Hempstead, New York: Difference between revisions

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}

| name = Hempstead, New York

| settlement_type = [[Administrative divisions of New York#Town|Town]]

| nickname = TOH

| motto = =

| image_skyline = {{multiple image

| image_caption = [[Atlantic Beach, New York|Atlantic Beach]] view, [[Hempstead (village)|downtown Hempstead]], [[Uniondale, NY|Uniondale]] skyline, [[Wantagh Park]]

| imagesize = 250px

| image_flag = Flag of the Town of Hempstead, New York.svg

| image_seal = Hempstead, New York Seal.png =

| image_map = Nassau County New York incorporated and unincorporated areas Hempstead highlighted.svg

| mapsize = 260px

| map_caption = Location of Hempstead in [[Nassau County, New York|Nassau County]] (right), and location of Nassau County in the State of New York (left)

<!-- Location -->| coordinates = {{coord|40|42|17|N|73|37|02|W|region:US-NY|display=inline,title}}

| subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]

| subdivision_name = {{Flag|United States}}

| subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|State]]

| subdivision_name1 = [[New York (state){{Flag|New York]]}}

| subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in New York|County]]

| subdivision_name2 = [[Nassau County, New York|Nassau County]]

| government_footnotes =

| government_type = [[Town council]]

| leader_title = [[Town supervisor]]

| leader_name = DonDonald X. Clavin, Jr.

| leader_title1 = [[Town council]]

| leader_name1 = {{Collapsible list

| established_title = First settled

| established_date = {{start date and age|1644}}

| area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2016">{{cite web|title=2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2016_Gazetteer/2016_gaz_place_36.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=JulJuly 5, 2017}}</ref>

| area_magnitude = =

| area_total_km2 = 496.68

| area_land_km2 = 307.39

| area_water_km2 = 189.29

| area_total_sq_mi = 191.77

| area_land_sq_mi = 118.68

| area_water_sq_mi = 73.08

<!-- Elevation -->| elevation_footnotes =

| elevation_m = =

| elevation_ft = <!-- Population -->

| population_as_of = [[2020 United States census|2020]]

| population_total = 793409

| utc_offset = -5

| timezone_DST = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]

| utc_offset_DST = -4

| postal_code_type = [[ZIP code]]

| postal_code = 11550<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zipdatamaps.com/11550|title=Hempstead ZIP Code|publisher=zipdatamaps.com|year=2023|access-date=January 12, 2023}}</ref>

| area_code = [[Area codes 516 and 363|516, 363]]

| blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]

| blank_info = 36-059-34000

| blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID

| blank1_info = =

| website = [https://www.hempsteadny.gov/ hempsteadny.gov]

| footnotes = =

| pop_est_as_of = =

| pop_est_footnotes = =

| population_est = =

| unit_pref = Imperial

| official_name = Town of Hempstead =

| other_name = =

| seat_type = Town Seat

| seat = [[Hempstead (village), New York|Hempstead]]

| leader_party = [[United States Republican Party|R]]

| timezone1 = [[Eastern Standard Time|EST]]

| area_code_type = [[Area codes]]

The town of '''Town of Hempstead''', (historically known as '''South Hempstead''',) is the largest of the three [[Administrative divisions of New York#Town|town]]s in [[Nassau County, New York|Nassau County]] (alongside [[North Hempstead, New York|North Hempstead]] and [[Oyster Bay (town), New York|Oyster Bay]]) in theon [[U.S.Long stateIsland]], ofin [[New York (state)|New York]]. It occupies the southwestern part of the county, onUnited the western half of [[Long Island]]. Twenty-two incorporated [[Administrative divisions of New York#Village|villages]] (one of which is named [[Hempstead (village), New York|Hempstead]]) are completely or partially within the townStates. The town's combined population was 759793,757409 at the [[2020 United States Census, 2010census|20102020 census]], which is the majority of theNassau County's population ofand themakes county andit, by far, the largest population of any town in New York. In 2019, its combined population increased to an estimated 759,793 according to the AmericanUnited Community SurveyStates.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=2019 U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Hempstead town, Nassau County, New York|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/hempsteadtownnassaucountynewyork/PST040219|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-18|website=www.census.gov|language=en}}</ref>

[[Hofstra University]]'s main campus is located in the town of Hempstead.

The town was first settled around 1644 following the establishment of a treaty between English colonists, John Carman and Robert Fordham, and the [[Lenape Indians]] in 1643. Although the settlers were from the new English colony of New Haven (1638), later incorporated into, [[Connecticut]] in 1662, a patent was issued by the government of [[New Netherland]] after the settlers had purchased land from the local natives. This transaction is depicted in a mural in the Hempstead Village Hall, reproduced from a poster commemorating the 300th anniversary of Hempstead Village.

In local Dutch-language documents of the 1640s and later, the town was invariably called ''[[Heemstede]],''<ref>J.A. Jacobs, ''The Colony of New Netherland: A Dutch Settlement in Seventeenth Century America'', Cornell University Press, Ithaca, pages 87, [https://books.google.com/books?id=vgnh3E5Mm0cC&pg=PA268 268], 273-4</ref> and several of Hempstead's original 50 patentees were Dutch, suggesting that Hempstead was named after the Dutch town and/or [[Slot Heemstede|castle]] Heemstedeof the same name, both of which are located near the cities of [[Haarlem]] and [[Amsterdam]]. However, the authorities possibly had Dutchified a name given by co-founder John Carman, who was born in 1606 in [[Hemel Hempstead]], [[Hertfordshire, England]], on land owned by his ancestors since the 13th century.<ref name="villageofhempstead.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.villageofhempstead.org/about.asp |title=History of The Village of Hempstead |publisher=The Incorporated Village of Hempstead |year=2006 |access-date=August 9, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100618054428/http://www.villageofhempstead.org/about.asp |archive-date=June 18, 2010 }}</ref>

The western town line is the border of [[Queens County, New York|Queens County]] in [[New York City]]. Its northern border, with the [[North Hempstead, New York|town of North Hempstead]] and the [[Oyster Bay, New York|town of Oyster Bay]], is along the main line of the [[Long Island Rail Road]] and along [[Old Country Road]] in Garden City heading east towards the [[Wantagh State Parkway|Wantagh Parkway]]. Its eastern border, also with the town of Oyster Bay, runs parallel to (and several hundred feet west of) Route 107. To the south is the Atlantic Ocean, off of Atlantic Beach, Lido Beach, Point Lookout, and [[Jones Beach State Park|Jones Beach]], as well as the [[Long Beach, New York|city of Long Beach]].

The town of Hempstead contains 22 [[Administrative divisions of New York#Village|villages]] and 38 [[Administrative divisions of New York#Hamlet|hamlets]]:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.toh.li//files/pdfs/tb_townmap.pdf |title=Town of Hempstead Map|archive-date = 2 February 2, 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170202113315/http://www.toh.li//files/pdfs/tb_townmap.pdf }}</ref><ref name=":81">{{Cite book|last=Winsche|first=Richard|title=The History of Nassau County Community Place-Names|date=October 1, 1999|publisher=Empire State Books|isbn=978-1557871541|location=[[Interlaken, New York]]|pages=69–70}}</ref>

* [[Bethpage, New York|Bethpage]] ''(almost all in [[Oyster Bay (town), New York|Oyster Bay]])''

* [[Jones Beach Island]] and nearby uninhabited islands in [[South Oyster Bay]]

The 2019 [[American Community Survey]] determined the population of the town of Hempstead was 759,793.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=2019 U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Hempstead town, Nassau County, New York|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/hempsteadtownnassaucountynewyork/PST040219|access-date=March 18, 2021|website=www.census.gov|language=en}}</ref> The racial and ethnic makeup of the town was 54.0% [[Non-Hispanic whites|non-Hispanic white]], 17.4% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian or Alaska Native, 6.2% Asian, 3.7% multiracial, and 20.9% Hispanic or Latin American of any race.

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2010, there were 759,757 people, 246,828 households, and 193,513 families residing in the town. The [[population density]] was {{convert|6,301.3 inhabitants per square mile (2,433.0|PD/km<sup>2<sqmi|PD/sup>)km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 252,286 housing units at an average density of {{convert|2,103.0 per square mile (812.0|/km<sup>2<sqmi|/sup>)km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 59.9% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 16.5% Black, 0.3% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 5.2% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.03% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 4.5% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic and Latin Americans of any race were 17.4% of the population.

[[Lufthansa]] United States had its headquarters in [[East Meadow, New York|East Meadow]],<ref>"[http://www.swiss.com/countries/US/local_content/contacts/Pages/Contacts.aspx Contact us]". [[Swiss International Air Lines|SWISS USA]]. Retrieved on January 29, 2011. "1640 Hempstead Turnpike East Meadow, NY"</ref><ref>"[http://www.lufthansa.com/mediapool/pdf/07/media_527207.pdf Ticket copy request]." [[Lufthansa]]. Retrieved on January 29, 2011. "1640 Hempstead Turnpike East Meadow, NY 11554."</ref><ref>"[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MapItDrawServlet?geo_id=16000US3622502&_bucket_id=50&tree_id=420&context=saff&_lang=en&_sse=on East Meadow CDP, New York]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}." [[U.S. Census Bureau]]. Retrieved on January 29, 2011.</ref> beginning in the 1970s, after it moved from [[Park Avenue]] in [[Manhattan]], in order to save money. In 2019, the office had 206 employees; that year the headquarters moved to [[Uniondale, New York|Uniondale]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Madore, James T.|url=https://www.newsday.com/business/lufthansa-headquarters-uniondale-east-meadow-1.28119272|title=Lufthansa moves Americas headquarters, seeks tax breaks|newspaper=[[Newsday]]|date=March 5, 2019-03-05|access-date=May 17, 2020-05-17}}</ref>

== Government and politics ==

|+ '''Town of Hempstead SupervisorSupervisors'''

|-

Prior to 1994, the town also had a Presiding Supervisor, who along with the Supervisor, sat on what was then Nassau County's main governmental body, the Board of Supervisors, along with the Supervisors of the towns of [[North Hempstead, New York|North Hempstead]] and [[Oyster Bay (town), New York|Oyster Bay]] and the independent cities of [[Long Beach, New York|Long Beach]]—formerly a part of Hempstead Town until its incorporation as a separate municipality in 1922—and [[Glen Cove, New York|Glen Cove]], which had been carved out of Oyster Bay Town in 1917. Typically, the Presiding Supervisor, besides chairing the weekly county Board of Supervisors meetings, acted as the senior official in the town government with the Supervisor in a more junior, subordinate role; a number of Supervisors moved up to Presiding Supervisor whenever that office became vacant, including, in succession during the 1970s, [[Ralph G. Caso]] and [[Francis T. Purcell]], both of whom later went on to become the [[county executive]], and then Al D'Amato, before he moved up to the Senate. Having the Presiding Supervisor on the county board along with the Supervisor gave Hempstead—by far the most populous of the county's three towns and two cities—the most clout on that body. However, in 1993–94, a federal judge ruled that the board's makeup violated the one-person, one-vote constitutional principle and also gave no representation to the country's growing minority population.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/09/nyregion/judge-says-he-will-create-nassau-legislature-his-own-if-supervisors-fail-act.html|title=Judge Says He Will Create a Nassau Legislature on His Own if Supervisors Fail to Act|first=John T.|last=McQuiston|newspaper=The New York Times|date=9 June 9, 1994}}</ref> As a result of that ruling, the Board of Supervisors was replaced by a 19-member county legislature. Gregory P. Peterson served as the last Presiding Supervisor, as the position was abolished with the demise of the county board.

The Hempstead Town Council comprises six voting members, elected from a councilmanic district. Their primary function is to adopt the annual budget, adopting and amending the town code and the building zone ordinances, adopting all traffic regulations, and hearing applications for changes of zone and special exceptions to [[zoning]] codes.

As of 20222023, the council members are:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hempsteadny.gov/655/Town-Council-Members |title=Town Council Members |access-date=2023-03-March 22, 2023}}</ref>

# Dorothy L. Goosby (D-D–[[Hempstead Village(village), New York|Hempstead]])

# Thomas E. Muscarella (R-R–[[Garden City, New York|Garden City]])

# Melissa Miller (R-R–[[Atlantic Beach, New York|Atlantic Beach]])

# Chris Carini (R-R–[[Seaford, New York|Seaford]])

# Dennis Dunne, Sr. (R-R–[[Levittown, New York|Levittown]])

Other elected officials in the town include the clerk and the receiver of taxes. The clerk is responsible for issuing birth, marriage, and [[death certificate]]s and is considered the town's record keeper. The clerk is currently Kate Murray (R). The Receiver of Taxes is Jeanine C. Driscoll (R).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://hempsteadny.gov/receiver-of-taxes |title=Jeanine C Driscoll -– Receiver of Taxes -– Town of Hempstead |access-date=2020-03-March 16, 2020 |archive-date=2020-04-April 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200413005825/https://hempsteadny.gov/receiver-of-taxes |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Town of Hempstead formerly elected the offices of Constable, Overseer of the Poor, Town Assessor, Town Treasurer, Town Auditors, Superintendent of Highways, Overseer of the Public Cemetery, and Justices of the Peace. Most of these functions have been included in other governments or made non-elected.

Hempstead is part of New York's 2nd,[[New 4thYork's and2nd 5thcongressional Congressionaldistrict|2nd]] Districts.and [[New York's 2nd4th congressional district|District 24th]] Congressional Districts. CD-2, represented by [[Andrew Garbarino]] (R-[[Sayville]]), is the southern and eastern portions of the town, while [[NewCD-4 Yorkcovers the town's 4thsouthwest congressional district|District 4]]corner, formerlyand representedhas forbeen nine terms by [[Carolyn McCarthy]] (D-Mineola) andrepresented since the beginning of 20152023 by [[KathleenAnthony RiceD'Esposito]] (DR-GardenIsland CityPark), covers the northern and western portions of the town. [[Gregory Meeks]] represents [[New York's 5th congressional district|District 5]] which includes minority majority areas in the western portion of the Town like Elmont and North Valley Stream.

Nine assembly districts are either within or partly within the town. They are Districts 12, 14–15, and 17–22. The assembly members are [[Joseph Saladino]] (R), [[Brian F. Curran]] (R), [[Michael Montesano]] (R), [[Thomas McKevitt]] (R), [[EarleneTaylor HillDarling Hooper(politician)|Taylor Darling]] (D), David G. McDonough (R), Melissa "Missy" Miller;(R), [[Edward Ra]] (R), and [[Michaelle Solages]] (D), respectively.

Hempstead has 12 county legislative districts either withinfully or inpartly part ofwithin the town. They are districts 1–8, 13–15, and 19. The legislators who currently represent those districts are:

On September 12, 2016, the Town of Hempstead signed a Declaration of Cooperation with the [[Shomron Regional Council]] in the Israeli-controlled [[West Bank]]. This council represents 35 [[Israeli settlement]]s in that region. Signing the pact was its proponent Councilmen [[Bruce Blakeman]] and [[Anthony D'Esposito]] and Supervisor Santino and Shomron leader [[Yossi Dagan]].<ref>Colapietro, Diana [http://www.liherald.com/stories/Town-creates-sister-relationship-with-Israeli-region,83694 "Town creates ‘sister’'sister' relationship with Israeli region. Hempstead officials reaffirm their anti-BDS stance and support for the Jewish state"], ''LI Herald'' September 14, 2016</ref><ref>[http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/In-anti-BDS-stand-Hempstead-New-York-signs-sister-city-pact-with-settler-council-467880 "In anti-BDS stand, Hempstead New York signs sister city pact with settler council"], ''[[Jerusalem Post]]''</ref>

The Town of Hempstead is served primarily by [[Nassau Inter-County Express]] bus routes, though some [[MTA Regional Bus Operations|MTA Busbus Routesroutes]] enter Nassau County from Queens.<ref>{{Cite NYC bus map|N}}</ref> The City of Long Beach also has a separate bus service.

* [[File:Meadowbrook Pkwy Shield.svg|24px]] [[Meadowbrook State Parkway]]

* [[File:Wantagh Pkwy Shield.svg|24px]] [[Wantagh State Parkway]]

* [[File:Southern Pkwy Shield.svg|24px]] [[Southern State Parkway]]

* [[File:NY-909E.svg|24px]] [[Bay Parkway (Jones Beach)|Bay Parkway]]

* [[File:Loop Pkwy Shield.svg|24px]] [[Loop Parkway]]

* [[File:Ocean Pkwy Shield.svg|24px]] [[Ocean Parkway (Long Island)|Ocean Parkway]]

* [[File:NY-25.svg|24px]] [[New York State Route 25]]

* [[Glen Cove Road]]

* [[Peninsula Boulevard]]

* [[File:NY-24.svg|24px]] [[New York State Route 24]]

* [[File:NY-27.svg|24px]] [[New York State Route 27]]

* [[Merrick Boulevard|Merrick Road]]

* [[File:NY-102.svg|24px]] [[New York State Route 102]]

* [[File:NY-105.svg|24px]] [[New York State Route 105]]

* [[File:NY-106.svg|24px]] [[New York State Route 106]]

* [[File:NY-107.svg|24px]] [[New York State Route 107]]

* [[File:NY-135.svg|24px]] [[New York State Route 135]]

* [[File:NY-878.svg|24px]] [[New York State Route 878]]