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Dutchess County

Dutchess County, New York
County
Downtown Poughkeepsie
Downtown Poughkeepsie
County flag
County seal
Named for: Duchess of York
Country United States
State New York
Region Hudson Valley
River Hudson
Highest point Brace Mountain
 - elevation 2,311 ft (704 m)
Lowest point sea level (at the Hudson River)
 - elevation 0 ft (0 m)
Area 825 sq mi (2,137 km2)
 - land 796 sq mi (2,062 km2)
 - water 30 sq mi (78 km2)
Population 297,488 (2010)
Density 374/km2 (969/sq mi)
Founded 1713
County Executive Marcus Molinaro (R)
Timezone North American Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 - summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
Area code 845 and 518
Congressional districts 18th, 19th
County seat Poughkeepsie
Largest city Poughkeepsie
Map of New York highlighting Dutchess County.svg
Location of Dutchess County within the state of New York
Website: www.co.dutchess.ny.us

Dutchess County is a county located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 297,488. The county seat and largest city is Poughkeepsie. The county was created in 1683 and later organized in 1713.

Dutchess County is part of the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is located in the Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley.

Prior to Anglo-Dutch settlement, what is today Dutchess County was a leading center for the native Wappinger peoples. They had their council-fire at what is now present-day Fishkill Hook, and also held gatherings along the Danskammer. On November 1, 1683, the Province of New York established its first twelve counties, with Dutchess County being one of them. Its boundaries at that time included the present Putnam County, and a small portion of the present Columbia County (the towns of Clermont and Germantown). The county was named for Mary of Modena, Duchess of York, second wife of James, Duke of York (later James II, King of England). is an archaic form of the word duchess.

The Province of New York and the Connecticut Colony negotiated an agreement on November 28, 1683, establishing their border as 20 miles (32 km) east of the Hudson River, north to Massachusetts. The 61,660 acres (249.5 km2) east of the Byram River making up the Connecticut Panhandle were granted to Connecticut, in recognition of the wishes of the residents. In exchange, Rye was granted to New York, along with a 1.81-mile (2.91 km) wide strip of land running north from Ridgefield to Massachusetts alongside the New York counties of Westchester, Putnam then Dutchess, known as "The Oblong". The eastern half of the stub of land in northeast Dutchess County containing Rudd Pond and Taconic State Park is the northernmost extension of The Oblong.


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Wikipedia

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