Cochecton : New York
Cochecton is a town located in west-central Sullivan County, New York. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 1,328. The name is an aboriginal word for “low land.”
The Town of Cochecton (its official name) is situated on the Delaware River, directly across from Damascus, Pennsylvania, to which a bridge over the river provides access. The village of Cochecton has a ZIP Code of 12726; the ZIP Codes for two other communities located within the town’s boundaries — Cochecton Center and Lake Huntington — are 12727 and 12752 respectively.
History
Cochecton was reportedly the home of Tammany, a native american sage of the Lenape.
The town was formed from the Town of Bethel in 1828. The Town of Delaware was formed from part of Cochecton in 1869.
The town once had a station on the Binghamton branch of the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad, but passenger service on this branch ceased in 1971; the branch has since been taken over by Conrail. More recently, various proposals were made to restore service on the line, but none have yet been adopted.
The correct pronunciation of the town’s name is “cuh-SHEK-ton,” leading many to mistakenly believe the name is of French origin; the name is in fact derived from “Cushektunk,” a local Native American word meaning “low land” (alluding to the town’s location in the upper Delaware Valley).
Geography
The west town line is the border of Pennsylvania.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 96.8 km˛ (37.4 mi˛). 94.9 km˛ (36.7 mi˛) of it is land and 1.9 km˛ (0.7 mi˛) of it is water. The total area is 1.95% water.
