Historical Society to Premier, "The Village: A History of Downtown Scarsdale"

The Scarsdale Historical Society will be premiering its newest documentary, The Village: A History of Downtown Scarsdale, at the Scarsdale Public Library on Tuesday, May 14thst at 6:15 PM and 7:30 PM. This half-hour film explores how Scarsdale’s business district grew from a train depot and a few wooden buildings into today’s iconic Tudor Revival-style commercial center.

The Village will take viewers on a journey spanning more than 200 years, beginning with a colonial-era mill on the Bronx River. Archival photographs capture the development of Scarsdale’s earliest businesses and “downtown” streets, when horses clip-clopped on dusty roads. The film chronicles the factors that contributed to Scarsdale’s suburbanization, and the prominent, community-minded residents that developed the business district as it stands today.

The cohesive English design of the downtown area was carefully designed, down to the gabled roofs, elaborate stonework, and even the gas stations. Landmarks like the Harwood and Parkway Buildings were meticulously planned to meet the high aesthetic standards of the existing population and those they hoped to attract.

“Thanks to the remarkable foresight of Scarsdale’s founders, the heart of our village remains as a picturesque, thriving hub of commerce and culture today,” stated Randy Guggenheimer, President of the Scarsdale Historical Society. “In keeping with our mission to preserve and share Scarsdale’s history, we are pleased to present the story behind our distinguished business district.”

The title of the film, The Village, is a nod to the nickname used by Scarsdale insiders when referring to “downtown.” Guggenheimer continued, “Residents may not realize we have our own local vernacular when we say we’re “going into ‘the Village.’ It’s an expression that unites us as residents, and seemed only fitting as a title for this film.”Perhaps the first real estate office in Scarsdale, The North End Land Improvement Company building was once on the corner of today's Popham Road at Scarsdale Avenue (on the right) around 1902.

Following the screening there will be a Q&A with the film’s participants: historians Jordan Copeland and Leslie Chang, and Peter Blier from Scarsdale Central Taxi.

This half-hour documentary is directed and edited by local filmmaker Lesley Topping. It is part of an ongoing series from the Scarsdale Historical Society on the history and neighborhoods of Scarsdale. All the previous films can be viewed here. 

Admission to the film is free. The event is co-sponsored by the Scarsdale Historical Society, the Scarsdale Public Library and the Scarsdale Business Alliance.

The public can register for the premiere here. 

Jordan at Harwood: Scarsdale Village Historian Jordan Copeland guides viewers through today’s Village center.”