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 Originally
home to the Siwanoy and Kitchawong Indians (Mohican tribes, a
subgroup of the Algonquians), the town takes its name from a tribal
"pound" or enclosure for game that was on one of the
area's many "ridges". The Indians led a relatively
peaceful life of planting, hunting, and fishing. Pound Ridge was
originally settled in 1640's as part of a tract of land purchased
from local Indians by Captain Nathanial Turner, and it was
officially incorporated in 1788. For the last 250 years there has
been much controversy over the spelling of "Pound Ridge"
or "Poundridge", but finally in 1948 the Town Board
declared the name to be the two-worded version.
During the Revolution in 1779, Pound Ridge was the scene of the
dramatic raid led by the British Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton . He
overwhelmed the local militia commanded by Major Ebenezer Lockwood
and the regiment of Continental Light Dragoons (mounted infantry)
led by Lt. Col. Elisha Shelton stationed in the Hamlet area.
Fortunately, Tarleton got a bit lost finding Pound Ridge, which
enabled the Americans more time to prepare. However, with better
than a 2 to 1 advantage, Tarleton (a.k.a. "The Butcher")
conquered, plundered, and burned much of the town. The
reinforcements arrived, fought back and chased Tarleton away. This
all happened on July 2, 1779. After the war, Pound Ridge continued
to flourish. Saw mills, grist mills, blacksmith shops, and general
stores were built. By 1850, the population reached
1,486. Although a dairy farming community, Pound Ridge became
known for hat and shoe making. However, its most famous industry was
basket making (first developed by the Native Indians). In fact,
Pound Ridge was commonly referred to as "Basket Town", and
many of the the sturdy baskets were used by the oyster fishermen on
Long Island Sound. By the early 20th century, farming had
declined as had the cottage industries. The railroads in
Westchester, which opened up markets and brought in new people,
bypassed Pound Ridge (although three attempts were thwarted, and you
can still find the railroad ties). By 1920, the population
dwindled to 515. Then, during the 1930's things changed. Hiram Halle,
an inventor and businessman, came to Pound Ridge from New York City
and began renovating and reconstructing houses (an example shown at
right). He
hoped to enhance the community, and it did attract actors, writers,
artists, and musicians. They discovered that Pound Ridge was a
charming and convenient getaway and began purchasing homes. Benny
Goodman was one of the first of these residents, and he even
composed a melody entitled "Pound Ridge". Many
creative people and celebrities continue to move to Pound Ridge
(sometimes referred to as the 2nd Hollywood). By
the 1940's, Pound Ridge's population rose to almost 800, and it
continued to grow slowly and steadily to 4,000 in 1980 and 4,550 in
1990. Interest in the preservation of Pound Ridge's architectural
heritage has also been maintained throughout the years. These older
landmarks and homes (with wells and barnegats for crushing
seashells) are an integral part of the character of the town and
provide the community a shared "pride of place". The
current population of the residents of the Town of Pound Ridge, NY
includes 4,918 people (2004 US Census) living mostly in
single-family dwellings on 2 or 3-acre minimum zoning districts.
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