White Lake, Sullivan County, New York

White Lake
Hamlet and CDP
White Lake is located in New York
White Lake
White Lake
Location within the state of New York
Coordinates: 41°40′28″N 74°49′44″W / 41.67444°N 74.82889°W / 41.67444; -74.82889
CountryUnited States
StateNew York
CountySullivan
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
12786

White Lake is a hamlet (and census-designated place)[1] in the town of Bethel, Sullivan County, New York, United States, on the southeastern shore of a lake of the same name. It was the closest community to the Woodstock Music and Art Fair in 1969.

The community has a post office on New York Route 17B. Its ZIP Code is 12786. Its population in 2000 was reported at 665 and it is the largest community in the town of Bethel. The Bethel Town Hall is also located in the community.[2]

The lake is reported to be the deepest lake (80 feet (24 m)) in Sullivan County. Residents in the 19th century claimed that the biggest brook trout in the world (8 pounds, 14 ounces) was caught in the lake in 1843.[3]

According to local lore, its Native American name was Kauneonga—meaning lake with two wings (the lake has a figure 8 layout resembling wings). The White Lake name is said to have come from the white sand beaches on its shores and white bottom.[4] The northern portion of White Lake, formerly known as North White Lake, is now called Kauneonga Lake.

  1. ^ "State of New York Census Designated Places - Current/BAS20 - Data as of January 1, 2019". tigerweb.geo.census.gov. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  2. ^ "12786 Zip Code (New York) Detailed Profile - residents and real estate info". City-data.com. Retrieved August 27, 2009.
  3. ^ The History of Sullivan County - James Eldridge Quinlan - G.M. Beebe and W.T. Morgans Publishers - Liberty, New York - 1873
  4. ^ The Charming Picturesqueness Around White Lake, in Sullivan County - New York Times - July 21, 1893