Clermont

Category: Towns

The Town of Clermont is a township of 11,000 acres containing farmland, country places and one hamlet, situated on the east bank of the Hudson River, immediately opposite the Catskill Mountains, at the extreme southwest corner of Columbia County.

Some towns are famous for their natural beauty and some as the birthplace of famous people, Clermont possesses both of these qualities. Its beauty of nature in its undulating hills and dales, its wooded areas near the Hudson River, and its position opposite the Catskill Mountains make it a spot of striking beauty. Most of the land is arable but there are some swamps and marshes forming small waste areas. There are small brooks and streams. The soil varies from a sandy loam to a mixture of clay and sand. The town is noted for its agricultural products and fruits - pears, apples, plums, berries, and grapes.

Home of the Livingston Mansion, now known as the Clermont State Historic Site, this site served as the home of Robert R. Livingston, Jr., one of the Committee of Five who drafted the Declaration of Independence.