Tfie surface of the surrounding country is broken by a range of hills from the south, which diversify with a pleasing variety, both the soil and position of land thus distributed into portions for meadow, pasture and tillage.^ The whole town is also richly wooded and watered by the Bronx, Sheldrake and Mamaroneck rivers. These streams form romantic valleys, and supply numerous mill seats. Since the first settlement of this place, which commenced soon after its purchase from the Indians, in 1683, it has continued steadily to progress, and is now hardly to be excelled by any other inland village in the county. White Plains being a half shire town with Bedford, (which is sixteen miles north) the courts are held alternately at both places. The court house stands near the centre of the village, and occupies the site of the old building erected in J759, upon the removal of the courts from Westchester. The first Court of Common Pleas assembled licre, the 27lh of May, 1760,

Court House, U hite Pldin-

Spafford's Gazettrer of N. Y.

COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. '• 347

There are events connected with this spot, which will long live in the paj^es of American history. It was here that the Whigs of Westchester county appointed to meet the committees of the several towns to elect deputies to the continental congress, who were to assemble at Philadelphia, on the first day of September. 1774. The proceedings of the various meetings held here would afford matter for a good sized volume, we shall therefore present our readers '• with a small part only of the important productions of those eventful times." The following resolutions were adopted by the freeholders and inhabitants of Rye and Westchester.