Katonah, New York facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Katonah, New York
CDP
Looking north along Katonah Avenue
Katonah, New York Location in New York
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Westchester
Town	Bedford
Area
• Total	0.81 sq mi (2.11 km²)
• Land	0.73 sq mi (1.90 km²)
• Water	0.08 sq mi (0.20 km²)
Elevation	235 ft (72 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	1,603
• Density	2,183.92/sq mi (842.98/km²)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	10536
Area code(s)	914
FIPS code	36-38946
GNIS feature ID	0954396

Katonah is a small community called a hamlet in Westchester County, New York. It is also a census-designated place (CDP), which means it's an area recognized by the government for counting people. In 2020, about 1,603 people lived in Katonah.

History of Katonah
Trademark Attempt for Katonah Name
About Katonah's Population
Community Life in Katonah
Notable Sites to Visit
Schools and Emergency Services
Local News and Media
Notable People from Katonah
Gallery
See also

History of Katonah

Moving from Old Katonah to New

Katonah got its name from Chief Katonah. He was a Native American sachem (a leader or chief). English colonists bought the land of Bedford from him long ago.

During the American Revolution, many local men supported the American side. They joined the army or local groups to fight. Even though the area was called "Neutral Ground," it wasn't always safe. People from both sides sometimes caused trouble. However, Katonah was safer than some other places because of the nearby Croton River.

Katonah was first known as Whitlockville. But in 1897, the entire village had to move! This happened because a new dam, the New Croton Dam, was being built. The dam would raise the water level and flood the old village.

More than 50 buildings were moved from "Old Katonah" to the new spot. Workers rolled the buildings on logs, pulled by horses. This big move was supposed to start in 1894, but it was delayed for almost three years.

An 11-year-old child named B. Robertson wrote about the move in 1897:

The people of Katonah do not want to have it thought that New York City has made them move because they are careless about their drainage. It is because the city is going to make a new reservoir where the old village of Katonah now stands. Katonah has three churches, a public library and reading-room, a village improvement association, and a graded school, and was proud of itself.

—11-year-old B. Robertson, in a letter to a children's magazine

Katonah was one of many communities that had to move or be taken down. This was done to create the Croton Watershed. This watershed helps supply drinking water to New York City.

Trademark Attempt for Katonah Name

In 2007, some groups in Katonah disagreed with a plan by famous homemaker Martha Stewart. She wanted to trademark the name "Katonah Collection" for a new line of furniture.

Martha Stewart owns a large estate in Katonah. She said she wanted to "honor the town" with her furniture line. However, the Katonah Village Improvement Society and Katonah Architectural Hardware opposed her plan. They felt that trademarking the name could cause problems. The Ramapough Mountain Indians also supported the opposition.

About Katonah's Population

Katonah is a hamlet, which means it's a community without its own local government. The Katonah post office serves parts of three towns: Bedford, Lewisboro, and Somers. In 2010, Katonah was first officially counted as a census-designated place (CDP).

According to the 2010 census, the Katonah CDP had 1,679 people. The larger area covered by the Katonah ZIP code (10536) had 10,739 residents. Most people in the ZIP code area lived in Bedford, with others in Somers and Lewisboro.

In 2010, there were 589 households in the Katonah CDP. About 46.5% of these households had children under 18 living there. The average household had 2.83 people. The median age of people in Katonah was about 40.6 years old.

Community Life in Katonah

Jay Street, Katonah

Katonah is home to some important historical places. These include:

Stepping Stones: This was the home of Bill and Lois Wilson. They were the people who started Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon Family Groups.
John Jay Homestead: This was the home of John Jay. He was the very first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Near Katonah is The Harvey School, a private school. Famous cartoonist Garry Trudeau, who draws Doonesbury, went to school there. Many famous people live in or near Katonah, including Bruce Willis, Ralph Lauren, Stanley Tucci, Blake Lively, and Ryan Reynolds.

People in Katonah often call their community a "village." Groups like the Katonah Village Improvement Society help make the community better. The local library is called the Katonah Village Library.

Katonah has its own Metro-North train station. This makes it easy for people to travel to and from New York City. Many people who live in Katonah travel to work in the city. Katonah is part of the Katonah-Lewisboro school district.

Notable Sites to Visit

John Jay Homestead

St. Luke's Episcopal Church

Stepping Stones

Katonah has many interesting places to visit:

Katonah Museum of Art: This museum shows different art exhibits throughout the year. They explore art from various cultures and time periods.
Caramoor International Music Festival: This festival hosts concerts every year. It's held at Caramoor, just east of Katonah.
Katonah Poetry Series: Led by former US Poet Laureate Billy Collins, this series holds poetry readings at the Katonah Village Library.
Katonah Historical Museum: This museum opened in 1984 and is located in the library.
Muscoot Farm: This is a historic farm with many animals. It offers camps, workshops, hayrides, and field trips for kids and adults.
Katonah Art Center: This center has studios for painting, pottery, and photography. They offer classes and summer camps for all ages.

Katonah was also home to the Brookwood Labor College. This was the first college in the United States focused on teaching about social justice and how to make positive changes in society. It was open from 1919 to 1937.

Schools and Emergency Services

Katonah is part of the Katonah-Lewisboro School District.

Elementary Schools: Most students attend Katonah Elementary School. Some go to Increase Miller Elementary School in nearby Goldens Bridge.
Middle and High Schools: All middle and high school students in the district attend John Jay Middle School and John Jay High School.
Private Schools: Katonah is also home to The Harvey School, a private school.

The community is kept safe by local emergency services:

Katonah Volunteer Fire Department: These volunteers protect the community from fires. They also host fun events like the annual Katonah carnival.
Katonah-Bedford Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps: They provide medical help when people need it.
Bedford Police Department: The police department helps keep order and enforces traffic laws in Katonah and nearby areas.