Hempstead, New York



Hempstead is one of the three towns in Nassau County, New York, United States, occupying the southwest part of the county. There are twenty-two incorporated villages completely or partially in the town. Hempstead's combined population was 759,757 at the 2010 Census, the majority of the population of the county and by far the most of any town in New York. There is also a village named Hempstead within the town.

If the town were to be incorporated as a city it would be the second largest city in New York behind New York City and ahead of Buffalo, and it would be the 16th largest city in the country, between Columbus, Ohio and Fort Worth, Texas. The town's population density is also greater than that of Columbus and Fort Worth.

History
The town was first settled around 1644 following the establishment of a treaty between English colonists, John Carman and Robert Fordham, and the Indians in 1643. Although the settlers were from the English colony of Connecticut, a patent was issued by New Amsterdam after the settlers had purchased land from the local natives. This transaction is depicted in a mural in the Hempstead Village Hall, reproduced from a poster commemorating the 300th anniversary of Hempstead Village.

One theory about how the town was named is that the founding colonists named the piece of land Hempstead because it was declared to be a great farming spot for hemp. Several places in the colonies were named Hempstead; one being on Long Island.

Another theory regarding the origin of the name "Hempstead", relates to Hempstead co-founder John Carman being was born in 1606 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England, on ancestral land recorded in the 2nd historic census of England (under Edward the First), the Rotuli Hundredorum (Hundred Rolls) AD 1273 as being owned by his direct ancestor Henry Carman. These same properties were on record continuously as being owned by Henry's descendants, through John Carman of 1606. John's wife Florence and her father, Rev. Robert Fordham, were from Surrey, England.

A third theory derives the name from the Dutch town of Heemstede in the Netherlands, original home of many Dutch settlers of New Netherland. Several of Hempstead's original fifty patentees had Dutch surnames. In 1664, the new settlement adopted the Duke's Laws, an austere set of laws that became the basis upon which the laws of many colonies were to be founded. For a time, Hempstead became known as "Old Blue", as a result of the "Blue Laws".

During the American Revolution the Loyalists in the south and the American sympathizers in the north caused a split in 1784 into "North Hempstead" and "South Hempstead". With the 1898 incorporation of the Borough of Queens as part of the city of New York, and the 1899 split of Queens County to create Nassau County, some southwestern portions of the Town of Hempstead seceded from the town and became part of the Borough of Queens.

Richard Hewlett, who was born in Hempstead, served as a Lieutenant Colonel with the British Army under General Oliver De Lancey in the American Revolution. Afterwards, Hewlett departed the United States with other Loyalists and settled in the newly-created Province of New Brunswick in what later became Canada. The region he settled in preserves a connection in name with his birthplace: Hampstead in Queen's County, which lies next to Long Island in the Saint John River.

On October 16, 2012, the village was host to the second U.S. presidential debate of 2012 at Hofstra University.

Government and politics
The Town is headed by the Supervisor, currently Kate Murray (R-Levittown). The responsibilities of the office include presiding over meetings of the Town Council and directing the legislative and administrative function of that body. The position also entails creating and implementing the town's budget. Murray is the first woman elected to this office. One famous former supervisor was Republican Alfonse D'Amato, who later represented New York in the United States Senate from 1981 to 1999.

The Town Council comprises six voting members, elected from a councilmatic district. Their primary function is to adopt the annual budget, adopting and amending the town code and the building zone ordinances, adopting all traffic regulations, and hearing applications for changes of zone and special exceptions to zoning codes.

As of the 2005 local elections, the council members are:
 * 1) Dorothy L. Goosby (D-Hempstead Village)
 * 2) Edward A. Ambrosino (R-North Valley Stream)
 * 3) James Darcy (R-Valley Stream)
 * 4) Anthony J. Santino (R-East Rockaway)
 * 5) Angie M. Cullin (R-Freeport)
 * 6) Gary Hudes (R-Levittown)

Other elected officials in the town include the clerk and the receiver of taxes. The clerk is responsible for issuing birth, marriage, and death certificates and is considered the town's record keeper. The clerk is currently Mark A. Bonilla of Seaford. The Receiver of Taxes is Donald X. Clavin, Jr., of Garden City, New York.

State and federal representation
Hempstead is part of New York's 3rd and 4th Congressional Districts. District 3, represented by Peter T. King (R-Seaford), is the southern and eastern portions of the town, while District 4, represented by Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola), is the northern and western portions of the town.

Hempstead is in parts of New York's 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th Senatorial Districts. They are currently represented by Kemp Hannon (R), Jack Martins (R), Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (R), and Dean Skelos (R), respectively.

Eight assembly districts are either within or partly within the town. They are Districts 12, 14-15, and 17-21. The assembly members are Joseph Saladino (R), Brian F. Curran (R), Michael Montesano (R), Thomas McKevitt (R),  Earlene Hill Hooper (D),  David G. McDonough (R), Harvey D. Weisenberg (D), and  Edward Ra (R), respectively.

County Legislators
Hempstead has 12 county legislative districts either within or in part of the town. They are districts 1-8, 13-15, and 19. The legislators who represent those districts are: 1. Kevan Abrahams 2. Robert Troiano 3. John Ciotti 4. Denise Ford 5. Joseph Scannell 6. Francis X. Becker, Jr. 7. Howard Kopel 8. Vincent Muscarella 13. Norma L. Gonsalves 14. Joseph Belesi 15. Dennis Dunne, Sr. 19. David Denenberg

Politics
Though the town government is still controlled by the Republicans (and has been for almost the entire history of the party), town voters in recent years leaned Democratic in elections on the state and federal level. In the last three presidential elections, the Democrat has won decisively in Hempstead (Bill Clinton received 56% in 1996, Al Gore received 58% in 2000 and John Kerry got 53% in 2004). Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer won Hempstead by a large margin in 2004, Democratic County Executive Thomas Suozzi won here in 2001 and 2005, and most of the town is represented in the United States House of Representatives by Democrat Carolyn McCarthy, who has consistently won over 60% of the vote in the last few election cycles.

Economy
According to a Newsday survey, the Town of Hempstead is Long Island's 47th largest single employer with a total of 1,974 employees.

Lufthansa and Swiss International Air Lines have their United States headquarters in East Meadow. At one time Swiss operated its United States office at 776 RexCorp Plaza in the EAB Plaza in Uniondale. The airline moved from 41 Pinelawn Road in Melville, Suffolk County around 2002.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 191.3 square miles (495.5 km²). 120.0 square miles (310.7 km²) of it is land and 71.4 square miles (184.8 km²) of it (37.30%) is water.

The west town line is the border of Queens County, New York, in New York City. Its northern border is along the main line of the Long Island Rail Road and along Old Country Road in Garden City heading east towards the Wantagh Parkway. Its eastern border runs parallel (and several hundred feet west of) Route 107. To the south is the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Atlantic Beach, Lido, Pt. Lookout, and Jones Beach. The town is located on Long Island.

The most popular beach on the east coast of the United States, Jones Beach is located in Hempstead. The beach is a popular destination for Long Islanders and residents of New York City. The beach itself receives about six million visitors a year.

Communities
The town of Hempstead contains 22 villages and 37 hamlets:

Villages

 * Atlantic Beach
 * Bellerose
 * Cedarhurst
 * East Rockaway
 * Floral Park (part; with North Hempstead)
 * Freeport
 * Garden City (small part in North Hempstead)
 * Hempstead (village)
 * Hewlett Bay Park
 * Hewlett Harbor
 * Hewlett Neck


 * Island Park
 * Lawrence
 * Lynbrook
 * Malverne
 * Mineola (almost all in North Hempstead)
 * New Hyde Park (part; with North Hempstead)
 * Rockville Centre
 * South Floral Park
 * Stewart Manor
 * Valley Stream
 * Woodsburgh

Hamlets

 * Baldwin
 * Baldwin Harbor
 * Barnum Island
 * Bay Park
 * Bellerose Terrace
 * Bellmore
 * Bethpage (part; with Oyster Bay)
 * East Atlantic Beach
 * East Garden City
 * East Meadow
 * Elmont
 * Franklin Square
 * Garden City South
 * Harbor Isle
 * Hewlett
 * Inwood
 * Lakeview
 * Levittown
 * Lido Beach


 * Malverne Park Oaks
 * Merrick
 * North Bellmore
 * North Lynbrook
 * North Merrick
 * North Valley Stream
 * North Wantagh
 * North Woodmere
 * Oceanside
 * Point Lookout
 * Roosevelt
 * Salisbury (South Westbury)
 * Seaford
 * South Hempstead
 * South Valley Stream
 * Uniondale
 * Wantagh
 * West Hempstead
 * Woodmere

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 759,757 people, 246,828 households, and 193,513 families residing in the town. The population density was 6,301.3 inhabitants per square mile (2,433.0/km²). There were 252,286 housing units at an average density of 2,103.0 per square mile (812.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 59.9% White, 16.5% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 5.2% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.5% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.4% of the population.

There were 246,828 households out of which 36.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.2% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.41.

In the town the population was spread out with 25.4% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.

According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the town was $84,362, and the median income for a family was $96,080. Males had a median income of $50,818 versus $36,334 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,153. About 4.0% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

State parks

 * Hempstead Lake State Park
 * Valley Stream State Park
 * Jones Beach State Park