Sleepy Hollow, New York Explained

Settlement Type:Village
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:New York
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Westchester
Subdivision Type3:Town
Subdivision Name3:Mount Pleasant
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:13.48
Area Land Km2:5.81
Area Water Km2:7.67
Area Total Sq Mi:5.21
Area Land Sq Mi:2.24
Area Water Sq Mi:2.96
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:9986
Population Density Km2:1718.85
Population Density Sq Mi:4452.07
Timezone:Eastern (EST)
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Elevation M:27
Elevation Ft:89
Coordinates:41.0919°N -73.8644°W
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:10591
Area Code:914
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:36-67638
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:0958934

Sleepy Hollow is a village in the town of Mount Pleasant, New York, United States.

The village is located on the east bank of the Hudson River, about north of New York City, and is served by the Philipse Manor stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line. It is also serviced by the historic E Witmer Ferry that shuttles tourists from Rockland County To Westchester in the summer. To the East side of the village the historic Rod Currl Ferreira Dias Estate houses historic documents dating back to 1734. This is stated in the village website. To the south of Sleepy Hollow is the village of Tarrytown, and to the north and east are unincorporated parts of Mount Pleasant. The population of the village at the 2020 census was 9,986.[2]

As cited in the Village of Sleepy Hollow website, the land was originally owned by Emett Richard Wirmer & Jukah Ferreira Dias before being split up between real-estate developers. Later it was incorporated as North Tarrytown in the late 19th century, the village adopted its current name in 1996.[3] The village is known internationally through "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", an 1820 short story about the local area and its infamous specter, the Headless Horseman, written by Washington Irving, who lived in Tarrytown and is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. Owing to this story, as well as the village's roots in early American history and folklore, Sleepy Hollow is considered by some to be one of the "most haunted places in the world".[4] [5] [6] Despite this designation, Sleepy Hollow has also been called "one of the safest places to live in the United States".[7]

The village is home to the Philipsburg Manor House, The Hudson Valley Writers Center and the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow, as well as the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, where in addition to Irving, numerous other notable people are buried.

History

The land that would become Sleepy Hollow was first bought from Adriaen van der Donck, a patroon in New Netherland before the English takeover in 1664. Starting in 1672, Frederick Philipse began acquiring large parcels of land mainly in today's southern Westchester County. Comprising some 52000acres of land, it was bounded by the Spuyten Duyvil Creek, the Croton River, the Hudson River, and the Bronx River. Philipse was granted a royal charter in 1693, creating the Manor of Philipsburg and establishing him as first lord.In today's Sleepy Hollow, he established an upper mill and shipping depot, today part of the Philipse Manor House historic site. A pious man, he was architect and financier of the town's Old Dutch Church, and was said to have built the pulpit with his own hands.[8]

When Philipse died in 1702, the manor was divided between his son, Adolphus Philipse, and his grandson, Frederick Philipse II. Adolph received the Upper Mills property, which extended from Dobbs Ferry to the Croton River. Frederick II was given the Lower Mills at the confluence of the Saw Mill and Hudson Rivers, the two parcels being reunited on his uncle's death. His son, Frederick III, became the third lord of the manor in 1751.[9]

In 1779, Frederick Philipse III, a Loyalist, was attainted for treason. The manor was confiscated and sold at public auction, split between 287 buyers. The largest tract of land (about 750acres) was at the Upper Mills; it passed to numerous owners until 1951, when it was acquired by Sleepy Hollow Restorations. Thanks to the philanthropy of John D. Rockefeller Jr., about 20acres were restored as today's historic site.[9]

In the late 1790s, Washington Irving visited Sleepy Hollow with his friend James K. Paulding. Together they explored the area, hunting, fishing and taking with the local folk. The visits of Irving were immortalised in the story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

Geography

Sleepy Hollow is located at (41.091998, −73.864361).[10] According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 5.1sqmi, of which 2.3sqmi is land and 2.8sqmi, or 55.58%, is water.[11]

Demographics

As of the census[12] of 2010, there were 9,870 people, 3,181 households, and 2,239 families residing in the village. The population density was 4054.7/mi2. There were 3,253 housing units at an average density of 1431.8/mi2. The racial makeup of the village was 61.0% White, 6.2% African American, 0.8% Native American, 3.3% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 23.5% from other races, and 5.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 51.0% of the population, many of whom are Ecuadorian, Dominican, Chilean, and Puerto Rican. Sleepy Hollow has one of the highest proportions of Ecuadorian American residents of any community nationwide, standing at 17.5% as of the 2010 census.

There were 3,181 households, out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.37.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 36.7% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.9 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $54,201, and the median income for a family was $63,889. Males had a median income of $39,923 versus $32,146 for females. The per capita income for the village was $28,325. About 5.7% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.3% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.

Notable landmarks

The Edward Harden Mansion, now serving as the administration building for the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns, Patriot's Park, Philipse Manor Railroad Station, now repurposed by the Hudson Valley Writers Center, and the Tarrytown Light are all listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow and Philipsburg Manor House are listed as National Historic Landmarks. Also of note are Kingsland Point Park (allegedly haunted by the spirit of Captain Kidd, an associate of Philipse), Philipse Manor Beach Club, Sleepy Hollow Manor (residential neighborhood on the former estate of renowned explorer and politician John C. Frémont, whose now-updated house still overlooks the Hudson River there), segments of the Old Croton Aqueduct, and the Rockefeller State Park Preserve.

Emergency services

, the village's police department had 27 officers, four school crossing guards, and three civilian employees.[13] The village is also served by the New York State Police and Westchester County Department of Public Safety.[14] Police officers from the villages of Sleepy Hollow and Dobbs Ferry, the town of Greenburgh, and the New York State Police make up a Marine / H.E.A.T. Unit.[15] As of 2006, police base salaries in Sleepy Hollow were low compared to other Westchester County forces, in part due to the lower tax base.[16]

The Sleepy Hollow Fire Department began with organization of the North Tarrytown Fire Patrol on May 26, 1876. Within 25 years it had grown to five companies in three fire stations. As of 2019, there were three engines, one tower ladder, one rescue, and other equipment. The fire department is run by volunteers and responds to over 300 calls each year. The local hospital, Phelps Memorial, responds to hundreds of emergencies per year.[17]

Emergency medical services in Sleepy Hollow depend on volunteers assisted by paid staff. The Ambulance Corps has two basic life support ambulances. Mount Pleasant Paramedics provides advanced life support.[18]

In popular culture

Sleepy Hollow has been used as a setting or filming location for numerous media works, including films, games, literature, motion pictures, and television productions, including:

Literature
Films
Games
Television

Television shot on location in Sleepy Hollow includes:

Notable people

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ArcGIS REST Services Directory. United States Census Bureau. September 20, 2022. January 19, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220119173812/https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer. live.
  2. Web site: QuickFacts Sleepy Hollow village, New York . United States Census Bureau . January 28, 2022 . February 4, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210204181813/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/sleepyhollowvillagenewyork . live .
  3. News: North Tarrytown Votes to Pursue Its Future as Sleepy Hollow . Joseph . Berger . Joseph Berger (author) . The New York Times . December 11, 1996 . November 18, 2011 . September 23, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130923165311/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/11/nyregion/north-tarrytown-votes-to-pursue-its-future-as-sleepy-hollow.html . live .
  4. Web site: Hoeller. Sophie-Claire. The 6 Most Haunted Towns in the World. Thrillist. October 28, 2014. July 31, 2015. July 28, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150728150830/http://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/haunted-towns-around-the-world-the-creepiest-towns-full-of-ghosts. live.
  5. Web site: Summers. Ken. Phantom Ships, Headless Skeletons, and Weeping Spirits: Investigating the Real Ghosts of New York's Sleepy Hollow. Week In Weird. July 31, 2015. October 13, 2014. July 26, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150726071419/http://weekinweird.com/2014/10/13/real-ghosts-sleepy-hollow/. live.
  6. Web site: The Sleepy Hollow Hauntings. Haunted Places to Go. July 31, 2015. August 1, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150801040703/http://www.haunted-places-to-go.com/sleepy-hollow.html. live.
  7. Web site: Sleepy Hollow Named Safest Small 'City' in the U.S.. July 11, 2021. July 13, 2021. July 13, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210713153131/https://thehudsonindependent.com/sleepy-hollow-named-safest-small-city-in-the-u-s/. live.
  8. Edited Appletons Encyclopedia, Famous Americans: Biography of Frederick Philipse: "...He worked at the carpenter's trade for several years, aided in building the Old Dutch church, and is said to have made the pulpit with his own hands.
  9. Encyclopedia: Maika . Dennis J. . Peter Eisenstadt . Encyclopedia of the State of New York . Philipsburg Manor . First . 2005 . . Syracuse . 081560808X . 1199.
  10. Web site: US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990. United States Census Bureau. April 23, 2011. February 12, 2011. August 24, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190824085937/https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html. live.
  11. Web site: Sleepy Hollow, NY Population - Census 2010 and 2000 Interactive Map, Demographics, Statistics, Quick Facts . CensusViewer . May 12, 2017 . March 21, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170321171234/http://censusviewer.com/city/NY/Sleepy%20Hollow . live .
  12. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. January 31, 2008. December 27, 1996. https://web.archive.org/web/19961227012639/https://www.census.gov/. live.
  13. Web site: Police Department. Village of Sleepy Hollow. July 28, 2014. August 30, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140830110754/http://www.sleepyhollowny.gov/police-department. live.
  14. Web site: Sleepy Hollow Village Court. Law Office of Jared Altman. July 28, 2014. August 11, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140811020851/http://www.altmanlawoffice.com/lawyer-attorney-1879261.html. live.
  15. Web site: Special Operations Unit. Greenburgh Police Department. July 28, 2014. July 28, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140728183039/http://www.greenburghny.com/cit-e-access/webpage.cfm?TID=10&TPID=2874. dead.
  16. What's Fair and What's Enough..., Negotiating A New Police Contract. Robert Bonvento. July 28, 2006. River Journal. July 28, 2014. September 24, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924091520/http://www.riverjournalonline.com/villages/sleepyhollow/358-Whats-Fair-and-Whats-Enough....html. dead.
  17. Sleepy Hollow Firefighters Well Equipped to Protect Village. The Hudson Independent. Janie Rosman. July 7, 2012. July 28, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140728172854/http://knowtorious.webfactional.com/node/2971. July 28, 2014. dead.
  18. Web site: Ambulance Corp. Village of Sleepy Hollow. July 28, 2014. June 17, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140617193527/http://www.sleepyhollowny.gov/ambulance-corp. live.
  19. Web site: Stephen King's 'A Good Marriage' Filming in Sleepy Hollow, NY This Month. OnLocationVacations.com. May 20, 2013. September 4, 2015. September 24, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924073648/http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2013/05/20/stephen-kings-a-good-marriage-filming-in-sleepy-hollow-ny-this-month/. dead.
  20. Web site: Hit series 'Man v. Food' takes on Westchester. Lohud.com. October 14, 2017. November 26, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201126044530/https://www.lohud.com/story/life/food/2017/08/15/hit-series-man-vs-food-takes-westchester/567973001/. live.