Downtown Highland (photo by Lauren Thomas)
When asked, no one really ever says that they’re from Lloyd. The most likely response would be “Highland,” the town’s largest hamlet, which shares a name with both the school district and post office. Residents will sometimes share the tale — which may be apocryphal — that naming the town “Highland” was blocked in the postal service, because there was one in Sullivan County.
Since the advent of ZIP codes, it’s probably unnecessary for postmasters to impose their will upon community names, but if that happened, it would have been back in 1845. Members of the Lloyd Economic Development Commission see the peculiar dual identity of this town as problematic for marketing it to tourists and business owners, and recently pitched a name change to members of the town council: Highland-on-Hudson.
According to Town Supervisor Paul Hansut, “It’s really only the town government that’s called Lloyd.” There didn’t appear to be any marked resistance to the proposal among his fellows, Hansut said, but they also agreed that this is a decision which should be brought to the voters. Council members are expected to pass a resolution to get the question of a name change placed on the ballot this coming November, which will likely see slightly higher turnout because there’s a congressional race to decide as well.
Should Lloyd be renamed Highland-on-Hudson?
- Nay (53%, 445 Votes)
- Yea (47%, 397 Votes)
Total Voters: 842
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The New paltz patent ran from the Hudson river to the Lake Mohawk ridge. then new paltz sold off gardener, marlborou, lloyd and esopus. Ah, those were the days. Pretty soon all that will be left is the wetlands.
Harvey,
I’ve never heard that New Paltz sold off the lands in question. Can you tell me where you found that information? Thanks.
I found that information in the same place I read that “ladies always wear stockings.”
Any local history book or website will have details of that for you.
What is there origin of the name Lloyd? If the town got its name from a prominent family in the area, them I’m not sure I would favor a name change.
Did anyone get a definitive answer on where the name Lloyd comes from? I say keep the current double name of Lloyd/Highland. To me it qualifies as local knowledge, which always gives a town some character. It’s like that in the way that locals pronounce Highland as (hī-land) and newcomers usually pronounce it as (hī-lənd). I’d also like to see the money spent on other issues.
That is some pretty interesting history if it is true.
What is the reasoning for the name change? Are the residents afraid of being called Lloyd-erers? Are we running out of “L”s?
Highland-on-Hudson sound a whole lot more interesting than Lloyd.
Go for it. Don’t let fear hold you back.
Name it “Yelvington” after the slave-trader who has a plaque down by the river next to his house. There’s no other town in New York with that name.
Never change names of towns, bridges ect. It becomes very confusing for gps maps ect to get proper update so things dont work.
How stupid for NYC to rename Tri Boro Bridge after Robert Kennedy. Enough of namiing places after political leaders. Insane we even have presidents on our currency.
Robert kennedy is long dead and gone. What ever he did or did not do who cares, i want my freaking GPS to work, i could really care less about some idiot named Robert kennedy long dead forgotten and gone.
As a 20 year old the work Kennedy means nothing to me, who was he Gorge Washingtons Vice or something???
Get a compass?
Ben Franklin is on the $100 dollar bilk and he was a slave owner who didm;t free his slaves even in his last will and testicle.
Samuel P. Chase is on the $10,000 dollar bill, and he was Jewish as well as the founder of the U.S. banking system.
Judah P. Benjamin was the “brains of the Confederacy” and not only was Jewish but a slaveholder as well. He was on the Confederate $50 bill.
Alexander Hamilton is on the $10 bill, and he was a bastard (i.e. illegitimate) child from the Bahamas.
Sackewajea and Susan B. Anthony are on the $1 coins, but being that they are chics, we won’t get into that.
The absolute ground zero marker point in the United States is to be found at the Missouri River and the Mississippi River, an eight inch diameter steel marker set in the ground by which all devices you call “GPS” use. It’s the spot where Lewis and Clark took off from and the signs around it clearly state “Watch Out For Poisonous Snakes”. That plaque is akin to the Greenwich Line that runs thru England (not New England, England).
As to Robert F. Kennedy, he was a martyr like Nathan Hale, John Brown, Joe Hill, Martin Luther King and the first casualty of the American Revolution, a black man who all the British Forces took aim at because he was an easy target amongst all the white Continental Soldiers.
You must be one of those automobile drivers with a cell phone in one hand, an ice cream cone in the other, and a steering wheel between your knees?
What ever i am it is not a kennedy supporter. Enjoy worshiping dead JFk and his idiot brother, mabey the stupid Kennedy family impresses liberals as your self not me.
The world a much better place absent JFK.
Did you get a compass yet?
So, you equate being Jewish with owning slaves? That’s special.
First–thanks for being a voter. We need voters more than ever. Second, Never say never. North Tarrytown changed its name to Sleepy Hollow about 20 years ago and its been a boon to the village’s identity and economy.
Lloyd is as dull and boring as could be. No one knows where the name comes from. The image of “Lloyd” conjures nothing exciting.
Highland-on-Hudson evokes images of hills and a river known throughout the world. It’s a no-brainer.
And the costs are probably less than most people thing. Everyone’s mailing (postal) address is Highland and will stay that way. It’s a matter of new decals on town vehicle, new stationary and a few new signs.
The poeple of this Town (no one calls it Lloyd) have transformed Highland and our name should be associated with that ongoing success.
No question.
Vote yes.
Lloyd.Might as well recalled “Fred”.Ya,pretty much anything would be an improvement.
Spending time and money to try and change our town’s name. Please just think about how much money and time was wasted on renaming the mid Hudson bridge everyone still calls it the mid Hudson bridge! I think the town could be making decisions on other more important issues just my Opinion.
Really? All that letterhead and sign changing, parcel maps, documents, and online changes for town govt. Highland has a zip code. Stop trying to change what works. Lloyd is different name from highland. Highland on hudson is a different name from highland. Why make it more complicated unless someone just wants to make it sound more grandiose for tourists?
I completely agree with you Nancy!
Are we really wasting time pondering this issue at a time like this? Spend more effort fixing roads! I’ve been here since 1961, Highland and Lloyd are fine. Roger
90 yrs ago I was borrn in Highland, In apartment ai the Cider Mill,Corner on Main and White St. Atended Highland Schoolsas did my sister Ruth (mackey) Halstead,she never left our town as I DID FOR 3 YRS,as I married Wonderful Texan .we moved back and raised our children ln Highland,Town of LLOYD. N.Y. When I leave this world, I will be put to rest in the
HIGHLAND Cematary
If they change the name, the taxpayers will have to pay for new road signs, a new sign on the Town Hall, new letterhead, new tax bills, and anything else with the words “Town of Lloyd” on it.
Get a corporate sponsor to pay for the name change. “Town of Monsanto” anyone?
Any and all name changes should include Trumps name. Donald Trumpville is a good name to replace it with.
Hudson Valley should really build a park, bridge, or complex and name it after Donald Trump the great leader.
Dictators can acutally be a good thing. Depends how you view it.
Thiland has a good dictatorship and so does Russia.
Trump will make a great dictator.
West Poughkeepsie?
Lol…..How about South West Park?
I favor changing the name to Highland-on-Hudson for all the reasons in the proposal that raised the issue. Read it if you can; it’s very persuasive.
While a vote on a website is an interesting exercise, it may not be much of an indicator. People voting might not be residents of the town, for the example. Like much of social media, on-line polls attract negativity and hostility rather than careful thought and weighing of issues. You get a lot of knee-jerk reaction as seen in the comments and buffoonery.
This should be decided by town voters. Many will see it as a bread n’ butter issue, i.e. the expense like they did with the first referendum of creating a new library. The new library was delayed for years as a result. It is up to the proponents to make their case for the name change.
NO NO NO keep as is