Somers, New York
Encyclopedia
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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 20,434. The nearby Metro-North Commuter Railroad provides service to Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
with an average commute time of slightly over an hour from stations at Purdys, Goldens Bridge, and Katonah
Katonah, 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...
.
History
Somers was originally inhabited by Kitchawanks, part of the MoheganMohegan
The Mohegan tribe is an Algonquian-speaking tribe that lives in the eastern upper Thames River valley of Connecticut. Mohegan translates to "People of the Wolf". At the time of European contact, the Mohegan and Pequot were one people, historically living in the lower Connecticut region...
tribe, who called the land Amapaugh, meaning "fresh water fish". This land was located in the eastern segment of an 83000 acres (335.9 km²) tract that King William III of England
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
granted to Stephanus Van Cortlandt
Stephanus Van Cortlandt
Stephanus van Cortlandt was the first native-born mayor of New York City, a position which he held from 1677 to 1678 and from 1686 to 1688. He was the patroon of Van Cortlandt Manor and was on the governor's executive council from 1691 to 1700. His brother, Jacobus Van Cortlandt also served as...
of New York City
New 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...
in 1697. The part of Van Cortlandt Manor
Van Cortlandt Manor
Van Cortlandt Manor is a house and property located by the confluence of the Croton and Hudson Rivers located in the village of Croton-On-Hudson in Westchester County, New York. The stone and brick manor house is now a National Historic Landmark. It is on South Riverside Avenue.Originally, it...
that ultimately became Somers and 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...
was known as the Middle District, or Hanover.
Settlement in the Somers area began after Van Cortlandt’s death in 1700 and the final partition of his estate in 1734. Early European settlers included tenants and freeholders from neighboring areas, among them English, Dutch, French Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
s and Quakers. It wasn't until March 7, 1788, when the first town meeting was held at an inn, owned by Benjamin Green
Benjamin Green
Benjamin Green, Ben Green, Benny Green or Bennie Green may refer to:-Musicians:*Bennie Green , American jazz trombonist*Benny Green , English jazz saxophonist...
, that the town named Stephentown was established. However, there already existed a Stephentown in Rensselaer County. The resulting confusion, particularly in mail delivery, led to a change in the name to Somerstown. In 1808, the name was changed to Somers to honor Richard Somers
Richard Somers
Richard Somers was an officer of the United States Navy, killed during a daring assault on Tripoli.-Life:...
, a naval captain from New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, who died in combat during the First Barbary War. A memorial in West Somers Park was erected in his honor at Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
ceremonies in 1958.
In the early 19th century, Somers, or as it was then generally known as Somerstown Plains, contained hat factories, carriage factories, three hotels, two general stores, an iron mine, a milk factory, and a sanctuary for boys operated by the Christian Brothers
Christian Brothers
Christian Brothers may refer to:* Congregation of Christian Brothers, a Catholic lay order founded at Waterford, Ireland in 1802 by the Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice...
. There was a constant stream of goods and passengers to large markets and cities through the village. As early as 1809, a weekly newspaper was established, the Somers Museum and Westchester County Advertiser. Though primarily agricultural, the rural economy also supported a varied population of weavers, preachers, merchants, cabinetmakers, doctors, lawyers, teachers and servants. A good system of roads was maintained and some operated as commercial "toll roads". The railroad, developed in the 1840s, bypassed the town of Somers, and affected a decline in growth over the next hundred years. The presence of the railroad in nearby communities did allow the agricultural emphasis to move towards dairy production and fruit growing, since the products could be shipped to markets in the city.
Industries continued to thrive, with grist, paper, saw and clothing mills operating in the area. Between 1890 and 1910, the Croton
Croton River
The Croton River is a river in southern New York that begins where the East and West Branches of the Croton River meet a little way downstream from the Croton Falls Reservoir...
and Muscoot rivers were flooded to create the New York City reservoir system thereby changing the local landscape considerably. In the 1920s small lake communities began to spring up as vacation havens for summer visitors and farmers’ guests. These lake communities became larger and firmly established, eventually evolving from seasonal to year-round neighborhoods now known as Lake Lincolndale, Lake Purdys and Lake Shenorock. Following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the rural countryside of Somers continued attracting “weekenders”, many from New York City who became more mobile because of the proliferation of automobile travel. The construction of 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...
in the mid-1970s facilitated a resurgence of residential and commercial development in Somers for the next 20 years. Somers grew most rapidly during the 1980s and 1990s, after IBM
IBM Somers Office Complex
The IBM Somers Office Complex is a campus of five office buildings owned by IBM in Somers, New York, United States. Situated on a campus, I.M. Pei designed pyramid of glass structures house regional headquarters for the IBM corporation...
and PepsiCo
PepsiCo
PepsiCo Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Purchase, New York, United States, with interests in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of grain-based snack foods, beverages, and other products. PepsiCo was formed in 1965 with the merger of the Pepsi-Cola Company...
built large corporate facilities within it.
Somers is known for being the "cradle of the American circus
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
". It gained this notoriety after Hachaliah Bailey
Hachaliah Bailey
Hachaliah Bailey is the eponym of Bailey's Crossroads, Virginia and a relative to several famous individuals involved in early American circuses...
bought an African elephant, which he named "Old Bet
Old Bet
Old Bet was either the first or second elephant brought to the United States. There are reports of an elephant brought to the United States in 1796, but it is not known for certain that this was the elephant that was later named Old Bet....
". Bailey intended to use the elephant for farm work, but the number of people it attracted caused Bailey to take her throughout the Northeast
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
. Bailey's success caused numerous others to tour with exotic animals, and during the 1830s the old-style circus and Bailey's attractions merged to form the modern circus. Old Bet died on tour in 1827. Bailey later erected the Elephant Hotel
Elephant Hotel
You may be looking for the Coney Island elephant hotel, also known as Lucy the Elephant.The Elephant Hotel is a National Historic Landmark located in Somers, New York, a town in Westchester County, New York, USA. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 as Somers Town...
in Somers in honor of Old Bet, and it was purchased by the town in 1927. It is a town landmark
Landmark
This is a list of landmarks around the world.Landmarks may be split into two categories - natural phenomena and man-made features, like buildings, bridges, statues, public squares and so forth...
and was recently dedicated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
. The elephant remains a symbol of the town to this day, with the high school sports teams nicknamed "Tuskers". The Elephant Hotel is currently the Somers Town Hall.
Somers was in a minor dispute with Baraboo, Wisconsin
Baraboo, Wisconsin
Baraboo is the largest city in, and the county seat of Sauk County, Wisconsin, USA. It is situated on the Baraboo River. Its 2010 population was 12,048 according to the US Census Bureau...
, over which community is the "birthplace" of the American circus.
Geography
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 town has a total area of 32.3 square miles (83.7 km²), of which 30 square miles (77.7 km²) is land and 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²), or 6.88%, is water.
The north town line is the border of Putnam County, New York
Putnam County, New York
Putnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the lower Hudson River Valley. Putnam county formed in 1812, when it detached from Dutchess County. , the population was 99,710. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The county seat is the hamlet of Carmel...
.
U.S. Route 202
U.S. Route 202
U.S. Route 202 is a highway stretching from Delaware to Maine, also passing through the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire....
and U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6 , also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, a name that honors an American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system, running east-northeast from Bishop, California to Provincetown, Massachusetts. Until 1964, it continued south from Bishop to...
pass through the town.
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 18,346 people, 6,802 households, and 5,169 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 610.7 people per square mile (235.8/km²). There were 7,098 housing units at an average density of 236.3 per square mile (91.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.81% White, 1.7% African American, 0.05% Native American, 1.86% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. 2.96% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 6,802 households out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.5% 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, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.0% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $89,528, and the median income for a family was $103,950 (these figures had risen to $101,421 and $114,499 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $78,678 versus $45,367 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 $40,414. 2.0% of the population and 1.2% of families were below the poverty line. 1.6% of those under the age of 18 and 2.2% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Education
The Somers Public School District is the public school district of the town of Somers. It is made up of Primrose Elementary School, Somers Intermediate School, Somers Middle School, and Somers High School for grades 9-12.The Community YMCA offers before- and after-school programming at Primrose, SIS and SMS.
Communities and locations in Somers
- Amawalk
- Amawalk ReservoirAmawalk ReservoirThe Amawalk Reservoir is a small reservoir in central-northern Westchester County, New York. It is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 202 and New York State Route 35 in the town of Somers, and is over 32 miles north of New York City. It was formed by impounding the middle of the...
– a reservoirReservoirA reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
in the north part of the town adjacent to US 202 and NY 118 - Amawalk Spillway – a spillway off the side of Route 35, from the reservoir
- Granite SpringsGranite Springs, New YorkGranite Springs is a small Hamlet within the Town of Somers, New York....
- Greenbriar – a housing development on Warren Street made up of townhouse and single family homes. Close to SMS and SIS.
- Heritage HillsHeritage Hills, New YorkHeritage Hills is a hamlet located in the town of Somers in Westchester County, New York. The population was 3,975 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Heritage Hills is located at ....
– a townhome development located on US 202 - Horton Estates – a living community by the Amawalk Reservoir
- Lake Lincolndale – a hamlet north of Lincondale, near the north county line
- LincolndaleLincolndale, New YorkLincolndale is a hamlet located in the town of Somers in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 1,521 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Lincolndale is located at ....
– a hamlet by the intersection of US 202 and NY 138 - Purdys - near Interstate 684Interstate 684Interstate 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...
(partly in the town of North SalemNorth Salem, New YorkNorth Salem is a town in the northeast part of Westchester County, New York, United States. The county ranks second for wealthiest counties in New York State and the seventh wealthiest county nationally...
) - ShenorockShenorock, New YorkShenorock is a hamlet located in the town of Somers in Westchester County, New York. The population was 1,898 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Shenorock is located at ....
– a hamlet near the north county line by NY 118 - Somers – the hamlet of Somers
- Somers Chase – a housing development located on US 202, 1.2 miles (1.9 km) east of the Somers Central School District's Intermediate and Middle Schools
- Somers Commons – a commercial development (formerly known as Baldwin Place Mall prior to major reconstruction of the site) located on US 6 near the hamlet of MahopacMahopac, New YorkMahopac, New York, is a hamlet in the Town of Carmel in Putnam County, New York. An exurb of New York City some to the south, Mahopac is located on US Route 6 on the County's southern central border with Westchester County...
- The Willows – a townhouse development located on US 202
- Whitehall Corners
Points of interest
- Angle Fly PreserveAngle Fly PreserveAngle Fly Preserve is a land trust in Somers, New York administered by the Somers Land Trust. The preserve derives its name from the last naturally spawning Brook trout stream in Westchester County. The preserve hosts a large wildlife population and is "...particularly noteworthy for its turtle...
, administered by the Somers Land Trust - Bridge L-158Bridge L-158Bridge L-158 is a disused railroad bridge over Muscoot Reservoir near Goldens Bridge, New York, United States. Built to carry New York Central Railroad traffic over Rondout Creek near Kingston, it was moved to its current location in 1904....
, only remaining double-intersection Whipple truss rail bridge in New York - Elephant HotelElephant HotelYou may be looking for the Coney Island elephant hotel, also known as Lucy the Elephant.The Elephant Hotel is a National Historic Landmark located in Somers, New York, a town in Westchester County, New York, USA. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 as Somers Town...
- Lake Lincolndale
- Lasdon Park and ArboretumLasdon Park and ArboretumLasdon Park and Arboretum is a public park containing gardens and an arboretum . It is located on New York State Route 35, Somers, New York, and open to the public daily without charge....
- Muscoot FarmMuscoot FarmMuscoot Farm is an early 20th century interpretative farm museum near Somers, New York in the United States. The farm is owned and operated by the Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation.-History:...
- Old Stone HouseGerard Crane HouseThe Gerard Crane House is located on Somerstown Turnpike opposite Old Croton Falls Road in Somers, New York, United States. It is a stone house dating to the mid-19th century, built by an early circus entrepreneur in his later years....
, on old Route 100 - Reis Park & the Wright Reis Homestead
Somers in popular culture
Somers has been used as a location for a handful of prominent movies. In 1923, famed silent film director D. W. GriffithD. W. Griffith
David Llewelyn Wark Griffith was a premier pioneering American film director. He is best known as the director of the controversial and groundbreaking 1915 film The Birth of a Nation and the subsequent film Intolerance .Griffith's film The Birth of a Nation made pioneering use of advanced camera...
recorded portions of the historical drama America in Somers. The film was released the following year (1924). More recently, the 1987 movie The Secret of My Success (starring Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox, OC is a Canadian American actor, author, producer, activist and voice-over artist. With a film and television career spanning from the late 1970s, Fox's roles have included Marty McFly from the Back to the Future trilogy ; Alex P...
) was filmed in Lasdon Park and Muscoot Farm
Muscoot Farm
Muscoot Farm is an early 20th century interpretative farm museum near Somers, New York in the United States. The farm is owned and operated by the Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation.-History:...
. Muscoot Farm was also used as the location for the orphanage scenes in the 2007 movie August Rush
August Rush
August Rush is a 2007 drama film directed by Kirsten Sheridan and written by Paul Castro, Nick Castle, and James V. Hart, and produced by Richard Barton Lewis.-Plot:...
(starring Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
among others).
Somers has also been used as a location for television production. The episode "The Arena Family" of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is a reality television series providing home renovations for less fortunate families and community schools etc...
, which first aired on May 15, 2006, was filmed in the Purdys section of Somers.
The ending of the Film I am Legend Starring Will Smith was filmed near Stewart's Farm
Notable residents
- Billy CollinsBilly CollinsBilly Collins is an American poet, appointed as Poet Laureate of the United States from 2001 to 2003. He is a Distinguished Professor at Lehman College of the City University of New York and is the Senior Distinguished Fellow of the Winter Park Institute, Florida...
, former United States Poet Laureate - Mike KaplowitzMike KaplowitzMichael B. "Mike" Kaplowitz is an American lawyer, financial planner and Democratic politician from Somers, New York...
, county legislator - Peter Silberman, musician