EAST MORICHES, LONG ISLAND

East Moriches, Long Island

East Moriches is a hamlet and census-designated place located in Suffolk County, on the South Shore of Long Island, New York. It is within the Town of Brookhaven. East Moriches is a peaceful community where residents enjoy good quality of life. As of the 2000 census, there were 4,550 people, 1,510 households, and 1,182 families residing in the CDP. The median income for a household in the CDP was $62,005, and the median income for a family was $71,000. Males had a median income of $50,991 and only $30,650 for females. The latitude of East Moriches is 40.805N. The longitude is -72.761W. It is in the Eastern Standard time zone. Elevation is 30 feet.

In July 1996, the community became internationally famous when TWA Flight 800 exploded 8 miles off its coast and fell into the Atlantic Ocean. Stephen Curtis, a local dentist, was fishing at the time when the crash took place into the Moriches Inlet. Dr. Curtis and a friend, Skip Rasso went to the crash site and pulled multiple bodies from the wreckage that killed at least 230 people. In recent times, there are parks made in Smith Point and Center Moriches Long Island dedicated to the people who died in the crash, and a plaque bearing their names. Over the years, the US Coast Guard Center at Moriches has provided protection for the area and a recent decision to relocate the headquarters and unite the services caused great alarm and raised many protests from the local residents. East Moriches is a very safe place to live with low crime.

The racial-makeup of East Moriches comprises of 94.55% White, 1.58% African American, 0.04% Native American, 1.45% Asian, 0.24% Pacific Islander, 1.01% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races. The community is served by East Moriches Union Free School District which has one elementary school, recently built as well as a middle school. Once a student is in 8th grade, they may chose between three nearby high schools which are Westhampton Beach, Center Moriches, and Eastport South Manor. Students are provided a well-structured and caring learning environment consistent with their goal of high quality academic standards. Academic enrichment is available in Math and Science while support and intervention is available to all students experiencing academic difficulty. There are also several churches within the town including the Christ Lutheran Church and the Baptist Church known as the Bible Church. The Long Island Skydiving Center that is based in East Moriches is among of the best training centers in the country. While boating and fishing are very famous recreational activities, everyone can also visit the Terrell County Park. The park was once farm land cultivated by the Haven family. House styles which includes early 20th century homes, range from Colonials, capes and various ranch styles to Victorians, contemporaries and post-moderns ranges from $350,000 up to $3M+.