SHIRLEY, LONG ISLAND

Shirley, Long Island

Shirley 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. Shirley is served by the Mastic-Shirley Long Island Rail Road station (the station was a compromise when both Mastic and Shirley campaigned for it). The Amagansett, Conscience Point, Target Rock, Wetheim, Oyster Bay, Seatuck and Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuges are clearly the most valuable parts of Shirley. Maybe no other town in the world can boast of such a galaxy of nature, animals, birds and flora. As of the 2000 census, there were 25,395 people, 7,353 households, and 6,176 families residing in the CDP. The median income for a household in the CDP was $57,294, and the median income for a family was $58,146. Males had a median income of $41,525 and only $29,701 for females. The latitude of Shirley is 40.801N. The longitude is -72.868W. It is in the Eastern Standard time zone. Elevation is 52 feet.

The community is named for developer Walter T. Shirley who had the vision in the 1950s to turn the area on Mastic Bay into an affordable enclave. He is primarily remembered as a real estate investor and promoter. With over 40 years in the business, most of them on Long Island, it is no surprise that we associate his name with land. A large part of Shirley's success was due to his being a gambler, willing to take great financial risks. He saw the value in the land of Long Island and he took a chance. Mr. Shirley's impact on the community can be appreciated or denounced but it cannot be ignored.

Notable residents living in Shirley include Playboy's April 05 Playmate of the Month Courtney Culkin. The racial-makeup comprises of 89.69% White, 3.33% African American, 0.32% Native American, 1.23% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.84% from other races, and 2.56% from two or more races. Most of its resident’s ancestries were Italian, Irish, German, Puerto Rican, and Polish. Most of Shirley, the southern part is served by the William Floyd School District. The northern part is served by the Longwood School District. The local Chamber of Commerce is trying their best to improve the reputation of the community both internally and externally and also improve the quality of life for all residents in the community. They also enhance the influence of other neighboring communities such as Mastic, Mastic Beach, and Moriches. The Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library offers limitless ways to access the information you need and has numerous books for research purposes. Commercial areas in Shirley can be found along Montauk Highway and the William Floyd Parkway. There are two main Churches in town namely the Trinity Baptist Church and the Assembly of God. With also 4 non-denominational Churches and 1 Orthodox Church in Shirley that provide religious services and social support to their followers.

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