town of kent
The Town of Kent was part of Frederickstown, which was established March 7, 1788. Kent became a separate town in 1795, known as Fredericks. Originally part of Dutchess County, Kent became part of Putnam County in 1812. On April 15,1817 the name was changed to Kent to honor a local family, whose most famous member was Chancellor James Kent, Columbia University's first professor of law and author of the standard legal reference of its day, Commentaries on American Law.
Kent became a vacation destination in the early 1900s when farming in the area began to decline. Construction of the Taconic Parkway in the early 1930s made it easier for people from the New York City area to come to Kent. Drawn by its natural beauty, people came and established seasonal communities, camps and clubs. The construction of I-84 and I-684 in the 1970s opened Kent up to large residential development.
Today, Kent retains its rural character with its natural beauty and scenic charm. Almost half of its 43 square miles is open space, accessible to the public for a wide variety of recreational activities such as hiking, fishing, boating, and hunting.
