Editing Rye Brook, New York (section)

==History==
Rye Brook is located in southeastern Westchester County and shares its eastern border with [[Greenwich, Connecticut]]. The village was an unincorporated section of the town of Rye until its incorporation as a village on July 7, 1982.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/12/realestate/if-you-re-thinking-of-living-in-rye-brook.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm If You're Thinking of Living in Rye Brook], ''[[New York Times]]'', May 12, 1991</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ryebrook.org/Cit-e-Access/webpage.cfm?TID=31&TPID=3846|title=Village of Rye Brook - History|website=Ryebrook.org|access-date=February 1, 2022}}</ref>

In 1982, 150 residents of the unincorporated area proposed to establish the village of Rye Brook and organized a petition containing 1,536 signatures. The petition drive, which contained the signatures of approximately 36% of the registered voters in the unincorporated area, was organized by the Independent Civic Association.<ref name="Feron">{{cite news|last=Feron|first=James|title=Rye Brook Village: To Be or Not To Be?|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 7, 1982}}</ref>  It was reported by ''[[The New York Times]]'' that one resident commented, "There is a time for a community to redefine itself," further stating that residents of the unincorporated area "should be able to elect their own officers" and "protect their tax base."<ref name="Feron"/>

The residents of the unincorporated area voted on June 23, 1982, to create the Village of Rye Brook. It was the first village created in New York State in 54 years.<ref name="Kriss">{{cite news|last=Kriss|first=Gary|title=New Village Prepares To Elect Its First Officials: A New Village Prepares to Vote|newspaper=The New York Times|date=August 22, 1982}}</ref> The referendum to create the new political identity passed with 58% of the voters in favor (1,991 to 1,434).<ref name="Kriss"/> The first election in the Village's history was held to elect a mayor and four trustees. The first village official was Lee Russillo, who was sworn in as Rye Brook's first Village Clerk, and was responsible for the first election day.<ref name="Kriss"/>

The village is home to the [[William E. Ward House]], which was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1976.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2009a}}</ref> Also known as Ward's Castle, it was the home of the [[National Cartoon Museum]], established by [[Mort Walker]], the creator of [[Beetle Bailey]], from 1976 to 1992.<ref>{{cite news |title=Beetle Bailey's Long March: Classic Cartoons Search for a Home |author-link=Mary Pilon |first=Mary |last=Pilon |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB121615221992855615 |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=July 16, 2008 |access-date=July 12, 2010}}</ref>

In 1983, [[800 Westchester Avenue]], described as the "Taj Mahal of Rye Brook"<ref>{{cite news|title=About Westchester; Let's Have Lunch|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 8, 1984}}</ref>  and the "contemporary equivalent to the classical villa," was constructed as the [[General Foods]] Corporate Headquarters.<ref>{{cite news|last=Goldberger|first=Paul|title=Architecture View; A Corporate Equivalent of the Classical Villa; Rye Brook, N.Y.|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 3, 1983}}</ref>