In 1845 the Town of "Ossinsing" was created from the section of the Town of Mount Pleasant that contained Sing Sing, Sparta, and Scarborough. To the east of the Village of Ossining lay an area called Whitson’s Corners. It was settled during the 19th century. On November 21, 1902, it was officially incorporated as the Village of Briarcliff Manor. The population at that time was 331 residents. In 1890, an English businessman named Law bought 232 acres of farmland in Whitson’s Corners, calling it “Briarcliff Farms”. He turned the farm’s poor herd of Jersey cows into a profitable venture, distributing milk products. He also cultivated American Beauty Roses "Briarcliff Roses" which were shipped daily to New York City. His holdings soon increased to 5,000 acres and he had about 300 employees. A community began to evolve there. Law’s estate was said to be a city within itself, including houses for his employees, roads, a Church, the Briarcliff Lodge, a vacation resort and the Briarcliff Manor Light and Power Company. Law’s friend, industrialist Andrew Carnegie, called him “Laird of Briarcliff Manor”.

Location: Scarborough

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Town History