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Pelham, New York

Coordinates: 40°54′38″N 73°48′27″W / 40.91056°N 73.80750°W / 40.91056; -73.80750
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Pelham
Town
Nickname: 
P-town
CountryUnited States
StateNew York
CountyWestchester
Incorporated1788
Government
[1][2]
 • SupervisorJoe Solimine
Area
 • Total2.2 sq mi (5.7 km2)
 • Land2.2 sq mi (5.6 km2)
 • Water0.04 sq mi (0.1 km2)  2.27%
Elevation
63.1 ft (19.2 m)
Population
 (2010 Census)
 • Total12,396
 • Density5,600/sq mi (2,200/km2)
Time zoneEastern
Area code914
Websitehttp://www.townofpelham.com/

Pelham is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 12,396.[3] Pelham is the oldest town in Westchester County. Thomas Pell signed a treaty in 1654 with the Siwanoy Indians to buy what is not only the Town of Pelham but also sections of what is now the Bronx, and land along Long Island Sound, north to the mamaroneck.[4] The State Legislature incorporated the Town of Pelham on March 7, 1788, and at that time included all of City Island and what is now Pelham Bay Park east of the Hutchinson River. In 1895, the Town of Pelham was reduced to its current area. Two Villages were incorporated within the Town, the Village of Pelham Manor in 1891, and the Village of Pelham, in 1896.Pelham contains two independently incorporated villages: the Village of Pelham and Pelham Manor,[1] Approximately 28 minutes away from Grand Central Terminal by the Metro-North train, Pelham is home to many New York City commuters. Today, Pelham is referred to as "the first suburb north of New York City,"[citation needed].

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.7 km2), of which 2.1 square miles (5.4 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2), or 2.27%, is water. It is directly north of the New York City borough of the Bronx and borders Eastchester, New Rochelle and Mount Vernon.

History

The historic Pelham Picture House
Daronoco Town House

On June 27, 1654, Thomas Pell purchased 9,166 acres (37.09 km2) from the Native American tribe of the Siwanoys. The purchase included an area which is known today as Pelham, New Rochelle, and portions of Bronx County. Among the land that he purchased, of course, was all the land that constitutes today's village of Pelham. Upon his death in 1669, Thomas Pell left the land to his nephew and sole heir, John Pell, who, after receiving a royal patent for the land in 1687, sold 6,000 acres to the Huguenot settlers of New Rochelle.[5]

There are only 1,568 acres left of the original Manor, after the sale of New Rochelle, Eastchester and the annexation of the Pelham Bay Park area by New York City. Pelham became one the original towns in 1788 and comprises the two villages of Pelham and Pelham Manor. The original Village of Pelham was incorporated in 1896, bounded by the New Haven Railroad's main line to north, Colonial Avenue to the south, New Rochelle to the west, and the Hutchinson River to the east. The Village of North Pelham was incorporated on August 29, 1896. Its boundaries were the New Haven Railroad to the south, New Rochelle to the west and northwest, and the Hutchinson River to the east and northeast. By 1940, the Village of Pelham's population was 1,918 and the Village of North Pelham had a population of 5,046. In June 1975, the Village of North Pelham merged with the existing Village of Pelham.[6]

Pelham was incorporated as a town on March 7, 1788. It included all of City Island and present-day Pelham Bay Park east of the Hutchinson River. In 1895, the town was reduced in size to its current boundaries. In 1891, the village of Pelham Manor incorporated. In 1896, the village of North Pelham and the village of Pelham incorporated. In 1975, the villages of North Pelham and Pelham merged, forming the present village of Pelham.[7] The Village of Pelham and the Village of Pelham Manor share several services such as school and recreational activities.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 12,107 people, 4,149 households and 3,190 families residing in the town. The population density was 5,523.4 people per square mile (2,130.9/km²). There were 4,246 housing units at an average density of 1,976.4 per square mile (762.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 87.33% White, 4.57% Black or African American, 0.08% Native American, 3.96% Asian, 1.82% from other races and 2.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.02% of the population.

There were 4,149 households out of which 41.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.4% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 23.1% were non-families. 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.31.

Pelham Town Hall

Pelham's housing stock is conveniently summarized and accessible via http://townofpelham.sdgnys.com/index.aspx.

In the town the population was spread out with 28.6% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64 and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $91,810 and the median income for a family was $111,502. Males had a median income of $74,760 versus $46,086 for females. The per capita income for the town was $51,548. About 2.2% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Pelham is home to four elementary schools[8] (two located in each village), one middle school, and one high school. The elementary schools are Hutchinson, Colonial, Siwanoy, and Prospect Hill. Pelham Middle School and Pelham Memorial High School gather students for all of Pelham. These are all part of the Pelham Union Free School District. There are also several private and religious based schools.[8] Since 1948, New York City has paid the district to educate children who live in a small strip of land between Pelham and Pelham Bay Park that is part of the Bronx due to a boundary error, as doing so is less expensive than sending school buses there.[9]

Fire Department

The Village of Pelham Fire Department has volunteer firefighters and twelve professionals using one Fire Station. The fleet has two Engines (one paid, one volunteer), one Ladder, one Utility Unit, and a Command Vehicle. The Pelham Fire Department responds to approximately 800 emergency calls annually. As of 2012 the Chief of Department is William T. Stone.

Notable people

References

  1. ^ a b "Town of Pelham". Retrieved 2009-05-01.
  2. ^ http://www.townofpelham.com/government_supervisor.htm
  3. ^ "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Pelham town, Westchester County, New York". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
  4. ^ Pelham Town site
  5. ^ public domain Wilson, J. G.; Fiske, J., eds. (1892). Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. New York: D. Appleton. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ^ Blake A. Bell. "A Chronology of the History of Pelham". Historic Pelham. Retrieved 2011-01-31.
  7. ^ Bell, Blake (2008). "Town of Pelham History". Town of Pelham. Retrieved 2009-05-01.
  8. ^ a b "Community-Schools". Retrieved 2009-05-01.
  9. ^ Gross, Jane (1997-05-06). "A Tiny Strip of New York That Feels Like the Suburbs". The New York Times. Retrieved June 09, 2012. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  10. ^ IMDB - Nick Bollettieri
  11. ^ Pelham History and the Bolton Family
  12. ^ [1]
  13. ^ Historic Pelham - Benjamin L. Fairchild
  14. ^ James Montgomery Flagg
  15. ^ IMDB - Joe Furlong Bio
  16. ^ Geoff Muldaur Biography
  17. ^ Edward Penfield

It is said that famed TV and Movie Personality, Phil Silvers lived on Seventh Avenue in North Pelham. He resided in the home that would later be owned by town surveyor George Godfrey. The home was across the street from Thomas S Bonfiglio who resided at 405 Seventh Ave in a Duplex Medeteranian home he built in 1932.

40°54′38″N 73°48′27″W / 40.91056°N 73.80750°W / 40.91056; -73.80750

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