The known history of Westchester NY goes back as far as the 16th century, when it was inhabited by the Algonquian natives. Europeans first visited the area in 1524 and 1609, with English settlers beginning to make their home there by 1640. As the 17th century approached, the English gained control of Westchester from the Dutch West India Company. In 1683, the county was deemed one of the first of twelve official counties throughout what was then known as the province of New York. While early life for the settlers was somewhat rough, the area become one of the wealthiest in any British colony.
The Revolutionary War did much to divide Westchester NY, and the county went on to play quite a vital part. By 1776, the area was being used as the primary strategic base for the American side of the conflict. The entirety of the expanse between Westchester and New York City was meant to be neutral ground, and it was soon stripped of all its resources by both sides. The after effects of the war resulted in as many as 20 separate towns within the area. Just before 1800, it was reported that the population had reached nearly 25,000 people.
The 19th and 20th century were also immensely eventful for Westchester. For instance, it served as the home of the first chartered railroad in 1800, the Croton Dam and Aqueduct, a wealth of now-public mansions such as Glenview, the 1907 Bronx River Commission, and Playland: the first amusement park ever planned within the entirety of the United States.
Today, Westchester’s population is at just under 1,000,000. The area is still quite affluent, with a wide variety of Fortune 500 business and corporations making their home there. Thanks to the presence of companies such as IBM, Westchester is also considered one of the most forward thinking centers for technology development within the US. There are no signs of it slowing down any time soon!