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Fonteyn Kill

Poughkeepsie, New YorkRivers of Dutchess County, New YorkRivers of New York (state)Tributaries of the Hudson RiverVassar College
Fonteynkill, Vassar College, June 2007
Fonteynkill, Vassar College, June 2007

The Fonteyn Kill (alternatively written Fonteynkill and also known as Fountain Kill and Mill Cove Brook) is a 1.5-kilometer-long (0.93 mi) urban stream (or kill) flowing through Dutchess County, New York, onto the campus of Vassar College, and into the Casperkill. The stream was first on land inhabited by the native Wappinger band before being transferred to the Dutch and then the British. A mill was built along the kill by 1714 and the stream's presence influenced Matthew Vassar's decision to locate his college in the area. The artificial Vassar Lake lies midway down the Fonteyn Kill and was once used for ice skating and boating. While historically pure, the stream now suffers from urban stream syndrome, partially due to the amount of impervious surfaces within its watershed. Flowing over glacial till, the stream's bed is rich in cobbles and the kill supports populations of benthic macroinvertebrates, trees, shrubs, fish, birds, snapping turtles, and frogs. As of 2016, a Vassar–Cornell University program is monitoring the water quality of the Fonteyn Kill.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Fonteyn Kill (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Fonteyn Kill
Brewers Lane, Town of Poughkeepsie

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N 41.68308 ° E -73.89329 °
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Vassar College

Brewers Lane
12604 Town of Poughkeepsie
New York, United States
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Fonteynkill, Vassar College, June 2007
Fonteynkill, Vassar College, June 2007
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Nearby Places

Class of 1951 Observatory
Class of 1951 Observatory

The Class of 1951 Observatory is located near the eastern edge of the town of Poughkeepsie, New York, on Vassar College's campus. The observatory was built in 1997 and sponsored by the Vassar class of 1951 who donated funds for its construction on the occasion of their forty-fifth reunion. The new observatory replaced the Maria Mitchell Observatory, the first building completed on the college's campus. Roth and Moore Architects designed the new building which consists of three distinct segments: a central connecting area with a half round roof oriented southward, and two domes (one east and one west) that house the telescopes. The observatory facility houses two main telescopes: one 20-inch reflector used primarily for public outreach, and a 32-inch reflector used for teaching and research. It also houses a five-inch solar telescope and an eight-inch refracting telescope.The 32-inch telescope is tied with the Austin-Fellows telescope of the Stull Observatory at Alfred University for being the 2nd-largest optical telescope in the state of New York, the largest being the 40-inch reflector at SUNY Oneonta College Observatory.On its exterior the observatory is covered in aluminum sheathing, making the structure less of a heat polluter than its predecessor whose masonry walls absorbed a lot of daytime solar heat. The building's interior is additionally well insulated to give off as little thermal pollution as possible. The Class of 1951 Observatory also houses classrooms and offices which are furnished with laminated wood arches.On Wednesday nights from 9:00-11:00 pm during the school year, visitors from the community are welcome at the observatory for open nights, weather permitting.

Vassar College

Vassar College ( VASS-ər) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States, closely following Elmira College. It became coeducational in 1969 and now has a gender ratio at the national average. The college is one of the historic Seven Sisters, the first elite women's colleges in the U.S., and has a historic relationship with Yale University, which suggested a merger before they both became coeducational. As of 2021, of all those who apply to Vassar, approximately 19% are accepted for matriculation. Currently, there are close to 2,500 students attending the degree awarding institution. The college offers B.A. degrees in more than 50 majors, and features a flexible curriculum designed to promote a breadth of studies. Student groups at the college include theater and comedy organizations, a cappella groups, club sports teams, volunteer and service groups, and a circus troupe. Vassar College's varsity sports teams, known as the Brewers, play in the NCAA's Division III as members of the Liberty League. The Vassar campus comprises over 1,000 acres (400 ha) and more than 100 buildings, including two National Historic Landmarks and an additional National Historic Place. A designated arboretum, the campus features more than 200 species of trees, a native plant preserve, and a 530-acre (210 ha) ecological preserve.