The area now known as the Village of Schoharie was first named by the Mohawk people, who referred to it with a term transliterated as Ska-ahár-ree, commonly interpreted to mean “driftwood” or “floodwaters,” in reference to the Schoharie Creek.

Explore the Route 20 town where patriots built the Great Chain, bluebirds found their way home, and small-town kindness still greets every traveler.

Population: 1,502 Square miles: 34.1 Median age: 46.5 Per capita income: $45,144

By the books, the Town of Carlisle, on the northernmost edge of Schoharie County, may seem like the typical small town in upstate New York with “rolling hills, spectacular views, working landscapes, tranquil communities, and deep history.”

Carlisle’s main road? Route 20. Spanning 3,365 miles coast-to-coast, it’s the longest highway in the United States — and with 372 of those miles crossing New York from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania, it’s the state’s longest too. Postcard worthy? Yes. Quietly luring road-trippers, wanderers, and history buffs off the beaten path? Yes. Is there revolutionary local lore waiting to be spilled?

Also yes.

We’ve got all the Upstate NY Revolutionary history you didn’t know you needed to know, from battles to gallows on Main Street.

A hundred years after New York City destroyed and flooded the Village of Gilboa to quench its thirst for water, locals still talk about it like it happened yesterday. Now, thanks to rediscovered Fox News footage and some historical detective work, a six-minute silent newsreel is bringing the village's final days back to life.

Welcome to Root Access, your digital doorway to quality life and work in Upstate NY powered by Schoharie County’s SEEC and partners.