Bedford (town), New York
Encyclopedia
Bedford is a town in Westchester County
, New York
, USA
. The population was 17,335 at the 2010 census.
The Town of Bedford is located in the northeastern part of Westchester County, and contains the three hamlets of Bedford Hills
, Bedford Village
, and Katonah
. Westchester County ranks number two (number one being Manhattan
) for wealthiest counties in New York State and the seventh wealthiest county nationally.
s from Stamford, Connecticut
, purchased a tract of land three miles square known as the "Hopp Ground" from Chief Katonah
and several other Indians for coats, blankets, wampum
and cloth.
Bedford was made a part of Connecticut
in 1697 when a patent fixed the boundaries as a six-mile square. Only when King William III of England
issued a royal decree in 1700, to settle a boundary dispute, did Bedford become part of New York
.
The town served as the county seat
of Westchester County
during the American Revolutionary War
after the Battle of White Plains
, until Bedford was burned by the British on July 2, 1779. After the Revolution, Bedford was made one of two seats of county government, alternating with White Plains
, until 1870. Westchester County's oldest government building is the Court House in Bedford village, which was built in 1787 and renovated in the 1960s.
, the town has a total area of 39.3 square miles (101.8 km²), of which 37.2 square miles (96.3 km²) is land and 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²), or 5.36%, is water. The town is bordered to the west by Mount Kisco
, to the south by Armonk
in the town of North Castle
, to the north by Lewisboro
, and to the east by Pound Ridge
.
). There is a small graveyard dating back to the founding of the town; the old one-room stone schoolhouse; and a few colonial-era houses, still lived in, which are kept painted white with black or green shutters.
The Bedford Free Library is located in Bedford, on the Village Green, and is a member of the Westchester Library System
. Bedford Hills and Katonah also have libraries which are members of the same system.
Also along Route 22, at Hook Road, there is a large 300+ year old oak
tree known as the Bedford Oak.
of 2000, there were 18,133 people, 5,731 households, and 4,395 families residing in the town. The population density
was 486.9 people per square mile (188.0/km²). There were 6,020 housing units at an average density of 161.6 per square mile (62.4/km²). The racial/ethnic makeup of the town was 87.50% White, 7.12% Black, 1.98% Asian, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.57% of the population. 0.09% ethnic Native American. 0.08% ethnic Pacific Islander and 1.88% from other ethnicities
.
There were 5,731 households out of which 41.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.5% were married couples
living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.3% were non-families. 18.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $100,053, and the median income for a family was $118,820. Males had a median income of $88,561 versus $47,468 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $53,046. About 2.4% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those of age 65 or over.
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...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 17,335 at the 2010 census.
The Town of Bedford is located in the northeastern part of Westchester County, and contains the three hamlets of Bedford Hills
Bedford Hills, New York
Bedford Hills is an unincorporated hamlet in the Town of Bedford, New York.-History:When the railroad was built in 1847, Bedford Hills was known as Bedford Station. Bedford Hills extends from a business center at the railroad station to farms and estates, eastward along Harris, Babbitt and Bedford...
, Bedford Village
Bedford (CDP), New York
Bedford, commonly known as Bedford Village, is a hamlet located in the town of Bedford in Westchester County, New York...
, 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...
. Westchester County ranks number two (number one being 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...
) for wealthiest counties in New York State and the seventh wealthiest county nationally.
History
The town of Bedford was founded on December 23, 1680, when 22 PuritanPuritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
s from Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
, purchased a tract of land three miles square known as the "Hopp Ground" from Chief Katonah
Chief Katonah
Chief Katonah was a Native American Munsee sachem for all Wiechquaeskeck in the Greenwich, Stamford, and Bedford area, from whom the land of the town of Bedford, New York was purchased. The hamlet of Katonah, New York, located within Bedford, is named for him. He was Sachem of Ramapoo...
and several other Indians for coats, blankets, wampum
Wampum
Wampum are traditional, sacred shell beads of the Eastern Woodlands tribes of the indigenous people of North America. Wampum include the white shell beads fashioned from the North Atlantic channeled whelk shell; and the white and purple beads made from the quahog, or Western North Atlantic...
and cloth.
Bedford was made a part of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
in 1697 when a patent fixed the boundaries as a six-mile square. Only when 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...
issued a royal decree in 1700, to settle a boundary dispute, did Bedford become part of 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...
.
The town served as the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Westchester County
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...
during the American 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...
after the Battle of White Plains
Battle of White Plains
The Battle of White Plains was a battle in the New York and New Jersey campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought on October 28, 1776, near White Plains, New York. Following the retreat of George Washington's Continental Army northward from New York City, British General William Howe landed...
, until Bedford was burned by the British on July 2, 1779. After the Revolution, Bedford was made one of two seats of county government, alternating with White Plains
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
, until 1870. Westchester County's oldest government building is the Court House in Bedford village, which was built in 1787 and renovated in the 1960s.
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 39.3 square miles (101.8 km²), of which 37.2 square miles (96.3 km²) is land and 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²), or 5.36%, is water. The town is bordered to the west by Mount Kisco
Mount Kisco, New York
Mount Kisco is a community that is both a village and a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The Town of Mount Kisco is coterminous with the village. The population was 10,877 at the 2010 census.- History :...
, to the south by Armonk
Armonk, New York
Armonk is a hamlet and census-designated place located in the town of North Castle in Westchester County, New York. As of the 2010 census, the CDP population was 4,330....
in the town of North Castle
North Castle, New York
North Castle is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 11,841 at the 2010 census. It has no villages.-Geography:...
, to the north by Lewisboro
Lewisboro, New York
Lewisboro is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 12,411 at the 2010 census. The town is named after John Lewis.- History :...
, and to the east by Pound Ridge
Pound Ridge, New York
Pound Ridge is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 5,104 at the 2010 census.The town is located in the eastern corner of the county, bordered by New Canaan, Connecticut, to the east, Stamford, Connecticut, to the south, Bedford, New York, to the west and...
.
Landmarks
Bedford has a few minor landmarks, most of them centered around the Bedford Green, a small patch of green space at the center of the historical district (along Route 22New York State Route 22
New York State Route 22 is a north–south state highway in eastern New York in the United States. It runs parallel to the state's eastern edge from the outskirts of New York City to a short distance south of the Canadian border. At , it is the state's longest north–south route and...
). There is a small graveyard dating back to the founding of the town; the old one-room stone schoolhouse; and a few colonial-era houses, still lived in, which are kept painted white with black or green shutters.
The Bedford Free Library is located in Bedford, on the Village Green, and is a member of the Westchester Library System
Westchester Library System
The Westchester Library System is the library system for the citizens of Westchester County, New York. It was established in 1958. The system is made up of 38 libraries across the county and its headquarters are located in the Town of Greenburgh, near Tarrytown.- About :The Westchester Library...
. Bedford Hills and Katonah also have libraries which are members of the same system.
Also along Route 22, at Hook Road, there is a large 300+ year old oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
tree known as the Bedford Oak.
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 18,133 people, 5,731 households, and 4,395 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 486.9 people per square mile (188.0/km²). There were 6,020 housing units at an average density of 161.6 per square mile (62.4/km²). The racial/ethnic makeup of the town was 87.50% White, 7.12% Black, 1.98% Asian, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.57% of the population. 0.09% ethnic Native American. 0.08% ethnic Pacific Islander and 1.88% from other ethnicities
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...
.
There were 5,731 households out of which 41.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.5% 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, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.3% were non-families. 18.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $100,053, and the median income for a family was $118,820. Males had a median income of $88,561 versus $47,468 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 $53,046. About 2.4% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those of age 65 or over.
Local media
The Record-Review, a weekly newspaper, reports on local issues in Bedford and Pound Ridge. The newspaper began publishing in 1995.Communities and locations in Bedford
- Bedford CornersBedford Corners, New YorkBedford Corners is a hamlet in the southeastern corner of the Town of Bedford in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is the newest of 4 hamlets in Bedford along with historical Katonah, Bedford Hills and the founding village of Bedford Village--- established over 300 years ago when the...
– A small wooded hamlet located within the town and neighboring the village of Mount Kisco. The historic home StonecrestStonecrest (Bedford Corners, New York)Stonecrest is a historic home located at Bedford Corners, Westchester County, New York. It was built in 1879 in an eclectic Stick-Eastlake style and renovated in 1916. It is rectangular, measuring 50 feet deep and 45 feet wide. It is a three story dwelling. The first story is built of random...
was added to the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2004. - Bedford HillsBedford Hills, New YorkBedford Hills is an unincorporated hamlet in the Town of Bedford, New York.-History:When the railroad was built in 1847, Bedford Hills was known as Bedford Station. Bedford Hills extends from a business center at the railroad station to farms and estates, eastward along Harris, Babbitt and Bedford...
– A hamlet in the western part of the town, just south of Katonah. The historic Richard H. Mandel HouseRichard H. Mandel HouseRichard H. Mandel House is a historic home located at Bedford Hills, Westchester County, New York. It was designed by noted architect Edward Durell Stone and built between 1933 and 1935 in the International style. It is a "Z"-shaped building sited overlookig the Croton Reservoir...
was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. - BedfordBedford (CDP), New YorkBedford, commonly known as Bedford Village, is a hamlet located in the town of Bedford in Westchester County, New York...
– A hamlet in the southeast part of the town, commonly known as Bedford Village. The Bedford Village Historic DistrictBedford Village Historic DistrictBedford Village Historic District is a national historic district located at Bedford, Westchester County, New York. The district contains 80 contributing buildings and one contributing site. It encompasses most of the original 1680 hamlet and laid out in a typical village green plan...
was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. - KatonahKatonah, New YorkKatonah, 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...
– A hamlet at the north town line.
Notable people
- Joseph AbboudJoseph AbboudJoseph Abboud is an award-winning Lebanese American menswear fashion designer and author.-Family:The Abboud family was a working-class Christian Lebanese family that started out in the South End of Boston and later moved to the Roslindale section of Boston. Abboud's mother, Lila, was a seamstress...
, fashion designer - Bea Arthur, actress, comedian and singer
- Billy BaldwinWilliam BaldwinWilliam Joseph "Billy" Baldwin is an American actor, producer, and writer, known for his starring roles in such films as Flatliners , Backdraft , Sliver , Fair Game , Virus , Double Bang , as Johnny 13 in Danny Phantom , Art Heist , The Squid and the Whale , as himself...
, actor - Gertrude BergGertrude BergGertrude Berg was an American actress and screenwriter. A pioneer of classic radio, she was one of the first women to create, write, produce and star in a long-running hit when she premiered her serial comedy-drama The Rise of the Goldbergs , later known as The Goldbergs.-Career:Berg was born...
, actress and writer - Chevy ChaseChevy ChaseCornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase is an American comedian, writer, and television and film actor, born into a prominent entertainment industry family. Chase worked a plethora of odd jobs before moving into comedy acting with National Lampoon...
, comedian, writer, and television and film actor; owns a home in Bedford - J. B. Gunn, physicist, lived on Guard Hill Rd. in Bedford, but with a Mt. Kisco mailing address
- Lasse HallströmLasse HallströmLars Sven "Lasse" Hallström is a Swedish film director. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director for My Life as a Dog and later for The Cider House Rules .-Life and career:...
, director - Felicity HuffmanFelicity HuffmanFelicity Kendall Huffman is an American film, stage, and television actress. She is known for her role as executive producer Dana Whitaker on the ABC television show Sports Night , which earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination, and as hectic supermom Lynette Scavo on the ABC show Desperate...
, actress - Carl IcahnCarl IcahnCarl Celian Icahn is an American business magnate and investor.-Biography:Icahn was raised in Far Rockaway, Queens, New York City, where he attended Far Rockaway High School. His father was a cantor, his mother was a schoolteacher...
, American business magnate - Ralph LaurenRalph LaurenRalph Lauren is an American fashion designer and business executive; best known for his Polo Ralph Lauren clothing brand.-Early life:...
, fashion designer - Kate MaraKate MaraKate Mara is an American television and film actress. Beginning acting in her hometown of Bedford, New York, she moved from the stage to her first film, Random Hearts...
, actress - Rooney Mara, actress
- Lena OlinLena OlinLena Maria Jonna Olin is a Swedish actress.-Early life:Olin was born the youngest of three children, in Stockholm, Sweden. She is the daughter of actress Britta Holmberg and the director Stig Olin...
, actress - Jennifer O'NeillJennifer O'Neill-Early life:O'Neill was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the daughter of a famous Spanish-Irish dental supply import/export businessman, Oscar D' O'Neill and his English wife. As a teenager, O'Neill worked as a fashion model and appeared in television commercials and on magazine covers before moving...
, actress and author - Chazz PalminteriChazz PalminteriCalogero Lorenzo "Chazz" Palminteri is an American actor and writer, best known for his performances in The Usual Suspects, A Bronx Tale, and his Academy Award nominated role for Best Supporting Actor in Bullets Over Broadway....
, actor and writer - Claudio ReynaClaudio ReynaClaudio Reyna is a retired American soccer player and the current USSF US Youth Soccer Technical Director. He was the captain of the United States national team before retiring from international football following the USA's exit from the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He is widely considered one of the...
, professional soccer player - Paul ShafferPaul ShafferPaul Allen Wood Shaffer, CM is a Canadian musician, actor, voice actor, author, comedian, and composer who has been David Letterman's sidekick since 1982.-Early years:...
, musician - Ted SorelTed SorelTed Sorel was an American actor whose numerous credits included Guiding Light, Law & Order and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He also appeared in film and Broadway productions.-Biography:...
, actor who resided in the hamlet of Katonah - Martha StewartMartha StewartMartha Stewart is an American business magnate, author, magazine publisher, and television personality. As founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she has gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing publishing, broadcasting, and merchandising...
, TV show host