Wurtsboro, New York

Wurtsboro is a village located on U.S. Route 209 in the town of Mamakating in Sullivan County, New York, United States, near its junction with New York State Route 17 (which is being upgraded to Interstate standards and will be renumbered as Interstate 86). The population was 1,246 at the 2010 census. Since 1927 the area has been served by Wurtsboro-Sullivan County Airport. From Spring through the Fall, the area provides a scenic back drop and destination for motorcyclists in conjunction with events sponsored by the Wurtsboro NY Chapter of the Harley Owners Group.

History

Before Europeans, Wurtsboro was inhabited by Native Americans known as the Leni Lenape. Called ‘Delawares’ by the Europeans, the Leni Lenape are known to other tribes, in their tongues, as "the old people" and are considered to be one of the oldest tribes in the country. Many anthropologists believe the Leni Lenape are the ancestors of the original people who crossed the Bering Strait to first populate North American. Within the Leni Lenape, different villages dotted the valleys between the Delaware and Hudson rivers. The group that resided in the Wurtsboro area was known as the Mamacottin.