Happy 85th Birthday Stewart Manor

Written by Cristina T. Lopez-O’Keeffe Friday, 14 September 2012 00:00

Residents gather to celebrate a community of neighbors and friends

On August 19, 2012, Stewart Manor celebrated its 85th anniversary as an incorporated village. The anniversary was celebrated on the day itself at the Stewart Manor Pool. Cake and cookies were distributed to happy children and adults alike. The highlight of the afternoon concert by Pat the Piano Man was the rousing chorus of Happy Birthday sung by partygoers.

Settled on a former grazing land known as “the Plain,” the village has come a long way from being a “barren desert,” as it was described in the 1920s. Today, the canopy of tall, lush sycamores lining its streets makes Stewart Manor a welcoming homestead for many a modern settler. As Eileen Crean, co-chair of the Stewart Manor Historical Committee, points out, “It began as a planned community and, fortunately, each generation has done its best to uphold and enhance the beauty of the original planners and homeowners.”

The sense of community seems to be a strong motivation for why residents choose Stewart Manor as their home. From the Independence Day parade to spending summers with their children and neighbors at the pool, being a village resident is tied to a sense of belonging. As summarized by Village Trustee James Lynch: “Every single resident becomes a neighbor who plays a role in helping us maintain and enrich these most cherished investments of home and family.”

Those interested in the history of Stewart Manor can read the colorful stories of its “suburban pioneers” on the website www.stewartmanor.org/content/history.