Butternuts, New York

Butternuts is a town located in Otsego County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 1,786. The Town of Butternuts is located in the southwestern part of the county, and is west of Oneonta.

Butternuts is generally believed to be named for three butternut (a.k.a. white walnut) trees growing from one stump that originally marked the corner of the townships of what is now New Lisbon, Pittsfield and Morris when this entire section of the county was surveyed by Richard Smith before the Revolution. Said tree was depicted as the corporate logo of the Butternuts Woolen & Cotton textile firm but was cut down by the Lull family to build their log cabin.

In 1787, Abijah Gilbert and Jacob Morris, early owners of land in the county, were among the first who settled the town, Morris giving Gilbert land of his choice as payment for his services. Ample waterpower sites allowed for many industries in addition to agriculture that benefitted by the wide fertile valley floor along the Butternut and Unadilla.

The town was established from part of the Town of Unadilla in 1796. The north part of Butternuts was annexed to form the Town of Morris in 1849, and additional territory was taken from the Town of Unadilla in 1857.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 54.1 square miles (140 km²), of which 54.1 square miles (140 km²) is land and 0.02% is water.

Butternuts Creek is an important stream flowing through the town. It was named by early settlers, who noted some unusual butternut trees growing near it.

New York State Route 51 is a north-south highway in Butternuts, and was one of the first concrete-paved highways in Upstate New York, starting from Mt. Upton northwards circa 1919.

The Butternut Creek flows diagonally through the town, from Morris to the creek's confluence with the Unadilla River in the southwestern corner of the town.