Peconic County, New York
Encyclopedia
Peconic County is a proposed new county in New York
that would secede the five easternmost towns of Suffolk County
: East Hampton
, Riverhead
, Shelter Island
, Southampton
and Southold
, plus the Shinnecock Indian Reservation
.
It derives its name from Peconic Bay
which is the dividing body of water separating the North
and South
forks of Long Island
.
Peconic County has been discussed for more than 50 years -- ever since Suffolk County moved its offices from the official county seat in Riverhead
32 miles west to Hauppauge, New York
, in more densely populated western Suffolk County.
The big drive for the county was a difference in character between western Suffolk County which is predominately a New York City bedroom community while the east end is dominated by second home owners who want to preserve the area's more rural and upscale character.
71 percent of the east end voters in 1997 approved a nonbinding resolution to secede. However the New York State Assembly
has never approved the enabling legislation. East End newspapers speculate the Assembly is afraid it would encourage a tidal wave of secessions in the state including Staten Island
seceding from New York City
and perhaps even causing the division of upstate and downstate New York
.
The current move to secede has not been active since 1998.
was 139.29/km² (360.76/sq mi). http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DTTable?_bm=y&-context=dt&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-CONTEXT=dt&-mt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_P001&-tree_id=4001&-transpose=N&-redoLog=false&-all_geo_types=N&-geo_id=05000US36103&-geo_id=06000US3610322194&-geo_id=06000US3610361984&-geo_id=06000US3610366839&-geo_id=06000US3610367059&-geo_id=06000US3610368473&-geo_id=06000US3610369463&-search_results=06000US3610367059&-_showChild=Y&-format=&-_lang=en&-show_geoid=Y]If the proposed secession were to occur, the surviving Suffolk County would have a land area of 1,462.001 km² (564.482 sq mi) and an adjusted 2000 census population of 1,293,927 inhabitants. It would be left with a population density of 885.04/km² (2,292.24/sq mi). As can be seen, the western part of Suffolk has more than six times the population density of its eastern neighbor.
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...
that would secede the five easternmost towns 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...
: East Hampton
East Hampton (town), New York
The Town of East Hampton is located in southeastern Suffolk County, New York, at the eastern end of the South Shore of Long Island. It is the easternmost town in the state of New York...
, 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...
, 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:...
, Southampton
Southampton (town), New York
The Town of Southampton is located in southeastern Suffolk County, New York, U.S., partly on the South Fork of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the town had a total population of 54,712...
and 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...
, plus the Shinnecock Indian Reservation
Shinnecock Reservation, New York
Shinnecock Reservation is an Indian reservation for members of the Shinnecock Indian Nation in the town of Southampton in Suffolk County, New York, United States. It lies on the east side of Shinnecock Bay on southeastern Long Island, near Tuckahoe, Shinnecock Hills, and the village of Southampton...
.
It derives its name from Peconic Bay
Peconic Bay
The Peconic Bay is the parent name for two bays between the North Fork and South Fork of Long Island in the U.S. state of New York. It is separated from Gardiners Bay by Shelter Island....
which is the dividing body of water separating the North
North Fork, Suffolk County, New York
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...
and South
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....
forks 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...
.
Peconic County has been discussed for more than 50 years -- ever since Suffolk County moved its offices from the official county seat in Riverhead
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...
32 miles west to Hauppauge, New York
Hauppauge, New York
Hauppauge is a hamlet and CDP in the Town of Islip and the Town of Smithtown in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population of the CDP was 20,100 at the time of the 2000 census....
, in more densely populated western Suffolk County.
The big drive for the county was a difference in character between western Suffolk County which is predominately a New York City bedroom community while the east end is dominated by second home owners who want to preserve the area's more rural and upscale character.
71 percent of the east end voters in 1997 approved a nonbinding resolution to secede. However the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
has never approved the enabling legislation. East End newspapers speculate the Assembly is afraid it would encourage a tidal wave of secessions in the state including Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
seceding from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and perhaps even causing the division of upstate and downstate New York
New York City secession
There are and have been several secession movements in New York state. The most prominent amongst these have been the movements for a state of New York City, a state of Long Island, a state of Niagara , and a state of Upstate New York....
.
The current move to secede has not been active since 1998.
Area and population
At the 2000 census, the five towns and the Shinnecock Reservation had a land area of 900.581 km² (347.72 sq mi), or about 38.12 percent of Suffolk County's land area. Its total population was 125,442 inhabitants, or about 8.84 percent of the county's population. Its average population densityPopulation 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 139.29/km² (360.76/sq mi). http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DTTable?_bm=y&-context=dt&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-CONTEXT=dt&-mt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_P001&-tree_id=4001&-transpose=N&-redoLog=false&-all_geo_types=N&-geo_id=05000US36103&-geo_id=06000US3610322194&-geo_id=06000US3610361984&-geo_id=06000US3610366839&-geo_id=06000US3610367059&-geo_id=06000US3610368473&-geo_id=06000US3610369463&-search_results=06000US3610367059&-_showChild=Y&-format=&-_lang=en&-show_geoid=Y]If the proposed secession were to occur, the surviving Suffolk County would have a land area of 1,462.001 km² (564.482 sq mi) and an adjusted 2000 census population of 1,293,927 inhabitants. It would be left with a population density of 885.04/km² (2,292.24/sq mi). As can be seen, the western part of Suffolk has more than six times the population density of its eastern neighbor.
See also
- Adirondack CountyAdirondack County, New YorkAdirondack County is a proposed new county in New York to be formed out of town of North Elba of Essex County and other surrounding towns that have economies based on tourism. In 2007, North Elba Town Supervisor Shirley Seney stated that such an administrative restructuring could be used as a means...
- another proposed county in New York