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120-487: The lake was originally referred to on maps as Lake Wyandanch and commonly referred to as the "Great Lake". It was the largest body of freshwater on Long Island , more than double the size of Lake Ronkonkoma . In 1927, real estate developer Carl Fisher blasted a gap on the northern shoreline to connect the lake to Block Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean . Fisher intended to develop the new port of Montauk into

240-451: A gross domestic product of approximately $ 500 billion. Median household income on the island significantly exceeds $ 100,000, and the median home price is approximately $ 600,000, with Nassau County approximating $ 700,000. Among residents over the age of 25, 42.6% hold a college degree or higher educational degree. Unemployment on Long Island stays consistently below 4%. Biotechnology companies , engineering , and scientific research play

360-526: A 6.9 percent margin, becoming the first Republican to carry the county since 1992. In 2020, Trump again won Suffolk County; this time, however, it was decided by just 232 votes out of nearly 800,000 votes cast, making it the closest county in the nation in terms of percentage margin, and representing nearly a seven-point swing towards the Democratic ticket of former Vice President Joe Biden and junior California senator Kamala Harris . In percentage terms, it

480-477: A 76-pound (34 kg) striped bass . Montauk hosts several annual shark tournaments. The craze for shark fishing off Montauk was encouraged in the 1970s by local boat operator Frank Mundus who often was reported in stories as the source for the character Quint in the movie Jaws . Mundus caught a 4,500-pound (2,041 kg) great white shark by harpoon and a 3,427-pound (1,554 kg) great white shark by rod and reel. Long Island Long Island

600-738: A boundary dispute, they drove out English settlers from the Oyster Bay area. However, in 1664, the English returned to take over the Dutch colony of New Netherland , including Long Island. The 1664 land patent granted to the Duke of York included all islands in Long Island Sound. The Duke of York held a grudge against Connecticut, as New Haven had hidden three of the judges ( John Dixwell , Edward Whalley and William Goffe ) who sentenced

720-638: A crime. The local civil courts calendar small claims, evictions, and civil actions. Most non-criminal moving violation tickets issued in the 5 west towns are handled by the Traffic Violations Bureau, which is part of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles , not the court system. School districts (all officially designated for grades K-12) include: Fire Island Lighthouse was an important landmark for many trans-Atlantic ships coming into New York Harbor in

840-497: A devastating attack that killed 80 Native Americans. Despite shifting claims to title and absentee land sales, European settlers continued to purchase land directly from indigenous people. In 1655, they split the acquired land amongst themselves and continued to search the island for more land for settlement. On June 10, 1664, other parts of indigenous land were bought, including present-day Brookhaven , Bellport , and South Haven , in exchange for four coats and 6 pounds 10 shilling -

960-566: A four-year term, operates the two Suffolk County correctional facilities (in Yaphank and Riverhead ), provides county courthouse security and detention, service and enforcement of civil papers, evictions and warrants. The Sheriff's Office is also responsible for securing all county-owned property, such as county government office buildings, as well as the campuses of the Suffolk County Community College . As of 2008,

1080-587: A lack of evidence, can only be guessed. However, anthropological models suggest that the leaders did not have overarching authority over the rest of the village. Rather, the leaders often sought advice from the elders. The early settlers of Long Island were likely tied by kinship and did not identify themselves as distinct tribes. These tribes were designated by the Europeans as a method of identifying borders. However, there seems to be two, overlapping, but different cultures. Western Long Island natives probably spoke

1200-738: A main span of 600 feet (200 m), with a clearance for boats of 60 feet (20 m). After crossing the State Boat Channel over its 665-foot (203 m)-long bascule bridge , the causeway meets the Ocean Parkway at a cloverleaf interchange. This interchange provides access to Captree State Park , Gilgo State Park and Jones Beach State Park . The Fire Island Inlet Bridge continues the two-lane road, one lane in each direction, across Fire Island Inlet to its terminus at Robert Moses State Park and The Fire Island Lighthouse. Robert Moses Causeway opened in 1964. Suffolk County has

1320-507: A medium for cultural expression. The stylistic variations in pottery across different sites on Long Island suggest a rich diversity of cultural identities and the exchange of ideas among various groups. Additionally, this period was marked by participation in trade networks with other Northeastern Indigenous communities. During the Late Woodland Period, there was a noticeable intensification of agriculture, with maize becoming

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1440-668: A number of villages, such as Amityville , Lloyd Harbor , Northport , and Westhampton Beach that maintain their own police forces. In 1994, the Village of Greenport voted to abolish its police department and turn responsibility for law and order over to the Southold police department. After the Long Island State Parkway Police was disbanded in 1980, all state parkways in Suffolk County became

1560-400: A plan to use counterfeiting to induce economic sabotage. Long Island's colonists supported both Loyalist and Patriot causes, with many prominent families divided among both sides. During the occupation, British forces utilized a number of civilian structures for defense and were also at times quartered in local homes. A number of structures from this era remain. Among these are Raynham Hall ,

1680-497: A shift towards a more settled lifestyle, with small bands forming seasonal settlements. The indigenous peoples in the Early and Middle Woodland period began developing horticulture as well as more efficient strategies for hunting and gathering. They established year-round settlements. Pottery emerged as a widespread technological innovation during this era, serving not only practical storage and cooking purposes but also functioning as

1800-718: A significant role in Long Island's economy, including research facilities at Brookhaven National Laboratory , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory , Stony Brook University , New York Institute of Technology , Plum Island Animal Disease Center , the New York University Tandon School of Engineering , the Zucker School of Medicine , and the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research . As a hub of commercial aviation , Long Island

1920-476: A staple crop alongside beans and squash. This agricultural advancement supported larger populations and led to the establishment of more permanent villages characterized by substantial dwellings, mostly wigwams and longhouses . The increased reliance on farming did not eliminate hunting and gathering, which continued to play a crucial role in the subsistence economy. The Long Island natives lived in villages of differing sizes and their governing style, because of

2040-697: A struggle over between the Pequot tribe of Connecticut, who exerted control over eastern Long Island, and the English New England Colonies , reshaped alliances and power dynamics in the region. The defeat of the Pequots left a void in eastern Long Island's political landscape, who were historically under the influence of the Connecticut Pequots for trade and protection. Indigenous leaders such as Uncas and Ninigret , alongside

2160-569: A study by the non-profit group ERASE Racism, which determined Suffolk and its neighboring county, Nassau, to be the most racially segregated suburbs in the United States. In 2006, there were 469,299 households, of which 37.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.00% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.20% were non-families. 18.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.80% had someone living alone who

2280-431: A value that, accounting for monetary inflation through 2017, is currently worth approximately $ 840. During King Philip's War in 1675, the governor of New York , Edmund Andros , ordered that all canoes east of Hell Gate be confiscated. This was done to prevent local indigenous people from helping their Native allies on the mainland, who were attacking New England settlers there. Notable sachems, such as Tackapousha of

2400-482: A victory here in 1992, the county voted for Bill Clinton in 1996 and continued the trend by giving Al Gore an 11-percent victory in the county in 2000. 2004 Democratic candidate John Kerry won by a much smaller margin of under one percent, in 2008 Democratic candidate Barack Obama won by a slightly larger 6 percent margin, 52.5%-46.5%. In 2012, he carried the county by a slightly smaller margin 51%-47%. In 2016, Republican candidate Donald Trump won Suffolk County by

2520-460: A whole, is Jayne's Hill in West Hills , at 401 feet (122 m) above sea level. This low lying-geography means that much of the county is vulnerable to sea level rise . Suffolk County sits at the convergence of climate zones including the humid continental ( Dfa ) and humid subtropical ( Cfa ), bordering closely on an oceanic climate (Cfb). The majority of the county by land area is in

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2640-484: Is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York state , extending into the Atlantic Ocean . It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land area. The island extends from New York Harbor 118 miles (190 km) eastward into the ocean with a maximum north–south width of 23 miles (37 km). With a land area of 1,401 square miles (3,630 km ), it

2760-460: Is a diversity of citizenship. The District Court and the Town and Village Courts are the local courts of Suffolk County. There are more than 30 local courts, each with limited criminal and civil subject matter and geographic jurisdictions. The local criminal courts have trial jurisdiction over misdemeanors, violations and infractions; preliminary jurisdiction over felonies; and traffic tickets charging

2880-589: Is also translated as "loose" or "scattered", which may refer either to the wampum or to Long Island. The name "'t Lange Eylandt alias Matouwacs" appears in Dutch maps from the 1650s, with 't Lange Eylandt translating it to "Long Island" from Old Dutch . The English referred to Long Island as "Nassau Island", after the House of Nassau of the Dutch Prince William of Nassau, Prince of Orange (who later also ruled as King William III of England ). It

3000-704: Is home to Stony Brook University in Stony Brook and Farmingdale State College in Farmingdale . Suffolk County was part of the Connecticut Colony before becoming an original county of the Province of New York , one of twelve created in 1683. From 1664 until 1683, it had been the East Riding of Yorkshire . Its boundaries were essentially the same as at present, with only minor changes in

3120-551: Is home to two of the nation's and New York metropolitan area 's busiest airports, JFK International Airport and LaGuardia Airport . Also located on Long Island are Long Island MacArthur Airport and two major air traffic control radar facilities, New York TRACON and New York ARTCC. Long Island has nine major bridges and thirteen navigable tunnels, which connect Brooklyn and Queens to the three other boroughs of New York City. Ferries connect Suffolk County northward across Long Island Sound to Connecticut . Long Island Rail Road

3240-593: Is notoriously shallow and rocky with one of its more famous groundings being HMS  Culloden during the American Revolution ). Fisher's enterprises became bankrupt after the Crash of 1929 . The United States Navy assumed control of the lake during World War II along with other Fisher businesses including Montauk Manor. After World War II, the lake became a well-known commercial and sports fishing area, and became New York's largest fishing port. In

3360-480: Is now New York Bay in 1524, however it is unclear whether he encountered Native Americans from Long Island. In 1609, the English navigator Henry Hudson explored the harbor and purportedly landed at present-day Coney Island . Dutch explorer Adriaen Block followed in 1615 and is credited as the first European to determine that both Manhattan and Long Island are islands. The first recorded encounters between

3480-487: Is separated from Staten Island and the state of New Jersey by Upper New York Bay , The Narrows , and Lower New York Bay . With a population of 8,063,232 residents as of the 2020 U.S. census , Long Island constitutes 40% of New York state's entire population. Long Island is the most populous island in any U.S. state or territory, the third-most populous island in the Americas after Hispaniola and Cuba , and

3600-462: Is the busiest commuter railroad in North America and operates continuously. As the last Ice Age waned with Wisconsin glaciation , early Paleo-Indians ventured into the evolving landscapes of present-day Long Island, marking a significant environmental shifts and laying the groundwork for the region's rich ecosystems. These nomadic hunter-gatherers, equipped with stone tools, navigated

3720-461: Is the largest island in the contiguous United States . Long Island is divided among four counties , with Kings (Brooklyn), Queens , and Nassau counties occupying its western third and Suffolk County its eastern two-thirds. Long Island may refer both to the main island and the surrounding outer barrier islands . To its west, Long Island is separated from Manhattan Island and the Bronx by

Lake Montauk - Misplaced Pages Continue

3840-475: Is unclear when the name "Nassau Island" was discontinued. Another indigenous name from colonial time, Paumanok , comes from the Native American name for Long Island and means "the island that pays tribute." The very first European settlements on Long Island were by settlers from England and its colonies in present-day New England . Lion Gardiner settled nearby Gardiners Island. The first settlement on

3960-556: The Algonquian peoples of Long Island and Europeans occurred with the arrival of explorers in the early 17th century, first contacted by Henry Hudson and his crew. These interactions were initially characterized by curiosity and tentative exchanges, but conflicts later emerged between them. Despite this, mutually beneficial trade ensued, with the Algonquian trading fur for clothing, metal, guns, and alcohol. The Dutch, recognizing

4080-875: The Dfa zone. Summers are cooler at the east end than in the western part of the county. The hardiness zone is 7a, except in Copiague Harbor , Lindenhurst, and Montauk, where it is 7b. Average monthly temperatures in Hauppauge range from 31.0 °F (−0.6 °C) in January to 74.0 °F (23.3 °C) in July, and in the Riverhead town center they range from 30.1 °F (−1.1 °C) in January to 72.8 °F (22.7 °C) in July, which includes both daytime and nighttime temperatures. On February 9, 2013, Suffolk County

4200-537: The East River tidal estuary . North of the island is Long Island Sound , across which lie Westchester County, New York , and the state of Connecticut . Across the Block Island Sound to the northeast is the state of Rhode Island . Block Island , which is part of Rhode Island, and numerous smaller islands extend farther into the Atlantic Ocean . To the extreme southwest, Long Island, at Brooklyn ,

4320-797: The Gold Coast of the North Shore and the Five Towns area on the South Shore . South Shore communities are built along protected wetlands of the island and contain white sandy beaches of Outer Barrier Islands fronting on the Atlantic Ocean. Dutch and English settlers from the time before the American Revolutionary War , as well as communities of Native Americans, populated the island. The 19th century saw

4440-473: The Gold Coast . This period and the area was immortalized in fiction, such as F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby , which has also been adapted in films . The gradual decline in Indigenous authority reached a critical point when it led to the formal obliteration of acknowledgement for many tribes. A poignant example of this phenomenon occurred in 1910, when a legal decree by New York State pronounced

4560-614: The Harbor Hill moraine . The more southerly moraine, known as the Ronkonkoma moraine , forms the "backbone" of Long Island; it runs primarily through the very center of Long Island, roughly coinciding with the length of the Long Island Expressway . Suffolk County, New York Suffolk County ( / ˈ s ʌ f ə k / SUF -ək ) is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of New York, constituting

4680-516: The Invasion of Quebec before transferring to the 3rd New York in 1776. Seeing action at Monmouth , Willett then participated in the 1778 Sullivan Campaign . He was made the colonel of the 5th New York in 1780 and the Tryon County militia in 1781, where he fought at Johnstown . On August 22, 1830, Willett died and was buried in the graveyard of Trinity Church . The Willets Point and

4800-700: The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) began service in 1836 from the South Ferry in Brooklyn , through the remainder of Brooklyn, to Jamaica in Queens . The line was completed to the east end of Long Island in 1844, as part of a plan for transportation to Boston . Competing railroads, soon absorbed by the LIRR, were built along the south shore to accommodate travelers from those more populated areas. For

4920-458: The Outer Lands region, is formed largely of two spines of glacial moraine , with a large, sandy outwash plain beyond. These moraines consist of gravel and loose rock left behind during the two most recent pulses of Wisconsin glaciation during the ice ages some 21,000 years ago (19,000 BC). The northern moraine, which directly abuts the North Shore of Long Island at points, is known as

Lake Montauk - Misplaced Pages Continue

5040-734: The Oyster Bay home of patriot spy Robert Townsend , and the Caroline Church in Setauket , which contains bullet holes from a skirmish known as the Battle of Setauket . Also in existence is a reconstruction of Brooklyn's Old Stone House , on the site of the Maryland 400 's celebrated last stand during the Battle of Long Island . In the 19th century, Long Island was still mainly rural and devoted to agriculture . The predecessor to

5160-600: The South , were followed by more recent immigrants from Asia and Latin America . Long Island has many ethnic Irish , Jews , and Italians . In later immigration trends, Asians , Hispanics , Afghans , Arabs , and Indians arrived on Long Island. The westernmost end of Long Island contains the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn (Kings County) and Queens (Queens County). The central and eastern portions contain

5280-521: The U.S. House of Representatives , where he served until 1791. Francis Lewis from Brookhaven on Long Island, another signer of the Declaration of Independence , had his home destroyed and his wife Elizabeth arrested by the British after the battle of Long Island. George Washington managed her release by having the wives of two wealthy Loyalists from Philadelphia arrested, and then exchanging

5400-550: The suburban Nassau and Suffolk counties. However, colloquial usage of the term "Long Island" usually refers only to Nassau and Suffolk counties. For example, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York has a district named "Long Island (Nassau-Suffolk Metro Division)." At least as late as 1911, locations in Queens were still commonly referred to as being on Long Island. Some institutions in the New York City section of

5520-553: The "Miami Beach of the North". On Star Island , a small island in the lake, he built the Montauk Yacht Club and Star Island Casino. His other projects included the hotel Montauk Manor , Montauk Playhouse , the golf course Montauk Downs , and the six-story Montauk Tower. Fisher renamed the lake Lake Montauk. After Fisher opened and dredged the lake, the lake replaced Fort Pond Bay as Montauk's main port (Fort Pond Bay

5640-452: The 18th-most populous island in the world ahead of Ireland , Jamaica , and Hokkaidō . Its population density is 5,859.5 inhabitants per square mile (2,262.4/km ). Long Island is culturally and ethnically diverse , featuring some of the wealthiest and most expensive neighborhoods in the world near the shorelines , as well as working-class areas in all four counties. As of 2022, Kings, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk counties collectively had

5760-448: The 1970s, a proposal was made to dam the sound and build a canal through the former Montaukett Indian Field and Big Reed Pond for a new outlet. The plan included a proposal for constructing more than 1,000 houses along the new waterway. Intense local opposition organized by Hilda Lindley stopped the plan. Suffolk County assumed ownership of the property and it is now Theodore Roosevelt County Park (formerly Montauk County Park). Among

5880-516: The 2016 presidential election season, on September 26, 2016, making Hofstra the first college or university in the United States to host a presidential debate in three consecutive elections. The presence on the 2016 ticket of Westchester County resident Hillary Clinton and Manhattan resident Donald Trump resulted in greater attention by the candidates to the concerns of Long Island. Trump visited Long Island voters and donors at least four times while Clinton made one stop for voters and one additional stop in

6000-502: The 2023 general election, gaining a 12-6 supermajority. Police services in the five western towns ( Babylon , Huntington , Islip , Smithtown and Brookhaven ) are provided primarily by the Suffolk County Police Department . The five "East End" towns ( Riverhead , Southold , Shelter Island , East Hampton , and Southampton ), maintain their own police and other law enforcement agencies. Also, there are

6120-663: The Crown by creating him Lord Alexander of Tullibody and Viscount of Stirling . On April 22 of that year Charles told the Plymouth Colony , which had laid claim to Long Island but had not settled it, to cede it to Alexander. When his agent James Farret arrived in New Amsterdam in 1637 to present his claim of English sovereignty, he was arrested and imprisoned in Holland , but later escaped from prison. The Pequot War,

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6240-549: The Delaware-Munsee dialect. The eastern group's language is less well-founded, but it is most likely related to the southern New England Algonquian dialect. The kinship system likely kept Long Island natives together with clans in present-day New Jersey , Massachusetts , Connecticut , and Rhode Island . Giovanni da Verrazzano was the first European to record an encounter with the Lenape people, after entering what

6360-777: The Democratic Party maintained control over the Suffolk County Legislature picking up one seat that had been held by an Independence Party member. In November 2013, the Republican Party gained the 14th district seat, but remained in the minority until 2021, when the GOP flipped the county legislature, picking up three seats with incumbents Robert Calarco (the sitting Presiding Officer) and Susan Berland (the sitting Majority Leader) losing their bids for re-election. The Suffolk GOP built on these gains in

6480-590: The Duke's father, King Charles I , to death in 1649. Settlers throughout Suffolk County pressed to stay part of Connecticut, but Governor Sir Edmund Andros threatened to eliminate the settlers' rights to land if they did not yield, which they did by 1676. All of Long Island along with islands between Long Island and Connecticut became part of the Province of New York within the Shire of York . Present-day Suffolk County

6600-669: The Dutch but released after saying they were mistaken about the title. Through Farret, who received Shelter Island and Robins Island , Alexander in turn sold most of the eastern island to the New Haven and Connecticut colonies. As European settlers proliferated on Long Island, the ecosystem underwent significant transformation, and the dynamics between Native Americans and Europeans shifted. The Europeans cleared vast areas of traditional hunting grounds and introduced livestock that damaged Native crops. Europeans also began to encroach on Native land, and this growing proximity heightened tensions. This culminated in Kieft's War , initiated by

6720-408: The English settled on the eastern side, buying land from any sachems who were willing to sell to them. The perspectives on these land purchases likely varied significantly between Native Americans and Europeans. Europeans viewed land transactions as opportunities for exclusive ownership and permanent settlement, while the Algonquian peoples viewed the transaction as temporary and communal. Additionally,

6840-416: The European market, particularly through their labor and the dwindling fur and wampum trades. By the 18th century, most native lands had been seized, leaving only small parcels, and many Indigenous people were relegated to roles as domestics, laborers, guides, and seamen. William Floyd was born on Long Island on December 17, 1734. In 1654, his family emigrated to North America. By the time of Floyd's birth,

6960-530: The Federal U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York; and has various local municipal courts. The State Courts are divided into Supreme Court, which has general jurisdiction over all cases, and lower courts that either hear claims of a limited dollar amount, or of a specific nature. Similarly, the local courts hear claims of a limited dollar amount, or hear specific types of cases. The Federal Court has jurisdiction over Federal Claims, State Law claims that are joined with Federal claims, and claims where there

7080-646: The Hamptons for donors. After the 2022 midterm election results were counted, Suffolk appears to have moved further to the right. Republican gubernatorial candidate and Suffolk County native Lee Zeldin won the county by more than 17 points over the Democrat candidate Kathy Hochul. Republicans, as of 2023, hold both congressional districts covering that being New York's 1st congressional district represented by Nick LaLota and New York's 2nd congressional district represented by Andrew Garbarino . The 2023 election saw this trend continue, with Republican Edward P. Romaine defeating Democrat David Calone by 14 points to become

7200-414: The Hamptons, and for the Montauk Point Lighthouse at the eastern tip of the island. The Pine Barrens is a preserved pine forest encompassing much of eastern Suffolk County. A detailed geomorphological study of Long Island provides evidence of glacial history of the kame and terminal moraines of the island which were formed by the advance and retreat of two ice sheets . Long Island, as part of

7320-410: The Hamptons. In his review, Howard Zinn wrote that the book "[t]akes us beyond the much-romanticized beaches of Long Island to the rich entrepreneurs and their McMansions, the Latino workers, and the stubborn indigenous residents refusing to disappear. The book is important because it is in so many ways a microcosm of the nation." The book won the Association for Humanist Sociology's 2005 Book Prize and

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7440-421: The Island's key role in the history of aviation. From the 1920s to the 1940s, Long Island began the transformation from backwoods and farms as developers created numerous suburbs. Numerous branches of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) already enabled commuting from the suburbs to Manhattan. Robert Moses engineered various automobile parkway projects to span the island, and developed beaches and state parks for

7560-720: The Massapequa, saw their influence wane post-King Philip's War in 1675. In the face of escalating tensions between French and English settlers, these Indigenous figures endeavored to mediate and protect their communities. However efforts to maintain land rights were undermined by disease, deceit, infringements of land patents, and cultural misunderstandings. After the Dutch began to colonize Manhattan, many indigenous people moved to Pennsylvania and Delaware . Many of those who stayed behind died from smallpox , which spread to North America via European colonists and resulted in large scale deaths due to lack of antibodies and natural resistance which Eurasian peoples had gained with their exposure to

7680-445: The Montaukett "tribe" extinct, ignoring the presence and testimonies of its members in court. Such decrees were used to facilitate the encroachment on Native American lands with greater ease, granting legal legitimacy to the acts of settler colonialism. In the absence of legally recognized Indigenous territories, settlers could assert ownership over Native lands without engaging in negotiations or offering compensation. This act represented

7800-404: The Native Americans governance style of weak leadership and undefined hunting grounds, did not align with the European's need for strict boundaries. This confusion resulted in conflict and boundary disputes for many years after. In 1640, English colonists attempted to settle Cow Bay in what is present-day Port Washington . After an alert by Native leader Penhawitz , the colonists were arrested by

7920-428: The New England Colonies, vied to fill this vacuum, with the colonists eventually prevailing over their indigenous rivals. In 1639, Lion Gardiner secured the first purchase of eastern Long Island land, an islet off of present-day East Hampton . The period between 1636 and 1648 marked a time of land acquisition in Long Island by Dutch and English colonists. The Dutch occupied a small portion of western Long Island while

8040-496: The New York state line 3 miles (5 km) south of Fire Island in the Atlantic Ocean. Some Suffolk County towns (Islip, Brookhaven, Southampton, East Hampton, Babylon, Huntington, Smithtown) also employ various bay constables and other local marine patrol, which are sworn armed peace officers with full arrest powers, providing back up to the Suffolk Police Marine Bureau as well as the United States Coast Guard . This includes Fire Island and parts of Jones Island barrier beaches and

8160-412: The Space Age. Grumman was one of the major contractors that helped to build the early lunar flight and Space Shuttle vehicles. Although the aircraft companies eventually ended their Long Island operations and the early airports were all later closed. Roosevelt Field, for instance, became the site of a major shopping mall , the Cradle of Aviation Museum on the site of the former Mitchel Field documents

8280-469: The Suffolk County Sheriff's Office employed 275 Deputy Sheriffs, 850 corrections officers, and about 200 civilian staff. Suffolk County has a long maritime history with several outer barrier beaches and hundreds of square miles of waterways . The Suffolk Police Marine Bureau patrols the 500 square miles (1,000 km ) of navigable waterways within the police district, from the Connecticut and Rhode Island state line which bisects Long Island Sound to

8400-450: The Suffolk County website, the county is the leading agricultural county in the state of New York, saying that: "The weather is temperate, clean water is abundant, and the soil is so good that Suffolk is the leading agricultural county in New York State. That Suffolk is still number one in farming, even with the development that has taken place, is a tribute to thoughtful planning, along with the excellent soil, favorable weather conditions, and

8520-454: The accompanying Mets-Willets Point station is named in his honor. Early in the American Revolutionary War , the island was captured by the British from American troops under George Washington in the battle of Long Island, a major battle after which Washington narrowly evacuated his troops from Brooklyn Heights under a dense fog. After the British victory on Long Island, many Patriots withdrew, leaving mostly Loyalists behind. The island

8640-741: The beginning of the 21st century, a number of Long Island communities had converted their assets from industrial uses to post-industrial roles. Brooklyn reversed decades of population decline and factory closings to resurface as a globally renowned cultural and intellectual hotbed. Gentrification has impacted much of Brooklyn and a portion of Queens , relocating a sizeable swath of New York City's population. On eastern Long Island, Port Jefferson , Patchogue , and Riverhead evolved from inactive shipbuilding and mill towns into tourist-centric commercial centers with cultural attractions. The descendants of late 19th and early 20th-century immigrants from southern and Eastern Europe , and Black migrants from

8760-620: The bill. Also in February 2019, a court ruled against the Suffolk County jail in the case of a former inmate who was denied hormone replacement therapy by the jail's doctors. Documents introduced in the trial indicate 11 other inmates were also denied treatment. Suffolk County is part of the 10th Judicial District of the New York State Unified Court System ; is home to the Alfonse M. D'Amato Courthouse of

8880-443: The boundary with its western neighbor, which was originally Queens County but has been Nassau County since the separation of Nassau from Queens in 1899. During the American Revolutionary War , Great Britain occupied Suffolk County after the retreat of George Washington's forces in the Battle of Long Island , and the county remained under occupation until the British evacuation of New York on November 25, 1783. According to

9000-595: The businesses on the lake is the only ferry service in East Hampton town. It offers service during summers to Block Island , Martha's Vineyard , and New London, Connecticut . The United States Coast Guard also operates a station on Star Island. Montauk Airport is on the east side of the lake, on East Lake Drive. Montauk is noted as one of the leading centers for sport fishing on the Atlantic Coast. By 1986, it claimed 39 world-record catches. including

9120-453: The census-estimated New York State population of 19,745,289 and 19.0% of the census-estimated Long Island population of 7,869,820. The population density in 2010 was 1,637 people per square mile (632 people/km ), with 569,985 households at an average density of 625 per square mile (241/km ). However, by 2012, with an estimated total population increasing moderately to 1,499,273 there were 569,359 housing units. As of 2006, Suffolk County

9240-591: The century from 1830 until 1930, total population roughly doubled every twenty years, with more dense development in areas near Manhattan. Several cities were incorporated, such as the "City of Brooklyn" in Kings County, and Long Island City in Queens. Until completion of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883, the only means of travel between Long Island and the rest of the United States was by boat or ship. As other bridges and tunnels were constructed, areas of

9360-605: The close of the 19th century, wealthy industrialists who made vast fortunes during the Gilded Age began to construct large "baronial" country estates in Nassau County communities along the North Shore of Long Island, favoring the many properties with water views. Proximity to Manhattan attracted such men as J. P. Morgan , William K. Vanderbilt , and Charles Pratt , whose estates led to this area being nicknamed

9480-486: The county had paid the victim $ 1.5 million in a settlement; it had also paid Burke more than $ 500,000 in benefits and salary while Burke was concealing his conduct. Trotta said that the faithless servant doctrine in New York common law gave him the power to claw back the compensation. The Suffolk County Legislature supported the suit unanimously. The following month Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone signed

9600-539: The county legislature until a landmark election in November 2005 where three Republican seats switched to the Democrats, giving them control. In November 2007, the Democratic Party once again retained control over the Suffolk County Legislature, picking up one seat in the process. In November 2009, the Republican Party regained the seat lost in 2007 but remained in the minority for the 2010-2011 session. In November 2011,

9720-492: The county was $ 26,577. Using a weighted average from 2009 to 2014 about 6.40% of the population were below the poverty line In earlier censuses, the population below the poverty line included 2.70% of those under age 18 and 2.30% of those age 65 or over. In 2003, Democrat Steve Levy was elected county executive, ending longtime Republican control. In 2001, Democrat Thomas Spota was elected District Attorney, and ran unopposed in 2005. Although Suffolk voters gave George H. W. Bush

9840-523: The county. Since the New York state legislature created the New York State University Police in 1999, they are in charge of all law enforcement services for State University of New York property and campuses. The State University Police have jurisdiction in Suffolk County at Stony Brook University and Farmingdale State College. The Suffolk County Sheriff's Office is a separate agency. The sheriff, an elected official who serves

9960-492: The current Suffolk County would comprise a new county to be called Peconic County . Peconic County would consist of the five easternmost towns of Suffolk County: East Hampton , Riverhead , Shelter Island , Southampton and Southold , plus the Shinnecock Indian Reservation . The proposed Peconic County flag showed the two forks at the east end of Long Island separated by Peconic Bay. The star on

10080-517: The disease. Native American land deeds recorded by the Dutch from 1636 state that the Indians referred to Long Island as Sewanhaka . Sewanhacky and Sewanhacking were other spellings in the transliteration of the Lenape . Sewan was one of the terms for wampum , commemorative stringed shell beads, for a while also used as currency by colonists in trades with the Lenape, and

10200-684: The early 20th century. For many European immigrants, the Fire Island Light was their first sight of land upon arrival in America. The Fire Island Inlet span of the Robert Moses Causeway connects to Robert Moses State Park on the western tip of Fire Island. The Great South Bay Bridge , the first causeway bridge, had only one northbound and one southbound lane, was opened to traffic in April 1954. The span of 2 miles (3 km) across Great South Bay to Captree Island features

10320-689: The eastern region of Long Island was first settled by the English, the western portion of Long Island was settled by the Dutch; until 1664, the jurisdiction of Long Island was split between the Dutch and English, roughly at the present border between Nassau County and Suffolk County . The Dutch founded six towns in present-day Brooklyn beginning in 1645. These included: Brooklyn , Gravesend , Flatlands , Flatbush , New Utrecht , and Bushwick . The Dutch had granted an English settlement in Hempstead, New York (now in Nassau County) in 1644, but after

10440-470: The eastern two-thirds of Long Island . It is bordered to its west by Nassau County , to its east by Gardiners Bay and the open Atlantic Ocean, to its north by Long Island Sound , and to its south by the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2020 United States census , the county's population was 1,525,920, its highest decennial count ever, making Suffolk the fourth-most populous county in the State of New York, and

10560-664: The easternmost point of the South Fork (and all of Long Island) is Montauk Point . Long Island's East End remains semi-rural, as in Greenport on the North Fork and some of the periphery of the area prominently known as The Hamptons , although summer tourism swells the population in those areas. The North Fork has developed a burgeoning wine region . In addition, the South Fork is known for beach communities, including

10680-500: The enjoyment of residents and visitors from the city. Gradually, development also followed these parkways, with various communities springing up along the more traveled routes. After World War II , suburban development increased with incentives under the G.I. Bill , and Long Island's population skyrocketed, mostly in Nassau County and western Suffolk County. Second and third-generation children of immigrants moved out to eastern Long Island to settle in new housing developments built during

10800-457: The extreme east of the State of New York. The eastern end of the county splits into two peninsulas , known as the North Fork and the South Fork . The county is surrounded by water on three sides, including the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound , with 980 miles (1,580 km) of coastline. The eastern end contains large bays . The highest elevation in the county, and on Long Island as

10920-619: The family was established and wealthy. He was a member of the Suffolk County Militia in the beginning of the American Revolution , and rose to the rank of Major General. In 1774, he was chosen as a representative from New York to the First Continental Congress . After the battle of Long Island , his estate was confiscated by the British army and was used as a cavalry base. In 1789, Floyd was elected to

11040-535: The final stage in the thorough domination and displacement of Native American communities on Long Island. Charles Lindbergh lifted off from Roosevelt Field with his Spirit of Saint Louis for his historic 1927 solo flight to Europe, one of the events that helped to establish Long Island as an early center of aviation during the 20th century. Other famous aviators such as Wiley Post originated notable flights from Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, which became

11160-402: The first major airport serving New York City before it was superseded by the opening of La Guardia Airport in 1939. Long Island was also the site of Mitchel Air Force Base and was a major center of military aircraft production by companies such as Grumman and Fairchild Aircraft during World War II and for some decades afterward. Aircraft production on Long Island extended all the way into

11280-548: The geographic Long Island itself was on October 21, 1640, when Southold was established by the Rev. John Youngs and settlers from New Haven , Connecticut. Peter Hallock, one of the settlers, drew the long straw and was granted the honor to step ashore first. He is considered the first New World settler on Long Island. Southampton was settled in the same year. Hempstead followed in 1644, East Hampton in 1648, Huntington in 1653, Brookhaven in 1655, and Smithtown in 1665. While

11400-463: The infusion of the wealthiest Americans in the so-called Gold Coast of the North Shore , where wealthy Americans and Europeans in the Gilded Age built lavish country homes. East of Riverhead in Suffolk County, Long Island splits into two peninsulas (colloquially referred to as "Forks"), which are separated by the Peconic Bay . The easternmost point of the North Fork is Orient Point , and

11520-511: The island began to be developed as residential suburbs, first around the railroads that offered commuting into the city. On January 1, 1898, Kings County and portions of Queens County were consolidated into the City of Greater New York , abolishing all cities and towns within them. The easternmost 280 square miles (730 km ) of Queens County, which were not part of the consolidation plan, separated from Queens in 1899 to form Nassau County. At

11640-461: The island use the island's names, like Long Island University and Long Island Jewish Medical Center . In 1985, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Maine that Long Island is integrally related to the mainland enough that Long Island Sound and the western part of Block Island Sound constitute a "juridical bay" for the purpose of determining maritime state boundaries. In

11760-536: The islands of the Great South Bay . Marine units also respond to water and ice rescues on the inland lakes, ponds, and streams of the District. In February 2019, legislator Robert Trotta (R- Fort Salonga ) put forward a resolution to recover salary and benefits from James Burke, the county's former police chief. Burke had pled guilty to beating a man while in police custody and attempting to conceal it, and

11880-411: The most lighthouses of any United States county, with 15 of its original 26 lighthouses still standing. Of these 15, eight are in Southold township alone, giving it more lighthouses than any other township in the United States. At various times, there have been proposals for a division of Suffolk County into two counties. The western portion would be called Suffolk County, while the eastern portion of

12000-610: The most populous outside of the boroughs of New York City. Its county seat is Riverhead , though most county offices are in Hauppauge . The county was named after the county of Suffolk in England, the origin of its earliest European settlers. Suffolk County incorporates the easternmost extreme of both the New York City metropolitan area and New York State. The geographically largest of Long Island 's four counties and

12120-471: The nation to vote for Trump. As a whole, both Suffolk and Nassau counties are considered swing counties. However, until 2016, they tended not to receive significant attention from presidential candidates, as the state of New York has turned reliably Democratic at the national level. In 2008 and 2012, Hofstra University in Nassau County hosted a presidential debate. Hofstra hosted the first debate of

12240-693: The newly emerging landscapes, hunting large game and gathering from the abundant natural resources. Following the Paleo-Indian period, the Archaic Period marked a broadening of subsistence strategies. The inhabitants of Long Island diversified their diet, exploiting the rich marine and terrestrial environments. The main source of protein came from the sea, consisting of fish and shellfish, oysters being of particular importance. Deer and other wild game and various plant foods also became part of their regular diet. The archaeological record also reveals

12360-507: The next County Executive. Republicans also gained a 12-6 supermajority in the County Legislature, seeing a net gain of one seat. * Appointed to complete Cohalan's term. ** Levy was originally elected as a Democrat, but became a Republican in 2010. The county has 18 legislative districts, each represented by a legislator. As of 2024, there are 11 Republicans , 6 Democrats , and 1 Conservative . Republicans controlled

12480-554: The north represents Southold. The stars on the South Fork represent Southampton and East Hampton. Riverhead is at the fork mouth and Shelter Island is between the forks. The secessionist movement has not been active since 1998. The End of the Hamptons: Scenes from the Class Struggle in America's Paradise , by Corey Dolgon (New York University Press, 2005 ) examined the class roots of the secessionist movement in

12600-463: The popular media, this has been often misinterpreted as a ruling that Long Island is legally not an island. The United States Board on Geographic Names still considers Long Island an island, because it is surrounded by water. There are few tall buildings on Long Island . Nassau County is more densely developed than Suffolk County. While affluent overall, Nassau County has pockets of more pronounced wealth with estates covering greater acreage within

12720-420: The population. In 2006, the county's racial or ethnic makeup was 83.6% White (75.4% White Non-Hispanic). African Americans were 7.4% of the population. Asians stood at 3.4% of the population. 5.4% were of other or mixed race. Latinos were 13.0% of the population. In 2007, Suffolk County's most common ethnicities were Italian (29.5%), Irish (24.0%), and German (17.6%). In 2002, The New York Times cited

12840-474: The post-war boom. Levittown became noted as a suburb, where housing construction was simplified to be produced on a large scale. These provided opportunities for white World War II military veterans returning home to buy houses and start a family. In his 1966 book, My Private America ( Moja prywatna Ameryka ), Kazimierz Wierzyński , a Polish poet who could not go back to Poland after World War II, describes Polish farmers living there, as "walking novels". At

12960-767: The responsibility of Troop L of the New York State Police , headquartered at Republic Airport . State parks, such as Robert Moses State Park , are the responsibility of the New York State Park Police , based at Belmont Lake State Park . In 1996, the Long Island Rail Road Police Department was consolidated into the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police , which has jurisdiction over all rail lines in

13080-673: The second-largest of New York's 62 counties, Suffolk County is 86 miles (138 km) in length and 26 miles (42 km) in width at its widest (including water). Most of the island is near sea level, with over 1,000 miles of coastline. Like other parts of Long Island , the county's high population density and proximity to New York City has resulted in a diverse economy, including industry, science, agriculture, fishery, and tourism. Major scientific research facilities in Suffolk County include Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton and Plum Island Animal Disease Center on Plum Island . The county

13200-512: The top 25 richest counties in America. In 2016, according to Business Insider , the 11962 zip code encompassing Sagaponack , within Southampton , was listed as the most expensive in the U.S., with a median home sale price of $ 8.5 million. The median income for a household in the county was $ 84,767, and the median income for a family was $ 72,112. Males had a median income of $ 50,046 versus $ 33,281 for females. The per capita income for

13320-597: The two for Mrs. Lewis. Marinus Willett , of Jamaica, Queens enlisted in the colonial militia after the French and Indian War broke out in 1754. He participated in the Ticonderoga campaign and the capture of Fort Frontenac in 1758. Joining the revolutionary Sons of Liberty in the 1770s, Willett shortly thereafter enlisted in the Continental Army in 1775. Serving in the 1st New York , he took part in

13440-616: The value of New England's fur market, forged long-term alliances with the Algonquians in 1613, ushering in permanent settlements. By 1621, the Dutch West India Company established itself in the Northeast. The Dutch West India Company established a foothold in the Northeast, initiating a lucrative trade in wampum —beads of significant cultural and economic importance to Native tribes across the Northeast. The wampum

13560-445: The work of the dedicated farmers in this region." According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has an area of 2,373 square miles (6,150 km ), of which 912 square miles (2,360 km ) is land and 1,461 square miles (3,780 km ) (62%) is water. It is the second-largest county in New York by total area and occupies 66% of the land area of Long Island. Suffolk County occupies the central and eastern part of Long Island, in

13680-553: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.36. In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.10% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 31.20% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 11.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males. In 2008, Forbes magazine released its American Community Survey and named Suffolk County number 4 in its list of

13800-422: Was a British stronghold until the end of the war in 1783. General Washington based his intelligence activities on Long Island, due to the western part of the island's proximity to the British military headquarters in New York City. The Culper Ring included agents operating between Setauket and Manhattan. This ring alerted Washington to valuable British secrets, including the treason of Benedict Arnold and

13920-498: Was besieged with 30 inches of snow, making it the largest day of snowfall on record in Suffolk. Suffolk County has maritime boundaries with five other U.S. counties and is connected by land only to Nassau County. According to the 2010 U.S. census there were 1,493,350 people and 569,985 households residing in the county. The census estimated Suffolk County's population decreased slightly to 1,481,093 in 2018, representing 7.5% of

14040-779: Was designated as the East Riding (of Yorkshire), present-day Brooklyn was part of the West Riding , and present-day Queens and Nassau were part of the larger North Riding . In 1683, Yorkshire was dissolved and the three original counties on Long Island were established: Kings, Queens, and Suffolk. Following the European colonization of the Americas , including Long Island, the Algonquian peoples found themselves increasingly marginalized, their ancient hunting grounds cleared for agriculture, and their economic systems integrated into

14160-548: Was primarily made by Long Island Native Americans. The Dutch would thus engage in a triangular trade: purchasing large quantities of wampum from Long Island, exchanging wampum for fur with inland tribes, and shipping the fur back to Europe. This triangular trade created peace amongst the Europeans and the Native Americans for decades. In 1636, Charles I of England , a Stuart , rewarded Scottish courtier , diplomat, and colonial governor William Alexander 's service to

14280-439: Was the 21st-most populous county in the United States . By 2014, the county's racial makeup was estimated at 85.2% White , 8.3% African American , 0.6% Native American , 4.0% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , and 1.8% from two or more races . Those identifying as Hispanic or Latino , of any race, were 18.2% of the population. Those who identified as "white alone", not being of Hispanic or Latino origin, represented 69.3% of

14400-456: Was the closest county in the state, although Ontario County and Warren County had narrower raw vote margins of just 33 and 57 votes, respectively. Suffolk was one of five counties in the state that Trump won by less than 500 votes. With Tarrant County, Texas and Maricopa County, Arizona flipping Democratic in 2020, Suffolk, along with Collin County, Texas were the most populous counties in

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