Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Ossining

OSSINING, a village in Westchester co., N. Y., on the Hudson river, and on the New York Central and Hudson River railroad; 30 miles N. of New York. It is situated at the widest part of the river on ground rising to an altitude of 300 feet, and commands a fine view of many interesting points on the river. Here are military academies, street railroad and electric light plants, a portion of the Croton aqueduct, which is carried across Kill brook by a stone arch 88 feet wide and 70 feet high; National and savings banks, and several weekly newspapers. It has manufactories of lime, sleighs, carriages, cotton gins, steam engines, gas and water pipe, etc. A State penitentiary, one of the most famous of American prisons, is located here. On this account, after many attempts to have its former name, Sing Sing, changed, the Legislature in 1901 granted this privilege, and the name Ossining was adopted. Pop. (1910) 11,480; (1920) 10,739.