Bethel is a town in Sullivan County, New York, USA. The population was 4,362 at the 2000 census but Bethel experienced tremendous growth between 2001 and 2007. It is the fastest-growing town in Sullivan County and has been identified as one of the fastest-growing towns in New York State in 2006. Ronda, Spain Main street in Bastrop, Texas, United States, a small town A town is a community of people ranging from a few hundred to several thousands, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas. ... Sullivan County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. ... “NY” redirects here. ...

History

The first settlers arrived around 1795 near the present communities of Bethel and White Lake. The Town of Bethel was established in 1809 from the Town of Lumberland. By the middle of the 19th Century, a tourist industry began to grow. Bethel was home to numerous hotels that were part of the "Borscht Belt" and numerous sleepaway camps for most of the 20th century, including Camp Ma-Ho-Ge, Camp Chipinaw, and Camp Ranger -- all on Silver Lake. The Town of Bethel was brought to the world's attention in 1969 when nearly 400,000 people gathered at Yasgur's Farm for 3 Days of Peace and Music. The documentary made about Woodstock released in 1970 showed interviews with numerous Bethel residents, including Art Vassmer, co-owner of Vassmers General Store in Kauneonga Lake. Vassmers store recently purchased by the Carmack family will reopen in the summer of 2007. In 2006, Bethel Woods opened on the original Woodstock site as a state-of-the-art performing arts venue. In early 2008, a multi-media Woodstock "interpretive" museum is scheduled to open on the old Yasgur's Farm to compliment the concert space, which hosted The New York Philharmonic, Wynton Marsalis, Diane Reeves, Chris Botti, The Goo Goo Dolls, The Boston Pops, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in its inaugural season. Highlights of the Center's 2007 season were performances by Lynrd Skynrd/Marshall Tucker Band, Bob Dylan, Richie Havens/Arlo Guthrie, Earth, Wind & Fire, and repeat performances of The New York Philharmonic and The Boston Pops. Year 1809 (MDCCCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar). ... Lumberland is a town located in Sullivan County, New York. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Camp Ma-Ho-Ge, located in Bethel, New York in Sullivan County and about one mile from the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival, was the summer home for hundreds of kids from the 1920s through 1977, when the camp was sold. ... An editor has expressed a concern that the subject of the article does not satisfy the notability guideline or one of the following guidelines for inclusion on Wikipedia: Biographies, Books, Companies, Fiction, Music, Neologisms, Numbers, Web content, or several proposals for new guidelines. ... Woodstock may refer to: Woodstock Music and Art Festival, a 1969 U.S. rock festival which inspired a 1970 Warner Bros. ... The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is a state-of-the-art performing arts center located at the site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival in Bethel, New York. ...

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 233.2 km² (90.0 mi²). 221.2 km² (85.4 mi²) of it is land and 12.0 km² (4.6 mi²) of it (5.13%) is water. One of the most attractive features of Bethel is its access to numerous lakes, all within a five minute drive of each other. They include White Lake, Kauneonga Lake, Silver Lake, and Lake Superior, which is part of the state park with the same name. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title ) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ... A square metre (US spelling: square meter) is by definition the area enclosed by a square with sides each 1 metre long. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ...

Demographics

Per the census² of 2000, there were 4,362 people, 1,649 households, and 1,101 families residing in the town. The population density was 19.7/km² (51.1/mi²). There were 3,641 housing units at an average density of 16.5/km² (42.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 90.35% European American, 11.28% Latin American, 4.61% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.50% Asian American, 0.16% Pacific Islander American, 2.80% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races. Image:1870 census Lindauer Weber 01. ... The following is a list of sources used in the creation of encyclopedia articles on various geographic topics and locations, such as cities, counties, states, and countries. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... It has been suggested that Ethnicity (United States Census) be merged into this article or section. ...

There were 1,649 households out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.95. Marriage is an interpersonal relationship with governmental, social, or religious recognition, usually intimate and sexual, and often created as a contract, or through civil process. ...

In the town the population was spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 108.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $36,017, and the median income for a family was $37,321. Males had a median income of $35,025 versus $24,438 for females. The per capita income for the town was $25,335. About 9.4% of families and 14.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.6% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over. The per capita income for a group of people may be defined as their total personal income, divided by the total population. ... Map of countries showing percentage of population who have an income below the national poverty line The poverty line is the level of income below which one cannot afford to purchase all the resources one requires to live. ...

Communities and locations in Bethel

• Bethel -- The hamlet of Bethel, located on Route 17B.
• Black Lake -- A community on Route 55, south of the lake, Black Lake.
• Briscoe -- A hamlet near the north town line on Route 144.
• Bushville -- A hamlet in the northeast corner of the town on Route 75.
• Hurd Settlement -- A hamlet in the northwestern part of the town.
• Kauneoga Lake -- A hamlet north at the junction of Routes 141 and 55. This community was formerly called North White Lake.
• Lake Superior State Park -- located on a small lake, named Lake Superior.
• Mongaup Valley -- A community northeast of Smallwood.
• Smallwood -- A hamlet, originally founded as the vacation community "Mountain Lakes," but later renamed after its founder A.N. Smallwood. This is the largest community in the town.
• Stephensville -- A former community in the town.
• Sullivan County International (MSV) -- The airport is northeast of Smallwood.
• White Lake -- A hamlet on Route 17B east of Bethel, established by "Kauneonga Lake."
• Ferndale -- Just south of Swan Lake next to Old Route 17 and Route 17

A hamlet is (usually — see below) a small settlement, too small or unimportant to be considered a village. ... Blowdown Lake in the mountains near Pemberton, British Columbia A lake (from Latin lacus) is a body of water or other liquid of considerable size contained on a body of land. ... Lake Superior State Park is a state park located on a small lake, Lake Superior, in the Town of Bethel in Sullivan County, New York. ... Smallwood is a hamlet (and census-designated place) in Sullivan County, New York, United States. ... White Lake may refer to: White Lake, Wisconsin White Lake, South Dakota White Lake, North Carolina White Lake Township, Michigan A number of lakes in Russian Federation are called White Lake (Белое озеро). Sometimes the name is translated, and sometimes is transliterated...

Information about Bethel and Woodstock

The Town of Bethel, which is primarily rural in character, is in the heart of the old Borscht Belt Catskills resort area. Although some bungalow colonies continue to exist, catering to a largely Orthodox Jewish clientele during the summer, most of the old resorts which had their heyday from the 1930s to the early 1970's have long since closed. Borscht Belt is an informal term for the summer resorts of the Catskill Mountains in Sullivan and Ulster Counties in upstate New York which were frequented by Ashkenazi Jews. ... Catskill State Park as seen from Overlook Mountian The Catskill Mountains are an extension of the Appalachian Mountains into New York State. ... Orthodox Judaism is one of the three major branches of Judaism. ...

Bethel was the actual location of the Woodstock festival in 1969. Because it was originally scheduled to take place in the Town of Woodstock in Ulster County, New York, that name persisted in spite of the change in venue. The Woodstock Music and Art Fair was a historic event held at Max Yasgurs 600 acre (2. ... Also: 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ... Woodstock is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. ... Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the states beautiful Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. ...

In 1998 a second concert was given at the original site and this helped ignite the vision of philanthropist Alan Gerry and daughter, Robyn, to acquire the land and build what was to become Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. In 2008, almost 40 years since Woodstock, an interactive museum commemorating Woodstock and the Baby Boomer generation is exected to open in a beautifully designed building at the entrance to Bethel Woods. Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ...

On July 1st, 2006 Bethel Woods Center for the Arts opened on the site of the original Woodstock Festival and hosted the New York Philharmonic. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young closed out the inaugaral season in August 2006, bringing the harmonious foursome back to Bethel for the first time since August 1969. The summer of 2007 concert lineup at Bethel Woods began on June 2007 with Chicago/America. Other performers from June 2007 to September 2007 included the New York Philharmonic, Bob Dylan, Brad Paisley, Lynrd Skynrd witb The Marshall Tucker Band, Earth, Wind & Fire, Arlo Guthrie/Richie Havens, and others. The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is a state-of-the-art performing arts center located at the site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival in Bethel, New York. ... The Woodstock Music and Art Fair was a historic event held at Max Yasgurs 600 acre (2. ...

On December 15, 2006, the Federal government gave approval for a major casino/resort to be built a few miles from Bethel at Monticello Raceway. However, a final decision must be made by the Department of the Interior. New York State Governor Eliott Spitzer has given his approval for the casino. is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Monticello Raceway is a harness track, and home to a relatively new racino, in Monticello, Sullivan County, New York. ...

The February 2007 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue contained a photo of a woman photographed with the 1969 Woodstock Festival emblem across her chest. During the summer of 2007, New York's [Whitney Musuem] held a highly-publicized exhibit, "Summer of Love" that included numerous photographs of the Woodstock festival that were marked with "Bethel, NY".

Bethel's Kauneonga Lake, home of the famous Vassmers General Store as seen in the movie, Woodstock, roared back to life in 2007 with three new lakeside restaurants, including one in what was the Vassmers' store. Some of the Sullivan County's best restaurants in Bethel: The Front Porch, Benji & Jakes (brick oven pizza and live music), The Fat Lady Cafe (live jazz on Friday nights) and The R&B Grille, which coordinates its live music schedule so that it has the same genre as Bethel Woods lineup.

Town Supervisor Harold Russell, a Republican, is being challenged by Councilman Daniel Sturm, a Democrat, on Election Day in 2007, as the town grapples with tough decisions over numerous proposals for large-scale housing and commercial developments spurred on by demand for affordable real estate not found in neighboring counties.

External links

• Town of Bethel, New York (official site)
• Site with info on town
• Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
• Woodstock information
• Camp Ma-Ho-Ge alumni site
• Official site of Daniel Sturm, candidate for Town Supervisor

Coordinates: 41°40′51″N, 74°51′57″W Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...