Wykagyl

Wykagyl is a suburban community in New Rochelle, Westchester County, New York, United States. It is conterminous with ZIP code 10804, encompassing much of the city's 'North End'. According to Forbes, in 2010 Wykagyl's 10804 ZIP code, with a median home price of $806,264, ranked 333rd on its list of the 500 most expensive ZIP codes in the U.S.[1] The Washington Post ranks Wykagyl among the nation's 650 Super Zips, or those with the highest percentile rankings for median household income and the share of adults with college degrees or higher.[2]

Wykagyl consists primarily of sprawling, residential parks and planned communities built in the early to mid-20th century, featuring large period-style homes and well-landscaped lots. Architectural styles include Elizabethan and Cotswold Tudors, Mediterranean-style villas, and classic colonials.[3] Colonial, ranch and split-level homes typical of the 1950s and 60's dominate the northernmost end of the community. At the center of the community is an 18-hole golf course and country club and a small business district of retail stores and offices, garden apartment complexes and condominium developments, public and private educational institutions, and assorted houses of worship.

The area's unusual name (pronounced WIKE'-uh-gihl or WICK-uh-gill)[4] is commonly believed to have originated through the combination of two Native American words: wigwos, meaning birch bark, and keag, meaning country. The name most likely resulted from the shortening the name of an Algonquian-speaking band of Lenape who originally inhabited the area.[5]

Around the end of the 19th century, this area of "Upper Rochelle" was still primarily farmland with the exception of the Wykagyl Country Club, which moved to its current site in 1905. By 1912, New Rochelle's home development was rapidly extending northward, with North Avenue serving as the central thoroughfare. A syndicate of bankers and investors began amassing expansive tracts of forest and farmland surrounding the club, eventually incorporating under the name Wykagyl Reservation. The reservation was ideally located to take advantage of the new transportation facilities afforded by the recently completed New York, Westchester and Boston Railway commuter line through the area. Alfred Feltheimer, the architect who designed and named the railroad's stations, chose "Wykagyl" after the golf club. The new rail line spurred new construction and commercial activity, prompting a population boom.

Developers immediately began building and selling houses on the waiting large tracts of farmland. "Wykagyl Gardens", one of the largest apartment complexes in the country at the time, was built next to the station.

development map

homes in Wykagyl Park

As of the census[6] of 2010,[7] there were 14,146 people, 4,961 households, and 3,957 families residing in the Wykagyl ZIP code area. There were 5,183 housing units, 94.8% of which were owner occupied. The racial makeup of Wykagyl was 85.2% White, 7.9% Black or African American, 0.06% Native American, 4.1% Asian, and 2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3% of the population.

There were 4,961 households, out of which 1,808 had children under the age of 18 living with them. 3,689 were married couples living together, 224 had a female householder with no husband present, and 828 were non-families. 490 households constituted someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average family size was 3.3 people.

In the Wykagyl ZIP code area, the population was spread out, with 27% under the age of 18, 11% from 18 to 24, 11% from 18 to 34, 44% from 35 to 64, and 17% who were 65 years of age or older. 4,104 residents of Wykagyl were enrolled in school, with 16% (658) in pre-school or kindergarten, 1,857 (40%) in elementary school, 909 (22%) in high school, and 680 (17%) in college or graduate school. 85% of the population completed "college" or higher, with 42% attaining a "graduate degree" or higher.

About 2% of the population was below the poverty line, including 2% of those under age 18 and 1% of those age 65 or over. The total civilian labor force was 7,001 residents, out of which 6,884 (97.8%) were employed. The median income for a household in Wykagyl was $165,154, and the median income for a family was $199,061. 3,001 households (62%) earned $100,000 or more, with 1,970 (41%) earning in excess of $150,000 annually.

The area is served by the City School District of New Rochelle, which operates a public high school, two junior high schools, and six elementary schools. Located within Wykagyl are:

Several private primary and secondary schools are located within the Wykagyl area, including:

Scenes in Goodfellas were filmed on Alfred Lane, off Quaker Ridge Road and down the street from Albert Leonard Middle School. The house of the parents of Henry Hill's eventual wife, Karen, is on Alfred Lane. Henry goes across the street and pistol whips the neighbor after the neighbor sexually attacks Karen. The scene where Karen is on a pay phone calling Henry and crying about her next-door neighbor bothering her was filmed in the parking lot next to Wykagyl Country Club.[17]

The movie Catch Me If You Can, based on the life of Frank Abagnale Jr., is set in New Rochelle in the 1960s.[18] In the film, the Abagnale family resides in Wykagyl and Frank Abagnale Senior is inducted as the 58th life member of the New Rochelle Rotary Club.

Coordinates: 40°56′29″N 73°47′56″W  /  40.94139°N 73.79889°W  / 40.94139; -73.79889