Cold Spring Harbor is a

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

and

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, suc ...

(CDP) in the Town of Huntington, in Suffolk County, on the North Shore of

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18 ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

. As of the

2010 United States census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators serving ...

, the CDP population was 5,070.

History

Cold Spring Harbor was named after the naturally cold freshwater springs that flow in the area. Its economy mainly tied to milling and port activities, it rose in prominence as a

whaling Whaling is the process of hunting of whales for their usable products such as meat and blubber, which can be turned into a type of oil that became increasingly important in the Industrial Revolution. It was practiced as an organized industr ...

community in the mid-nineteenth century. After the decline of whaling in the 1860s, it became a resort town with several hotels. In the 20th century it became known as the site of

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) is a private, non-profit institution with research programs focusing on cancer, neuroscience, plant biology, genomics, and quantitative biology. It is one of 68 institutions supported by the Cancer Centers ...

, although the laboratory itself is located in the adjacent village of Laurel Hollow in Nassau County, which was called Cold Spring before incorporation. Today it is primarily a

bedroom community A commuter town is a populated area that is primarily residential rather than commercial or industrial. Routine travel from home to work and back is called commuting, which is where the term comes from. A commuter town may be called by many o ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, with a small central business area running along Route 25A, and is home to many educational and cultural organizations: the

Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum The Whaling Museum & Education Center, formerly known as The Whaling Museum, is a maritime museum located in Cold Spring Harbor, New York dedicated to the local history, the maritime heritage of Long Island and its impact of the whaling industry ...

, the

Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery and Aquarium The Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium is a non-profit environmental education center dedicated to educating its visitors about the freshwater ecosystems of New York State. It was founded in 1883 in Cold Spring Harbor, New York Cold Spr ...

(also in Laurel Hollow), Dolan DNA Learning Center, the Uplands Farm Sanctuary (home of

The Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global environmental organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. it works via affiliates or branches in 79 countries and territories, as well as across every state in the US. Founded in 1951, The Nat ...

's Long Island chapter), and a museum exhibition gallery run b
Preservation Long Island

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and , or 4.86%, is water.

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2000, there were 4,975 people, 1,753 households, and 1,416 families residing in the CDP. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 1,336.3 per square mile (516.4/km²). There were 1,790 housing units at an average density of 480.8/sq mi (185.8/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 97.03%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 0.42%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.02% Native American, 1.31% Asian, 0.24% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 1.97% of the population. There were 1,753 households, out of which 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.2% were non-families. 14.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.15. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 26.7% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $101,122, and the median income for a family was $112,441. Males had a median income of $78,984 versus $44,464 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the CDP was $52,403. About 1.3% of families and 2.2% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 0.4% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.

Human Resources

Education

Cold Spring Harbor is primarily served by the Cold Spring Harbor School District, and in parts by the

Huntington Union Free School District The Huntington Union - Free School District is a school district in Huntington, New York. There are eight schools in the district. Students in kindergarten through grade 3 are situated at Flower Hill Primary, Jefferson Primary, Southdown Primary ...

Libraries

Residents of Cold Spring Harbor fall into one of two library districts, Cold Spring Harbor and Huntington, each of which correspond to their respective school district.

Transportation

Cold Spring Harbor is served by the Cold Spring Harbor LIRR Station which is outside the hamlet in the neighboring hamlet of West Hills.

Notable people

* Al Arbour lived in Cold Spring Harbor during his coaching career with the

New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conferenc ...

. He moved in 1999, some years after his retirement * James L. Dolan,

Cablevision Cablevision Systems Corporation was an American cable television company with systems serving areas surrounding New York City. It was the fifth-largest cable provider and ninth-largest television provider in the United States. Throughout its e ...

CEO, graduated in 1974 from Cold Spring Harbor High School. * Sean Hannity,

Fox News The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is o ...

host *

Nouria Hernandez Nouria Hernandez is a Swiss biologist and the rector of the University of Lausanne (since 1 August 2016). She was professor of molecular biology at the University of Lausanne from 2004 to 2016. Life and career Nouria Hernandez studied at t ...

, rector of the

University of Lausanne The University of Lausanne (UNIL; french: links=no, Université de Lausanne) in Lausanne, Switzerland was founded in 1537 as a school of Protestant theology, before being made a university in 1890. The university is the second oldest in Switzer ...

(

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

) was a professor at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. * Rosalie Gardiner Jones, suffragette *

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

, musician *

Barbara McClintock Barbara McClintock (June 16, 1902 – September 2, 1992) was an American scientist and cytogeneticist who was awarded the 1983 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. McClintock received her PhD in botany from Cornell University in 1927. There ...

Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...

winner for the discovery of gene transposition, worked at the

for many years and grew corn for research purposes in Cold Spring Harbor. * Scott Seiver,

World Series of Poker The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is a series of poker tournaments held annually in Paradise, Nevada and, since 2004, sponsored by Caesars Entertainment. It dates its origins to 1970, when Benny Binion invited seven of the best-known poker pl ...

bracelet winner and former world number one poker player, as ranked by the Global Poker Index *

Alex Foxen William Alex Foxen (born February 1, 1991) is an American poker player from Huntington, New York. Foxen attended Boston College, where he played tight end on the school's football team. In 2012, at the age of 21, he won the first World Series o ...

bracelet winner and 2019 Global Poker Index player of the year. Considered to be one of the best poker players in the world today. * Kathleen Sullivan, a leading scholar in American constitutional law and Professor at

Stanford Law School Stanford Law School (Stanford Law or SLS) is the law school of Stanford University, a private research university near Palo Alto, California. Established in 1893, it is regarded as one of the most prestigious law schools in the world. Stanford La ...

, was valedictorian at her graduation from Cold Spring Harbor High School in 1972 *

Wally Szczerbiak Walter Robert Szczerbiak Jr. ( ; born March 5, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player and current color analyst for the New York Knicks on MSG Network. He played 10 seasons for four teams in the National Basketball Associ ...

, retired NBA basketball player, attended Cold Spring Harbor High School * Evan Thomas, journalist, editor and author, grew up in Cold Spring Harbor. *

Norman Thomas Norman Mattoon Thomas (November 20, 1884 – December 19, 1968) was an American Presbyterian minister who achieved fame as a socialist, pacifist, and six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America. Early years Thomas was the ...

socialist Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the ...

pacifist Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campai ...

, and six-time United States presidential candidate for the

Socialist Party of America The Socialist Party of America (SPA) was a socialist political party in the United States formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party of Ameri ...

, lived in Cold Spring Harbor until his death in 1968. * Randall Tolson, craftsman and clockmaker, known for a series of highly collectible memorial clocks, lived in Cold Spring Harbor until he died in 1954. *

Ryan Vesce Ryan Joseph Vesce (born April 7, 1982) is an American former professional ice hockey center who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the San Jose Sharks. Playing career Vesce was born in Lloyd Harbor, New York. As a youth, he playe ...

, player for the

San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertain ...

in the NHL, grew up in Lloyd Harbor, adjacent to Cold Spring Harbor, and attended Cold Spring Harbor High School. *

James Watson James Dewey Watson (born April 6, 1928) is an American molecular biologist, geneticist, and zoologist. In 1953, he co-authored with Francis Crick the academic paper proposing the double helix structure of the DNA molecule. Watson, Crick a ...

winner, co-discoverer of the structure of DNA, and former Chancellor of the

* Meg Whitman, former CEO of

Hewlett-Packard The Hewlett-Packard Company, commonly shortened to Hewlett-Packard ( ) or HP, was an American multinational information technology company headquartered in Palo Alto, California. HP developed and provided a wide variety of hardware components ...

and

eBay eBay Inc. ( ) is an American multinational e-commerce company based in San Jose, California, that facilitates consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer sales through its website. eBay was founded by Pierre Omidyar in 1995 and became ...

, grew up in Lloyd Harbor and attended Cold Spring Harbor High School, graduating in 1973.

In popular culture

* The novel ''

Cold Spring Harbor Cold Spring Harbor is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Town of Huntington, in Suffolk County, on the North Shore of Long Island in New York. As of the 2010 United States census, the CDP population was 5,070. History Cold Spri ...

'' (1986), by Richard Yates, is a quiet suburban tragedy set in the 1940s. * In the '' Godzilla: The Series'' episode "Lizard Season", Cold Spring Harbor was used as the setting of the final battle between Godzilla and the Lizard Slayers, a trio of robots developed by the series' recurring villain Cameron Winter. * ''

'' is the name of

Billy Joel William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, pianist and songwriter. Commonly nicknamed the "Piano Man" after his album and signature song of the same name, he has led a commercially successful career as a solo artist since th ...

's debut solo album from 1971 and is referenced in the song "

Everybody Loves You Now "Everybody Loves You Now" is a song written by Billy Joel. It was first released on his 1971 debut album ''Cold Spring Harbor'' and was also released as a b-side to his singles "She's Got a Way" and "Tomorrow Is Today." Live versions were include ...

": "You ain't got the time to go to Cold Spring Harbor no more." The album's cover has Joel in the hamlet. He would go on to purchase a house in the adjacent village of Lloyd Harbor with his then-wife Christie Brinkley in 1981.

References

External links

Cold Spring Harbor Village

Cold Spring Harbor High School
{{authority control Huntington, New York Census-designated places in New York (state) Hamlets in New York (state) Long Island Sound Populated coastal places in New York (state) Census-designated places in Suffolk County, New York Hamlets in Suffolk County, New York