In 1695, John Harrison, a Quaker from Flushing, Queens, "purchased of the Indians a tract of land about nine miles in length and nearly three in width... The Indians reserved 'such whitewood trees as shall be found suitable to make canoes of..." Large numbers of Friends came to settle there. They called it "Harrison's Purchase," or simply "The Purchase" and it is still known today as Purchase, NY. A Quaker meeting house was erected there in 1727.[3]
In 1967, 200 residents stated support for a plan to incorporate Purchase so corporations could not build in the community.[4] In response, officials from the Town of Harrison put forward plans to try to become a city in an attempt to stop Purchase from seceding from the Town of Harrison.[5]
There are many historic sites located in Purchase. The grounds that SUNY Purchase now occupies was once Strathglass Farms, a dairy farm. The Quaker Friends Meeting house was founded in the 18th century. The original building fell victim to fire years ago and the present one is an accurate reconstruction. Before the headquarters of Pepsi was built, the Blind Brook Polo Club was located on that site. Amelia Earhart flew her plane from the polo grounds. Many colonial era homes and unspoiled natural woodlands have decreased in the last 30 years due to residential development. The Old Oaks Country Club, originally named 'Hill Crest', is a splendid mansion house built in the late 1880s by millionaire Trenor Luther Park and his wife Julia Catlin Park. Trenor Luther was a Harvard Graduate, who studied law, and a silk merchant. His father, Trenor William Park, funded the Panama Railway, ran for Vice President of the United States in 1864 and was involved with the California Gold Mines. Purchase is also known for being one of the richest areas in the country.
Lenovo had previously maintained its U.S. headquarters in Purchase. In 2006, the company announced it was moving to Morrisville, North Carolina.[14]
The average household income in Purchase is estimated to be approximately $352,000.[15]
In 2018, Bloomberg ranked 10577 the fifth wealthiest ZIP Code in the United States.[16]
The hamlet "was used to film a sizeable chunk of the second season" of The Sinner in summer 2018; one featured location is the Cobble Stone Restaurant.[17][18]
Education
Public schools
Purchase School[19] is the local K–5 elementary school, which is part of the Harrison Central School District.[20]Harrison High School is the local high school, which offers the IB Diploma Programme, and which is the only high school operated by the Harrison Central School District. Harrison High School also serves the entire area of the Town of Harrison, including the Village of Harrison, which is economically diverse. In 2010, Superintendent of the Harrison Central School District, Louis N. Wool was named Superintendent of the Year in New York State.[21]
Purchase is known for the Purchase Community House (PCH), home of the Purchase Day Camp (PDC). It also runs after-school activities during the rest of the year. On the PCH property, there are four pools and numerous playing fields. The Purchase Free Library is also located on the PCH property.[22]
During the 1980s, the city hosted the festival Pepsico Summerfare, known for their opera productions which included Benjamin Britten's Noye's Fludde (1981–84), David Eaton's The Cry of Clytaemnestra (1982), and Peter Sellars's Little Mahagonny/Cantata 60: Conversations with Fear and Hope After Death (1985), Peter Sellars's productions of Mozart's Così fan tutte (1986), Don Giovanni (1987) and Le nozze di Figaro (1988). Now, SUNY produces two operas each year.[23]
^"Contact UsArchived April 26, 2016, at the Wayback Machine". Polar Air Cargo. Retrieved on February 13, 2011. "Atlas Air / Polar Air Cargo – Headquarters 2000 Westchester Avenue Purchase, NY 10577 USA"
^Hogan, Patrick. "Lenovo shifting U.S. headquarters to Morrisville, but will cut 300–350 Triangle jobs." Triangle Business Journal. Thursday March 16, 2006. Updated Friday March 17, 2006. p.1. Retrieved on October 12, 2012.
