Riverhead (town), New York
Encyclopedia
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. Riverhead is the county seat
of Suffolk County.
There is also a smaller hamlet of Riverhead
, which lies in the town.
. The New York State Legislature divided it from the extant Southold
, New York
. Colonists has purchased the Southold land from the local Algonquian
-speaking Native Americans
in 1649. An additional portion was purchased from Col. William Smith and divided among settlers in 1742. The poor section of Southold, with no harbor and little commerce, the town was separated at the behest of its inhabitants, who "represented to the Legislature that their town is so long that it is very inconvenient for them to attend at [sic] town meetings, and also to transact the other necessary business of the said town, and have prayed that the same may be divided into two towns".
On March 13, 1792, the Legislature passed a bill splitting off this section under the name River Head. The new enclave's first town meeting was scheduled to be held April 3, 1792. River Head was named the county seat
(called "county town" at the time), and its name was later combined as Riverhead. By 1902, its approximate population was 2,500.
with Connecticut
on the opposite shore. The east town line is the border of the town of Southold. The town is partly on the North Fork
of the county. The eastern terminus of the Long Island Expressway
is in Riverhead.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 201.3 square miles (521.4 km²), of which 67.4 square miles (174.6 km²) is land and 133.9 square miles (346.8 km²), or 66.53%, is water.
of 2000, there were 27,680 people, 10,749 households, and 7,288 families residing in the town. The population density
was 410.8 people per square mile (158.6/km²). There were 12,479 housing units at an average density of 185.2 per square mile (71.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 60.71% White, 40.52% Black or African American
, 0.27% Native American, 0.47% from other races
. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.03% of the population.
There were 10,749 households out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples
living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.0% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $52,195, and the median income for a family was $60,939. Males had a median income of $40,855 versus $32,288 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $24,647. About 15.8% of families and 17.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.7% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.
The News-Review, owned by Times-Review Newspapers as of at least 2010, was founded in 1868. Its parent company also owns The Suffolk Times, Shelter Island
Reporter, The North Shore Sun, and The Wine Press.
Radio stations WFTU
, WRCN-FM
and WRIV-AM are licensed to Riverhead.
Festival and the Polish
festival. There is an aquarium
called Atlantis Marine World
. There is also a train museum, the water park
Splish Splash
, Riverhead Raceway
, and the Tanger Outlet Mall. Riverhead is home to at least eight 18-hole PGA rated golf courses.
It is also where prospective students (Adult Learners) can find a quality education. There is a branch campus of Empire State College
, where faculty and staff use innovative, alternative and flexible approaches to higher education such as guided independent study, working one-to-one with a faculty mentor, small seminars, study groups or cross registration at other colleges to engage in studies- whatever suits your interests and lifestyle. The college offers Associate, Bachelor's, and Masters degrees with the opportunity to potentially receive college credits for work or life experience.
It also has a branch campus of Long Island University
, which transferred its master's degree programs here from its Southampton
campus, which it sold in 2006 to State University of New York (SUNY) at Stony Brook. The graduate programs include the Homeland Security Institute, rated the strongest program in the nation; creative writing, marine biology, and environmental protection.
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...
, on the north shore 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...
. The population was 33,506 at the 2010 census. The name signifies that the mouth of the Peconic River
Peconic 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...
is in this town. Riverhead is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Suffolk County.
There is also a smaller hamlet of 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...
, which lies in the town.
History
The town was created in 1792 as part of developing new jurisdictions after the American RevolutionAmerican Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. The New York State Legislature divided it from the extant 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...
, 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...
. Colonists has purchased the Southold land from the local Algonquian
Algonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
-speaking Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
in 1649. An additional portion was purchased from Col. William Smith and divided among settlers in 1742. The poor section of Southold, with no harbor and little commerce, the town was separated at the behest of its inhabitants, who "represented to the Legislature that their town is so long that it is very inconvenient for them to attend at [sic] town meetings, and also to transact the other necessary business of the said town, and have prayed that the same may be divided into two towns".
On March 13, 1792, the Legislature passed a bill splitting off this section under the name River Head. The new enclave's first town meeting was scheduled to be held April 3, 1792. River Head was named the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
(called "county town" at the time), and its name was later combined as Riverhead. By 1902, its approximate population was 2,500.
Geography
The north town line is delineated by the Long Island SoundLong 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...
with 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...
on the opposite shore. The east town line is the border of the town of Southold. The town is partly on the North Fork
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...
of the county. The eastern terminus of the Long Island Expressway
Interstate 495 (New York)
Interstate 495 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway on Long Island in New York in the United States. The route extends for from the western portal of the Queens-Midtown Tunnel in the New York City borough of Manhattan to County Route 58 in Riverhead, Suffolk County...
is in Riverhead.
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 town has a total area of 201.3 square miles (521.4 km²), of which 67.4 square miles (174.6 km²) is land and 133.9 square miles (346.8 km²), or 66.53%, is water.
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 27,680 people, 10,749 households, and 7,288 families residing in the town. 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 410.8 people per square mile (158.6/km²). There were 12,479 housing units at an average density of 185.2 per square mile (71.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 60.71% White, 40.52% Black or African American
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...
, 0.27% Native American, 0.47% 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...
. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.03% of the population.
There were 10,749 households out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% 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, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.0% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $52,195, and the median income for a family was $60,939. Males had a median income of $40,855 versus $32,288 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 town was $24,647. About 15.8% of families and 17.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.7% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.
Government and politics
Riverhead has a town council government. There is an elected Town Supervisor who is elected by the entire town, and four "at large" Town Council seats.Media
The Riverhead newspaperNewspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
The News-Review, owned by Times-Review Newspapers as of at least 2010, was founded in 1868. Its parent company also owns The Suffolk Times, 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:...
Reporter, The North Shore Sun, and The Wine Press.
Radio stations WFTU
WFTU (AM)
WFTU is a college radio station on Long Island operated by Five Towns College in Dix Hills, New York. The station is broadcast from the campus in Dix Hills and is then transmitted from Riverhead, New York. The station is also streamed on the internet from its website, .Much of WFTU's programming is...
, WRCN-FM
WRCN-FM
WRCN-FM is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. Licensed to Riverhead, New York, USA, it began broadcasting in 1962 under the WAPC-FM call sign. The station serves the eastern Long Island area...
and WRIV-AM are licensed to Riverhead.
Events and places of interest
Riverhead is the home each summer of the Long Island BluesBlues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
Festival and the Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
festival. There is an aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
called Atlantis Marine World
Atlantis Marine World
Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center is a museum with an Atlantis theme which opened in 2000 on Long Island in Riverhead, New York, United States....
. There is also a train museum, the water park
Water park
A waterpark is an amusement park that features waterplay areas, such as water slides, splash pads, spraygrounds , lazy rivers, or other recreational bathing, swimming, and barefooting environments...
Splish Splash
Splish Splash
Splish Splash is a water park in Riverhead, New York. It features 30 rides and runs from May through September. Travel Channel ranked Splish Splash the third best water park in the United States.-History:...
, Riverhead Raceway
Riverhead Raceway
Riverhead Raceway is a quarter-mile oval race track with a Figure 8 course, located in Riverhead, New York. It is the only auto racing venue on Long Island since Westhampton Raceway closed down in 2003...
, and the Tanger Outlet Mall. Riverhead is home to at least eight 18-hole PGA rated golf courses.
It is also where prospective students (Adult Learners) can find a quality education. There is a branch campus of Empire State College
Empire State College
Empire State College, one of the thirteen arts and science colleges of the State University of New York, is a multi-site institution offering associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees. It is primarily oriented towards the adult learner...
, where faculty and staff use innovative, alternative and flexible approaches to higher education such as guided independent study, working one-to-one with a faculty mentor, small seminars, study groups or cross registration at other colleges to engage in studies- whatever suits your interests and lifestyle. The college offers Associate, Bachelor's, and Masters degrees with the opportunity to potentially receive college credits for work or life experience.
It also has a branch campus of Long Island University
Long Island University
Long Island University is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution of higher education in the U.S. state of New York.-History:...
, which transferred its master's degree programs here from its 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...
campus, which it sold in 2006 to State University of New York (SUNY) at Stony Brook. The graduate programs include the Homeland Security Institute, rated the strongest program in the nation; creative writing, marine biology, and environmental protection.
Hamlets (unincorporated)
- AquebogueAquebogue, New YorkAquebogue 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...
- 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...
- 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:...
(partially; shared with Town of Brookhaven) - 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...
- 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 :...
(partially; shared with Town of Southold) - ManorvilleManorville, New YorkManorville is a census-designated place in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 11,131 at the 2000 census.Manorville is served by the Eastport-South Manor Central School District...
(Partially; Shared with Town of Brookhaven) - 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 ....
- 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...
- 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....
(partially; shared with Town of Brookhaven)
Other communities
- Centerville
- Polishtown
- Reeves Park
- Roanoke
- South Jamesport
- Sweyze
- Wildwood
- Flanders