hurricane Diane struck the area and eradicated any trace of the lake. The storm's heavy rains caused the lake's water gates to fail. The resulting flood drained the lake. This area is now part of the New York State Wetlands. In 1974, the land that makes up the park, including the remains of the lake, now the wetlands, were sold to the Town of Amenia for a single dollar, by Walter Beekman. Groups of volunteers began construction on the park, which included ball fields. The park officially opened in 1983, with the first Little League games being played on one of their fields, with two more fields soon after. The park remains in active use to this date.