04.Sep.2017 Alpha Place

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Alpha Place is named after Alpha S. Harman, an employee of New Rochelle Public Schools.  Her father, Charles Harman — no apparent relation to mega-developer Clifford B. Harmon (last name with an “O”) — was the developer of the site.

Alpha is also the first letter if the Greek alphabet.  Interestingly, the article on Alpha Place in the Standard Star (2/5/1934) does not mention Alpha Harman at all, instead providing a detailed rumination on the letter alpha as the first letter of the Greek alphabet.  “Perhaps it would not be stretching the meaning of the word Alpha too far to refer to Alpha Place as “First Place.”  The Standard Star does, however, identify Alpha Harman as the namesake of Alpha Place elsewhere — in the entry for Acacia Terrace — making this researcher’s job a little easier.

Entry for Acacia Terrace is incorporated by reference.  As discussed in that entry, Alpha Place sits on land that was once part of eccentric attorney David Harrison’s estate.  Thaddeus Davids’ son Charles  purchased the land in the 1870s but it was acquired by Theodore and Charlotte Jenkins after Charles Davids untimely passing.  The Jenkins called their homestead, Acacia, apparently for the presence of Acacia trees on the property. The land was purchased by Harman and his business partner Charles LeCount in 1902 and Alpha Place appeared on the map by 1911.