Westfield, NY

Westfield is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 21,827 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Middletown- Newburgh- Poughkeepsie, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The town of Westfield was first settled around 1798 by a group of farmers from Connecticut who purchased land from the Mohawk Indians. The town was officially chartered on April 12, 1814 and became known as "the Athens of America" because of its many classical-style buildings erected in the early 1800s. One such building is the Westfield Athenaeum which still stands today and serves as a museum and cultural center for the community.

In 1824, Samuel Kirkland developed what would become one of Westfield's most famous landmarks - Kirkland's Department Store - which opened on November 1st that year and quickly became a popular shopping destination for locals and tourists alike. Over time, other businesses followed suit and today Kirkland's Department Store is now an empty shell but remains one of Westfield's most iconic attractions.

During the late 1800s and early 1900s, much development took place in Westfield thanks to its proximity to both New York City (just over away) and Albany (just over away). This included construction of churches (including First Presbyterian Church), schools (including East Orange High School), hospitals (including Stony Brook University Hospital), factories (including American Thread Company), hotels (including The Plaza Hotel), apartments (including The Towers at Westfield) and homes (including estates like The Breakers).

Today, much has changed in Westfield - notably with respect to its economy - but there are still plenty of attractions for visitors to enjoy including restaurants like Joe & Pat's Steakhouse & Bar; shops like Saks Fifth Avenue; theaters like The Palace Theatre; parks like Riverside Park; golf courses like Hillcrest Country Club; lakes such as Lake George; museums such as The Museum at Stony Brook University; historical sites such as Fort Montgomery State Historic Site; etc.