Wykagyl, New York

Wykagyl is a suburban community located within the borders of the city of New Rochelle, New York. Wykagyl consists primarily of sprawling, residential neighborhoods and large "period" homes. Architectural styles include Elizabethan and Cotswold Tudors, Mediterranean-style villas, and classic colonials. [cite book|author=Robert Merrill|year=1981|title=New Rochelle: Portrait of A City|publisher=Abbeville Press|id=ISBN 0896591867|pages=6–11] At the center of the community is an 18 hole golf course and country club as well as a small business district of retail stores, condominium developments, and houses of worship.

The area's unusual name is commonly believed to have originated through the combination of two Native American words: "wigwos," meaning "birch bark," and "keag," meaning "country." The name most likely resulted from the shortening of the name of an Algonquin tribe of Native Americans who originally inhabited the area. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE0DF1439F934A25752C0A965958260 NY Times] ]

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 14,192 people, 4,861 households, and 4,031 families residing in the Wykagyl zip-code area. There were 4,987 housing units, 95% of which were owner occupied. The racial makeup of Wykagyl was 88% White, 7% Black or African American, 0.06% Native American, 4% Asian, and 2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3% of the population.

There were 4,861 households out of which 2,002 had children under the age of 18 living with them. 3,689 were married couples living together, 224 had a female householder with no husband present, and 828 were non-families. 490 households constituted someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average family size was 3.3 people.

In the Wykagyl zip-code area, the population was spread out with 27% under the age of 18, 11% from 18 to 24, 11% from 18 to 34, 44% from 35 to 64, and 17% who were 65 years of age or older. 4,104 residents of Wykagyl were enrolled in school, with 16% (658) in pre-school or kindergarten, 1,857 (40%) in elementary school, 909 (22%) in high school, and 680 (17%) in college or graduate school. 85% of the population completed college or higher, with 42% attaining a graduate degree or higher.

About 2% of the population was below the poverty line, including 2% of those under age 18 and 1% of those age 65 or over. The total civilian labor force was 7,001 residents, out of which 6,884 (97.8%) were employed. The median income for a household in Wykagyl is $165,154, and the median income for a family is $199,061. 3,001 households (62%) earned $100,000 or more, with 1,970 (41%) earning in excess of $150,000 annually.

Education

Public

The area is served by the City School District of New Rochelle, which operates a public high school, two junior high schools, and ten elementary schools. Located within Wykagyl are:

* Albert Leonard Middle School - grades 6 through 8
* William B. Ward Elementary School - grades pre-k through 5

Private

Several private primary and secondary schools are located within the Wykagyl area, including:

* Iona Grammar School - grades 1 through 8
* Iona Prep - grades 9 through 12
* The Ursuline School - grades 6 through 12
* Hudson Montessori School - grades pre-k through 2

Points of interest

* Several sites in Wykagyl commemorate the life of Thomas Paine, American pamphleteer and Revolutionary War hero, including his home, his burial site, and a museum. Paine's home, the Thomas Paine Cottage, was built in 1793 after a fire destroyed the previous home. The cottage was moved to its current location, which is on land that was part of the convert|300|acre|ha|adj=on farm owned by Paine. The house, which is a National Historic Landmark, is currently operated as a museum.cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1255&ResourceType=Building
title=Thomas Paine Cottage|date=2007-09-11|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service] citation|title=PDFlink| [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/72000920.pdf National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Thomas Paine Cottage] |311 KB|author=Charles W. Snell|date=April 24, 1972|publisher=National Park Service and PDFlink| [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Photos/72000920.pdf Accompanying 2 photos, exterior, from 1971.] |1.08 MB] The Thomas Paine Memorial Building, which houses the library and museum collection of the Thomas Paine National Historical Association, [cite web|url=http://www.thomaspaine.org/Museum.htm|title=Museum|publisher=Thomas Paine National Historical Association|accessdate=2008-01-08] was built in 1925. [ [http://www.thomaspaine.org/Museum.htm Museum ] ] [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/11/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/11wepain.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1 Founding Father Seeks Common Sense - New York Times ] ] [ [http://morristown.org/tompaine.htm PHOTOS of STATUES of TOM PAINE and some of his writings - tompaine.htm ] ]

* The Brewster Schoolhouse, one of the oldest structural relics in Westchester County, dates back to the 18th century, and is a mere 15 by 20 feet in dimensions.

* Artist Norman Rockwell's studio, in which he lived for years and created much of his iconic "Saturday Evening Post" work, is in Wykagyl.

* St. John's Wilmot Church is a historic Episcopal parish located in the northern end of the City at the intersection of North Avenue and Wilmot Road, formerly referred to as "Cooper's Corner."

Parks and recreation

* Wykagyl Country Club is a private facility that has hosted Ladies Professional Golf Association tournaments.

* Ward Acres is a combination of untouched forest, wild lawns and meadows, acres of hiking and exercise trails, and historic horse stables and cemeteries. It encompasses convert|62|acre|ha, with the forests divided into four main sections (North Woods, Northwest Woods, Central Woods, and Southeast Woods), each distinct in both general characteristics and species presence. [http://www.newrochelleny.com/WardAcresNRMPFinal.pdf]

* The Leatherstocking Trail is a convert|2|mi|km long, inter-municipal hiking trail situated between New Rochelle and Mamaroneck, eventually linking into Saxon Woods County Park. It is part of a larger "Colonial Greenway Trail" in which it connects to Twin Lakes/Nature Study and Saxon Woods parks. [http://www.westchestergov.com/planning/Design/ColonialGreenway11x17.pdf]

* Sheldrake Lake, which formerly served as a reservoir supplying the area's drinking water, is now a 60-acre park and nature conservancy promoting an increased understanding of the local ecology.

* Twin Lakes Park and the adjacent Nature Study Woods together comprise convert|220|acre|ha of woods, marsh, lakes, ponds, and some fields along the Hutchinson River. There are many foot trails weaving through woods, marshlands, and fields and around two large lakes. [http://www.hras.org/wtobird/twinlakes.html]

Wykagyl in film

* The movie Catch Me If You Can is based on the life of Frank Abagnale Jr., who grew up in New Rochelle in the 1960's. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9400E3D6103FF936A35752C0A9659C8B63] In the film, the Abagnale family resides in Wykagyl and Frank Abagnale Senior is head of the New Rochelle Rotary Club.

* Scenes in "Goodfellas" were filmed on Alfred Lane, off Quaker Ridge Road and down the street from Albert Leonard Middle School. The house of the parents of Henry Hill's eventual wife, Karen, is on Alfred Lane. Henry goes across the street and pistol whips the neighbor after the neighbor sexually attacks Karen. The scene where Karen is on a pay phone calling Henry and crying about her next-door neighbor bothering her was filmed in the parking lot next to Wykagyl Country Club. [ [http://www.inthe80s.com/movielocations/g.shtml] ]

References