Callicoon, in the Town of Delaware, was first visited by Dutch hunters traveling west from the Hudson Valley in the 1600's. They named the watershed of the creek "Kollikonkill," Dutch for "cackling hen," referring to the enormous number of turkeys in the forests. The first settlers arrived about 1756. The area became a prime source of fresh-cut timber, and the Delaware River provided natural access to populated coastal centers in the east. During the 1760's, timber rafting began as tree trunks were lashed together and floated to sawmills downstream. In the 1840's, the Erie Railroad opened the area by laying tracks along the Delaware River to link the Great Lakes with the Eastern Seaboard, and the town was named Callicoon Depot. In 1906, the name was changed to Callicoon. Summer vacationers arrived by railroad through the 1960's and stayed in boarding houses in and around Callicoon. When railroad service ended, the number of vacationers dwindled, and the boarding houses became private residences and B&B's. Today Callicoon remains a favorite destination for river enthusiasts, weekend visitors, and second home owners.