This audio clip records the steady stream of water in the Blind Brook River which is located behind the Rye Free Reading Room and the Square House. 

Blind Brook River Audio Narration

For over 100 years, the African Cemetery in Rye provided a cost-free option for African-Americans to receive a proper burial.     While some claim that the land was used for burials long before it became an official cemetery, the recorded history did not begin for the African Cemetery until 1859, where Benjamin Mead would transfer a piece of his land to Underhill Halstead, a local farmer, “to be held in trust for persons of Color residing in the Town of Rye.” Halstead and his wife, Elizabeth, would then transfer the deed to the Town of Rye and “their successors in office forever” on June 27, 1860, with the intent to give African Americans a proper place to be buried, free of any charge. Prior to this, African Americans would often be buried anonymously in potter's fields.      The first burial occurred in 1864; while some families were buried here, the 160 tombstones are primarily for individuals.     Over the course of the Cemetery’s history, it has developed a legacy as a burial site for veterans. Over the 100 years it was used as a burial space, there were anywhere from 20 to 35 different veterans of the Civil War, Spanish American War, and both World Wars.     Of these veterans, perhaps none is more notable than Edwin Purdy. Purdy, a member of the United States Navy, served aboard the USS Monadnock during the Civil War. Other notable veterans include Corporal Amos Williams (Civil War) and Michael Paige (Spanish American War.)   Paige's efforts as a member of the 10th US Cavalry Volunteers would be very beneficial to future US President, Theodore Roosevelt, and his Rough Riders during the Battle of San Juan Hill.      Samuel Bell, buried here, was a member of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. This was a Black military unit that served the Union during the Civil War, and was depicted in the 1989 Denzel Washington movie “Glory.”  Following the last burial in 1964, the cemetery went unkept for about twenty years. A ceremony was held on Wednesday, May 28, 1986, where it was rededicated after a two-plus year effort to restore it. The Town of Rye also placed a Westchester County Tricentennial Historic Plaque at the location.     Since 2010, the non-profit group, Friends of the Rye African American Cemetery, has led the restoration and preservation efforts of the cemetery.

For over 100 years, the African Cemetery in Rye provided a cost-free option for African Americans to receive a proper burial.   
 
In 1860, Underhill Halstead, a farmer, and his wife, Elizabeth, transferred the land to the Town of Rye for African American burial plots, free of charge. It would feature 160 different gravestones throughout its time as an active cemetery; many were of veterans who served in the Civil, Spanish American, and both World Wars. Although it mostly comprising single graves, a few families were plotted together.    

After the last burial in 1964, the cemetery was neglected for the next 20 years. On Wednesday, May 28, 1986, it was rededicated after a two-plus year effort to restore it — the Town of Rye also placed a Westchester County Tricentennial Historic Plaque at the location. 

The tombstone of Corporal Amos Williams, who served in the Civil War.

Rye African American Cemetery

This audio narration pairs with the attached image of the facade of Rye Free Reading Room. Next to the library, which was constructed in 1915, is the City Green which is accompanied by Rye City Town Hall and the Square House. 

Rye City Center Audio Narration

This tour comprises a series of entries which hopefully provide insight into Rye, NY's perceptual landscape. 

Evidence suggests that the Widow Haviland’s Tavern was built during the first half of the 18th century. The property is located at the corner where the road to Harrison’s Purchase met the Boston Post Road. Prior to the construction of the tavern, the property was occupied from “1680-1690 by Yeoman Jacob Pierce. Valued at 15 pounds in 1690 a dwelling and the lot of three acres was conveyed by Pierce’s widow to Peter Brown in 1695. . . . After Brown’s death in 1738, the property passed to Blacksmith Gideon Burnell, merchant Raphael Jacobs (1742), Rev. James Wetmore (1752), and his son Timothy (1760), and an innkeeper Jotham Wright (1762).”1 Once inherited Timothy Wetmore the Square House he decided “that it would make a good wayside inn for the stagecoach passengers, post riders and other travelers on the busy highway.”2 Following this decision, the house was in use as an inn for the next 70 years, being operated and managed by different owners. The house itself is two-and-a-half-stories in height. “The gambrel-roofed structure is composed of a wood frame, resting upon a fieldstone foundation, and sheathed by shingles on the east (front), north, and part of the west elevations. The remaining exterior walls are covered with clapboards.”3 There is also a one-story veranda which is featured as part of the house. It is also believed the house was built in at least two stages over time. The earlier portion of the house is believed to have been built around a large central chimney stack. The later portion is believed to have been built with two interior chimneys to “accommodate the clientele.”4 Today the exterior remains essentially unchanged from its original appearance. The interior is currently displayed to resemble the old inn during the 18th and 19th centuries. The name Widow Haviland’s Tavern comes from the owners of the inn between 1770-1775. “Dr. Ebenezer Haviland and his wife Tamar operated the inn. . . . and after his death during the revolution, ‘Widow Haviland’ reopened and enlarged it.”5 The Haviland’s were prominent members of the community at the time of their ownership of the inn, with Ebenezer eventually serving as a physician in the Continental Army before his death. “Among its famous guests were John and Samuel Adams in 1774, George Washington in 1789, and the Marquis de Lafayette in 1824. In his travel journal, Washington paid a compliment to ‘Mrs. Haviland in Rye, who keeps a very neat &amp; decent inn.’”6 .Once the inn closed in 1830, it was purchased by the Mead family. Over the years, the house began deteriorating, and it was rumored that it was to be demolished, but the house was bought by the Parsons brothers to assure its preservation. In 1903 the new owners “gave the Square House to the newly formed village of Rye as a municipal hall. . . and then the city until 1964.”7 Following 1964, the house has been used by the Rye Historical Society as a museum for the public to learn about their local colonial history. The location was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

Built during the first half of the 18th century, Widow Haviland’s Tavern (also known as Square House) served as an inn and tavern before the Mead family purchased it in the 19th century. While serving as an inn, the location hosted many famous figures in history. Since 1964 the tavern has been used as a museum to educate the public about local history by the Rye Historical Society.

Widow Haviland's Tavern [Square House]

In the early 1900s, Rye Beach was taken over by a chaotic mix of cheap hotels, bathhouses, food stands, and amusement parks. Residents of the area petitioned the Westchester County Park Commission to purchase the property on the shores of Long Island Sound and make needed changes to the area. The Commission obliged and purchased the property and demolished Rye Beach and Paradise Park, the original two amusement parks that stood there. The Commission hired Walker and Gillette, an award-winning firm, to design the Art Deco buildings of the park. Frank W. Darling, an architect, known as an old amusement man, had constructed many amusement parks in New Zealand, at the British Exposition in Wembley, and the Modern Art Exposition in Paris. While working at Coney Island as the President of the L.A. Thompson Scenic Railway Company, he was contacted by the Westchester County Park Commission to build and become Playland Amusement Park’s manager. Playland’s original 280-acre design included many attractions, such as picnic areas, restaurants, three ice-skating rinks, swimming pools, and two beaches, as well as amusement rides. This new amusement park was designed to be a three in one park. Playland Park was first created as a beach and swimming pool, second as an amusement park with rides, and third as a lake with a colonnaded boathouse. The design of the park made it the first planned amusement park in the country. There were murals on the buildings, dramatic lighting, and a music system that filled the whole park and played popular songs by Sousa, Wagner, and Berlin. The park was also one of the first parks to allow easy access by car. More than 1000 men began constructing Playland Amusement Park on September 6, 1927, and the park officially opened on May 26, 1928. Visitors to the park claimed that Playland’s recreation was one of the finest in the country. After opening, Darling continued to add big projects to the park, such as introducing an Olympic-size pool, more concessions along the boardwalk, picnic areas, an indoor ice skating rink, and a scenic railway. Playland still offers the original seven rides that go as far back as before 1930. These rides are The Grand Carousel, The Derby Racer, The Whip, The Kiddie Coaster, The Kiddie Carousel, Ye Olde Mill, and The Dragon Coaster. People came from all over to join in on the fun at Playland in circus acts, baby pageants, and even competitions to win a new car. The growth in attendance caused Playland to give themselves the name of “America’s Premier Playground.”Many renovations have taken place at Playland since its opening. In 2017, Playland teased the idea of filling the 90-year-old pool on the property and replacing it with a beachfront restaurant. After residents of the city disputed this idea due to its history, a Bond Act and a $9.6 million renovation plan were passed by the legislature to fund the purchase of new equipment, lighting, decks, and other renovations necessary throughout the park. More are still needed.Due to its unique Art Deco design and professionally designed landscape, it was added to the National Registry of Historic Places in 1987, as a National Historic Landmark, the highest designation for a historical site. The park served as inspiration for Walt Disney and others as a unique way to combine amusements and recreation in a park-like setting. Prices of admission are affordable for citizens of Westchester and non-citizens alike. Those who wish not to ride on coasters and live in Westchester get free admission; otherwise, it is $10.

The Westchester County Park Commission purchased the properties of Rye Beach and Paradise Park along the shores of Long Island Sound in 1927. They hired an award-winning firm, Walker and Gillette, to design the Art Deco architecture of a family-friendly park. Then Frank W. Darling, an architect of amusement parks all over the world, was hired by the Commission to build and operate Playland Amusement Park in Rye, New York. The park’s construction began on September 6, 1927, and the 280-acre park officially opened on May 26, 1928. The park is known as the first planned amusement park in the US and one of the first amusement parks easily accessible by car. The park is still open today and is operating 50 rides and attractions for the entire family, 7 of which have been open since before the 1930s.


Playland Amusement Park (1928-Present)

Designed in 1909 by architects Upjohn and Conable and landscape architects Brinley and Holbrook, the 63 acre property is made up of Rye Town Park (28.1 acres) and Oakland Beach (34.5 acres). Both located along the shore of the Long Island Sound in Rye, New York. Adjacent to the park and beach in the east is the well-known Playland Amusement Park, also a National Historic Landmark. The park area “sits approximately 15 feet above the beach level, grounded securely by a rubble stone foundation/retaining wall on the eastern side.”1 The defining landscape features of the park include s “stone walls, a terrace overlook, a stone bridge, light fixtures, staircases and ramps, pathways, trees, plantings, lawns, a small lake and Oakland Beach. There are 17 buildings and structures within the park. Of these, six are historically significant and contribute to the architectural integrity of the site.”2 The buildings and structures are for practical support, ranging from a “comfort station, to beach attendant booths to garages.”3 One of the most popular structures within the park is the bathing pavilion by the beach. “The bathing pavilion, completed in 1910, was the most spectacular feature of the park…. It was a playful interpretation of the Spanish Colonial, or Mission, style, intended to make a dramatic visual statement. Its twin stucco towers with their flaring red-tile roofs were visible for many miles on Long Island Sound and became a trademark for the park.”4 There are also four primary pedestrian entrances to the park, with a paved lot on the inland side of the main building for cars. On busy summer weekends, overflow is directed to parking areas on the lawns. These areas are known as Forrest Grove and Chester Grove. “The kidney shaped Crystal Lake is sited approximately in the center of the park and at the northernmost shore was a Music Hall pavilion.The building’s placement recalls the ideas Olmsted &amp; Vaux employed for their design of Prospect Park.”5 Unfortunately over the years the lake has been reduced to about one-third its former size and has since been renamed Duck Pond.  In addition to the famous Bathing Pavilion, “there are three other historic buildings and structures: a restaurant completed in 1910 by Upjohn &amp; Conable; the Spring House; and the 1925 Women’s Bath House.”6 All three of these locations have been updated and renovated over time, especially with the case of the restaurant. “Substantial work was done in 2000 to upgrade the restaurant facility, including a complete interior renovation, new clay tile roof, new outdoor dining terrace that successfully integrates the park level dining and the beach level dining.”7 Other structures around the park have also become more modern over time. Including garages, storage facilities, concession stands, a First Aid station, bathrooms, snack bar, lifeguard station, and admissions booths. These have all been renovated and modernized to ensure the best experience for park/beach patrons. “Today the extent of Rye Town Park and Oakland Beach remain much the same as when founded in 1909…. Through time, the park, beach, restaurant and bathing complex have remained loyal to their original purpose.”8 For those who wish to relax and be surrounded by nature on a hot summer day, there is perhaps no better place than Rye Town Park and Oakland Beach. “Rye Town Park is a heavily used and well-loved asset, not just for Rye but for the whole area.”9 The location was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.

Designed in 1909 by architects UpJohn and Conable and landscape architects Brinley and Holbrook, Rye Town Park and Oakland Beach were created during a period when Westchester was developing it's Long Island Sound beaches for recreational usage. The total 63 acre area serves as a popular spot to come experience some fun and relaxation at the historically known spot overlooking the Long Island Sound. 

Rye Town Park and Oakland Beach

In 1667 Timothy Knapp, a native of Watertown, Massachusetts, acquired land on present-day Rye Beach Avenue from Thomas Studwell. By 1670 Knapp had constructed a house on this property. At first, the two-story house consisted of one all-purpose room on the first floor and a bedroom on the second floor. Before the end of the 17th century Knapp expanded his home, adding a parlor to the first floor and a second bedroom to the second floor. The Knapp family sold the house to Ezekiel Halsted in 1749. The house would remain in the Halsted family until 1906. Ezekiel Halstead added a new kitchen and dining room to the house, and raised and extended its roof to cover the new rooms. This construction changed the structure into a saltbox house. Halsted also sided some of the exterior walls with fish-scale shingles. Following his death from a fall in 1757, Ezekiel Halstead was interred across the street from his house in Milton Cemetery. This cemetery was laid out in 1750 on land donated to the Town of Rye by Joseph Lyon. The oldest tombstone in the cemetery dates from 1732, and marks a grave that was likely moved to the cemetery from a family burial ground. The number of burials in Milton Cemetery declined during the middle of the 19th century following the establishment of nearby Greenwood Union Cemetery, and interments were prohibited in the cemetery in the early 20th century. Milton Cemetery is owned and maintained by the City of Rye, and contains the graves of many of Rye's early residents as well as a number of interesting tombstones. In 1906 the descendants of Ezekiel Halstead sold the Timothy Knapp House to Simeon Ford, who was the proprietor of the Grand Union Hotel in Manhattan. Ford's son Ellsworth and daughter Lauren resided at the house. The Fords planted a garden and built a greenhouse north of the house, and the vegetables and flowers grown on the property were shipped daily to the Grand Union Hotel by Ellsworth Ford. Lauren Ford was an artist, and some of her works are held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In 1969 Lauren Ford sold the Timothy Knapp House to the Taylor/Stigdon family, who had been renting the building since 1940. In 1992 the family sold the house, which had been added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, to the Rye Historical Society. The society embarked on a restoration project to return the building to its Colonial appearance. Today, the Timothy Knapp House is home to the archives of the Rye Historical Society.

The Timothy Knapp House is the oldest surviving dwelling in Westchester County.  Originally constructed about 1670 as a two-room dwelling, the house has been added on to several times, and took on its saltbox appearance in the middle of the 18th century.  In 1992 the Timothy Knapp House was acquired by the Rye Historical Society, which restored the structure to is Colonial appearance.  Across the street from the Knapp House is Milton Cemetery, a community burial ground that was laid out about 1750 by the Town of Rye.  Together, the house and the cemetery were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Timothy Knapp House and Milton Cemetery

Whitby Castle is located in the Boston Post Road Historic District. The home was completed in 1854 by William P. Chapman, who was a stock and commodity broker in New York City. Chapman had seen his neighbors Greek Revival houses so he hired architect, Alexander Jackson Davis to design him a home in the Gothic Revival style.Compared to the other houses in the Boston Post Road Historic District, Whitby is a stark contrast to the Greek Revival style seen in Lounsberry. To quote Gray Williams from his book Picturing our Past, "The house, completed in 1854, contrasted dramatically with the neoclassical mansions next to it. It was constructed of dark local stone, and its trim was painted in rich earth tones. Instead of a tall, pillared front entrance, it had a single-story, arched porte-cochère. Most conspicuously both its structure and its ornament were drawn from medieval England, not from Ancient Greece." Along with these aesthetic differences, Whitby was designed with a tall tower typical of the Gothic Revival style.In the 1870s Chapman sold the 40 acre Whitby estate to Joseph Park. By 1920, Whitby had been adapted as the City of Rye Golf Club. The Golf Club includes a Caretakers House, Pool House, golf cart garage, and a maintenance building.There are several examples of architect Alexander Jackson Davis works in Westchester County. In 1838, Davis designed Lyndhurst in Tarrytown for the Mayor of New York, William Paulding, also in the Gothic Revival style. Davis also worked in many other styles including classical and Italianate, and there are examples of his work throughout the United States.

Whitby Castle, located in Rye, New York, was completed in 1854. The home was originally built for William P. Chapman, who was a stock and commodity broker in New York City. Whitby was designed by noted 19th century architect, Alexander Jackson Davis. Whitby received its name after the ruined medieval abbey in North Yorkshire, England.

Whitby

The site of the Boston Post Road Historic District is the only National Historic Landmark District in Westchester. It has been historically significant since 8,000 BCE when the Wisconsin glacier receded from the area and exposed three knolls that formed the Long Island Sound. The glacial recession led to Paleo-Indian activity, as evidenced by Steatite vessel fragments and Vinette I pottery found during archaeological explorations of the area.European settlers first arrived in the Rye area in the 1600s, where they interacted with the Siwanoy people, who inhabited the land which they called Apwamis. Every autumn in the woods, the natives burnt portions of the woods to concentrate the local wildlife for hunting and foraging purpose, as the forests were flush with grapes, walnuts, chestnuts, oaks, and beech. The natives also hunted clam and oyster and left behind middens as evidence.Hunting and gathering in Apwamis ceased on November 8th, 1661, when John Budd purchased Apwamis at the price of 80 pounds sterling from Chief Shenorock and renamed the area Budd’s Neck. In 1669, Budd died and divided the land between his sons Joseph and John. In 1672, Richard Lounsberry purchased land on Budd’s Neck. The same year, King Charles II designated the Post Road, the first on the highway on continent. The road was originally constructed five rods wide in order to provide for efficient animal driving to the markets. In 1673, the road had its first post rider couriering mail between New York and Boston, and the recipient of the mail paid the postage on it depending on the distance traveled. In 1690, Lounsberry passed to Richard Lounsberry’s wife and eldest sons. Later in 1729, his grandson Isaac would inherit the land. By 1760, Lounsberry Farms was owned by Daniel Purdy, who passed it on to his son.Joseph Budd (son of original John Budd?), who was known as “Captain Budd,” obtained a patent for the land on Budd’s Neck in 1720. The land was inherited by his son John, who sold it on March 26th, 1745, to Peter Jay, who renamed it The Locusts. He and his family moved to the property in March of 1746 because he did wanted to protect his two children, blinded as a result of smallpox from “the dangers and confusions of the city life.” The Post Road had mile tombstone markers added in 1753 in a system devised by Ben Franklin. The 24th mile marker from New York City was placed right in front of the Jay House. Later, in 1772, the first stagecoach between New York and Boston ran along the post road.In 1776, due to British presence in the area, the Jay family evacuated The Locusts and fled to Fishkill, NY. Peter and Mary, however, would die before they were able to return to the Locusts. Peter Jay’s son, known as Blind Peter, inherited the property in 1783 and utilized it for farming and horse breeding. That same year, George Washington toured the Post Road on his inaugural tour, stating in his diary that the condition of the road was both “pretty good” and “very bad”.The 19th Century would bring the most change to the Boston Post Road Historic District. After Blind Peter’s death in 1813, John Jay inherited the property and had his eldest son administer it. Two years later in 1815, John Jay established the Jay Cemetery, which is the oldest functioning private cemetery in New York State. On September 16th, 1822, John Jay conveyed the property to Peter Augustus Jay; John would later die seven years later in 1829. In 1838, Peter Jay built the Greek Revival house that exists on the property today. The new home was renamed Alansten. In 1843, Peter Augustus Jay died and conveyed the property to Dr. John Clarkson Jay. In 1891, John Clarkson Jay died, with his family electing to rent out the Jay House until they later sold it in 1904 for $300,000.In 1831, Edward Lamb Parsons purchased the neighboring Lounsberry Farms for a sum of $5,500. In 1836 Parsons enlarged an existing house into a high style Greek Revival home. A year after completion, Edward died suddenly on his return from a business trip in England. Lounsbury has remained in the Parsons family almost without interruption to the present day. In 1854, Whitby was built by William Chapman in a Gothic Revival design made by the notable architect Alexander Jackson Davis. Chapman held the property until the 1870s when it was sold to Joseph Park, the co-founder of Park &amp; Tilford Grocers. In 1920, Whitby was sold, and the house was incorporated into the private Rye Country Club. In 1965, Rye Country Club and Whitby were acquired by the City of Rye and converted into a public golf course which is still in use today.After purchasing the Jay estate in 1906, Warner Van Norden added a Carriage House and a barn for zebras on the property. He also imported rare Grevey Zebras. He sold Jay Estate in 1911 to Edgar Palmer who conveyed the estate to his daughter, Zilph Devereux. In 1966 and 1967, Zilph Devereux donated the Jay Estate and 23 acres of land around it to the United Methodist Church on the condition that they are not to be developed. She gave an additional 120 acres to Westchester County for conservation efforts, which is now the Marshlands Conservancy. The remaining 14 acres of her land was sold to developers, which turned into 22 residencies. In 1973 the fate of the Jay Estate was in question when Diane Millstein’s development company acquired it and sparked an effort to save the estate from redevelopment. This effort resulted in The Boston Post Road Historic District being listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Despite this, Millstein’s development company purchased Jay Estate for $1.075 million in 1983. After many negotiations, Westchester County purchased the Jay Property for $11.5 million in 1992, creating the Jay Heritage Center which included the Jay House, the Carriage House, and one and a half acres of land.In 1987, Fanny Parsons donated Lounsberry to the city of Rye on her death, but the city was unable to find a non-profit willing to manage the property, so they sold it David Parsons the grandson of Edward Parsons. In 1993, the Boston Post Road Historic District designation was elevated to a National Historic Landmark, which is given to the most important historic sites in the United States.  This entry was revised by Dylan Pirone on Sept. 30th, 2021

The only National Historic Landmark District in Westchester County, the Boston Post Road Historic District includes three 19th-century mansions (Jay Heritage Center, Lounsbury and Whitby) and Marshlands Conservancy. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, it was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1993.

Boston Post Road Historic District

The Jay Heritage Center (JHC) in Rye, New York, dedicated to one of America’s Founding Fathers, is managed by an non profit organization that was incorporated in 1990. The JHC serves as the steward of the 23-acre Jay Estate, home to John Jay, the first Chief Justice and second Governor of New York, for the first 15 years of his life. A part of the Boston Road Historical District, the site is considered to be the cornerstone of the historic district.  After purchasing the property in Rye, Peter Jay, the father of John Jay, built the house in 1745. Son John Jay, living in Bedford at the time, inherited the house from his brother Peter Jr., in 1810. Peter Augustus Jay, the eldest son of John, would then inherit the property. He proceeded to tear down the original house and build the current mansion as his summer home at a cost of $14,700 in 1836-38. It was an impressive home that was symbolic of the owners increasing wealth and power. In 1904, the property would leave the Jay family's possession. The land would be bought and sold numerous times. Beginning in 1979, threats of development left the property's future unknown. Among the plans discussed was one that called for razing everything to make way for 32 new houses. Another proposal envisioned keeping the historic buildings intact and erecting 66 condominiums. In 1986, the Jay Coalition, a precursor to the Jay Heritage Center, was born. Aided by government officials, they forged an agreement to buy and save the site. Today, 21.5 acres are held jointly as protected parkland by the state and Westchester County, while 1.5 acres and the historic buildings are owned by the Center, which has stewardship over the full property. The Jay Heritage Center is also responsible for historic preservation, environmental stewardship, archaeology, archives, and research of the area. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, it would later be elevated to the status of a National Historic Landmark in 1993.

The Jay Heritage Center is a non-profit group dedicated to preserving the memory and childhood home of John Jay, a Founding Father, in Rye, New York.

From Jay’s birth in 1745, until he enrolled at King’s College at 15, his home in Rye served as the catalyst for his later success in politics and law, notably serving as the first Chief Justice and second Governor of New York.

The Jay Heritage Center is also responsible for historic preservation, environmental stewardship, archaeology, archives, and research.

Regarded as the centerpiece of the Boston Road Historical District, it joined its other historical locations within the district when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. The District would then be elevated to the status of a National Historic Landmark in 1993.

A Brief History of Rye, NY