About 10 miles east of the Hudson River, where Route 35 meets I-684, is the well-heeled, picturesque village of Katonah. There are 55 historic homes on broad, tree-lined Bedford Street alone, all part of an area that’s on the National Register of Historic Places.
And therein lies a tale. The homes were moved here between 1895 and 1897 when the original village of Katonah, located a half mile away, was flooded to create Cross River Reservoir. That event is known locally as “the Inundation.”
Katonah Avenue, running parallel to Bedford Street, is also lined with Victorian-era buildings that were moved from the old village. Among them are the creaky, old-fashioned Charles Department Store (113 Katonah Ave., 914/232-5200), still operated by descendants of the original owners.