Lewisboro, New York
Encyclopedia
Lewisboro is a town in Westchester County, New York
, United States
. The population was 12,411 at the 2010 census. The town is named after John Lewis.
Lewisboro has two noteworthy historical characters. Sarah Bishop was the hermit
of West Mountain. Apparently mistreated by British soldiers at the time of the Revolutionary War
, she retreated to a solitary life in the Lewisboro area. A spot known as "Sarah Bishop's Cave" is on the hill on the north side of Lake Rippowam, near Mountain Lakes Camp. The second historical character appeared around the time of the Civil War
. The Leatherman was a wanderer who got his name from homemade leather
garments. He is frequently mentioned as being in Lewisboro in the middle of the 19th century. He followed a route past homes that would offer him a meal and reappeared at the same doorsteps for 25 years. One of the hiking destinations in Ward Pound Ridge is to the Leatherman's cave, reportedly one of his more frequent homes. In 1987 a 10k trail race called "The Leatherman's Loop" was started to honor his legacy and continues every spring at the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation.
On the afternoon of October 18, 2011, in the hamlet
of Cross River, police entered a residential home to find a family of four dead. Sam Friedlander, 50, shot his two children (Molly, 10 and Gregory, 8) with a 12-gauge shotgun in their respective beds. He also bludgeoned his wife (Amy Friedlander, 48) to death before shooting himself in the basement. Amy and Sam were in the midst of divorce proceedings, but the only other household incident had been a decidedly minor 2006 domestic fight over the children.
. Interstate 684
passes near the west side of the town. The town is shaped roughly like the profile of a Stealth B-2 Bomber. The shape of the town is partly the result of The Oblong, created during the resolution of the boundary dispute between Connecticut and New York.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 29.1 square miles (75.4 km²), of which 27.9 square miles (72.3 km²) is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²), or 4.36%, is water.
of 2000, there were 12,324 people, 4,218 households, and 3,425 families residing in the town. The population density
was 442.5 people per square mile (170.9/km²). There were 4,465 housing units at an average density of 160.3 per square mile (61.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.18% White, 1.19% African American, 0.06% Native American, 2.09% Asian, 0.49% from other races
, and 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.48% of the population.
There were 4,218 households, of which 47.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.9% were married couples
living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.8% were non-families. 15.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the town the population was spread out with 31.6% under the age of 18, 3.8% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $112,462, and the median income for a family was $157,412. Males had a median income of $84,616 versus $48,900 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $54,795. About 1.4% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over.
and Ridgefield
, Lewisboro does not have a downtown business district. The effect this has had on the community has resulted in no "center of town". Most people in town gather and do their shopping at one of the two shopping plazas, in Goldens Bridge and in Cross River. Food stores include the A&P in Goldens Bridge, and formerly the D'agostino's in Cross River which closed in July 2011 and will be replaced by a DiCicco's market.
See Walking Wild Lewisboro for information on park facilities and trail maps.
magazine.
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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 12,411 at the 2010 census. The town is named after John Lewis.
History
After purchasing land from the local natives, the first settlers established themselves around South Salem. The town was formed as "Salem" in 1747. By 1790 the town assumed its current dimensions as lands were removed for other towns. The name changed to South Salem in 1806. John Lewis, a financier, requested that the town be given his name and established a fund for the town, though he did not follow through on his promise of a railroad link. Lewisboro is noted for its elaborate gardens, most notable in its public traffic triangles. Dry-stone walls and elaborate colonial mansions are other dominant features.Lewisboro has two noteworthy historical characters. Sarah Bishop was the hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
of West Mountain. Apparently mistreated by British soldiers at the time of the Revolutionary War
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, she retreated to a solitary life in the Lewisboro area. A spot known as "Sarah Bishop's Cave" is on the hill on the north side of Lake Rippowam, near Mountain Lakes Camp. The second historical character appeared around the time of the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The Leatherman was a wanderer who got his name from homemade leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
garments. He is frequently mentioned as being in Lewisboro in the middle of the 19th century. He followed a route past homes that would offer him a meal and reappeared at the same doorsteps for 25 years. One of the hiking destinations in Ward Pound Ridge is to the Leatherman's cave, reportedly one of his more frequent homes. In 1987 a 10k trail race called "The Leatherman's Loop" was started to honor his legacy and continues every spring at the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation.
On the afternoon of October 18, 2011, in the hamlet
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...
of Cross River, police entered a residential home to find a family of four dead. Sam Friedlander, 50, shot his two children (Molly, 10 and Gregory, 8) with a 12-gauge shotgun in their respective beds. He also bludgeoned his wife (Amy Friedlander, 48) to death before shooting himself in the basement. Amy and Sam were in the midst of divorce proceedings, but the only other household incident had been a decidedly minor 2006 domestic fight over the children.
Geography
The east town line is the border of ConnecticutConnecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. Interstate 684
Interstate 684
Interstate 684 is a 28.4 mile-long north–south Interstate Highway in the states of New York and Connecticut. The highway connects I-84 with I-287 and the Hutchinson River Parkway, primarily serving commuter traffic to and from the northern suburbs of the New York metropolitan area...
passes near the west side of the town. The town is shaped roughly like the profile of a Stealth B-2 Bomber. The shape of the town is partly the result of The Oblong, created during the resolution of the boundary dispute between Connecticut and New York.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 town has a total area of 29.1 square miles (75.4 km²), of which 27.9 square miles (72.3 km²) is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²), or 4.36%, is 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 12,324 people, 4,218 households, and 3,425 families residing in the town. 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 442.5 people per square mile (170.9/km²). There were 4,465 housing units at an average density of 160.3 per square mile (61.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.18% White, 1.19% African American, 0.06% Native American, 2.09% Asian, 0.49% 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 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.48% of the population.
There were 4,218 households, of which 47.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.9% 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, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.8% were non-families. 15.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the town the population was spread out with 31.6% under the age of 18, 3.8% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $112,462, and the median income for a family was $157,412. Males had a median income of $84,616 versus $48,900 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 town was $54,795. About 1.4% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over.
Town life
Unlike the neighboring communities of KatonahKatonah, New York
Katonah, New York is one of three unincorporated hamlets within the town of Bedford, Westchester County, New York, United States.-History:Katonah is named for Chief Katonah, an American Indian from whom the land of Bedford was purchased by a group of English colonists...
and Ridgefield
Ridgefield, Connecticut
Ridgefield is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. Situated in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, the 300-year-old community had a population of 24,638 at the 2010 census. The town center, which was formerly a borough, is defined by the U.S...
, Lewisboro does not have a downtown business district. The effect this has had on the community has resulted in no "center of town". Most people in town gather and do their shopping at one of the two shopping plazas, in Goldens Bridge and in Cross River. Food stores include the A&P in Goldens Bridge, and formerly the D'agostino's in Cross River which closed in July 2011 and will be replaced by a DiCicco's market.
Locations in Lewisboro
- Cross RiverCross River (New York)The Cross River is a short river in southern New York State that rises near Cross River in the township of Lewisboro. After its rising point, it makes a loop, heading SE, then SW, then NW, and finally west. It flows a few miles in that direction until it ends up in the Cross River Reservoir, which...
- Golden's BridgeGolden's Bridge, New YorkGoldens Bridge is a hamlet located in the town of Lewisboro in Westchester County, New York. The population was 1,630 at the 2010 census....
- South SalemSouth Salem, New YorkSouth Salem is a hamlet in Lewisboro, Westchester County, New York. The county ranks second for wealthiest counties in New York State and the seventh wealthiest county nationally. In the town center is a post office, the town hall, a library and a recycling center.Notable residents have included...
- Vista
- WaccabucWaccabuc, New YorkWaccabuc is a hamlet and lake in Lewisboro, Westchester County, New York. It was first established as a vacation home for the Mead family, for whom the core road of the hamlet, Mead Street, is named...
Parks and preserves
Lewisboro is rich in natural areas and is a component of the biotic corridor. Two Westchester County Parks are on Lewisboro's borders, and there are six town parks and several community preserves.- Ward Pound Ridge Reservation is Westchester County's largest (4700 acres (19 km²)) park. In addition to many trails, there are camping facilities and a Trailside Museum. The main entrance is on Route 121 in Cross River.
- Mountain Lakes Camp is a county park on the northern border of Lewisboro, with beautiful ponds and trails in the forest. The most popular trail leads to "Look Out Point", which is perched on top of a cliff overlooking Lake Waccabuc, Lake Oscaleta and Lake Rippowam.
- Onatru Farm on Elmwood Road is one of Lewisboro's preëminent parks and includes tennis facilities and playing fields as well as some town offices. This area also includes some walking trails.
- The Lewisboro Town Park on Route 35 contains tennis courts, the town pool, ball fields, and outdoor basketball courts. When ice skating is available in winter, a sign is posted. There are also some walking trails in this park that connect to the adjacent Ward Pound Ridge Reservation.
- The Leon Levy Preserve was acquired by the town in 2006 as open space. While some trails exist in this 370 acres (1.5 km²) parcel, as of 2008 additional horse and hiking trails are under development and parking is still limited.
- The Brownell Preserve is 118 acre (0.47752948 km²) of forested land given to the town. It has a 2 miles (3.2 km) trail that loops past an overlook of Lake Katonah.
- The Old Field Preserve was obtained in 2003, and contains about 100 acre (0.404686 km²) of woods, wetlands, and sizable old fields (thus, the name). The meadows will be preserved to support the birds and animals that are dependent upon this increasingly rare habitat.
- Fox Valley Park has a variety of sports facilities for the town, including very busy soccer fields, ball fields, and tennis courts.
See Walking Wild Lewisboro for information on park facilities and trail maps.
Lakes
There are 7 lakes in the town of Lewisboro. Lake Waccabuc, Lake Oscaleta, and Lake Rippowam are interconnected and are collectively known as the Three Lakes, and are natural (not man-made) lakes. Lake Waccabuc is the largest and most well-known of these, and the area of town named after it has a separate post office. Lake Oscaleta and Lake Rippowam are also called the Twin Lakes, probably because of Twin Lakes Village, a development which runs between them. The other lakes in town are Lake Truesdale, Lake Katonah, Lake Kitchawan, and Timber Lake. Recognizing the importance of the lake communities in the town, in 2007 a Lakes Committee was formed by the Town of Lewisboro. Lewisboro Lakes CommitteeSchools in Lewisboro
The public schools in Lewisboro are part of the Katonah-Lewisboro School District. John Jay High School, located in Cross River, is the only high school in the Katonah-Lewisboro School District. It has been ranked as one of the top 200 high-schools in the nation by NewsweekNewsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
magazine.
Notable natives
- Richard B. HandlerRichard B. HandlerRichard B. Handler , is currently Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President of Jefferies & Co. , having held these positions since 2001, 2000, and 2006 respectively. Handler grew up in Fair Lawn, New Jersey and Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.-Career:Handler was first elected to Jefferies Board...
, Chairman & CEO Jefferies - Robert CastelliRobert CastelliRobert J. "Bob" Castelli is an American security consultant, politician, professor and media personality from Goldens Bridge, New York. He is currently a member of the New York State Assembly, representing northeastern Westchester County, New York.During the Vietnam War, he served with the 7th...
, State Assemblyman - Andy MilonakisAndy MilonakisAndrew Michael "Andy" Milonakis is an American actor, writer, rapper, and comedian of Greek descent best known for creating and starring in The Andy Milonakis Show on MTV and MTV2.-Life and career:...
, comedian - Roger StoneRoger StoneRoger J. Stone, Jr. is an American political consultant and lobbyist who specializes in opposition research for the Republican National Committee in the United States....
(b. 1952), Republican Party strategist and pollster - Stanley TucciStanley TucciStanley Tucci is an American actor, writer, film producer and film director. He has been nominated for several notable film awards, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for his performance in The Lovely Bones...
, actor
External links
- Town of Lewisboro official website
- Lewisboro Library
- The Lewisboro Ledger, the town weekly newspaper
- Lewisboro Democratic Club
- Newsweek: 1,200 Top U.S. Schools
- Lake Truesdale - information about the Lake community
- Three Lakes Council - information about Lakes Waccabuc, Oscaleta, and Rippowam
- Walking Wild Lewisboro