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Brewster is a
village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred ...
and the principal settlement within the
town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...
of
Southeast The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sepa ...
in Putnam County, New York. Its population was 2,390 at the time of the 2010 census. The village, which is the most densely populated portion of the county, was named for two early farmer landowners, Walter and James Brewster, who donated land for the Brewster railroad station in 1848.Brewster Through the Years 1848-1948, H. Wolff Book Manufacturing Co., New York 1948


History

The village of Brewster derives its name from that of the landowner, Walter Brewster, who invited the New York and Harlem Railroad to build a
depot Depot ( or ) may refer to: Places * Depot, Poland, a village * Depot Island, Kemp Land, Antarctica * Depot Island, Victoria Land, Antarctica * Depot Island Formation, Greenland Brands and enterprises * Maxwell Street Depot, a restaurant in ...
on his property in 1848. Brewster's Station, New York (sometimes just "Brewster's"), appeared on maps,''Beers 1867 Atlas''
"Atlas of New York and Vicinity from Actual Surveys by and Under the Direction of F. W. Beers, A. D. Ellis and G. G. Soule, New York 1867"
on postcards, and in directories of Putnam County throughout the second half of the 19th century. It was officially incorporated as the Village of Brewster, New York, in 1894. In 1886, historian William Smith Pelletreau published ''The History of Putnam County, New York''. In his second chapter on the town of
Southeast The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sepa ...
, he wrote: "The land now 886embraced within the limits of the village of Brewster consists of a farm which was sold by the commissioners of forfeiture to Peleg Bailey, in 1781. A portion of it afterward passed into the possession of Bailey Howes, his grandson, who sold 98 acres to Gilbert Bailey on April 1, 1833. Two other tracts containing 39 acres were sold to Gilbert Bailey, by William P. Downs and Frederick Parks in 1838. On the 17th of February, 1848, Gilbert Bailey sold the whole tracts, estimated at 134 acres, to James and Walter F. Brewster, for the sum of $8,000."''The History of Putnam County, New York. 1886''. Reprinted by the Landmarks Preservation Committee of the Southeast Museum, Brewster, New York, 1975. "At the time of the purchase, the New York and Harlem Railroad was finished and trains were running as far as Croton Falls. The road was surveyed as far as Pawling, and the prospect of its being continued to that point seemed certain, and to the new purchasers of the farm it seemed just the place for a station." "The New York and Harlem Railroad was finished to this place and the depot was built in that year, and what is now 886the Main street was opened, for the purpose of allowing the stages from Danbury to come to the station. Previous to this the firm of Crosby and DeForest had run a line of four horse stages to Croton Falls, from Danbury. The first new house in the place was built by Walter F. Brewster, in 1850 and stood in front of the present 886Methodist church." That house, now listed as the Walter Brewster House on the New York State and national historic registers, is owned by the Landmark Preservation Society of Southeast. "The Harlem Railroad's extension of its mileage in 1849 proved advantageous to Mr. Brewster, who needed all sorts of materials in his building activities. Large shipments were billed simply to 'Brewster's Station' for lack of better designation. This is the apparent origin of the village's name, which many years ago was shortened to Brewster."


Post offices

Jonathan F. Frost was the first Postmaster of the Brewster's Station post office, which operated from October 25, 1850 through April 28, 1883.''New York Postal History: The Post Offices and First Postmaster from 1775 to 1980'' by John L. Kay and Chester M. Smith, Jr., American Philatelic Society, 1982 During this period in American history, post offices were frequently located in the stores or businesses owned by the individuals who served as postmasters. This held true in the village of Brewster for the next century. In 1863, the Brewster Station post office relocated to the A.F. Lobdell General Store, across from the railroad station, the present location of the Avery Building at 12-18 Main Street. Alexander F. Lobdell, the store's proprietor, was appointed postmaster by President Abraham Lincoln and was reappointed by Presidents Grant, Hayes, Garfield and Arthur, continuing as Brewster's postmaster until 1887.The Town of Southeast 1788-1988 Edited by Suzanne F. Truran, John J. Dunford, Priscilla A. Truran - Pub. by the Town of Southeast, 1990 The Brewster post office began operation on April 28, 1883, removing the word "Station" in its identity and postmarks. In 1887, the post office relocated to the Brewster Standard building, the present location of the Sprague Building at 31 Main Street. In 1886, Emerson W. Addis, publisher of the ''Brewster Standard'' weekly newspaper, became the postmaster and held that position until 1916. In 1916, the post office moved to new quarters on Park Street, between Main Street and Marvin Avenue, into the Rundall Building, and John Thorp became the new postmaster. In 1923, Ralph Diehl, proprietor of the Brewster Bakery, became postmaster, and the post office was moved to his baking plant on Progress Street in 1927. Howard Tuttle later became the postmaster, holding the position until 1934 when Seth Howes was appointed. In 1936, the post office relocated to the building now occupied by the Eagle Eye Thrift Shop at 65 Main Street. Mr. Howes held the office until 1958 when John F. Larkin Jr. was made acting postmaster. He was later promoted to the full title of postmaster. On July 17, 1966, the post office relocated to a new brick building on Main Street, where it remained for the next three decades. Mr. Larkin retired in 1972 and was succeeded by Earl Tuttle, who became the last Southeast resident to hold the position of postmaster since that time. Mr. Tuttle retired in 1985. The new facility was the first Brewster post office to occupy a space that was specifically designed for the purpose, rather than being retrofitted from some previous use. It had a separate lobby to house post office boxes, a loading dock at the rear of the building and a postal inspector's separate entrance and hallway with one-way glass for observing postal workers and the public. In the mid-1990s, the Main Street facility closed and a new post office opened at its present location at 3 Mount Ebo Road North outside the village limits in the town of Southeast. Although the new facility is more than from the center of Brewster, it still retains the designation and postmark "Brewster 10509".


"Brewster" vs. "Southeast"

The town of
Southeast The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sepa ...
contains the village of Brewster. In New York, villages are always within one or more towns, and village juridiction may override that of similar town laws. Residents of the town often refer to the entire municipality as "Brewster," as that is the postal designation. The railroad station in downtown Brewster, owned in turn by the New York Central, Penn Central, Conrail, and now Metro-North Railroad, has always been known as "Brewster" because it is located in the village of Brewster. Since 1849, rail customers coming to Southeast only knew they were travelling to "Brewster". Over time, the name Southeast was all but forgotten. The new depot that was built in Southeast, just a quarter mile north of the village, was first named "Brewster North". That second depot has since been renamed "Southeast". Before 1962, there were several local post offices throughout the town of Southeast, located near larger concentrations of residences and businesses. The last of these, Southeast's Putnam Lake post office, closed in 1968. When a new post office opened at 16 Main Street in Brewster on July 17, 1966, even before Interstate 84 and
Interstate 684 Interstate 684 (I-684) is a north–south auxiliary Interstate Highway in the state of New York in the United States. There is also a short portion in Connecticut with no junctions. The highway connects I-84 with I-287 and the Hutchinson ...
were constructed, it was named Brewster and given the zip code 10509. The two highways brought massive population increases, nearly tripling the number of residents in Southeast in a matter of about 20 years. As a result, "Brewster, NY 10509" was part of the return address of every resident of Southeast and Brewster. Probably because of the proximity to the Brewster train station, the highway exit signs of I-84 and I-684 say "Brewster". Road signs in White Plains, Danbury, Carmel and other nearby towns all direct travelers to Brewster. Only the town's "Welcome to Southeast" signs acknowledge the town's existence. The post office has relocated out of the village and removed "Brewster" from the building. The zip code is still 10509 but does not have the name of the municipality on its exterior of the building. Residents who live in the town still use "Brewster 10509" for their return address, and the post office still uses "Brewster" rather than "Southeast" in its postmarks.


Geography

Brewster is located along the East Branch of the
Croton River The Croton River ( ) is a river in southern New York with three principal tributaries: the West Branch, Middle Branch, and East Branch. Their waters, all part of the New York City water supply system, join downstream from the Croton Falls Rese ...
at (41.396050, −73.615954), near the center of the town of Southeast. U.S. Route 6 runs through the village as its Main Street. U.S. Route 202 and
New York State Route 22 New York State Route 22 (NY 22) is a north–south state highway that parallels the eastern border of the U.S. state of New York, from the outskirts of New York City to the hamlet of Mooers in Clinton County near the Canadian border ...
run concurrently along the southern boundary of the village, and Interstate 84 passes just east of the village, intersecting
Interstate 684 Interstate 684 (I-684) is a north–south auxiliary Interstate Highway in the state of New York in the United States. There is also a short portion in Connecticut with no junctions. The highway connects I-84 with I-287 and the Hutchinson ...
. The Brewster train station is on the
Harlem Line The Metro-North Railroad Harlem Line, originally chartered as the New York and Harlem Railroad, is an commuter rail line running north from New York City to Wassaic, in eastern Dutchess County. The lower from Grand Central Terminal to Sou ...
According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...
, the town has a total area of , all land.


Demographics

As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
of 2010, there were 2,390 people residing in Brewster. There were 701 housing units at an average density of 1,851.6 per square mile (708.7/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 55.98%
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...
or Latino, 36.61% non-Hispanic white, 2.59%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, .42% Native American, 3.22% Asian, .04% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.13% from two or more races. At the 2010 census, the village had the highest concentration of Guatemalans in the US, comprising 38.16% of the village population. The households, out of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.9% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.4% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.08. In the village, the population was spread out, with 20.4% under the age of 18, 11.9% from 18 to 24, 41.4% from 25 to 44, 16.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 131.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 128.4 males. The median income for a household in the village was $42,750, and the median income for a family was $48,393. Males had a median income of $28,793 versus $28,929 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the village was $21,865. About 9.0% of families and 14.5% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 12.4% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.


Schools

* Brewster Central School District ** Brewster High School ** Henry H. Wells Middle School ** C. V. Starr Intermediate School ** John F. Kennedy Elementary School * Private schools ** Longview School ** Saint Lawrence O'Toole


Government

*Governor
Kathy Hochul Kathleen Hochul ( ; née Courtney; born August 27, 1958) is an American politician serving as the 57th governor of New York since August 24, 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, she is New York's first female governor, as well as the first ...
since 2021 *US Senator Charles Schumer since 1999 *US Senator
Kirsten Gillibrand Kirsten Elizabeth Gillibrand (; ; born December 9, 1966) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the junior United States senator from New York since 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as member of the U.S. House of ...
since 2009 *US Congressman
Sean Patrick Maloney Sean Patrick Maloney (born July 30, 1966) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative from from 2013 to 2023. The district includes Newburgh, Beacon, and Poughkeepsie. A member of the Democratic Party, Malone ...
since 2013 *NY State Senator Terrence Murphy since 2015 *NY State Assemblyman Kevin Byrne since 2017 *Putnam County Executive Maryellen Odell since 2012 *Putnam County Legislator Paul E. Jonke (District 6) since 2017 *Putnam County Legislator Joseph F. Castellano (District 7) since 2013 *Mayor James Schoenig Since 2007 *Village Trustees: Christine Piccini, George Gaspar, Tom Boissonnault, Mary Bryde


Notable people

*
Laura Branigan Laura Ann Branigan (July 3, 1952 – August 26, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her signature song, the platinum-certified 1982 single "Gloria", stayed on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for 36 weeks, then a record for a ...
(1952–2004), American singer, songwriter, and actress * Fanny Crosby (1820–1915), hymnodist, blind activist and minister * Ava Fabian (born 1962), model and actress *
Michael Imperioli Michael Imperioli (born March 26, 1966) is an American actor, writer, and musician. He is best known for his role as Christopher Moltisanti in the HBO crime drama ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007), which earned him the Primetime Emmy Award for Ou ...
(born 1966), actor, screenwriter, and director * Evelyn Irons (1900-2000), journalist * Shayna Levy (born 1997), soccer player * Chris Palmer (born 1949), football coach * Willis Stephens (born 1955), politician


References


External links


Village website

Brewster Central School District

Brewster Chamber of Commerce

Brewster Education Foundation

Brewster Fire Department

Brewster Public Library

Southeast Museum
{{Authority control Villages in Putnam County, New York