Ulster County
From WikiPaltz: the collective knowledge of New Paltz and beyond
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| County seat | Kingston |
| Largest city | Kingston |
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| Area —Total —Land —Water, % | 1,161 mi² 1,126 mi² 34 mi², 2.95% |
| Population —Total (2000) —Density | 177,749 61/mi² |
| Established | 1683 |
| Website | [1] |
[edit] Overview
Located almost equi-distant between Albany and New York City, Ulster County is a blend of urban, rural and agricultural culture. It's farmers and hipsters all rolled into one.
[edit] Geography/Location
Ulster County is located in the Southeastern portion of the state. It streches from the Hudson River along its eastern boarder, to the Catskill Mountains along its western boarder and the Shawangunk Mountain range along its southern boarder. The highest point is Slide Mountain, at approximately 4,180 feet (1,274 m) above sea level. The lowest point is sea level along the Hudson River. Ulster, specifically southern Ulster, has some of the best rock climbing in the United States.
Ulster is about 1,130 square miles and nearly one-third of the county is located within the New York City Watershed. When combined with Delaware and Sullivan Counties, this provides the vast water supply that serves over 10 million people in the State of New York (or over half the population of the state).
Ulster also has several major tributaries of the Hudson River, including the Wallkill River and Esopus Creek. The Hudson River, Wallkill River and Esopus Creek are well known to kyakers and other water enthusiasts.
Ulster has three exits on the New York State Thruway, Saugerties (exit 18), Kingston (exit 17) and New Paltz (exit 16).
[edit] Population
The census estimates the County population to be nearly 182,000 people. Of this about 89% of the population is white/European, almost 5.5% is African-American and over 6% are Latino.
[edit] Government
The lawmaking body of Ulster County Government is the Ulster County Legislature.
