Roslyn ( ) is a
village
A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban v ...
in the
Town of North Hempstead in
Nassau County, on the
North Shore of
Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...
, in
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
New York may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* ...
, United States. It is the Greater Roslyn area's anchor community. The population was 2,988 at the time of the 2020 census.
History
Roslyn was initially settled by colonists in the year 1643.
It was originally called Hempstead Harbor, but its name was changed to Roslyn in 1844 due to postal confusion regarding all the other "Hempsteads" scattered about Long Island. The name "Roslyn" was selected as the new name, as its location in a valley reminded officials of
Roslin, Scotland
Roslin (formerly spelt Rosslyn or Roslyn) is a village in Midlothian, Scotland, 11 kilometres (7 mi) to the south of the capital city Edinburgh. It stands on high ground, near the northwest bank of the river River Esk, Lothian, North Esk. ...
.
In 1931,
Gerry Park – a large park in the center of the village – opened.
Roslyn was incorporated as a village on January 11, 1932.
Its first Mayor was Albertson W. Hicks, who was unanimously elected two days later, on January 13.
In the late 1940s, the 217-unit Roslyn Gardens
co-op
A cooperative (also known as co-operative, coöperative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democr ...
development was built.
Located off of Warner Avenue, it was built in part with funding from Title 608 of the
Federal Housing Administration
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA), also known as the Office of Housing within the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), is a Independent agencies of the United States government, United States government agency founded by Pr ...
and was the first major rental housing development built in the New York area under Title 608's then-new provisions.
The complex was designed by architects Max M. Simon and T. E. Merrill.
On January 3, 1950, the
William Cullen Bryant Viaduct
The William Cullen Bryant Viaduct (historically known as the Roslyn Viaduct) is a viaduct that carries four lanes of Northern Boulevard, Northern Boulevard (NY 25A) over Hempstead Harbor between the Incorporated Villages of Flower Hill, New York, ...
opened to traffic.
Built as part of the Roslyn Bypass – a realignment of
New York State Route 25A
New York State Route 25A (NY 25A) is a state highway on Long Island in New York (state), New York, United States. It serves as the main east–west route for most of the North Shore (Long Island), North Shore of Long Island, running ...
within the Village of
Flower Hill and the Village of Roslyn, the bridge's completion provided a bypass of Roslyn and alleviated a severe traffic bottleneck along
Old Northern Boulevard through the community.
Its construction required the demolition of the original Bryant Library, which subsequently operated out of temporary locations until relocating to its current home – the Roslyn War Memorial Building – in 1952.
The
former Rubel estate in the village was developed as the Roslyn Pines subdivision in the 1950s, consisting of roughly 102 homes.
The
Ellen E. Ward Memorial Clock Tower in Roslyn was designed by
Lamb and Rich, and was completed in 1895.
It was sold to the Village of Roslyn by the Town of North Hempstead for $1 for its centennial in 1995.
Also taking place in 1995 was the opening of the Village of Roslyn's current Village Hall on Old Northern Boulevard.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the village has a total area of , of which is land and 1.56% is water.
Topography
According to the
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent agency of the United States government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it began operation on De ...
and the
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), founded as the Geological Survey, is an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior whose work spans the disciplines of biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The agency was founded on Mar ...
, the highest point in Roslyn is located near Piper Court, at approximately , and the lowest point is
Hempstead Harbor
Hempstead Harbor (also known as Hempstead Bay) is a bay hugging the northern coast of Long Island, in Nassau County, New York, Nassau County, New York (state), New York. Located off of the Long Island Sound, it forms the northernmost portion of t ...
, which is at
sea level
Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an mean, average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal Body of water, bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical ...
.
Drainage
Roslyn is split between two minor
drainage area
A drainage basin is an area of land in which all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, th ...
s:
Hempstead Harbor
Hempstead Harbor (also known as Hempstead Bay) is a bay hugging the northern coast of Long Island, in Nassau County, New York, Nassau County, New York (state), New York. Located off of the Long Island Sound, it forms the northernmost portion of t ...
(part of the Hempstead Harbor Watershed) and
Mill River (part of the Mill River Watershed).
According to the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
, the majority of Roslyn is within the Hempstead Harbor Watershed, meaning water in those areas drains north to Hempstead Harbor and ultimately into the
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is a sound (geography), marine sound and tidal estuary of the Atlantic Ocean. It lies predominantly between the U.S. state of Connecticut to the north and Long Island in New York (state), New York to the south. From west to east, ...
.
Meanwhile, the southwestern edge of the village is within the Mill River Watershed, meaning water in that area drains south to the
Mill River and ultimately into Hewlett Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.
Additionally, all of Roslyn is located within the larger Long Island Sound/Atlantic Ocean Watershed.
Climate
According to the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
, Roslyn has a
Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
(type Cfa) with cool, wet winters and hot, humid summers.
Precipitation is uniform throughout the year, with slight spring and fall peaks.
Demographics
2010 Census
As of the 2010
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
the population was 86%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
(76%
Non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Whites, also referred to as White Anglo Americans or Non-Latino Whites, are White Americans who are classified by the United States census as "White" and not of Hispanic or Latino origin. According to annual estimates from the Unit ...
), 2.2% Black or
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.2%
Native American, 8.85%
Asian, 2.6% from
other races, and 2.2% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or
Latino of any race were 11.2% of the population.
2000 Census
As of the census
of 2000, there were 2,570 people, 1,060 households, and 603 families residing in the village. The population density was . There were 1,124 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 86.81%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 2.33%
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.08%
Native American, 6.15%
Asian, 2.02% from
other races, and 2.61% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or
Latino of any race were 6.34% of the population.
There were 1,060 households, out of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.1% were non-families. 37.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the village, the population was spread out, with 18.2% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 22.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.4 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $72,404, and the median income for a family was $101,622. Males had a median income of $65,156 versus $45,221 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the village was $47,166. About 1.3% of families and 4.1% 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 ...
, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over.
Arts and culture
The Bryant Library is located within the Incorporated Village of Roslyn.
This public library, which serves large portions of the Greater Roslyn area, frequently hosts cultural events for the Roslyn community and contains The Bryant Library Local History Center.
Government
Village government

As of March 2024, the Mayor of Roslyn is John Durkin, the Deputy Mayor is Marshall E. Bernstein, and the Village Trustees are Marta Genovese, Sarah Oral, and Craig Westergard.
Representation in higher government
Town representation
Roslyn is located entirely within the Town of North Hempstead's 6th council district, which as of March 2024 is represented on the
North Hempstead Town Council by Mariann Dalimonte (
D–Port Washington).
County representation
Roslyn is located in Nassau County's 11th Legislative district, which as of March 2024 is represented in the
Nassau County Legislature by Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D–
Glen Cove).
State representation
= New York State Assembly
=
Roslyn is split between the
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits.
The Ass ...
's
13th
In music or music theory, a thirteenth is the Musical note, note thirteen scale degrees from the root (chord), root of a chord (music), chord and also the interval (music), interval between the root and the thirteenth. The thirteenth is m ...
and
16th State Assembly districts, which as of March 2024 are represented by
Charles D. Lavine (D–Glen Cove) and
Gina L. Sillitti (D–
Manorhaven), respectively.
= New York State Senate
=
Roslyn is located entirely within
New York's 7th State Senate district, which as of March 2024 is represented by
Jack M. Martins (
R–
Old Westbury).
Federal representation
= United States Congress
=
Roslyn is located entirely within
New York's 3rd Congressional district
New York's 3rd congressional district is a List of United States congressional districts, congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in the New York (state), State of New York. It is represented by Democratic Party (Un ...
, which as of March 2024 is represented in the
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...
by
Thomas R. Suozzi (D–Glen Cove).
= United States Senate
=
Like the rest of New York, Roslyn is represented in the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...
by
Charles E. Schumer (D) and
Kirsten Gillibrand
Kirsten Elizabeth Gillibrand (; ; born December 9, 1966) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States Senate, United States senator from New York (state), New York since 2009 ...
(D).
Politics
In the 2024 U.S. presidential election, the majority of Roslyn voters voted for
Kamala D. Harris (D).
Education
School district
The Village of Roslyn is served entirely by the
Roslyn Union Free School District. As such, all children who reside within the village and attend public schools go to Roslyn's schools.
Library district
The Village of Roslyn is located entirely within the service area of Roslyn's library district, which is served by the Bryant Library.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Road
The
William Cullen Bryant Viaduct
The William Cullen Bryant Viaduct (historically known as the Roslyn Viaduct) is a viaduct that carries four lanes of Northern Boulevard, Northern Boulevard (NY 25A) over Hempstead Harbor between the Incorporated Villages of Flower Hill, New York, ...
(carrying
New York State Route 25A
New York State Route 25A (NY 25A) is a state highway on Long Island in New York (state), New York, United States. It serves as the main east–west route for most of the North Shore (Long Island), North Shore of Long Island, running ...
) passes through – and serves as a bypass of – Roslyn.
Prior to the opening of the Bryant Viaduct, NY 25A traveled through the heart of the village's downtown (along
Old Northern Boulevard) and was notorious for its traffic jams in the area.
Other major roads located either partially or wholly within the village include
Bryant Avenue,
East Broadway, Layton Street,
Main Street,
Mineola Avenue, Mott Avenue,
Old Northern Boulevard, Railroad Avenue,
Roslyn Road, Tower Place, Walbridge Lane, Warner Avenue,
West Shore Road, and Wittes Lane.
Rail
Although no train station is currently located within village limits, the
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road , or LIRR, is a Rail transport, railroad 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 County on Long Islan ...
's
Roslyn station used to be located on the Roslyn–Roslyn Heights border.
It is now located completely within Roslyn Heights – just north of said border.
This station, served by the LIRR's
Oyster Bay Branch
The Oyster Bay Branch is a rail line and service owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. The branch splits from the Main Line (Long Island Rail Road), Main Line just east of Mineola station ...
, is the nearest station to the village.
Furthermore, the Oyster Bay Branch forms much of the village's eastern border.
Bus
Roslyn is served by six
Nassau Inter-County Express
The Nassau Inter-County Express (NICE) is the local bus system serving Nassau County, on Long Island, New York, United States. It also serves parts of western Suffolk County, as well as eastern portions of the New York City borough of Queens. ...
bus routes: the
n20H, the
n20X, the
n21, the
n23, the
n40X, and the
Port Washington Shuttle.
Utilities
Natural gas
National Grid USA provides
natural gas
Natural gas (also fossil gas, methane gas, and gas) is a naturally occurring compound of gaseous hydrocarbons, primarily methane (95%), small amounts of higher alkanes, and traces of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and helium ...
to homes and businesses that are hooked up to natural gas lines in Roslyn.
Power
PSEG Long Island provides power to all homes and businesses within Roslyn.
Water

Roslyn is located within the boundaries of (and is thus served by) the
Roslyn Water District, which provides the entirety of Roslyn with water.
Sewage
The Village of Roslyn has a
sanitary sewer system.
The sewage from the Village's sewer system is pumped to and is treated by the
Nassau County Sewage District's Cedar Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant via the East Hills Interceptor line, which connects the village's system with Nassau County's and the treatment plant on the
South Shore.
Prior to having the sanitary waste treated by Nassau County's facilities, the village's sewer system expelled the sanitary sewage locally into Hempstead Harbor, contributing to water pollution problems.
Notable people
*
Deborah Asnis –
Infectious disease specialist; Asnis reported the first human cases of
West Nile virus in the United States in 1999.
*
Nathan Banks
Nathan Banks (April 13, 1868 – January 24, 1953) was an American entomologist noted for his work on Neuroptera, Megaloptera, Hymenoptera, and Acarina (mites). He started work on mites in 1880 with the USDA. In 1909 he reported many Costa Rican ...
– Entomologist and arachnologist.
*
Judy Steinberg Dean – Physician, First Lady of
Vermont
Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...
(1991–2003) and wife of former Gov.
Howard Dean
Howard Brush Dean III (born November 17, 1948) is an American physician, author, consultant, and retired politician who served as the 79th governor of Vermont from 1991 to 2003 and chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) from 2005 to 20 ...
, and Roslyn High School graduate.
*
Ken Hechler
Kenneth William Hechler (September 20, 1914 – December 10, 2016) was an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he represented West Virginia's 4th congressional district in the U.S. House of Rep ...
– Politician (
D –
West Virginia
West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...
).
*
Jesse Itzler – Entrepreneur, author, and co-owner of the
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Easte ...
.
*
Glenn Kurtz — Writer and author.
*
Edward Lampert – Chairman of
Sears Holding Company.
*
Frank C. Moore – Artist and AIDS activist.
*
Lilly Pulitzer – Socialite and fashion designer.
*
Samuel Rubel – Executive.
*
Whitney Tower – Former president of
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred horse racing, Thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and Horse trainer, trainers. In 1955, the museum ...
.
*
Arthur Yorinks – Author and playwright, authored
Hey, Al
*William Powell - Author of
The Anarchist Cookbook
''The Anarchist Cookbook'', first published in 1971, is a book containing instructions for the manufacture of explosives, rudimentary telecommunications phreaking devices, and related weapons, as well as instructions for the home manufacture o ...
See also
*
Roslyn Landmark Society
*
Main Street Historic District
*
Roslyn Village Historic District
References
External links
Official website
{{authority control
Roslyn, New York
Town of North Hempstead, New York
Villages in New York (state)
Villages in Nassau County, New York
Populated coastal places in New York (state)
Populated places established in 1643