Chappaqua NY

Chappaqua, NY at a Glance

Located in the Town of New Castle, New York, Chappaqua had its beginnings with a group of Quakers who transplanted from Purchase in the 1730's to build their homes along modern-day Quaker Street. The hamlet with its wooded terrain was so named for its quiet, sylvan character - "Chappaqua" coming from an Algonquin word meaning "Rustling Land."

To be sure, Chappaqua was a basin for other sounds too, as Saw Mill River and Roaring Brook rushed through to nourish the farmlands and power the mills that formed the heart of its early industry. Most of the Quakers in Chappaqua were originally farmers, but in 1846, when the New York and Harlem Railroad was completed, a modern commuter culture arose and a hub of hotels, shops and liveries sprung up around the station.

Chappaqua, NY at a Glance

Of the many famous personages who have lived or kept estates in Chappaqua, the U.S. House Representative and New York Tribune editor Horace Greeley was one of the first and most eminent. As a haven apart from his hectic civic life, Greeley cherished the country farmstead he shared with his wife in Chappaqua. Its 78 acres once covered the majority of the central hamlet, including the Robert E. Bell Middle School, the Chappaqua Library, Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, and the Greeley House, which still stands on King Street as headquarters to the New Castle Historical Society. Other notable residents include 42nd U.S. President Bill Clinton, former First Lady and Secretary of State under the Obama administration, Hilary Clinton, and the 56th Governor and one time Attorney General of New York, Andrew M. Cuomo.

The meeting house, built in 1753, at which the original settlers convened still serves today as the location for weekly Sunday meetings, and the area surrounding it called Old Chappaqua Historical District was inducted into the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Chappaqua also has the distinction of being longtime headquarters to the widely-read family magazine, Reader's Digest (now located in New York City).

Between The Chappaqua Orchestra and the Westchester Jazz Orchestra, music has a strong presence in Chappaqua arts and culture. Composed of professional musicians, TCO performs often complex pieces that are as stirring as they are challenging. The Jazz Orchestra, hailed as one of the best jazz orchestras in the country, aims to deepen and develop public appreciation for jazz through performance and youth outreach. The New Castle Memorial Day Parade is a major community event taking place every year in the streets of Chappaqua when police, veterans and members of the Town Board and Justices march together in honor of those who served and died in the military. The Chappaqua Antique Show is held annually by the New Castle Historical Society. Lasting two days, shoppers have the opportunity to purchase antique jewelry, furniture and other miscellaneous items. The show figures as the Town's biggest fundraiser, with all profits going toward charity and various community projects and programs. The Saw Mill Audubon is also located in Chappaqua and serves as the self-proclaimed "local voice for the environment." Membership numbers some 900 people from all over Westchester County who are united in their appreciation for the world outdoors. The Society offers educational programs, sanctuary tours and field trip events.