Long Island

Long Island is a large, busy island in the southeastern part of New York state. It stretches into the Atlantic Ocean for about 118 miles (190 km) and is the biggest island in the contiguous United States. The island is part of the New York metropolitan area and includes four counties: Kings (also called Brooklyn), Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk.

Long Island is crowded, with many people living there. It has many different kinds of neighborhoods, from wealthy areas near the water to places where families live. The island is important for jobs, especially in biotechnology, engineering, and scientific research at places like Brookhaven National Laboratory and Stony Brook University.

Long Island has two very busy airports, JFK International Airport and LaGuardia Airport, and many bridges and tunnels that help people travel. The Long Island Rail Road is the busiest train system in North America, running every day to help people get around the island.

History

Early history

The first people to live on Long Island were called Paleo-Indians. They came when the last Ice Age ended. These early people moved around, hunting animals and gathering food from nature.

Later, people called the Archaic Period began to live in more settled groups. They got food from the sea, like fish and shellfish, and also hunted animals and gathered plants.

17th century

In 1609, an English explorer named Henry Hudson explored the area. Dutch explorers followed, and the first Europeans arrived. They traded with the local people but also took land for themselves.

Over time, more European settlers came. They changed the land and took over areas that had been home to Indigenous people for a long time.

18th century

By the 1700s, many Indigenous people had lost their land. Some became workers or moved away. European settlers brought enslaved people to Long Island to work on farms and in homes.

Important figures from Long Island took part in the American Revolution. Some fought for independence, while others remained loyal to Britain.

19th century

Long Island stayed mostly rural, with many farms. The Long Island Rail Road began, helping people travel between Long Island and New York City.

Wealthy people built large homes along the North Shore. These homes became famous and inspired stories and books.

20th century

In the 1900s, Long Island saw major changes. Aviation became important, with famous flights taking off from fields on the island. After World War II, many new homes were built, and the population grew quickly.

21st century

Today, Long Island continues to change. Areas that used to make things now focus on culture and tourism. People from many different places around the world have made Long Island their home.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Long Island

The western part of Long Island has the New York City areas of Brooklyn and Queens. The central and eastern parts have the suburban areas of Nassau and Suffolk counties. Often, when people talk about Long Island, they mean just Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Long Island is surrounded by water, which makes it an island. It has both rocky and sandy beaches, and some areas have tall buildings, while others are more open and natural. The island changes from west to east, with more buildings near New York City and more natural areas further out.

Demographics

Long Island is a very busy place and has lots of people living there. In the 2020 U.S. census, the four counties of Long Island had a total population of 8,063,232 people. This is 40% of New York State’s population. Many people from New York City live on Long Island. In 2020, 58.4% of New York City’s residents lived there.

Nassau and Suffolk counties make up Long Island. In 2020, Suffolk County had more people than Nassau County for the first time, but Nassau County is still more crowded because it is smaller and closer to New York City. Both counties are known for having high incomes.

Long Island has many different kinds of people. Whites are the largest group, but there are also many Asian Americans, including large Chinese and Indian communities. There are also two Native American reservations on Long Island. The island has some very wealthy areas, like the Hamptons.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Long Island

Further information: List of biotech and pharmaceutical companies in the New York metropolitan area and List of tech companies in the New York metropolitan area

Long Island is important for science and engineering. It is home to the Brookhaven National Laboratory, which studies nuclear physics and energy. The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, led for many years by James D. Watson, is also there. Companies like Sperry Corporation and Computer Associates have helped make Long Island a key place for computers. Stony Brook University and the New York Institute of Technology do advanced research in medicine and technology.

The island has the largest industrial park on the East Coast, called the Hauppauge Industrial Park. It has many companies that employ thousands of people. Many Long Islanders travel to jobs in Manhattan. The eastern part of Long Island still has farms, including vineyards on the North Fork and pumpkin farms. Fishing remains important in places like Huntington, Northport, and Montauk.

From about 1930 to 1990, Long Island was a major center for airplane manufacturing, with companies like Grumman and Republic based there, but these operations have mostly ended now.

Government and politics

Main article: Politics of Long Island

Nassau County and Suffolk County each have their own local government. A County Executive leads each county, and there is a county legislature and officials such as the district attorney, county clerk, and comptroller. The towns within these counties also have their own governments, including town supervisors and councils. Nassau County has three towns and two small cities, while Suffolk County has ten towns.

Brooklyn and Queens are part of New York City and do not have separate county governments. Instead, they are represented by district attorneys and have borough presidents, who mainly serve in a ceremonial role. These presidents help choose members for community boards that give advice on local matters. Brooklyn and Queens also send many members to the New York City Council.

Law enforcement

Main article: List of Long Island law enforcement agencies

In Brooklyn and Queens, the New York City Police Department handles policing. In Nassau and Suffolk counties, each has its own police department, though some villages and cities in Nassau have their own police forces too. The sheriff’s departments in Nassau and Suffolk handle certain tasks such as court orders and jail operations. The New York State Police patrol state parks and roads, and they also watch over colleges and universities in the area.

Statehood proposals

There have been ideas to make Nassau and Suffolk counties into their own state since 1896. In 2008, a plan was suggested to turn these two counties into the 51st state of the United States. Supporters said this would keep more tax money in the local area. A study on this idea was started in 2010.

Education

Long Island has many good schools, both public and private. Nassau and Suffolk counties have many public schools. Brookhaven Public Schools is the largest district. There are also private schools like Friends Academy, Chaminade High School, and Kellenberg Memorial High School, as well as other schools run by groups, including the Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre.

Brooklyn and Queens are part of the New York City Department of Education, the biggest school district in the United States. They have special high schools such as Brooklyn Latin School, Brooklyn Technical High School, and Queens High School for the Sciences. These areas also have private schools and other schools run by groups.

Long Island is also home to many colleges and universities. Brooklyn and Queens have several colleges, including Brooklyn College and Queens College. Other colleges include Stony Brook University, Nassau Community College, Suffolk County Community College, Molloy University, New York Institute of Technology, Hofstra University, Adelphi University, Long Island University, Webb Institute, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

Culture

See also: List of Long Islanders

Music

See also: Long Island Music Hall of Fame

Music on Long Island is influenced by its closeness to New York City and the culture of its neighborhoods. In the 1960s, psychedelic rock was very popular as young people traveled to NYC for concerts and protests. Rhythm and blues has a history here, especially with Huntington-born Mariah Carey, one of the best-selling musicians ever. From the late 1970s to the 1980s, radio station WLIR helped Long Island become one of the first places to enjoy European New Wave music, including bands like Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, and Culture Club. In the 1990s, hip hop music grew popular. Rap pioneers such as Rakim, EPMD, De La Soul, MF Doom, and Public Enemy all grew up on Long Island. The 2000s saw a lively emo music scene with bands like Brand New, Taking Back Sunday, Straylight Run, From Autumn to Ashes, and As Tall as Lions. Rock bands from Long Island include the Rascals, the Ramones, Dream Theater, Blue Öyster Cult, Twisted Sister, and guitar players like Donald (Buck Dharma) Roeser, John Petrucci, Steve Vai, and Joe Satriani, plus drummer Mike Portnoy. Pop and rock singer Billy Joel grew up in Hicksville, and his songs often mention Long Island and his childhood.

Nassau Coliseum and Jones Beach Theater are important places for concerts. Jones Beach Theater is famous for its summer shows and its big Fourth of July fireworks display.

Long Island is also proud of its school music programs. Many schools in Nassau and Suffolk Counties have excellent music programs, with many students making it into state and national music groups. The Suffolk County and Nassau County Music Educator's Associations are recognized by The National Association for Music Education and hold many events and competitions.

Cuisine

Long Island has always been known for fishing and seafood. This tradition continues with the Blue Point oyster, originally from the Great South Bay and a favorite of Queen Victoria. Clams are also popular, and clam digging is a fun activity, with Manhattan clam chowder said to come from Long Island.

Long Island duck has been famous since the 1800s, with four duck farms still producing 2 million ducks a year as of 2013. Symbols of this history are the Long Island Ducks baseball team and the Big Duck, a duck-shaped building from 1931 that is a historic landmark. Riverhead also has one of the largest buffalo farms on the East Coast.

Long Island makes a lot of wine, especially on the North Fork, which has 38 wineries. Many of these have tasting rooms that are popular with visitors. The island also makes many kinds of craft beers, with 15 microbreweries in Nassau and Suffolk Counties as of 2013. The biggest is Blue Point Brewing Company, known for its toasted lager. Long Island is famous around the world for its special drink, the Long Island Iced Tea, which was said to have been invented at the Oak Beach Inn nightclub in Babylon Town in the 1970s.

Long Island's restaurants reflect the different cultures of its people. Asian cuisines, Italian cuisine, Jewish cuisine, and Latin American cuisines are very popular. Asian foods include East Asian, South Asian, and Middle Eastern dishes. Italian food is found in many pizzerias, and the island holds an annual Long Island Pizza Festival & Bake-Off. Jewish food is served in delicatessens and bagel shops. Latin American foods range from Brazilian rodizios to Mexican taquerias.

Folklore and urban legends

Long Island has many local legends, from old times to today. Many historic places are said to be haunted, like the Fire Island Lighthouse, Lake Ronkonkoma, Mount Misery Road, Country House Restaurant, and Raynham Hall. The most famous haunted place is the Amityville Horror House, which has inspired many books and horror movies.

The Montauk Monster is part of many conspiracy theories. Long Island also has stories about secret government activities around Camp Hero State Park and the Montauk Project. These stories helped inspire the popular show Stranger Things. There are also rumors about a UFO crash in Southaven County Park in 1992. Recently, a story about giant cryptid horseshoe crabs in the Great South Bay has spread online.

Sports

See also: Sports in New York (state)

Major league sports

Further information: Brooklyn Nets, New York Islanders, New York Liberty, and New York Mets

The New York Mets baseball team plays at Citi Field in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens. The new stadium's design is inspired by famous Brooklyn stadiums like Ebbets Field.

The Barclays Center, a big sports arena and entertainment place in Brooklyn, is where the Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty basketball teams play. The Nets moved back to Long Island from New Jersey in 2012, returning to Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, where they played from 1972 to 1977. The New York Islanders hockey team played at Nassau Coliseum from 1972 to 2015, then split time between there and Barclays Center until 2021. They now play full-time at UBS Arena at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, since November 2021.

New York City FC, a Major League Soccer team that started in 2015, sometimes plays at Citi Field when their main stadium, Yankee Stadium, is busy. They are building a new stadium called Etihad Park next to Citi Field, set to open in 2027 with room for 25,000 fans.

Historical professional teams

Further information: Brooklyn Dodgers and [New York Giants (NL)](/wiki/New_York_Giants_(NL)

Ebbets Field, a stadium in Brooklyn from 1913 to 1960, was home to the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team. The Dodgers won several National League titles in the 1940s and 1950s but lost the World Series often to their Bronx rivals, the New York Yankees.

Even though they were successful later, the Dodgers were often a middle-tier team during most of their time in Brooklyn. But they were loved by many fans in Brooklyn. Losing the Dodgers to California was seen as a big loss to the community.

Minor league sports

Long Island has the Long Island Ducks, an independent league baseball team in the Atlantic League. They play at Bethpage Ballpark in Central Islip. The Brooklyn Cyclones, a minor league team connected to the New York Mets, play in the High-A South Atlantic League at MCU Park near Coney Island in Brooklyn. The main rugby union teams are the Long Island RFC in East Meadow and the Suffolk Bull Moose in Stony Brook.

The Brooklyn Cyclones are a minor league baseball team linked to the New York Mets. They play at MCU Park near Coney Island's boardwalk in Brooklyn. There is also an artificial turf baseball complex called Baseball Heaven in Yaphank.

The New York Sharks is a women's football team in the Women's Football Alliance. They play at Aviator Sports Complex in Brooklyn. The New York Mets once planned to move their Double-A team to Long Island as part of a big plan called The Lighthouse Project, but it never happened.

Long Island's soccer team, the New York Cosmos, played in the Division 2 North American Soccer League at James M. Shuart Stadium in Hempstead until 2020.

Long Island has been great for lacrosse at the youth and college levels, leading to a Major League Lacrosse team in 2001, the Long Island Lizards. They play at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale.

Collegiate sports

Further information: Stony Brook Seawolves

The Stony Brook Seawolves represent Stony Brook University and have achieved a lot, like making it to the 2012 College World Series after beating the LSU Tigers in a tough series.

Other sports

Long Island has many golf courses, including famous ones like Shinnecock Hills Golf Club and the public Bethpage Black Course, which has hosted several big tournaments like the U.S. Open. Queens is home to one of the four big tennis tournaments, the US Open, held every August (September in Olympic years) at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center next to Citi Field in Flushing Meadows Park. The center has the world's biggest tennis stadium, the Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Riverhead Raceway on the east end of Long Island hosts NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races and other local events.

Long Island has two horse racing tracks: Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, and Belmont Park on the Queens/Nassau border in Elmont, where the Belmont Stakes is held. Belmont Park has the longest dirt thoroughbred racecourse in the world. The area also has events called firematic racing, which many local volunteer fire departments take part in.

Notable sports teams

Transportation

Main article: Transportation on Long Island

Long Island has many ways to get around. You can fly from places like John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Long Island MacArthur Airport. There are trains, like the Long Island Rail Road and the New York City Subway, buses from groups like MTA Regional Bus Operations, Nassau Inter-County Express, and Suffolk County Transit, and even ferries run by NYC Ferry. There are also big roads and special paths for walking or biking.

There are bridges that connect Long Island to other places, like the Triborough Bridge linking to Manhattan and the Verrazzano–Narrows Bridge going to Staten Island. Ideas for new connections across water have been talked about, but nothing new has been built yet.

Public transportation

Further information: Metropolitan Transportation Authority

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority helps people travel around the big area that includes New York City and nearby places like Dutchess, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester. It’s one of the biggest transportation helpers in the Western Hemisphere.

Rail

The Long Island Rail Road is very busy. It started in 1834 and is the oldest railroad in the U.S. that still runs with its original name. A big project added a third track to help more trains run.

Bus

Nassau Inter-County Express runs buses in Nassau County, and Suffolk County Transit runs them in Suffolk County.

Roads

Big roads like the Long Island Expressway, Northern State Parkway, and Southern State Parkway help cars move across the island.

Ground transportation

Many companies help people get to and from Long Island and New York City. One of the oldest is Winston Airport Shuttle.

Notable people

Main article: List of Long Islanders

Long Island is where many famous people live. They are known for their work in entertainment, sports, and other fields. These people have helped shape the island's culture and history.