The Inniss Firm Serves Circleville, NY

A Small Hamlet with a Real Story

Most people driving through Orange County, New York have never heard of Circleville. It is a hamlet in the Town of Wallkill, located on NY 302 near the junction with the old Goshen Turnpike, a short distance north of NY 17 and about two miles south of Bullville. It is small and quiet, but it has a story worth telling.

Before 1791, this area was a thick forest with just a single log house, occupied by a Mr. Coddington. Over time, settlers arrived, and a community slowly took shape around one family in particular: the Bulls.

The Bull Family and How the Town Got Its Name

The Bulls are central to everything in Circleville. Samuel Bull Sr. was a blacksmith who settled near the hamlet and is said to have been employed on the chain used in the obstruction of the Hudson River during the Revolution. After the war, he turned his energy toward building the community. Church services were held in the White School House until the Circleville Presbyterian Church was built. It was organized on January 4, 1842, and became part of the Presbytery of Hudson. The land, consisting of five acres, was donated by Samuel Bull, who also contributed much in labor, material, and money.

The name Circleville was reportedly given to the hamlet by Mrs. Mary Bull, who thought Circleville, Ohio was a pleasant name. One woman liked the sound of a town in another state, and the name stuck. By the mid-1800s, Circleville had a post office, established in 1850, along with a blacksmith shop, wagon shop, shoe shop, and two creameries.

The Roberson Homestead

One of the most tangible links to the past is the Roberson Family Homestead. On November 27, 1867, Josephine Bull married Captain Theodore Roberson of the Orange Blossoms 124th Regiment and lived in the stone house. In 1908, their eldest son Louis married Florence Decker, and they built the Roberson Family Homestead in 1915 for the grand sum of $3,450, which also included the barn. The Roberson Family Homestead was inducted into the Town of Crawford Historical Registry. That price tag for an entire homestead and barn tells you a lot about a very different era.

A Town That Knew How to Celebrate

One of the best snapshots of old Circleville comes from a 1913 Fourth of July parade. As reported by the Middletown Daily Times Press, Circleville was described as probably the only place for many miles around to celebrate the National Holiday in an old fashioned manner. There were parades, speechmaking, a reading of the Declaration of Independence, martial music, baseball games, running and jumping races, and a fine display of fireworks in the evening. Credit for the celebration was largely given to the Rev. Ralph W. Rowland, the young pastor of the Circleville Church, who Assemblyman Doty referred to as the Mayor of the town.

Landmarks Worth Knowing

Circleville has never been a tourist destination, and it has never tried to be. The Circleville Evangelical Presbyterian Church at 90 Goshen Turnpike has stood at the heart of the community since 1842 and represents nearly two centuries of continuous local life. Circleville Park on Route 302 offers residents a lake for fishing, sports fields, playgrounds, tennis courts, and picnic areas. The hamlet also lends its name to Circleville Middle School and Circleville Elementary School in the Pine Bush Central School District, as well as the local fire district.

For those passing through, Sam's Point Preserve on the Shawangunk Ridge is a short drive away and shelters over 5,400 acres of ridgetop dwarf pine barrens, home to nearly 40 rare plant and animal species. It is one of the best natural areas in the region.

How Police Handle DUIs in the Area

Orange County takes drunk driving seriously, and if you are stopped on any road here after drinking, you are dealing with a well-organized enforcement system backed by New York State law.

The Town of Wallkill Police Department serves the area, operating alongside the Orange County STOP-DWI Program, which was created by the State Legislature in 1981 and is funded entirely from fines paid by convicted drunk drivers. No tax dollars are used.

New York draws a legal distinction many drivers do not know about. A DWI charge applies when a driver has a blood alcohol content of .08% or higher. A DWAI, or Driving While Ability Impaired, can be charged when BAC falls between .05% and .08%, or when any signs of impairment are present even below that threshold.

The penalties are serious. A first-offense DWI brings a license revocation of six months, fines between $500 and $1,000, and possible jail time. A second conviction within 10 years can mean up to four years in prison and fines up to $5,000. An aggravated DWI, which applies at a BAC of .18% or higher, results in a one-year license loss even on a first offense.

New York's implied consent law means that by driving in the state, you have already agreed to chemical testing. Refusing a test carries a $500 civil fine and at least a one-year license revocation. Three or more convictions or refusals within 10 years can result in permanent revocation.

Small Place, Real Consequences

Circleville is easy to overlook. It has no big attractions, no famous residents, and no headlines. What it has is a genuine history rooted in Revolutionary-era families, a church older than the Civil War, a community park, and active law enforcement on its rural roads. It is a real place, and it rewards a closer look.