Towns of Bloominggrove, Cornwall and Monroe

Up to 1764 the district covered by these towns was apart of the old town of Goshen, at which time the Colonial Assembly passed an act to divide Goshen into two precincts, and the old town of Cornwall was erected; since which it has been divided into these three towns.

In physical outline and natural condition, this district is much more diversified in appearance than any we have previously considered. At the west in Bloominggrove, they have the smooth and undulating lands found in other towns, but as it runs east and approximates the Hudson, and Southerly towards the line of Rockland, it terminates in a mountain range, broken up and variegated in general aspect, by bold, craggy and elevated peaks. The whole area is triangular in shape, with one angle resting on the line of New Jersey, the eastern side of which extending from the Jersey line to near the mouth of Murderers' creek, is the broad segment of a mountain circle, with here and there an occasional breach. These are the Grampian hills of Orange. While this elevated range is severed by many deep glens and vallies, the Alpine hights hold within their rocky crests, ponds and lakes of pure water, which glitter like diamonds in the noontide sun. Rude and forbidding, as this region of hills and rocks and mountain crags may at first sight appear to the eye of a superficial observer, yet, to the true lover of nature in the exhibition of her noblest works, and to the practical mind of the really utilitarian, for a thousand purposes, the whole is well arranged and unsurpassed by any thing of the kind in the county. Here are found without stint or measure, granite, mica or isingglass stone, and every quality of iron ore, with other minerals, treasures of present and future wealth to the nation. As early as 1778, during the war of the Revolution, the great chain passed across the Hudson at West Point, was made from the mineral of this region. In this respect, as regards quality and quantity, the county of Orange stands unrivalled by any other in the state.

The time will come, when these hills, mountains, deep glens and sparkling lakes, shall be the descriptive themes of some native bard, who like Scott or Burns, caught up in spirit and wrapped in poetic fire, will harmoniously weave them, one and all, into the thrilling lays of the lowland and mountain muse. The time will come, when these elevated highs of dreary aspect, these hills overhung and darkened with vines and forest trees, and these lakes of picturesque beauty, unknown to the common mind, decorated with the wildest garniture of nature, and visited by the wing of the wild bird shall be associated in the minds of our children, with all that is pastoral, pleasing and heroic. True, Monroe cannot be made equal in agricultural beauty to other more champaign localities, and wave with a golden harvest; for though her hills and mountains may be denuded of their vegetable ornaments, they cannot he levelled (town nor driven over by the ploughshare; yet the time will come, when every nook and corner throughout the broad and variegated mass shall hold a freeman's cottage, teaming with life and highland cheer, whose tenants, honest and hardy, will sleep amidst the thunders which rock them to rest, and the lightnings that play around and gleam up their mountain dwellings.

Bloominggrove and Cornwall may be considered agricultural towns, while Monroe is largely devoted to manufactures. The nature of her manufactures are principally of the same general character, and confined chiefly to iron products. The agriculture of Bloominggrove is largely inclined to stock and beef-feeding, and may raise grain sufficient for home consumption. The products of Cornwall are of a more diversified character, embracing butter, grain, stock, fruit, with manufactures to a limited extent. It is thought, that there is no locality of the county equal to Cornwall for the growing of all the choice varieties of fruit. That town we think has the honor of cultivating the fruits first in the county, and it is due to Mr. Noah Townsend of Bethlehem, who began the nursery businesses early perhaps as 1790.- In 1805 he advertised that he could supply the public with fruit trees of various kinds. This gave a sudden start, a strong impetus to the business, which others have happily improved upon and enlarged.

In all the various departments above referred to, the progress towards greater and more perfect production, is steady and gradual. The same forward movement in clearing up the face of the land, in building fences and dwellings, and in ditching out and draining low and unsightly places, which is observable elsewhere in the county, is obvious throughout the towns of which we speak.

The streams of this region are not numerous, but its ponds and lakes for number, beauty and usefulness, are unexcelled in the county. Murderers' creek winds a gentle, but serpentine course through Bloominggrove and Cornwall, and falls into the Hudson in the broad bay of Newburgh, at Plum Point, near the beautiful and picturesque residence of Mr. Philip Verplank. The Ramapo, unlike any other river that we know of on the globe, being made up wholly by the surplus waters of ponds and lakes, after one short turn from an easterly course, near Mr. Turners' in a strait southerly direction hurries down its narrow and somewhat celebrated valley to leave the county and visit New Jersey. No stream with its tributaries, of the size of this any where, furnishes a greater amount of safe, valuable and profitable water power.

Without it the mineral wealth which lies imbedded along and in the vicinity of its course, would be comparatively worthless, for they would not pay the expense of disinterment and distant transportation in a crude state. How admirable is the provision of nature in this instance. In the great economy of the world, these rocks and mountain masses were formed and piled rudely upon each other, and in the “modus operandi” valuable minerals were scattered deep and around them, hid from the common eye and worthless; and along came the friendly Ramapo to disinter and carry them in comminuted portions to a place of sale.

The name of this river is Indian, and means a stream formed of “round ponds.”

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Table of Contents Towns of Bloominggrove, Cornwall and Monroe Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Orange County AHGP/ALHN New York AHGP/ALHN AHGP ALHN	History of Orange County
	Towns of Bloominggrove, Cornwall and Monroe Up to 1764 the district covered by these towns was apart of the old town of Goshen, at which time the Colonial Assembly passed an act to divide Goshen into two precincts, and the old town of Cornwall was erected; since which it has been divided into these three towns. In physical outline and natural condition, this district is much more diversified in appearance than any we have previously considered. At the west in Bloominggrove, they have the smooth and undulating lands found in other towns, but as it runs east and approximates the Hudson, and Southerly towards the line of Rockland, it terminates in a mountain range, broken up and variegated in general aspect, by bold, craggy and elevated peaks. The whole area is triangular in shape, with one angle resting on the line of New Jersey, the eastern side of which extending from the Jersey line to near the mouth of Murderers' creek, is the broad segment of a mountain circle, with here and there an occasional breach. These are the Grampian hills of Orange. While this elevated range is severed by many deep glens and vallies, the Alpine hights hold within their rocky crests, ponds and lakes of pure water, which glitter like diamonds in the noontide sun. Rude and forbidding, as this region of hills and rocks and mountain crags may at first sight appear to the eye of a superficial observer, yet, to the true lover of nature in the exhibition of her noblest works, and to the practical mind of the really utilitarian, for a thousand purposes, the whole is well arranged and unsurpassed by any thing of the kind in the county. Here are found without stint or measure, granite, mica or isingglass stone, and every quality of iron ore, with other minerals, treasures of present and future wealth to the nation. As early as 1778, during the war of the Revolution, the great chain passed across the Hudson at West Point, was made from the mineral of this region. In this respect, as regards quality and quantity, the county of Orange stands unrivalled by any other in the state. The time will come, when these hills, mountains, deep glens and sparkling lakes, shall be the descriptive themes of some native bard, who like Scott or Burns, caught up in spirit and wrapped in poetic fire, will harmoniously weave them, one and all, into the thrilling lays of the lowland and mountain muse. The time will come, when these elevated highs of dreary aspect, these hills overhung and darkened with vines and forest trees, and these lakes of picturesque beauty, unknown to the common mind, decorated with the wildest garniture of nature, and visited by the wing of the wild bird shall be associated in the minds of our children, with all that is pastoral, pleasing and heroic. True, Monroe cannot be made equal in agricultural beauty to other more champaign localities, and wave with a golden harvest; for though her hills and mountains may be denuded of their vegetable ornaments, they cannot he levelled (town nor driven over by the ploughshare; yet the time will come, when every nook and corner throughout the broad and variegated mass shall hold a freeman's cottage, teaming with life and highland cheer, whose tenants, honest and hardy, will sleep amidst the thunders which rock them to rest, and the lightnings that play around and gleam up their mountain dwellings. Bloominggrove and Cornwall may be considered agricultural towns, while Monroe is largely devoted to manufactures. The nature of her manufactures are principally of the same general character, and confined chiefly to iron products. The agriculture of Bloominggrove is largely inclined to stock and beef-feeding, and may raise grain sufficient for home consumption. The products of Cornwall are of a more diversified character, embracing butter, grain, stock, fruit, with manufactures to a limited extent. It is thought, that there is no locality of the county equal to Cornwall for the growing of all the choice varieties of fruit. That town we think has the honor of cultivating the fruits first in the county, and it is due to Mr. Noah Townsend of Bethlehem, who began the nursery businesses early perhaps as 1790.- In 1805 he advertised that he could supply the public with fruit trees of various kinds. This gave a sudden start, a strong impetus to the business, which others have happily improved upon and enlarged. In all the various departments above referred to, the progress towards greater and more perfect production, is steady and gradual. The same forward movement in clearing up the face of the land, in building fences and dwellings, and in ditching out and draining low and unsightly places, which is observable elsewhere in the county, is obvious throughout the towns of which we speak. The streams of this region are not numerous, but its ponds and lakes for number, beauty and usefulness, are unexcelled in the county. Murderers' creek winds a gentle, but serpentine course through Bloominggrove and Cornwall, and falls into the Hudson in the broad bay of Newburgh, at Plum Point, near the beautiful and picturesque residence of Mr. Philip Verplank. The Ramapo, unlike any other river that we know of on the globe, being made up wholly by the surplus waters of ponds and lakes, after one short turn from an easterly course, near Mr. Turners' in a strait southerly direction hurries down its narrow and somewhat celebrated valley to leave the county and visit New Jersey. No stream with its tributaries, of the size of this any where, furnishes a greater amount of safe, valuable and profitable water power. Without it the mineral wealth which lies imbedded along and in the vicinity of its course, would be comparatively worthless, for they would not pay the expense of disinterment and distant transportation in a crude state. How admirable is the provision of nature in this instance. In the great economy of the world, these rocks and mountain masses were formed and piled rudely upon each other, and in the “modus operandi” valuable minerals were scattered deep and around them, hid from the common eye and worthless; and along came the friendly Ramapo to disinter and carry them in comminuted portions to a place of sale. The name of this river is Indian, and means a stream formed of “round ponds.” 948th