A Timeline and History of Tarrytown, NY

The car accident attorneys in Tarrytown, NY, sponsor this article to offer readers an informative excerpt about the neighborhood.

Tarrytown is a village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York. The area spans 5.69 miles and hosts an approximate population of 11,277, with a population density of 3,872.62 per square mile. The neighborhood belongs to ZIP code 10591 and area code 914.

History

Before European settlement, the Native American Weckquaesgeek tribe, who were closely related to the Wappinger Confederacy and further related to the Mohicans, occupied the area that is now Tarrytown.

The tribe would often fish along the Hudson River for shad, oysters, and other shellfish. Their principal settlement is now the foot of Church Street near the Hudson River shore.

The first European settlers of Tarrytown were Dutch farmers, fur trappers, and fishermen. The first Dutch residence in Tarrytown was built in 1645.

The town of Tarrytown sits on the land of former Dutch Colony of New Netherland, which became English territory in 1674.

During the American Revolutionary War, Tarrytown became the site of a famous incident in 1780 when Major John André was arrested as a spy in Tarrytown, which exposed the plans of his associate Benedict Arnold.

Major John André, a British army officer, traveled south through the Tarrytown village on the Albany Post Road when he was stopped and searched by three militiamen. The local militiamen men found suspicious papers in his boot, and he was arrested as a spy, later convicted, and hanged.

Later on, Tarrytown became a favorable area for many rich New Yorkers, including John D. Rockefeller, who moved to Tarrytown in 1893. Rockefeller's lavish mansion in Tarrytown was completed in 1906, and in 1914, the mansion known as Kykuit became the site of several labor protests by radical anarchists.

The mansion soon became the intended target of two bombing attacks planned by anarchists associated with journalists' Alexander Berkman and Luigi Galleani.

In 1915, a dynamite bomb was discovered at the Tarrytown estate of John D. Archbold, President of the Standard Oil Company. Police believed the bomb was planted by anarchists and Industrial Workers of the World radicals as a protest against the execution of Joe Hill, a member of their association.

John Walquist, the estate gardener, discovered the bomb hidden in a rut in the driveway near the estate entrance. The bomb consisted of four sticks of dynamite, weighing a pound each, bound together by a length of wire, fitted with percussion caps, and wrapped with a piece of paper matching the driveway's color. Police later defused the bomb.

The area of Tarrytown has remained a prosperous area, and in 2014, Tarrytown was ranked second in the list of the top 10 places to live in New York.

Sites of Interest

If you ever find yourself in Tarrytown, aside from admiring all the stunning architecture the homes have to offer, be sure to stop at some of the town's most notable sites. Including,

Lyndhurst Mansion

• Also known as the Jay Gould estate, the mansion is a Gothic Revival country house that sits in its own 67-acre (27 ha) park beside the Hudson River. The house was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966.

Sunnyside

• Sunnyside is a historic house on 10 acres along the Hudson River. The house was home to American author Washington Irving, best known for his short stories such as "The Sleepy Hollow." The cottage-like estate reflects Dutch Colonial Revival, Scottish Gothic, and Tudor Revival influences. The house was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1962.

If you enjoyed this article, see the related: An Early History of Mamaroneck, NY

Our Local Office

Have you or a loved one been impacted by a car accident? You deserve justice. Count on the Tarrytown, NY, car accident attorneys to fight for you. Call our legal team today for a free consultation.

Banville Law
44 S Broadway #100
White Plains, NY 10601, USA
(914) 228-1866