Patterson is a town in Putnam County, New York, United States.

[2] The town was first settled around 1720 in The Oblong, which was a disputed area in southeastern Province of New York also claimed by the Connecticut Colony.

Between 1720 and 1776 a large number of mostly Connecticut families settled in the southern Oblong.

They could not settle west of it because that land was privately owned by the Philipse family.

It had been granted a patent for virtually all of the remainder of the area of the future Putnam County.

The first such settlers in the Oblong were the Hayt family, who built a house at The Elm in 1720.

The first village in Putnam County, the hamlet of Patterson, was originally called Frederickstown.

The town hall is located on New York State Route 311 in Patterson.

Law enforcement services for Patterson are provided by the New York State Police and the Putnam County Sheriff's Department.