A mecca for cultural and outdoor enthusiasts, Katonah, with a population of approximately 10,000, is one of three hamlets located within the Town of Bedford. A cluster of more than 30 magnificent Victorians and Colonials along Bedford Road and an archetypical Main Street without a single retail chain provide a warm welcome to visitors and residents. A region of lakes and woodlands, meadows and rolling hills, horse farms and expansive estates, Katonah is a close-knit community with an award-winning school district, fine dining establishments, an excellent library and cultural attractions that include The Katonah Museum of Art, Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, and the historic John Jay homestead, which attract visitors from across the New York metropolitan area.
HISTORY
Dating back to 1860 when the first English settlers purchased 40 square miles that now comprise the Town of Bedford from Chief Katonah of the Kitchewonk tribe, the area remained essentially farmland and mills for more than 150 years. The New York and Harlem Railroad reached the hamlet in 1847, attracting businesses to the area while providing the opportunity to send perishable dairy and produce to New York City. In 1895, in order to bolster the City’s water supply, area rivers were damned and the New Cross River Reservoir was created. Inhabitants literally picked up their houses and moved them about a mile over the Cross River to avoid the flooding that washed away the existing hamlet. The transplanted neighborhood was named a National Historic District in 1983.
GOVERNMENT
Katonah resides within the Town of Bedford, which covers 39.3 square miles. It is governed by:
* A Town Supervisor, elected for a two-year term, who also serves as the town’s chief fiscal officer and chief executive officer.
* A Deputy Supervisor is appointed by the board.
* Four Town Board members are elected to four-year terms.
PUBLIC SERVICE
* Bedford Police Department: Chief of police and 45 officers.
* Katonah Fire Department; Katonah-Bedford Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
* Katonah Village Library with over 70,000 books, videos, DVDs, etc., Internet access and a wide range of programs for adults and children is also home to the Katonah Historical Museum.
* US Post Office.
* Hospitals: Northern Westchester Hospital in Mt. Kisco and the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla .
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
* Metro North Harlem Line – 63-minute express service to Grand Central Station.
* County-wide bus service.
* Access to major roadways – Interstate 684, Saw Mill River Parkway; Taconic Parkway, Interstate 84, the New York State and Connecticut Thruways.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
* The Katonah-Lewisboro school district is one of Westchester’s finest public education systems, a primary reason that people choose to live here.
* More than 95% of graduating high school seniors go on to higher education. Average SAT scores are: 560 verbal, 590 math.
* Approximately 4100 students attend John Jay High School and Middle School, and the district’s four elementary schools: Increase Miller, Lewisboro, Katonah and Meadow Pond.
* Special Programs: An abundance of special programs cover such varied interests as the arts, language, politics, nature, community service, science, book clubs, much more.
* Membership in the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) provides for full complement of special education and vocational/technical programs. There is also an Alternative High School Program.
* Interscholastic sports plus extensive boy’s and girl’s varsity sports programs cover a broad range of activities.
* In the district there are 318 teachers supported by a staff of 368. Average class size throughout the system ranges from 20-25 students.
PARKS AND RECREATION
The Bedford Recreation and Parks Department is dedicated to providing a diverse array of programs and activities.
* Three town parks with tennis courts, playgrounds, picnic and swimming pool facilities, plus two passive parks for quiet recreation.
* Two county parks: Ward Pound Ridge Reservation with 4000 acres of wilderness, 50 miles of hiking and cross country skiing trails and a trailside Nature Museum, and Muscoot Farm, a working farm, with animals, nature trails and turn-of-the century exhibits.
* Excellent fishing in lakes, streams and reservoirs.
* Summer entertainment series and holiday events.
* Four private country clubs, Bedford Golf & Tennis, Glen Arbor Golf Club, Mt. Kisco Country Club, Waccabuc Country Club.
* Youth sports programs include: baseball, basketball, girl’s softball, lacrosse and soccer.
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