New Castle Name Change Receives Icy Millwood-West End Reception

A group of Millwood and West End residents last week overwhelmingly panned the proposal to change the name of the Town of New Castle to Chappaqua.

All but one of the Millwood-West End Advisory Board members who spoke during an extended discussion at last Thursday’s board meeting and the handful of residents in attendance said they saw no benefit to making a switch.

Opponents of the proposal argued that the town, which has been named New Castle since 1791, would lose a significant piece of its history and identity. Others said they liked the greater diversity offered in Millwood and the West End, particularly since their children go to Ossining schools, and being called Chappaqua could change that perception.

Advisory board member Michael Dorio said if the change isn’t expected to affect each resident’s mailing address, school district or real estate values then he “could find no coherent need to make the change.”

“This history should not be set aside because a realtor or a town board member has found the name confusing,” Dorio said. “How could this suggestion bring benefit to all residents of the town?”

Board co-chair Michael Stern called the proposal “nonsense.”

On Jan. 3, the New Castle Town Board discussed the possibility of a change. Supervisor Robert Greenstein said it could be a more effective way to brand the entire Town of New Castle. Most people outside of the immediate area are unfamiliar with the name New Castle, but have heard of Chappaqua, he said.

Town board members are currently receiving feedback from residents.

Greenstein, who indicated he would need to see a majority support the proposal, at least in excess of 60-40, said last Friday that the responses he’s received so far favor the change but not overwhelmingly. The most favorable response has come from residents with the Mount Kisco mailing address in the Chappaqua School District while its biggest detractors are in the West End.

Greenstein said the most valid argument against the change would be for those in the Ossining School District. To some, particularly prospective home buyers, it could be construed as misleading to live in a town of Chappaqua and not be in the Chappaqua School District, he said.

Councilwoman Hala Makowska, who attended last week’s advisory board meeting, said she found similar results based on location in town.

Advantages include having an immediate and recognizable town-wide identity that is simple and to the point while the loss of tradition, history and identity would be a negative.

“I would say this is not a clear-cut win on any side,” Makowska said.

Lewis Baretz, a 20-year Millwood resident, was the lone dissenting voice on the advisory board, saying he agrees with those town board members who believe that if you go more than 10 miles out of the area few are familiar with New Castle.

Growing up in Valley Cottage, Rockland County but going to Nyack schools, he experienced a similar identity problem in that community.

“For me, after 20 years I don’t feel any connection to the Town of New Castle, Baretz said. “Millwood I’m a little more attached to but I don’t have a problem just being called Chappaqua.”

Others at the advisory board meeting said they preferred the name remains the same.

“The reason why we moved to this area, we loved the house, we loved the district, but we all liked the diversity for our children and we wanted them to go to the Ossining schools, and for better or worse, they turned out damn well and they learned that there was another world out there that wasn’t Chappaqua,” said West End resident Sara Brewster.

“I live in Millwood. I wanted to live in the Millwood section of New Castle,” said advisory board member Leslie Smith. “There’s more diversity. To me Chappaqua is white, rich and that stops there.”

The advisory board said it would like to conduct a formal survey of residents in its area before coming to a conclusion.

The town board will hold a public hearing at a future date. It must pass a resolution and gain approval from the state legislature to change the name.