Congers

Congers is a suburban hamlet and census-designated place in the town of Clarkstown, Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located north of Valley Cottage, east of New City, across Lake DeForest, south of Haverstraw, and west of the Hudson River. It lies 19 miles (31 km) north of New York City's Bronx boundary. As of the 2010 census, the CDP population was 8,363.[1]

Congers is located at 41°8′47″N 73°56′39″W  /  41.14639°N 73.94417°W  / 41.14639; -73.94417 (41.146445, −73.944036).[2]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 3.9 square miles (10 km2), of which 3.2 square miles (8.3 km2) is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km2) (18.39%) is water. The high percentage of Congers that sits under water is due to the hamlet's emplacement within and between four lakes: Congers Lake, Rockland Lake, Swartwout (also Swarthout) Lake, and the county reservoir, Lake DeForest. Congers is adjacent to Rockland Lake State Park, along the Hudson River.

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 8,303 people, 2,695 households, and 2,244 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2,635.9 per square mile (1,017.7/km2). There were 2,743 housing units at an average density of 870.8/sq mi (336.2/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 85.2% White, 1.8% African American, 0.2% Native American, 8.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.1% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.6% of the population. Estimated median household income in 2008: $99,833 (it was $79,493 in 2000) making it one of the highest earning CDP's in the county.

There were 2,695 households, out of which 40.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.3% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.7% were non-families. 13.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.05 and the average family size was 3.36. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 26.1% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.

Congers, named after Abraham B. Conger,[4] was settled in the late 17th century by Dutch, German and English settlers and was known as Cedar Grove Corner and then Waldberg, which in German means "forest mountain".

In the 19th century the Congers railroad station, three churches, a school, the firehouse and the Central and Globe hotels were built. The first floor of the then Globe hotel (pictured below) on the southeastern corner of Congers Road is presently the Last Chance Saloon. The Clarktown Dutch Reformed Church still stands at the corner of Congers Road and Kings Highway.

Kings Highway was the first major road in the county and for many years the only road from New York to Albany.

Today there exist nine structures with recognized historical markers dating back to the 18th century, including the DeBaum House on Kings Highway, the Smith House on Gilchrest Road and the Snedeker House, where the Commander-in-chief George Washington is believed to have spent a night.

The Swartout estate which was occupied by George Swartout, was part of a large tract of land confiscated by the government about 1777; It was purchased by General Jacobus Swartwout who was a collaborator of George Washington, and member of a family which traced its residence in Rockland County to 1660.

DeForest Lake, built in 1955/6, was named after Henry L. Deforest, President of the Spring Valley Works and Supply Company.

Several roads are named after Union Civil War generals, including Grant, Burnside, Sheridan, Sherman, and Rosecrans Avenues.

There is a memorial in honor of 1st Lieutenant Raymond B. Jauss that is located at the park adjacent to the railroad crossing at the center of town. Jauss received a Distinguished Service Cross for his actions in World War One and was killed on July 15, 1918 near Crezancy, France. He was a graduate of Columbia University and his family had a summer home in Congers. Jauss was married to a childhood sweetheart - and fellow Congers resident - Harriet James; their wedding occurred two days before Jauss sailed for Europe.

Congers had regular passenger train service along the New York Central Railroad's West Shore Railroad from Weehawken, New Jersey (opposite Midtown Manhattan) north to Newburgh, Kingston and Albany until 1958. A shortened commuter service continued to West Haverstraw until 1959.[5][6]

Catholics in Congers initially attended St. Peter's Church in Haverstraw. Rev. Thomas McGare of St. Peter's built St Paul's Church, Clarkstown's first Catholic church, on Lake Road in the early 1890s. In 1901 Rev. John A. Nageleisen built mission stations in Rockland Lake, Bardonia, and New City.[7]

Congers has one public elementary school, Lakewood Elementary. Congers Elementary School was shut down in 2013 due to unsafe cracks in the structure.[8] Today the building remains as a day care facility.[9] Public school students from Congers attend Felix Festa Middle School in West Nyack and Clarkstown North High School in New City. Congers is also the home of Rockland Country Day School, which accepts students in grades PreK-12 and was founded in 1959.