Catskill

Town in Catskill town, southeastern New York, USA, on the western bank of the Hudson River, where Catskill Creek joins it, across from Hudson and 52 km/32 mi south of Albany; seat of Greene County; population (1990) 4,700. Catskill has small businesses and light industry, and is an agricultural trade and distribution centre.

Settled by the Dutch in the 17th century, Catskill is supposedly close to the site of Rip Van Winkle's long sleep. It once had tanneries, knitting mills, brickyards, and distilleries, and during the Prohibition era was a bootlegging centre.

The town has long been considered the gateway to the Catskill Mountains and the Catskill Forest Preserve (to the west).