A Brief History of White Plains, New York – Sewing Machines Los Angeles

There is a lot more to White Plains, New York than many people realize, and the city is much older than most people realize. With so much history, it is no wonder that people visiting New York, always make a stop on White Plains to see the various sights. The Declaration of Independence in 1776 found its way to W.P when the area was occupied by the Weckquaeskeck tribe that lived on the land; they call this home Quarropa, which means White Plains because of the fog that hung around.

It was in 1778 that White Plains was made the county seat of Westchester and then in 1866 W.P was incorporated as a village and finally a city in 1916. The population via the United States Census in 1790 listed White Plains as having 505 residents, but the total population of New York at the time was just 33,000. The city continued to grow with the New York Central Railroad development.

White Plains during the early part of the 20th century developed a very progressive suburban downtown shopping district. Many famous New York stores opened stores in the downtown area of W.P because of the developed area that drew in shoppers by the hundreds. Many of the old buildings in the city still stand as landmarks and to mark the history of the city that many other cities surrounding it did not enjoy.

Later, in the 1960s, White Plains began a massive urban renewal for commercial and residential that basically demolished the entire area from Bronx River Parkway to Mamaroneck Avenue. The urban renewal in 1978 focused building the Westchester County Courthouse and the Galleria Mall, plus several high-tower office buildings. Retail locations and even smaller commercial buildings were also built in the 1970s, with the largest building at the time being the Westchester One building, which contained many offices.

Because of the massive growth and renewal, many of the bigger corporations in New York City move to White Plains, which includes General Foods, IMB, PepsiCo, Nestle, and Heineken. While many of these businesses have since relocated elsewhere, the city remains a high attraction to many corporations because of the existence of prestige and old money that has been in the city for generations. The Westchester Arts Council building is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. Because of the old and modern living side-by-side in the city, the city has the ability to attract a very urban crowd.

From its humble beginnings, W.P has grown up to be a very modern and urban city that many businesses flock to in an effort to stand out from the crowd and draw a new customer base. There are several types of cuisine in the region along with a very diverse cultural base. Today, on Main Street, where Macy’s once stood is the City Center White Plains complex, which features office space, restaurants, and apartments making it the perfect place for both residents and businesses alike.