HEMPSTEAD, LONG ISLAND

Hempstead, Long Island

The Town of Hempstead is among of the three towns also known as civil townships located in Nassau County, Long Island, New York. A total of twenty-two incorporated villages completely or partially in the town. As of 2000 census, there were 755,924 people, 246,828 households, and 193,513 families residing in the area. The median income for a household in the town was $81,455 and the median income for a family was $93,319. Males had a median income of $50,818 and only $36,334 for females. Many of the residents of the town commute daily to New York City for work. The most important factor in the economy of Hempstead is the service industry. The latitude of Hempstead is 40.706N. The longitude is -73.619W. It is in the Eastern Standard time zone. Elevation is 56 feet.

In 1644, the town was first settled following the establishment of a treaty between John Carman and Robert Fordham, an English colonist. Even though they were come from an English colony of Connecticut, the New Amsterdam still issued them a patent after they had purchased land from the local natives. The Town of Hempstead was the oldest English settlement in Nassau County that has evolved into the largest township in the United States larger than 6 states. The former named of the town was Heemstede which taken from the Dutch city. Some people believed that the origin of the name include referencing a law during colonial times, requiring all farmers in the town to alternate one year, growing their cash crop and hemp to replenish the soil. This method of soil regeneration called as cover cropping. During the American Revolution in 1784, the loyalists in the south and the American sympathizers in the north caused a split into North and South Hempstead respectively.

Hempstead has a number of institutions of higher learning such as Hofstra University, New York University and Nassau Community College and many more. The Town of Hempstead Department of Parks and Recreation is one of the largest municipal parks systems in the United States that serves the local residents of the area. It has a total of 90 parks that offers numerous activities for all ages including sports, cultural arts, concerts, aquatics, and recreation. With more than twenty-five museums and historical sites located in the town. One of the famous museums is the Cradle of Aviation Museum, a state-of-the-art facility with a collection of more than 70 aircraft and spacecraft, immerses visitors in the history of aviation. There is also a sanctuary that offers some of the finest wildlife and nature areas in the country. The town’s greatest resource is its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. Among the miles of pristine beaches in the Town of Hempstead, lies the famous Jones Beach where everyone can enjoy a wide range of activities.