Westchester County, New York

Introduction

Westchester County is a suburban county of New York State. It was named to commemorate Chester, in England. The county seat is White Plains.

Geography

Westchester County is in the southeastern part of New York State, immediately north of New York City, between the Hudson River and Long Island Sound.

History

Westchester County was an original county of New York State, one of twelve created in 1683. At the time, it also included the present Bronx County, which constituted the Town of Westchester and portions of three other towns: Yonkers, Eastchester, and Pelham.. In 1846, a new town, West Farms, was created by secession from Westchester; in turn, in 1855, the Town of Morrisania seceded from West Farms. In 1873, the Town of Kingsbridge seceded from Yonkers.

In 1874, the western portion of the present Bronx County, consisting of the then towns of Kingsbridge, West Farms, and Morrisania, was transferred to New York County, and in 1895 the remainder of the present Bronx County, consisting of the Town of Westchester and portions of the towns of Eastchester and Pelham, was transferred to New York County. At that time, the remainder of the town of Eastchester was renamed as the Town of Mount Vernon. In 1914, those parts of the then New York County which had been annexed from Westchester County were constituted the new Bronx County.