Town of Cortlandt
Westchester County, New York
The Community
Superbly scenic, suburban and offering the finest of urban amenities, Cortlandt has been a distinguished setting since 1677, when Stephanus Van Cortlandt purchased a vast estate from the Kitchawan Indians. This sprawling, northwestern-most Westchester town is bordered on the west by the magnificent Hudson River, the north by Putnam County, the east by the Town of Yorktown and on the south by the Towns of New Castle and Ossining. The Town of Cortlandt encompasses the unincorporated villages of Croton-on-Hudson and Buchanan, and hamlets including Montrose, Crugers and Verplanck. Annsville, Cortlandt Manor, Crompond, Crugers, Furnace Dock, Montrose, Mount Airy, Oscawana, Pleasantside, Toddville and Van Cortlandtville are local neighborhood areas in the Town of Cortlandt.
Cortlandt was the site of many skirmishes during the Revolutionary War. Local roads bear names reflecting the Revolutionary time. Some of these historic locations include Furnace Dock Road, where the furnaces made ammunition for the war effort, and Watch Hill Road. The town is also the location of the second largest hand carved structure in the world, the beautiful Croton Dam, built in 1907.
The town has a total area of 34.5 square miles and an estimated population of 38,467 (2000 census). Over 94% of the town's land is zoned for residential or open space, with only approximately 6% zoned commercial or industrial. Cortlandt residents are governed by a Town Council and a Supervisor.
Educational and Cultural Facilities
Cortlandt students are served by four school districts: Croton-Harmon, Hendrick Hudson, Lakeland Central and Yorktown Central. All provide a wide range of programs in their elementary, middle and high schools. Private schooling is readily available and a myriad of cultural and educational offerings of the greater metropolitan area are within easy reach.
Recreational Facilities
With an ideal location of great natural beauty stretching along the mighty Hudson River, Cortlandt provides seemingly endless opportunities for aquatic recreation. Lakes and beaches, Charles Cook Pool and tennis courts, Sprout Lake Park, Cortlandt Recreation Center, George's Island Park and the expansive Blue Mountain Reservation also invite leisure activities. Trails for hiking, biking and equestrian use, nature centers, ball fields, playgrounds and organized sports add to Cortlandt's wealth of recreational choices.
Transportation
Called "The Gateway to the Hudson River Valley", Cortlandt is the location of the Bear Mountain Bridge, spanning the Hudson in the town's northwestern corner. State Routes 9, 9A, 6, 202 and 35 connect Cortlandt to the Taconic Parkway and to Westchester's extensive network of major highways. Manhattan is 45 minutes away by car and 45 minutes via express train from the Metro North Croton-Harmon Station. Rail service is also available at the Cortlandt Station. The town is also served by the Bee Line Transit Bus System.
"Cortlandt…The Pride of the Hudson"
http://www.hudsonriver.com/rivertowns/cortlandt.htm
http://www.townofcortlandt.com/
http://www.henhudschools.org/
