'White Plains' is a
city in south-central
Westchester County,
New York, about east of the
Hudson River and 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. The daytime weekday population is estimated at over 200,000.
History
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 , 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 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.
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.
During September and October 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, (later known as "Battle Hill," and 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.
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-martialed and convicted for this action he escaped punishment.
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
and by 1890 to 4,508. In the decades that followed the count grew to 7,899 (1900) and 26,425 (1910).
White Plains was incorporated as a village in 1866 and as a city in 1916.
Modern history
Main Street in White Plains
Early in the 20th century, White Plains' downtown area developed into a dominant suburban shopping district and featured branch stores of many famous New York-based department and specialty stores. Some of these retail locations were the first large scale suburban stores built in America, and ushered in the eventual post-
World War II building boom. With the construction of the parkways and expressways in the 1940s and 1960s, White Plains' role as a destination retail location was only enhanced. Among some of these early stores were such storied names as
B. Altman & Co., Rogers Peet,
Saks Fifth Avenue,
Alexander's,
Macy's, Wallach's and a short-lived branch of
Bergdorf Goodman, which was later converted to sister chain,
Neiman Marcus, in 1981.
During the late 1960s, the city of White Plains developed an extensive urban renewal plan for residential, commercial and mixed-use redevelopment that effectively called for the demolition of its entire central business district from the
Bronx River Parkway east to Mamaroneck Avenue. By 1978, the massive
urban renewal program centered around the construction of the Westchester County Courthouse (1974), the Westchester One office building (1975), the
Galleria at White Plains mall (1978), and a number of other office towers, retail centers and smaller commercial buildings. Within a generation, the original village-like character of downtown White Plains was altered into becoming one of America's first and most dynamic
edge cities.
At the time of its construction, the Westchester One building was the largest office building between New York City and
Albany, and west to
Hartford.
Beginning in the 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
Heineken USA. At the height of the 1980s 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.
Arts Exchange Building in the Downtown
At the Arts Exchange Building, the headquarters of the Westchester Arts Council, artists, emerging cultural organizations and new creative businesses are developing and flourishing. Since March 1999, this vibrant community resource, which is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has served as an artist's venue for exhibition and performance, a classroom, conference center, film house, banquet hall and proud symbol of the revitalization of downtown White Plains.
The construction of the
Galleria at White Plains mall in the 1970s ushered in a new era of downtown retail and office development, but by the early 1990s, economic development had stagnated, hampered by a deep recession and the overbuilding of the commercial real estate markets. For a time, White Plains had the dubious distinction of having one of the highest office vacancy rates in the Northeast. Consolidation within the retail industry led to the closing of many of downtown's original department and specialty stores as well. After its bankruptcy, the
B. Altman store closed in 1989 and was eventually demolished to make way for the massive upscale retail mall,
The Westchester, which opened in 1995 with anchors
Nordstrom and
Neiman Marcus. A freestanding branch of
Macy's, one of downtown's original retail anchors, was relocated two blocks away to The Galleria mall by its parent company,
Federated Department Stores, replacing the location of sister retailer,
Abraham & Straus when these two store divisions were merged in 1995. In early 2002, the
Saks Fifth Avenue location was also closed and demolished; it was replaced in 2004 with the large retail complex called
The Source at White Plains, featuring the high-end jewelery and home goods store
Fortunoff's, and local outlets of the upscale restaurants
Morton's of Chicago,
The Cheescake Factory, and the gourmet supermarket chain
Whole Foods Markets.
Other major projects were completed in the late 1990s and early 2000s that have dramatically altered further the urban character of downtown White Plains. A new courthouse for the
Southern District of New York was opened in 1998 and several large scale office properties in and near downtown, including the former General Foods headquarters building, were retrofitted and leased to accommodate smaller businesses. The landmark Macy's store on Main Street remained vacant for several years until it was also later demolished to make way for the massive
City Center White Plains complex. This large mixed-use development features
two 35-story apartment and condominium towers, of retail, restaurant and entertainment space and new parking facilities. Aside from the Arts Exchange building (which used to be a bank), another bank next to the City Center was renovated to become
Zanaro's, a Westchester-award-winning Italian restaurant. City Center's opening in 2003 marked the beginning of a new downtown development renaissance, and with the improving economy and healthy office leasing activity, White Plains entered the new millennium as the leading retail and office center in Westchester County.
White Plains is widely know throughout Westchester County for its bar scene. Mamaroneck Avenue and East Post Road are home to several highly trafficked watering holes, including The Black Bear Saloon, Lazy Boy Tavern, and the Thirsty Turtle.
In 2005, construction began on a second large parcel in the downtown area. The project, dubbed
Renaissance Square, will feature two residential and hotel towers, each 40 stories tall, featuring a luxury
Ritz-Carlton hotel and more than 400 condominium units. The expected opening date of the first tower is early 2008, at which time White Plains will once again boast the highest building between both New York City and Albany. (This title is currently held by the under-construction 39-story
Trump Plaza in nearby
New Rochelle, which in 2006 surpassed White Plains' 35-story
Trump Tower, which was completed in 2005.)
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 than that of New York City itself, is by some measures among the highest in the nation.
[2]
Education
Public schools
The White Plains Public School System,
[3] with a 2006 enrollment of over 6,000 pupils, maintains 5 elementary schools (grades K-5), 2 middle schools (6-8) and 1 high school (9-12), as well as auxiliary 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-Presbyterian Hospital,
[8] which campus is located in the city.
Since 1988 the district has operated under a Controlled Parents' Choice Program
[9] 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;
[10] communication arts;
[11] nurturing of individualized ways of learning;
[12] co-operative learning and hands-on practical experiences;
[13] and global understanding.
[14] The primary distinction between the two middle schools
[15],
[16] is the number of pupils enrolled. Also, in the smaller middle school, foreign language education begins in the sixth grade rather than the eighth.
White Plains High School,
[17] located on a 72 acre tract that was once the homestead of the department-store magnate
J. C. Penney, serves all public school students in grades 9-12.
The district is governed by a seven-member Board of Education,
[18] elected at-large for staggered three-year terms. A schools superintendent reports to the Board.
White Plains is also the home of the German School New York (GSNY), one of the only six German schools in the United States. With some 350 students the school provides education from kindergarten until 12th grade and makes it possible for German students to reach their Abitur (German High School Diploma) away from home.
Parochial schools
White Plains is home to a number of primary and secondary parochial schools, including:
★
Archbishop Stepinac High School on Mamaroneck Avenue in the Gedney area
★
Academy of Our Lady of Good Counsel High School on North Broadway, adjacent to the Pace University campus
★ Good Counsel Academy Elementary School on North Broadway
★ Our Lady of Sorrows Elementary School in the Gedney area
Colleges and universities with locations in White Plains
★
Pace University [19], formerly the College of White Plains, and its Law School
[20]
★
Mercy College [21]
★
Berkeley College [22]
★
The College of Westchester,
[23] formerly known as the Westchester Business Institute
Postal information
Standard
Zip Codes:
10601,
10603,
10604,
10605,
10606,
10607.
(Note-10604 and 10607 are designated as White Plains post offices, but they serve Harrison and Greenburgh, respectively.)
PO Box Only: 10602,
10610.
Demographics
As of the
census 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, 4.50%
Asian, 0.34%
Native American, 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.
Historic sites
★
Jacob Purdy House [24] (constructed prior to 1730), used as General George Washington's headquarters in 1778 and possibly in 1776 during the Battle of White Plains. Repaired and restored in the 1960s, the structure was moved to its present location in 1973. It is now the headquarters of the
White Plains Historical Society
★ White Plains Armory
[25] (1910), erected on the site of the first Westchester County Courthouse. A monument in front of the building commemorates the first public reading in New York of the Declaration of Independence, on
July 11,
1776.
★ White Plains Rural Cemetery [www.whiteplainshistory.org/Cemetery.html] (incorporated 1854, although in use as a cemetery from 1797). The cemetery office occupies the structure that was the first Methodist Church in White Plains (1795, rebuilt in 1797 after a fire on the day of its original dedication).
★ Percy Grainger Home, [www.whiteplainshistory.org/PercyGrainger.html] occupied by the composer from 1921 until his death in 1961, and by his widow, Ella Ström-Brandelius, until her death in 1979. It is now maintained as a museum by the International Percy Grainger Society.
[26]
Sister cities
★
Mevaseret Zion, Israel
Notable residents
★
Percy Grainger (1882-1961), Australian-born U.S. composer, pianist and conductor.
★
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.
★
Alan Alda (born Alfonso Joseph D'Abruzzo) attended
Archbishop Stepinac High School.
★
Frank Henderson, Presumably the livest resident in the Highlands area.
★
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.
★
Bob Hyland, NFL lineman, born and raised in White Plains and graduated from
Archbishop Stepinac High School.
★
Channing Frye, NBA forward, was born in White Plains
★
Joseph Campbell, Author and expert on myth and legend, born and raised in White Plains.
★
David Lee, New York Knicks Power Forward
★
J.C. Penney, the department-store magnate, lived in White Plains from the 1920s until the mid-1950s.
★
Leon Davidson, hand selected to work on the atomic bomb, lived in White Plains from early in his marriage to his death on New Year's Day 2007. He is also buried there.
★
A.J. Hammer (born Andrew Goldberg) TV Personality who co-host's CNN's Showbiz Tonight (and previously hosted Court TV's Hollywood Heat and VH1's Countdown) is a 1984 graduate of White Plains High School, White Plains, NY.
★
Vanessa Rousso, a professional poker player, was born in White Plains.
★
Tupac Shakur, went to School in White Plains for little under a year
★
Jackson Davis, founder of charity organization, Protect A Paw.
★
Diane & Michael Haughton, parents of the late R&B singer
Aaliyah.
★
Gordon Parks, famous African-American photographer, attended White Plains High School
USS White Plains
There were two USS ''White Plains'' (
CVE-66 and
AFS-4) named for the
Battle of White Plains that took place on October 28, 1776 during the Revolutionary War.
[3]
References
1. ''Encyclopedia Britannica'', Eleventh Edition (1911), Volume XXVIII, p. 607.
2. 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.
3. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships -- ''White Plains''
External links
★
White Plains official website
★
White Plains Downtown Residents Assoc.
★
White Plains Public Library
★
White Plains Public Schools
★
White Plains Times
★
Westchester County Airport (HPN)
★
White Plains Hospital Center
★
Battle Hill Association
★
The Battle of White Plains
★
White Plains Historical Society
★
First Baptist Church of White Plains
★
Misión Bautista Hispana de Westchester en White Plains
★
International Percy Grainger Society
★
White Plains Citizen Net Reporter
★
White Plains Guide: An Arbitrary Guide to White Plains, New York
★
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.
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