White Plains, NY Summary

photo by janicu

This suburban city (population 51,700) in southeastern New York is located on the Bronx River. The Siwanoy people, who were the original inhabitants named it for the mists above the marshes. Puritans settled the area in 1683. In 1776, the Battle of White Plains took place here and in that same year the New York Provincial Congress ratified the Declaration of Independence.

In 1916, White Plains incorporated as a city and grew slowly as a residential community near New York City. Urban renewal in the 1970s and 1980s brought major retail and corporate office complexes. White Plains has two colleges, Westchester Community College and Pace University. Two houses that were used by George Washington during the war are both found here—these are the Elijah Miller House and, in nearby North Castle, the Jacob Purdy House.

New York metropolitan area airports are quite nearby (John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia), as well as the local Westchester Airport. Traffic tends to be heavy in commuter hours, and is congested at all times around the shopping malls.