ROCKVILLE CENTRE, LONG ISLAND

Rockville Centre, Long Island

Rockville Centre is an incorporated village located in Nassau County, on the South Shore of Long Island, New York. It is in the southwest part of the Town of Hempstead and 25 miles east of mid-town Manhattan. As of the 2000 census, there were 24,568 people, 9,201 households and 6,468 families residing in the area. The median income for a household in the village is $79,345, and the median income for a family is $103,315. Males have a median income of $70,149 and only $43,800 for females. The latitude of Rockville Centre is 40.658N. The longitude is -73.641W. It is in the Eastern Standard time zone. Elevation is 30 feet.

In the late 17th century, Rockville Centre as well as Oceanside, Lynbrook, and East Rockaway once a part of New Rockaway, a former village for the Reckouackie Indians. The community was named after Mordecai Rock Smith, a Methodist preacher whose father operated a local mill. He was also a blacksmith, a farmer, and the justice of the peace. Population slowly increased but with the erection of DeMott's Mill on Smith's Pond, Rockville Centre's position as a commercial center for the south shore began to appear. Later years, the village became the site of real estate development and newspapers touting its accessibility by stagecoach from New York City, and the existence of postal service, as well as the abundance of shellfish and game. The Rockville Centre government leaders made early decisions that positioned the village as a leader among Long Island communities and assured its lively growth into the 20th century.

The area has less violent crimes committed with only a ratio of 1 per 1,000 people. Major ancestry groups of residents were Irish, Italian, German, and Russian. Notable current and former residents of Rockville Centre include Dave Antell (comedian), Billy Donovan (former NBA player), Kerry Keating (head coach, Santa Clara University Broncos), and Doris Kearns Goodwin (award winning author). Government officials are very concerned in their area and the resident’s as well providing them clean, safe, and attractive streets, recycling to protect the environment and save taxpayer monies, modern physical plants and facilities for the efficient delivery of services, and abundant recreational opportunities.

The Rockville Centre Public School District has a total of seven schools including five elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. About 20 percent of village residents live in the Oceanside School District and a few streets are within the Baldwin School District. Molloy College is an institution of higher learning in the area which distinguished by 50 years of excellence. The campus has more than 40 clubs, organizations, and Division II Athletic Program. The Village is served by two public libraries; Rockville Centre Public Library and Oceanside Public Library which both offers access to the collections of more than 75 libraries in Nassau County. There are also over 150 acres of parks, ball-fields and playgrounds, and a municipal government which provides the most comprehensive range of services anywhere on Long Island. Rockville Centre is truly a great place to live, work, and raise a family.