Putnam County, New York

Putnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the lower Hudson Valley. Putnam county formed in 1812, when it detached from Dutchess County. As of 2004, the population is 100,570. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The county seat is Carmel. Putnam county was named in honor of Israel Putnam, who was a hero in the French and Indian War and a general in the American Revolutionary War. Putnam County is one of the most affluent counties in America, ranked 11th by median household income, and 47th by per-capita income, according to the year 2000 census.

Putnam County is situated in the southeastern part of New York State, between the Hudson River on its west and the New York-Connecticut border on its east. Putnam is southeast of Newburgh, and it is north of White Plains.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 246 square miles (638 km²), of which, 231 square miles (599 km²) of it is land and 15 square miles (39 km²) of it (6.08%) is water.The terrain of the county is generally hilly. The region of the county nearest the Hudson River is especially so, and is part of the Hudson Highlands. The highest point in Putnam County is Scofield Ridge, with four summits at approximately 1,540 feet (469 m) above sea level. The lowest point is sea level along the Hudson. The Hudson River, named for Henry Hudson, has provided transportation of goods from New York City, north to the Hudson Valley, throughout history.

 Reservoirs
 
East Branch ReservoirPutnam County is known for its large number of reservoirs, which partially supply New York City's large need for drinking water. Some of the largest reservoirs include: Bog Brook in Southeast; Croton Falls in Carmel and Southeast; Diverting in Southeast; East Branch in Brewster; Middle Branch in Southeast; West Branch in Kent and Carmel and Boyds Corner in Kent.

Towns and municipalities

 Carmel

Carmel is the county seat of Putnam County, with a population of 34,000.The town of Carmel includes the villages and hamlets of Carmel, Carmel Hills, Field Corners, Hopkins Corners, Mahopac, Mahopac Falls, Mahopac Point, Secor Corners, Tilly Foster, and West Mahopac. Carmel is along the southern border of Putnam County. Carmel is known for its historic courthouse and high school, which serves grades 9-12. Carmel was taken from what is now know as Kent in 1795 .

 Kent
Kent is a town located along a the northern border of Putnam with a population of 14,000. Kent contains the villages and hamlets of Lake Carmel, Kent Corners, Kent Hills, and Luddingtonville. Kent was originally named Fredericktown, when it was founded in 1778.

 Patterson
Patterson is a town located in the northeast area of Putnam County with a population of 12,000. Patterson, originally named Franklin, was founded in 1795. Patterson contains the villages and hamlets of Barnum Corners, Camp Brady, Fields Corners, Haines Corners, Haviland Hollow, Putnam Lake, Putnam Lake, Steinbeck Corners, Towners, and West Patterson.

 Philipstown
Philipstown is a town located along the western end of Putnam County with a population of 10,000. Philipstown contains the villages and hamlets of Cold Spring, Forsonville, Garrison, Garrison Four Corners, Glenclyffe, Manitou, McKeel Corners, Nelsonville, North Highland, and Storm King. It was founded in 1788.[17] West Point is located across the Hudson River from the village of Cold Spring.

 Southeast
Southeast is a town located along the southern border of Putnam County with a population of 18,000. It was founded in 1788. It is the second largest town in Putnam County, second only to Carmel.Southeast is located at the crossroads of Interstate highways 684 and 84, and State Routes 22, 312, 6 and 202. Metro-North Railroad's Harlem Line has two stops that service the area, at Brewster Village and Southeast Station (formerly Brewster North) off Route 312.Southeast contains the villages and hamlets of Brewster, Brewster Heights, Deans Corners, Deforest Corners, Drewville Heights, Dykemans, Milltown, Sears Corners, and Sodom.

Putnam Valley

Putnam Valley is a town located on the southern border of Putnam County with a population of 11,000.Putnam Valley contains the villages and hamlets of Adams Corners, Christian Corners, Gilbert Corners, Lake Peekskill, Oscawana Corners, Putnam Valley, Tompkins Corners, Sunnybrook. Putnam Valley is also home to the Clarence Fahnestock State Park, which covers much of Putnam County, and some of Dutchess County.
Putnam has two interstate highways. The east-west Interstate 84 comes in from the north near Ludingtonville, and connects to the southbound Interstate 684 in Southeast toward the Connecticut border.The Taconic State Parkway, another high-speed through road, runs north-south through central Putnam.US 9 runs north-south in the western part of the county, paralleled by NY 9D along the Hudson River. NY 22 runs north-south in the eastern part of the county. NY 301 runs east-west from Cold Spring to Carmel. The short NY 403 connects 9 and 9D near Garrison. Three of the region's major east-west routes traverse the eastern half of the county. NY 52 enters alongside I-84 from Dutchess County, to end at US 6 south of Carmel. East of Brewster, 6 joins US 202 and the routes leave the county and state concurrently aside the interstate.

The county's highway and facilities department maintains a number of county roads and performs snow and ice control on portions of the following numbered highways within the county:U.S. Route 6 from Westchester County line to the NY 22/U.S. Route 202 concurrency; NY 6N for the entire duration within Putnam; NY 9D from NY 301 to the Dutchess County line; NY 52 from its southern terminus to NY 311; NY 164 for its entire duration, and NY 301 for its entire duration.
The county also has several passenger trains that travel through the county. The Harlem Line and the Hudson Line of the Metro-North Railroad run north-south in Putnam. The Harlem Line makes stops at Brewster, Southeast, and Patterson. The Hudson Line makes stops at Manitou, Garrison, Cold Spring, and Breakneck Ridge. A connection to Amtrak can be made to the south at Croton-Harmon in upper Westchester County or to the north at Poughkeepsie in Duchess County, both on the Hudson Line.

Towns and municipalities
5.1 Carmel
5.2 Kent
5.3 Patterson
5.4 Philipstown
5.5 Southeast
5.6 Putnam Valley