Hartsdale, NY shares not only a border with White Plains (WP) but its history. White Plains has a street named Hartsdale Ave located in Highlands neighborhood. Hartsdale during Colonial Days was part of Philipsburg Manor owned by the Frederick Philipse family and his descendants. The patriarch was born Vredyck Filipsen before emigrating but changed his…
Category: Historic Building
White Plains Revitalization; Its Vanishing Past
In February 2019, one of White Plains' older homes was demolished. Former Rocco Briante house was built around 1913. Rocco Briante was a builder of homes and other structures. House at 40 Chatterton Parkway had become a "zombie" property. Neglect obviously caused severe deterioration of not only the house but to the stone stairs that…
History Behind the Curtain: Broadway Theatre
The first play I went to as a teen was Fiddler on the Roof and was hooked. I continued to go to live theatre during my college years. In 1982, I became a TDF member and I was able to attend a lot of theatre on and off Broadway. Most Broadway theatres are historic and…
White Plains’ Older Homes
This entry is an updated version of a section from White Plains, New York: City of Contrasts in chapter "Houses:" Some of White Plains (WP) early farms would later became country estates for wealthy New Yorkers, private schools, hospitals, golf courses, and even a large hotel but as the population grew in the 20th century the Business District expanded…
Historic Traces in White Plains Business District (BD)
An updated version of entry of White Plains, New York: A City of Contrasts from "Business District" chapter: Most of the buildings in White Plains' Business District (BD) were built in the 20th century. Some of the structures were repurposed or rebuilt though there many structures that are original to their location. Some buildings are on the National Registry of Historic…
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White Plains Schools History
North Broadway School Entry is updated version of chapter "Schools" from White Plains, New York: A City of Contrasts: Though there were schools in White Plains (WP) as far back as the early 1700's little is known about them. According to Renoda Hoffman in her book Yesterday in WP, there was a school that till about 1738. Early schools for…
Seeking History One Foot At A Time: White Plains’ Walking tours
At Colonial Day June 18, 2016 in Tibbits Park, City Clerk's Office gave out two walking tours to explore the past: My walking tour from a number of years ago. Park at NWP (free on weekends) and walk South to Parkway walking path, go under tracks at tunnel, head East to N Broadway looking for…
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Martine Ave of White Plains
What’s in a Name?- The Bar Building in White Plains
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Origins of Names for Places in White Plains
What's in a name? How does a place get its name? Names are used for identification or as a point of reference. Having different names for places helps distinguish the differences between them. Many of the first roads in White Plains were referred to on maps as to where they would lead. “The Road to Rye,”…
