A Love Letter to the Best-Named Town in the Hudson Valley

It feels like my feet are floating off the ground; I'm in love.

I'm in the honeymoon stage, too, because this love is new. Not with a woman (I already love my wife, thank you very much), or even an animal (I only have puppy eyes for my puppy, Arthur). This infatuation is with the best-named town in the Hudson Valley.

The Best-Named Towns in the Hudson Valley

Before I heard of my one true love, there was a flurry of competition for my heart. Towns like Cairo made you feel adventurous every time you saw its name, and Coxsackie had an excellent sense of humor. As it turns out, they couldn't hold a candle to my latest obsession.

How to Name a Town in New York

Naming a town is a huge responsibility, with many risks to consider. There's the dangers of mispronunciation (see Cairo and Coxsackie above), redundancy (looking at you, Middletown), or even lazy rebranding (New York, New Rochelle...). One town, however, has bucked every trend.

READ MORE: Can You Pass the “Hudson Valley Test”?

My new favorite town doesn't copy, doesn't rebrand, and doesn't run the embarrassing risk of its name being butchered by a lazy out-of-towner. In fact, it's so groundbreaking that it almost defies the laws of physics. Have you been to Southeast, NY?

Southeast, NY in Putnam County

The first time I read the town's name, I thought there was a typo. It was a Facebook post from the New York State Police (below), sharing what they had been doing in Southeast, New York. "But which town in southeast New York?", I wondered. Then my mind was blown.

What's Wonderful About Southeast, NY

There's almost too much to love about Southeast, so I've broken it down to my top three reasons. Dear Southeast, NY, this is why I love you:

1. Your Confidence

Sure your name is based off of your southeast location Putnam County, but isn't there a town in the southeast corner of every county in the state? It doesn't matter! You picked the name first.

2. You Turn Reality on Its Head

Surely if you're writing a letter to your friend in Southeast, that's where you'd address the letter, right? Wrong. According to the town's website, "the mailing address for residents of the Town of Southeast is Brewster, NY". Take that, common sense!

3. I'm a Sucker for Simplicity

There's something comforting in the bare simplicity of a town like Southeast. Boulder, CO has boulders, Geyserville, CA has geysers, and Southeast, NY is in the southeast of (Putnam County) New York!

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While there are plenty of town names to investigate in New York, there are even more streets. Check out some of the best below, and then plan your next road trip based off your favorites!