The hamlet of Katonah, New York, is a fascinating example of community spirit, resilience, and pride. Set in beautiful Northern Westchester, just over an hour from New York City on the Metro-North line, it's an ideal destination for vacationers and daytrippers from all walks of life. About This Tour As you stroll along the beautifully tree-lined streets of downtown Katonah, you'll discover the one quality that makes it unique: This entire town relocated en masse from its previous location, about half a mile up the road, in the 1890s. On this tour, you'll learn: ● Why the hamlet had to move (hint: It involved the New Croton Dam project.) ● How the townspeople accomplished the challenging engineering feat of moving their homes intact without modern-day machinery and equipment ● How new Katonah was carefully planned to create the most desirable and livable town the residents could imagine ● How the community pulled together to survive the move and other momentous periods in history, such as the Great Depression ● The impact this small community had on major national events, such as the fight for women's right to vote Tour Highlights Include: ● Original homes that were moved from old Katonah in the 1890s ● Multigenerational family-owned businesses that tell the story of Katonah's roots ● Katonah Village Library, a thriving focal point of the community ● Historic churches of many different denominations ● Hubs of community awareness and neighborly support, such as the Community Center of Northern Westchester ● Historic buildings reflecting the changing times, such as the Old Firehouse Building ● And much more!
If you’re an architecture buff, check out this link to the Katonah Village Improvement Society’s self-guided walking tour through the residential National Register Historic District of Katonah and the hamlet’s historic commercial core. If you’d prefer, printed versions of the brochure are available at theKatonah Village Library. Tour Sponsor This tour was created by the Katonah Village Improvement Society, an organization of neighbors who have been working together to cultivate Katonah's unique character and community since 1878.
Special thanks to Deirdre Courtney-Batson, local historian, for her years of research that serve as a backdrop for this tour. Much credit is also due to Frances Duncombe and other members of the KVIS historical committee, who published the comprehensive book Katonah: The History of a New York Village and Its People in 1961. Thank you, as well, to the Katonah Historical Museum for sharing photos for this tour.
Finally, we are most appreciative of the generous volunteerism of our tour narrators, longtime Katonah residents John Bedford Lloyd and Anne Twomey Lloyd as well Robert Kessler,Kessler Media, and sound engineer Sam Popkin. Find More Tours Near You If you are interested in more audio tours in this region of New York, check out our Historic Hudson River Towns, Revolution on the Hudson, and Walk the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge tours. To find more tours in New York, or wherever your travels take you, visitTravelStorys.com. (You can listen to most TravelStorys tours both on-site and remotely!) Every place has a story.
Location: New York
Travel Type: Walking
Tour Duration: 30 minutes
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