Putnam County, New York Cities, Towns, and Villages

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List of towns, formation dates, and other details

Carmel   
  1740    Settled
  1795    Formed in Dutchess County from Town of Frederickstown 
  1812    Transferred to new county of Putnam 
  1861    Ceded land west of Peekskill Hollow Creek to Putnam Valley 
Franklin  
  Name for Town of Patterson 1795-1808
Frederick 
  Name for Town of Kent 1795-1817 
Fredericksburgh (prencinct)
  See Frederickstown below 1788-1795
Frederickstown 1788-1795
  Part of Highland/Philipse Patent
  1719    Patent included in South Ward of Dutchess County as Fredericksburgh precinct from middle portion of Southern precinct 
  1788    Recognized as Town of Frederickstown in Dutchess County by State of New York 
  1795    Frederickstown divided into four towns: Carmel, Frederick (now Kent), Franklin (now Patterson), and Southeast 
Kent   
  1795     Formed in Dutchess County as Town of Frederick from Town of Frederickstown 
  1812    Transferred to new county of Putnam 
  1817    Name changed from Frederick to Kent
  1879    Annexed northeastern part of Town of Philipstown 
Oblong (tract)
  Boundary between New York and Connecticut was contested until 1731 when the Oblong tract was granted to New York
  1731    Opened to settlement 
  1743    Southern portion annexed to Southern precinct 
  1722    All of Oblong in South Precinct became Southeast Precinct, later Town of Southeast or Southeasttown 
Patterson
  1795    Formed in Dutchess County as Town of Franklin from towns of Frederickstown and Southeasttown 
  1808    Name changed to Patterson 
  1812    Transferred to new county of Putnam 
Philipstown
  Part of Highland/Philipse Patent
  c. 1715    Settled
  1719    Patent included in South Ward of Dutchess County 
  1737    Became part of new Southern precinct 
  1772    Formed in Dutchess County as Philips precinct from western part of Southern precinct 
  1788    Recognized as Town of Philipstown in Dutchess County by State of New York 
  1806    Ceded land in northwest corner to Town of Fishkill 
  1812    Transferred to new county of Putnam 
  1839    Daughter town Quincy (Putnam Valley) formed 
  1879    Ceded land (northeastern part of town) to Town of Kent 
Putnam Valley 
  1839    Formed as Quincy from Town of Philipstown 
  1840    Name changed to Putnam Valley
  1861    Annexed land (west of Peekskill Hollow Creek) from Town of Carmel 
Southeast 
  One of the first settled towns in the county 
  1772    Formed in Dutchess County as Southeast precinct from the Southern precinct; comprised land originally in the Oblong tract
  1788    Recognized as Town of Southeast; boundaries redrawn, ceded northern half to new Town of Franklin, and annexed southeast quadrant of former Town of Frederickstown
Southern (precinct)
  1697    Highland/ Philipse Patent in Dutchess County granted to Fredeick Philipse 
  1719    Patent included in South Waed of Dutchess County 
  1737    Patent becomes Southern precinct of Dutchess County 
  1743    Boundary extended east across the Oblong tract
  1772    Divided into three new Dutchess County precincts of Phillipsk, Fredericksburgh, and Southeast

Selected links to town websites, clerks, and historians

Brewster
Carmel
Cold Spring
Kent
Nelsonville
Patterson
Philipstown
Putnam Valley
Southeast