NEW ROCHELLE

     The City of New Rochelle,  one of New York State's oldest communities,  located in Westchester County, New York.  It is called the "Queen City of the Sound," with 9.3 miles of  coast line on Long Island Sound.  It's southern border less than one mile from the borough of the Bronx and a 35 minute train away from Manhattan's Grand
Central Terminal.   New Rochelle is a commuters dream suburb.  It is the seventh largest city in New York State.
     The City's history dates back to Thomas Pell's purchase of the Pelham Manor tract in 1654.  Thirty Four years later thousand of Huguenots - French Protestants who left
France following Louis XIV's revocation of the Edit of Nantes, which had protected them from religious persecution, began setting the area.  Their new home was named after La Rochelle,  the port from which they had departed from France.  By the 18th
century, New Rochelle's population was 692 residents, a modest village with an abudance of agricultural land.  Thomas Paine, the patriot, was awarded 300 acres by New York State for his service to the cause of independence.
     By the 19th Century New Rochelle industrialization and urbanization began.  There
was a four-story flour mill, said to be the country's largest at the time, a tollhouse was built on what is today called Main Street.  The thoroughfare became the village's commercial heart, home to taverns, stores and homes. 
     The growth of New Rochelle in the late 19th century was evident by the establishment of a number of important institutions.   The city's first newspaper, the Pioneer, started in 1860, then came the first volunteer fire company.  New Rochelle's
proximity to New York City by steamboat led to the 1879 creation of Glen Island fun park, which featured a zoo, natural history museum, bathing beach, Chinese pagoda and a German beer garden.  The City Board of Health was created in 1881 in response to a smallpox epidemic.  The Public Library was establish in 1892.
      The community experienced another growth spurt following WWII, as families
started to move out to the suburbs.  It has called home to many prominent individuals, from Norman Rockwell, Lou Gehrig, Robert Merill, actors, Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis
to name a few.  
     Since the founding of New Rochelle, its waterfront has played a key role in the City's development, and today is growing downtown is only six blocks from the City's nine miles of shoreline.     
     New Rochelle is a city that enjoys history and cultural resources.  The  lure of this community includes a culturally diverse population and easy access to Manhattan and New England with a wide range of housing options.
     The City is served the New Rochelle City School District. The award winning school district offers a comprehensive educational program.   There are seven elementary schools from K-5: Columbus Elementary School, Daniel Webster Elementary School, George M. Davis Elementary School, Henry Barnard School, Jefferson Elementary School, Trinity Elementary School, William B. Ward Elementary School.   The Middle Schools serving grades 6-8 are Albert Leonard Middle School and Issac E. Young Middle School.  The New Rochelle High School serves grades 9-12.  The school district serves a large student base.  The High School will be divided into seven vertical smalled learning communities, each serving all four grades and consisting of approximately 450 student.  The SLC will be geographically defined, each will incorporated freshman academy and a tenth grade academy.  Students will be placed in the SLCs based on student/parent choice or random assignment.  There are many es strategies for optimum learning that are employed.   The New Rochelle Public School System celebrates change and tradition.  The Wall Street Journal sited New Rochelle having one of the top 20 in the nation.  On three occasions,  New Rochelle's school system has claimed the prestigious Blue Ribbon Award from the U.S. Department of Education.  The city's schools consistently receive high grades.  In addition to the excellent public schools, the city has many prominent private schools.  Three institutions of higher learning are also located in the city: Iona College, the College of New Rochelle and Monroe Junior College.
There are nine miles of waterfront, beaches and marinas.  New Rochelle residents enjoy 230 acres devoted to 41 parks and 100 acres devoted to nature preserve.  A County Beach and recreational facility Glen Island Park is enjoyed by all. There are pools, tennis courts and community centers located throughout the City and the City Marina ha space for 450 boats and mooring for boats 18' and over. The member only private Wykagyl Golf Club is home to the Ladies GPA and all golf lovers can enjoy five public courses. 
www.newrochelleny.com/

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