Then and Now: Orchard St.

If you are reading the name Orchard St. and trying to rack your brain as to where it is in Tarrytown, you should know that it no longer exists.

I found this out the hard way as I was strolling along Cortlandt St., disparately seeking out the famed Orchard St. when a woman who was in her 70's asked me if I needed help.

"I am looking for Orchard St, am I close by?" I asked innocently.

"Sorry kid, but you're about 40 years too late as they demolished Orchard St. long ago," stated the elderly woman as she continued down Cortlandt Street on her way to the grocery store.

Orchard Street, which ran south from Valley Street to White Street, was in existence from 1845 to 1969 and was the main business section of Tarrytown. It was named for the large apple orchard that once existed before buildings and businesses moved in.

So the question remains, where are the ghostly remains of a thoroughfare that used to have businesses such as a wagon and carriage factory, shoemakers, blacksmiths and tailors? 

The answer is that Orchard St. has been replaced by Asbury Terrace, a shopping center and lots of parking lot. In the "Then and Now" shot, which was taken around the turn of the century, you are looking east, towards Broadway.  In that exact location today, there is a McDonalds that would be to your right, along with the Walgreens shopping center.

All that survives is the fork in the road that is visible in the picture from the 1900's, but after the 1950's, changes occurred with renaming streets and also changing their alignments in order to accommodate for modern shopping centers.

So if you ever want to send someone on a wild goose chase in Tarrytown, simply tell them to meet you on Orchard St. and you will certainly have them running around asking anyone who will help them to please direct them to Orchard St.

Click on the slide show to the right for "Then and Now" comparisons of Orchard St.