Harrison

Harrison is located in lower Westchester. Geographically, its twenty-two square miles make it one of the county’s larger towns. The current population is approximately 27,000.

In 1696, John Harrison, the town’s founder, was given a day to ride around and mark the boundaries of his property. Specifics about the deal are unclear; Harrison may have bought the land from Native Americans, or he may have been given the land by King William III of England. Regardless, the area was first known as “Harrison’s Purchase.” The New York State Legislature officially made it a town in 1788. Today, the northern part of the town is known as Purchase.

The town began receiving train service in 1848. There was no actual station until 1870, and until then residents had to flag down the train to get it to stop. Modern-day riders have an easier time catching the train at Harrison’s Metro North station. Travel time to Grand Central is 35-40 minutes.

The town lacks a centralized shopping district and there are no strip malls. However, its location is convenient to both White Plains and Greenwich, Connecticut, which both have large selections of upscale retailers. Big-box stores, including Costco, are located in nearby Port Chester.

Like the town, the school district is geographically one of Westchester’s largest. The schools have an excellent reputation, and typically get excellent results on state assessments. Four elementary schools, one middle school and one high school educate 3,500 students. There are private and parochial schools in the town as well.

Great recreation opportunities and facilities can be found in Harrison. Two recreation centers, Mintzer and Sollazzo, host a variety of activities year-round. During the summer, camp programs are available for many interests. There are regular day camps available for younger children, as well as camps for interests, including filmmaking, basketball, and football. Programs for adults include soccer, softball, basketball and volleyball. There is a senior program as well.

Real estate is pricey in Harrison. Though the median price has fallen to $805,000, most of the inventory is still very expensive. Though moderately priced options do exist, those homes are still more expensive than comparable homes in other towns, especially in the northern part of the county.

The Town/Village of Harrison is 30 miles northeast of Manhattan, close to Long Island sound, and 5 miles from the border of Connecticut. Here you will find grand estates and working-class homes, private country clubs and public parks, elegant restaurants and affordable family bistros, all thanks to the expansion of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad in 1870. Mostly-Italian immigrants built the railroad, which subsequently brought the wealthy is all is you and him and himhere from New York City. The immigrants stayed to build and work on the estates, and today their descendents make up the largest ethnic group in Harrison.

Purchase is a hamlet in the northern part of Harrison, which is where most of the largest estates are located. West Harrison is south of Purchase, and south of that is Harrison, often known simply as “downtown,” even though that name conjures up images of a business district. Harrison’s “downtown” contains residential areas of various income levels, both its Middle and High Schools, one country club, two private golf clubs, and several historic cemeteries.

This is a genteel yet busy area, as would befit a place so close to New York City. The Westchester County airport is here, the Hutchinson River Parkway and I-95 are easily accessed, and there is a Metro North stop. Purchase is home to Manhattanville College, located on the 700-acre former estate of Whitelaw Reid, publisher of the New York Tribune, and now on the National Register of Historic Places; SUNY Purchase; and Keio Academy, a high school affiliated with Keio Academy in Tokyo.

There are four elementary schools: two in Harrison, one in West Harrison, and one in Purchase. Thanks to the tax base, quite a bit of which is paid for by the dozen corporations located here, the schools and their facilities are excellent. There are 8 parks totaling 80 acres, with playgrounds, basketball courts, pools, and a bocce court.

St. Vincent’s Hospital Westchester, part of St. Joseph’s medical center, is located in right in Harrison, as is the Scarsdale Medical Group.

Harrison’s recreation department is both active and creative. Besides the regular array of sports teams, they offer ballroom dancing, drawing and cartoon making, pottery painting, a Lego class, and the chance to learn Italian, in whatever age group you may be. There are spring egg hunts, Halloween programs, summer concerts, sports tournaments, and, with a nod to the large and close-knit Italian community, an “It’s great to live in Harrison/Columbus Day Celebration” which is held in October. There are two community centers, the Sollazzo Center and the Leo Mintzer Center, both splendidly equipped to keep everyone from toddlers to teenagers to senior citizens busy and occupied.

The Harrison Youth Council provides educational programs, parent support groups, counseling, consultation, and referral to families dealing with drug and alcohol problems, collaborating with the schools and professionals to achieve their mission.

Harrison is one of the few Westchester towns that has a nightlife–Uncle Harry’s actually stays open past midnight on the weekends, a rare find in Westchester. Multimillionaires who want to live on an estate close to New York City, or regular mortals who simply want to be a part of this type of rarefied atmosphere and take advantage of its perks, may find what they’re looking for in Harrison.

The Town of Harrison contains the Village of Harrison, as well as the hamlet of Purchase and the area of West Harrison. Why does Harrison have both a town and village? The answer harkens back to the early 1970s. Of all the areas of Harrison, Purchase had the most open space; and thus the most to lose when the pro-development Supervisor began inviting major corporations to build industrial parks, and sleazy real estate developers began circling the area. Alarmed by the amount of building going on in Harrison, residents of Purchase decided to secede and incorporate as a village, and thus have more control over their own destiny. Unfortunately, the presiding Supervisor managed to avoid being served the papers which would have started the legal proceedings, and instead incorporated part of the town of Harrison as a village. This ended Purchase’s hope of becoming a village, as legally a village cannot be formed from another village.

The Village of Harrison is 30 miles northeast of Manhattan, close to Long Island sound, and 5 miles from the border of Connecticut. You can walk through the village of Harrison and check out its shops and restaurants, and continue past its border into the town of Harrison.

This is a genteel yet busy area, as would befit a place so close to New York City. The Westchester County airport is here, the Hutchinson River Parkway and I-95 are easily accessed, and there is a Metro North stop. Purchase is home to Manhattanville College, located on the 700-acre former estate of Whitelaw Reid, publisher of the New York Tribune, and now on the National Register of Historic Places; SUNY Purchase; and Keio Academy, a high school affiliated with Keio Academy in Tokyo.

Thanks to the tax base, quite a bit of which is paid for by the dozen corporations located here, the schools are outstanding and their facilities excellent. There are 8 parks totaling 80 acres, with playgrounds, basketball courts, pools, and a bocce court.

St. Vincent’s Hospital Westchester, part of St. Joseph’s medical center, is located in right in Harrison, as is the Scarsdale Medical Group.

Harrison’s recreation department is both active and creative. Besides the regular array of sports teams, they offer ballroom dancing, drawing and cartoon making, pottery painting, a Lego class, and the chance to learn Italian, in whatever age group you may be. There are spring egg hunts, Halloween programs, summer concerts, sports tournaments, and, with a nod to the large and close-knit Italian community, an “It’s great to live in Harrison/Columbus Day Celebration” which is held in October. There are two community centers, the Sollazzo Center and the Leo Mintzer Center, both splendidly equipped to keep everyone from teenagers to senior citizens busy and occupied.

The Harrison Youth Council provides educational programs, parent support groups, counseling, consultation, and referral to families dealing with drug and alcohol problems, collaborating with the schools and professionals to achieve their mission.

Harrison is one of the few Westchester towns that has a nightlife–Uncle Harry’s actually stays open past midnight on the weekends, a rare find in Westchester.

The village of Harrison is contained within the town of Harrison, and so has access to the wonderful community to all who visit and live there. It’s a quaint country town that’s complete with a beautiful lake that’s open to the public, and there’s plenty of shopping opportunities throughout Harrison, including a Carvel and an Applebees, a learning shop, and Dunkin’ Donuts.

Silver Lake is a part of Harrison but is considered part of West Harrison. The town of Harrison offers activities at the Leo Mintzer center, which also is a great place for seniors to gather and mingle, play cards, and enjoy each other’s company. Teens will love the Center as well because there’s even a Wii and Playstation, not to mention plenty of sports opportunities.

Harrison schools score well on SAT tests and 99% of students go on to receive a higher education, and there’s plenty of community activities for all (including zumba as well). Harrison proper has a pool at the Passidimo Veteran Memorial park, and there’s also a library and a train station, which makes it easy for commuters. The community is very diverse and is acknowledged with the Jewish Community Center, the Keio Japanese Academy, and the Greek Orthodox Church. Harrison is also home to Purchase College, a wonderfully unique performing arts college that has a museum on campus and is well loved by its tight-knit community of students of all fields that go there, who make Purchase a very memorable experience for everyone.

While Harrison might be the most affluent area of Westchester, middle class families can live comfortably here, and while Harrison is mainly residential, entertainment and job opportunities can always be found in nearby White Plains.

Harrison is both a village and a town located near the towns of Rye, Scarsdale, Mamaroneck and White Plains. It consists of the hamlets of Harrison, West Harrison and Purchase, which are all unique and very residential. West Harrison is known for being the location of the famous revolutionary war battle, the Battle of White Plains, fought by many local regiments of the day, including the Harrison Regiment, and George Washington’s troops as well.

While most of the areas in Harrison are largely withdrawn from civilization (especially Purcahse and West Harrison, even though it’s not far from the hustle-and-bustle city of White Plains) Harrison has a lot to offer and every age is wholesomely welcome here.

It’s a very affluent area (Purchase being the most priciest) but you can find affordable pricing at Maple House at 27 Maple Ave. and Affordable River Communities Housing, Inc. offers low-income housing at 37 New Haven Street, both in Harrison proper. Maple House apartments are great for seniors in need of assistance. Out of the three hamlets, West Harrison is the less expensive, built more for a middle-class community, while the other two are middle-upper-class. Affordable housing is also found in neighboring areas, like the city of White Plains and the Bronx.

Harrison is a very community-oriented town; it has several community centers (The Leo Mintzer center is perfect for senior-citizens, and the Sollazzo Center is exceptional for teens---it even has a Wii and Playstation for everyone to enjoy). There’s bingo and movie nights on the town Green, and the library in Harrison (also a branch in West Harrison) offers fine programs like computer and English-as-a-second language classes. Harrison also offers a youth employment agency, where you can get a head-start on your career in childcare or any industry.

It’s a large Italian community, so there’s lots of Italian eateries (especially on Halstead Ave), perfect for a romantic getaway with your sweetheart (Al Dante in Harrison proper has---are you surprised?---excellent pasta dishes and a cozy, relaxing ambiance; Michaelangelo’s Pizza in Pasta in West Harrison is very family-friendly (as well as the Applebee’s there). Rue de Crepes, where you’ll find crepes of al kinds exactly like you had in Paris, has been noted as being the Best In Westchester. Want to try something different? Visit Hamije Japanese for some of the best sushi in all of Westchester, and for great seafood, try Land And Sea, which is a Mediterranean/Italian fusion, and perfect to introduce ethnic food to the kiddies. In West Harrison, you’ll also find Aquario, which is a Brazillian and Portugese fusion, located right on the gorgeous Silver Lake (take a stroll on the park afterwards and watch the sunset). In Purchase, the whole family will enjoy the China White Noodle Bar, where you can have noodle dishes of all kinds, especially yummy noodle bowls. SUNY Purchase College is right on the same street, Anderson Hill Road, and you can catch a show at the Purchase Theater or visit the Neuburger Museum of Art, then grab coffee and dessert at the campus Starbucks.

Harrison also has a great night life. Visit 97 Lake Sports Restaurant and Cafe for great food and fun times, and it’s a great place to have a good drink after a day on the lake. In Harrison proper, visit Uncle Harry’s for a great late night out with friends, as they are open as late as 3:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, 1:30 am.
The town of Harrison has a wide variety of shops like Carvel, Dunkin’ Donuts and Redline Hobby Shop, and The Learning Shop (tutoring center) in West Harrison you’ll find a Farmer’s Market and Silver Lakes Hardware.

Harrison has Silver Lake Park for a great day spent outside while enjoying the lake itself. If you want to get out of the area for an exciting day in the big city, the Harrison train station that can take you to NYC in around approximately 30 minutes. You’ll need a car to get around as most of the areas in Harrison is largely residential. You can rely on White Plains Hospital and other centers for all of your medical needs.

The School systems here are top-notch, and scores rank high on the SATs. You will be glad that you sent your child here, and there are even two great colleges right in your hometown, SUNY Purchase (performing arts) and Manhattanville College (liberal arts) that are award-winning and internationally recognized as award-winning schools.

If you want a hard-working, family-friendly, community-oriented town that, while it has a high cost of living, is well worth the price, then Harrison is just right for you.

Harrison is both a town and a village of historical significance. An important Revolutionary War battle was staged there. Harrison Village. The area is definitely affluent and peppered with lovely homes of good size and well-manicured facades and land parcels.

Harrison is home to beautiful Silver Lake Park where many rip-roatrng little and adult league softball games are played. It makes for a family-friendly and fun communal atmosphere. Harrison is also home to Veteran’s Memorial Park, a nice community pool, as well as the well-developed Leo Mintzer Community Center which has a great gym, a game room with ping pong tables, foos ball, air hockey and billiards, a TV room with cable, a Playstation and a wii system. All one needs to participate in any these myriad activities is a valid town rec i.d.

In the summer months, Harrison hosts free "Movies in the Park" at West Harrison Park. Harrison also has a great public library which hold story times for tots, a "meet the artist" series, animal based therapy sessions for younguns, book talks and book signings, academic help, defensive driving and other assorted courses.

Halstead Avenue in Harrison is home to some decent shopping and quite a few good restaurants including Rues des Crepes, Dunkin Donuts, Land and Sea Restaurant, Trattoria Vivolo, Emilio’s Restaurant, Gus's Franklin Park Restaurant, Al Dente, Uncle Henry’s Bar and Grill, Re Aldo Restaurant and Pizza, Silver Spoon Cafe, Hajime Japanese Restaurant, Mamma Sofia's, and Halstead Avenue Bistro.

Harrison is quite safe and the crime rate in Harrison is very low.

Harrison has a decentl system with the median SAT score being 1600. It is reported that an impressive 98% of its high school graduates do go on to attend college.

The median household income is $106,749. The median household value is $661,125 and the median rental rate is $1,747.00

Harrison is 77% White, 12% Hispanic, 7.5% Asian and 2% African American.

The population of Harrison is 25,402 with the median age being 38.

Harrison is a village and town in Westchester County, NY. It is a well-off community with many gorgeous estates, some preserved for years and others are tear-downs. Harrison is home to Manhattanville College and SUNY Purchase. Fordham University also has a campus here. All these well-tended educational campuses combine with some corporate headquarters, like those of PepsiCo and MasterCard, to give Harrison a look of lush landscaping. Add to this the Westchester County Club and two more private golf courses and you get an idea of the visual appeal of Harrison.

Harrison itself is primarily residential but it is close to shopping in White Plains on the one side and Greenwich, CT on the other. It is well-placed to take advantage of the amenities in several neighboring towns and communities.

Harrison schools come highly recommended and are one of the big draws for those looking for homes in this suburb. Harrison is a train station on the New Haven line of Metro North and makes for a decent commute to New York City. There is also the possibility of using the Hutchinson River parkway or the Cross Bronx Expressway for getting around quickly. This has also helped this bedroom community’s popularity.

Harrison offers many family friendly sports leagues and so you’re likely to see lively games of soccer or baseball on the town’s fields on weekend mornings. There are also many tennis courts and the town has a nice swimming pool.

Rue Des Crepes and Emilio’s Ristorante are among some of the interesting eateries in Harrison.
Among the famous residents of Harrison is baseball player Mariano Rivera!

Harrison proper, founded in 1696 by its namesake, John Harrison, is both a town and a village with historical significance. In the western part of town, the famous Battle of White Plains was fought during the Revolutionary War. The southern half of town is simply known as Harrison while the northern portion is considered to be the hamlet of Purchase.

Harrison is home to beautiful Silver Lake Park where many spirited little and adult league softball games are played on sunny spring and summer nights. It makes for a wholesome community atmosphere. Harrison also boasts Veteran’s Memorial Park, a community pool, as well as the lovely red brick Leo Mintzer Community Center which has a great gym, a game room with ping pong tables, foos ball, air hockey and billiards, as well as a TV room hooked up with cable, a Playstation and a wii system. All one needs to participate in any and all of these wonderful activities is a valid town rec i.d.

For those seeking spine-chilling thrills, local lore and legend has it that Harrison’s infamous Buckout Road was home to witches, albinos and some supposed unexplainably strange goings-on. The road is a notorious hot spot on Halloween in particular for mischievous teens who like to spook the bejeezus out of each other.

In the hamlet of Purchase one can find the exceptional Purchase College, an artistic satellite of the SUNY system with its well known and highly touted liberal arts program and resplendent performing arts center and equally inspiring Neuberger Museum. The small but pretty campus of private Manhattanville College is also nearby and has affiliations with NYU and a terrific writing program. Fordham University even opened a branch in Harrison a few years ago.

Halstead Avenue in Harrison is haven to some nice shopping and quite a few restaurants including Rues des Crepes, Dunkin Donuts, Land and Sea Restaurant, Trattoria Vivolo, Emilio’s Restaurant, Al Dente, Uncle Henry’s Bar and Grill, Hajime Japanese Restaurant and Halstead Avenue Bistro.

The crime rate in Harrison is very low.

Harrison has a solid school system with the median SAT score being 1600 and a reported 98% of its high school graduates going on to college.

The median household income is $106, 749. The median household value is $661,125 and the median rental rate is $1,747.00

Harrison is 77% White, 12% Hispanic, 7.5% Asian and 2% African American.

The population of Harrison is 25,402 with the median age being 38.