Yorktown, New York
Encyclopedia
Yorktown is a town in Westchester County, New York
, in the suburb
s of New York about 38 miles (61.2 km) north of midtown Manhattan
. The town lies on the north border of Westchester County. The population was 36,081 at the 2010 census.
, Osceola, Amawalk, Kitchawan and Mohansic — all familiar names of local places. Most of Yorktown was part of the Manor of Cortlandt, a Royal Manor established by King William III
for the Van Cortlandt family. The Croton River
, which runs through the southern part of Yorktown, was dammed by New York City
to provide its first major source of clean and reliable water. The first Croton Dam was located in Yorktown and broke in 1842, causing significant damage to property and major loss of life.
During the American Revolution
, Yorktown was of strategic importance, with the Pines Bridge crossing guarded by a regiment of Rhode Island
troops made up mostly of African American
s who were massacred at the Davenport House in Croton Heights. A memorial to them is at the Presbyterian Church in Crompond
. Major John André
, a British officer who communicated with Benedict Arnold
, ate his final breakfast at the Underhill House on Hanover Street just before his capture and eventual hanging
as a spy.
In 1788 the township was officially incorporated as Yorktown, commemorating the decisive Revolutionary War
Battle of Yorktown
near Yorktown, Virginia
, on October 19, 1781.
Moving north after the battle of Yorktown, the French army camped at the site of today's French Hill Elementary School, where cannonballs and other relics have been found. Although rumors claim that George Washington
passed through Yorktown, no factual records confirm this.
During the town's bicentennial in 1988, Yorktowners honored their historic heritage, including that of the 19th and 20th centuries, and commemorated their community's participation in events that led up to the birth and growth of the United States. A Bicentennial Committee reviewed the town's remaining historic sites and determined which should be preserved as a link between the Yorktown of yesterday and the Yorktown of tomorrow.
. The town of Somers
borders Yorktown on the east, and Cortlandt
borders Yorktown on the west. New Castle
borders Yorktown on the south.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 39.3 square miles (101.8 km²), of which 36.7 square miles (95.1 km²) is land and 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²), or 6.57%, is water.
of 2000, there were 36,318 people, 12,556 households, and 9,831 families residing in the town. The population density
was 989.7 people per square mile (382.1/km²). There were 12,852 housing units at an average density of 350.2 per square mile (135.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 90.64% White, 3.04% African American, 0.14% Native American, 3.44% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.30% from other races
, and 1.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.82% of the population.
There were 12,556 households out of which 40.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.1% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.7% were non-families. 19.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the town the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $83,819, and the median income for a family was $94,984 (these figures had risen to $105,253 and $119,413 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $62,071 versus $43,899 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $33,570. About 1.9% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.
Thomas J. Watson Research Center
and the Guiding Eyes for the Blind
headquarters.
The town hosts the yearly Greasestock
festival, a showcase of alternative fuel vehicle
s.
Yorktown once had five stations along the New York and Putnam Railroad — Kitchawan, Croton Lake, Croton Heights, Yorktown Heights and Amawalk. The railroad failed, was purchased by the New York Central
, and was finally abandoned. The old right of way is now part of the North County Trailway
which runs north as far as Carmel, New York
. There is currently no rail service in Yorktown, but there are multiple Metro-North Railroad
stations nearby.
Neighborhoods
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...
, in the suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
s of New York about 38 miles (61.2 km) north of midtown 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...
. The town lies on the north border of Westchester County. The population was 36,081 at the 2010 census.
History
has a rich historical heritage beginning with the earliest known inhabitants — 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...
, Osceola, Amawalk, Kitchawan and Mohansic — all familiar names of local places. Most of Yorktown was part of the Manor of Cortlandt, a Royal Manor established by King William III
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...
for the Van Cortlandt family. The Croton River
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...
, which runs through the southern part of Yorktown, was dammed by 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...
to provide its first major source of clean and reliable water. The first Croton Dam was located in Yorktown and broke in 1842, causing significant damage to property and major loss of life.
During the American Revolution
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...
, Yorktown was of strategic importance, with the Pines Bridge crossing guarded by a regiment of Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
troops made up mostly of African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s who were massacred at the Davenport House in Croton Heights. A memorial to them is at the Presbyterian Church in Crompond
Crompond, New York
Crompond is a community and census-designated place located in the town of Yorktown in Westchester County, New York. The population was 2,292 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Crompond is located at ....
. Major John André
John André
John André was a British army officer hanged as a spy during the American War of Independence. This was due to an incident in which he attempted to assist Benedict Arnold's attempted surrender of the fort at West Point, New York to the British.-Early life:André was born on May 2, 1750 in London to...
, a British officer who communicated with Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
, ate his final breakfast at the Underhill House on Hanover Street just before his capture and eventual hanging
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
as a spy.
In 1788 the township was officially incorporated as Yorktown, commemorating the decisive Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
Battle of Yorktown
Siege of Yorktown
The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...
near Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown is a census-designated place in York County, Virginia, United States. The population was 220 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1634....
, on October 19, 1781.
Moving north after the battle of Yorktown, the French army camped at the site of today's French Hill Elementary School, where cannonballs and other relics have been found. Although rumors claim that George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
passed through Yorktown, no factual records confirm this.
During the town's bicentennial in 1988, Yorktowners honored their historic heritage, including that of the 19th and 20th centuries, and commemorated their community's participation in events that led up to the birth and growth of the United States. A Bicentennial Committee reviewed the town's remaining historic sites and determined which should be preserved as a link between the Yorktown of yesterday and the Yorktown of tomorrow.
Geography
The north town line is the border of Putnam County, New YorkPutnam 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...
. The town of 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...
borders Yorktown on the east, and Cortlandt
Cortlandt, New York
Cortlandt is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 41,592 at the 2010 census.The Town of Cortlandt is in the northwest part of the county...
borders Yorktown on the west. 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...
borders Yorktown on the south.
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 39.3 square miles (101.8 km²), of which 36.7 square miles (95.1 km²) is land and 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²), or 6.57%, 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 36,318 people, 12,556 households, and 9,831 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 989.7 people per square mile (382.1/km²). There were 12,852 housing units at an average density of 350.2 per square mile (135.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 90.64% White, 3.04% African American, 0.14% Native American, 3.44% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.30% 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 1.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.82% of the population.
There were 12,556 households out of which 40.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.1% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.7% were non-families. 19.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the town the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $83,819, and the median income for a family was $94,984 (these figures had risen to $105,253 and $119,413 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $62,071 versus $43,899 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 $33,570. About 1.9% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.
Additional facts about Yorktown
Yorktown Heights is home to the IBMIBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
Thomas J. Watson Research Center
Thomas J. Watson Research Center
The Thomas J. Watson Research Center is the headquarters for the IBM Research Division.The center is on three sites, with the main laboratory in Yorktown Heights, New York, 38 miles north of New York City, a building in Hawthorne, New York, and offices in Cambridge, Massachusetts.- Overview :The...
and the Guiding Eyes for the Blind
Guiding Eyes for the Blind
Guiding Eyes for the Blind is one of eleven accredited schools in the U.S. for training guide dogs — dogs trained to lead the blind and visually impaired...
headquarters.
The town hosts the yearly Greasestock
Greasestock
Greasestock is an American event held yearly in Yorktown Heights, New York. It is one of the largest alternative fuel, renewable energy, and low-energy green vehicle exhibitions in the United States. Exhibitors showcase a variety of alternative energy vehicles, as well as exhibits with a...
festival, a showcase of alternative fuel vehicle
Alternative fuel vehicle
An alternative fuel vehicle is a vehicle that runs on a fuel other than "traditional" petroleum fuels ; and also refers to any technology of powering an engine that does not involve solely petroleum...
s.
Yorktown once had five stations along the New York and Putnam Railroad — Kitchawan, Croton Lake, Croton Heights, Yorktown Heights and Amawalk. The railroad failed, was purchased by the New York Central
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
, and was finally abandoned. The old right of way is now part of the North County Trailway
North County Trailway
The North County Trailway is a paved bicycle and pedestrian path located primarily on right-of-way lands of the former Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad. The Trailway runs , from the Putnam County border down to the Eastview section of southern Greenburgh, where it nears the South...
which runs north as far as Carmel, New York
Carmel, New York
Carmel is a town located in Putnam County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 36,465.There are no incorporated villages in the town, although the hamlets of Carmel and Mahopac each have populations sizable enough to be thought of as villages.The Town of Carmel...
. There is currently no rail service in Yorktown, but there are multiple Metro-North Railroad
Metro-North Railroad
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
stations nearby.
Notable residents of Yorktown
- Roy ColseyRoy ColseyRoy Colsey is a former professional lacrosse player who played for the Philadelphia Barrage in Major League Lacrosse.-College career:...
, Major League LacrosseMajor League LacrosseMajor League Lacrosse, or MLL, is a professional men's field lacrosse league that is made up of five teams in the United States and one team in Canada.- History :...
player, grew up in Yorktown - Nargis FakhriNargis FakhriNargis Fakhri is an American fashion model and actress. She made her feature film debut in Rockstar.-Early Life:Fakhri was born in Queens, New York to a Pakistani father and a Czech mother.-Career:...
, Bollywood actress - Margaret IllingtonMargaret IllingtonMargaret Illington ill-ing-ton was a stage actress popular in the first decade of the 20th century. She later made an attempt at silent film acting by making two films with Adolph Zukor's Famous Players-Lasky franchise...
, stage actress popular in the first decade of the 20th century, lived on her Dreamlake estate in Yorktown - Consuelo KanagaConsuelo KanagaConsuelo Delesseps Kanaga was an American photographer and writer who became well known for her photographs of African-Americans.-Life:...
, photographer and writer who became well-known for her photographs of African-Americans - Mike Larkin, professional golfer, graduated from Yorktown High SchoolYorktown High School (New York)Yorktown High School is a public high school in Yorktown Heights, New York that serves students in grades 9-12. The school offers academic electives, sports, and student news and literary publications...
- Dave MatthewsDave MatthewsDavid John "Dave" Matthews is a South African–born American musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band...
, singer/songwriter, lived with his family in Yorktown before he moved to VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there... - William Keepers Maxwell, Jr.William Keepers Maxwell, Jr.William Keepers Maxwell, Jr. was an American novelist and editor.-Life:Maxwell was born in Lincoln, Illinois, and as a child, he survived the 1918 Influenza epidemic. He attended the University of Illinois and Harvard University...
, fiction editor for the The New YorkerThe New YorkerThe New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
and novelist - Buster OlneyBuster OlneyRobert Stanbury "Buster" Olney III is a columnist for ESPN: The Magazine, ESPN.com, and covered the New York Giants and New York Yankees for The New York Times. He is also a regular analyst for the ESPN's Baseball Tonight...
, ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
baseball analyst and former New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
beat writer - Clifford A. PickoverClifford A. PickoverClifford A. Pickover is an American author, editor, and columnist in the fields of science, mathematics, and science fiction, and is employed at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown, New York.- Biography :He received his Ph.D...
, writer. In his book, The Mobius Strip, he models the fictional New Devonshire on Yorktown. Pickover has used the Jefferson Valley Mall as the locale for his book The Heaven Virus. - Al RokerAl RokerAlbert Lincoln "Al" Roker, Jr. is an American television meteorologist as well as an actor and book author. He is best known as being the weather anchor on NBC's Today. On Monday, July 20, 2009, he began co-hosting his new morning show, Wake Up with Al, on The Weather Channel, which airs weekdays...
, meteorologist, used to live in Yorktown while he was the husband of the town clerk, Alice Roker. The Town Board selected Alice Roker to be the town supervisor for the last three months of 2007 following the resignation of supervisor Linda Cooper. - Lawrence TreatLawrence TreatLawrence Arthur Goldstone , better known by his pseudonym, Lawrence Treat, was an American mystery writer, a pioneer of the genre of novels that became known as police procedurals. A practicing lawyer before turning to writing, he was a founding member of the Mystery Writers of America and a...
, mystery writer and pioneer of the genre of novels police proceduralPolice proceduralThe police procedural is a subgenre of detective fiction which attempts to convincingly depict the activities of a police force as they investigate crimes. While traditional detective novels usually concentrate on a single crime, police procedurals frequently depict investigations into several...
s - H. W. WilsonHalsey (H.W.) WilsonHalsey William Wilson was the creator of the Readers' Guide, the Cumulative Book Index, and the Book Review Digest and founder of the H. W. Wilson Company, a publisher.-Biography:...
, founder of the H. W. Wilson CompanyH. W. Wilson CompanyThe H. W. Wilson Company is a publisher based in New York City. It publishes print and online indexes, full-text databases, and other products and services for public, school, college, and special libraries around the world....
, a publisher, lived in the Croton Heights section of Yorktown
Communities and locations in Yorktown
Hamlets- CrompondCrompond, New YorkCrompond is a community and census-designated place located in the town of Yorktown in Westchester County, New York. The population was 2,292 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Crompond is located at ....
- Jefferson ValleyJefferson Valley, New YorkJefferson Valley-Yorktown is a census-designated place located in the town of Yorktown in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 14,142 at the 2010 census...
- Mohegan LakeLake Mohegan, New YorkLake Mohegan is a census-designated place located in the town of Yorktown in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 6,010 at the 2010 census. Locally, the area is known as Mohegan Lake, and the term "Lake Mohegan" is rarely used. However, this change dates back only to the...
(not completely in the town of Yorktown) - Shrub OakShrub Oak, New YorkShrub Oak is an unincorporated hamlet and census-designated place located in the town of Yorktown in Westchester County, New York. The population was 2,011 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Shrub Oak is located at ....
- Yorktown HeightsYorktown Heights, New YorkYorktown Heights is a census-designated place in the town of Yorktown in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 1,781 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Yorktown Heights is located at ....
Neighborhoods
- Amawalk
- Croton Heights
- Crow Hill
- Huntersville
- Kitchawan
- Osceola Lake
- Sparkle Lake
- Teatown (not completely in the town of Yorktown)