Mahopac Falls, New York
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Mahopac ( or ) is a
hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
(and
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the count ...
) in the town of Carmel in Putnam County, New York, United States. Also known as Lake Mahopac, the
exurb An exurb (or alternately: exurban area) is an area outside the typically denser inner suburban area, at the edge of a metropolitan area, which has some economic and commuting connection to the metro area, low housing density, and growth. It sh ...
is located some north of
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
, on
US Route 6 U.S. Route 6 (US 6), also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, honoring the American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system. While it currently runs east-northeast from Bishop, California, to ...
at the county's southern central border with
Westchester County Westchester County is located in the U.S. state of New York. It is the seventh most populous county in the State of New York and the most populous north of New York City. According to the 2020 United States Census, the county had a population ...
. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,932.


History

Mahopac was originally inhabited by the
Wappinger The Wappinger () were an Eastern Algonquian Munsee-speaking Native American people from what is now southern New York and western Connecticut. At the time of first contact in the 17th century they were primarily based in what is now Dutches ...
people, an Algonquian tribe. The hamlet's land was part of a huge tract encompassing all of today's Putnam County patented in 1697 by Adolphus Philipse, son of a wealthy Anglo-Dutch gentryman, known as the
Philipse Patent The Philipse Patent was a British royal patent for a large tract of land on the east bank of the Hudson River about 50 miles north of New York City. It was purchased in 1697 by Adolphus Philipse, a wealthy landowner of Dutch descent in the Provi ...
. During the
French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...
, Wappingers throughout Putnam County traveled north to
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...
to fight for the British. When the British Crown refused to return their land after the war, most Wappingers abandoned the area, concentrating in Stockbridge, Massachusetts before relocating with other displaced Native Americans elsewhere. Farmers and their families migrated to Mahopac from as far away as
Cape Cod Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mont ...
and rented land from the Philipse family. Wheelwrights and blacksmiths set up shops to assist the tenant farmers. Although no battles were fought in Mahopac during the
American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...
, the area was strategically important due to its location. With troop encampments in nearby
Patterson Patterson may refer to: People * Patterson (surname) Places ;Canada * Pattersons Corners, Ontario *Patterson Township, Ontario *Patterson, Calgary a neighbourhood in Calgary, Alberta. ;United States of America * Patterson, Arkansas *Patterson, C ...
, Yorktown,
West Point The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...
, and Danbury, Connecticut, it was a cross-roads between key Colonial garrisons. Soldiers were stationed in Mahopac Falls to guard the Red Mills, an important center for grinding grain and storing flour for the American troops. Upon Colonial victory in the Revolution, the
Tory A Tory () is a person who holds a political philosophy known as Toryism, based on a British version of traditionalism and conservatism, which upholds the supremacy of social order as it has evolved in the English culture throughout history. The ...
-sympathizing Philipse family lost its claim to the land, which was then resold to farmers and speculators by New York State. After the incorporation of Putnam County in 1812 the Mahopac area grew steadily. By the middle-19th century the hamlet had become a summer resort community. The New York and Harlem Railroad brought vacationers north from New York City to Croton Falls. Hotels would often have competing races of decorated horse-drawn coaches bringing passengers from the train to Lake Mahopac. After the
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
a direct rail spur was laid, creating boom times for the village. The locale remained primarily a summer resort until after
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, when nearby highways such as the Taconic State and Saw Mill River parkways began to make travel by automobile convenient. With the passing of the New York Central Putnam Division's last passenger service to Mahopac in 1959, the hamlet evolved into a year-round community, many of its residents making the commute to New York City.


Today

Mahopac has a 5,200 sq. ft (480 sq. m) library, featuring multiple reading rooms overlooking Lake Mahopac, abundant computers, a law library and conference rooms. The library is host to many public events including adult education, technology instruction, and yoga classes. The Carmel Historical Society Museum in the Old Town Hall on McAlpin Avenue features many fascinating area artifacts. Mahopac has had several motion pictures filmed on location. Among them are scenes from the 1982 comedy film ''
Tootsie ''Tootsie'' is a 1982 American satirical romantic comedy-drama film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Dustin Hoffman. Its supporting cast includes Pollack, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, Bill Murray, Charles Durning, Geo ...
''. An exterior shot is used in which the Mahopac Farm Playhouse exterior was converted to read "SYRACUSE FARM PLAYHOUSE." The property, which at times has been host to flea markets and antique shows, was originally a dairy farm, which produced products sold as far south as New York City. The Playhouse was closed in the mid-1980s, and the property, which lies along the
Westchester County Westchester County is located in the U.S. state of New York. It is the seventh most populous county in the State of New York and the most populous north of New York City. According to the 2020 United States Census, the county had a population ...
border, is now being considered for commercial development.


Lake Mahopac

The hamlet of Mahopac encircles picturesque Lake Mahopac. It contains three islands, Fairy, Petre, and Canopus, all privately owned. Fairy Island sports multiple homes accessible via a short causeway; Petra boasts the Massaro House, a
Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key role in the architectural movements o ...
-inspired residence, and a Wright-designed bungalo, th
A. K. Chahroudi Cottage
Canopus is undeveloped. Boating, fishing and other water sports are permitted on the lake. Slips and support services are provided by two marinas. The world record
brown bullhead The brown bullhead (''Ameiurus nebulosus'') is a fish of the family Ictaluridae that is widely distributed in North America. It is a species of bullhead catfish and is similar to the black bullhead (''Ameiurus melas'') and yellow bullhead (''Am ...
(''Ameiurus nebulosus''), which weighed , was caught in Lake Mahopac on August 1, 2009 by angler Glenn Collacuro. Besides Lake Mahopac, other lakes within the Mahopac CDP include Kirk Lake, Lake Casse, Lake Secor, Teakettle Spout Lake, and Long Pond. Lake Mahopac is within the Croton River watershed yet not a part of the
New York City water supply system A combination of aqueducts, reservoirs, and tunnels supplies fresh water to New York City. With three major water systems ( Croton, Catskill, and Delaware) stretching up to away from the city, its water supply system is one of the most exte ...
's Croton Watershed. Kirk Lake, a
controlled lake A controlled lake is both a general and specific term to describe a body of water. In its general sense it describes a lake or reservoir which has its water level controlled by some form of dam. In the specific, it refers to three small lakes wit ...
in that system, is both.


Mahopac Falls

In colonial times a large
gristmill A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that has been separat ...
sat near the present-day intersection of Route 6N, Hill Street, and Myrtle Avenue. Drawing its water from the streams that drained Kirk Lake and Lake Mahopac, it was the largest building in the entire county. Early settlers to the area, tenant farmers renting land from the Philipse family, provided grain for its wheel. Over time the mill's red paint came to identify the area, known to this day as "Red Mills." It was the fall of the waters of the pond that drove the mill that gave the larger community comprising the southern half of the hamlet of Mahopac the name "Mahopac Falls." Although the famous mill there is gone, one of its original millstones forms a part of the front steps of the Red Mills Branch of Mahopac National Bank.


Lake Secor

Lake Secor, located west of Mahopac CDP, received its name from the Secor family, who were the first European people to officially call the land their own. In the early 20th century Secor turned into a "bungalow city" where the urbanites spent their summer weekends. At first the area was largely Germans, later in the mid-1950s it peaked opening up to all family types. In the 1940s and '50s a summer camp for Jewish children (Secor Lake Camp) operated on the other side of the lake from the bungalows. In the 1970s Secor was divided half and half between the people that resided there and the city folk who came up on weekends. Today it has over 500 families living on the 26 roads that enclose it.


Geography

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 Mahopac CDP has a total area of , of which is land and , or 17.57%, is water. While the hamlet of Carmel is the seat of the county government, Mahopac, the largest population center in the town of Carmel, hosts the Town Hall. Both Mahopac (ZIP code 10541) and Mahopac Falls (10542) have their own post offices.


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 8,369 people, 2,943 households, and 2,258 families residing in the hamlet. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...
was 1,585.3 per square mile (617.6/km2). There were 3,260 housing units at an average density of 585.1/sq mi (225.8/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 91.1%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 2.1%
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 ...
, 0.1% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 0% 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 1.5% from two or more races.
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 of any race were 10.9% of the population. Mahopac also has a small, but noticeable Irish American community, and a significant Italian community present to this day. There were 2,943 households, out of which 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.6% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.7% were non-families. 17.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.28. In the hamlet the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males. The median income for a household in the community was $95,189, and the median income for a family was $91,148. Males had a median income of $52,315 versus $36,419 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 CDP was $44,494. The percent of persons below poverty level was 5.0%. The median value of owner-occupied housing units was $407,900.


Schools

The Mahopac Central School District is divided into five schools: three K-5 schools (Lakeview Elementary School, Fulmar Road Elementary School, and Austin Road Elementary School), a middle school for grades 6-8 (Mahopac Middle School) and a high school for grades 9-12 (Mahopac High School). Historically, Mahopac had five one-room school houses that were united into one central school (now Lakeview Elementary School) in 1935. In athletics, Mahopac boasts strong legacies in wrestling (John Degl 1991 NYS Champion & Joe Mazzurco 2000 NYS Champion), ice hockey (Section I Division II Champions 2000-2001 he program's inaugural season2001-2002/2002-2003), basketball, softball, volleyball, gymnastics, field hockey, baseball ( Dave Fleming, 1987 MHS graduate & former pitcher for the
Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion team ...
), football, track & field (Nick Lakis, 1968 MHS graduate and former mile record holder at the
United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...
), and lacrosse. School teams have won several New York state championships, including the Boys Varsity Lacrosse team in 1996. A long-time rivalry exists between the "Indians" and the neighboring Carmel High School "Rams". Since 1979, Mahopac has had a regionally competing marching band (The Cavaliers) and since 1982 the rock performance event Illusion. St. John the Evangelist was a
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
elementary school in Mahopac from 1955 until its closing in 2011. The school building remains with the active Church across the street from Lake Mahopac.


Pronunciation

''Mahopac'' is an indigenous word meaning "Great Lake" or "Lake of the Great Serpent", with a Native American pronunciation. Long-time Mahopac residents affirm that "Ma-HO-pac" was used by residents until the hamlet's large population expansion and demographic shift in the 1960s and '70s. In spite of a 3–2 vote by the Carmel Town Board in favor of the traditional Native pronunciation, the modern-day first-syllable-inflected "MAY-o-pac" is used by a large number of residents today. Stressing the similar pronunciation of other Native American communities nearby, Regina Morini, a retired Putnam County legislator and assistant to the Putnam County Executive, and a lifelong Mahopac resident, says, “
Mohegan The Mohegan are an Algonquian Native American tribe historically based in present-day Connecticut. Today the majority of the people are associated with the Mohegan Indian Tribe, a federally recognized tribe living on a reservation in the east ...
, Mohansic, Mahopac. The accent is on the second syllable.”"Mahopac, N.Y.: A ‘Bedroom Community’ With an Elegant Past", ''New York Times'', July 1, 2020
/ref>


Notes


See also

* New York and Putnam Railroad, which first brought service to Mahopac * USS Mahopac, any of three namesake U.S. Navy ships: a Civil War era
monitor Monitor or monitor may refer to: Places * Monitor, Alberta * Monitor, Indiana, town in the United States * Monitor, Kentucky * Monitor, Oregon, unincorporated community in the United States * Monitor, Washington * Monitor, Logan County, West ...
, a post-WWI fleet tug, and a World-War-II-era rescue tugboat


References


External links


Mahopac News

Mahopac Real Estate

Town of Carmel

Mahopac Central School District

Mahopac Public Library

Mahopac Volunteer Fire Department



Greater Mahopac-Carmel Chamber of Commerce
{{authority control Hamlets in New York (state) Census-designated places in New York (state) Census-designated places in Putnam County, New York Hamlets in Putnam County, New York
Mahopac Mahopac ( or ) is a hamlet (and census-designated place) in the town of Carmel in Putnam County, New York, United States. Also known as Lake Mahopac, the exurb is located some north of New York City, on US Route 6 at the county's southern centr ...
Mahopac Mahopac ( or ) is a hamlet (and census-designated place) in the town of Carmel in Putnam County, New York, United States. Also known as Lake Mahopac, the exurb is located some north of New York City, on US Route 6 at the county's southern centr ...