White Plains is a
cityA city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
and the
county seatA 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, New YorkWestchester 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...
, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about 4 miles (6 km) east of the
Hudson RiverThe Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
and 2.5 miles (4 km) northwest of
Long Island SoundLong Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
. It is bordered to the north by the town of
North CastleNorth 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 and east by the town/village of
HarrisonHarrison is a village and town in Westchester County, New York, United States, located approximately northeast of Manhattan. The population was 27,472 at the 2010 census.-Establishment:...
, to the south by the town/village of
ScarsdaleScarsdale is a coterminous town and village in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the northern suburbs of New York City. The Town of Scarsdale is coextensive with the Village of Scarsdale, but the community has opted to operate solely with a village government, one of several villages...
and to the west by the town of
GreenburghGreenburgh is a town in the western part of Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 88,400 at the 2010 census. Paul J. Feiner has been the Town Supervisor since 1991.-History:...
.
As of the 2010 U.S. census, the city had a total population of 56,853. According to the city government, the daytime weekday population is estimated at 250,000.
Early history
At the time of the
DutchThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
settlement of
ManhattanManhattan 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...
in the early 17th century, the region had been used as farmland by the Weckquaeskeck tribe, members of the
Mohican-Native Americans:* Mahican , a Native American tribe who lived in and around the Hudson Valley* Mohegan, a functional confederation of several branches of Native Americans during the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century...
nation and was called "Quarropas". To early traders it was known as "the White Plains", either from the groves of white balsam which are said to have covered it, or from the heavy mist that local tradition suggests hovered over the swamplands near the
Bronx RiverThe Bronx River, approximately long, flows through southeast New York in the United States. It is named after colonial settler Jonas Bronck. The Bronx River is the only fresh water river in New York City....
. The first non-native settlement came in November 1683, when a party of
ConnecticutConnecticut 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...
Puritans moved westward from an earlier settlement in
RyeRye is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is separate from the town of Rye, which is larger than the city. Rye city, formerly the village of Rye, was part of the town until 1942, when it received its charter as a city, the most recent to be issued in New York...
and bought about 4400 acres (17.8 km²), presumably from the Weckquaeskeck. However, John Richbell of
MamaroneckMamaroneck is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 29,156 at the 2010 census. There are two villages contained within the town: Larchmont and the Village of Mamaroneck...
, claimed to have earlier title to much of the territory through his purchase of a far larger plot extending 20 miles (32 km) inland, perhaps from a different tribe. The matter wasn't settled until 1721, when a
Royal PatentA land patent is a land grant made patent by the sovereign lord over the land in question. To make a such a grant “patent”, such a sovereign lord must document the land grant, securely sign and seal the document and openly publish the same to the public for all to see...
for White Plains was granted by
King George IIGeorge II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
.
In 1758, White Plains became the seat of Westchester County when the colonial government for the county left West Chester, which was located in what is now the northern part of the borough of the Bronx, in New York City. The unincorporated village remained part of the Town of Rye until 1788, when the Town of White Plains was created.
On July 9, 1776, a copy of the
Declaration of IndependenceA declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
was delivered to the New York Provincial Congress, which was meeting in the county courthouse. The delegates quickly adopted a resolution approving the Declaration, thus declaring both the colony's independence and the formation of the State of New York. The Declaration itself was first publicly read from the steps of the courthouse on July 11.
During September and October 1776, troops led by
George WashingtonGeorge 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...
took up positions in the hills of the village, hotly pursued by the British under General Sir William Howe, who attacked on October 28. The
Battle of White PlainsThe 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...
took place primarily on Chatterton Hill, (later known as "Battle Hill," and located just west of what was then a swamp but is now the downtown area) and the Bronx River. Howe's force of 4,000–6,000 British and Hessian soldiers required three attacks before the Continentals, numbering about 1,600 under the command of Generals Alexander McDougall and Israel Putnam, retreated, joining Washington's main force, which did not take part in the battle. Howe's forces had suffered 250 casualties, a severe loss, and he made no attempt to pursue the Continentals, whose casualties were about 125 dead and wounded. Three days after the battle Washington withdrew north of the village, which was then occupied by Howe's forces. But after several inconclusive skirmishes over the next week Howe withdrew on November 5, leaving White Plains to the Continentals. Ironically, one of Washington's subordinates, Major John Austin, who was probably drunk after having celebrated the enemy's withdrawal, reentered the village with his detachment and proceeded to burn it down. Although he was court-martialed and convicted for this action, he escaped punishment.
The first
United States CensusThe United States Census is a decennial census mandated by the United States Constitution. The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used to allocate Congressional seats , electoral votes, and government program funding. The United States Census Bureau The United States Census...
, conducted in 1790, listed the White Plains population at 505, of whom 46 were slaves. (New York City's population at that time was about 33,000.) By 1800, the population stood at 575 and in 1830, 830. By 1870, 26 years after the arrival of the
New York Central RailroadThe New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
, it had swollen to 2,630 and by 1890 to 4,508. In the decades that followed the count grew to 7,899 (1900) and 26,425 (1910). White Plains was incorporated as a village in 1866 and as a city in 1916.
Modern history
Early in the 20th century, White Plains' downtown area developed into a dominant suburban shopping district and featured branch stores of many famous New York-based department and specialty stores. Some of these retail locations were the first large scale suburban stores built in the United States, and ushered in the eventual post-
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
building boom. With the construction of the parkways and expressways in the 1940s and 1960s, White Plains' role as a destination retail location was only enhanced. With a city opening ceremony Macy's launched a grand White Plains store on Main Street across from City Hall in 1949. As the mayor said at the time, this was a significant event in the life of White Plains. Other stores later followed such as B. Altman & Co., Rogers Peet,
Saks Fifth AvenueSaks Fifth Avenue is a luxury American specialty store owned and operated by Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises , a subsidiary of Saks Incorporated. It competes in the high-end specialty store market in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, i.e. 'the 3 B's' Bergdorf, Barneys, Bloomingdale's and Lord & Taylor...
,
Alexander'sAlexander's was a department store chain in the New York metropolitan area. Catering to low- and middle-income consumers, Alexander's offered discounted designer fashions and high-quality private label goods. At its height, the company operated 16 stores. Its advertising slogan was "You'll find...
, Wallach's and a short-lived branch of
Bergdorf GoodmanBergdorf Goodman is a luxury goods department store based on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The company was founded in 1899 by Herman Bergdorf and was later owned and managed by Edwin Goodman, and later his son Andrew Goodman....
, which was later converted to sister chain,
Neiman MarcusNeiman Marcus, formerly Neiman-Marcus, is a luxury specialty retail department store operated by the Neiman Marcus Group in the United States. The company is headquartered in the One Marcus Square building in Downtown Dallas, Texas, and competes with other department stores such as Saks Fifth...
, in 1981. White Plains is still a huge retail destination in the area with
Bloomingdale'sBloomingdale's is an American department store owned by Macy's, Inc. .Bloomingdale's started in 1861 when brothers Joseph and Lyman G. Bloomingdale started selling hoop-skirts in their Ladies Notions' Shop on Manhattan's Lower East Side...
,
Neiman MarcusNeiman Marcus, formerly Neiman-Marcus, is a luxury specialty retail department store operated by the Neiman Marcus Group in the United States. The company is headquartered in the One Marcus Square building in Downtown Dallas, Texas, and competes with other department stores such as Saks Fifth...
,
NordstromNordstrom, Inc. is an upscale department store chain in the United States, founded by John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin. Initially a shoe retailer, the company today also sells clothing, accessories, handbags, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and in some locations, home furnishings...
, Nordstrom Rack,
Macy'sMacy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
, Sears,
Burlington Coat FactoryBurlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation is a national department store retailer focusing on clothing and shoes, with over 450 stores in 45 states and Puerto Rico.. In 2006, it was acquired by Bain Capital, LLC in a take-private transaction...
, and over 1000 other small and mid-size stores in four malls.
During the late 1960s, the city of White Plains developed an extensive urban renewal plan for residential, commercial and mixed-use redevelopment that effectively called for the demolition of its entire central business district from the
Bronx River ParkwayThe Bronx River Parkway is a long parkway in downstate New York. It is named for the nearby Bronx River, which it parallels. The southern terminus of the parkway is at Story Avenue near Bruckner Expressway in the Bronx neighborhood of Soundview...
east to Mamaroneck Avenue. By 1978, the
urban renewalUrban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
program centered around the construction of the Westchester County Courthouse (1974), the Westchester One office building (1975), the
Galleria at White PlainsThe Galleria at White Plains is a large enclosed urban shopping mall located in the downtown area of White Plains, New York, a commercial and residential suburb north of New York City....
mall (1978), and a number of other office towers, retail centers and smaller commercial buildings.
At the time of its construction, the Westchester One building was the largest office building between New York City and
AlbanyAlbany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, and east to
HartfordHartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
.
Beginning in the 1950s, many major corporations based in New York City relocated operations to White Plains and other nearby locations. These included
General FoodsGeneral Foods Corporation was a company whose direct predecessor was established in the USA by Charles William Post as the Postum Cereal Company in 1895. The name General Foods was adopted in 1929, after several corporate acquisitions...
,
PepsiCoPepsiCo Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Purchase, New York, United States, with interests in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of grain-based snack foods, beverages, and other products. PepsiCo was formed in 1965 with the merger of the Pepsi-Cola Company...
,
Hitachiis a Japanese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Marunouchi 1-chome, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The company is the parent of the Hitachi Group as part of the larger DKB Group companies...
USA,
IBMInternational 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...
,
NestléNestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
,
SnappleSnapple is a brand of tea and juice drinks which is owned by Dr Pepper Snapple Group and based in Plano, Texas. The brand was founded in 1972. The brand achieved some notoriety due to various pop-culture references including television shows.-History:...
and
HeinekenHeineken is a Dutch beer which has been brewed by Heineken International since 1873. It is available in a 4.6% alcohol variety in countries such as Ireland. It is the flagship product of the Heineken company and is made of purified water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. In 1886 H...
USA. At the height of the 1980s, at least 50
Fortune 500The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
corporations called Westchester County and nearby Fairfield County, CT, home, but with the corporate mergers and downsizing of the 1990s many of these companies either reduced their operations in White Plains or left the area completely. White Plains continues to attract regional and national business as well as international headquarters within it boundaries such as Starwood Hotels, Nine West Group, Allegiance Financial, ITT Corporation, Nokia, Heineken USA, Alliance Bernstein, AT&T, Verizon, and to the north just across the border in North Castle Town, Swiss Re, IBM World Headquarters, MBIA and to the east Mastercard International, Morgan Stanley, Pepsico, and others.
White Plains is also home to the Arts Exchange Building, which serves as the headquarters of the Westchester Arts Council. Since March 1999, visual and performing artists, emerging cultural organizations and new creative businesses have studios and offices in the building. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The construction of the
Galleria at White PlainsThe Galleria at White Plains is a large enclosed urban shopping mall located in the downtown area of White Plains, New York, a commercial and residential suburb north of New York City....
mall in the 1970s ushered in a new era of downtown retail and office development, but by the early 1990s, economic development had stagnated, hampered by a deep recession and the overbuilding of the commercial real estate markets. For a time, White Plains had the dubious distinction of having one of the highest office vacancy rates in the Northeast. Consolidation within the retail industry led to the closing of many of downtown's original department and specialty stores as well. After its bankruptcy, the B. Altman store closed in 1989 and was eventually demolished to make way for the massive upscale retail mall,
The WestchesterThe Westchester is a , upscale shopping mall in downtown White Plains, New York. It is owned and operated by Simon Property Group and is home to some of today's most fashionable and well-known retailers, many with their only location in affluent Westchester County, New York...
, which opened in 1995 with anchors
NordstromNordstrom, Inc. is an upscale department store chain in the United States, founded by John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin. Initially a shoe retailer, the company today also sells clothing, accessories, handbags, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and in some locations, home furnishings...
and
Neiman MarcusNeiman Marcus, formerly Neiman-Marcus, is a luxury specialty retail department store operated by the Neiman Marcus Group in the United States. The company is headquartered in the One Marcus Square building in Downtown Dallas, Texas, and competes with other department stores such as Saks Fifth...
. A freestanding branch of
Macy'sMacy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
, one of downtown's original retail
anchor storeIn retail, an anchor store, draw tenant, anchor tenant, or key tenant is one of the larger stores in a shopping mall, usually a department store or a major retail chain....
s, was relocated two blocks away to The Galleria mall by its parent company,
Federated Department StoresMacy's, Inc. is a department store holding company and owner of Macy's and Bloomingdale's department stores. Macy's Inc.'s stores specialize mostly in retail clothing, jewelery, watches, dinnerware, and furniture....
, replacing the location of sister retailer,
Abraham & StrausAbraham & Straus was a major New York City department store, based in Brooklyn. Founded in 1865, in 1929 it became part of Federated Department Stores, which eliminated the A&S brand shortly after its 1994 acquisition of R.H. Macy & Company...
when these two store divisions were merged in 1995. In early 2002, the
Saks Fifth AvenueSaks Fifth Avenue is a luxury American specialty store owned and operated by Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises , a subsidiary of Saks Incorporated. It competes in the high-end specialty store market in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, i.e. 'the 3 B's' Bergdorf, Barneys, Bloomingdale's and Lord & Taylor...
location was also closed and demolished; it was replaced in 2004 with the large retail complex called
The Source at White PlainsThe Source at White Plains is a large urban-style shopping complex in downtown White Plains, New York. Located across the street from The Westchester mall and a large Crowne Plaza hotel, it features several major brand-name retailers and restaurants, such as The Cheesecake Factory, Whole Foods...
, featuring the upscale restaurants Morton's of Chicago,
The Cheesecake FactoryThe Cheesecake Factory, Inc. is a restaurant company in the United States. The company operates 165 upscale, casual, full-service dining restaurants: 151 under The Cheesecake Factory mark, 13 under the Grand Lux Cafe mark and one under the RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen mark...
, and the gourmet supermarket chain Whole Foods Markets. Note: As of July 20, 2009, the Fortunoff and Mayrock families re-acquired the Fortunoff brand and intellectual property; all Fortunoff stores are currently closed.
Other major projects were completed in the late 1990s and early 2000s that have further altered the urban character of downtown White Plains. A new courthouse for the Southern District of New York was opened in 1998 and several large-scale office properties in and near downtown, including the former General Foods headquarters building, were retrofitted and leased to accommodate smaller businesses. The Macy's store on Main Street remained vacant for several years until it was also later demolished to make way for the massive City Center White Plains complex. This large mixed-use development features
two 35-story apartment and condominium towersTrump Tower at City Center is a 35-story high-rise condominium apartment building built in White Plains, Westchester County, New York. It was completed in 2005. The Trump Organization led the development, sales, and management of the building. It has 212 condominium residences that opened...
, 600000 square feet (55,741.8 m²) of retail, restaurant and entertainment space and new parking facilities. Aside from the Arts Exchange building (which used to be a bank), another bank next to the City Center was renovated to become
Zanaro'sZanaro's is a New York-based Italian restaurant controlled by Apple-Metro, Inc., which also operates Applebee's and Chevys Fresh Mex locations.Zanaro's closed in late May 2010 and was replaced by Buffalo Wild Wings at its original flagship location....
, a family-style Italian restaurant. In 2010, Zanaros closed and was replaced by
Buffalo Wild WingsBuffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar is a casual dining restaurant and sports bar franchise in the United States that is known for its Buffalo wings.-History:...
. City Center's opening in 2003 marked the beginning of a new downtown development renaissance, and with the improving economy and healthy office leasing activity, White Plains entered the new millennium as the leading retail and office center in Westchester County.
In 2005, construction began on a second large parcel in the downtown area. The project, known as
Renaissance SquareRenaissance Square is a high-rise complex located in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. The complex includes two towers: One Renaissance Square at with 26 floors, and Two Renaissance Square at with 28 floors. Although a part of the same complex, Tower 1 was completed in 1986 while Tower 2 was...
, features two residential and hotel towers, each 40 stories tall, featuring a luxury
Ritz-CarltonThe Ritz-Carlton is a brand of luxury hotels and resorts with 75 properties located in major cities and resorts in 24 countries worldwide...
hotel and more than 400 condominium units. The Ritz-Carlton Westchester is one of the tallest buildings between New York City and
BostonBoston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, exceeded only by City Place in Hartford.
Beginning in 2000, the city's permanent population experienced a growth spurt as additional apartment buildings were constructed. The city's relatively moderate housing costs and close commuting distance to midtown Manhattan (31–39 minutes by express train ) have also attracted a lot of people who commute to New York City for work. However, in large part because of its proximity to New York, the cost of living in White Plains, although lower than that of New York City itself, is by some measures among the highest in the world.
Climate
Economy
The economy of White Plains revolves around large companies that have relocated to the city such as Starwood Hotels,
ITTITT Corporation is a global diversified manufacturing company based in the United States. ITT participates in global markets including water and fluids management, defense and security, and motion and flow control...
,
BungeBunge Limited is a Bermudan food conglomerate with its headquarters in White Plains, New York. As well as being a leading global soybean exporter it is also involved in food processing, grain trading, and fertilizer...
and
CombeCombe Incorporated, based in White Plains, New York, is a privately owned personal-care company founded in 1949 by Ivan Combe. Combe products are sold in 64 countries on six continents. Ivan Combe primarily promotes the brand names instead of the company name...
. Other companies based in White Plains include Alliance Bernstein,
DannonGroupe Danone is a French food-products multinational corporation based in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. It claims world leadership in fresh dairy products, marketed under the corporate name, and also in bottled water...
, Fifth Street Finance Corp., the
New York Power AuthorityThe New York Power Authority , officially the Power Authority of the State of New York , is a New York State public benefit corporation and the largest state-owned power organization in the United States. NYPA provides some of the lowest-cost electricity in New York State, operating 17 generating...
, New York-Presbyterian Hospital,
Krasdale FoodsKrasdale Foods is an independent grocery wholesaler which supplies more than 7,000 products to food retailers , mostly in the New York City metropolitan area. From Krasdale Foods' distribution center in the Bronx, the company offers Krasdale-labeled, private-label, and regional brands, as well as...
(which supplies products for the C-Town supermarket chain),
Nine WestNine West is a fashion wholesale and retail company best known for quickly translating runway trends into styles attainable by mass consumers. Initially founded as a fashion footwear brand, Nine West has since expanded into handbags, sunglasses, legwear, outerwear, jewelry, belts, watches, cold...
,
Acadia Realty TrustAcadia Realty Trust , headquartered in White Plains, New York, is a fully integrated, self-managed and self-administered equity REIT focused primarily on the ownership, acquisition, redevelopment and management of retail and mixed-use properties including neighborhood and community shopping centers...
and
AboveNetAboveNet, Inc. , provides high bandwidth connectivity primarily for large corporate enterprises and communications carriers. AboveNet operates private metro area and long haul optical networks, and offers services including high bandwidth metro access to WDM, Metro Ethernet, VPN and IP networks,...
, as well as the US headquarters of
NokiaNokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
and Heineken. At the turn of the second millennium, there was a boom in commercial businesses and residential living and as a result the city's infrastructure grew substantially with two double towers being 40 plus stories and both being high-end apartments.
At one time Prodigy had its headquarters in White Plains Plaza in White Plains. In 2000 the company announced that it would move its headquarters to
Austin, TexasAustin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
.
Fire department
The City of White Plains is protected 24/7, 365 by the 170 professional firefighters of the City of White Plains Fire Department (WPFD). The department is currently the 7th largest fire department in the State of New York and currently operates out of 5 fire stations, located throughout the city, and maintains a front line fire apparatus fleet of 5 engines, 3 trucks, 1 rescue, and numerous other special, support, and reserve units. The WPFD responds to, on average, approximately 12,000 emergency calls annually. Also, the WPFD has been recently labeled as a ISO Class 1 Fire Department, making it one of only 5 of its kind in the Northeastern United States. Being a Class 1 fire department means that the WPFD provides the maximum amount of fire protection to the area it serves, thus lowering property, commercial, and merchandise taxes for the city's residents and business owners.
Fire station locations and apparatus
| Engine Company |
Ladder Company |
Special Unit |
Address |
Neighborhood |
| Engine 65 |
|
|
93 Prescott Ave. |
Highlands |
| Engine 66 |
Tower Ladder 6 |
Squad 4, SSU. 4, Mini-Attack 32 |
20 Ferris Pl. |
North Broadway |
| Engine 67 |
|
|
2 Terrace Ave. |
Eastview/East White Plains |
| Engine 70 |
Ladder 32 |
Rescue 88 |
219 Mamaroneck Ave. |
Downtown/Carhart |
| Engine 71 |
Ladder 34(Quint) |
|
663 North St. |
North Street |
- Note – The WPFD also operates 2 deactivated fire stations, Fire Station # 4 and Fire Station # 5 that in use as the Fire Prevention, Volunteer Division, and Unified Special Operations offices and quarters. Also, the department operates two reserve engines(Engine 68 & 69) and one reserve ladder(Ladder 33) out of the Ferris Pl. and Terrace Ave. Firehouses.
Public schools
The White Plains Public School System, with a 2006 enrollment of over 6,000 pupils, maintains five elementary schools (grades K-5), two middle schools (6–8) and one high school (9–12), as well as auxiliary facilities including a pre-kindergarten program, a community school (grades 7–12), adult and continuing education, and a program for school-age patients at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, which campus is located in the city.
Since 1988 the district has operated under a Controlled Parents' Choice Program, whereby the parents of elementary and middle school children can select the school which their child attends based on factors other than proximity to the school.
The five elementary schools, and to a lesser extent, the two middle schools, in addition to teaching core competencies, have different educational focuses including science & technology, communication arts and global understanding. The primary distinction between the two middle schools is the number of pupils enrolled. The smaller "Eastview" Campus has about 1/3 the amount of students as the "Highlands" campus. There are about 1100 students at Highlands and only about 400 at Eastview.
White Plains Senior High SchoolWhite Plains Senior High School is the main school in the White Plains Public Schools system of White Plains, NY. It was selected by the U.S. Department of Education as a School of Excellence in 1986-87 but is currently only one of nine public high schools in Westchester County with four-year...
, built in the late 1950s on a 72 acres (29.1 ha) campus, serves all public school students in grades 9–12. The school has a swimming pool that overlooks a small valley which included the track and football field. The White Plains Recreation Department worked in cooperation with the schools to offer many programs.
The district is governed by a seven-member Board of Education, elected at-large for staggered three-year terms. A school superintendent reports to the Board.
Parochial and/or private schools
- Archbishop Stepinac High School
Archbishop Stepinac High School is an all-boys Roman Catholic high school in White Plains, New York, that was operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York until the 2009-2010 school year when it became independent...
on Mamaroneck Avenue in the Gedney area
- Academy of Our Lady of Good Counsel
Academy of Our Lady of Good Counsel is an all-girls, private, Roman Catholic high school in White Plains, New York. It is located within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York....
on North Broadway, adjacent to the Pace University campus
- Good Counsel Academy Elementary School on North Broadway
- Our Lady of Sorrows Elementary School in the Gedney area
- German School New York
The German School New York is an independent, co-educational and bilingual school with around 370 students enrolled in grades Pre-K through 12...
on Partridge Road
Colleges and universities
- Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
Westchester Campus is home to Fordham’s Graduate Schools of Business Administration, Education, Social Service, and Religion and Religious Education.
- Pace University
Pace University is an American private, co-educational, and comprehensive multi-campus university in the New York metropolitan area with campuses in New York City and Westchester County, New York.-Programs:...
White Plains Campus is home to Pace University School of LawPace University School of Law, known colloquially as "Pace Law School", is the law school of Pace University, a comprehensive, independent, and diversified university with campuses in New York City and Westchester County...
and Pace Graduate School. This campus originally belonged to Good Counsel College, later named the College of White Plains (1972–1976). The College of White Plains merged with Pace University in 1976.
- The College of Westchester
The College of Westchester , located in White Plains, New York, is a private institution granting certificates and Associate's Degrees. In 2008, the NY State Board of Regents authorized CW to offer the Bachelor of Business Administration Degree...
, formerly known as the Westchester Business Institute
- Berkeley College
Berkeley College is a proprietary higher education institution founded in 1931, specializing in business and professional studies.-Academic programs:...
- Mercy College
Mercy College is a private, non-profit liberal arts college with its main campus in Dobbs Ferry, New York, and satellite locations throughout southeastern New York, including the Bronx, Manhattan, White Plains and Yorktown...
Demographics
As of the
censusA 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 53,077 people, 20,921 households, and 12,704 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 5,415.5 people per square mile (2,091.1/km²). There were 21,576 housing units at an average density of 2,201.4 per square mile (850.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 64.93% White, 15.91% African American, 4.50% Asian, 0.34% Native American, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 10.37% from
other racesRace 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 3.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.51% of the population. In 2010, Businessweek Magazine named White Plains one of America's fastest growing cities.
There were 20,921 households out of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% were
married couplesMarriage 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, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.3% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $58,545, and the median income for a family was $71,891 (these figures had risen to $73,744 and $92,215 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $47,742 versus $36,917 for females. The
per capita incomePer 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 city was $33,825. About 9.2% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.2% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
Westchester County AirportWestchester County Airport is a county-owned public-use airport in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located three nautical miles northeast of the central business district of White Plains, in the towns of Harrison, North Castle and Rye Brook.It serves the areas of...
, located in neighboring
HarrisonHarrison is a village and town in Westchester County, New York, United States, located approximately northeast of Manhattan. The population was 27,472 at the 2010 census.-Establishment:...
, serves the city. The Airport's IATA code is HPN. Often the airlines and traveling public refer to Westchester County Airport as "White Plains." The airport is approximately 7 miles (11.3 km) from the core of the downtown area.
Two
Metro-North RailroadThe 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 serve the city; the
North White Plains (Metro-North station)The North White Plains Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of northern White Plains, New York via the Harlem Line. It is the north terminal for most trains that run local to the south and, until 1984, was the northern limit of electrification. Adjacent to the station is a yard/support...
and the
White Plains (Metro-North station)The White Plains Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of White Plains, New York via the Harlem Line. It is 22.3 miles from Grand Central Terminal, and the average travel time varies between 30 and 44 minutes...
downtown at Main Street and the Bronx River. The
Bronx River ParkwayThe Bronx River Parkway is a long parkway in downstate New York. It is named for the nearby Bronx River, which it parallels. The southern terminus of the parkway is at Story Avenue near Bruckner Expressway in the Bronx neighborhood of Soundview...
is the main north-south highway, and has a bikeway running south to Bronxville.
The Cross-Westchester Expressway (
I-287Interstate 287 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. It is a partial beltway around New York City, serving the northern half of New Jersey and the counties of Rockland and Westchester in New York...
) is the main east-west highway through White Plains. Current highway works include pedestrian walkways over the highway, an extra lane on either side, and on/off ramps to help motor traffic and pedestrians. Vegetation removals have upset some in the community but it is reported that the area will be fixed and trees will be replanted when work on the highway comes to an end.
Bee LineThe Bee-Line Bus System, branded on the buses in lowercase as the bee-line system, is a bus system serving Westchester County, New York. The system is owned by the County's Department of Public Works and Transportation and operated, on contract , by Yonkers-based Liberty Lines Transit, Inc...
is Westchester County's public bus system and several routes pass through White Plains offering local service to many surrounding communities. A few routes serve the Bronx and connect with the New York City subway. The main Bee Line hub in White Plains is the Trans-Center, adjacent to the Metro-North station. Other regional bus services that serve White Plains include the Tappan-Zee Express to Rockland County;
Leprechaun LinesLeprechaun Lines is a private bus company based in Orange County, New York. The carrier uses a fleet of coach-style buses to provide charter functions and a variety of services. Two local routes run through Newburgh, connecting major shopping and employment destinations...
to Poughkeepsie, CT Transit's I-Bus to
StamfordStamford 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...
, CT as well as
GreyhoundThe Greyhound is a breed of sighthound that has been primarily bred for coursing game and racing, and the breed has also recently seen a resurgence in its popularity as a pedigree show dog and family pet. It is a gentle and intelligent breed...
, Trailways and
Coach USACoach USA LLC is a holding company for various American transportation service providers providing scheduled intercity bus service, local and commuter bus transit, city sightseeing, tour, yellow school bus, and charter bus service...
service to upstate New York and Long Island.
Neighborhoods
The city of White Plains has approximately 34 distinct neighborhoods. Each is listed below:
- Battle Hill
- Bryant Gardens
- Carhart
- Colonial Corners
- Downtown White Plains
- East White Plains
- Eastview
- Ferris Avenue
- Fisher Hill
- Fulton Street
- Gedney Farms
- Gedney Manor
- Gedney Meadows
- Gedney Park
- Green Acres
- Haviland Manor
- Highlands
- Holbrooke
- Idle Forest
- North Broadway
- North Street
- North White Plains
- Dekalb
- Old Mamaroneck Road
- Prospect Park
- Reynal Park
- The Ridge
- Ridgeway
- Rocky Dell
- Rosedale
- Saxon Woods
- Secor Gardens
- Soundview
- Westminster Ridge
- Winbrook
- Woodcrest Heights
Historic sites
- White Plains Armory (1910), erected on the site of the first Westchester County Courthouse. A monument in front of the building commemorates the first public reading in New York of the Declaration of Independence, on July 11, 1776.
- White Plains Rural Cemetery (incorporated 1854, although in use as a cemetery from 1797). The cemetery office occupies the structure that was the first Methodist Church in White Plains (1795, rebuilt in 1797 after a fire on the day of its original dedication).
- Percy Grainger Home, occupied by the composer from 1921 until his death in 1961, and by his widow, Ella Ström-Brandelius, until her death in 1979. It is now maintained as a museum by the International Percy Grainger Society.
Jacob Purdy House
The Jacob Purdy House was used as General George Washington's headquarters in 1778 and possibly in 1776 during the
Battle of White PlainsThe 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...
in the
American Revolutionary WarThe 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...
. Originally constructed by Samuel Horton, it was purchased by Jacob Purdy's father, Samuel Purdy in 1730 and came into Jacob's possession in the aftermath of the war when some of the family had fled as
United Empire LoyalistsThe name United Empire Loyalists is an honorific given after the fact to those American Loyalists who resettled in British North America and other British Colonies as an act of fealty to King George III after the British defeat in the American Revolutionary War and prior to the Treaty of Paris...
. In the 1960s it was repaired and restored, and in 1973 the structure was moved to its present location. A further renovation was conducted around 1980, involving both professional craftsmen and local teenagers in an apprentice program. The Jacob Purdy House is now the headquarters of the White Plains Historical Society.
A National Register of Historic Places plaque commemorates the dates of George Washington's occupancy. The house came into the possession of Jacob Purdy about 1785.
See also
Washington's HeadquartersWashington's Headquarters refers to locations used as a headquarters by George Washington:* Headquarters of George Washington, Cumberland, Maryland, as a Colonel in 1755 to 1758, revisited as US Commander in Chief in 1794...
for other locations used by George Washington as headquarters.
Notable residents
(B) denotes that the person was born there.
- Adam Bradley
Adam T. Bradley is a Democratic former New York State Assemblyman and former Mayor of the City of White Plains.-Early life and career:...
, mayor of White Plains from 2010–11
- Joseph Campbell
Joseph John Campbell was an American mythologist, writer and lecturer, best known for his work in comparative mythology and comparative religion. His work is vast, covering many aspects of the human experience...
, author and expert on myth and legend.(B)
- Jennifer Damiano
Jennifer Damiano is an American actress and singer, most known for originating the role of Natalie Goodman in Next to Normal on Broadway. She was nominated for the 2009 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance in that musical...
, Broadway Actress, noted for her roles in Next To Normal and Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark.
- Dan Duryea
Dan Duryea was an American actor, known for roles in film, stage and television.-Early life:Born and raised in White Plains, New York, Duryea graduated from White Plains Senior High School in 1924 and Cornell University in 1928. While at Cornell, Duryea was elected into the Sphinx Head Society...
, actor, was born in White Plains and graduated from White Plains Senior High SchoolWhite Plains Senior High School is the main school in the White Plains Public Schools system of White Plains, NY. It was selected by the U.S. Department of Education as a School of Excellence in 1986-87 but is currently only one of nine public high schools in Westchester County with four-year...
in 1924
- Channing Frye
Channing Thomas Frye is an American professional basketball player and currently plays for the Phoenix Suns. His positions are center and power forward. He attended the University of Arizona...
, NBA forward.(B)
- Danilo Gallinari
Danilo Gallinari is an Italian professional basketball player with Olimpia Milano of the Italian basketball league. He is also under contract with the Denver Nuggets of the NBA, and is expected to return to that team when the 2011 NBA lockout ends. He is 2.08 m in height and 102.1 kg in...
NBA forward for the Denver NuggetsThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
.
- Percy Grainger
George Percy Aldridge Grainger , known as Percy Grainger, was an Australian-born composer, arranger and pianist. In the course of a long and innovative career he played a prominent role in the revival of interest in British folk music in the early years of the 20th century. He also made many...
(1882–1961), Australian-born U.S. composer, pianist and conductor.
- Shelley Hack
Shelley Marie Hack is an American supermodel, actress, producer, and political & media advisor. Hack is best remembered for her role as Tiffany Welles in the fourth season of the ABC Television Drama Charlie's Angels ; replacing the departing Kate Jackson...
, American actress and supermodel.(B)
- Bob Hyland
Robert Joseph Hyland is a former American football guard who played eleven seasons in the National Football League for the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, New York Giants, and the New England Patriots. He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the first round of the 1967...
, NFL lineman and candidate for mayor.
- Jonathan Larson
Jonathan Larson was an American composer and playwright noted for the serious social issues of multiculturalism, addiction, and homophobia explored in his work. Typical examples of his use of these themes are found in his works, Rent and tick, tick... BOOM!...
(1960–96), the writer of the musical RentRent is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème...
.
- Matisyahu
Matthew Paul Miller , better known by his Hebrew name and stage name Matisyahu, is an American Hasidic Jewish reggae and alternative rock musician....
, American Jewish reggae artist.
- Boyd Melson
Boyd "Rainmaker" Melson is an American light middleweight boxer.As an amateur, Melson won the 48th World Military Boxing Championship gold medal in the 69 kg. weight class, and was a four-time United States Army champion, a three-time NCBA All-American boxer, a four-time West Point Brigade...
, boxer
- Art Monk
James Arthur "Art" Monk is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, New York Jets, and the Philadelphia Eagles...
, played football for White Plains High School
- Garrick Ohlsson
Garrick Ohlsson is an American classical pianist.Ohlsson was the first American to win first prize in the International Frédéric Chopin Piano Competition, in 1970. He also won first prize at the Busoni Competition in Italy and the Montreal Piano Competition in Canada...
, classical pianist
- Scott Reiniger
Scott Hale Reiniger, Prince of Ghor is an American actor, one of the stars of the 1978 film Dawn of the Dead.-Early life and lineage:...
, actor and as "Prince of Ghor" a hereditary prince.(B)
- Vanessa Rousso
Vanessa Ashley Rousso is a French American law student at the University of Miami and a professional poker player. She is also known by her Pokerstars online screen name Lady Maverick. Born in , Rousso has dual citizenships with the United States and France. Rousso is a member of Team PokerStars,...
, professional poker player.(B)
- Andrew S. Tanenbaum
Andrew Stuart "Andy" Tanenbaum is a professor of computer science at the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam in the Netherlands. He is best known as the author of MINIX, a free Unix-like operating system for teaching purposes, and for his computer science textbooks, regarded as standard texts in the...
, computer scientist and professor.
- Ralph Waite
Ralph Waite is an American actor, whose most notable role was playing John Walton Sr. on the 1970s CBS TV series The Waltons, which he also occasionally directed...
, actor who played John Walton in The WaltonsThe Waltons is an American television series created by Earl Hamner, Jr., based on his book Spencer's Mountain, and a 1963 film of the same name. The show centered on a family growing up in a rural Virginia community during the Great Depression and World War II. The series pilot was a television...
television series.(B)
- James Whitmore
James Allen Whitmore, Jr. was an American film and stage actor.-Early life:Born in White Plains, New York, to Florence Belle and James Allen Whitmore, Sr., a park commission official, Whitmore attended Amherst Central High School in Snyder, New York, before graduating from The Choate School in...
(1921–2009), actor.(B)
- Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Elliot Zuckerberg is an American computer programmer and Internet entrepreneur. He is best known for co-creating the social networking site Facebook, of which he is chief executive and president...
, CEO of FacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
.(B)
External links