many employees of the New York Central railroad. It is unofficially estimated that after World War II, one-third of the paychecks in the Village came from New York Central Railroad. Like the railroad, the construction of the Croton and New Croton Dams and the New Croton Aqueduct played an important role in shaping Croton-on-Hudson’s development. Construction began on the Croton Dam in 1837 after several water crises in New York City made clear the need for a steady supply of potable water. The project provided many jobs for Irish immigrants who had emigrated to escape the potato famines and it is estimated that at one point 10,000 laborers were working on the project. The New Croton Aqueduct was completed in 1890 and the New Croton Dam, designed to meet the ever-increasing demands for fresh water from New York City, was completed in 1907 after 15 years of construction. Construction of New Croton Dam, 1901 Source: History of Croton-onHudson In 1932, two separate communities, Mount Airy and Harmon, were incorporated into the Village. Each area had a distinct identity that contributed to the cultural richness of the Croton-on-Hudson community. Mount Airy had remained a Quaker enclave into the 1800s but evolved in the early 1900s into a summer colony that attracted many Greenwich Village artists and writers. Poet Edna St. Vincent Millay and actress Gloria Swanson both resided in Croton- PAGE 7 CROTON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN on-Hudson, and Elizabeth Duncan, sister of Isadora Duncan, founded a dance school there, using two homes along Glengary Road as studios. Many noted members of the American Communist party lived and organized there as well. The area continued to attract writers and artists through the mid-1900s. Harmon was founded in 1903 by real estate developer Clifford Harmon with the goal of developing a rural enclave for artists, writers and musicians. The developer constructed a playhouse on Truesdale Drive, where ballets and concerts were performed, and also the Nikko Inn, which became a fashionable place for stage and government notables. Both are now private residences. Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks both lived in Harmon as did writers, journalists, teachers and college professors. By the 1920s, as the railroad expanded its services, Harmon had become a residential neighborhood for railroad workers and commuters to New York City. Croton Point Beach, 1910 Source: History of Croton-on-Hudson Following World War II, Croton-on-Hudson’s importance as a railroad town diminished as diesel replaced steam engines and long-distance passenger service was gradually discontinued. However, it continued to expand in size and population as American serviceman returned from the war and settled in the community. An area known as “GI Valley” developed below Grand Street around 1945 and Wolf Road was developed in 1947. Many homes in the Harmon area were also constructed around this time. After World War II, the Village became more of a commuter suburb, with many residents commuting to workplaces in New York City and other employment centers outside of Croton-on-Hudson. In 1976, when the Village published The History of Croton-onHudson, the recorded population was 7,500 residents. Although by 1990 its population had declined slightly to 7,018, the Village has grown to 7,606 residents as of the 2000 Census. Croton-on-Hudson has continued to evolve as a suburban village with a thriving artistic community and has retained the rich cultural diversity that dates back to its early settlement. 2.2 Summary of Previous Planning Studies: 1977-2000 a. 1977 Master Plan 1911 Westchester County Map, showing Harmon and Croton-onHudson; Source: History of Crotonon-Hudson The first comprehensive planning document for the Village, the 1977 Master Plan, is a short (70 page) document that reviewed existing land use patterns and trends and recommended zoning changes for the Village. The Village was not fully built out at that time, with over half of the land area undeveloped. The population was concentrated in the central and southern parts of the Village, while the area north of Grand Street, which constituted two-thirds of PAGE 8 CROTON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN the total land area, was largely undeveloped. Recognizing the likelihood of future population growth and development, the 1977 Master Plan focused on ways to manage this growth so that the Village’s character and density could be preserved. The central vision of the Master Plan is found in its emphasis on the Central Village (the “core”), which the plan describes as “the keystone to the master plan” (page 11), as well as the avoidance of sprawl and regional shopping facilities, which “would be destructive of the essential elements of the character of the Village” (page 12). Noting that the park and recreation areas in Croton-on-Hudson were then inadequate for the entire population, the Master Plan recommended the preservation of the entire Croton River Gorge for park and water-oriented recreation, with scenic easements over privately owned lands. Small recreational areas and clustering