The Village of Sleepy Hollow kicked off its 150th birthday celebration on Tuesday by dropping a pumpkin.

"Our historic river town was built by generations of hardworking people," Mayor Martin Rutyna told the crowd of about 50 people.

One hundred and fifty years later, the founders would probably be shocked to know a population of 2,500 grew to over 11,000.

"We love living in Sleepy Hollow," said resident Robbins Gottlock.

People there say it's ideal. It's a diverse small town close to the city. It's rich in history and beauty. It's also internationally renowned.

"The headless horseman is on our street signs. He's a mascot for our school," Gottlock said.

People come from all over to see the headless horseman as part of a month of Halloween celebrations inspired by Washington Irving's “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow."

"We've become Halloween central," Rutyna said.

So, of course, it's only appropriate for the village to start a year of birthday celebrations by dropping a pumpkin.

"It's Sleepy Hollow, what else would you do?" Assembly Member Mary Jane Shimsky joked.

It's an apt symbol of the Village that's always adapted from an agricultural community to the home of a General Motors Plant and then a tourist spot after the plant closed in 1996, the same year the village was renamed Sleepy Hollow.

"The pumpkin represents everything about us," Gottlock said.