New Rochelle

New Rochelle is just one of the cities in Westchester County, New York. It is located in the southeast portion of the state and has a population of over 77,000 people.

New Rochelle’s name comes from the European settlement started by the Huguenots that came in 1688. They were fleeing France for religious persecution, and many of the settlers happened to be artisans from La Rochelle, France. This fact influenced the name of the city to become New Rochelle. This settlement consisted of some 33 families and even today you can find a monument to these settlers in Hudson Park. This point marks the original landing point of the Huguenots.

Today New Rochelle is a booming city that is growing rapidly still. At one point in the 1930’s New Rochelle was the wealthies city per capita in New York and the third wealthies in the country. By 2000 a 190 million dollar entertainment complex was established and named “New Roc City.” This center features a 19-screen movie theater, IMAX theater, indoor ice-hockey arena, mini-golf, go karts, arcade, hotel, restaurants, loft apartments, and a mega supermarket. This impressive complex is one of the main draws of New Rochelle and even today there are measures being taken to improve and upgrade the city life of New Rochelle.