Haverstraw Map
Haverstraw is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the Town of Clarkstown and the Town of Ramapo; east of Orange County, New York; south of the Town of Stony Point and west of the Hudson River. The town runs from the west to the east border of the county in its northern part. The population was 33,811 at the 2000 census. The name comes from a Dutch word meaning "Oat Straw," referring to the grasslands along the river. The town contains three villages, one of which is also known as Haverstraw.
In 1609, the region was explored by Henry Hudson. A land purchase was made in this town in 1666 from local natives and confirmed as a patent in 1671. The region was known as "Haverstroo," meaning "Oat straw."
During the American Revolution, it served as an important lookout for British activities on the Hudson. A blue-marked trail, the Long Path, may be taken 2 miles eastward from Central Highway along the crest of South Mountain to High Tor. Halfway is Little Tor, the second highest peak on South Mountain.
Nearby cities include West Haverstraw, Chappaqua, Hawthorne, Piermont, Thornwood.