eminent domain

Government power to take private property for public use without the owner's consent. Constitutional provisions in most countries, including the U.S. (in the 5th Amendment to the Constitution), require the payment of just compensation to the owner. As a power peculiar to sovereign authority and coupled with a duty to pay compensation, the concept was developed by such 17th-century natural-law jurists as Hugo Grotius and Samuel Pufendorf. Seealso confiscation.

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Territory purchased by the U.S. from France in 1803 for $15 million. It extended from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains and from the Gulf of Mexico to British America (Canada). In 1762 France had ceded Louisiana west of the Mississippi River to Spain, but Spain returned it to French control in 1800. Alarmed by this potential increase in French power, Pres. Thomas Jefferson threatened to form an alliance with Britain. Napoleon then sold the U.S. the entire Louisiana Territory, although its boundaries remained unclear; its northwestern and southwestern limits were not established until 1818–19. The purchase doubled the area of the U.S.

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(Dec. 30, 1853) U.S. purchase of land in Mexico. Following the conquest of much of northern Mexico in the Mexican War (1848), advocates of a southern transcontinental railroad endorsed the purchase of 30,000 sq mi (78,000 sq km) of northern Mexican territory, now southern Arizona and southern New Mexico. The purchase was negotiated by James Gadsden, U.S. minister to Mexico, for $10 million. The acquisition fixed the borders of the later 48 contiguous states.

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Purchase is home to Purchase College, which is part of the State University of New York system, Manhattanville College, a private liberal arts college, and the headquarters of PepsiCo, Inc, MasterCard Worldwide and Atlas Air Inc. Keio University also operates a high school in Purchase called Keio Academy of New York.

Purchase is known for the Purchase Community House (PCH), home of the Purchase Day Camp (PDC). It also runs after-school activities during the rest of the year. On the PCH property, there are 4 pools and numerous playing fields.

The Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens at the PepsiCo headquarters and the Neuberger Museum of Art at SUNY-Purchase are two significant art collections found in the community.

The Westchester County Airport is located in Purchase.

As is the case with much of Westchester, Purchase is home to much valuable real estate. This, as well as its quiet setting, has attracted many new residents in recent years. Many of Purchase's older streets have golf themes (e.g., major country clubs: Brae Burn, Old Oaks, Century Country Club).

There are many historic sites located in Purchase. The grave of Revolutionary War General Thomas Thomas is located on the grounds of SUNY-Purchase. The grounds that SUNY-Purchase now occupies was once Strathglass Farms, a dairy farm. The Quaker Friends Meeting house was founded in the 18th century. The original building fell victim to fire years ago and the present one is an accurate reconstruction. Before the headquarters of Pepsi was built, the Blind Brook Polo Club was located on that site. Back before her fateful flight, Amelia Earhart would fly her plane from the polo grounds. Many colonial era homes and unspoiled natural woodlands fell victim to "Progress" and "Development" in the last 30 years. Still, the development seems to have been done in good taste and in keeping with the rural beauty of the area.

Famous Residents/Property Owners

• Kenneth Cole
• Eddy Curry
• Larry Johnson
• Stephon Marbury
• Mariano Rivera
• Quentin Richardson
• Isaiah Thomas

References

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