Among New York’s forgotten places, Doodletown, New York stands out for its historical significance. This abandoned settlement, once full of promise and activity, now serves as a haunting reminder of how communities rise and fall. Its quiet streets echo with the footsteps of those who came before.
County: Rockland
Zip Code: Not available
Latitude / Longitude: 41° 17′ 47.89 N, 73° 59′ 41.1 W
Elevation: Not available
Time Zone: Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
Established: Not available
Disestablished: Not available
Comments: According to local history, doodletown was an isolated hamlet in the Town of Stony Point, Rockland County, New York, United States.
Remains: Visitors to the site will find around 1854 the Mountville Presbyterian Church was built to serve the families of Doodletown. The building was also used for a school.
Current Status: Modern maps show the location is purchased by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission during the 1960s, it is now part of Bear Mountain State Park and a popular destination for hikers, birdwatchers, botanists, and local historians. It is located north of Jones Point, west of Iona Island, and southeast of Orange County. The former settlement is now a ghost town.
Remarks: Historical records of Doodletown provide fascinating glimpses into New York’s development. Local historians have worked to preserve these stories, ensuring that the town’s legacy continues despite its physical decline.
Doodletown, New York stands as one of the most fascinating and well-documented ghost towns in the state. Unlike many abandoned settlements that faded into obscurity due to economic decline or natural disasters, Doodletown’s story is one of deliberate displacement—a community that thrived for nearly two centuries before being systematically dismantled by the state in the 1960s. Today, this former hamlet in Bear Mountain State Park offers hikers and history enthusiasts a unique glimpse into a vanished way of life, with its abandoned roads, building foundations, and still-active cemeteries telling the story of generations who once called this mountain home.
Origins and Early Settlement
Doodletown’s origins date back to at least 1762, when the first documented settlement was established in this picturesque valley nestled in what is now Bear Mountain State Park, overlooking the Hudson River. The name ‘Doodletown’ has been the subject of local folklore, with one popular myth suggesting it was named after British troops who marched through singing ‘Yankee Doodle Dandy’ during the Revolutionary War. However, historical records indicate the name predates this event, with letters mentioning Doodletown before the Revolutionary War began. The more likely etymology comes from the Dutch word ‘Doddel,’ which translates to ‘Dead Valley’ or ‘Dead Wood,’ possibly referring to the area’s natural features when first encountered by European settlers.
The early settlement was primarily centered around logging and mining activities, taking advantage of the rich natural resources available in the Hudson Highlands. The June family, who would become synonymous with Doodletown’s history, established their presence early on. Records show that a June purchased 72 acres on Bear Mountain in April 1762, marking the beginning of a family legacy that would span generations and continue even after the town’s official abandonment.
During the Revolutionary War, Doodletown’s strategic location near the Hudson River placed it in the path of military movements. British troops did indeed march through the hamlet in October 1777 on their way to attack nearby Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery. This military presence briefly brought the small settlement into the broader narrative of American history, though the residents themselves were primarily concerned with the challenges of carving out a living in the mountainous terrain.
Community Development and Daily Life
Throughout the 19th century and into the early 20th century, Doodletown developed into a close-knit community with its own distinct identity. At its peak around 1945, the hamlet was home to approximately 300 residents living in about 70 homes. The community was largely self-sufficient, with residents engaged in mining, logging, farming, and later working for the Palisades Interstate Park Commission or at facilities on nearby Iona Island.
The physical layout of Doodletown centered around several key roads, including Lemmon Road, which served as the main access route. The community boasted two churches—a Catholic church and a Protestant church—reflecting the religious diversity of its residents. A one-room schoolhouse provided education for the children of Doodletown, with many former residents recalling fond memories of their school days in this intimate educational setting.
Daily life in Doodletown was characterized by the close community bonds typical of isolated rural settlements. Residents recall a peaceful existence where everyone knew each other, children played freely in the woods and swam in the ‘ten-foot’ swimming hole in Doodletown Brook, and families supported one another through the challenges of mountain living. The June family, in particular, played a central role in community life, establishing two cemeteries and providing religious leadership through family members who served as preachers.
The isolation that defined Doodletown also presented challenges. Modern amenities arrived late to this mountain hamlet—electricity wasn’t available until 1946, and residents relied on well water rather than municipal water systems. Transportation was difficult, especially in winter when snow could make the mountain roads impassable. Despite these challenges, oral histories collected from former residents paint a picture of a warm, supportive community where the natural beauty of the surroundings compensated for the lack of modern conveniences.
The Beginning of the End: Park Expansion
The fate of Doodletown began to change in the early 20th century with the development of Bear Mountain State Park. The Palisades Interstate Park Commission, established in 1900 to preserve the Palisades along the Hudson River, began acquiring land to create public recreational spaces. By the 1920s, this included purchasing property from landowners in Doodletown, though many residents resisted the park’s encroachment on their hometown.
Initially, the park’s expansion proceeded slowly, with some residents selling their properties while others held firm. Many Doodletown residents actually found employment with the park commission, creating a complex relationship between the community and the institution that would eventually displace it. This period of coexistence lasted for several decades, with Doodletown continuing as a functioning community even as the park gradually acquired more land in the area.
The decisive shift came in the 1950s and early 1960s when New York State decided to completely acquire Doodletown through eminent domain. The official justification was to develop a ski resort on Bear Mountain, though this plan never materialized. In 1964, residents were given two options: accept a buyout for their properties or face condemnation. While some residents fought against this decision, the outcome was inevitable. One by one, families began to leave the community where many had lived for generations.
Abandonment and Demolition
The final chapter of Doodletown as an inhabited community came in 1965 when the last resident—fittingly, a member of the June family—left the hamlet. There was no mass exodus; instead, families departed individually as they sold their properties to the state. Many settled in nearby communities at the foot of the mountain, including Highland Falls, Fort Montgomery, Stony Point, and Tomkins Cove, maintaining their connections to each other and to their former home on the mountain.
Almost immediately after the last residents departed, the state sent bulldozers to level most of the structures in Doodletown. Approximately 70 homes, the churches, and the beloved schoolhouse were demolished, with only the foundations and some stone walls left behind. The roads were partially torn up, and nature began the process of reclaiming the land. Some structures were repurposed by the park—one resident’s home was temporarily converted into a park building—but the vast majority were simply erased from the landscape.
This rapid and thorough demolition stands in stark contrast to the gradual abandonment that characterizes many ghost towns. The state’s decision to actively remove most traces of human habitation reflected a desire to return the area to a more natural state for incorporation into Bear Mountain State Park. However, this approach has been a source of lasting bitterness for former residents, who saw their community not just abandoned but deliberately erased.
Doodletown Today: A Ghost Town with Active Cemeteries
Today, Doodletown exists as a unique type of ghost town—one that is simultaneously abandoned yet still connected to living communities through its cemeteries. While the homes, churches, and school are gone, the state preserved the town’s three cemeteries: the First June Cemetery, the Second June Cemetery, and the Herbert Cemetery. Former residents and their descendants retain ‘life rights’ to these burial grounds, meaning they can still be interred there alongside their ancestors.
This unusual arrangement has created the remarkable situation where a ghost town’s cemeteries continue to grow. When a June family member or other former Doodletown resident dies, the park temporarily opens Lemmon Road to allow funeral processions to access the cemeteries. Family members dig the graves themselves, continuing a tradition that dates back to the town’s earliest days. These funerals represent rare moments when Doodletown briefly comes alive again with the presence of those who once called it home.
Beyond the cemeteries, physical remnants of Doodletown include stone foundations, cellar holes, and retaining walls. The old roads, though deteriorated and partially reclaimed by nature, can still be followed through the woods. Electric poles and sagging wires remain as well, slowly being pulled down by vines and vegetation. These remnants provide tangible connections to the past for hikers and history enthusiasts who visit the site today.
Preservation of Memory and History
Despite the physical destruction of Doodletown, efforts have been made to preserve its history and memory. Elizabeth ‘Perk’ Stalter, a former resident, compiled oral histories and photographs in her book ‘Doodletown: Hiking Through History in a Vanished Hamlet on the Hudson’ (Palisades Park Commission Press, 2017), creating an invaluable record of life in this lost community. The Palisades Interstate Park Commission has also installed interpretive signs along the hiking trails that now wind through the former hamlet, helping visitors understand the significance of the stone foundations and other remains they encounter.
Former residents have maintained their connections to Doodletown and to each other through reunions and shared memories. Many found employment with the very park that displaced them, creating a complex legacy where the institution that ended their community also became a source of livelihood. The June family, in particular, has maintained strong ties to their ancestral home, with multiple generations continuing to visit the cemeteries and sharing stories of life on the mountain.
Doodletown has also entered local folklore, with myths and legends surrounding the abandoned hamlet. Stories of feral children, a troll named Dunder, and pirate treasure hidden in the mica mines have become part of the regional imagination. While these tales have little basis in historical fact, they reflect the way abandoned places often capture the public imagination and take on mythic qualities.
Visiting Doodletown Today
For those interested in exploring this fascinating ghost town, Doodletown is accessible via hiking trails in Bear Mountain State Park. The most common route begins at the Corning Mine trailhead off Route 9W, following what was once Gray’s Hill Road into the heart of the former hamlet. The approximately 3-mile round trip hike (often called the ‘Doodletown 1777 Trail Short Loop’) takes visitors past numerous foundations, stone walls, and the cemeteries that continue to connect the past to the present.
Winter is considered the best time to visit Doodletown, as the absence of foliage makes it easier to spot foundations, steps, and other remnants that might be obscured by vegetation in warmer months. Visitors should be cautious around the old homesites, as there are holes and unstable structures that could pose safety hazards. The cemeteries, while technically closed to the public except during funerals, can be viewed from a respectful distance.
A longer 5.8-mile loop hike will take more adventurous explorers past waterfalls and abandoned mines, providing a more comprehensive view of the area’s natural and historical features. Regardless of which route visitors choose, they should remember that they are walking through what was once a vibrant community—a place where generations lived, worked, worshipped, and built connections that continue to this day, even after the physical town has disappeared.
Legacy and Significance
Doodletown’s story offers important insights into the complex relationship between conservation, public recreation, and existing communities. The hamlet’s fate raises questions about the human cost of creating public parklands and the value judgments implicit in decisions about which landscapes to preserve and which human settlements to remove. While Bear Mountain State Park provides recreational opportunities for countless visitors, the displacement of Doodletown’s residents represents a significant loss that continues to resonate with those who remember the community.
At the same time, Doodletown serves as a reminder of the resilience of community bonds and the enduring connections people maintain to places of significance. The continued use of the cemeteries, the preservation of oral histories, and the regular returns of former residents and their descendants all speak to the ways in which a community can survive even after its physical structures have been removed.
For historians and archaeologists, Doodletown provides a valuable case study of a relatively recent ghost town with abundant documentation. Unlike many abandoned settlements whose histories must be pieced together from fragmentary evidence, Doodletown’s story is preserved in photographs, oral histories, and the living memories of former residents. This rich historical record makes it an important site for understanding the dynamics of community formation, development, and dissolution in rural America.
Ultimately, Doodletown stands as a poignant example of a community that exists now primarily in memory and in the hearts of those who once called it home. Its stone foundations and overgrown roads remind us of the impermanence of human settlements and the ways in which our relationship with the landscape continues to evolve. Yet the active cemeteries and the continued presence of the June family and other former residents ensure that Doodletown is not just a ghost town but a place where the past and present continue to intersect in meaningful ways.
Sources:
1. Stalter, Elizabeth ‘Perk.’ ‘Doodletown: Hiking Through History in a Vanished Hamlet on the Hudson.’ Palisades Park Commission Press, 2017.
2. ‘In This New York Ghost Town, the Graveyards Keep Growing.’ Atlas Obscura. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/new-york-ghost-town-growing-graveyards
3. ‘Hiking to a Ghost Town in Bear Mountain State Park – In Search of Doodletown.’ MidAtlantic Daytrips. https://midatlanticdaytrips.com/2022/06/doodletown/
4. ‘Our region’s own little ghost town.’ Times Herald-Record. https://www.recordonline.com/story/lifestyle/845-life/2016/01/03/our-region-s-own-little/32799134007/
5. ‘Doodletown Short Loop – Bear Mountain State Park.’ Scenes from the Trail. https://scenesfromthetrail.com/2019/11/28/doodletown-short-loop-bear-mountain-state-park/
6. ‘A Look Inside the Hudson Valley’s Most Popular Ghost Town.’ Hudson Valley Country. https://hudsonvalleycountry.com/doodletown-a-look-inside-the-hudson-valleys-most-popular-ghost-town/
