About Clermont

The Town of Clermont /ˈklɛərˌmɒnt/ is a township of 11,000 acres containing farmland, country places and two hamlets, situated on the east bank of the Hudson River, immediately opposite the Catskill Mountains, at the extreme southwest corner of Columbia County in the State of New York. The name of the town is French for “Clear Mountain”, referring to the mountain views in the town. The population was 1,965 at the 2010 census. 

Clermont is irregular in shape. It extends from the Hudson River on the west, south along the Dutchess County line and east to the southernmost bend of the Roeloff Jansen Kill. The town borders Gallatin on the east and Livingston on the east and north. It is bounded on this east and north border by the same Roeliff Jansens Kill. The town line is bounded by Germantown on the northwest.

Some towns are famous for their natural beauty and some as the birthplace of famous people, Clermont possesses both of these qualities. Its beauty of nature in its undulating hills and dales, its wooded areas near the Hudson River, and its position opposite the Catskill Mountains make it a spot of striking beauty. Most of the land is arable but there are some swamps and marshes forming small waste areas. There are small brooks and streams. The soil varies from a sandy loam to a mixture of clay and sand. The town is noted for its agricultural products and fruits – pears, apples, plums, berries, and grapes.

The Wikipedia provides some additional information about the Town of Clermont at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clermont,_New_York

Further information, written by past Town Historian Anne Poleschner, can be found in excerpts of her bicentennial book on the town, to be found at
Clermont 1788-1988: A History

An article about Clermont’s place in history written by town native Jessica Kahle entitled “Clermont: A Town Rich in History and Strong in Spirit” that originally appeared in the Hudson River Sampler can be found at Clermont: A Town Rich in History and Strong in Spirit.

Also, the American Local History and Genealogy Project has some fascinating historical information about Columbia County towns, including an 1878 snapshot of life in Clermont, at http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/county/columbia/  and  http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/county/columbia/clermont/index_clermont.htm