In 1683 New York City merchants Francis Rombouts and Gulian Verplanck purchased in Dutchess County from the Wappinger confederacy of Native Americans for a quantity of goods including rum, powder, and tobacco. In 1685 it was granted as the royal Rombout Patent. Neither ever lived on the land, intending to use it only for fur trading. The first white settlers were Rombout's daughter, Catharyna, and her husband, Roger Brett, who built a mill at the mouth of Fishkill Creek as it flows into the Hudson River. Fishkill played an important role in the American Revolutionary War when a huge military encampment was established one mile south of the village of Fishkill to guard the mountain pass to the south. Signal fires lay in readiness on tops of the surrounding mountains. The Fishkill encampment became the main supply depot for the northern department of the Continental Army. The first copies of the New York State Constitution were printed at Fishkill in 1777. In the 19th century mills and factories sprang up in Glenham and Matteawan, bringing an influx of skilled weavers from the British Isles. The healthy economy came to an end in the post–Civil War depression, and the once thriving factories fell into decay. In 1931, Texaco purchased the old woolen mill site and established a research center there. Today, the town's industry is mostly technology based. In 1996, the animal rights groupPETA suggested the town change its name to something less suggestive of violence toward fish. The town declined.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of, of which is land and, or 14.55%, is water. The elevation of the town varies from sea level along the Hudson River to above sea level. The southern town line is the border between Dutchess and Putnam counties and between the towns of Fishkill and Philipstown. The western town line is defined by the Hudson River, across which lie the Orange County towns of Cornwall, New Windsor, and Newburgh, as well as the city of Newburgh. The city ofBeacon is contained within the town, though Fishkill's area west of Beacon is mostly occupied by the Hudson. To the north is the town of Wappinger, and to the east is the town of East Fishkill. Fishkill Creek gives the town its name and empties into the Hudson River. Interstate 84 passes through the town, with access from Exits 41, 44, and 46, and US 9 passes through both the town and village of Fishkill. In 2011, the NYSDOT administered the milling and repaving of Interstate 84 through the town from the Route 9D exit to the Route 9 exit. This work also included replacing steel bridge joints with epoxy-based bridge joints. The prime contractor was Tilcon New York Inc., a West Nyack, New York based contractor. Dutchess Stadium, home of the Class AMinor League baseballHudson Valley Renegades, is in the town.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,258 people, 6,856 households, and 4,264 families residing in the town. The population density was 738.9 people per square mile. There were 7,040 housing units at an average density of 99.1 persons/km2. The racial makeup of the town was 77.19% White, 14.13% African American, 0.19% Native American, 2.99% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 4.49% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. Of the population 10.47% were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 6,856 households, out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 37.8% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.02. In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.3% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 38.1% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 135.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 142.6 males. The median income for a household in the town was $52,745, and the median income for a family was $63,574. Males had a median income of $42,106 versus $32,198 for females. The per capita income for the town was $22,662. 5.4% of the population and 3.4% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 6.2% were under the age of 18 and 7.5% were 65 or older.
