White Plains, New York
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
White Plains is a city in south-central Westchester County, New York, about 4 miles east of the Hudson River and 2.5 miles northwest of Long Island Sound. It is bordered to the north by the town of North Castle, to the north and east by the town/village of Harrison, to the south by the town/village of Scarsdale and to the west by the town of Greenburgh. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 53,077, but a 2002 census estimate put the city's population at over 55,000 and subsequent residential development has raised this figure even higher. White Plains is one of the edge cities that have developed outside of New York City.
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[edit] Early History
At the time of the Dutch settlement of Manhattan in the early 17th Century, the region had been used as farmland by the Weckquaeskeck tribe, members of the Mohican nation and was called "Quarropas".,[1] To early traders it was known as "the White Plains," either from the groves of white balsam which are said to have covered it,[1] or from the heavy mist that local tradition suggests hovered over the swamplands near the Bronx River.[2] The first non-native settlement came in November, 1683, when a party of Connecticut Puritans moved westward from an earlier settlement in Rye and bought about 4,400 acres, presumably from the Weckquaeskeck. However, one John Richbell of Mamaroneck NY claimed to have earlier title to much of the territory, he also having purchased a far larger plot extending 20 miles inland, perhaps from a different tribe. The matter wasn't settled until 1721, when a Royal Patent for White Plains was granted by King George II.
In 1758, White Plains became the seat of Westchester County when the colonial government for the county left West Chester, which was located in what is now the northern part of the borough of the Bronx, in New York City. The unincorporated village remained part of the Town of Rye until 1788, when the Town of White Plains was created.[2]
On July 9, 1776, a copy of the Declaration of Independence was delivered to the New York Provincial Congress, which was meeting in the county courthouse. The delegates quickly adopted a resolution approving the Declaration, thus declaring both the colony's independence and the formation of the State of New York. The Declaration itself was first publicly read from the steps of the courthouse on July 11.[2]
During September and October of 1776, troops led by George Washington took up positions in the hills of the village, hotly pursued by the British under General Sir William Howe, who attacked on October 28. The Battle of White Plains took place primarily on Chatterton Hill, (located just west of what was then a swamp but which is now the downtown area) and the Bronx River. Howe's force of 4,000-6,000 British and Hessian soldiers required three attacks before the Continentals, numbering about 1,600 under the command of Generals Alexander McDougall and Israel Putnam, retreated, joining Washington's main force, which did not take part in the battle. Howe's forces had suffered 250 casualties, a severe loss, and he made no attempt to pursue the Continentals, whose casualties were about 125 dead and wounded. Three days after the battle Washington withdrew north of the village, which was then occupied by Howe's forces. But after several inconclusive skirmishes over the next week Howe withdrew on November 5, leaving White Plains to the Continentals.[2] Ironically, one of Washington's subordinates, Major John Austin, who was probably drunk after having celebrated the enemy's withdrawal, reentered the village with his detachment and proceeded to burn it down. Although he was court-marshaled and convicted for this action he escaped punishment.[2]
Washington again briefly made White Plains his headquarters in the summer of 1778 and in 1779 a Continental force under Aaron Burr was stationed there. In 1781, French forces under Lauzun and Rochambeau occupied the village for several months.[1]
The first United States Census, in 1790, listed the White Plains population at 505, of whom 46 were slaves. (New York City's population at that time was about 33,000.) By 1800, the population stood at 575 and in 1830, 830. By 1870, 26 years after the arrival of the New York Central Railroad, it had swelled to 2,630[2] and by 1890 to 4508. In the decades that followed the count was 7,899 (1900) and 26,425 (1910).[1] White Plains was incorporated as a village in 1866 and as a city in 1916.
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c Encyclopedia Brittanica, Eleventh Edition (1911), Volume XXVIII, p. 607.
- ^ a b c d e f Hoffman, Redona. Yesterday in White Plains, a Picture History of a Vanished Era, Second Edition, Privately Published, 1984. Available from the White Plains, NY Public Library and other sources.
[edit] Modern history of White Plains
During the late 1960s White Plains developed a site master plan for residential, commercial and mixed-use development that effectivly called for the demolition of its entire central business district from the Bronx River Parkway east to Mamaroneck Avenue. By 1978, there was preparation for a massive urban renewal program that centered around the building of the Westchester County Courthouse (1974), the Westchester One office building (1975), and the Galleria Mall (1978).
At the time, the Westchester One building was the largest office building between New York City and Albany, and west to Hartford.
Beginning in 1950s, many major corporations based in New York City relocated all or part of their headquarters operations to White Plains and other nearby locations. These included General Foods, PepsiCo, Hitachi USA, IBM, Nestle, Snapple and Van Muching, the importer of Heineken beer. At the height of the 1980's at least 50 Fortune 500 corporations called Westchester County and nearby Fairfield County, CT home, but with the corporate mergers and downsizing of the 1990s many of these companies either reduced their operations in White Plains or left the area completely.
The construction of the Galleria Mall ushered in a period of new retail and office construction downtown, but by the early 1990s economic development had stagnated. The city for a time had the dubious distinction of having one of the highest office vacancy rates in the Northeast. Retail consolidation led to the closing of flagship department stores. A branch of B. Altman's was demolished to make way for a massive retail complex, The Westchester, which opened in 1995. A branch of Macy's, since the 1950s the anchor of downtown retail activity, was relocated by its parent, Federated Department Stores, which moved it to the Galleria Mall, a few blocks away, replacing an existing location of a sister retailer, Abraham & Straus. A branch of Saks Fifth Avenue, located on the edge of downtown, was closed and eventually demolished and replaced with a larger complex featuring the high-end retailer Fortunoff's, local outlets of the upscale restaurants Mortons Steakhouse and The Cheescake Factory, and the gourmet supermarket Whole Foods Markets.
Other major projects were completed in the late 1990s and early 2000s. A new courthouse for the Southern District of New York was opened in 1998 and several vacant office properties in and near downtown, including the former General Foods headquarters building, were refitterd and leased. The landmark Macy's store remained vacant for several years until it too was demolished to make way for City Center, two 35-storey apartment towers and a 600,000 square-foot retail, restaurant and entertainment complex, the opening (2003) of which marked the beginning of a downtown retail renaissance. With the improving economy development and office leasing picked up, such that shortly into the new millenium the city became the leading retail and office center in Westchester County.
In 2005, construction began on a second large parcel in the downtown area. The project, dubbed Renaissance Square, will feature two towers each over 40 storeys, with a Ritz-Carlton hotel and more than 400 condominium units. The expected opening date of the first tower is early 2008, at which time the city will once again boast the highest building between New York City and Albany.
Beginning in 2000 the city's permanent population experienced a growth spurt as additional apartment buildings were constructed. An infusion of urban professionals, drawn by the city's relatively moderate housing costs and close commuting distance to midtown Manhattan (35 minutes by express train) gave the city a cosmopolitan atmosphere. However, in large part because of its proximity to New York, the cost of living in White Plains, although lower that that of New York City itself, is by some measures among the highest in the nation.[2]
[edit] Education
[edit] Public schools
The White Plains Public School System, [3] with a 2006 enrollment of over 6,000 pupils, maintains 5 elementary (grades K-5), 2 middle (6-8) and 1 high school (9-12), plus auxilary facilities including a pre-kindergarten program,[4] a community school (grades 7-12),[5] adult and continuing education,[6] and a program[7] for school-age patients at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, which campus is located in the city.
Since 1988 the district has operated under a Controlled Parents' Choice Program[8] whereby the parents of elementary and middle school children can select the school which their child attends based on factors other than proximity to the school. (All public school children have the option of being bussed to the school that they attend.)
The five elementary schools, and to a lesser extent, the two middle schools, in addition to teaching core competencies, have different educational focuses: science and technology;[9] communication arts;[10] nurturing of individualized ways of learning;[11] co-operative learning and hands-on practical experiences;[12] and global understanding.[13] The primary distinction between the two middle schools[14],[15] is the number of pupils enrolled. Also, in the smaller school, foreign language education may optionally start in the sixth grade rather than the eighth.
The single high school,[16] located on a 72-acre tract that was once the homestead of the department-store magnate J.C. Penny, serves all public school students in grades 9-12.
The district is governed by a seven-member Board of Education,[17] elected at large for three-year terms. A Schools Superintendent reports to the Board.
[edit] Colleges and universities
White Plains is home to local campuses of Pace University and its law school, Mercy College and the private, business-oriented schools, Berkeley College and The College of Westchester.
[edit] Geography
White Plains is located at (41.023464, -73.761843)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 25.6 km² (9.9 mi²). 25.4 km² (9.8 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.91%) is water.
White Plains is served by two Metro North commuter railroad stations, major highways (I-287, the Hutchinson River and Bronx River Parkways) and Westchester County Airport (located in nearby Harrison, NY).
[edit] Neighborhoods
White Plains contains several distinct residential areas within its borders.
[edit] Gedney Farms
Gedney Farms, a neighborhood located in eastern White Plains, is bounded on the west by Mamaroneck Avenue, on the north by Bryant Avenue, on the east by North Street, and on the south by Ridgeway.
The majority of Gedney Farms' residences are located within the territory of Ridgeway Country Club, which occupies the eastern half of Gedney Farms. The main arteries in Gedney Farms are: Gedney Esplanade, Hathaway Lane, and Heatherbloom Road.
[edit] Incidents
On January 18, 2006, a strong cold front pushed its way into the Tri-State Region, wreaking havoc, especially in Gedney Farms, where strong winds felled multiple trees and closed many roads.
On July 18, 2006, exactly six months to the day of the winter windstorm, a thunderstorm that spawned this Severe Thunderstorm Warning [18] rolled into Gedney Farms, wreaking a large path of havoc. Numerous trees were felled and many residents in the southwestern section of Gedney Farms lost power. Twenty-four hours later, the National Weather Service issued this report on the storm: [19]
[edit] Havilands
The Havilands are bound by North Street on the west, Bryant Avenue on the north and east, and Woodbrook Road on the south.
[edit] Highlands
Unlike the other White Plains neighborhoods, the boundaries of Highlands are less clear-cut. Here is a way to follow the boundaries:
The western boundary is Soundview Avenue north of Hartsdale Avenue. Highlands is to the east of Soundview Avenue, and then the boundary line runs up Byron Avenue, cuts north on South Lexington Avenue, then cuts east on Prospect Street, then cuts north up Longview Avenue, and then cuts east on Maple Avenue. Maple Avenue is the northern boundary of the Highlands.
From there, the eastern boundary of the Highlands is Old Mamaroneck Road, and the southern boundary of the Highlands is Hartsdale Avenue.
[edit] Saxon Woods
Saxon Woods Park History
Date Acquired: 1925 Acres: 700
Background: In Colonial times this area was called Saxton Forest, after William Saxton, who operated a saw mill on the western branch of the Mamaroneck River. Local usage changed the name to Saxon Woods. The property was acquired by the county in 1925 under this title. The park contains an 18-hole golf course as well as a miniature golf course, the county’s largest swimming pool (1.75 million gallons), a children’s aquatic playground, and picnic areas. A trail system connects the southern section to the upland wooded northern part of the park, characterized by mature hardwood forests. The trails are very popular with hikers, cross country skiers and horseback riders. The entire system extends along the Hutchinson River Parkway to Twin Lakes Park and north to Maple Moor Golf Course. It also links to the leather- stocking trail and contains archeologically sensitive areas.
This is two distinct but connected trails. One is on the western side of the Hutch north of Mamaroneck Road. The other is on the eastern side of the Hutch.
[edit] Rosedale
Rosedale is bounded on the west by Mamaroneck Avenue, north by Ridgeway, east by North Street, and south by the Hutchinson River Parkway. In terms of area, it is the biggest neighborhood in White Plains. Rosedale borders Scarsdale and Harrison and is one of the most countrified neighborhoods in White Plains.
[edit] Fisher Hill
A Neighborhood in South-Western White Plains.
[edit] NOBO
NOBO is a community on the rise in the northern part of White Plains. Bordered by the Westchester Mall and Broadway Pizza, the neighborhood is named after North Broadway, which is the main street that runs through it. Quickly becoming a desired location for young urban professionals, NOBO has seen the opening of restaurants, bars and many new residential high rises. Such luminaries as former Poet Laureate Billy Collins, NY Knick Jamal Crawford and Software Wunderkind Mike Rhodes call the hip and trendy area home.
[edit] Postal Information
Standard Zip Codes: 10601, 10603, 10604, 10605, 10606, 10607.
PO Box Only: 10602, 10610.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 53,077 people, 20,921 households, and 12,699 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,091.1/km² (5,415.5/mi²). There were 21,576 housing units at an average density of 850.1/km² (2,201.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 64.93% White, 15.91% African American, 0.34% Native American, 4.50% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 10.37% from other races, and 3.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.51% of the population.
There were 20,921 households out of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.3% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $58,545, and the median income for a family was $71,891. Males had a median income of $47,742 versus $36,917 for females. The per capita income for the city was $33,825. About 6.5% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.2% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Historic sites
- Jacob Purdy House used as General George Washington's headquarters.
[edit] Notable residents
- Percy Grainger (1882-1961), Australian-born US composer, pianist and conductor. Lived with his wife, Ella Ström-Brandelius, in the same home from 1921 until his death in 1961. She lived there until her death in 1979. It is now the headquarters of the International Percy Grainger Society and is open to visitors.
- Garrick Ohlsson, the internationally acclaimed concert pianist, was raised in White Plains.
- Jonathan Larson (1960-1996), the writer of the musical Rent, attended White Plains High School.
- Danger Mouse, a DJ and one half of Gnarls Barkley, was born in White Plains.
- Andrew S. Tanenbaum, computer scientist and professor, was raised in White Plains.
- Matisyahu, American Jewish reggae artist, was raised in White Plains.
- Ralph Waite, the actor who played John Walton in "The Waltons" television series, was born in White Plains
- Art Monk, NFL wide receiver, was raised in White Plains and graduated from White Plains High School.
- Channing Frye, NBA forward, was born in White Plains
- Tupac Shakur, Attended White Plains Middle School, briefly during his childhood.
- Joseph Campbell, Author and expert on myth and legend, born and raised in White Plains.
- David Lee, New York Knicks Power Forward
Jordan O'Vette, Georgetown University Lacrosse Star
[edit] External links
- White Plains official website
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
- City Center at White Plains
- White Plains Public Library
- White Plains Public Schools
- White Plains Times
- Westchester County Airport (HPN)
- White Plains Hospital Center
- The Battle of White Plains
- White Plains Historical Society
- International Percy Grainger Society
- White Plains Citizen Net Reporter
- White Plains On Line A searchable collection of White Plains public agency meeting agendas, minutes, budgets, and charters.
- WPNY.us Portal for information about White Plains.
