SUFFERN, NY

Suffern is a village that was incorporated in 1796 in the town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States. Suffern is located 31 miles northwest of Manhattan. As of the 2010 census, Suffern's population was 10,723.

History

thumb|The village of Suffern viewed from the top of Nordkop Mountain

"The Point of the Mountains" or "Sidman's Clove" were names used before the American Revolution to designate the present village of Suffern. The area originally was inhabited by the Ramapough, a tribe of Munsee, who were a division of the Lenape tribe. Upon Sidman's death, this land passed into the hands of his son-in-law, John Smith, who sold it to John Suffern.

The village of Suffern was founded in 1796. John Suffern, first Rockland County judge, 1798–1806, settled near the base of the Ramapo Mountains in 1773, and called the place New Antrim, after his home in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. His French Huguenot ancestors had settled there after fleeing religious persecution in France. New Antrim's location was considered strategically important in the Revolutionary War because it was at an important crossroads near Ramapo Pass. General George Washington and other important military leaders used John Suffern's home as headquarters when they were in the area.

This history has been recognized by the town. Suffern is a stop on the Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail, under the auspices of the National Park Service. This trail commemorates the route followed by General Washington and the French Comte de Rochambeau as they traveled to the siege of Yorktown, Virginia, which led to victory for the United States in gaining independence.

Rochambeau made encampment with his 5,000 soldiers in Suffern on August 25, 1781, on his way to Yorktown, and again on September 13, 1782, as he retraced his steps to New York. An historical marker on the Washington Avenue side of the Lafayette Theatre identifies this site of "Rochambeau's Encampment 1781–1782". The National Park Service has installed a wayside panel near the gazebo in Suffern to commemorate Rochambeau's encampment in Suffern. At the time of the encampment, this site was directly across the road from village founder John Suffern's home and tavern where the Count de Rochambeau stayed. Based on an 1860 painting of John Suffern's home that showed the well in the side yard, his home would have been in at the area of Licata Insurance. The well is in the basement of the furniture store.

During the war, Commander-in-Chief General Washington and his regiment made camp in the village several times. Lafayette Avenue, the main street of Suffern, is named in honor of Revolutionary War hero Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, better known as the Marquis de Lafayette.

Other guests who took advantage of Suffern's hospitality included Lieutenant Colonel Aaron Burr, who later became the third Vice President of the United States; General George Clinton, who became the first (and longest-serving) elected Governor of New York, as well as the fourth Vice President of the United States (under both Thomas Jefferson and James Madison); and Alexander Hamilton, first United States Secretary of the Treasury under President Washington.

From Suffern to Monroe was a main route of travel through the western Hudson Highlands. The main road was the Albany Post Road, one of the oldest roads in the state, which served as the stagecoach line between Albany and New York City . Once the Hudson River froze in winter, the Post Road was heavily traveled as an alternate. The of road through Ramapo Pass was later developed as the Orange Turnpike (now known as Route 17). Tolls were collected from 1800 until 1886 to maintain and improve the road. The New York State Thruway now runs through the pass. The south entrance to the town was garrisoned during the Revolution, with General Washington ordering as many as 400 soldiers to be stationed there at all times.

The first railroad line across Rockland County, the Erie Railroad, was built in 1841 and ran from Piermont to Ramapo. By 1851, the line was extended to Lake Erie, and was considered an engineering marvel. The tracks are now owned by the Norfolk Southern line. In consideration for the right-of-way given it by Judge Edward Suffern, son of founder John, to lay track across his of land, the Erie Railroad named their depot "Suffern's Station." The village became known as Suffern, not New Antrim, as it had been called by John Suffern.

In 1897, Avon Products, known then as California Perfume Company, built a laboratory in Suffern. By 1971 the lab had been expanded into the Avon Suffern Research and Development facility. In late 2005, construction was finished on a state-of-the art, facility that would become Avon's global hub for research and development. The new building was constructed on the same site as their previous R&D facility, which was demolished for site parking.

In 1916, what would become New York State Route 59, which reached from Nyack to Spring Valley in 1915, was extended to Suffern and Ramapo Hamlet.

In 1924, the Lafayette Theatre, named for the Revolutionary War hero the Marquis de Lafayette, opened its doors.

In 1972, the Salvation Army moved their School for Officer Training to a site in Suffern. They took over the former Catholic School for Holy Children.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , of which , or 1.42%, is water.

Suffern is designated as a gateway to the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 11,006 people, 4,634 households, and 2,836 families residing in the village. The population density was 5,265.8 people per square mile (2,033.2/km²). There were 4,762 housing units at an average density of 2,278.4 per square mile (879.7/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 86.83% white, 3.53% African American, 0.26% Native American, 2.83% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 4.52% from other races, and 1.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.87% of the population.

There were 4,634 households, out of which 25.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 20.1% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 32.9% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $59,754, and the median income for a family was $74,937. Males had a median income of $46,959 versus $36,093 for females. The per capita income for the village was $29,208. About 3.5% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.6% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Novartis had a manufacturing facility in Suffern, employing approximately 525 workers. In January 2014, the company announced closure of this facility by 2017, citing loss of patent exclusivity on Diovan as a major factor in the decision. The facility was engaged in the "production of tablets, capsules, vials and inhalation products".

Avon's Global Research and Development facility is located in Suffern, employing 350 scientists and technicians in developing cosmetics.

Arts and culture

thumb|upright|Soldier's Monument at Washington and Lafayette avenues

Historical markers

Landmarks and places of interest

Government

Suffern's government is headed by a mayor, Michael Curley. The mayor presides over a village board consisting of four trustees. The village is represented in the United States House of Representatives by Mondaire Jones. In state government, it is represented by Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick and Assemblyman Michael Lawler. Suffern falls within the borders of the town of Ramapo, with Michael Specht serving as supervisor.

Education

Suffern Middle School is the junior high school of the Suffern Central School District (SCSD), and is located in the village Montebello, adjacent to Suffern. The 1,200 grade 6-8 students educated there hail from Airmont, Suffern, Montebello, Hillburn, Sloatsburg and parts of Monsey.

The village is home to Richard P. Connor Elementary School, also part of SCSD. Viola Elementary School is located in the neighboring CDP of Viola. High school students are zoned to Suffern High School.

In 2013, Cherry Lane Elementary School, located in the neighboring Village of Airmont and part of SCSD, became one of the Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Award winners awarded by the U.S. Department of Education.

Rockland Community College, part of the SUNY system, is located just outside the village limits.

Media

Infrastructure

Transportation

Suffern station serves both local and express trains, operated by New Jersey Transit to Hoboken Terminal with connecting service at Secaucus Junction to New York's Pennsylvania Station. Most New Jersey Transit Main Line trains terminate at Suffern; some Bergen County Line trains also terminate at Suffern; and Metro-North Railroad's Port Jervis Line trains continue into Orange County to Port Jervis. Transport of Rockland buses serve Suffern, as do the Bergen County routes of Coach USA ShortLine.

U.S. Route 202, New York State Route 59, Interstate 287, and Interstate 87, also known as the New York State Thruway, go through Suffern.

Notable people