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List of towns, formation dates, and other details
| Carmel | |
| 1740 Settled | |
| 1795 Formed in Dutchess County from Town of Frederickstown | |
| 1812 Transferred to new county of Putnam | |
| 1861 Ceded land west of Peekskill Hollow Creek to Putnam Valley | |
| Franklin | |
| Name for Town of Patterson 1795-1808 | |
| Frederick | |
| Name for Town of Kent 1795-1817 | |
| Fredericksburgh (prencinct) | |
| See Frederickstown below 1788-1795 | |
| Frederickstown 1788-1795 | |
| Part of Highland/Philipse Patent | |
| 1719 Patent included in South Ward of Dutchess County as Fredericksburgh precinct from middle portion of Southern precinct | |
| 1788 Recognized as Town of Frederickstown in Dutchess County by State of New York | |
| 1795 Frederickstown divided into four towns: Carmel, Frederick (now Kent), Franklin (now Patterson), and Southeast | |
| Kent | |
| 1795 Formed in Dutchess County as Town of Frederick from Town of Frederickstown | |
| 1812 Transferred to new county of Putnam | |
| 1817 Name changed from Frederick to Kent | |
| 1879 Annexed northeastern part of Town of Philipstown | |
| Oblong (tract) | |
| Boundary between New York and Connecticut was contested until 1731 when the Oblong tract was granted to New York | |
| 1731 Opened to settlement | |
| 1743 Southern portion annexed to Southern precinct | |
| 1722 All of Oblong in South Precinct became Southeast Precinct, later Town of Southeast or Southeasttown | |
| Patterson | |
| 1795 Formed in Dutchess County as Town of Franklin from towns of Frederickstown and Southeasttown | |
| 1808 Name changed to Patterson | |
| 1812 Transferred to new county of Putnam | |
| Philipstown | |
| Part of Highland/Philipse Patent | |
| c. 1715 Settled | |
| 1719 Patent included in South Ward of Dutchess County | |
| 1737 Became part of new Southern precinct | |
| 1772 Formed in Dutchess County as Philips precinct from western part of Southern precinct | |
| 1788 Recognized as Town of Philipstown in Dutchess County by State of New York | |
| 1806 Ceded land in northwest corner to Town of Fishkill | |
| 1812 Transferred to new county of Putnam | |
| 1839 Daughter town Quincy (Putnam Valley) formed | |
| 1879 Ceded land (northeastern part of town) to Town of Kent | |
| Putnam Valley | |
| 1839 Formed as Quincy from Town of Philipstown | |
| 1840 Name changed to Putnam Valley | |
| 1861 Annexed land (west of Peekskill Hollow Creek) from Town of Carmel | |
| Southeast | |
| One of the first settled towns in the county | |
| 1772 Formed in Dutchess County as Southeast precinct from the Southern precinct; comprised land originally in the Oblong tract | |
| 1788 Recognized as Town of Southeast; boundaries redrawn, ceded northern half to new Town of Franklin, and annexed southeast quadrant of former Town of Frederickstown | |
| Southern (precinct) | |
| 1697 Highland/ Philipse Patent in Dutchess County granted to Fredeick Philipse | |
| 1719 Patent included in South Waed of Dutchess County | |
| 1737 Patent becomes Southern precinct of Dutchess County | |
| 1743 Boundary extended east across the Oblong tract | |
| 1772 Divided into three new Dutchess County precincts of Phillipsk, Fredericksburgh, and Southeast | |
Selected links to town websites, clerks, and historians
| Brewster | |
| Carmel | |
| Cold Spring | |
| Kent | |
| Nelsonville | |
| Patterson | |
| Philipstown | |
| Putnam Valley | |
| Southeast |
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