[3] "The Point of the Mountains" or "Sidman's Clove" were names used before the American Revolution to designate the present village of Suffern.

General George Washington and other important military leaders used John Suffern's home as headquarters when they were in the area.

[4][failed verification – see discussion][5][failed verification] This trail commemorates the route followed by General Washington and the French Comte de Rochambeau as they traveled to the siege of Yorktown, Virginia, which led to victory for the United States in gaining independence.

Rochambeau made encampment with his 5,000 soldiers in Suffern on August 25, 1781, on his way to Yorktown, and again on September 13, 1782, as he retraced his steps to New York.

[6] A historical marker on the Washington Avenue side of the Lafayette Theatre identifies this site of "Rochambeau's Encampment 1781–1782".

At the time of the encampment, this site was directly across the road from village founder John Suffern's home and tavern where the Count de Rochambeau stayed.

Other guests who took advantage of Suffern's hospitality included Lieutenant Colonel Aaron Burr, who later became the third Vice President of the United States; General George Clinton, who became the first (and longest-serving) elected Governor of New York, as well as the fourth Vice President of the United States (under both Thomas Jefferson and James Madison); and Alexander Hamilton, first United States Secretary of the Treasury under President Washington.

Once the Hudson River froze in winter, the Post Road was heavily traveled as an alternate.

The 20 miles (32 km) of road through Ramapo Pass was later developed as the Orange Turnpike (now known as Route 17).

The south entrance to the town was garrisoned during the Revolution, with General Washington ordering as many as 400 soldiers to be stationed there at all times.

In late 2005, construction was finished on a state-of-the art, 225,000-square-foot (20,900 m2) facility that would become Avon's global hub for research and development.

[7] In 1916, what would become New York State Route 59, which reached from Nyack to Spring Valley in 1915, was extended to Suffern and the Ramapo hamlet.

Suffern is designated as a gateway to the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area.

[16] In January 2014, the company announced closure of this facility by 2017, citing loss of patent exclusivity on Diovan as a major factor in the decision.

[21] The 1,200 grade 6-8 students educated there hail from Airmont, Suffern, Montebello, Hillburn, Sloatsburg and parts of Monsey.

[22] Rockland Community College, part of the SUNY system, is located just outside the village limits.