Chappaqua, New York
Encyclopedia
Chappaqua is a hamlet and census-designated place
in northern
Westchester County
, New York
. As of the 2010 census, following a major revision to the delineation of its boundaries by the Census Bureau, the population was 1,436. (At the 2000 census, with very different census-defined boundaries, Chappaqua had a population of 9,468.) Chappaqua is located in the town of New Castle
.
moved north from Purchase, New York
, to settle in present-day Chappaqua. They built their homes on Quaker Street and held their meetings at the home of Abel Weeks. Their meeting house
was built in 1753 and still holds weekly meetings each Sunday. The area around the meeting house, known as Old Chappaqua Historic District
, was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1974. Horace Greeley
's home, built by himself, still stands in Chappaqua.
Various spellings were used for the name they heard Native Americans use for their valley and hillside. It was an Algonquian
word, shah-pah-ka, and it meant "the rustling land" or "the rattling land," or a place where nothing is heard but the rustling of the wind in the leaves. The Quakers spelled it Shapiqua, Shapaqua, Shapequa, Shappaqua, and, finally, Chappaqua. Their meeting was often referred to as the Shapequa Meeting as early as 1745.
. The border was drawn from the southwest corner of Bedford
to the northeast edge of Mount Pleasant
. New Castle's borders have remained the same since 1791, except for a small piece of land received from Somers
in 1846 and the secession of Mount Kisco
in 1978.
and Roaring Brook. These bodies of water powered mills to crush corn and press oil from beans. The eastern half of Chappaqua was very suitable for farming. The majority of the Quaker settlers of Chappaqua were farmers. The popular farming industry also helped give way to Chappaqua's high milk production. Other popular industries from Chappaqua included shoes, hardware, vinegar, pickles, eyeglasses, and furniture.
extended through Chappaqua, business became centered on the new train station
. These businesses included a hotel, livery stables, a public library, and various stores and small factories.
and back everyday. One very famous commuter who would make his way back and forth from Chappaqua to New York City was Horace Greeley
, the successful editor of the New York Tribune
. This free-thinker and politician came to Chappaqua to live out the quiet and peaceful life of a country farmer. In 1853 he bought 78 acres (315,655.1 m²) of land just east of the railroad. His land included upland pastures near present-day Aldridge Road, Greeley Hill, and the marshy fields now the site of the Bell Middle School fields and the shopping area along South Greeley Avenue. Horace and his wife loved the streams, the large evergreen trees, and their clean, fresh, ice-cold spring. Horace Greeley's house still stands on King Street, just east of the train station and South Greeley Avenue and is home to the historical society.
on Quaker Street. In the year 1885 the school caught fire, and much refurbishing was done, with the addition of two new wings. It was sold in 1908 and now belongs to the Children's Aid Society.
Around 1928, Robert E. Bell Middle School, known at the time as Horace Greeley School, was built. The present day Horace Greeley High School
was built in 1957. Robert E. Bell Middle School has the bulldog as its mascot while Horace Greeley High School has the quaker as its mascot. The three elementary schools in Chappaqua were completed over a twenty year period: Roaring Brook School in 1951, Douglas G. Grafflin in 1962, and Westorchard in 1971.
in 2003, after the opening of the new middle school, Seven Bridges, and the moving of the fifth grade from Chappaqua's elementary schools to the middle schools, the district added a full day kindergarten.
Parent expectations in the school district are high, and the educational environment has been described as highly competitive and somewhat stressful.
The district's modern commitment to education was exemplified in the 1950s when Horace Greeley High School principal, Donald Miles, began hiring teachers based primarily on their subject knowledge, eschewing the "professional teacher". One of the most notable hires was Edwin Barlow, a math teacher whose controversial classroom methods and enigmatic life are chronicled in the 2009 memoir, Teacher of the Year: The Mystery and Legacy of Edwin Barlow. One of the current (2011) Chemistry and AP Chemistry teachers, Richard Goodman, won the "Chemistry Teacher of the Year" award in 2009.
Horace Greeley High School is home to the Chappaqua Summer Scholarship Program, which brings motivated and aspiring students to Chappaqua for four weeks over three summer to take classes while living with host families in Chappaqua.
Parts of the Chappaqua ZIP code
area are located in the towns of Mount Kisco
, New Castle
, Mount Pleasant
, Yorktown
, and Bedford
, as well as the hamlet of Millwood
. Parts of the Chappaqua Central School District include homes in other zip codes, such as 10570, the Pleasantville
zip code.
, the CDP has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), all of it land. As delineated for the 2000 census, the CDP of Chappaqua covered a much greater area: 9.4 square miles (24.3 km²), of which 9.4 square miles (24.3 km²) was land and 0.08 square mile (0.2071990488 km²), or 0.64%, was water.
of 2000, there were 9,468 people, 3,118 households, and 2,687 families residing in the Census-designated place
. The population density
was 389.7/km² (1,009.8/mi²). There were 3,181 housing units at an average density of 130.9/km² (339.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 91.80% White, 0.94% African American, 0.03% Native American, 5.62% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.52% from other races
, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.55% of the population. 14.3% were of Italian
, 11.4% Russian, 10.6% Irish
, 7.1% United States
or American, 6.0% English
and 5.7% German ancestry according to Census 2000. 92.4% spoke English
, 3.6% Spanish
and 1.0% Italian
as their first language.
There were 3,118 households out of which 52.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 79.1% were married couples
living together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.8% were non-families. 11.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.27.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 32.8% under the age of 18, 3.2% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 29.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP
was $163,201, and the median income for a family was $180,451. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $71,875 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $77,835. About 2.3% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.
Nationwide, Chappaqua ranks 42nd among the 100 highest-income places in the United States (with at least 1,000 households). In 2008, CNNMoney listed Chappaqua fifth in their list of "25 top-earning towns." Chappaqua 2007 estimated median household income was $198,000.
Although Chappaqua's crime rate is far below the national average, the area has had several high-profile murders. In 1996, a battle between a lottery winner and his former lover over custody of their 5-year-old child resulted in a gun battle; the winner was acquitted of the murder of his former lover on the basis of self defense, and convicted of the shooting of the woman's father. In November 2006 a disbarred attorney drove the body of his severely injured wife to Northern Westchester Hospital, claiming that the couple had been ambushed and shot in nearby Millwood. She died soon after. For over a year, police expressed skepticism about the husband's account and did not rule him out as a suspect. In December 2007 the man was charged with his wife's murder after trying to collect on life insurance
policies. Carlos Perez-Olivo was convicted October 4, 2008 for murder of his wife, Peggy Perez-Olivo, a teacher aide at Grafflin Elementary School in Chappaqua.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
in northern
Northern Westchester
Northern Westchester refers to the upper portion of Westchester County, New York , a suburban area north of New York City. Municipalities in Westchester are often referenced in connection to the geographical half of the county they are in; either Northern or Southern...
Westchester County
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. As of the 2010 census, following a major revision to the delineation of its boundaries by the Census Bureau, the population was 1,436. (At the 2000 census, with very different census-defined boundaries, Chappaqua had a population of 9,468.) Chappaqua is located in the town of New Castle
New Castle, New York
New Castle is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 17,569 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.15%, is water. New Castle is bordered by the towns of Mount Pleasant...
.
History
In the early 1730s a group of QuakersReligious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
moved north from Purchase, New York
Purchase, New York
Purchase, New York is a hamlet of the town of Harrison, in Westchester County. Its ZIP code is 10577. Its name is derived from Harrison's purchase, for Harrison could have as much land as he could ride in one day...
, to settle in present-day Chappaqua. They built their homes on Quaker Street and held their meetings at the home of Abel Weeks. Their meeting house
Meeting house
A meeting house describes a building where a public meeting takes place. This includes secular buildings which function like a town or city hall, and buildings used for religious meetings, particularly of some non-conformist Christian denominations....
was built in 1753 and still holds weekly meetings each Sunday. The area around the meeting house, known as Old Chappaqua Historic District
Old Chappaqua Historic District
Old Chappaqua Historic District is a national historic district located at Chappaqua, Westchester County, New York. The district contains 12 contributing buildings clustered around the Quaker meeting house and dated to the late-18th to early 19th century...
, was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1974. Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley was an American newspaper editor, a founder of the Liberal Republican Party, a reformer, a politician, and an outspoken opponent of slavery...
's home, built by himself, still stands in Chappaqua.
Various spellings were used for the name they heard Native Americans use for their valley and hillside. It was an Algonquian
Algonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
word, shah-pah-ka, and it meant "the rustling land" or "the rattling land," or a place where nothing is heard but the rustling of the wind in the leaves. The Quakers spelled it Shapiqua, Shapaqua, Shapequa, Shappaqua, and, finally, Chappaqua. Their meeting was often referred to as the Shapequa Meeting as early as 1745.
Creation of the Town of New Castle
On March 18, 1791, the government of New York decided to split the overly large town of North Castle (jokingly called "the two saddlebags") into two smaller towns, one of which was named New CastleNew Castle, New York
New Castle is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 17,569 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.15%, is water. New Castle is bordered by the towns of Mount Pleasant...
. The border was drawn from the southwest corner of Bedford
Bedford (town), New York
Bedford is a town in Westchester County, New York, USA. The population was 17,335 at the 2010 census.The Town of Bedford is located in the northeastern part of Westchester County, and contains the three hamlets of Bedford Hills, Bedford Village, and Katonah...
to the northeast edge of Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant, New York
Mount Pleasant is a town in Westchester County, New York, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 43,724.-Geography:...
. New Castle's borders have remained the same since 1791, except for a small piece of land received from Somers
Somers, New York
Somers is a town located in northeastern Westchester County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 20,434...
in 1846 and the secession of Mount Kisco
Mount Kisco, New York
Mount Kisco is a community that is both a village and a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The Town of Mount Kisco is coterminous with the village. The population was 10,877 at the 2010 census.- History :...
in 1978.
Early businesses
Chappaqua had great streams such as the Saw Mill RiverSaw Mill River
The Saw Mill River is a 20 mile long tributary of the Hudson River in the United States, flowing from a marsh in Chappaqua to Yonkers, New York, where it empties into the Hudson. Its starting point in Chappaqua is presumed to be a spring. In the 17th century, the Saw Mill River was known as...
and Roaring Brook. These bodies of water powered mills to crush corn and press oil from beans. The eastern half of Chappaqua was very suitable for farming. The majority of the Quaker settlers of Chappaqua were farmers. The popular farming industry also helped give way to Chappaqua's high milk production. Other popular industries from Chappaqua included shoes, hardware, vinegar, pickles, eyeglasses, and furniture.
Railroad
In 1846 when the New York and Harlem RailroadNew York and Harlem Railroad
The New York and Harlem Railroad was one of the first railroads in the United States, and possibly also the world's first street railway. Designed by John Stephenson, it was opened in stages between 1832 and 1852 between Lower Manhattan to and beyond Harlem...
extended through Chappaqua, business became centered on the new train station
Chappaqua (Metro-North station)
The Chappaqua Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of Chappaqua, New York via the Harlem Line. Trains leave for New York City every hour, and about every 20 minutes during rush hour...
. These businesses included a hotel, livery stables, a public library, and various stores and small factories.
The first railroad commuter
The coming of the railroad marked the arrival of the commuter, the tireless person who traveled to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and back everyday. One very famous commuter who would make his way back and forth from Chappaqua to New York City was Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley was an American newspaper editor, a founder of the Liberal Republican Party, a reformer, a politician, and an outspoken opponent of slavery...
, the successful editor of the New York Tribune
New York Tribune
The New York Tribune was an American newspaper, first established by Horace Greeley in 1841, which was long considered one of the leading newspapers in the United States...
. This free-thinker and politician came to Chappaqua to live out the quiet and peaceful life of a country farmer. In 1853 he bought 78 acres (315,655.1 m²) of land just east of the railroad. His land included upland pastures near present-day Aldridge Road, Greeley Hill, and the marshy fields now the site of the Bell Middle School fields and the shopping area along South Greeley Avenue. Horace and his wife loved the streams, the large evergreen trees, and their clean, fresh, ice-cold spring. Horace Greeley's house still stands on King Street, just east of the train station and South Greeley Avenue and is home to the historical society.
Schools
Today, the schools in Chappaqua are reputed to be among the best in the country, but this was not always so. Small one-room schoolhouses devoid of windows were prevalent in the 1800s. In the Chappaqua region there were eight such schoolhouses. These small schools prevailed until around 1870, when the Quakers built a large school called the Chappaqua Mountain InstituteChappaqua Mountain Institute
Chappaqua Mountain Institute was a private co-educational college preparatory school in Chappaqua, New York founded by the Quakers in 1870. The school closed in 1908 and re-opened in Valhalla, New York where it eventually became a girls-only boarding school. Highly regarded in its day, it was...
on Quaker Street. In the year 1885 the school caught fire, and much refurbishing was done, with the addition of two new wings. It was sold in 1908 and now belongs to the Children's Aid Society.
Around 1928, Robert E. Bell Middle School, known at the time as Horace Greeley School, was built. The present day Horace Greeley High School
Horace Greeley High School
Horace Greeley High School is a public, four-year secondary school serving students in grades 9–12 in Chappaqua, New York. It is part of the Chappaqua Central School District....
was built in 1957. Robert E. Bell Middle School has the bulldog as its mascot while Horace Greeley High School has the quaker as its mascot. The three elementary schools in Chappaqua were completed over a twenty year period: Roaring Brook School in 1951, Douglas G. Grafflin in 1962, and Westorchard in 1971.
in 2003, after the opening of the new middle school, Seven Bridges, and the moving of the fifth grade from Chappaqua's elementary schools to the middle schools, the district added a full day kindergarten.
Parent expectations in the school district are high, and the educational environment has been described as highly competitive and somewhat stressful.
The district's modern commitment to education was exemplified in the 1950s when Horace Greeley High School principal, Donald Miles, began hiring teachers based primarily on their subject knowledge, eschewing the "professional teacher". One of the most notable hires was Edwin Barlow, a math teacher whose controversial classroom methods and enigmatic life are chronicled in the 2009 memoir, Teacher of the Year: The Mystery and Legacy of Edwin Barlow. One of the current (2011) Chemistry and AP Chemistry teachers, Richard Goodman, won the "Chemistry Teacher of the Year" award in 2009.
Horace Greeley High School is home to the Chappaqua Summer Scholarship Program, which brings motivated and aspiring students to Chappaqua for four weeks over three summer to take classes while living with host families in Chappaqua.
Geography
Chappaqua is located at 41°9′57"N 73°45′55"W (41.165925, -73.765244).Parts of the Chappaqua ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
area are located in the towns of Mount Kisco
Mount Kisco, New York
Mount Kisco is a community that is both a village and a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The Town of Mount Kisco is coterminous with the village. The population was 10,877 at the 2010 census.- History :...
, New Castle
New Castle, New York
New Castle is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 17,569 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.15%, is water. New Castle is bordered by the towns of Mount Pleasant...
, Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant, New York
Mount Pleasant is a town in Westchester County, New York, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 43,724.-Geography:...
, Yorktown
Yorktown, New York
Yorktown is a town in Westchester County, New York, in the suburbs of New York about north of midtown Manhattan. The town lies on the north border of Westchester County...
, and Bedford
Bedford (town), New York
Bedford is a town in Westchester County, New York, USA. The population was 17,335 at the 2010 census.The Town of Bedford is located in the northeastern part of Westchester County, and contains the three hamlets of Bedford Hills, Bedford Village, and Katonah...
, as well as the hamlet of Millwood
Millwood, New York
Millwood is a hamlet located in the town of New Castle, New York in Westchester County. It was originally settled as Sarlesville. The area now known as Millwood appears on 19th century maps as Merritt's Corners and Rockdale Mills...
. Parts of the Chappaqua Central School District include homes in other zip codes, such as 10570, the Pleasantville
Pleasantville, New York
Pleasantville is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 7,019 at the 2010 census. It is located in the town of Mount Pleasant. Pleasantville is home to a campus of Pace University and to the Jacob Burns Film Center...
zip code.
Climate
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), all of it land. As delineated for the 2000 census, the CDP of Chappaqua covered a much greater area: 9.4 square miles (24.3 km²), of which 9.4 square miles (24.3 km²) was land and 0.08 square mile (0.2071990488 km²), or 0.64%, was water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 9,468 people, 3,118 households, and 2,687 families residing in the Census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 389.7/km² (1,009.8/mi²). There were 3,181 housing units at an average density of 130.9/km² (339.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 91.80% White, 0.94% African American, 0.03% Native American, 5.62% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.52% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.55% of the population. 14.3% were of Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
, 11.4% Russian, 10.6% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 7.1% United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
or American, 6.0% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
and 5.7% German ancestry according to Census 2000. 92.4% spoke English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, 3.6% Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and 1.0% Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
as their first language.
There were 3,118 households out of which 52.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 79.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.8% were non-families. 11.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.27.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 32.8% under the age of 18, 3.2% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 29.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
was $163,201, and the median income for a family was $180,451. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $71,875 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $77,835. About 2.3% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.
Nationwide, Chappaqua ranks 42nd among the 100 highest-income places in the United States (with at least 1,000 households). In 2008, CNNMoney listed Chappaqua fifth in their list of "25 top-earning towns." Chappaqua 2007 estimated median household income was $198,000.
Public safety
Emergency Medical Service and fire protection are provided by volunteer agencies. The Chappaqua Volunteer Ambulance Corps (CVAC) provides Basic Life Support services to most of New Castle, including Chappaqua. The hamlet is protected by the New Castle Police Department, which also provides first-response services for medical emergencies. The volunteer-based Chappaqua Fire Department provides firefighting services to the hamlet of Chappaqua. The Chappaqua Fire Department is in its 100th year of operation, and currently maintains two firehouses in town.Although Chappaqua's crime rate is far below the national average, the area has had several high-profile murders. In 1996, a battle between a lottery winner and his former lover over custody of their 5-year-old child resulted in a gun battle; the winner was acquitted of the murder of his former lover on the basis of self defense, and convicted of the shooting of the woman's father. In November 2006 a disbarred attorney drove the body of his severely injured wife to Northern Westchester Hospital, claiming that the couple had been ambushed and shot in nearby Millwood. She died soon after. For over a year, police expressed skepticism about the husband's account and did not rule him out as a suspect. In December 2007 the man was charged with his wife's murder after trying to collect on life insurance
Life insurance
Life insurance is a contract between an insurance policy holder and an insurer, where the insurer promises to pay a designated beneficiary a sum of money upon the death of the insured person. Depending on the contract, other events such as terminal illness or critical illness may also trigger...
policies. Carlos Perez-Olivo was convicted October 4, 2008 for murder of his wife, Peggy Perez-Olivo, a teacher aide at Grafflin Elementary School in Chappaqua.
Notable residents
Some notable Chappaqua residents, past and present, include:- William AckmanWilliam AckmanWilliam A. Ackman or commonly known as Bill Ackman is the major investor, founder and CEO of hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management LP. At one point in December 2007 his funds owned a 10% stake in Target Corporation, valued at $4.2 billion through the purchase of stock and derivatives. His...
, investor and CEO & Founder of Pershing Square Capital Management - Adam ArkinAdam ArkinAdam Arkin is an American television, film and stage actor and director. He played the role of Aaron Shutt on Chicago Hope. He has been nominated for numerous awards, including a Tony as well as 3 primetime Emmys, 4 SAG Awards , and a DGA Award...
, American television, film, and stage actor, son of Alan Arkin - Alan ArkinAlan ArkinAlan Wolf Arkin is an American actor, director, musician and singer. He is known for starring in such films as Wait Until Dark, The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Catch-22, The In-Laws, Edward Scissorhands, Glengarry Glen Ross, Marley & Me, and...
, Academy Award–winning actor, best known for his roles in such films as The In-Laws, Catch-22Catch-22 (film)Catch-22 is a 1970 satirical war film adapted from the book of the same name by Joseph Heller. Considered a black comedy revolving around the "lunatic characters" of Heller's satirical anti-war novel, it was the work of a talented production team which included director Mike Nichols and...
, The Heart Is a Lonely HunterThe Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (film)The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter is a 1968 film adaptation of the Carson McCullers novel of the same name. It was directed by Robert Ellis Miller. It stars Alan Arkin, Sondra Locke, Laurinda Barrett, Stacy Keach, Percy Rodriguez, Chuck McCann and Cicely Tyson...
, Wait Until DarkWait Until Dark (film)Wait Until Dark is a suspense-thriller film directed by Terence Young and produced by Mel Ferrer. It stars Audrey Hepburn as a young blind woman, Alan Arkin as a violent criminal searching for some drugs, and Richard Crenna as another criminal, supported by Jack Weston, Julie Herrod, and Efrem...
, and Little Miss SunshineLittle Miss SunshineLittle Miss Sunshine is a 2006 American comedy-drama film. The road movie's plot follows a family's trip to a children's beauty pageant.Little Miss Sunshine was the directorial film debut of the husband-wife team of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. The screenplay was written by first-time writer...
. - Bibi BeschBibi BeschBibiana "Bibi" Besch was an Austrian/American actress.-Early life:Besch was born in Vienna, Austria, the daughter of theater actress Gusti Huber, who starred in German films during World War II and left Austria in the mid 1940s. Besch had a stepfather, Joseph Besch, a radio executive and former...
, actress - Dave BicklerDave BicklerDave Bickler is an American vocalist, best known as the lead singer for the rock band Survivor from 1977–1983. His distinctive vocal was featured on the #1 U.S. hit "Eye of the Tiger". In addition to his wide vocal range, his street-wise image included a trademark beret...
, lead singer of SurvivorSurvivor (band)Survivor is an American rock band formed in Chicago in 1978. The band achieved its greatest success in the 1980s with its AOR sound, which garnered many charting singles, especially in the United States. The band is best known for its double platinum-certified 1982 hit "Eye of the Tiger", the theme... - Dan BiedermanDan BiedermanDaniel A. Biederman is a prominent New York City downtown manager and pioneer in the field of privately funded urban and public space management. He is the co-founder of Grand Central Partnership, 34th Street Partnership, and Bryant Park Corporation, three Business Improvement Districts ...
, urban redevelopment expert - Tina L. BrozmanTina BrozmanTina L. Brozman was a former chief judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York and co-leader of Bingham McCutchen’s financial restructuring group. Brozman retired from the bench in 2000 to join Bingham.-Legal career:In 1985, aged 32, Brozman became the...
, former Chief Justice of the Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York - Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, 42nd U.S. President and former Governor of ArkansasArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, and - Hillary Clinton, current United States Secretary of StateUnited States Secretary of StateThe United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
, former SenatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
(D-N.Y.), former First LadyFirst LadyFirst Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
, candidate in 2008 U.S. presidential election. The Clintons purchased their home in Chappaqua for $1.7 million near the end of Bill Clinton's presidency in 1999. - Renee CoxRenée CoxRenée Cox is an Jamaican-American artist, photographer, political activist and curator. Cox currently lives and works out of New York.-Early years:...
, African-American artist, photographer, political activist and curator - Andrew CuomoAndrew CuomoAndrew Mark Cuomo is the 56th and current Governor of New York, having assumed office on January 1, 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the 64th New York State Attorney General, and was the 11th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development...
, New York Governor and former Attorney General of New York - Ace FrehleyAce FrehleyPaul Daniel "Ace" Frehley is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Kiss. He took on the persona of the "Spaceman" or "Space Ace" when the band adopted costumes and theatrics...
, lead guitarist of KissKISS (band)Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,... - Eric FrommEric FrommEric Fromm is a former tennis player from the United States. Perhaps Fromm's best result was reaching the fourth round of the French Open in 1983 in singles, where he lost comprehensively to Jimmy Connors....
, tennis player, reached the semi-finals of the French Open and a career high ranking of 38 in the world - Jean Craighead GeorgeJean Craighead GeorgeJean Craighead George is an American author. She currently lives in Chappaqua, New York.Jean Craighead George has written over one hundred popular books for young adults, including the Newbery Medal and Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis-winning Julie of the Wolves and the Newbery Honor book My Side...
, author of 1960s classic children's novel My Side of the MountainMy Side of the MountainMy Side of the Mountain is a 1959 children's novel by Jean Craighead George about a boy who learns about nature and himself. The book won the Newbery Honor Award in 1960 and was loosely adapted into a movie in 1969.... - Jake GoldbergJake GoldbergJake Goldberg is an American actor, best known for his role in Grown Ups as Harry Wiener. He lives in Chappaqua, New York and attends Horace Greeley High School...
, child actor - Earl G. Graves, Jr.Earl G. Graves, Jr.Earl Gilbert "Butch" Graves, Jr. is an American businessman and retired basketball player. He is a Scarsdale High School graduate....
, former NBA player - Horace GreeleyHorace GreeleyHorace Greeley was an American newspaper editor, a founder of the Liberal Republican Party, a reformer, a politician, and an outspoken opponent of slavery...
, newspaper editor, reformer, politician - Nora GuthrieNora GuthrieNora Lee Guthrie is the daughter of American folk musician and singer/songwriter Woody Guthrie and his second wife Marjorie Guthrie, sister of singer/songwriter Arlo Guthrie, and granddaughter of renowned Yiddish poet Aliza Greenblatt...
, daughter of Woody GuthrieWoody GuthrieWoodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie is best known as an American singer-songwriter and folk musician, whose musical legacy includes hundreds of political, traditional and children's songs, ballads and improvised works. He frequently performed with the slogan This Machine Kills Fascists displayed on his...
and sister of Arlo GuthrieArlo GuthrieArlo Davy Guthrie is an American folk singer. Like his father, Woody Guthrie, Arlo often sings songs of protest against social injustice... - David A. HarrisDavid A. Harris- References :...
, Executive Director of the American Jewish CommitteeAmerican Jewish CommitteeThe American Jewish Committee was "founded in 1906 with the aim of rallying all sections of American Jewry to defend the rights of Jews all over the world... - Roxanne HartRoxanne HartRoxanne Hart is an American television, film and stage actress. She may be best known for her role as Brenda Wyatt in the 1986 film Highlander. She is also known for the role of Nurse Camille Shutt on the Medical drama Chicago Hope....
, American television, film and stage actress, appeared in HighlanderHighlander (film)Highlander is a 1986 fantasy action film directed by Russell Mulcahy and based on a story by Gregory Widen. It stars Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, and Roxanne Hart. The film depicts the climax of an ages-old battle between immortal warriors, depicted through interwoven past and...
, nurse on Chicago HopeChicago HopeChicago Hope is an American medical drama series created by David E. Kelley that ran from September 18, 1994, to May 5, 2000. It takes place in a fictional private charity hospital.-Premise:The show stars Mandy Patinkin as Dr...
among other roles - David Ho, prominent AIDSAIDSAcquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
researcher - Mary Beth HurtMary Beth HurtMary Beth Hurt is an American actress of stage and screen.-Personal life:Hurt was born Mary Supinger in 1946 in Marshalltown, Iowa, the daughter of Delores Lenore and Forrest Clayton Supinger. Her childhood babysitter was actress Jean Seberg, also a Marshalltown native...
, actress - Paul F. IamsPaul F. IamsPaul Falknor Iams was the founder of the Iams Company which is known for its high-end line of pet foods.Iams graduated from the Ohio State University in 1937, and sold dog food during the Great Depression. He learned that not even severe economic hardship would stop owners from buying food to...
, founder of the IamsIamsIams is a brand name for dog food and cat food manufactured by Procter & Gamble . The company sells pet food for cats and dogs formulated for puppy/kitten, adult and mature. Its products are developed by nutritionists and veterinarians and can be found in three main formulas: ProActive Health,...
pet food company - Kenneth T. JacksonKenneth T. JacksonKenneth Terry Jackson is a professor of history and social sciences at Columbia University. A frequent television guest, he is best known as an urban historian and a preeminent authority on New York City, where he lives on the Upper West Side....
, American historian - Stu JacksonStu JacksonStuart Wayne Jackson is an American former head coach and current executive in the National Basketball Association. He has coached two different NBA teams: the New York Knicks in 1990 and 1991, and the Vancouver Grizzlies in 1997; he also has served as the Grizzlies' general manager...
, former NBA head coach and current senior vice president of the NBA - Herman KahnHerman KahnHerman Kahn was one of the preeminent futurists of the latter third of the twentieth century. In the early 1970s he predicted the rise of Japan as a major world power. He was a founder of the Hudson Institute think tank and originally came to prominence as a military strategist and systems...
, Cold War military strategist - Heather Paige KentHeather Paige KentHeather Paige Kent is an American actress noted for her television roles. She was born in the Bronx and grew up in Chappaqua, New York. In 1990 she received a BFA from Syracuse University. From 2000 to 2002 she starred in the CBS television drama That's Life as Lydia DeLucca...
, actress - Jonathan KleinJonathan Klein (CNN)Jonathan Klein is the former president of CNN/U.S., who was responsible for management oversight of all programming, editorial tone and strategic direction of the network. Klein led CNN during its coverage of the 2008 presidential election, which resulted in the highest ratings in the history of...
, President of CNNCNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States... - Peter KunhardtPeter KunhardtPeter W. Kunhardt is a documentary film-maker who produces shows for HBO, PBS, and other U.S. television networks. He started Kunhardt Productions, Inc. which produced "JFK: In His Own Words," HBO "Bobby: In His Owns Words" HBO "Lincoln" ABC, "P.T. Barnum" Discovery "Justice Files" Discovery and...
, documentary film-maker - Sandra Lee, host of Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee, a show on the Food NetworkFood NetworkFood Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
- Brian LeiserBrian LeiserBrian Andrew Leiser , is a member of the band Fun Lovin' Criminals, plays bass, keyboards, harmonica, and the trumpet. He attended Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua NY, graduating in 1990....
, musician - Paul LevitzPaul LevitzPaul Levitz is an American comic book writer, editor and executive. The president of DC Comics from 2002–2009, he has worked for the company for over 35 years in a wide variety of roles...
, President of DC ComicsDC ComicsDC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner... - Ferdinand LundbergFerdinand LundbergFerdinand Lundberg was a 20th century economist and journalist who studied the history of American wealth and power.-Background:...
, author, journalist, economist - William F. MayWilliam F. MayWilliam Frederick May was an American chemical engineer, businessman and co-founder of the Film Society of Lincoln Center....
, former chairman and chief executive of the American Can CompanyAmerican Can CompanyThe American Can Company was a manufacturer of tin cans. It was a member of the Tin Can Trust, that controlled a "large percentage of business in the United States in tin cans, containers, and packages of tin." It was formerly a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average from 1959–1991, though...
, co-founder of the Film Society of Lincoln CenterFilm Society of Lincoln CenterThe Film Society of Lincoln Center based in New York City, United States, is one of the world's most prominent film presentation organizations. Founded in 1969 by three Lincoln Center executives - William F. May, Martin E. Segal and Schuyler G...
. - Richard McKelveyRichard McKelveyRichard McKelvey was a political scientist, specializing in mathematical theories of voting. He received his BS in Mathematics from Oberlin College, MA in Mathematics from Washington University in St. Louis, and PhD in Political Science from University of Rochester...
, noted political scientist and professor at California Institute of TechnologyCalifornia Institute of TechnologyThe California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering... - Daniel O'Keefe, Reader's DigestReader's DigestReader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
editor and inventor of the secular holiday FestivusFestivusFestivus is a secular holiday celebrated on December 23 as a way to celebrate the holiday season without participating in its pressures and commercialism. It was created by writer Dan O'Keefe and introduced into popular culture by his son Daniel, a screenwriter for the TV show Seinfeld, as part of...
. His son, Dan O'Keefe, popularized the holiday in 1997 by writing it into the plot of the televisionTelevisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
sitcom SeinfeldSeinfeldSeinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
. - Frank R. PiersonFrank R. PiersonFrank Romer Pierson is an American screenwriter and film director.-Life and career:Pierson was born in Chappaqua, New York, the son of Louise , a writer, and Harold C. Pierson, an entrepreneur. Pierson attended Harvard. He got his break in Hollywood when he penned a script for the television...
, screenwriter and film director - Robert L. "Nob" Rauch, a financier and flying disc sports executive
- Andy RubinAndy RubinAndrew Rubin is a technology pioneer, co-founder and former CEO of both Danger Inc., and Android Inc. He is currently Senior Vice President of Mobile at Google, where he oversees development of Android, an open-source operating system for smartphones...
, technology pioneer (hand-held devices) - Jay O. SandersJay O. SandersJay Olcutt Sanders is an American character actor.Sanders was born in Austin, Texas, to Phyllis Rae and James Olcutt Sanders. He is noted for playing Mob lawyer character Steven Kordo in the 1986–88 NBC detective series Crime Story...
, an American character actor - Peter SaulPeter SaulPETER SAUL is an American painter. His work has connections with Pop Art, Surrealism,and Expressionism. His early use of pop culture cartoon references in the late 1950s and very early 1960s situates him as one of the few fathers of the Pop Art movement...
, painter - Simon SchamaSimon SchamaSimon Michael Schama, CBE is a British historian and art historian. He is a University Professor of History and Art History at Columbia University. He is best known for writing and hosting the 15-part BBC documentary series A History of Britain...
, British historian - Paul SchraderPaul SchraderPaul Joseph Schrader is an American screenwriter, film director, and former film critic. Apart from his credentials as a director, Schrader is most notably known for his screenplays for Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver and Raging Bull....
, writer and director - Michael Jeffrey ShapiroMichael Jeffrey ShapiroMichael Jeffrey Shapiro is a noted American composer and conductor.The son of a klezmer band clarinetist, Michael Shapiro was born in Brooklyn, New York, and spent most of his high school years in Baldwin, a Long Island suburb. The winner of several piano competitions during his youth, he earned...
, composer and conductor of The Chappaqua Orchestra - John and Elizabeth SherrillJohn and Elizabeth SherrillJohn L. Sherrill and Elizabeth Sherrill are Christian writers. They have co-authored a number of best-selling books, including:*God's Smuggler with Brother Andrew...
, Christian writers - Ben StillerBen StillerBenjamin Edward "Ben" Stiller is an American comedian, actor, writer, film director, and producer. He is the son of veteran comedians and actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara....
, actor - Bert Sugar, boxing historian
- Martin J. SullivanMartin J. SullivanMartin J. Sullivan, OBE, , is the Deputy Chairman of Willis Group Holdings plc and Chairman and CEO of its, Willis Global Solutions, which oversees brokerage and risk management advisory services for Willis’s multinational and global accounts...
, former President and former Chief Executive Officer of American International Group, Inc. - Rene SylerRene SylerRené Syler cohosted CBS News' The Early Show from October 2002, when it debuted in its four-anchor format, until she left the program in December 2006...
, journalist - Christine TaylorChristine TaylorChristine Taylor-Stiller is an American actress.- Early life :Taylor was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Joan, a homemaker, and Skip Taylor, an owner of a security company. She grew up in neighboring Wescosville, Pennsylvania...
, actress - Jeff Van GundyJeff Van GundyJeffrey William "Jeff" Van Gundy is a former American basketball head coach. He coached most recently with the National Basketball Association's Houston Rockets...
, former head coach of the Houston RocketsHouston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
, former head coach of the New York KnicksNew York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association... - Kevin WadeKevin WadeKevin Wade is an American screenwriter and television producer.Born in Chappaqua, New York, Wade is a graduate of Connecticut College. He wrote the play Key Exchange, which was produced off-Broadway in 1981...
, screenwriter known best for Working GirlWorking GirlWorking Girl is a 1988 romantic comedy film written by Kevin Wade and directed by Mike Nichols. It tells the inspiring story of a Staten Island-raised secretary, Tess McGill , working in the mergers and acquisitions department of a Wall Street investment bank... - Dar WilliamsDar WilliamsDar Williams is an American singer-songwriter specializing in pop folk.She is a frequent performer at folk festivals and has toured with such artists as Mary Chapin Carpenter, Patty Griffin, Ani DiFranco, The Nields, Shawn Colvin, Girlyman, Joan Baez, and Catie Curtis.-Biography:Williams was born...
, singer, songwriter - Vanessa WilliamsVanessa L. WilliamsVanessa Lynn Williams is an American pop-R&B recording artist, producer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. In 1983, she became the first woman of African-American descent to be crowned Miss America, but a scandal generated by her having posed for nude photographs published in Penthouse magazine...
, Miss America 1984Miss AmericaThe Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
beauty pageant, model, actress, singer - Jenna WolfeJenna WolfeJenna Wolfe is a national correspondent for NBC's Today, and the co-anchor of their Sunday edition...
, sportscaster - [(Zander Levitz]], Amazing Kid....
Notable structures
- The Chappaqua Friends Meeting House, circa 1753, is the oldest Quaker meeting house standing in Westchester County.
- America's first concreteConcreteConcrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
barnBarnA barn is an agricultural building used for storage and as a covered workplace. It may sometimes be used to house livestock or to store farming vehicles and equipment...
. It was completed by Horace Greeley on his Chappaqua farm in 1856. It was also one of the first concrete buildings ever built in the U.S. - The world headquarters of Reader's DigestReader's DigestReader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
is in Chappaqua, although its mailing address is in neighboring Pleasantville, New YorkPleasantville, New YorkPleasantville is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 7,019 at the 2010 census. It is located in the town of Mount Pleasant. Pleasantville is home to a campus of Pace University and to the Jacob Burns Film Center...
. The building has statues of PegasusPegasusPegasus is one of the best known fantastical as well as mythological creatures in Greek mythology. He is a winged divine horse, usually white in color. He was sired by Poseidon, in his role as horse-god, and foaled by the Gorgon Medusa. He was the brother of Chrysaor, born at a single birthing...
on it. - One of Horace Greeley's homes. Part of the original structure still stands, and is part of the present-day New Castle Historical Society.
External links
- Town of New Castle official website
- Chappaqua Central School District
- VIEW; A Friend From Chappaqua Writes . . . by Timothy Jack Ward, : an open letter to the Clintons about Chappaqua, published shortly after the Clintons bought their Chappaqua house, The New York Times, September 5, 1999