Historical Society & Town History

Scenic View of WaterHistory of North Castle

by Doris Finch Watson, Town of North Castle Historian

The Indians of North Castle were the Siwanoys, who belonged to the Wappinger Confederacy and were part of the Algonkian-speaking group. Their place names and the names of the sachems (chiefs) remain here today: Sachem Wampus gave his name to Wampus Pond and stream; Sachem Mayano's name lives on in the Mianus Gorge and River; from Sachem Cokenseko comes Kensico Reservoir and the lost village of Kensico; Cohamong became Coman as in Coman Hill School, and variations of Armonck (the name the Indians called Byram River) undoubtedly gave us Armonk.

In 1701 England's King William III gave his favorite courtiers the Middle Patent (now the eastern part of North Castle) and the West Patent (now the western section). People from Massachusetts and Connecticut settled the eastern portion (the earliest part), and Quakers from Rye and Long Island gathered around today's Armonk.

North Castle's name is derived from an Indian encampment located on the hill where the IBM Corporation World Headquarters stands today. The site was called "North Fort" and because early settlers felt it resembled a castle, it became "North Castle".

  1. Trustees of the North Castle Historical Society (PDF)

North Castle’s Vital Role in Securing American Independence Essay

Authored by Jenny Xu, student intern, Town of North Castle. 
With support and contributions from Alison Simon, Town Clerk, Town of North Castle.

For her final project of her internship, Jenny researched and wrote an original essay for a statewide initiative launched by the New York Association of Towns. In anticipation of our nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026, the Association invited towns across New York to submit essays showcasing how their communities have helped shape the American story.

North Castle Historical Society's video from 2014 outlining the need for the Town and the County to work together to preserve the Elijah Miller House. Sharon Tomback, the Town's co-historian gives a brief history of the Miller House and it's historical significance and why it should have been saved. This was part of an effort that did bring about the restoration that was celebrated during a ribbon-cutting ceremony October 28, 2019.

This 10-minute video made by the White Plains Library gives an overview of the historical significance of NY and White Plains.

Dorrie Watson, Town Historian of the Town of North Castle from 1993 to 2014