Townapedia
Pearl Street Schoolhouse
Pearl Street Schoolhouse · Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0
Thomas Jansen House
Thomas Jansen House · Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0
Bruynswick School 8
Bruynswick School 8 · Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0
Brykill, Gardiner, NY
Brykill, Gardiner, NY · Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0
Dill Farm, Shawangunk, NY
Dill Farm, Shawangunk, NY · Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0
William Decker House
William Decker House · Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0

Watchtower, New York

Watchtower is a community of 3,974 people in Ulster County, New York.

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Population3,974 +87.7% since 2019
Elevation344 ft 105 m
Land area0.7 sq mi
ZIP code12589
Nearest airportOrange County Airport (MGJ) 9 mi

Why visit Watchtower

Townapedia lists 13 museums and landmarks and 1 place to eat in and around town.

Highlights include Benjamin Van Keuren House Ruin and Bruynswick School No. 8.

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 16°F, and about 44 inches of snow fall in a normal year.

About Watchtower

Watchtower is a hamlet (and census-designated place) located in the Town of Shawangunk, Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 1,709 at the 2020 census.

From the Wikipedia article Watchtower, New York (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Museums and landmarks13

Benjamin Van Keuren House Ruin

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi

Single-family detached home in New York, United States of America

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Bruynswick School No. 8

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi

Historic 1840 schoolhouse in Bruynswick, New York

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Brykill Farms

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi

Building in New York, United States

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Dill Farm

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi

Historic farm in Shawangunk, New York, United States

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Johannes Decker Farm

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi

Building in New York, United States

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Johannes Jansen House

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi

Building in New York, United States

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Miller's House at Red Mills

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi

Historic house in New York, United States

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Pearl Street Schoolhouse

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi

Building in New York, United States

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Peter Aldrich Homestead

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi

United States historic place

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Taylor-Corwin House

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi

Historic house in New York, United States

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Terwilliger House

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi

Building in New York, United States

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Thomas Jansen House

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi

Building in New York, United States

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1 more on the map.

Restaurants and cafes1

Hoot Owl

Restaurant · Indian, American, Middle Eastern · 0.8 mi

26 Awosting Road, Pine Bush

We-Su unknown; Mo,Tu closed

Open in Google Maps · +1-845-670-4668

Churches and places of worship2

Reformed Church of Shawangunk

Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi

Church building in New York, United States of America

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Wallkill

Church · Jehovahs Witness

900 Red Mills Road, Wallkill

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Schools, colleges and libraries7

Crispell Middle School

School · 2.9 mi

77 Maple Ave, Pine Bush

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E J Russell Elementary School

School · 3.0 mi

78 Holland Ave, Pine Bush

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John G Borden Middle School

School · 5.0 mi

109 Bona Ventura Ave, Wallkill

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Ostrander Elementary School

School · 5.0 mi

137 Viola Ave, Wallkill

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Pine Bush Elementary School

School · 3.6 mi

21 Ulsterville Rd, Pine Bush

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Pine Bush Senior High School

School · 3.3 mi

156 Rt 302, Pine Bush

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Wallkill Senior High School

School · 5.2 mi

90 Robinson Dr, Wallkill

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Map of Watchtower

23 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Climate by month

20°40°60°80°January: 3.0 in of rainFebruary: 2.7 in of rainMarch: 3.5 in of rainApril: 3.7 in of rainMay: 3.8 in of rainJune: 4.4 in of rainJuly: 4.0 in of rainAugust: 4.5 in of rainSeptember: 4.3 in of rainOctober: 4.7 in of rainNovember: 3.2 in of rainDecember: 3.6 in of rainJanuary: 36°FFebruary: 39°FMarch: 47°FApril: 60°FMay: 71°FJune: 80°FJuly: 85°FAugust: 83°FSeptember: 76°FOctober: 64°FNovember: 52°FDecember: 41°FJanuary: 16°FFebruary: 17°FMarch: 26°FApril: 36°FMay: 47°FJune: 56°FJuly: 61°FAugust: 59°FSeptember: 51°FOctober: 40°FNovember: 31°FDecember: 23°FJFMAMJJASOND
Average high Average low Rain
Monthly table
MonthHighLowRainSnow
Jan36°F16°F3.0 in11.3 in
Feb39°F17°F2.7 in11.2 in
Mar47°F26°F3.5 in10.7 in
Apr60°F36°F3.7 in0.7 in
May71°F47°F3.8 in0.0 in
Jun80°F56°F4.4 in0.0 in
Jul85°F61°F4.0 in0.0 in
Aug83°F59°F4.5 in0.0 in
Sep76°F51°F4.3 in0.0 in
Oct64°F40°F4.7 in0.0 in
Nov52°F31°F3.2 in1.1 in
Dec41°F23°F3.6 in9.2 in

U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Walden 1 Ese Hcn (8 mi away), NOAA NCEI.

People and cost of living

37.4median age
1.7%of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
Age of residents
Under 180%18 to 3443%35 to 6449%65 and over8%

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.

Disaster history

Ulster County has had 27 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.

  • 2021-09-05: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
  • 2021-09-02: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
  • 2021-08-22: Hurricane Henri (Hurricane)
  • 2020-03-20: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
  • 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
  • 2017-07-12: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)

OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.

Getting there and nearby towns

Orange County Airport (MGJ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 9 miles away.

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Reviews, tips and questions

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Sources and licences

Photo credits

Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.