Mahopac, New York

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Mahopac, New York is a hamlet (and census-designated place) in the Town of Carmel in Putnam County, New York. Mahopac is located on US Route 6 by Lake Mahopac.

Mahopac is situated just 35 miles north of The Bronx borough of New York City. As of the 2000 census, the population was 8,478. Mahopac and Mahopac Falls played an exciting role in the history of Putnam County. Lake Mahopac (Algonquin word for 'the Big Pond') was originally settled by the Wappani Indians (aka Wappingers Indians), one of the Algonquin tribes. Mahopac is rapidly increasing in population due to the high growth of the New York City area. Many residents decide to move out into suburbs like Mahopac, making the town crowded. On some days route 6 which goes directly through Mahopac can take what would be a 5 minute drive 30 minutes due to traffic.

The Town of Carmel and the rest of present-day Putnam County were obtained by Adolph Philipse, an Englishman, in 1697 (probably sold relatively cheaply). During the French and Indian War the resident Wappinger tribe traveled north to Massachusetts to fight for the British.

After an appeal to the British government for return of the land was denied, the Wappingers surrendered the Lake Mahopac area. After the war, more farmers and their families migrated to Mahopac from as far away as Cape Cod and rented land from the Philipse family. Wheelwrights and blacksmiths set up shops to assist the tenant farmers.

During the American Revolution, George Washington reportedly spent time at Captain John Crane's Inn (a commemorative marker has been placed on Route 6). A statue of Sybil Ludington, whose historic 40-mile ride to warn Colonial soldiers of advancing British troops, stands on the shore of Lake Gleneida, in the hamlet of Carmel. When the war ended, the Philipse family, loyal to the British, lost their land which was then resold to the farmers by New York State.

Putnam County was incorporated in 1812, and the area grew steadily afterward. Mahopac became a booming summer resort community in the mid-1800s. The New York Central Railroad brought vacationers north from New York City to Croton Falls where stagecoaches then drove them to Lake Mahopac. Italian and Irish immigrants helped build the railroad decided to build their homes in the community as well. Mahopac remained primarily a summer resort until World War II when nearby highways such as the Taconic State and Saw Mill River Parkways replaced the need for rail travel (which eventually ceased in 1954).

Since then, Mahopac has developed into an upper middle-class residential community with most people living in it year-round. It is a developing suburb of New York City. Mahopac Falls originated around a large grist mill which drew its power from the fast-running stream flowing form Kirk Lake and Lake Mahopac, near the present-day intersection of Route 6N, Hill Street, and Myrtle Avenue. At the time, the mill was the largest building in the entire county. Early colonists included tenant farmers renting from the Philipse family. Since all of the buildings in the area were painted red, the area was originally called 'Red Mills'.

Today, although the mill is gone, one of its original millstones forms a part of the front steps of the Red Mills Brach of Mahopac National Bank. During the Revolution, the mill provided vital food to hungry American patriots, and although Red Mills was not a battleground during the war, it was situated between major camps. For many years after the Revolution, Mahopac Falls remained an agricultural region. The transition to more suburban housing did not begin until the mid-1900s.

Mahopac has a new state of the art 33,000 square foot library. It features multiple reading rooms overlooking Lake Mahopac, abundant computers, law library and conference rooms.

Frank Lloyd Wright designed a home on Petre Island in Lake Mahopac which can be accessed only by boats and can be seen from many parts of the town.

As Carmel is the seat of Putnam County, it became the center of commerce in the region and took on more of a business character as a result. The Carmel Historical Society Museum in the Old Town Hall on McAlpin Avenue in Mahopac features many fascinating area artifacts.

The proper pronunciation of the town's name is "muh-HOE-pack," however the mispronunciation "MAY-oh-pack" has become prevalent. A referendum on the topic was taken in the 1990's[citation needed], and the vote split almost evenly. "MAY-oh-pack," although technically incorrect according to historians, is the more common pronunciation.

The largest population center in the township, Mahopac is the seat of the Carmel Town Hall, while the hamlet of Carmel is the seat of the county government. There are post offices for both Mahopac (10541) and Mahopac Falls (10542).

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[edit] Geography

Mahopac is located at 41°22′11″N, 73°44′15″W (41.369657, -73.737463)GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the community has a total area of 16.7 km² (6.4 mi²). 13.7 km² (5.3 mi²) of it is land and 2.9 km² (1.1 mi²) of it (17.57%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 8,478 people, 2,922 households, and 2,258 families residing in the hamlet. The population density was 617.6/km² (1,600.7/mi²). There were 3,099 housing units at an average density of 225.8/km² (585.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 90.2%White, 1.1% African American, 0.15% Native American, 1.21% Asian, 1.92% from other races, and 1.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.7% of the population.

There were 2,922 households out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.6% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.7% were non-families. 17.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.6% 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 3.28.

In the hamlet the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.

The median income for a household in the community was $70,172, and the median income for a family was $78,091. Males had a median income of $52,315 versus $36,419 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $29,245. About 1.3% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.8% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Mahopac Central School District

The outstanding Mahopac Central School District is divided into six schools: an all-kindergarten facility (the Falls School), three 1-5 schools (Lakeview, Fulmar Road, and Austin Road), a Middle School (Mahopac MS) and a High School (Mahopac HS). The high school has a proud tradition both academically and athletically. The "Indians" have won several New York State Championships and boast especially strong legacies in wrestling, gymnastics, baseball, and lacrosse.

The gymnastics and baseball teams in particular, boast two of the all-time winningest coaches (Vin Collins and Frank Meile) in state history. The wrestling program has produced two individual state champions (John Degl and Joe Mazzurco). The lacrosse program, which has produced some of the finest players in state history (Merrill Turnbull, Ryan McClay, Billy Schell, etc.) beat perrenial state powerhouse West Genesee in 1996 to capture it's first state crown. The football team takes part in one of the state's fiercest rivalries every year versus the neighboring Carmel High School Rams.

[edit] Revolutionary War

No battles were fought in Mahopac, but it was strategically important due to its location. It was on one of the main roads between places where troops were stationed. For a time, there was a large army camp near Patterson. Other troops were guarding the crossings over the Croton River, especially at Pines Bridge near Yorktown. There were men in Danbury, Connecticut, and at West Point. A large camp of colonial soldiers was located in Continental Village, near the Hudson River.

Troops moving between these different camps traveled on roads that led through our town. Soldiers were stationed in Mahopac Falls to guard the Red Mills. It was being used to grind grain for the Revolutionary soldiers. Large amounts of grain and flour were stored here. The troops had to make sure that the mill was not attacked and that the grain was not stolen for the use of the British army.

[edit] Famous Residents

Some celebrities and/or their families have lived in Mahopac. Among those who reside(d) here:

  • Several members of the rock band, The B-52s
  • The parents and actor Henry Winkler
  • Former Seattle Mariners' pitcher, David Anthony Fleming
  • The parents of Ross Kauffman, who won the Best Documentary Feature Oscar in 2005 for the documentary Born Into Brothels
  • New York Yankees manager, Joe Torre
  • Olympic Ice Skater, Oksana Baiul
  • Author of "The Futurist", James P. Othmer
  • Boxing Announcer, Brad Berkwitt
  • Sports Writer Jeff Pearlman author of the infamous John Rocker interview and author of The Bad Guys Won a biography of the 1986 New York Mets as well as the 2006 publication of Love Me, Hate Me an unauthorized biography of Barry Bonds

[edit] External links


 v • d • e 
Municipalities and Communities of Putnam County, New York
County Seat: Carmel
Towns

Carmel | Kent | Patterson | Philipstown | Putnam Valley | Southeast
Villages

Brewster | Cold Spring | Nelsonville
Communities and CDPs

Brewster Hill | Carmel | Garrison | Lake Carmel | Mahopac | Peach Lake | Putnam Lake
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