East Rockaway, New York
Encyclopedia
Nassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 9,818 at the 2010 census.
The Incorporated Village of East Rockaway is in the town Hempstead, adjacent to Lynbrook
Lynbrook, New York
Lynbrook is a village in Nassau County, New York, USA. The population was 19,427 at the 2010 census. The Village of Lynbrook is inside the Town of Hempstead. The Village of Lynbrook's current mayor is William Hendrick....
, Hewlett
Hewlett, New York
Hewlett is a hamlet and census-designated place in Nassau County, New York on the South Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the CDP population was 6,819....
and Oceanside
Oceanside, New York
Oceanside is a hamlet located in the south part of the town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York. The population was 32,109 at the 2010 census.-History:...
. The primary ethnicities are mainly Italian
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
and Irish
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
. The Waverly Park neighborhood, near the Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Center http://www.herjc.org and along the border with Hewlett, has a sizable Jewish
American Jews
American Jews, also known as Jewish Americans, are American citizens of the Jewish faith or Jewish ethnicity. The Jewish community in the United States is composed predominantly of Ashkenazi Jews who emigrated from Central and Eastern Europe, and their U.S.-born descendants...
community.
History
Originally named Near Rockaway, the village began as a shipping and trading center for the south shore of Long IslandLong Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. The village's location was desirable for ships because of its deep channels inland. Eventually a grist mill was built on the Mill River by Joseph Haviland through a land grant in 1688. The Haviland-Davison Grist Mill
Haviland-Davison Grist Mill
Haviland-Davison Grist Mill is a historic grist mill located at East Rockaway in Nassau County, New York. It was restored and relocated to its present site in Memorial Park in 1963. It was built about 1689 and is a -story, "T" shaped, timber frame building...
, located in Memorial Park, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1998. Later an oven was purchased to make bread for the surrounding population. The village prospered in shipping and milling over the years, even after several sales of the land.
The village's name was changed in 1869 to East Rockaway. The village was incorporated in 1900, and Floyd Johnson was president. At the time of incorporation the town had a population of 969. Back in the 1960s a student from East Rockaway High School, named Donald Scaglione, attempted to steal the school's bell from the bell tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
. Unknowingly the bell weighed too much to carry, even for Don, who was one of the football team's star offensive linemen. The bell was dropped. The Scaglione family was responsible for fixing the bell. The bell tower remains empty as of October 18, 2009.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 10,414 people, 3,926 households, and 2,787 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 10,187.6 people per square mile (3,942.0/km²). There were 4,003 housing units at an average density of 3,916.0 per square mile (1,515.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 95.64% White, 0.61% African American, 0.03% Native American, 1.71% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.09% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.79% of the population.
There were 3,926 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the village the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $59,911, and the median income for a family was $78,363. Males had a median income of $50,365 versus $36,387 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $30,601. About 2.4% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or older.
Education
Currently there are two elementary schools serving grades K-6 in the East Rockaway school district, and one Junior/Senior high school educating grades 7-12. Each grade of the high school consists of roughly 100 students. Located in East Rockaway is also St. Raymonds Catholic school consisting of pre-k through 8th grade.East Rockaway High School
East Rockaway High School
East Rockaway Junior-Senior High School is a co-educational six-year secondary school in East Rockaway, New York, and the sole high school in Nassau County, New York, School District 41, the smallest school district in Nassau County...
fields competitive teams in football, cross country, volleyball, basketball, softball, baseball, and track. Along with these teams East Rockaway also combines with schools in the Malverne school district to form teams. These include soccer, lacrosse and tennis. School musicals and the inter-class competition known as Rock Rivalry are widely popular throughout the community. The western portion of East Rockaway is part of school district 20, the Lynbrook
Lynbrook, New York
Lynbrook is a village in Nassau County, New York, USA. The population was 19,427 at the 2010 census. The Village of Lynbrook is inside the Town of Hempstead. The Village of Lynbrook's current mayor is William Hendrick....
school district. Its Waverly Park Elementary School, which feeds into Lynbrook South Middle School, is located in East Rockaway. In the early 1990s, Lynbrook Schools rejected the East Rockaway School District's proposal to send its middle- and high school students to Lynbrook and pay their tuition. The residents of the school district also fought the re-unification of the Lynbrook and East Rockaway districts as mothballing the Junior/Senior High School building complex offered no serious cost reduction to the community. The school district is the smallest in Nassau County and has sought merger opportunities.
Notable people
- Gary GiddinsGary GiddinsGary Giddins is an American jazz critic, author, and director, best known for his longtime work with The Village Voice. Born in Brooklyn, and raised on Long Island, Giddins graduated from Grinnell College, Iowa, in 1970...
(1948- ), writer, Bing Crosby: A Pocketful of Dreams - Reid GoreckiReid GoreckiReid Evan Gorecki is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. Gorecki was called up by the St. Louis Cardinals in after the September roster expansion, but did not appear in a game...
(1980-), Major League Baseball player - Brian KeithBrian KeithBrian Keith was an American film, television, and stage actor who in his four decade-long career gained recognition for his work in movies such as the 1961 Disney family film The Parent Trap, the 1966 comedy The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, and the 1975 adventure saga The Wind and...
(1921–1997), actor Family AffairFamily AffairFamily Affair is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from September 12, 1966 to September 9, 1971. The series explored the trials of well-to-do civil engineer and bachelor Bill Davis as he attempted to raise his brother's orphaned children in his luxury New York City apartment. Davis' traditional... - Don MurrayDon MurrayDon Murray may refer to:*Don Murray , jazz musician*Don Murray *Don Murray , Pulitzer Prize winning writer for the Boston Herald*Don Murray , of the group The Turtles...
(1929- ), actor Bus StopBus Stop (film)Bus Stop is a 1956 film directed by Joshua Logan for 20th Century Fox, starring Marilyn Monroe, Don Murray, Arthur O'Connell, Betty Field, Eileen Heckart, Robert Bray and Hope Lange...
Village services
The village is protected by the 4th Precinct of the Nassau County Police DepartmentNassau County Police Department
The Nassau County Police Department is the law enforcement agency of Nassau County, New York.-History:In 1925, concerned about rising crime rates, the County Board of Supervisors voted to create the Nassau County Police Department, replacing a scattered system of constables and town and village...
. Fire and ambulance services are provided by the all volunteer East Rockaway Fire Department.
- John Street Complex — This recreational complex has one baseball diamond, two basketball courts, and a concession stand. Flag Football, Baseball, and Basketball are played at this complex.