Historic Pelham Blog Archive
May 7, 2007

350TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION BOOK:  "THOMAS PELL AND THE LEGEND OF THE PELL TREATY OAK" -- $11.95 (PROCEEDS AFTER PRINTING COSTS WILL GO TO BARTOW-PELL MANSION MUSEUM).  CLICK HERE TO BROWSE BEFORE YOU BUY! LEARN MORE.

Pelham is often referenced as the "oldest Town in Westchester". Technically, such a reference is incorrect. The Town of Pelham was created in 1788 at the same time as many other towns in the County of Westchester.

Today's Historic Pelham Blog posting transcribes pertinent portions of an 1827 statute that reaffirmed the "limits and divisions" of towns and cities located throughout the State of New York, including the Town of Pelham.

"TITLE 1. . . . Westchester.

6. The county of WESTCHESTER shall contain all that part of this state, bounded Southerly, by Long-Island Sound: Easterly, by the east bounds of the state: Northerly, by the north bounds of the manor of Cortlandt, and the same line continued east to the bounds of the state, and west to the middle of Hudson's river : and Westerly, by a line running from thence down the middle of Hudson's river, until it comes opposite to the bounds of the state of New-Jersey, on said river; then west to the same; then southerly along the west bounds of this state, to the line of the county of New-York; and then along the same easterly and southerly to the Sound, or East river, includ- [Page 2 / Page 3] ing Captain's Island, and all the islands in the Sound to the east of Frog's Neck, and the northward of the main channel. . . .

[Page 22] TITLE 4. . . .

§ 5. The county of WESTCHESTER shall be divided into the towns of Bedford, Cortland, Eastchester, Greenburgh, Harrison, Mamaroneck, Mount Pleasant, New Rochelle, Newcastle, Northcastle, North Salem, Pelham, Poundridge, Rye, Scarsdale, Somers, South Salem, Westchester, White Plains, Yonkers and Yorktown; the extent and limits of which said several towns shall be as follows: . . . .

[Page 23]

12. The town of Pelham shall contain all that part of said county, called and known by the name of the manor of Pelham, extending Sourtherly and Easterly, to the bounds of the county, including the islands called the New City Island, Hart Island, and Appelby's Island."

Source: The Revised Statutes of the State of New-York , Vol. III, Revised Statutes of the State of New-York; &c. -- Enumeration and Boundaries of the Several Towns and Cities of This State Being Part of Chapter II, of the First Part of the Revised Statutes, and Consisting of the Folowing Titles: Title 1. - Of the Several Counties of the State. Title 4. - Of the Several Towns of This State. Title 5. - Of the Several Cities in This State, pp. 2-3, 22-23 (Albany, NY: Packard and Van Benthuysen 1829).

Please Visit the Historic Pelham Web Site
Located at http://www.historicpelham.com/
Click here to see a single index of all Historic Pelham Blog Postings to date.

posted by Blake A. Bell @ 5:01 AM Comment

Click Here To View the Actual Blog Posting for May 7, 2007.

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