Ulster County, NY
History
When part of the New Netherland colony, the area of present-day Ulster County was called "Esopus" by Dutch settlers after the Esopus tribe of the Lenape indigenous people. In 1652, Thomas Chambers, a freeholder from the Manor of Rensselaerswyck, purchased land at Esopus and began trading there. In 1654, Johan de Hulter, owner of 20% of the Killian van Rensselaer Company, was granted a patent which, together with the patents of Christoffel Davids and Jacob Jansen Stoll, supplies evidence of the first permanent European settlement which grew into the village of Wiltwijck, which the English later named Kingston. In 1683, the Duke of York created 12 counties in his province, one of which was Ulster County. Its boundaries at that time included the present Sullivan County and parts of the present Delaware, Orange, and Greene Counties.In 1777, the first state capital of the independent New York State was established at Kingston. It was moved to Kerhonkson after the British burned Kingston.
In 1797, parts of Otsego and Ulster Counties were split off to create Delaware County.
In 1798, Ulster County's southernmost towns were moved into Orange County to compensate Orange for breaking away its southernmost part to form Rockland County.
In 1800, portions of Albany and Ulster Counties were split off to create Greene County.
In 1809, Sullivan County was split off from Ulster County.
Source: Wikipedia
Modern Day Adjacent Counties
Greene County — northColumbia County — northeast
Dutchess County — southeast
Orange County — south
Sullivan County — southwest
Delaware County — northwest