Valhalla, NY
| Valhalla | |
|---|---|
| CDP | |
Kensico Dam at the Kensico Reservoir in Valhalla
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 Location of Valhalla, New York |
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| Coordinates: 41°4′30″N 73°46′31″W / 41.07500°N 73.77528°WCoordinates: 41°4′30″N 73°46′31″W / 41.07500°N 73.77528°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Westchester |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.8 sq mi (2.1 km2) |
| • Land | 0.8 sq mi (2.1 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 256 ft (78 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 3,162 |
| • Density | 3,900/sq mi (1,500/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 10595 |
| Area code(s) | 914 |
| FIPS code | 36-76639 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0968353 |
Valhalla is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) located within the town of Mount Pleasant, in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the New York City metropolitan area. Its population was 3,162 at the 2010 U.S. Census. The name of the community was inspired by a fan of the opera composer Richard Wagner, and the hamlet is known both for its location as the home of the primary hospital campus of Westchester Medical Center and New York Medical College, as well as burial places of the remains of numerous well-known people. The name comes from Valhalla, a heavenly abode in Norse mythology.
Valhalla gained its name when it was necessary to name a new U.S. post office in the 19th century, due to the flooding of a pre-existing town and post office, Kensico, which is now underneath the lake created by the Kensico Dam (a part of the New York city water supply system). According to local historians and published works, the wife of a postmaster was a devoted fan of the works of the composer Richard Wagner, and she shared that composer's interest in Norse mythology. Her preference led to the choice of the name Valhalla, after the heavenly paradise of slain warriors in that mythology. It is most generally agreed that Xavier Reiter, a French horn player with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, a Wagner devotee, suggested that the post office name of "Valhalla" be adopted. The village still maintains its association with death through noted people who were buried in its cemeteries.
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