Sullivan County, New York
Sullivan County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. According to the 2007 estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau, the county's population was 76,303. The county seat is Monticello. The name is in honor of Major General John Sullivan, who was a hero in the American Revolutionary War. The county is well-known internationally for its rich entertainment history.
History
When New York State established its first twelve counties in 1683, the present Sullivan County was part of Ulster County. In 1809, Sullivan County was split from Ulster County.
Geography
Sullivan County is in the southern part of New York State, southeast of Binghamton and southwest of Albany. It is separated by the Delaware River from Pennsylvania.
The county, which starts about 75 miles northwest of New York City, is nestled firmly within the Catskill Mountains. Its northeastern corner is within the Catskill Park.
The highest point in the county is a 3,118-foot (950 m) peak unofficially known as Beech Mountain, near Hodge Pond, a subsidiary summit to Mongaup Mountain across the Ulster County line. The lowest point is along the Delaware River.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 997 square miles (2,582 km²), of which, 970 square miles (2,512 km²) of it is land and 27 square miles (70 km²) of it (2.72%) is water.
Adjacent counties
Delaware County, New York - north
Ulster County, New York - northeast
Orange County, New York - southeast
Pike County, Pennsylvania - southwest
Wayne County, Pennsylvania - west
Education
Sullivan County Community College is located in the hamlet of Loch Sheldrake, New York in the Town of Fallsburg.
Travel and Tourism
Sullivan County has always been a popular tourist destination, with mountain climbing, other outdoor activities, and the Monticello Raceway (including the Racino) being among the major draws. However, its two most notable legacies to American pop culture are the resort complexes of the Borscht Belt (with their golf courses, social events, and entertainers) and the 1969 Woodstock Festival. Among the comedic greats who tested their material and who performed regularly at the Borscht Belt hotels were Joey Adams, Morey Amsterdam, Milton Berle, Shelley Berman, Al Bernie, Mel Brooks, Lenny Bruce, George Burns, Red Buttons, Sid Caesar, Jack Carter, Myron Cohen, Norm Crosby, Bill Dana, Rodney Dangerfield, Phyllis Diller, Betty Garrett, Shecky Greene, Buddy Hackett, Mickey Katz, Danny Kaye, Robert Klein, Jack E. Leonard, Jerry Lewis, Jackie Mason, Jan Murray, Carl Reiner, Don Rickles, Joan Rivers, Freddie Roman, Jackie Vernon, Jackie Wakefield, Jonathan Winters, and Henny Youngman. Eddie Fisher performed often at Grossinger's, where in 1955 he married Debbie Reynolds.
From Aug. 15-17, 1969, some 500,000 people gathered in Sullivan County's Town of Bethel at Yasgur's farm to hear one of the most memorable rock concerts ever held - The Woodstock Festival. The concert included The Who, the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, The Band, Canned Heat, Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Janis Joplin, Santana, Sly and the Family Stone, Blood, Sweat and Tears, and Richie Havens, whose improvisational song "Freedom" spoke for the turbulent times in which the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement were the key issues of the day.
Today the site of the original Woodstock Concert is known as the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts and holds many concerts and other events.
Notable people from Sullivan County
Randall Batinkoff, actor
Stephanie Blythe, Mezzo Soprano
Francis S. Currey -- Medal of Honor recipient in World War II.
Gavin DeGraw, Singer
Sheryl Ferguson Nichols, College Athletic Hall of Fame for basketball
Stanley Finch, First Director of the FBI
Al Gerry, cable TV pioneer, philanthropist, founder of Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
Hon. Judith Kaye, Chief Judge, New York State Court of Appeals
Hon. Jill Konviser -- acting justice, New York State Supreme Court, former Inspector General of New York State
Greg Kulz -- San Francisco tattoo artist
Andrew Neiderman -- Prolific novelist
Max Yasgur, his farm was the site of the Woodstock Festival
Cities, Towns and Hamlets
Bethel (town)
Bloomingburg (village)
Callicoon
Callicoon (town)
Cochecton (town)
Delaware (town)
Divine Corners (hamlet)
Fallsburg (town)
Forestburgh (town)
Fremont (town)
Glen Wild (hamlet)
Grahamsville (hamlet)
Hasbrouck (hamlet)
Highland (town)
Hurleyville (hamlet)
Jeffersonville (village)
Liberty (village)
Liberty (town)
Livingston Manor
Loch Sheldrake (hamlet)
Lumberland (town)
Mamakating (town)
Monticello (village)
Mountaindale (hamlet)
North Branch
Narrowsburg
Neversink (town)
Fallsburgh (hamlet)
Rock Hill
Rockland (town)
Roscoe
Smallwood
South Fallsburg
Thompson (town)
Tusten (town)
Woodbourne (hamlet)
Woodridge (village)
Wurtsboro (village)
