Claverack, town in New York
Claverack is a small town in Columbia County, New York, built on early Dutch settlement. The area spans farmland and forests with several villages including Mellenville and Hollowville, crossed by Claverack Creek and Agawamuck Creek, which mark historic mill sites.
The town was formally established in 1778, building on agricultural settlements founded by Dutch colonists like Jan Van Hoesen starting in 1662. In the 1800s, it developed as a railroad hub with coal loading stations, while Irish, Italian, and Polish workers helped construct these facilities.
The name Claverack comes from Dutch words referring to clover fields or meadows along the river. Dutch heritage remains visible in the old houses, church buildings, and local stories that connect residents to their ancestors who named and settled this land.
The town is best explored on foot, with well-preserved buildings from different eras and roads passing through farmland. The villages are small and walkable, making it easy to visit historic sites like the Reformed Dutch Church and enjoy the quiet rural landscape.
In 1705, a farmer from the Dutch community found a mastodon tooth in the area, a rare relic from prehistoric times. This discovery shows that extinct megafauna roamed these fields thousands of years before human settlement began.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
