Trolley Tour Highlights Sites from Scarsdale's Early Years

If you were out enjoying the sunshine and falling leaves on Sunday November 1, you may have noticed an antique red trolley circulating around the Village. Had you entered a time warp? Or had the trolley escape from the hills of San Francisco? From the window of the trolley, it looked like passersby looked confused!

It turns out that the trolley tours, which ran in three shifts during the day, were sponsored by the Scarsdale Historical Society. The trolley route toured century old homes, monuments and sites that told the story of Scarsdale’s history from rural farmland to suburban development. The “conductors” on my ride, Leslie Chang, Jordan Copeland, Peter Blier and Deborah Skolnik, were well versed in Scarsdale history and explained the significance of places like Wayside Cottage, Underhill House, Crawford-Morris House, the Locusts, Butler Woods and Tompkins Road in the Village’s timeline. We pulled into the driveways of Colonial era homes and learned that residents are still living inside today.

Who knew why the front door of the Scarsdale Public Safety Building faces the back, rather than Post Road? It turns out that prior to the development of the Post Road, Tompkins Road was the original north-south corridor through Scarsdale and that’s why you see several historic homes fronting on Tompkins Road with their rear yards facing the Post Road.

On Sharon Lane we visited The Locusts, a 1700’s house where Alexander Hamilton slept!Village Historian Jordan Copeland started the tour by explaining the murals at the Scarsdale Post Office.

Next time you’re waiting online at the Scarsdale Post Office look up! You’ll see two New Deal era murals depicting Scarsdale’s early beginnings, when Caleb Heathcote purchased Richbell Farm.

And if you’re walking down Fox Meadow, venture into the trees at Butler Woods. There you will find a huge rock with a commemorative plaque honoring Emily Butler’s contribution of 25 acres from the Fox Meadow estate to the State of New York, “preserving them in their native beauty for future generations.”

Thanks to the Scarsdale Historical Society for this enlightening tour. Learn more about Scarsdale’s rich history here.

Conductors Peter Blier and Deborah SkolnikA commemorative plaque memorializing Emily Butler's gift of 25 acres of Fox Meadow to NYS.