West Hempstead, New York

West Hempstead, New York
Hamlet and census-designated place

Location in Nassau County and the state of New York.
Location within the state of New York
Coordinates: 40°41′47″N 73°39′9″W / 40.69639°N 73.65250°W / 40.69639; -73.65250Coordinates: 40°41′47″N 73°39′9″W / 40.69639°N 73.65250°W / 40.69639; -73.65250
Country United States
State New York
County Nassau
Area
 • Total 2.8 sq mi (7.1 km2)
 • Land 2.7 sq mi (6.9 km2)
 • Water 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2)
Elevation 66 ft (20 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 18,862
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code 11552
Area code(s) 516
FIPS code 36-80225[1]
GNIS feature ID 0969246[2]

West Hempstead is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 18,862 at the 2010 census. West Hempstead is an unincorporated area in the Town of Hempstead and is represented by Councilman Edward Ambrosino.

History

West Hempstead first appeared on maps as the name of a Long Island Railroad station in 1893.[3] There are 3 railroad stations within its borders: West Hempstead, Hempstead Gardens, and Lakeview. The line continues to Valley Stream where it joins the Babylon Branch. Halls Pond Park, the main park within West Hempstead, was dedicated by Nassau County in 1961. The smaller Echo Park contains a public indoor pool. Its name is derived from the community's first four little league teams: Eagles, Cardinal, Hawks, and Orioles. In 1956, the West Hempstead Public Library was founded and chartered by the State in 1967.[4] Its present 28,000 square-foot facility was completed in 2007.[5]

In 2001, residents of West Hempstead held a nonbinding referendum on renaming the community. The vote followed a two-year effort by the West Hempstead Civic Association and the West Hempstead Chamber of Commerce to give the community a unique name, distancing itself from the neighboring and urbanized Hempstead.[6] By a 94-vote margin, West Hempstead retained its name over the proposed Mayfair Park.[7]

West Hempstead is easily accessed from the Southern State Parkway at Exit 17N.

The West Hempstead Union Free School District currently operates 5 schools; 1 kindergarten, 2 elementary, 1 middle school and 1 high school.

Geography

U.S. Census Map

West Hempstead is located at 40°41′47″N 73°39′9″W / 40.69639°N 73.65250°W / 40.69639; -73.65250 (40.696409, -73.652522).[8] It lies on a gently sloping terrain between the Hempstead Plains and the Atlantic Ocean. Pine Stream runs through the center of West Hempstead, feeding into Halls Pond.[9] The community is bound on the east by Hempstead Lake State Park and on the south by the Southern State Parkway.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.8 square miles (7.3 km2), of which 2.7 square miles (7.0 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (3.64%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 18,713 people, 6,024 households, and 4,867 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 7,039.1 per square mile (2,716.2/km²). There were 6,110 housing units at an average density of 2,298.3/sq mi (886.9/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 82.69% White, 5.94% African American, 0.17% Native American, 5.08% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.21% from other races, and 2.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.94% of the population. West Hempstead, along with adjoining Franklin Square has a sizable Orthodox Jewish population that counts seven synagogues[10] and the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County elementary school.

There were 6,024 households out of which 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.3% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.2% were non-families. 15.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.09 and the average family size was 3.47.

In the CDP, the population was spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $71,260, and the median income for a family was $78,481. Males had a median income of $51,391 versus $35,871 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $26,732. About 3.4% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

  • Devon Cajuste, Stanford Cardinal wide receiver and NFL Draft prospect. Lived in West Hempstead.[11]
  • Nathan Englander, American short story writer and novelist, was born and raised in West Hempstead.[12]
  • Kalomoira, popular Greek singer, was born in West Hempstead.[13]
  • Lucien Laurin, award-winning horse trainer who won the Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths in 1973. Laurin also trained the champion, Riva Ridge, who won the Kentucky Derby & Belmont Stakes in 1972.
  • Don McPherson, former National Football League and Canadian Football League quarterback. 1987 Heisman Trophy finalist. Went to West Hempstead High School.[14]
  • Mark Mendoza, bassist of Twisted Sister, was born and raised in West Hempstead.
  • Andrew Stewart, former National Football League lineman for the Cleveland Browns. Went to West Hempstead High School.[15]
  • Walt Whitman, American poet, essayist and journalist. In 1840, he was the headmaster of the West Hempstead-based District 17 Schoolhouse.[16]
  • Orville Wright Inventor of powered flight, lived in West Hempstead in the early 1930s.
  • Joseph J. Sarcona, coached West Hempstead's Little League team to Long Island's first Little League World Series Championship, in 1962. [17]

Local activities

  • The West Hempstead Chiefs Soccer Club has girls and boys teams at both the intramural level and the Long Island Junior Soccer Leavue travel division level.[18]
  • The New York Equestrian Center, Horse Riding & Boarding has horse trails and riding lessons.[19]
  • Hempstead Lake State Park

References

  1. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  2. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  3. ↑ Woliver, Robbie "West Hempstead Asks: What's in a Name?" New York Times June 25, 2000
  4. ↑ New York Heritage Digital Collections "West Hempstead Public Library" http://tealcat.nyheritage.org/contributors/west-hempstead-public-library
  5. ↑ KG+D Architects "West Hempstead Public Library" http://kgdarchitects.com/west-hempstead-public-library/
  6. ↑ Wolver, Robbie "West Hempstead Asks: What's in a Name?" New York Times June 25, 2000
  7. ↑ Woliver, Robbie "IN BRIEF; West Hempstead Votes To Keep Its Name" New York Times June 17, 2001
  8. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  9. ↑ Kadinsky, Sergey "Pine Stream, West Hempstead" Hidden Waters Blog February 22, 2017 https://hiddenwatersblog.wordpress.com/2017/02/22/pin/
  10. ↑ GoDaven West Hempstead minyan search June 21, 2017 http://godaven.com/list.asp?fpdbr_0_pMv=First&Name=west+hempstead
  11. ↑ Holy Cross' Devon Cajuste giving defenders big fits, gains attention
  12. ↑ Nathan Englander - From the Author
  13. ↑ Long Island's Kalomira Sarantis Competing in Antenna's "Fame Story"
  14. ↑
  15. ↑
  16. ↑
  17. ↑ Azose, Yossi (2012-08-20). "50 Years Ago - West Hempstead Won Little League World Series". Malverne-Lynbrook, NY Patch. Retrieved 2018-07-16.
  18. ↑ "West Hempstead Chiefs".
  19. ↑ "The New York Equestrian Center".
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