Home to the largest number of continuously inhabited old stone houses in New York, as well as parts of Mohonk Preserve and Minnewaska State Park, the sprawling farming town of Rochester — and its Hamlets of Accord, Kerhonkson and High Falls — is nestled between the Catskill Mountains and the Shawangunk Ridge in the heart of the Rondout Valley. Originally known as Mombaccus, Rochester was first settled by the Dutch in 1672. It became a town in 1788 and was formally established in 1803.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the families of Rochester were mainly engaged in farming, but many also extracted wintergreen oil, quarried millstone and bluestone, milled corn and wheat, and produced shoes and paper. Today, Accord, Kerhonkson and the other nearly 20 hamlets that form the Town still hearken back to the early days, while offering a variety of more modern attractions.

In addition to the Town’s historical landmarks and outdoor recreation, locals and visitors enjoy Rochester’s many family farms, orchards and fresh food markets, its highly rated restaurants and breweries, the golf club and indoor riding arena, and an eclectic selection of art studios and galleries.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Rochester hamlet of Accord is the site of a 2004 Paleolithic-age discovery known as the Mettacahonts Creek Find that has provided possible evidence of human arrival in North America earlier than currently accepted.