West Hurley’s post office opened in 1843, and 1 of its places is on the National Register
Most of West Hurley was built recently: 5% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1967. Below: maps from 1899 on and the census since 2000.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of West Hurley. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1899Kaaterskill sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of West Hurley.
The story so far
West Hurley, in brief
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of West Hurley yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
West Hurley is a hamlet (and census-designated place) in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 1,917 at the 2020 census. West Hurley is located in the Town of Hurley and is inside the Catskill Park. The community is northwest of Kingston on Route 28. It was one of many villages that were flooded during the creation of the Ashokan Reservoir. The village was moved, and currently resides on the northern bank of the reservoir.
Its first post office opened in 1843. Its population held steady between the last two censuses: 1,939 in 2010, 1,917 in 2020.
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
From the old history books
What they wrote about West Hurley in 1880
Passages that mention West Hurley, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Ulster County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers1880Read the page →
Read the text
The turnpike-road is seen below, with its stoue tracks for the heavily-loaded quarry-wagons. The railroad crosses the Stony Hollow ravine at its western end, and in five minutes afterwards we reach West Hurley, nine miles from Rondout, and five hundred and thirty feet above tide-water. On the approach from Stony Hollow to West Hurley the Overlook Mountain is in full view, with the fine hotel seen near its summit.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Ulster County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers1880Read the page →
Read the text
8 It), 000. It lias a seat in" capacity of 500, and, with the adjoining buildings, is valued at 61-1,000. It occupies a commanding situation a short distance cast of the village of West Hurley. Father McHenry was pastor of the church for several years. He was succeeded by the present pastor, llev. Father MelCinney. The congregation is large, and the administration of the church vigorous and successful.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
By decade
No old photos in the archives yet
Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Be the first to add onePhotograph a print flat, in daylight, no flash.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →
From U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
