Port Jefferson, New York
Encyclopedia
The Incorporated Village of Port Jefferson is located in the town of Brookhaven
in Suffolk County, New York
on the North Shore
of Long Island
. As of the 2000 United States Census, the village population was 7,837. The small town is home to several unique restaurants and shops, and has a growing tourism industry.
. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 3 square miles (7.8 km²), of which, 3 square miles (7.8 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.98%) is water.
Port Jefferson Harbor is a natural deep water harbor on the North Shore of Long Island. Setauket Harbor branches off to the west from the Harbor. One notable geographic feature is Pirate's Cove, a small cove dredged in the early 20th century by the Seaboard Dredging Company. The original name was Seaboard Hole, but it was changed for the sake of appealing to tourists. Several large sand dunes (artificially created by the dredging) are found here.
Suwassett was renamed in 1682 to "Drowned Meadow" after being settled by an Irish shoemaker from Queens named John Roe. It remained a small community of five homes through the 18th century but developed into a small ship building community by the 19th century. The community leaders, realizing this was a poor name for the ship building business, eventually changed its name to Port Jefferson in 1836 after President Thomas Jefferson
. The town was once a major whaling port, especially in the 1880s.
The Village was named after Jefferson because he was the major source of funding for a project to prevent the flooding of the lower village from whence the original name originated—Drowned Meadow.
P.T. Barnum, the famous circus owner, owned a tract of land which ran through the village. His intention was to make Port Jefferson the home base for his circus. The townspeople put a stop to his plans, and he eventually sold his land. A street named "Barnum Ave." now runs though the area that was once his land, and one of Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry
boats is named the "P.T. Barnum". A house he had constructed also still exists but is privately owned.
The Village of Port Jefferson was incorporated in 1964. A number of historic building were included in the Port Jefferson Village Historic District
, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2005. Separately listed are the Bayles Shipyard
and First National Bank of Port Jefferson
building.
The Village of Port Jefferson's Main Street and East Main Street were featured as part of National Public Radio's "Mapping Main Street" project in Spring 2010. "Port Jeff" lays astride New York State Route 25A
, locally long-known as North Country Road.
The areas of Uptown Port Jefferson and Port Jefferson Station have been getting waves of immigrants from Dominican Republic
, Mexico
, Puerto Rico
and El Salvador
since the early 90's but is increasing as of late.
In 2008, the district had 1375 students.
There are three schools:
aka Port Jefferson Elementary School, aka Scraggy Hill.
The elementary school has a swimming pool, and students swim once a week.
aka Port Jefferson High School
Port Jefferson Middle School and High School share the same building.
The Port Jefferson "Royals" compete in Section XI athletics.
In 2007, the district was named one of America's "Best 100 Communities for Music Education" by the NAMM foundation.
Port Jefferson UFSD is bordered on the west by Three Village CSD
, on the south by Comsewogue UFSD
, and on the east by Mount Sinai UFSD
.
The Port Jefferson School District also has an agreement with Comsewogue School District to send its upper port students to Comsewogue Schools.
As well as this festival, many small festivals are held during the summer, showcasing music and crafts. Each Fourth of July sees a substantial parade on Main Street.
In keeping with its seafaring heritage, Port Jefferson also boasts two recent America's Cup winners. Scott Vogel, winner of the 1987 race and Wally Henry who won the race in 1992.
of 2000, there were 7,837 people, 2,985 households, and 1,982 families residing in the village. The population density
was 2,587.2 people per square mile (998.6/km2). There were 3,074 housing units at an average density of 1,014.8 per square mile (391.7/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 56.97% White, 18.67% African American, 0.04% Native American, 3.33% Asian, 1.70% from other races
, and 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 32.21% of the population.
There were 2,985 households out of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.2% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the village the population was spread out with 20.0% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $65,119, and the median income for a family was $83,981. Males had a median income of $57,125 versus $41,936 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $33,852. About 3.9% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.
Brookhaven, New York
The Town of Brookhaven is one of the ten towns into which Suffolk County, New York, United States, has been divided. Part of the New York metropolitan area, it is located in central Suffolk County and is the only town in the county that stretches from the North Shore to the South Shore of Long...
in Suffolk County, New York
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...
on 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
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...
. As of the 2000 United States Census, the village population was 7,837. The small town is home to several unique restaurants and shops, and has a growing tourism industry.
Geography
Port Jefferson is located at 40.946103°N 73.062224°W, on the North 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...
. According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 3 square miles (7.8 km²), of which, 3 square miles (7.8 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.98%) is water.
Port Jefferson Harbor is a natural deep water harbor on the North Shore of Long Island. Setauket Harbor branches off to the west from the Harbor. One notable geographic feature is Pirate's Cove, a small cove dredged in the early 20th century by the Seaboard Dredging Company. The original name was Seaboard Hole, but it was changed for the sake of appealing to tourists. Several large sand dunes (artificially created by the dredging) are found here.
History
The original settlers bought a tract of land from the Setauket Indians in the mid-17th century. The traditional name is referred to as Sowassett or Souwassett in Long Island histories, meaning "at the place of small pines", however there is evidence to suggest this and the neighboring Poquott were a corruption of Poquossett, meaning "where (water) it opens out or widens, i.e., drowns the land", seemingly confirmed by the later name of the area, "Drowned Meadow".Suwassett was renamed in 1682 to "Drowned Meadow" after being settled by an Irish shoemaker from Queens named John Roe. It remained a small community of five homes through the 18th century but developed into a small ship building community by the 19th century. The community leaders, realizing this was a poor name for the ship building business, eventually changed its name to Port Jefferson in 1836 after President Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
. The town was once a major whaling port, especially in the 1880s.
The Village was named after Jefferson because he was the major source of funding for a project to prevent the flooding of the lower village from whence the original name originated—Drowned Meadow.
P.T. Barnum, the famous circus owner, owned a tract of land which ran through the village. His intention was to make Port Jefferson the home base for his circus. The townspeople put a stop to his plans, and he eventually sold his land. A street named "Barnum Ave." now runs though the area that was once his land, and one of Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry
Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry
The Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry crosses Long Island Sound between the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut and the Long Island village of Port Jefferson, New York.-History:The first ferry service began in 1872 and proved popular....
boats is named the "P.T. Barnum". A house he had constructed also still exists but is privately owned.
The Village of Port Jefferson was incorporated in 1964. A number of historic building were included in the Port Jefferson Village Historic District
Port Jefferson Village Historic District
Port Jefferson Village Historic District is a national historic district located at Port Jefferson in Suffolk County, New York. The district contains 98 contributing buildings. It includes a mix of residences, commercial buildings, and a church...
, 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 2005. Separately listed are the Bayles Shipyard
Bayles Shipyard
Bayles Shipyard is a historic shipyard located at Port Jefferson in Suffolk County, New York. It includes the 1897 Bayles Chandlery, the 1917 Machine Shop and Mould Loft and the 1917 Compressor House....
and First National Bank of Port Jefferson
First National Bank of Port Jefferson
First National Bank of Port Jefferson is a historic bank building located at Port Jefferson in Suffolk County, New York. It is a -story brick building with a 2-story turret that projects from the second story of the southwest corner and rises above the roofline. The turret has a steeply pitched,...
building.
The Village of Port Jefferson's Main Street and East Main Street were featured as part of National Public Radio's "Mapping Main Street" project in Spring 2010. "Port Jeff" lays astride New York State Route 25A
New York State Route 25A
New York State Route 25A is a state highway on Long Island in New York in the United States. It serves as the main east–west route for most of the North Shore of Long Island, running from the Queens Midtown Tunnel in the New York City borough of Queens at its western terminus to...
, locally long-known as North Country Road.
The areas of Uptown Port Jefferson and Port Jefferson Station have been getting waves of immigrants from Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
since the early 90's but is increasing as of late.
Schools
The Port Jefferson Union Free School District covers Belle Terre and most of Port Jefferson.In 2008, the district had 1375 students.
There are three schools:
- Edna Louise Spear Elementary School (Pre-K to 5th)
aka Port Jefferson Elementary School, aka Scraggy Hill.
The elementary school has a swimming pool, and students swim once a week.
- Port Jefferson Middle School (6th to 8th)
- Earl L. Vandermeulen High SchoolEarl L. Vandermeulen High SchoolEarl L. Vandermeulen High School, also commonly referred to as Port Jefferson High School, in is the Port Jefferson School District, located in Port Jefferson, New York.- History and Overview :...
(9th to 12th)
aka Port Jefferson High School
Port Jefferson Middle School and High School share the same building.
The Port Jefferson "Royals" compete in Section XI athletics.
In 2007, the district was named one of America's "Best 100 Communities for Music Education" by the NAMM foundation.
Port Jefferson UFSD is bordered on the west by Three Village CSD
Three Village Central School District
Three Village Central School District is a school district located in Long Island, New York. It serves Setauket, East Setauket, Stony Brook, Poquott, Old Field, and small portions of Port Jefferson Station, Saint James and South Setauket/Centereach...
, on the south by Comsewogue UFSD
Comsewogue School District
Comsewogue School District is located in Port Jefferson Station, on the North Shore of Long Island, in Brookhaven Town, Suffolk County, New York, United States....
, and on the east by Mount Sinai UFSD
Mount Sinai School District
The Mount Sinai School District is a United States educational division of the Mount Sinai, New York community on the north shore of Long Island that oversees the three schools in the area. It serves approximately 2200 students located in a six square mile area...
.
The Port Jefferson School District also has an agreement with Comsewogue School District to send its upper port students to Comsewogue Schools.
Events
Port Jefferson is home to an annual Charles Dickens Festival, since the early 1990s, early in December. This typically includes many events and occurrences, such as the regular sighting of people who dress in 19th century clothing, house tours, the reading of winter-related poetry, caroling, and booths set up by local businesses. Students from the Port Jefferson Middle School and High School submit poetry and art that are used in the festival. Free concerts of seasonal music by various ensembles are presented at the Methodist church.As well as this festival, many small festivals are held during the summer, showcasing music and crafts. Each Fourth of July sees a substantial parade on Main Street.
In keeping with its seafaring heritage, Port Jefferson also boasts two recent America's Cup winners. Scott Vogel, winner of the 1987 race and Wally Henry who won the race in 1992.
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 7,837 people, 2,985 households, and 1,982 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 2,587.2 people per square mile (998.6/km2). There were 3,074 housing units at an average density of 1,014.8 per square mile (391.7/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 56.97% White, 18.67% African American, 0.04% Native American, 3.33% Asian, 1.70% 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 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 32.21% of the population.
There were 2,985 households out of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.2% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the village the population was spread out with 20.0% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $65,119, and the median income for a family was $83,981. Males had a median income of $57,125 versus $41,936 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 $33,852. About 3.9% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.
Regional and local newspapers
- NewsdayNewsdayNewsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
(daily) - The Port Times Record (weekly)
- The StatesmanThe Stony Brook StatesmanThe Stony Brook Statesman is a student newspaper servicing Stony Brook University in New York's Long Island. It was founded in the fall of 1957 as the Sucolian...
(Stony Brook University) - Stony Brook Press (Stony Brook University)
Notable residents
People who were born or lived in Port Jefferson include:- Walter BerndtWalter BerndtWalter Berndt was a cartoonist known for his long-run comic strip, Smitty, which he drew for 50 years....
, cartoonist - Vivien CardoneVivien CardoneVivien Elisabeth Cardone is an American actress. She is known for her role as Delia Brown on The WB's Everwood.-Early life:...
, actress - Ted ChiangTed ChiangTed Chiang is an American speculative fiction writer. His Chinese name is Chiang Feng-nan.He was born in Port Jefferson, New York and graduated from Brown University with a Computer Science degree. He currently works as a technical writer in the software industry and resides in Bellevue, near...
, author - Chris ColmerChris ColmerChris Colmer was an American football offensive lineman.-Early years:Chris Colmer graduated from Earl L. Vandermeulen High School located in his hometown of Port Jefferson, New York. He was named to the All-Long Island squad and the Golden 50 All-State team, where he was a team captain playing...
, football player - Tony DePhillipsTony DePhillipsAnthony Andrew DePhillips was a professional baseball player. He was a catcher for one season with the Cincinnati Reds...
, baseball player - Cathy DownsCathy DownsCathy Downs was an American film actress.Born in Port Jefferson, New York, Downs began her film career with a small role in The Dolly Sisters and the following year played the title role in My Darling Clementine...
, actress - Peter FerraroPeter FerraroPeter Joseph Ferraro is a former NHL hockey player who, along with his twin brother Chris became the second set of identical twins to play on the same NHL team, in the 1995–1996 NHL hockey season...
, hockey player - Les GoodmanLes Goodman-Biography:Goodman was born Leslie Edward Goodman Jr. on September 1, 1950 in Port Jefferson, New York.-Career:Goodman was drafted in the third round of the 1972 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons and later played two seasons with the Green Bay Packers. He played at the collegiate level at Yankton...
, football player - Adam KleinAdam Klein (tenor)Adam Charles Josef Klein is an American opera singer who has sung leading tenor roles with many North American opera companies including, the Metropolitan Opera, Seattle Opera, Edmonton Opera, and New York City Opera.-Biography:...
, opera singer - Toby KnightToby KnightToby Knight is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'9" forward from the University of Notre Dame, Knight played in the NBA as a member of the New York Knicks from 1977 to 1982. He averaged 12.9 points per game in his professional career.-References:...
, former NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
player - Nick MamatasNick MamatasNick Mamatas is an American horror, science fiction and fantasy author and editor for the Haikasoru line of translated Japanese science fiction novels for Viz Media...
, author - Alan NorthAlan NorthAlan North was an American actor.North was born in the Bronx, New York and joined the United States Navy during the Second World War...
, actor - Louis EdmondsLouis EdmondsLouis Edmonds was an American actor from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was best known for his roles in Dark Shadows and All My Children....
, actor - Stefanie LoSchiavo, writer
External links
- Port Jefferson School District
- Port Jefferson Parents Blog
- Port Jefferson Boys' Basketball
- Port Jefferson Free Library
- Official village site
- The original Port Jefferson guide
- The Historical Society of Greater Port Jefferson
- Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company
- Port Jefferson Info
- Me4PortJeff - People, Places & Events that Make Port Jeff a great Place to Live, Work and Visit!