North Fork, Suffolk County, New York
Encyclopedia
The North Fork is a 30-mile-long peninsula
in the northeast part of Suffolk County
, New York
, roughly parallel with an even longer peninsula known as the South Fork
. Although the peninsula begins east of Riverhead hamlet
, the term North Fork can also refer collectively to all the hamlets and villages within the townships of Town of Riverhead
and Town of Southold
on the east end of Long Island
.
Beginning about 75 miles east of Manhattan, the North Fork is the easterly part of the North Shore
of Long Island. Along with The Hamptons, the area is also part of Long Island's "East End".
. The North Fork is composed of all of the Town of Southold
in the east and part of the Town of Riverhead
in the west. The body of water north of this region is Long Island Sound
. The southern water boundary comprises several connected bodies of water, including the Great Peconic Bay, Little Peconic Bay, and Gardiners Bay
.
Lying between the North Fork and the South Fork
, are several islands, including Robins Island
and the two large islands of Shelter Island
and Gardiners Island
. Shelter Island lies between the North and South Forks, and ferries provide shuttle service between Greenport Village and Shelter Island Heights, as well as between Shelter Island and North Haven along The South Fork. The easternmost tip of the North Fork is Orient Point. Beyond that point are three additional significant parts of the Town of Southold, Plum Island, Great Gull Island
, and Fisher's Island.
The North Fork offers beautiful views of Long Island Sound and Peconic/Gardiners Bay. Wineries
, vineyards, apple orchards, potato farms and sod farms characterize the North Fork. The tip of the fork is Orient Point State Park. Areas like Mattituck, Cutchogue, Peconic
, Southold
, Greenport
, East Marion, Orient
, and Orient Point are the hamlets on the North Fork. The North Fork also offers fishing, crabbing, and clamming on the bay, sound and adjacent creeks and beaches. Local seafood is often sold and served. Like the South Fork which is home to the famed Hamptons region, the North Fork is also a region popular with second home owners, and summer vacationers, but it has a much more rural feel and character than The Hamptons.
provides a very limited daily service as far as Greenport
, with full day, daily service provided between the region and NYC by the Hampton Jitney bus company. Ferries
connect the North Fork to Plum Island and Connecticut
. Ferries also connect the North Fork to the South Fork by means of Shelter Island roads.
From the North Fork, visitors can access via ferry Shelter Island
, which sits in the Peconic Bay. Ferry service is available on the bay side of the fork as well.
Many multi-generational family farms are still in operation throughout the region as well, and their farmstands are a popular attraction. During the Fall Harvest Season many of the farms host pumpkin picking and other attractions revolving around the harvest theme, and have given rise to the term, "agritainment". On fall weekends traffic backs up on both primary roads with many people making the drive from suburban areas of Long Island and NYC to participate in the Harvest Season activities.
The North Fork lies east of the terminus of the Long Island Expressway (LIE), and is served by three primary east to west roads, Route 25
, also called Main Road, Sound Avenue, and County Road 48
also called Middle Road. At the eastern most point, Cross Sound Ferry runs daily car and passenger ferries to and from New London, Connecticut. The Long Island Railroad provides a limited service to the region, while a more complete and balanced service is provided to and from New York City by The Hampton Jitney
Bus Company.
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
in the northeast part of Suffolk County
Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...
, 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...
, roughly parallel with an even longer peninsula known as the South Fork
South Fork, Suffolk County, New York
The South Fork of Suffolk County, New York, United States is a peninsula in the southeast part of the county on the South Shore of Long Island. The South Fork includes most of the Hamptons. The shorter, more northerly peninsula is known as the North Fork....
. Although the peninsula begins east of Riverhead hamlet
Riverhead (CDP), New York
Riverhead is a census-designated place roughly corresponding to the hamlet by the same name located in the town of Riverhead in Suffolk County, New York on Long Island...
, the term North Fork can also refer collectively to all the hamlets and villages within the townships of Town of Riverhead
Riverhead (town), New York
The town of Riverhead is in Suffolk County, New York, on the north shore of Long Island. The population was 33,506 at the 2010 census. The name signifies that the mouth of the Peconic River is in this town...
and Town of Southold
Southold, New York
Southold is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is located in the northeastern tip of the county, on the North Fork of Long Island. The population was 20,599 at the 2000 census...
on the east end of Long Island
Long 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...
.
Beginning about 75 miles east of Manhattan, the North Fork is the easterly part of the North Shore
North Shore (Long Island)
The North Shore of Long Island is the area along Long Island's northern coast, bordering Long Island Sound. The region has long been the most affluent on Long Island, as well as the most affluent in the New York metropolitan area, which has earned it the nickname "the Gold Coast." Though some...
of Long Island. Along with The Hamptons, the area is also part of Long Island's "East End".
Geography
At Riverhead proper, Long Island splits into two tines, hence the designations of The South Fork and The North Fork. The dividing line between the two forks in the west is the Peconic RiverPeconic River
The Peconic River is a river in Long Island's Suffolk County, New York in the United States. The river is located in the eastern end of Long Island...
. The North Fork is composed of all of the Town of Southold
Southold, New York
Southold is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is located in the northeastern tip of the county, on the North Fork of Long Island. The population was 20,599 at the 2000 census...
in the east and part of the Town of Riverhead
Riverhead (town), New York
The town of Riverhead is in Suffolk County, New York, on the north shore of Long Island. The population was 33,506 at the 2010 census. The name signifies that the mouth of the Peconic River is in this town...
in the west. The body of water north of this region is Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
. The southern water boundary comprises several connected bodies of water, including the Great Peconic Bay, Little Peconic Bay, and Gardiners Bay
Gardiners Bay
Gardiners Bay is a small arm of the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 10 mi long and 8 mi wide in the U.S. state of New York between the two flukelike peninsulas at the eastern end of Long Island...
.
Lying between the North Fork and the South Fork
South Fork, Suffolk County, New York
The South Fork of Suffolk County, New York, United States is a peninsula in the southeast part of the county on the South Shore of Long Island. The South Fork includes most of the Hamptons. The shorter, more northerly peninsula is known as the North Fork....
, are several islands, including Robins Island
Robins Island
Robins Island is a undeveloped island in Peconic Bay by the eastern end of Long Island off the coast of New Suffolk, New York. The island is privately owned and not accessible to the public and is within the jurisdiction of the Town of Southold in Suffolk County, New York in the USA.- History...
and the two large islands of Shelter Island
Shelter Island (town), New York
Shelter Island is a town and island at the eastern end of Long Island in the U.S. state of New York. It forms the tip of Suffolk County and is separated from the rest of the county by water. The population was 2,228 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
and Gardiners Island
Gardiners Island
Gardiners Island is a small island in the town of East Hampton, New York, in eastern Suffolk County; it is located in Gardiners Bay between the two peninsulas at the eastern end of Long Island. It is long, wide and has of coastline...
. Shelter Island lies between the North and South Forks, and ferries provide shuttle service between Greenport Village and Shelter Island Heights, as well as between Shelter Island and North Haven along The South Fork. The easternmost tip of the North Fork is Orient Point. Beyond that point are three additional significant parts of the Town of Southold, Plum Island, Great Gull Island
Great Gull Island
Great Gull Island is a island separating Long Island and Block Island sounds, located approximately southwest of Little Gull Island. Both islands are located in Suffolk County, New York, and lie roughly midway between Plum Island and Fishers Island....
, and Fisher's Island.
The North Fork offers beautiful views of Long Island Sound and Peconic/Gardiners Bay. Wineries
North Fork of Long Island AVA
The North Fork of Long Island AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in eastern Suffolk County, New York. Authored by winemaker Richard Olsen-Harbich in 1985, it includes the entire North Fork of Long Island and the townships of Riverhead, Shelter Island, and Southold. The North Fork of Long...
, vineyards, apple orchards, potato farms and sod farms characterize the North Fork. The tip of the fork is Orient Point State Park. Areas like Mattituck, Cutchogue, Peconic
Peconic, New York
Peconic is a census-designated place that roughly corresponds to the hamlet by the same name in the town of Southold in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The CDP population was 1,081 at the 2000 census.- History :...
, Southold
Southold (CDP), New York
Southold is a census-designated place that generally corresponds to the hamlet by the same name in the town of Southold in Suffolk County, New York, USA...
, Greenport
Greenport, Suffolk County, New York
Greenport is a village in Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is located on the north fork of Long Island. The population was 2,048 at the 2000 census....
, East Marion, Orient
Orient, New York
Orient is a census-designated place in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The CDP's population was 709 at the 2000 census.Orient and Orient Point are used almost interchangeably...
, and Orient Point are the hamlets on the North Fork. The North Fork also offers fishing, crabbing, and clamming on the bay, sound and adjacent creeks and beaches. Local seafood is often sold and served. Like the South Fork which is home to the famed Hamptons region, the North Fork is also a region popular with second home owners, and summer vacationers, but it has a much more rural feel and character than The Hamptons.
Transportation
The entire North Fork is covered with roadways accessible from the west. The Long Island Rail RoadLong Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
provides a very limited daily service as far as Greenport
Greenport
Greenport may refer any of the following places in the United States** Greenport, Columbia County, New York** Greenport, Suffolk County, New York** Greenport West, New York...
, with full day, daily service provided between the region and NYC by the Hampton Jitney bus company. Ferries
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
connect the North Fork to Plum Island and Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. Ferries also connect the North Fork to the South Fork by means of Shelter Island roads.
From the North Fork, visitors can access via ferry Shelter Island
Shelter Island (town), New York
Shelter Island is a town and island at the eastern end of Long Island in the U.S. state of New York. It forms the tip of Suffolk County and is separated from the rest of the county by water. The population was 2,228 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, which sits in the Peconic Bay. Ferry service is available on the bay side of the fork as well.
Tourism
The North Fork is currently home to over 30 vineyards, many of which run tasting rooms for the public to sample and buy their wines. The first of the area's vineyards, Hargrave, was founded in 1974, and today continues as Castello De Borghese. The vineyards and wineries are an important part of the area's economy. The vineyards and wineries stretch from Baiting Hollow in the west to Southold in the East, with new vineyards recently planted in Greenport and Orient.Many multi-generational family farms are still in operation throughout the region as well, and their farmstands are a popular attraction. During the Fall Harvest Season many of the farms host pumpkin picking and other attractions revolving around the harvest theme, and have given rise to the term, "agritainment". On fall weekends traffic backs up on both primary roads with many people making the drive from suburban areas of Long Island and NYC to participate in the Harvest Season activities.
The North Fork lies east of the terminus of the Long Island Expressway (LIE), and is served by three primary east to west roads, Route 25
New York State Route 25
New York State Route 25 is an east–west state highway in downstate New York in the United States. The route extends for just over from east midtown Manhattan in New York City to the Cross Sound Ferry terminal at Orient Point on the end of Long Island's North Fork...
, also called Main Road, Sound Avenue, and County Road 48
County Route 48 (Suffolk County, New York)
Suffolk County Road 48 is a major county road on the north fork of Long Island in Suffolk County, New York. It runs east and west from Sound Avenue in Mattituck to New York State Route 25 just outside of the Village of Greenport.-Route description:...
also called Middle Road. At the eastern most point, Cross Sound Ferry runs daily car and passenger ferries to and from New London, Connecticut. The Long Island Railroad provides a limited service to the region, while a more complete and balanced service is provided to and from New York City by The Hampton Jitney
Hampton Jitney
Hampton Jitney is a for-profit bus company based in Southampton, NY, operating three primary routes from the East End of Long Island to New York City, as well as charter services, along with local transit bus service in eastern Suffolk County under contract with Suffolk County...
Bus Company.
Riverhead Town
- Wading RiverWading River, New YorkWading River is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, USA, on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the CDP population was 7,719....
-- shared with the Town of Brookhaven - CalvertonCalverton, New YorkCalverton is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 5,704 at the 2000 census.The community is on the border of the Town of Riverhead and the Town of Brookhaven.-History:...
-- shared with the Town of Brookhaven - Baiting HollowBaiting Hollow, New YorkBaiting Hollow is a census-designated place roughly corresponding to the hamlet by the same name in the town of Riverhead in Suffolk County, New York, United States...
- Reeves Park
- Roanoke
- Centeville
- RiverheadRiverhead (CDP), New YorkRiverhead is a census-designated place roughly corresponding to the hamlet by the same name located in the town of Riverhead in Suffolk County, New York on Long Island...
- NorthvilleNorthville, Suffolk County, New YorkNorthville is a census-designated place in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 801 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Northville is located at ....
- Aquebogue
- JamesportJamesport, New YorkJamesport is a census-designated place that roughly corresponds to the hamlet by the same name in the town of Riverhead in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The CDP's population was 1,526 at the 2000 census. Jamesport is known for its quaint downtown area including antique shops and...
- South Jamesport
- LaurelLaurel, New YorkLaurel is a census-designated place roughly corresponding to the hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is in the towns of Southold and Riverhead. The population was 1,188 at the 2000 census.- History :...
-- shared with the Town of Southold
Southold Town
- LaurelLaurel, New YorkLaurel is a census-designated place roughly corresponding to the hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is in the towns of Southold and Riverhead. The population was 1,188 at the 2000 census.- History :...
-- shared with the Town of Riverhead - Mattituck
- Oregon
- Cutchogue
- New SuffolkNew Suffolk, New YorkNew Suffolk is a census-designated place that roughly corresponds to the hamlet by the same name in the town of Southold in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The CDP's population was 337 at the 2000 census.-History:...
- Robins IslandRobins IslandRobins Island is a undeveloped island in Peconic Bay by the eastern end of Long Island off the coast of New Suffolk, New York. The island is privately owned and not accessible to the public and is within the jurisdiction of the Town of Southold in Suffolk County, New York in the USA.- History...
- PeconicPeconic, New YorkPeconic is a census-designated place that roughly corresponds to the hamlet by the same name in the town of Southold in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The CDP population was 1,081 at the 2000 census.- History :...
- Nassau Point
- SoutholdSouthold (CDP), New YorkSouthold is a census-designated place that generally corresponds to the hamlet by the same name in the town of Southold in Suffolk County, New York, USA...
- Bayview
- Cedar Beach
- Biexedon
- Reydon Shores
- GreenportGreenport, Suffolk County, New YorkGreenport is a village in Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is located on the north fork of Long Island. The population was 2,048 at the 2000 census....
(Village) - Stirling
- East MarionEast Marion, New YorkEast Marion is a census-designated place that roughly corresponds to the hamlet by the same name in the town of Southold in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The CDP population was 756 at the 2000 census.- History :...
- OrientOrient, New YorkOrient is a census-designated place in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The CDP's population was 709 at the 2000 census.Orient and Orient Point are used almost interchangeably...
- Orient Point