WTiite Plains is the shire town of the county, and is situated twenty-eight miles from the city of New York ; one hundred and thirty-one south of Albany, six miles east of the Hudson, and fourteen south of Bedford, (which used to be the other half shire town,) bounded northerly by North Castle? easterly by Harrison, southerly by Scarsdale, and westerly by Greenburgh. The river Bronx runs south along the west line, and the jNIamaroneck river along the east -- forming the boundary towards Harrison township. The whole area of this town may be eight and a half square miles.

White Plains originally formed a portion of the town of Rye, and derived its name from the White Balsam, ( Gnaphaliunn PolycepJuilum of LinncBus) gnaphaUum, signifying soft down or wool.

It was called by the Indians Quaroppas, under whom these lands must have formed a portion of tlie ancient Domains of Weckquaskeck; as we find Shapham, or Thapham, one of the sachems of that place conjointly selling lands there to the inhabitants of the town of Rye in 1683.

" It is so long since the Indians quitted these grounds, that their monuments are almost effaced. Once in a while a point of an arrow, or a stone axe is found which bears the mark of Indian labor and dexterity ; and there is still to be distinguished the spot on which they luid their wigwams, and the cemetery where they buried their dead." The former is situated on the land formerly of Mr. Gilbert Oakley, the latter on the property formerly of Mr. Elisha Crawford, now owned by Mr. CarharL In the vicinity of tl^.e town is a small excavation, cut out of a granite rock • this was a mortar, where they pounded their corn. c35