Ossining, village in the town (township) of Ossining, Westchester county, southeastern New York, U.S., on the east bank of the Hudson River. The site was part of a land grant made in 1680 to Frederick Philipse by Charles II and known as Philipsburg Manor; Philipse purchased more land from the Wappinger Indians in 1685. The manor was included in Tory lands confiscated by New York state in 1779 and later sold mainly to patriot tenant farmers. Two hamlets, Sparta and Hunters Landing, developed, and these were incorporated as the village of Sing Sing (for the Sin Sinck Indians) in 1813. Sing Sing was part of the Town of Mount Pleasant until 1845 when the Town of Ossining was formed. It became a boatbuilding centre from which farm produce was shipped to New York City (30 miles [48 km] south). In 1901 the village name was changed to Ossining to avoid too close identification with Sing Sing State Prison (opened in 1826—now called Sing Sing Correctional Facility). The village is mainly residential with some light industry. Pop. (2000) 24,010; (2010) 25,060.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.