About Larchmont Manor Village

Life here in Larchmont Village started off with Siwanoy Indians using the waterfront as fishing villages more that 400 years ago and evolved as Dutch and British introduced the European concept of land ownership to North America. This initiated the paper trail of deeds, mortgages, wills and lawsuits that provides the history of Larchmont thru today.

One of the most dominant features of Larchmont NY that distinguishes it from its neighbors is the 13 acres of public access waterfront featuring beaches, parks, glacial rocks and sheltered coves on the shoreline, called Manor Park. The majestic tree lined streets of the Manor, quiet scenery, & beautiful Long Island Sound offer a beautiful backdrop for running, walking, cycling, kayaking, sailing, and fishing.

Larchmont’s oldest and historic home is the Manor House on Elm Avenue built in 1797 by Peter Jay Munro. Peter was the nephew of John Jay the first chief justice of the United States Supreme Court. Peter distinguished himself as an attorney in NYC. Gentlemen in New York City were buying themselves “country estates” in the Larchmont Area. Other men of affairs who acquired country estates in Larchmont at this time were James John Roosevelt and Lloyd Saxbury Daubeny. Both had connections to Munroe. Daubeny, a ship captain bought the land in Pine Brood from Palmer. Roosevelt, founder of Chemical Bank bought a 500 acre tract between Chatsworth Ave and Bonnett.

In 1848 the New Haven Railroad completed a line of track through Larchmont and Mamaroneck. The Chatsworth Land Company was formed 6 years later for the land from the post Rd to the “Train Depot” however very little building was done until the late 1880s and the Chatsworth Land Company was out of business.

The most of the land below the Post Rd including the Munroe estate was owned by Edward Knight Collins a shipping magnate who originated the name Larchmont. He commissioned Fredrick Law Olmstead to survey map and landscape his estate.

The old Munroe/Collins estate passed in auction to Thompson J. S. Flint and he formed the Larchmont Manor Company to develop his 288 acres. His intention was to provide suburban homes for NYC business men of moderate income. One of the first to be attracted to the area was Frank Ellingwood Towle, a civil engineer. Flint asked
Towel to make adjustments to the original Olmstead plan and the map that Towle drew up was recorded in the Land Office Records as Map 610. This map continues to define the area of deeded rights to the use of Manor Park’s beach and boating facilities.

Larchmont Village incorporated in 1891 to provide public services to its residents. The law at the time required 300 residents so in order to incorporate as a village so the committee for incorporation ordered that the boundaries for the proposed village be drawn to enclose, in addition to the Larchmont Manor property sufficient land to make up one square mile. The election was held on September and the vote was 65 for incorporation an 1 opposed….the Village of Larchmont was born




Larchmont Historical Buildings Parks

The Gingerbread House built by Frank Towle in 1872

Larchmont Yacht Club established 1881 moved to waterfront villa (erected 1884)1888

Fountain Square ( formerly Circle Park) 1891 center of public activities …was the site of village hall, firehouse, horse car terminal, and library. The Mermaid’s Cradle statue was installed in 1894 by Helena Flint

Flint Park donated by Helena Flint in 1915 originally a garbage dump & incinerator filled in and a playground was opened in 1922. Tennis began in 1937

Larchmont Library 1926 Developed by Edward Albee along with Albee Court

Larchmont Village Hall 1923 housed fire, police, and administration
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Larchmont Shore Club 1925 the former “La Hacienda” of Rudolph Schaefer

Larchmont Tavern 1933 one of the nations first licensed dispensers of alcoholic beverages after the repeal of Probation

Larchmont Playhouse 1933 700 seat Movie Theater

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