The tale I want to tell about happened here in Mount Kisco, a long, long time ago. Did you know that the name Mount Kisco actually derived from the lndian word 'Cisqua?' well, anyway, a long time ago, the land where this hotel sits on was al1 forest, and in these forests there lived an Indian tribe, the Algonken tribe.

And the most famous Chief of this tribe was named "Chief Cisqua', better known to us now as Chief Kisco. Now Chief Kisco was the bravest Indian Chief to ever roam these parts, lie was known to always carry a bow in his left hand, and an arrow in his right, and was adorned with a three feather headdress. And around his neck, he wore his greatest trophy. Can you guess what that was?...Well, he wore a necklace made from the claws of a black bear, one of his greatest feats.

Now legend has it that the Chief was just a young warrior, he had a fondness for a woman, not just any woman, but an Indian princess named Tacomus. And, apparently, so did many of his rival friends. It seemed like every day they were all trying to compete to win her favor. But Tacomus paid no attention to them.

Then one day, as Tacomus and her little sister were wading in the Kisco River, a giant black bear came upon them and snatched up the little girl and ran up a mountain. But luckily, always trying to be nearby, warrior Kisco saw the whole ordeal and ran after them. Now he chased them, and finally caught up with them on top of what is now called Kisco Mountain, and there was a horrible fight. In the end, the young warrior killed the bear, and saved the little girl from certain death.

Now when Tacomus saw that her little sister was saved, and that Kisco had risked his life, she instantly fell in love with Kisco, and from that time forward, they were inseparable. Soon after, they were married, and when it was time, warrior Kisco became "Chief Kisco.' They lived many happy years in the forest, which is now part of the Hudson Valley.

But their happiness was short lived, because in the early 1600's, many settlers began to move into the area. And soon, there were several land disputes on who owned what. Now the Algonken Indians were proud people, and they were not about to loose their land without a fight. So the three great Indian Chiefs were called together; Chief Katonah, Chief Wampoos, and of course, Chief Kisco, and they formed an army with their warriors. Now in 1640, a great battle broke out between the settlers and the Algonken Tribe, and 1,500 warriors were killed, and one of them, was our very own Chief Kisco.

Now even to this very day, Chief Kisco is still remembered for his bravery, and a statue of him still stands at the corner square in Mount Kisco, the town that bears his name. And that's the tale of "Chief Kisco."

Author Unknown