Pelham is the oldest town in Westchester County, New York.  In 1654, Thomas Pell signed a treaty with the Siwanoy Indians, purchasing what is now the town of Pelham, all of the Bronx, and the land north to Rye between Long Island Sound and the Bronx River.  He named his manor “Pelham” to honor his tutor, Pelham Burton.  The Joshua Pell House, built in 1760, is still in Pelham today, and another house built by the Pells, which was remodeled in 1820, sits in another location within the town.

The town of Pelham was incorporated in 1788, and at the time, the land area still included all of City Island and Pelham Bay Park.  It was not reduced to its current size until 1895.

Pelham Manor was inhabited solely by Pells until after the American Revolution.  During this time, the Pell who lived in the manor was a Loyalist, and was therefore forced to cede his land over to the government.

Today, Pelham is a well-to-do town with many high-income households and valuable properties.  The tourism industry is helpful to the area, as well, with visitors from across the United States coming to see the locations of Revolutionary War battles, hospitals, and Colonial homes.