Farmingdale is an incorporated

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...

within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

. The population was 8,189 as of the 2010 Census. The Lenox Hills neighborhood is adjacent to

Bethpage State Park Bethpage State Park is a New York state park on the border of Nassau County and Suffolk County on Long Island. The park contains tennis courts, picnic and recreational areas and a polo field, but is best known for its five golf courses, inclu ...

and the rest of the town is within a fifteen-minute drive of the park. It is also approximately 37 mi (59 km) southeast of

Midtown Manhattan Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan and serves as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Buildin ...

and can be reached via the Ronkonkoma Branch of the LIRR. The

Long Island Expressway Long may refer to: Measurement * Long, characteristic of something of great duration * Long, characteristic of something of great length * Longitude (abbreviation: long.), a geographic coordinate * Longa (music), note value in early music mensur ...

and Seaford Oyster Bay Expressway are the best way to reach Farmingdale from the city and the mainland.

History

The first European settler in the area was Thomas Powell, who arrived in 1687. On October 18, 1695, he purchased a tract of land from three Native American tribes. This is known as the

Bethpage Purchase The Bethpage Purchase was a 1687 land transaction in which Thomas Powell, Sr, bought more than in central Long Island, New York, for £140 (English pounds sterling) from local Indian tribes, including the Marsapeque, Matinecoc, and Sacatogue. ...

and includes what is now Farmingdale, as well as Bethpage, Melville,

North Massapequa North Massapequa is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) located on Long Island within the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. It is considered part of the Greater Massapequa area, which is an ...

Old Bethpage Old Bethpage is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) located on Long Island in the Town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County, New York, United States. The population of the CDP was 5,283 at the 2020 United States Census. It is served by the Old ...

Plainedge Plainedge is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 8,817 at the 2010 census. The area was once known as Turkeyville. Geography Ac ...

, and Plainview. One of two houses he built in the area (circa 1738) still stands on Merritts Road in Farmingdale. In the 1830s, anticipating construction of the

Long Island Rail Road The Long Island Rail Road , often abbreviated as the LIRR, is a commuter rail system in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, stretching from Manhattan to the eastern tip of Suffolk County, New York, Suffolk Co ...

(LIRR), land developer Ambrose George purchased a large tract of land between a community then known as ''Bethpage'' and an area in Suffolk County known as ''Hardscrabble''. He built a general store in the western part of this property which he named ''Farmingdale''. When the LIRR started service to the area in October 1841, it used the name ''Farmingdale'' for its latest stop, here, on the line it was building to Greenport. Stagecoaches took people from the Farmingdale station to Islip, Babylon, Patchogue, Oyster Bay South, and West Neck (Huntington area). In 1886 a fire department was organized. The ''

Village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...

of Farmingdale'' was incorporated in 1904. In 1912, the State Agricultural and Technical school was established. The Lenox Hills Country Club, an 18-hole private golf course designed by Devereux Emmet, was developed north of the community in 1923 and was owned and operated by

Benjamin F. Yoakum Benjamin Franklin Yoakum (August 20, 1859 – November 28, 1929) was an American railroad executive of the late 19th and early 20th centuries who attempted to join the Frisco and Rock Island Railroads into a great system stretching from Chi ...

. This golf course was purchased by the State of New York, was greatly expanded, and then re-opened as

in 1932, with much of the golf design work carried out by golf architect

A.W. Tillinghast Albert Warren "Tilly" Tillinghast (May 7, 1876 – May 19, 1942) was an American golf course architect. Tillinghast was one of the most prolific architects in the history of golf; he worked on more than 265 different courses. He was inducted into ...

, later inducted into the

World Golf Hall of Fame The World Golf Hall of Fame is located at World Golf Village near St. Augustine, Florida, in the United States, and it is unusual among sports halls of fame in that a single site honors both men and women. It is supported by a consortium of 26 go ...

. The original 1920s era Lenox Hills subdivision and later adjacent subdivisions, located between the Bethpage State Park golf courses and the Long Island Railroad trackage, encompassing rolling hills and a wide boulevard, are known as the more upscale part of Farmingdale Village. Later, Farmingdale became a locus for the aircraft industry, notably

Republic Aviation Company The Republic Aviation Corporation was an American aircraft manufacturer based in Farmingdale, New York, on Long Island. Originally known as the Seversky Aircraft Company, the company was responsible for the design and production of many important ...

. In 1899,

Mile-a-Minute Murphy Charles Minthorn Murphy (October 1870 – February 16, 1950), also known as Mile-a-Minute Murphy, was an American cycling athlete. He was the first man ever to ride a bicycle for one mile in less than a minute. He performed this feat in 1899 ...

rode a bicycle along the

's Central Branch through the Farmingdale area at a mile a minute. For many years, the town celebrated its birth with the annual Hardscrabble Fair, with music, food and games. It was normally held in May. , the mayor was Ralph Ekstrand.

Usage of name

Farmingdale is also associated with several unincorporated areas outside the village limits, including South Farmingdale (also in the Town of Oyster Bay within Nassau County), and

East Farmingdale East Farmingdale is a hamlet and a census-designated place (CDP) in Suffolk County, on Long Island, in New York. The population of the CDP was 6,484 at the 2010 census. Located in the Town of Babylon, the residents are served by the Farmingda ...

(in the Town of Babylon within Suffolk County). Many nearby places not within the village limits have ''Farmingdale'' as their postal address and the same 11735 ZIP code. Residents of East Farmingdale must use ''Farmingdale'' as their mailing address, and residents of South Farmingdale can use either ''Farmingdale'' or ''South Farmingdale''.

, which is mostly in Old Bethpage, also has a ''Farmingdale'' mailing address. Farmingdale Union Free School District (UFSD 22) includes parts of both Nassau County and Suffolk County and the southernmost part of Bethpage State Park, where the clubhouse is located. A road sign on Main Street in the south-east section of South Farmingdale (and over a mile from the Village of Farmingdale) welcomes travelers to Farmingdale. Farmingdale is also the name of the local Farmingdale Water District and Farmingdale Fire District, both of which also include areas outside the boundaries of the Village of Farmingdale.

Farmingdale State College The State University of New York at Farmingdale (Farmingdale State College or SUNY Farmingdale) is a public college in East Farmingdale, New York. It is part of the State University of New York. The college was chartered in 1912 as a school of a ...

and

Republic Airport Republic Airport is a regional airport in East Farmingdale, New York, located one mile east of Farmingdale village limits. The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as a general aviation ''reliever airpo ...

are in East Farmingdale, both with Farmingdale mailing addresses.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the village has a total area of , all land. Between the 1990 Census and the 2000 census, the village gained territory.

Demographics

2010 Census

As of the 2010 census The population of the village was 88.2% White, 71.1%

Non-Hispanic White Non-Hispanic whites or Non-Latino whites are Americans who are classified as "white", and are not of Hispanic (also known as "Latino") heritage. The United States Census Bureau defines ''white'' to include European Americans, Middle Eastern Amer ...

, 2.6% African American, 0.4% Native American, 2.5% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 4.7% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.7% of the population.

2000 Census

At the 2000 census there were 8,399 people, 3,216 households, and 2,051 families in the village. The population density was 7,432.2 people per square mile (2,869.8/km). There were 3,289 housing units at an average density of 2,910.4 per square mile (1,123.8/km). The racial makup of the village was 87.03% White, 1.61% African American, 0.12% Native American, 3.70% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 5.06% from other races, and 2.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.57%. Of the 3,216 households 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.2% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 29.8% of households were one person and 11.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.19. The age distribution was 21.2% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 35.2% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males. The median household income was $58,411 and the median family income was $68,235. Males had a median income of $46,104 versus $36,021 for females. The per capita income for the village was $27,492. About 3.0% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 3.5% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Farmingdale is served by

, a major

general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...

reliever to the east of

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

;

NICE Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative c ...

routes n70, n71 and n72; and the

's Farmingdale station. Major roads are New York State routes 24 (Conklin Street), 109 (Fulton Street),

110 110 may refer to: *110 (number), natural number *AD 110, a year *110 BC, a year *110 film, a cartridge-based film format used in still photography *110 (MBTA bus), Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority bus route *110 (song), 2019 song by Capi ...

(Broad Hollow Road),

Southern State Parkway The Southern State Parkway (also known as the Southern State or Southern Parkway; abbreviated as SO on Road signs in the United States, signage) is a limited-access highway on Long Island, New York (state), New York, in the United States. The pa ...

Bethpage State Parkway The Bethpage State Parkway (or simply the Bethpage Parkway) is a parkway in Nassau County on Long Island, New York, in the United States. It begins at a trumpet interchange with the Southern State Parkway in the village of North Massapequa and s ...

, and 27 (NY 27). The village is the site of a

transit-oriented development In urban planning, transit-oriented development (TOD) is a type of urban development that maximizes the amount of residential, business and leisure space within walking distance of public transport. It promotes a symbiotic relationship between ...

centered around the LIRR station.

Notable people

* Barbara Stern Burstin, Holocaust scholar * Gregory W. Carman,

US Congressman The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

Ryan Cruthers Ryan Cruthers (born July 4, 1984, in Farmingdale, New York) is a former professional ice hockey player. In 2019, he became the assistant coach of the NCAA Robert Morris of Atlantic Hockey. During Cruthers' pre-collegiate career he won an East ...

, professional hockey player *

Matt Danowski Matt Danowski (born August 12, 1985) is a former professional lacrosse Attackman who played in Major League Lacrosse (MLL) and the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) for 12 seasons. He finished his career with the Chrome Lacrosse Club, announcing his re ...

, professional lacrosse player * Dan Domenech, theater actor *

William Gaddis William Thomas Gaddis, Jr. (December 29, 1922 – December 16, 1998) was an American novelist. The first and longest of his five novels, ''The Recognitions'', was named one of TIME magazine's 100 best novels from 1923 to 2005 and two othe ...

, U.S. novelist * Peter J. Ganci Jr. (1946–2001), Chief of Department of the

FDNY The New York City Fire Department, officially the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), is an American department of the government of New York City that provides fire protection services, technical rescue/special operations services, ...

who died during the

September 11 terrorist attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial ...

. *

George Hincapie George Anthony Hincapie (born June 29, 1973) is an American former racing cyclist, who competed professionally between 1994 and 2012. Hincapie was a key domestique of Lance Armstrong. Hincapie was also a domestique for Alberto Contador in 2007 an ...

, professional bicycle racer * Howard T. Hogan, New York State Supreme Court Justice *

Tom Kennedy Thomas or Tom Kennedy may refer to: Politics *Thomas Kennedy (Scottish judge) (1673–1754), joint Solicitor General for Scotland 1709–14, Lord Advocate 1714, Member of Parliament for Ayr Burghs 1720–21 * Thomas Kennedy, 9th Earl of Cassilis ...

, professional football player for the Detroit Lions *

Ed Kranepool Edward Emil Kranepool (born November 8, 1944) is an American former professional baseball player. He spent his entire Major League Baseball career with the New York Mets. He was predominantly a first baseman, but he also played in the outfield ...

, baseball player, lived in South Farmingdale for many years *

Tim Kubart Tim Kubart (born July 25, 1984) is an American actor and musician. Career In 2016, Kubart won the Grammy Award for Best Children's Album for his album ''Home''. Kubart was the host of Sprout's ''Sunny Side Up'', which in 2015 enjoyed a guest a ...

, actor, Grammy Award-winning musician * April Lawton, musician and artist, member of Ramatam. *

SallyAnn Salsano SallyAnn Salsano (born c. 1974) is an American television producer. Her company, 495 Productions, has produced several television reality shows for MTV and syndication, including ''Jersey Shore '' and ''The Real''. Biography Salsano was raised in ...

, producer of MTV reality shows including Jersey Shore via her 495 Productions company (named for the interstate passing by the community) * William T. Schwendler (1904–1978), executive vice president and chairman of the board,

Grumman Corporation The Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, later Grumman Aerospace Corporation, was a 20th century American producer of military and civilian aircraft. Founded on December 6, 1929, by Leroy Grumman and his business partners, it merged in 1994 ...

* George F. Titterton (1904–1998), senior vice president,

Al Weis Albert John Weis (born April 2, 1938) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an infielder from 1962 to 1971 for the Chicago White Sox and the New York Mets. A light-hitting batter with only seven ...

, baseball player *

Canute Curtis Canute J. Curtis (born August 4, 1974) is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons during the 1990s and early 2000s. He played college football for We ...

, former American college (West Virginia) and professional football (Cincinnati Bengals) player

Colleges

State University of New York at Farmingdale The State University of New York at Farmingdale (Farmingdale State College or SUNY Farmingdale) is a public college in East Farmingdale, New York. It is part of the State University of New York. The college was chartered in 1912 as a school of ap ...

, 2350 Broadhollow Rd., Farmingdale, NY 11735-1021

References

External links

Farmingdale official website

Farmingdale-Bethpage Historical Society website

Farmingdale Public School District website

Farmingdale Chamber of Commerce website

Detailed Zoning Map of Village
{{authority control Oyster Bay (town), New York Villages in Nassau County, New York Villages in New York (state)