| |
|
|
Selected Dates in
New Castle History
Dates in the 1700s
- 1696: Land in this area is deeded by Chief Wampus and other Indians
to British entrepreneur Caleb Heathcote.
- 1720s: A few Episcopalians, Quakers and others settle in two areas
in what is now Mount Kisco. One area, later called "New Castle Corners," is at the present
intersection of Route 172 and Bedford Road (117), near the Northern Westchester Hospital
and Leonard Park. The other, later called "Kirbyville," is at the intersection of
Lexington Avenue (128) and Bedford Road (117), at "Calico Corners" crossroad.
- 1730s: Quakers begin to settle in Chappaqua.
- 1753: The Quaker Meeting House is built.
- 1776: Some wounded from the Revolutionary War Battle of White Plains are
cared for on the Meeting House.
- 1780: Major John Andre, carrying documents turned over to him by Benedict
Arnold, rides down Hog Hill and Hardscrabble Roads in his ill-fated attempt to reach
British lines.
- 1781: Rochambeau's French Army camps at North Castle during its march
to Yorktown.
- 1788: To get more rural votes to oppose ratification of the Constitution,
New York Governor George Clinton promotes passage of an act to increase the number
of New York towns, including North Castle.
- 1791: Town of New Castle is created by a state legislature act splitting
if off from North Castle.
- 1792: Isaac Smith, New Castle's first supervisor, is shot and killed.
Dates in the 1800s
- 1812: State legislature passes act to provide continuing aid to local schools.
New Castle shortly settles into eight school districts, which remain roughly the same
for 100 years.
- 1826: Town's annual "Support for the Poor" reaches a 19th century high
of $1000.
- 1846: Railroad comes to New Castle. Station is built on site of
present __________'s store (north of present station).
- 1846: Part of Town of Somers ceded to New Castle (Kisco Park area).
- 1853: Horace Greeley buys a farm in Chappaqua.
- 1862: Town borrows $4000 to pay to Civil War volunteers or their families.
Funds will rise to $48,000 before war is over.
- 1863: Francis Carpenter begins first of 31 years as supervisor.
- 1872: Picnic in "Greeley's Grove" celebrates his nomination for
President. He loses to Grant and dies before the end of the year.
- 1880s: Spencer Optical Works and Bischoff shoe factory are town's
leading manufacturing companies.
- 1885: Six laborers killed while working in New Castle on Shaft No. 3 of
the Catskill Aqueduct.
- 1894: G.H. Selleck and Co. applies "for the priviledge of putting (in)
electric lights."
- 1897: Bounties for killing predators still offered - $2.00 for a full-grown
fox, $1.00 for a young fox.
- 1898: The Rural Telephone Company seeks franchise "for erecting
and maintaining a Telephone line."
Dates in the 1900s
- 1900: Moses Taylor builds Annandale, New Castle's largest estate,
including in its 600-acre grounds the Mt. Kisco Country Club clubhouse (its dairy).
Main house stood at the top of Taylor Road.
- 1902: Current railroad station built. Land for station plaza and entrance
raod donation by the Reverent F.M. Clendenin and his wife, Gabrielle Greeley. They
also built the Episcopal Church of Saint Mary the Virgin.
- 1904: Tornado hits Chappaqua.
- 1910: Millwood Railroad Station shipped up from Briarcliff to serve the
"Old Put" railroad (established 1872).
- 1912: Victor Guinzberg's private water company begins supplying water
to Chappaqua.
- 1914: Statue to Horace Greeley dedicated.
- 1917: Volunteer "Special Police Force" established. Later there would be
as many as 37 members of this group.
- 1917: Campfire Club established in New Castle in the Millwood Area.
- 1918: Liberty Ship "Chappaqua" christened.
- 1924: First paid full-time police officer appointed.
- 1925: War Memorial land dedicated in station plaza (A.H. Smith Memorial
Park).
The monument standing there today lists 20 New Castle War Dead from World World I, II,
Korean War and the Viet Nam War.
- 1927: Architect Ralph Walker appointed to head the town's first Zoning
Commission
- 1929: Robert E. Bell School, then named the Horace Greeley School, accepts
first pupils.
- 1930: Overpass to the railroad, and later Saw Mill River Parkway, built.
- 1920: Chappaqua Library open Senter Street facility, now the New Castle
Community Center.
- 1933: Town organization revamped, establishing current system of electing
Town board, certain officers, and appointment of others.
- 1934: Saw Mill River Parkway reaches New Castle.
- 1939: Reader's Digest built.
- 1944: First woman, Fay D. Lindquist, serves on Town Board.
- 1951: Roaring Brook School is built, inaugurating post war expansion
of school systems.
- 1957: Current Horace Greeley High School opens.
- 1970: Earth Fair held by Saw Mill River Audubon Society at Greeley High
School
with over 10,000 in attendance in celebration of first Earth Day.
- 1971: Present Town Hall is dedicated.
- 1972: New Castle adopts Freshwater Wetlands Ordinance.
- 1974: Millwood Task Force established.
- 1978: Present Chappaqua Library opens.
- 1980: Town passes budget of $4,659,350.
Provided as a service by the Town of New Castle.
Your comments and suggested changes
are welcomed and encouraged.
|