Wantagh, New York
Encyclopedia
Wantagh is a hamlet and census-designated place (an unincorporated section of the Town of Hempstead) in Nassau County
, New York
, United States
. The population of Wantagh was 18,871 at the time of the 2010 census
.
Wantagh is known as "The Gateway to Jones Beach
" due to its location directly north of the famous Jones Beach State Park
-developed State Park.
and thus the Wantagh area. Long Island then was ceded to the Duke of York in 1663-64, but then fell back into Dutch hands after the Dutch regained New York in 1673. The Treaty of Westminster in 1674 settled the land claims once and for all, incorporating Long Island into the now-British colony of New York.
Wantagh was originally known as Jerusalem, although some early accounts do refer to the area as "Wantagh." The creek running north/south through Wantagh, and which has been covered up in many places but is still visible between Wantagh Parkway and the housing developments west of Wantagh Avenue, was originally the Jerusalem River. The original post office was built in 1837, for Jerusalem, but mail service from Brooklyn began around 1780. The town's first school was established in 1790. At some time around the 1880s, Jerusalem was renamed Ridgewood, and the town's original LIRR station was for "Ridgewood Station." Later, Ridgewood was renamed Wantagh to avoid confusion with another town in New York State with the same name.
George Washington
rode through Jerusalem on April 21, 1790, as part of his 5-day tour of Long Island. The Daughters of the American Revolution
have placed a plaque on Hempstead Turnpike to commemorate Washington's travels, which took him from Hempstead on Jerusalem Road (now North Jerusalem Road) to Jerusalem, on to Merrick Road. He then went on to head east, then circle back west on the north shore. During the Revolutionary War, British ships traveled up Jones inlet and came ashore to raid Jerusalem farms.
The oldest original settlers of the Wantagh/Jerusalem area were the Jackson and Seaman families, and their marks are still visible today. For example, the Cherrywood shopping center (at the corner of Jerusalem and Wantagh Avenues) was the site of prominent settler Capt. John Seaman's estate, which was named Cherrywood. Wantagh is home to a number of New York State Historical Markers (9 of Nassau County's 25), including:
The Samuel and Elbert Jackson House
was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2006.
The oldest cemetery in Wantagh is the Jackson Cemetery, located just north of the St. Frances de Chantal Roman Catholic Church on Wantagh Avenue. There are 63 confirmed graves that include descendants from the Seaman and Jackson families, with the most notable including Thomas Jackson, who served in the Revolutionary War in the Second New York Regiment and participated in the Battle of Long Island and the storming of Fort St. George under Major Talmadge in 1780, and who was the original landowner of the site of land around the Wantagh Public Library, and General Jacob Seaman Jackson, a Brigadier General in the War of 1812 and senior warden of Long Island's first chartered Masonic lodge in 1797.
The Rierson burial plot was located in what has been redeveloped into Bunker Road. This cemetery includes members of the Rierson family who served as loyalists during the Revolutionary War.
The Jerusalem Society of Friends Cemetery is located behind (east of) the current Christian Tabernacle Church. The Society of Friends were Quakers who maintained meeting houses in Jericho, Bethpage, and Hempstead, and met in then-Jerusalem as early as 1697. Capt. John Seaman allowed the Society to conduct meetings on his land in 1699, but the congregation later traveled to Bethpage to worship. The Jerusalem Society of Friends purchased land from another Seaman, Arden Seaman, and then constructed their own meeting house on the site of the current Christian Tabernacle Church in 1827, and added the cemetery in 1861. By the 1940s, the congregation had dwindled significantly, and the property was sold in 1952 to the newly-formed Wantagh Baptist Church and then recently sold to the newly-formed Christian Tabernacle Church in 2007. The cemetery contains the graves of three Civil War veterans: Lt. H.R. Jackson, Gilbert Seaman, of the 139th Regiment of NY Volunteers, and Charles Wilson, of the 119th Regiment of NY Volunteers and who was wounded in Gettysburg.
The St. John of Jerusalem Cemetery served the German Methodists, who moved to Jerusalem from New York City around 1850 to farm. The cemetery can be found west of Wantagh Avenue a few hundred yards north of North Jerusalem Road (now North Wantagh). The congregation began to meet in 1854 and held services entirely in German. The cemetery was constructed in 1862 and was intended only for use by congregation members and their families. Later generations of congregants grew weary of the services in German, and numbers dwindled until the last German service was held in 1911. From 1912 to 1926, the church remained unused. The church has since been used by a local Lutheran congregation from 1926 to 1940, and a United Christian congregation from 1949 to 1969. Since then, however, the church has remained unused, although the cemetery has been fenced in and maintained by a Board of Trustees. The cemetery contains graves of veterans from the Civil War, Spanish American War, World War I, World War II, and Vietnam.
The area that became today's Wantagh continued primarily as a farming area until the construction of Sunrise Highway and Jones Beach in the early 20th Century, when tourism and fishing took hold, centering around Jones Beach. The Long Island Rail Road
has served the town since 1885 (and possibly as early as 1867), but the town did not take on a suburban character until the housing development between the 1950s and 1970s. The LIRR tracks were completely elevated in 1968, along with neighboring Seaford
station. The Wantagh Railroad Complex
was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 4.1 square miles (10.6 km²), of which, 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (7.25%) is water.
Because of non-conforming postal codes, Wantagh has a different border than does the "Wantagh, NY 11793" postal zone. There are a small number of places in Wantagh that have a "Bellmore, NY 11710" mailing address; and, at the same time there are places in Levittown
, North Bellmore, North Wantagh, Seaford
and Jones Beach State Park that have a "Wantagh, NY 11793" mailing address.
of 2000, there were 18,971 people, 6,179 households, and 5,215 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 4,936.3 per square mile (1,907.5/km²). There were 6,250 housing units at an average density of 1,626.3/sq mi (628.4/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.75% White (U.S. Census), 0.20% Black or African American
, 0.04% Native American, 1.89% Asian, 0.34% from other races
, and 0.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.26% of the population.
There were 6,179 households out of which 41.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.8% were married couples
living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.6% were non-families. 13.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.06 and the average family size was 3.37.
These officers have completed a 24 week training course at the Nassau County Police Academy and are registered with New York State as Peace Officers. Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training is also made available.
that is responsible for one of the largest fire districts in Nassau County covering 12 square miles (31.1 km²). The Wantagh Fire Department
has approximately 225 members using 18 pieces of apparatus located throughout seven stations.
Jones Beach State Park is located within the departments jurisdiction, during large gatherings the WFD deploys various apparatus and its new mobile command center.
and EMT
unit is located at 3702 Hempstead Tpke, Levittown.
Station there are ten bars, pubs and clubs all within a quarter mile of the station. Last call
in New York State is 4 a.m. thus keeping the area very active into early morning hours. Bars in the area include Mulcahy's, Johnny Malone's (formerly Lily Flanagan's), Boss Croker's, R.P. McMurphy's, Guido's Irish Pub, Hemingway's Bar & Grill, the Wantagh Inn, Thom Thom Restaurant, The Nook Restaurant and Corry's Ale House.
Small areas in Wantagh's peripheral neighborhoods are also served by the Levittown School District, North Bellmore Union Free School District and Seaford Union Free School District.
Wantagh is also home to the Maplewood School, a private school that offers nursery, pre-school, kindergarten
, and summer camp programs.
on the Long Island Rail Road's
Babylon Branch
. Parking at the station is limited to Town of Hempstead residents and requires a permit. Express trains to Penn Station average roughly a 45 minute one way trip. Bus service in Wantagh is provided by the N19, N73/N74 and N87 lines of the MTA Long Island Bus
.
Merrick Road
, the Seaford – Oyster Bay Expressway, Sunrise Highway
and the Wantagh State Parkway all traverse and have major intersections or exits/entrances within Wantagh.
Nassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population of Wantagh was 18,871 at the time of the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
.
Wantagh is known as "The Gateway to Jones Beach
Jones Beach State Park
Jones Beach State Park is a state park of the U.S. state of New York. It is located in southern Nassau County, in the hamlet of Wantagh, on Jones Beach Island, a barrier island linked to Long Island by the Meadowbrook State Parkway, Wantagh State Parkway and Ocean Parkway .The park is renowned for...
" due to its location directly north of the famous Jones Beach State Park
Jones Beach State Park
Jones Beach State Park is a state park of the U.S. state of New York. It is located in southern Nassau County, in the hamlet of Wantagh, on Jones Beach Island, a barrier island linked to Long Island by the Meadowbrook State Parkway, Wantagh State Parkway and Ocean Parkway .The park is renowned for...
-developed State Park.
History
The Wantagh area was inhabited by the Merokee (or Merikoke) tribe of the Metoac indians prior to the first wave of European settlement in the mid-17th century. The Merokee were part of the greater Montauk tribe that loosely ruled Long Island's Native Americans. Wantagh was the sachem (chief) of the Merokee tribe in 1647, and was later the grand sachem of the Montauk tribe from 1651-1658. The Dutch settlers came east from their New Amsterdam colony, and English settlers came south from Connecticut and Massachusetts settlements. When the English and Dutch settled their competing claims to Long Island in the 1650 treaty conducted in Hartford, the Dutch partition included all lands west of Oyster BayOyster Bay (inlet), New York
Oyster Bay, also known as Oyster Bay Harbor, is an inlet of Long Island Sound on the north shore of Long Island in New York in the United States.The bay lies in Nassau County...
and thus the Wantagh area. Long Island then was ceded to the Duke of York in 1663-64, but then fell back into Dutch hands after the Dutch regained New York in 1673. The Treaty of Westminster in 1674 settled the land claims once and for all, incorporating Long Island into the now-British colony of New York.
Wantagh was originally known as Jerusalem, although some early accounts do refer to the area as "Wantagh." The creek running north/south through Wantagh, and which has been covered up in many places but is still visible between Wantagh Parkway and the housing developments west of Wantagh Avenue, was originally the Jerusalem River. The original post office was built in 1837, for Jerusalem, but mail service from Brooklyn began around 1780. The town's first school was established in 1790. At some time around the 1880s, Jerusalem was renamed Ridgewood, and the town's original LIRR station was for "Ridgewood Station." Later, Ridgewood was renamed Wantagh to avoid confusion with another town in New York State with the same name.
George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
rode through Jerusalem on April 21, 1790, as part of his 5-day tour of Long Island. The Daughters of the American Revolution
Daughters of the American Revolution
The Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are descended from a person involved in United States' independence....
have placed a plaque on Hempstead Turnpike to commemorate Washington's travels, which took him from Hempstead on Jerusalem Road (now North Jerusalem Road) to Jerusalem, on to Merrick Road. He then went on to head east, then circle back west on the north shore. During the Revolutionary War, British ships traveled up Jones inlet and came ashore to raid Jerusalem farms.
The oldest original settlers of the Wantagh/Jerusalem area were the Jackson and Seaman families, and their marks are still visible today. For example, the Cherrywood shopping center (at the corner of Jerusalem and Wantagh Avenues) was the site of prominent settler Capt. John Seaman's estate, which was named Cherrywood. Wantagh is home to a number of New York State Historical Markers (9 of Nassau County's 25), including:
- Cherrywood, Capt. John Seaman's 300 acres (1.2 km²) estate and home, from 1644, on the corner of Wantagh and Jerusalem Avenues
- 1666 Jackson House, the home of Col. John Jackson, Brig. Gen. Jacob Shearman Jackson, and Samuel Jackson Jones (in 1923), on Merrick Road east of Riverside Drive
- The Grist Mill Site, granted to Col. John Jackson on the Jerusalem River in 1704, on Merrick Road east of Riverside Drive
- The Cornbury Patent, given by Queen Anne conferring the present-day site of Jones Beach to Major Thomas Jones, whose family would later provide the land that would become Jones Beach State Park in 1929
- The 1644 home of Robert Jackson, Jerusalem's pioneer settler, on Wantagh Avenue south of Hempstead Avenue
- North Jerusalem Road, originally constructed in 1644 between Hempstead and Jerusalem
- The 1777 home of Richard Jackson, Capt. in the Queens County Militia in the Revolutionary War, and where his daughter, Jane, lived with her husband, ex-Hessian soldier Lt. John Althause, on Wantagh Avenue and Island Road
The Samuel and Elbert Jackson House
Samuel and Elbert Jackson House
Samuel and Elbert Jackson House is a historic home located at Wantagh in Nassau County, New York. It is an essentially L-shaped dwelling. It is a -story wood frame structure with rear and side wings, one of which dates to the 18th century. The large main, square central block dates from the...
was 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 2006.
The oldest cemetery in Wantagh is the Jackson Cemetery, located just north of the St. Frances de Chantal Roman Catholic Church on Wantagh Avenue. There are 63 confirmed graves that include descendants from the Seaman and Jackson families, with the most notable including Thomas Jackson, who served in the Revolutionary War in the Second New York Regiment and participated in the Battle of Long Island and the storming of Fort St. George under Major Talmadge in 1780, and who was the original landowner of the site of land around the Wantagh Public Library, and General Jacob Seaman Jackson, a Brigadier General in the War of 1812 and senior warden of Long Island's first chartered Masonic lodge in 1797.
The Rierson burial plot was located in what has been redeveloped into Bunker Road. This cemetery includes members of the Rierson family who served as loyalists during the Revolutionary War.
The Jerusalem Society of Friends Cemetery is located behind (east of) the current Christian Tabernacle Church. The Society of Friends were Quakers who maintained meeting houses in Jericho, Bethpage, and Hempstead, and met in then-Jerusalem as early as 1697. Capt. John Seaman allowed the Society to conduct meetings on his land in 1699, but the congregation later traveled to Bethpage to worship. The Jerusalem Society of Friends purchased land from another Seaman, Arden Seaman, and then constructed their own meeting house on the site of the current Christian Tabernacle Church in 1827, and added the cemetery in 1861. By the 1940s, the congregation had dwindled significantly, and the property was sold in 1952 to the newly-formed Wantagh Baptist Church and then recently sold to the newly-formed Christian Tabernacle Church in 2007. The cemetery contains the graves of three Civil War veterans: Lt. H.R. Jackson, Gilbert Seaman, of the 139th Regiment of NY Volunteers, and Charles Wilson, of the 119th Regiment of NY Volunteers and who was wounded in Gettysburg.
The St. John of Jerusalem Cemetery served the German Methodists, who moved to Jerusalem from New York City around 1850 to farm. The cemetery can be found west of Wantagh Avenue a few hundred yards north of North Jerusalem Road (now North Wantagh). The congregation began to meet in 1854 and held services entirely in German. The cemetery was constructed in 1862 and was intended only for use by congregation members and their families. Later generations of congregants grew weary of the services in German, and numbers dwindled until the last German service was held in 1911. From 1912 to 1926, the church remained unused. The church has since been used by a local Lutheran congregation from 1926 to 1940, and a United Christian congregation from 1949 to 1969. Since then, however, the church has remained unused, although the cemetery has been fenced in and maintained by a Board of Trustees. The cemetery contains graves of veterans from the Civil War, Spanish American War, World War I, World War II, and Vietnam.
The area that became today's Wantagh continued primarily as a farming area until the construction of Sunrise Highway and Jones Beach in the early 20th Century, when tourism and fishing took hold, centering around Jones Beach. The Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
has served the town since 1885 (and possibly as early as 1867), but the town did not take on a suburban character until the housing development between the 1950s and 1970s. The LIRR tracks were completely elevated in 1968, along with neighboring Seaford
Seaford (LIRR station)
Seaford is a station on the Babylon Branch of the Long Island Rail Road. It is officially located at New York State Route 27 and Jackson Avenue in Seaford, New York, however parking areas stretch as beyond Washington Avenue east of this corner, and west towards the interchange with New York State...
station. The Wantagh Railroad Complex
Wantagh Railroad Complex
Wantagh Railroad Complex, is a collection of old buildings in Wantagh, New York. It consists of the 1885-built Wantagh Railroad Station before it was moved from its original location in 1966, when the Babylon Branch was being elevated throughout the mid-20th Century...
was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
Geography
Wantagh is located at 40°40′29"N 73°30′38"W (40.674697, -73.510548).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 CDP has a total area of 4.1 square miles (10.6 km²), of which, 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (7.25%) is water.
Because of non-conforming postal codes, Wantagh has a different border than does the "Wantagh, NY 11793" postal zone. There are a small number of places in Wantagh that have a "Bellmore, NY 11710" mailing address; and, at the same time there are places in Levittown
Levittown, New York
Levittown is a hamlet in the Town of Hempstead located on Long Island in Nassau County, New York. Levittown is midway between the villages of Hempstead and Farmingdale. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 51,881....
, North Bellmore, North Wantagh, Seaford
Seaford, New York
Seaford is a census-designated place in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 15,294 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Seaford is located at ....
and Jones Beach State Park that have a "Wantagh, NY 11793" mailing address.
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 18,971 people, 6,179 households, and 5,215 families residing in the CDP. 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 4,936.3 per square mile (1,907.5/km²). There were 6,250 housing units at an average density of 1,626.3/sq mi (628.4/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.75% White (U.S. Census), 0.20% 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...
, 0.04% Native American, 1.89% Asian, 0.34% 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 0.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.26% of the population.
There were 6,179 households out of which 41.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.8% 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, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.6% were non-families. 13.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.06 and the average family size was 3.37.
Public services
- Main Wantagh United States Postal ServiceUnited States Postal ServiceThe United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
Office is located at 3300 Park Avenue Wantagh NY 11793-1217 - (North) Wantagh Branch USPS Office is located at 1250 Wantagh Avenue Wantagh, NY 11793-1217
Nassau County Auxiliary Police
Wantagh has been served by Unit 132 of the Nassau County Auxiliary Police, since 1952. These volunteer police officers perform routine patrols of the neighborhood and provide traffic control for local parades, races and other community events.These officers have completed a 24 week training course at the Nassau County Police Academy and are registered with New York State as Peace Officers. Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training is also made available.
WFD
Wantagh is protected by a volunteer fire departmentVolunteer fire department
See also the Firefighter article and its respective sections regarding VFDs in other countries.A volunteer fire department is a fire department composed of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction.The first organized force of...
that is responsible for one of the largest fire districts in Nassau County covering 12 square miles (31.1 km²). The Wantagh Fire Department
Wantagh Fire Department
The Wantagh Fire Department is a volunteer fire department headquartered in Wantagh, New York. As one of the largest fire districts in Nassau County , it is responsible for parts of neighboring Bellmore, Levittown and Seaford hamlets as well as Jones Beach Island...
has approximately 225 members using 18 pieces of apparatus located throughout seven stations.
Jones Beach State Park is located within the departments jurisdiction, during large gatherings the WFD deploys various apparatus and its new mobile command center.
WLVAC
The Wantagh-Levittown Volunteer Ambulance Corps has been serving the community since 1956, and the all volunteer paramedicParamedic
A paramedic is a healthcare professional that works in emergency medical situations. Paramedics provide advanced levels of care for medical emergencies and trauma. The majority of paramedics are based in the field in ambulances, emergency response vehicles, or in specialist mobile units such as...
and EMT
Emergency medical technician
Emergency Medical Technician or Ambulance Technician are terms used in some countries to denote a healthcare provider of emergency medical services...
unit is located at 3702 Hempstead Tpke, Levittown.
Wantagh's Parks
| Park | Location | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Jones Beach State Park Jones Beach State Park Jones Beach State Park is a state park of the U.S. state of New York. It is located in southern Nassau County, in the hamlet of Wantagh, on Jones Beach Island, a barrier island linked to Long Island by the Meadowbrook State Parkway, Wantagh State Parkway and Ocean Parkway .The park is renowned for... |
accessible by Wantagh Parkway, Meadowbrook Parkway, or Ocean Parkway | 6 miles (9.7 km) of white sandy Atlantic beachfront, 2 miles (3.2 km) of boardwalk, concession facilities, picnic areas, surfing, bandshell, pitch & putt golf, swimming pools, restaurant and catering area, miniature golf, softball field, roller skating rink, playground, beach volleyball, 15 paddle tennis courts, 22 shuffleboard courts, 4 basketball courts, historical art deco buildings, and site of the Jones Beach Theater |
| Theodore Roosevelt Nature Center | West end of Jones Beach State Park Jones Beach State Park Jones Beach State Park is a state park of the U.S. state of New York. It is located in southern Nassau County, in the hamlet of Wantagh, on Jones Beach Island, a barrier island linked to Long Island by the Meadowbrook State Parkway, Wantagh State Parkway and Ocean Parkway .The park is renowned for... |
South Shore Estuary Reserve, educational environmental boardwalk, child-friendly museum and visitor's center, Discovery Bone Cove, gift shop, butterfly garden |
| Mill Pond Park | North of Merrick Road, West of Wantagh Parkway, East of Bellmore Avenue | 15 acres (60,702.9 m²) pond for fishing a wide variety of fish: largemouth bass Largemouth bass The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth... , chain pickerel Chain pickerel The chain pickerel, Esox niger , is a species of freshwater fish in the pike family of order Esociformes. The chain pickerel and the american pickerel belong to the Esox genus of pikes.-Range:... , bluegill Bluegill The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:... , pumpkinseed Pumpkinseed The pumpkinseed sunfish is a freshwater fish of the sunfish family of order Perciformes. It is also referred to as "pond perch", "common sunfish", "punkys", and "sunny".-Range and distribution:... , black crappie, yellow perch Yellow perch The yellow perch is a species of perch found in the United States and Canada, where it is often referred to by the shortform perch. Yellow perch look similar to the European perch, but are paler and more yellowish, with less red in the fins. They have six to eight dark, vertical bars on their sides... , white perch White perch The white perch, Morone americana, is not a true perch but is, rather, a fish of the temperate bass family, Moronidae, notable as a food and game fish in eastern North America.The name "white perch" is sometimes erroneously applied to the white crappie.... , carp Carp Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain... , American eel American eel The American eel, Anguilla rostrata, is a catadromous fish found on the eastern coast of North America. It has a snake-like body with a small sharp pointed head. It is brown on top and a tan-yellow color on the bottom. It has sharp pointed teeth but no pelvic fins... , brown bullhead Brown bullhead The brown bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus, is a fish of the Ictaluridae family that is widely distributed in North America. It is a species of bullhead catfish and is similar to the black bullhead and yellow bullhead... , black bullhead Black bullhead The black bullhead, Ameiurus melas, is a species of bullhead catfish. Like other bullhead catfish, it has the ability to thrive in waters that are low in oxygen, brackish, turbid and/or very warm. It also has barbels located near its mouth, a broad head, spiny fins and no scales... . The park has a paved trail with benches for jogging, relaxation, and birdwatching. |
| Wantagh Park Wantagh Park Wantagh Park is a county park located in southeastern Nassau County, NY within the hamlet of Wantagh. At the park provides various recreational activities along a picturesque waterfront location.-Athletics:... |
South of Merrick Road, off of Woodland Avenue | Swimming complex (six pools), open and sheltered picnic tables and grills, concession facilities, tennis courts, bocci, horseshoes, large playgrounds, illuminated baseball and softball fields, year-round fishing pier, boating marina and launch ramp, fenced-in dog run area, jogging trails. |
| Twin Lakes Preserve | Corner of Park Avenue and Old Mill Road | 58 acres (234,717.9 m²) woodland preserve with unpaved trails, nature tours available, the two lakes provide 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) of water for shoreline fishing for largemouth bass, crappies, perch, carp, bullhead, and stocked with rainbow and brown trout in the spring and fall |
| Forest City Community Park | 3099 Morgan Drive | Two swimming pools and changing areas, nature trails, paddle tennis courts, baseball diamond, picnic areas, playground, 6 acres (24,281.2 m²) fishing pond, concession facilities |
Library
- The Wantagh Public Library, at 3285 Park Avenue, Wantagh, NY 11793, holds events throughout the year for community members, children, teens, and seniors, and displays local artwork and collections.
Museums
- The Wantagh Museum of the Wantagh Preservation SocietyWantagh Railroad ComplexWantagh Railroad Complex, is a collection of old buildings in Wantagh, New York. It consists of the 1885-built Wantagh Railroad Station before it was moved from its original location in 1966, when the Babylon Branch was being elevated throughout the mid-20th Century...
displays Wantagh's original Long Island Rail RoadLong Island Rail RoadThe Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
Stationhouse, the "Jamaica" (an original 1912 LIRR car), and the original Wantagh Post Office building.
Wantagh nightlife
Wantagh is known throughout Long Island to have a very energetic and vibrant nightlife. Centered around the Wantagh Long Island Rail RoadLong Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
Station there are ten bars, pubs and clubs all within a quarter mile of the station. Last call
Last call (bar term)
In a bar, a last call is an announcement made shortly before the bar closes for the night, informing patrons of their last chance to buy alcoholic beverages. There are various means to make this signal, like ringing a bell, flashing the lights, or announcing orally.Last call times are often...
in New York State is 4 a.m. thus keeping the area very active into early morning hours. Bars in the area include Mulcahy's, Johnny Malone's (formerly Lily Flanagan's), Boss Croker's, R.P. McMurphy's, Guido's Irish Pub, Hemingway's Bar & Grill, the Wantagh Inn, Thom Thom Restaurant, The Nook Restaurant and Corry's Ale House.
Education
Wantagh is primarily served by the Wantagh Union Free School District, which is composed of three elementary schools (Wantagh Elementary School, Mandalay School, and Forest Lake School), Wantagh Middle School, and Wantagh High School. All of these schools have been recognized as New York State Schools of Excellence. In addition, Wantagh is the only school district in New York State in which every school has been recognized as National Schools of Excellence.Small areas in Wantagh's peripheral neighborhoods are also served by the Levittown School District, North Bellmore Union Free School District and Seaford Union Free School District.
Wantagh is also home to the Maplewood School, a private school that offers nursery, pre-school, kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
, and summer camp programs.
Transportation
Commuter rail service in Wantagh is provided by the Wantagh stationWantagh (LIRR station)
Wantagh is a station on the Babylon Branch of the Long Island Rail Road. It is located on Wantagh Avenue and Railroad Avenue near NY 27 in Wantagh, New York...
on the Long Island Rail Road's
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
Babylon Branch
Babylon Branch
The Babylon Branch is a rail service operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The term refers to the trains serving Montauk Branch stations from Valley Stream east to Babylon. The Babylon Branch is a rail service operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of...
. Parking at the station is limited to Town of Hempstead residents and requires a permit. Express trains to Penn Station average roughly a 45 minute one way trip. Bus service in Wantagh is provided by the N19, N73/N74 and N87 lines of the MTA Long Island Bus
MTA Long Island Bus
MTA Long Island Bus is the name used by MTA Regional Bus for its bus network serving primarily Nassau County. It also serves parts of western Suffolk County as well as parts of Queens. Long Island Bus is the trading name of Metropolitan Suburban Bus Authority, a name which has not been used...
.
Merrick Road
New York State Route 27A
New York State Route 27A is a state highway extending from Massapequa in Nassau County to Oakdale in Suffolk County on Long Island, New York in the United States...
, the Seaford – Oyster Bay Expressway, Sunrise Highway
New York State Route 27
New York State Route 27 is an east–west long state highway extending from Interstate 278 in the New York City borough of Brooklyn to Montauk Point State Park on Long Island, New York, United States...
and the Wantagh State Parkway all traverse and have major intersections or exits/entrances within Wantagh.
Notable residents
- Vincent Accardi, the guitarist from the band Brand NewBrand NewBrand New is an American rock band from Long Island, New York. Formed in 2000, the band currently consists of vocalist/guitarist/lyricist Jesse Lacey, guitarist/vocalist/lyricist Vincent Accardi, bassist Garrett Tierney, drummer Brian Lane, and guitarist/keyboardist Derrick Sherman.In the late...
, is from Wantagh. - Craig D. ButtonCraig D. ButtonCraig David Button was a United States Air Force pilot who died when he crashed an A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft in mysterious circumstances on April 2, 1997. During the incident, Captain Button inexplicably flew hundreds of miles off-course without radio contact, appeared to maneuver purposefully...
, WHS graduate, US Air Force pilot noted for his mysterious flight and crash. - Rob CesterninoRob CesterninoRob Cesternino is best known for his appearances in both Survivor: Amazon in 2003 and Survivor: All Stars. Originally from Wantagh, New York, Cesternino worked as a computer projects coordinator for an insurance general agency before Survivor.Petrozzello, Donna . , Daily News Petrozzello, Donna...
, originally from Wantagh, was the third place finisher in Survivor: The AmazonSurvivor: The AmazonSurvivor: The Amazon is the sixth season of the United States reality show Survivor. It was filmed in 2002 and 13 episodes aired weekly in the United States on CBS from February 13 - May 11, 2003....
and also appeared on Survivor: All-StarsSurvivor: All-StarsSurvivor: All-Stars is the eighth season of the United States reality show Survivor. It was filmed in 2003 and debuted in the United States on CBS on February 1, 2004 after Super Bowl XXXVIII. It was set on the Pearl Islands of Panama, where the previous Survivor: Pearl Islands had just finished...
. - Checkers, former U.S. PresidentPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Richard NixonRichard NixonRichard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
's dog was buried along with 50,000 other dogs, cats, chimpanzees, etc., in Long Island's Bide-a-Wee Pet Cemetery on Beltagh Ave. - Ed EmshwillerEd EmshwillerEd Emshwiller was a visual artist notable for illustrations of many science fiction magazine covers and for his pioneering experimental films...
, filmmaker, science fiction illustrator, and video artist, lived in Wantagh for many years before his relocation to California in 1979. - Amy FisherAmy FisherAmy Elizabeth Fisher is an American woman who became known as "the Long Island Lolita" by the media in 1992, when, at the age of 17, she shot and severely wounded Mary Jo Buttafuoco, the wife of her lover Joey Buttafuoco...
went to Mandalay Elementary School and Wantagh Junior High before she moved to Merrick. - John Hampson of the 1990s-2000s band Nine DaysNine DaysNine Days is an American rock band who were popular in the early 2000s. Formed in Oyster Bay by frontman John Hampson and Brian Desveaux, they released three independent albums in the 1990s before their mainstream debut album, The Madding Crowd, released in 2000...
wrote their hit song Absolutely (Story of a Girl) about Wantagh High School teacher and then-girlfriend (and now wife) Teresa Savino. Both now teach at Wantagh High School. - Trent KowalikTrent KowalikTrent Kowalik is an American actor, dancer, and singer. Kowalik made his theatrical debut as "Billy" in the West End production of Billy Elliot the Musical on December 17, 2007...
, Tony Award winning star of Billy Elliot the MusicalBilly Elliot the MusicalBilly Elliot the Musical is a musical based on the 2000 film Billy Elliot. The music is by Sir Elton John, and book and lyrics are by Lee Hall, who wrote the film's screenplay. The plot revolves around motherless Billy, who trades boxing gloves for ballet shoes... - Ed Batko, Head Custodian of Harold D. Fayette Elementary School in the North Merrick School District
- James PrellerJames PrellerJames Preller is the children's book author of the Jigsaw Jones Mysteries, which are published by Scholastic Corporation.James Preller is the youngest of seven children, and has two older brothers and four older sisters. He grew up in Wantagh, New York and went to college in Oneonta, New York...
, WHS graduate, (born 1961) is the children's book author of the Jigsaw Jones Mysteries, which are published by Scholastic Corporation. - Jason ReichJason ReichJason Reich is an American television writer who has won four Emmy Awards for his work on The Daily Show, for which he wrote from 2002 to 2007. He was also one of the writers of America . An established sketch comedy actor, he is occasionally seen in the background of skits on the show...
- Emmy Award winning television writer (The Daily ShowThe Daily ShowThe Daily Show , is an American late night satirical television program airing each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. The half-hour long show premiered on July 21, 1996, and was hosted by Craig Kilborn until December 1998...
) graduated from Wantagh High School in 1994. - Lonny RossLonny RossLonny Ross is a comedy actor and writer. He was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for his work as Josh Girard on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock...
- Actor/Comedian (30 Rock30 Rock30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
) graduated from Wantagh High School in 1995. - Frances Fragos Townsend, Homeland SecurityHomeland Security CouncilThe Homeland Security Council is an entity within the White House Office tasked with advising the President on matters relating to Homeland Security...
Adviser to former U.S. PresidentPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. - Alan ZweibelAlan ZweibelAlan Zweibel is an American producer and writer who has worked on such productions as Saturday Night Live, PBS' Great Performances, and It's Garry Shandling's Show.-Early life:...
author and comedy writer went to Forest Lake Elementary School in the late 1950s.