Kensico, New York
Encyclopedia
Former hamlet
in central Westchester County, NY, which was relocated and flooded to build the Kensico Reservoir
, one of the central storage reservoirs for the New York City Reservoir system.
Neighboring towns and hamlets included North Castle, Mount Pleasant
, Chappaqua, Valhalla
, Armonk, and White Plains, New York
.
Indian chief, Coken-se-co, a signatory of the deed for the city of White Plains. Prior to the town being flooded and removed from existence, Kensico was a stop on the Harlem Line out of Grand Central Station in New York City, shortly north of the White Plains stop. It was also one of three settlements in the area, Kenisco, Wright's Mills, and Davis Brook.
In 1845, residents of Kensico, about 2.5 miles away from Davis Brook, successfully appealed to change the name of the railroad station at Davis Brook to Kensico.
The hamlet, located in a valley between two larger mountains, featured a large red mill in its center, portions of the Bronx
and Byram
Rivers, and a Methodist Episcopal church
.
Despite being a sleepy farming village in Westchester, the town had some reputation for quirky controversy. In 1882, storeowner Albert Montfort was found murdered in his store, the apparent weapon an axe, and his murderer was never found.. On June 16, 1884, four intoxicated workers from the new dam entered the Joseph Reed Hotel and assaulted the bartender - Two were arrested, and two escaped after returning to Grand Central Station in New York City. On November 6, 1884, farmer John Donnelly died from mysterious injuries he obtained after a day of drunken carousing, his injuries presumably inflicted by a group of highwaymen who attacked him for unclear reasons.
Initial construction of the Kensico Dam began in 1881, however, plans were expanded which ultimately required the annexation of all of the land in the town. Property from the entire town was purchased for approximately $92,000, with the largest award of $24,000 being paid to the estate of Joseph Warren Tompkins for the destruction of his mill. Mr. Frank Tilford was paid $19,135 for the destruction of his stock and dairy farm on Big Rye Pond. The Westchester Ice Company was compensated $9,592 for the destruction of their facilities in Kensico. Compensation for the property was overseen by lawyer Henry T. Dykman.
Some protests were seen as the town was cleared for the reservoir. On April 1, 1893, hotel owner William Ackerly (owner of the Brookside Hotel) protested the mandatory evacuation by refusing to leave his property. Lawyer Henry Dykman, Sheriff John Duffy, and Deputy Sheriff John Verplank then proceeded to remove Mr. Ackerly's belongings, leaving them outside. Ultimately, Mr. Ackerly and other townspeople evacuated their homes. On March 29, 1893, Commissioner of Public Works Daly began burning houses, barns, outhouses, and other potential sources of contamination in his 'war against microbes'.
The final water tunnel leading to Kensico broke ground on December 29, 1893. On August 22, 1895, about 500 Italian laborers working on the tunnel went on strike against their employer, John McQuade . The final Kensico Dam
was built between 1913–1917, at an estimated cost of about $15,000,000, ultimately forming the Kensico Reservoir
.
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
in central Westchester County, NY, which was relocated and flooded to build the Kensico Reservoir
Kensico Reservoir
The Kensico Reservoir is a reservoir, located in the village of Valhalla and in the town of North Castle, that was put into service in 1915. It is about 3 miles north of White Plains, New York, and about 15 miles north of New York City...
, one of the central storage reservoirs for the New York City Reservoir system.
Neighboring towns and hamlets included North Castle, 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:...
, Chappaqua, Valhalla
Valhalla, New York
Valhalla is an unincorporated hamlet and census-designated place that is located within the town of Mount Pleasant, New York, in Westchester County. Its population was 3,162 at the 2010 U.S. Census...
, Armonk, and White Plains, New York
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
.
History
Kensico was named after the SiwanoySiwanoy
The Native American Siwanoy or Sinanoy were a band of Algonquian-speaking people, the Wappinger, in what is now the New York City area. By the mid-17th century, when their territory became hotly contested between Dutch and English colonial interests, the Siwanoy were settled along the East River...
Indian chief, Coken-se-co, a signatory of the deed for the city of White Plains. Prior to the town being flooded and removed from existence, Kensico was a stop on the Harlem Line out of Grand Central Station in New York City, shortly north of the White Plains stop. It was also one of three settlements in the area, Kenisco, Wright's Mills, and Davis Brook.
In 1845, residents of Kensico, about 2.5 miles away from Davis Brook, successfully appealed to change the name of the railroad station at Davis Brook to Kensico.
The hamlet, located in a valley between two larger mountains, featured a large red mill in its center, portions of the Bronx
Bronx River
The Bronx River, approximately long, flows through southeast New York in the United States. It is named after colonial settler Jonas Bronck. The Bronx River is the only fresh water river in New York City....
and Byram
Byram River
The Byram River is a river approximately in length, in southeast New York and southwestern Connecticut in the United States.The river has an elevation of at its headwaters at Byram Lake in Westchester County, New York, and flows in a southward direction, crossing the New York-Connecticut border...
Rivers, and a Methodist Episcopal church
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
.
Despite being a sleepy farming village in Westchester, the town had some reputation for quirky controversy. In 1882, storeowner Albert Montfort was found murdered in his store, the apparent weapon an axe, and his murderer was never found.. On June 16, 1884, four intoxicated workers from the new dam entered the Joseph Reed Hotel and assaulted the bartender - Two were arrested, and two escaped after returning to Grand Central Station in New York City. On November 6, 1884, farmer John Donnelly died from mysterious injuries he obtained after a day of drunken carousing, his injuries presumably inflicted by a group of highwaymen who attacked him for unclear reasons.
Initial construction of the Kensico Dam began in 1881, however, plans were expanded which ultimately required the annexation of all of the land in the town. Property from the entire town was purchased for approximately $92,000, with the largest award of $24,000 being paid to the estate of Joseph Warren Tompkins for the destruction of his mill. Mr. Frank Tilford was paid $19,135 for the destruction of his stock and dairy farm on Big Rye Pond. The Westchester Ice Company was compensated $9,592 for the destruction of their facilities in Kensico. Compensation for the property was overseen by lawyer Henry T. Dykman.
Some protests were seen as the town was cleared for the reservoir. On April 1, 1893, hotel owner William Ackerly (owner of the Brookside Hotel) protested the mandatory evacuation by refusing to leave his property. Lawyer Henry Dykman, Sheriff John Duffy, and Deputy Sheriff John Verplank then proceeded to remove Mr. Ackerly's belongings, leaving them outside. Ultimately, Mr. Ackerly and other townspeople evacuated their homes. On March 29, 1893, Commissioner of Public Works Daly began burning houses, barns, outhouses, and other potential sources of contamination in his 'war against microbes'.
The final water tunnel leading to Kensico broke ground on December 29, 1893. On August 22, 1895, about 500 Italian laborers working on the tunnel went on strike against their employer, John McQuade . The final Kensico Dam
Kensico Reservoir
The Kensico Reservoir is a reservoir, located in the village of Valhalla and in the town of North Castle, that was put into service in 1915. It is about 3 miles north of White Plains, New York, and about 15 miles north of New York City...
was built between 1913–1917, at an estimated cost of about $15,000,000, ultimately forming the Kensico Reservoir
Kensico Reservoir
The Kensico Reservoir is a reservoir, located in the village of Valhalla and in the town of North Castle, that was put into service in 1915. It is about 3 miles north of White Plains, New York, and about 15 miles north of New York City...
.