Cairo, New York
town in Greene County, New York, United States
Cairo is a town in Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 6,644 at the 2020 census. It is the third largest town in the county. The town is in the southern part of the county, partly in the Catskill Park. The town contains a hamlet, also named Cairo.
History
The first European-American settler arrived around 1772, but many new families moved in after the American Revolution. They were coming west from New England.
In 1803, the town was formed from the towns of Catskill, Coxsackie, and Durham. First known as "Canton", the town was renamed in 1808 to "Cairo".
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 60.1 square miles (156 km2), of which 60.0 square miles (155 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2), or 0.27%) is water.
The public source identifies “Cairo, New York” as town in Greene County, New York, United States. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Cairo, York and town.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Cairo, New York”, the useful work is to connect “town in Greene County, New York, United States” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 10, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q4699596. VIAF identifies the subject as 133751636. The Library of Congress control number is n85064324. Authority coordinates are 42.299, -73.998. 4 of 5 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2020, 1772, 1803 and 1808.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Cairo, New York”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Cairo, New York primary sources, Cairo, New York archive and Cairo research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Cairo, New York”?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Cairo, New York” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.