Hawthorne

Hawthorne is a hamlet within the town of Mt. Pleasant, which is centrally located in Westchester. Therefore, it is situated at practically the bulls-eye of the county, allowing for a simple commute anywhere within as well as into the city. The commute to Grand Central is under 50 minutes on the Harlem Line from the Hawthorne Metro North railway station. Check out the Station Café and Grille before hopping on the train.
It consists mainly of single family homes and is serviced by small businesses. There are a few corporate parks. If you are looking for a condo, there are one-, two-, and three-bedroom units at Chateau on the Hill.
Hawthorne has a great family feel, the kind where people are born and grow up there and then get married and raise their own families just a few blocks away. Within the zip code of 10532, you will find mom and pop shops that have loyally served the community. But that’s not all … some of the reasons to visit include the Saw Mill Multiplex movie theater, The Cliffs (an indoor rock-climbing center ), the Bloomingdales Furniture Outlet store, and the Westchester Gymnastics Center. Hawthorne is also home to Bradhurst Park, Sam’s Club and the highly regarded Discovery Summer Camp.
Speaking of summer .. the Mount Pleasant Recreation Center & Pool is a wonderful amenity for residents. There is a wide range of activities and entertainment for members of every age. The Rec Center offers educational classes, exercise classes, etc.
Hawthorne is serviced by the Mt. Pleasant Central School District which consists of four schools: Hawthorne Elementary (grades K thru 2nd); Columbus Elementary (grades 3rd thru 5th); Westlake Middle (grades 6 thru 8) and Westlake High (grades 9 thru 12). The middle and high schools share a campus. Westlake High School was recently named a 'Reward School" — those that have made the most progress or have the highest achievement in the state without gaps in student achievement.

If you drive through the neighborhood during the holidays, you will see blocks and blocks of lights, decorated houses and lawns, depicting the wonderful spirit of family and tradition that runs through these streets.

Hawthorne is a densely populated hamlet in the town of Mount Pleasant, with 4,600 residents living within 1.7 square miles. The hamlet experienced most of its growth during the 1950s, when small Capes on quarter-acre lots were built on streets organized into a neat grid pattern. Veterans returning from World War II were quick to purchase many of these homes.

Residents have the convenience of a nearby Metro-North station, which gets commuters to Manhattan in about 45 minutes. Hawthorne is also sandwiched between the Saw Mill and Taconic Parkways, which crisscross at the town’s northern border.

The Mount Pleasant Central School District educates 2,000 students from Thornwood and Hawthorne. All students begin at Hawthorne Elementary, which houses kindergarten through second grade. Third, fourth and fifth graders move over to Columbus Elementary in Thornwood. Westlake Middle School and Westlake High School share a campus. On state exams, the vast majority of elementary students pass the standardized exams in math and reading. Middle school students have the opportunity to take Regents exams in earth science and integrated algebra; the current data shows a 100% pass rate for algebra and 99% for earth science. Passing rates on Regents exams at the high school level are also excellent.

Residents of Hawthorne can use any of the 19 parks and recreational facilities in Mount Pleasant. Broadway Field is located in the hamlet, occupying 6 acres with playing fields and a picnic area. Bradhurst Park and Community Center is a 7-acre facility with a playground. Though there is no library in Hawthorne, residents can use the Mount Pleasant Library. The main library is in Pleasantville and a branch is in Valhalla.

There is a Bloomingdale’s Clearance Center, which sells discounted mattresses, furniture and rugs. Many small, independent businesses are scattered across the town, though White Plains with its two large malls is a short ride away. Skyline Drive is home to several corporations, including IBM.

Though most of the homes in Hawthorne are modest and unpretentious, its location and school district make Hawthorne desirable, and therefore expensive. While many home-buyers will find a good selection of affordable homes, they will also see their money not going as far as it would in other areas, especially in the northern suburbs. However, Hawthorne is a great place to live and may be worth the expense.

The thing I love most about Hawthorne, which is part of lovely Mount Pleasant in Westchester County, NY, is the Saw Mill Multiplex Cinemas. I’ve got lots of great memories of seeing all the new movies here, and there’s plenty of seats and it’s huge, which makes for lots of movie choices.

Either before or after a movie, grab dinner at Empire Chinese on Elwood Ave, or perhaps your family would prefer Applebee’s on Saw Mill River Road (also known as 9A). There’s also Hawthorne Pizzerie and the Station Deli is excellent (some locals know it as “Railroad Deli”). You can get to Hawthorne easily off of the Sprain Brook Parkway, the Taconic, or 9A, which can take you to lots of other fantastic towns throughout Westchester County. If you’re in the mood to shop, Hawthorne doesn’t have many stores in the general vicinity, but there is a Home Depot and Hawthorne Wines & Liquors on Elwood Ave., where most of the restaurants are.

Gates of Heaven is a famous cemetery in Hawthorne. It’s one of the largest cemeteries I’ve ever been to, and a beautiful one as well: lots of trees and thus great shade, and the architecture of the tombs will take your breath away. World-famous baseball player Babe Ruth was laid to rest here. There’s also the smaller but no less beautiful Mt. Eden Jewish Cemetery, to honor those of Jewish descent and belief.

Hawthorne is generally for the working middle-class, as homes cost around $500,000 and up. Schools are excellent and offer a great sports program. You’re right near great parks like Graham Hills County Park, Rockefeller State Park in Pleasantville, and Croton Point Park in Croton-on-Hudson. Hawthorne’s train station is only a 40 minute ride from downtown Manhattan’s Grand Central Station, and it’s a beautiful ride that you won’t soon forget! It’s a great place for kids to grow up, as it’s very safe and offers plenty of space to run around and play.

Hawthorne is in the heart of Westchester County and is a hamlet in the larger town of Mount Pleasant. It shares the characteristics of many of its adjoining hamlets and communities in that it offers great houses, good public schools and family-friendly lifestyle with a decent commute to NYC.

Hawthorne has had many names during its history. It started off al Hammond’s Mills as part of the Philipsburgh Estate and then was called Unionville during the Revolutionary War. It got its current name after Nathaniel Hawthorne’s daughter Mother Mary Alphonsa founded a Dominican Order for nuns called the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne. The town was named in her honour.

Today Hawthorne is a lively town and this primarily residential neighborhood does see quite a bit of outside traffic because of the Saw Mill Parkway multiplex theater. Oriental Diner and Tramonto Restaurant are fun places for a meal out. In terms of shopping there’s not really much to say except that there’s a Home Depot on Saw Mill Parkway that is great for all those renovation projects. Also, there is the Bloomingdale’s clearance mentioned by another reviewer. Another tidbit I’ve heard about Hawthorne is the Henckels once a year sale – the famous knife company J.A. Henckels is headquartered here and they hold a sale, usually before Christmas, which makes it a great time to get deals on their products.

The homes here tend to be on smaller lots and so, closer together because there is a limit to the amount of land available for development. If you’re looking for a sprawling property, Hawthorne may not be the best bet. Parking in the train station has a waiting list and people usually find work-arounds, if they commute to the city.

Hawthorne is a mild-mannered 1.7 square mile suburban hamlet contained within the town of Mount Pleasant, located in central Westchester County. Hawthorne is comprised mostly of medium-sized well-kept homes and smaller businesses.

Little known trivia about Hawthorne is that it is actually the final resting place of both baseball great, Babe Ruth, and acting giant, James Cagney.

The All Westchester Saw Mill Multiplex Cinemas are a popular destination for families and teens alike and show the best Hollywood hits. Parking is ample with a huge lot in front of the complex. After catching the latest flick, head on over to the casual and cozy Italian trattoria, Tramanto, where the Tiramisu is luscious. Gasho of Japan is also in close range and this beloved Westchester County hibachi institution has a lovely and tranquil Japanese stroll garden replete with a bridge, a lily padded pond and the requisite Koi fish.

For the bargain hunter, here is a hot little retail tip for you: Bloomingdale’s Westchester Clearance Center on Saw Mill River Road offers drastically marked down (sometimes up to 80%) deals on discontinued or past seasons’ rugs, mattresses and indoor furniture!

For a one-day escape, the Hawthorne train station operates on the Harlem Line of Metro-North and an express train can whisk you into the big city in only 43 minutes.

The Mount Pleasant school system is considered to be very good and it is reported that 100% of Westlake High School students go on to college after graduation.

The population of Hawthorne is predominantly White, with Caucasians making up approximately 88% of the population. The rest of the populations is comprised of Hispanics who make up 6%, Blacks who make up 3.1% and Asians who make up 3%.

The median income for a household is approximately $71,000. Rental opportunities are few and far between and a one bedroom, when available, tends to run around $1,200.00 per month. The median cost for a home is about $573,000.

The population of Hawthorne is approximately 5,200 people with the median age being 38.

Located in central Westchester, within the town of Mount Pleasant, Hawthorne is a fairly typical suburban village that started out as a colonial farming community. Today, Hawthorne is a mostly residential village; the houses here are mostly small, well maintained, and competitively priced. There are some condos and town houses, but rentals are a little harder to come by in Hawthorne. The school district, which is shared with Thornwood, is very good; the students perform well on standardized tests year after year and the schools offer diverse award-winning programs. Many people like the fact that the elementary school is broken up into two separate schools. This allows students to have smaller class sizes and learn in a more intimate setting. Hawthorne's population is mostly Irish and Italian, with a much smaller percentage of German residents. The hamlet is also very conveniently located; residents enjoy very convenient access to Manhattan; a MetroNorth railroad station is right in town. It is also located close to major Westchester towns such as White Plains. While it is very quiet here, there are also fun recreational activities that residents can participate in. There are two nice parks within Hawthorne, and the residents have access to all of Mount Pleasant's amenities. A lot of the town's families make use of Mount Pleasant's town pool, which is available for use by residents for a small yearly fee.

Hawthorne is located in the town of Mount Pleasant and it is entitled to use their community facilities and programs. There's a pool membership available for an annual fee and if you sign up before summer starts you get a discounted rate. Mount Pleasant has many parks that are easily accessible from Hawthorne but Hawthorne itself only has a few. They're mostly for picnicking or are mostly taken up by baseball and/or soccer fields.

There isn't a cute town center like many other villages in this area but it's easy to drive to one of them. There is also a train station in town that has a train every 20 minutes during peak hours.

There are a few very nice areas of Hawthorne with pretty houses that I could picture living in. Just make sure you stay away from the main roads, those areas tend to be a little grungier.

The community center, also in Mount Pleasant, have some great programs for kids and adults but unfortunately it's not something you could simply walk to.

If you have children entering the school system this may not be the best place for you. The schools rank very low and when you consider other villages in the area there are much better options within this real estate price bracket.