WYANDANCH, LONG ISLAND

Wyandanch, Long Island

Wyandanch is a hamlet and census-designated place located in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. It is within the Town of Babylon. Wyandanch has the same exits of Lindenhurst, Amityville, and Huntington. As of the 2000 census, there were 10,546 people, 2,525 households, and 2,113 families residing in the CDP. The median income for a household in the CDP was $40,664, and the median income for a family was $41,857. Males had a median income of $29,344 and only $26,831 for females. Compared to the rest of the country, Wyandanch's cost of living is 19.68% higher than the U.S. average. The latitude of Wyandanch is 40.753N. The longitude is -73.36W. It is in the Eastern Standard time zone. Elevation is 56 feet.

During the 17th century, the village was named after Chief Wyandanch, a leader of the Montaukett tribe who played a lead role in the sale of tribal land to the English. It is believed that the superior fire power and military strength of his opponents weighed in his mind for the deals that he made with them. It is also possible that he had the best interests of his tribe at heart. There may be speculation and controversy about the motives for his real actions, but one thing is for sure - he was proud of the town that is now named after him. The former and merged names include Half Way Hollow Hills, West Deer Park, and Wyandance. Irish immigrants tempted by seductive advertising, unwittingly purchased lots in the midst of the Pine Barrens here in the 1920s and 1930s.

Wyandanch was a home to renowned rapper Rakim and George Cooper, a star running back for the Wyandanch Warriors. The racial-makeup of the community comprises of 10.21% White, 77.72% African American, 0.75% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 6.26% from other races, and 4.47% from two or more races. It is served by Wyandanch Union Free School District which has two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. Wyandanch public schools spend $13,057 per student. The average school expenditure in the U.S. is $6,058. It also boasts one of the most successful high school basketball programs in New York State. The Team Warriors are a consistent competitive force throughout Long Island and upstate New York. Wyandanch has been known as a very religious community with several churches serving the entire community which includes the Fellowship and First Baptist Churches, the Community Church of the Nazarene, the Revelation Church of God, the Salvation and Deliverance Church, the Trinity Lutheran Church, the Mount Moriah Church, and the First African Methodist Church. There’s a revitalization project is on going to improve the area's shopping center. As of now, there is a still a compare supermarket and several strip malls and shops near the downtown area.

--- Wyandanch Public Library ---Wyandanch Community Cooperative