Welcome to Interlaken...
the Lake Community of Eastchester Since 1940
Interlaken Owners, Inc.
The town that is now called Eastchester began settlement in 1664 when ten families migrated from Fairfield, Connecticut. Thomas Pell, who at that time also owned the territory that is now New Rochelle and Pelham granted a deed to the group to "settle down at Hutchinsons'," where the home of Anne Hutchinson had stood some twenty years before. The ten original families were shortly joined by another twenty-six.
Laws for the region were established the following year, in 1665, under an agreement called the "Eastchester Covenant." The convenant was a rare document for this period. It contained twenty-six provisions such items as: education of children, disposition and upkeep of property, support of a minister, etc.
Confirmation of their 1664 patent was granted by Governor Richard Nicolls in 1666 after the occupation of the area by the British. A controversy arose in 1700 when the settlers signed a deed with the Indians. The tract of land involved was known as "Long Reach" because of its odd geographical makeup. The sites included are the present Bronxville, Tuckahoe, and a section of northwest Mount Vernon. The dispute over the ownership of the land involved the towns of New Rochelle, Westchester and the Pell Family. When a decision was reached in favor of Eastchester, Britain's Queen Anne granted a second patent in the year 1708.
Eastchester was a farming community at the outbreak of the Revolution. Although no major battles were fought here, as the heart of the neutral ground it saw constant fighting for over 13 years, being harrassed by both sides as well as by the cowboys and skinners (the guerrillas of the day). Eastchester's rural makeup began to change with the coming of the railroad in the 1840's. Three hundred-seventy acres of land were incorporated at the village of Mount Vernon in 1853 by a group of New York businessmen; the village of Bronxville was incorporated in 1898; and the village of Tuckahoe in 1903. Today, Eastchester is bound by Scarsdale on the north, New Rochelle on the east, Yonkers on the west, and Mount Vernon on the south, The town covers approximately five square miles, including Bronxville and Tuckahoe.
(source: Town of Eastchester website - www.eastchester.org)
Lake Innisfree (Reservoir No. 1)
Eastchester's richest gifts to its residents are the many opportunities it offers for sports and other recreational pursuits.
The Town has nine major parks and several mini-parks, including Mill Road Park on one-quarter of an acre, with a Victorian-style gazebo and benches, picnic tables and a small grassy play area.
At the other end of the spectrum in terms of size and things to do is Lake Isle Country Club, which, besides five swimming pools, has an 18-hole golf course and six tennis courts. It is open to all residents of Bronxville, Tuckahoe and the unincorporated section of Eastchester for an annual fee.
Each summer, the Town also operates three-day camps for children age five through ninth grade.
The newly constructed Handl Field in the northern section of Eastchester boasts several sports fields, bleachers, lighted scoreboard, a field house, and lights for evening play. Parkway Oval, a 14-acre park in the village of Tuckahoe, has baseball and softball fields, soccer fields, an all-purpose play field and a basketball court. The park, which is run by the town, sits alongside a county-owned jogging and bicycle path along the Bronx River.
For those seeking a less-physical type of recreation, retail shopping opportunities abound in Eastchester, particularly in the Vernon Hills Shopping Center. The outdoor mall is anchored by a branch of Lord & Taylor, and has several other well-known chains as tenants, such as Brooks Brothers, The Gap, Talbots, American Eagle Outfitters and Banana Republic. Across White Plains (Post) Road, a smaller strip mall has Eastern Mountain Sports, Jos. A. Bank and The Fresh Market.
Nightlife is not Eastchester's calling card, although several local dining spots - among them Ciao!, Mickey Spillane's, Piper's Kilt, Fig & Olive, Jackie's Bistro, Burrata, Polpetina, East Bamboo and Casa Brusco offer delicious food in comfortable settings.
The Eastchester Union Free School District, which serves students living in the unincorporated area of town, has an enrollment of 2,680 students in three elementary schools, a middle school and a high school.
The district offers a full-day kindergarten for its youngest students (along with formal computer instruction at that level), foreign language instruction that begins in sixth grade, and gifted and talented programs for all levels.
Neither the Bronxville nor Tuckahoe public school districts, which are smaller than Eastchester's, have programs for gifted and talented students outside the regular classroom.
The school district has Westchester County's highest combined percentage of students scoring the maximum in state English and math achievement tests.
The Commute to Grand Central Terminal
Metro-North's Harlem line stops in several places that are convenient for Eastchester residents, with one stop in downtown Scarsdale and another in the Crestwood section of Yonkers. Service from the Crestwood station to Grand Central Terminal on a weekday morning express train takes about 32 minutes.
2014 Marks the 350 Anniversary of the Founding of the Town of Eastchester
Enjoy these photos of Eastchester's past and see the information below for information about upcoming Town-wide events to celebrate this special anniversary.
(photos: from the book commemorating the 300th Anniversary of Eastchester, 1664-1964)
1927: The Mill Road bridge during the construction of the Hutchinson River Parkway.
1928: The nearly completed Hutchinson River Parkway and the Mill Road overpass.
1929: The Hutchinson River Parkway and Mill Road overpass.
1930: Mill Road overpass and Reservoir #1 (Lake Innisfree)
1931: The Hutchinson River Parkway surrounded by what would become Lake Isle Estates, Interlaken Owners, Inc. and the Townhouses at Lake Isle.
Circa 1960: Mill Road, facing Michael Frey Drive. Bill of Rights Plaza.
Circa 1960: Mill Road - Bill of Rights Plaza.
Eastchester 350th Anniversary Inc.
Eastchester 350th Anniversary, Inc. is the not-for-profit formed to organize the 350th anniversary celebration of the Town of Eastchester this year. Their plans are centered around events that will celebrate the rich history of our important and diverse community.
To kick-off the year-long series of E-350 events, , An Edible History of Five Immigrant Families in One New York Tenement by Jane Ziegelman was selected by the three library directors for the Town’s first-ever One Book/One Community Reading Program. explores how five different immigrant groups brought their food passions to New York and managed the challenges of producing family meals in cold water flats. The work also includes a realistic look at life at Ellis Island and the unique food terminology of the foreign-born groups that has contributed to today’s common English.
– Eastchester 350 Gala will combine celebration with exhibition at Siwanoy Country Club.
– Community Celebration at Lake Isle. Friends and families will gather at a community barbecue to enjoy live performances and use the facilities at Lake Isle Country Club.
– A living history trolley tour to meet historic figures at key locations will run throughout the afternoon from Lake Isle.
– The 350th anniversary of the signing of the deed between Thomas Pell and the original 10 farm families will be commemorated at Eastchester Town Hall.