[J. Thomas Scharf (1886)] Between the years 1820 and 1830 the increased fa-cilities of communication with New York City afford-ed by steamboat service opened a new era in the hist-ory of Rye. Property rose in value, and as early as 1825 there were schemes for disposing of land in building lots at high prices. Forty years ago, how-ever, Rye was still a secluded village, separated by a journey of several hours from the stir and thrift of the city. "The houses number about thirty-five or forty. The Boston mail passes through daily. A steamboat touches every week-day at Rye Port, to and from New York. The boats now running are the ' Nimrod,' Captain John Brooks, and the ' Croton,' Cap-tain Charles Peck; Sloops (Milton and New York) the 'John Jay,' Captain Leander Bishop, (Port Chester and New York) the 'Sarah Adee,' Captain Bird, and the 'New York,' Captain (iilbert Lyon. Rye is much resorted to in summer by citizens of New Y'ork. There is no regular hotel or place of entertainment. The post -office is kept by Daniel H. Mead, in the 'Square House,' — one of the oldest houses in the place — formerly owned by the Penfield family. It stands on the post road in the village, at the com-mencement of the Purchase road, near the twenty-six milestone. The population of the town of Rye [in