Westchester County, New York Cities, Towns, and Villages

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List of towns, formation dates, and other details

Bedford  
  1680    Settlers from Stamford, Connecticut
  1682    Established as Bedford “Plantation” by Hartford, CT court of election 
  1697    Town formed by patent in Colony of Connecticut; subsequently contested between Connecticut and New York
  1704    Became part of Westchester County, New York Colony 
  1788    Recognized as a town by the State of New York 
  1977    Daughter town Mount Kisco formed
Cortlandt Manor
  1683    Stephanus Van Cortlandt begins buying land in northern Westchester
  1697    Van Cortandt land patented as a Manor
  1788    Manor divided by State of New York in five towns, Cortlandt, Salem (now lewisboro), North Salem, Stephentown (now Somers), and Yorktown, as well as a small part of the Town of Pound Ridge 
Cortlandt 
  Part of Cortlandt Manor
  1788    Recognized as a town by State of New York
  1940    Village of Peekskill became City of Peekskill
Eastchester 
  Southern part of Eastchester now part of the Bronx
  c. 1642 Settled by Anne Hutchinson and Children; destroyed in 1643 massacre 
  1654    Land acquired from American Indians 
  1664    Settled by ten families from Connecticut and known as Ten Farms
  1666    Royal patent issued 
  1667    Established (patent recorded) as a part of Town of Westchester; residents believe the patent established Eastchester as its own town; colonial government treated Eastchester as a separate town with its own officals
  1672   Eastchester and Westchester agreed on a boundary demarcating the two towns 
  1708   Long Reach patent granted; area that now comprises much of modern Eastchester  
  1788    Recognized as a town by State of New York 
  1892    Village of Mount Vernon became City of Mount Vernon; Eastchester was divided north and south of the city
  1895    Land south of Mount Vernon border ceded to New York County; becomes part of the 24th ward of New York City; now in Bronx County
Greenburgh
  Part of Philipsburg(h) Manor 
  1788    After dividision of former manor, Greenburgh recognized as a town by State of New York
Harrison 
  1695   John Harrison acquired land from American Indians, attracted Quaker settlers from Long Island; administered as part of Rye
  1774   Became a separate precinct 
  1788   Recognized as town by State of New York
  1975   Village of Harrison incorporated; coterminous with town 
Kingsbridge 1872 - 1874
  Town of Kingsbridge now part of the Bronx
  1872    Formed as a town from the southern part of Town Yorktown 
  1874    Ceded to New York County; becomes part of 24th ward of New York City; now part of Bronx County 
Lewisboro
  Part of Corlandt Manor and Oblong known as Lower Salem (see Salem)
  1788    Purchased from Indians; first English settlers
  1806    Name changed to South Salem 
  1840    Name changed to Lewisborough
  1890s   Name changed to Lewisboro
Mamaroneck
  1600    Purchased from Indians; first English settlers arrive
  1701    Part purchased by Caleb Heathcote and included in his Scarsdale Manor patent
  1788    Recognized as town by State of New York
Morrisania 1788 – 1791 (first)
  1676    First land patent to Lewis Morris 
  1697    Manor of Morrisania established by patent
  1788    Recognized as town by State of New York
  1791    Became part of Town of Westchester 
Morrisania 1855 – 1873 (second) 
  Town of Morrisania now part of the Bronx
  Note: the boundaries of the first and second Morrisanias were not identical; the second included Hunts Point 
  1855    Formed from Town of West Farms 
  1874    Ceded to New York County; becomes the 23rd ward of New York City; now part of Bronx County  
Mount Kisco 
  Settled before Revolutionary War
  1875    Incorporated as a village in town of Bedford and New Castle 
  1977    Formed as a town from towns of Bedford and New Castle; coterminous with Village of mount Kisco 
Mount Pleasant 
  Part of Philipsburg(h) Manor 
  1788    After division of former manor, Mount Pleasant recognized as a town by State of New York
  1845    Daughter town Ossining formed 
Mount Vernon (city)
  1878    Incorporated as Village of Mount Vernon in the Town of Eastchester 
  1892    Village incorporated as City of Mount Vernon
New Castle 
  1791    Formed from West Patent of Town of North Castle 
  1977    Daughter town Mount Kisco created from Village of Mount Kisco
New Rochelle
  Part of Pelham Manor 
  1688    Settled by French Huguenots
  1689    Purchased for settlement of Huguenot refugees from France
  1699    Organized as a colonial town by this date
  1788    Recognized as Town of New Rochelle by the State of New York
  1899    Town incorporated as City of New Rochelle
North Castle 
  1640 – 1705 Many sales by Indians; largest purchase 1696
  1702    Patented in three parts, the East, Middle, and West Patents
  1718 – 20 Settlement begins, particularly by Long Island Quakers 
  1788    Recognized as a town by State of New York 
  1791    Daughter town New Castle formed from West Patent 
North Salem 
  Part of Corlandt Manor and Oblong and known as Upper Salem 
  1788    Upper Salem recognized as Town of North Salem by State of New York 
Ossining 
  Part of Philipsburg Manor 
  1845    Formed from Town of Mount Pleasant 
Peekskill (city)
  1816    Incorporated as Village of Peekskill in Town of Cortlandt 
  1840    Village incorporated as City of Peekskill 
Pelham  
  Southern part of Pelham now part of the Bronx
  1642    Settled, but later abandoned
  1654    Thomas Pell purchases land from American Indians 
  1666    Pell’s land established as a manor – unnamed 
  1687    Second patent established name as Pelham Manor 
  1788    Recognized as a town by State of New York 
  1895    Southern portion of town cede to New York County including Bartow, City Island, Hart Island, Rodams Neck, and Pells Point; becomes part of the 24th ward of New York City; now part of Bronx County 
Philipsburg Manor 
  1672 – 84 Frederick Philipse purchased lands along the Hudson, attracted Dutch Settlers 
  1693    Patented as Manor of Philipsburg(h)
  1779    Manor confiscated by State of New York after attainder of Philipse heirs for opposing Revolution; sequestered land sold off to many individuals 
  1788    Former manor divided into towns of Greenburgh, Mount Pleasant, and Yonkers
Pound Ridge 
  1685    Part of future town included in patent for Town of Stamford, CT
  1731    Connecticut – New York boundary settlement cedes area to New York 
  1744    Settlers from Stamford, Connecticut
  1788    Recognized as a town by State of New York
Rye (city)
  1904    Incorporated as Village of Rye in Town of Rye
  1942    Village incorporated as City of Rye
Rye (town)
  1660    Settled as Hastings (Manursing Island) in Town of Rye
  1665    Act passed by CT court forming “plantation” of Rye
  1683    Ceded to New York Colony 
  1683    Received a Connecticut patent; confirmed in 1697 
  1700    Connecticut court upheld New York Colony possession
  1774    Harrison became a separate precinct 
  1788    Rye recognized as a town by State of New York 
  1942    Village of Rye became City of Rye; Town of Rye was divided in two parts – north and south of the city
Salem   
  Name applied to easternmost part of Cortlandt Manor 
  1731    Oblong tract along eastern border ceded by Connecticut to New York, added to Salem 
  1751    First mention of Salem as a town 
  1760    First mention of Upper and Lower Districts 
  1783 – 84 Upper and Lower Districts officially recognized as Upper Salem and Lower Salem
  1788    New York State recognized Upper Salem as Town of North Salem and Lower Salem as Town of Salem (now Lewisboro)
Scarsdale 
  1660    Purchased from Indians, patented by Dutch 1662, patented by English 1668
  1701    Purchased by Caleb Heathcote patented as Manor of Scarsdale; settled at Heathcote
  1788    Recognized as a town by State of New York    
  1915    Village of Scarsdale incorporated; coterminous with town
Somers  
  Part of Conlandt Manor 
  1701    Settled at Amawalk
  1788    Recognized as a town by State of New York 
  1808    Name changed from Stephentown to Somers 
South Salem 
  Name for Town of Leiwsboro 1806 – 1840
Stephentown 
  Name for Town of Somers 1788 – 1808
Westchester 1664 – 1895* 
  Town of Westchester now part of the Bronx
  1639    Dutch West India Company and Jonas Bronck purchased land from Indians 
  1642    English settlement at Throggs Neck, called Vreedlandt by Dutch
  1654 – 55  English settlement at village called Oostdrop or Easttown by Dutch, later called Westchester Village 
  1664    English rule begins; recognized as Town of Westchester 
  1664 – 83 Part of colonial jurisdiction North Riding of Yorkshire with own court 
  1683    Shire – town (county seat) of new Westchester County 
  1686    Patent granted by Governor Dongan
  1696    Made a Borough Town, with a Mayor 
  1788    Recognized as Town by the State of New York
  1846    Daughter town West Farms formed (included land from former Town of Morrisania)
  1895    Became part of the 24th ward of New York City and County; now part of Bronx County
West Farms 1846 – 1874
  1664    Settled by twelve families from village of Westchester
  1671    Manor of Fordham patented, owned by Dutch Church 1693 – 1753, part of Westchester from 1753  
  1697    Manor of Morrisania patented (see first Town of Morrisania), part of Westchester from 1791
  1855    Daughter town Morrisania formed 
  1874    Ceded to New York County; becomes part of 24th ward of New York City; now part of Bronx County 
White Plains (city)
  1683    Purchased from American Indians and settled by English from Rye; title disputed for many years
  1721 – 22 Charter granted 
  1759    County seat moves to White Plains from Westchester
  1788    Recognized as Town of White Plains by the State of New York 
  1916    Town incorporated as City of White Plains
Yonkers (city)
  1646    Part of the Dutch grant to patroon Jonkheer Adriaen van der Donck; called Colendonck or Jonkheer’s land, hence the name Yonkers
  1655    Van der Donck dies, settlement laid waste by Indians
  1672    Frederick Philipse begins to acquire land
  1693    Manor of Philipsburg created 
  1788    After division of former manor, Town of Yonkers recognized by State of New York
  1872 Town incorporated as City of Yonkers; daughter town Kingsbridge formed 
Yorktown
  Part of Cortlandt Manor 
  1788    Recognized as a town by State of New York 

Selected links to town websites, clerks, and historians

Bedford
Cortlandt
Eastchester
Greenburgh
Harrison
Lewisboro
Mamaroneck
Mount Kisco
Mount Pleasant
New Castle
North Castle
North Salem
Ossining
Pound Ridge
Rye
Scarsdale
Somers
Yorktown

Cities

Mount Vernon
New Rochelle
Peekskill
Rye
White Plains
Yonkers