Shawangunk NY Real Estate includes The Hamlets of Ellenville, Bruynswick, Crawford, Galeville, New Hurley, Pine Bush, Wallkill and Red Mills. Shawangunk town and mountain ridge have long been known for their geology. Rising 2,000 feet above the town are the Shawangunk Mountains primarily consisting of quartz. The mountains were created over 10,000 years ago during the last ice age when retreating glacial ice carved out the Shawangunk Mountains and the surrounding Catskills.
To this day the beautiful quartz landscapes can be seen from miles away drawing tourists and climbing enthusiasts from all over the world. The mountainous area is also known for its water bodies of high acidity. The high acidity in the water does lead to an abundance of rare plant species that normally do not grow in Northeastern New York.
It also includes the Town of Shawangunk which is bordered on the south by the counties of Sullivan and Orange, to the north by the Towns of Warwarsing and Gardiner and to the east by the Town of Plattekill.
Shawangunk Town Information
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Shawangunk NY Real Estate
According to the U. S. Census for 2010, the town has a total area of 56.5 square miles and a population of 14,332. The median income for a household is $52,366 and the per capita income for the town is $19,402.
Shawangunk was first settled by Europeans around 1670. The region was organized as a precinct in 1743, and became the Town of Shawangunk in 1788.The town’s name comes from the Dutch translation of the Munsee Lenape. The Lenape pronunciation for the town was “Scha-WAN-gunk.” In Lenape, “Schawan,” means “it is smokey air.” This was given as referring to the nearby Catskill Mountains which were known as the “Hidden Mountains.”
Like the nearby Catskill Mountains the Shawangunk area can be noted for the heavy humidity and atmosphere caused by the mountain ridge running southwest to northeast partially blocking the prevailing west to east wind.
Shawangunk NY Real Estate Geology
Rising 2,000 feet above the town are the Shawangunk Mountains primarily consisting of quartz. To this day the beautiful quartz landscapes can be seen from miles away drawing tourists and climbing enthusiasts from all over the world. The mountainous area is also known for its water bodies of high acidity.
Three of the “Sky Lakes,” in Minnewaska State Park Preserve are so acidic they cannot support any wildlife. The high acidity is caused by the high quartz makeup of the soil which aids in the runoff of acidic rains. The high acidity in the water does lead to an abundance of rare plant species that normally do not grow in Northeastern New York. Clusters of Quercus illcifolia and Pinus rigida can be found throughout the region.