Postcard: Katonah, New York

Martha Stewart and her company tried to trademark the name of a New York hamlet. They picked the wrong place to mess with. One community's fight over its good name

Erin Wigger for TIME

A sign posted on the door of Katonah Architectural Hardware protests Martha Stewarts trademark application for the name Katonah.

Katonah, New York--a 12,000-person hamlet an hour north of Times Square--has a long history of standing up for itself. In 1897, after the state condemned the town to make way for a reservoir to serve the booming metropolis to the south, residents picked up their homes and moved a mile away. Literally. They loaded more than 55 houses and stores onto log rails greased with laundry soap and used horses to pull the buildings to a new town site. The Move, which is commemorated at the Katonah library with a diorama, took six months and is still talked about with pride....

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!