Port Washington 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) on the

Cow Neck Peninsula The Cow Neck Peninsula is a peninsula in Nassau County, New York, on the North Shore of Long Island. Description The Cow Neck Peninsula was named Cow Neck in the 17th Century, in large part due to the fact that it served as a common pasture a ...

in the

Town of North Hempstead North Hempstead is one of three towns in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 237,639 at the 2020 census. History The area was first settled by Europeans around 1643 and became part of the town of Hemp ...

, in Nassau 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 ...

, in

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 * '' ...

. The hamlet is the anchor community of the Greater Port Washington area. The population was 15,846 at the 2010 census.

History

Much of the Port Washington area was initially settled by colonists in 1644, after they purchased land from the people of the Matinecock Nation. In the 1870s, Port Washington became an important sand-mining town; it had the largest sandbank east of the

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

and easy barge access to

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

. Some 140 million cubic yards of local sand were used for concrete for New York skyscrapers (including the Empire State and

Chrysler Stellantis North America (officially FCA US and formerly Chrysler ()) is one of the " Big Three" automobile manufacturers in the United States, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is the American subsidiary of the multinational automotiv ...

buildings), in addition to the New York City Subway. In 1998, the sand mines were redeveloped as Harbor Links – a golf course for North Hempstead residents. In 1930, Port Washington tried to incorporate itself as a city, which would have had the same boundaries as the Port Washington Union Free School District's, excluding Sands Point, which had already incorporated itself as a village. This plan ultimately failed when the bill was killed after Baxter Estates, Flower Hill, and Manorhaven incorporated themselves as villages in order to retain

home rule Home rule is government of a colony, dependent country, or region by its own citizens. It is thus the power of a part (administrative division) of a state or an external dependent country to exercise such of the state's powers of governance wi ...

of their respective areas. In the late 1930s, prior to the opening of the

Marine Air Terminal The Marine Air Terminal (also known as Terminal A) is an airport terminal located at LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York City. Its main building, designed in the Art Deco style by William Delano of the firm Delano & Aldrich, opened in 1940. Th ...

at LaGuardia Airport, Port Washington was Pan-American World Airways' New York base for their Yankee Clipper

Boeing The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and ...

B-314

flying boats A flying boat is a type of fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in that a flying boat's fuselage is purpose-designed for floatation and contains a hull, while floatplanes rely on fusel ...

; the waters of Manhasset Bay were ideal for flying boat operations. Common destinations served included

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, Southampton (UK),

the Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...

, and

Bermuda ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = National song , song = "Hail to Bermuda" , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , mapsize2 = , map_caption2 = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = , es ...

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 25.22%, is water. The hamlet is bordered on two sides with bodies of water: Manhasset Bay on its western side and Hempstead Harbor on its eastern side. Port Washington is located on the

. Two enclaves exist above the northern portions of the main, contiguous part of the hamlet.

Climate

Port Washington has a hot-summer

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...

(''Dfa''), bordering on a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

(''Cfa''). Average monthly temperatures in the central CDP range from 31.8° F in January to 75.3° F in July. The

hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most wide ...

is 7b, except on the north-to-south ridge where it is 7a.

Greater Port Washington area

The Greater Port Washington area is home to four incorporated villages in their entirety, in addition to the hamlet of Port Washington: * Baxter Estates * Manorhaven * Port Washington North * Sands Point Additionally, the Greater Port Washington area also includes part of the Incorporated Village of Flower Hill (which is split between the Greater Manhasset, Greater Port Washington, and Greater Roslyn areas), as well as a small part of the Village of Plandome Manor (which is split between the Greater Manhasset and Port Washington areas).

Economy

There are numerous small stores in Port Washington with 6 shopping centers, 4 strip malls and an industrial complex on the east side of Port Washington next to Hempstead Harbor, off West Shore Road.

Entertainment One Entertainment One Ltd., trading as eOne, is an American-owned Canadian multinational entertainment company. Based in Toronto, Ontario, the company is primarily involved in the acquisition, distribution, and production of films and television s ...

, NPD Group,

Pall Pall may refer to: * Pall (funeral), a cloth used to cover a coffin * Pall (heraldry), a Y-shaped heraldic charge * Pall (liturgy), a piece of stiffened linen used to cover the chalice at the Eucharist * Pall Corporation, a global business * Pall. ...

, and

Systemax Global Industrial Company, is a Port Washington, New York based company and is a provider of industrial and MRO (maintenance, repair, and operating supply) products through a system of branded e-Commerce websites and relationship marketers in Nort ...

, as well as a

Hilton Garden Inn Hilton Garden Inn is an American chain of mid-priced, limited or focused service hotels owned by Hilton Worldwide. As of December 31, 2019, it has 862 properties with 126,086 rooms in 49 countries and territories, including 81 that are manage ...

are located in that industrial complex.

Business improvement district

Additionally, the entirety of the hamlet is located within the Greater Port Washington Business Improvement District's boundaries.

Demographics

2010 Census

As of the 2010 census, the population was 15,846. The racial makeup of the population was 82.2%

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 ...

74.7%

Non-Hispanic White Non-Hispanic whites or Non-Latino whites are Americans who are classified as "white", and are not of Hispanic (also known as "Latino") heritage. The United States Census Bureau defines ''white'' to include European Americans, Middle Eastern Am ...

, 2.4%

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 ...

, 0.2% Native American, 8% Asian, 0.0%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 4.8% from other races, and 2.4% 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 people of any race were 13.4% of the population. The median income for households in Port Washington, New York is $127,813, while the mean household income is $189,892.

2000 Census

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 15,215 people, 5,521 households, and 4,168 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 3,613.7 per square mile (1,395.4/km). There were 5,662 housing units at an average density of 1,344.8/sq mi (519.3/km). The racial makeup of the CDP was 85.97%

, 2.81%

, 0.11% Native American, 6.07% Asian, 0.02%

, 3.15% from other races, and 1.86% from two or more races.

or Latino people of any race were 11.20% of the population. There were 5,521 households, out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% 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, and 24.5% were non-families. Of all households, 20.4% were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.15. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $105,837 and the median income for a family was $122,646. Males had a median income of $91,024 versus $59,299 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 $53,815. About 3.1% of families and 4.7% 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 3.5% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Town representation

Port Washington, an unincorporated area within the Town of North Hempstead, is directly governed by said Town. It is located entirely within the Town of North Hempstead's 6th council district, which as of August 2022 is represented on the North Hempstead Town Council by Mariann Dalimonte ( D–Port Washington).

Representation in higher government

Nassau County representation

Port Washington is located in Nassau County's 11th Legislative district, which as of August 2022 is represented in the

Nassau County Legislature The Nassau County Legislature is the lawmaking body of Nassau County, New York. Currently, it has 19 different members from 19 different districts. It was formed in 1996 to succeed the county's Board of Supervisors, which was ruled unconstitutio ...

by Delia DiRiggi-Whitton (D– Glen Cove).

New York State representation

= New York State Assembly

= Port Washington is located within the

New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Ass ...

's 16th Assembly district, which as of August 2022 is represented by

Gina Sillitti Gina Sillitti (born April 5, 1978) is an American Democratic Party politician who currently represents New York State Assembly district 16, which includes Port Washington, Manhasset, Great Neck, North Hills, East Hills, Flower Hill, Old Westb ...

(D–Manorhaven).

= New York State Senate

= Port Washington is located in the

New York State Senate The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature; the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Its members are elected to two-year terms; there are no term limits. There are 63 seats in the Senate. Partisan comp ...

's 7th State Senate district, which as of August 2022 is represented in the New York State Senate by Anna Kaplan (D– North Hills).

Federal representation

= United States Congress

= Port Washington is located in New York's 3rd congressional district, which as of August 2022 is represented in the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is Bicameralism, bicameral, composed of a lower body, the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives, and an upper body, ...

by Tom Suozzi (D–Glen Cove).

United States Senate

Like the rest of New York, Port Washington is represented in the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and po ...

Charles Schumer Charles Ellis Schumer ( ; born November 23, 1950) is an American politician serving as Senate Majority Leader since January 20, 2021. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Schumer is in his fourth Senate term, hav ...

(D) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D).

Politics

In the 2016 U.S. presidential election, the majority of Port Washington voters voted for

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

(D).

Parks and recreation

* Blumenfeld Family Park * Harbor Links * Merriman Park (Manhasset Bay Park District residents only) * North Hempstead Aerodrome * North Hempstead Beach Park * Alvan Petrus Park * Sand Miner's Monument * Sunset Park * Town Dock Park

Park district

A small portion of Port Washington is located within a park district, named the Manhasset Bay Park District. This special district, which is operated by the Town of North Hempstead, covers the hamlet's Manhasset Bay Estates subdivision, as well as a portion of the Plandome Country Club in the adjacent, incorporated village, Plandome Manor. The Manhasset Bay Park District is responsible for operating and maintaining Merriman Park, located on the former site of the

Port Washington Union Free School District The Port Washington Union Free School District is a public school district on Long Island, in New York. Overview Service area The Port Washington UFSD serves the villages of Baxter Estates, Manorhaven, Port Washington North, and Sand ...

's Merriman School; the park is open exclusively to residents of the Manhasset Bay Park District.

Yacht clubs

* Manhasset Bay Yacht Club * North Shore Yacht Club * Port Washington Yacht Club The former

Knickerbocker Yacht Club The Knickerbocker Yacht Club was a yacht club in Port Washington, New York. The club was founded in 1874, on the Harlem River at 130th Street in Manhattan, to encourage “Yachting and the cultivation of Naval Science and Seamanship”. In 19 ...

was also located within the hamlet.

Education

School district

Port Washington is located within the boundaries of (and is thus served by) the

. Additionally, a small portion of the hamlet's southeastern corner is located within the boundaries of the

Roslyn Union Free School District The Roslyn Union Free School District (also known as Union Free School District No. 3) is an American public school district located in Nassau County, New York, Nassau County, on Long Island in New York (state), New York, United States. The distr ...

. However, there are no homes in the area within the Roslyn UFSD's boundaries, and as such, all students who reside within the hamlet and attend public schools go to Port Washington's schools. In 2022, the Port Washington UFSD's high school, Paul D. Schreiber Senior High School, was ranked #733 nationally out of 17,843 schools and #77 in New York High Schools out of 1,212 schools.

Library district

Port Washington is located entirely within the boundaries of the Port Washington Library District.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Road

One state road passes through and directly serves Port Washington: Port Washington Boulevard (NY 101). Other major roads within the hamlet include Harbor Road, Mackey Avenue, Main Street, Murray Avenue, North Plandome Road, Radcliff Avenue, Sandy Hollow Road, South Bayles Avenue, West Shore Road/Beacon Hill Road, and Willowdale Avenue.

Parking District

Port Washington, in its entirety, is located within the boundaries of (and is thus served by) the Town of North Hempstead's Port Washington Parking District – a special district. Several of the facilities operated by the district are located within the hamlet.

Rail

Port Washington is the terminus of the Port Washington Branch of the

Long Island Rail Road The Long Island Rail Road , often abbreviated as the LIRR, is a commuter rail system in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of New York, stretching from Manhattan to the eastern tip of Suffolk County on Long Island. With an average week ...

, which opened for passengers in 1898.

Bus

The n23 bus operated by Nassau Inter-County Express, which runs from Manorhaven to the Mineola Intermodal Center in Mineola, serves Port Washington, running along Main Street and Port Washington Boulevard. Additionally, NICE's Port Washington Shuttle provides local service in the hamlet and throughout the Greater Port Washington area, with limited service to the Village of Roslyn, which is located slightly southeast of Port Washington.

Utilities

Natural gas

National Grid USA provides

natural gas Natural gas (also called fossil gas or simply gas) is a naturally occurring mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons consisting primarily of methane in addition to various smaller amounts of other higher alkanes. Low levels of trace gases like carbon d ...

to homes and businesses that are hooked up to natural gas lines in Port Washington.

Power

PSEG Long Island provides power to all homes and businesses within Port Washington.

Sewage

Port Washington is located within the boundaries of (and is thus served by) the Port Washington Water Pollution Control District, which operates the

sanitary sewer A sanitary sewer is an underground pipe or tunnel system for transporting sewage from houses and commercial buildings (but not stormwater) to a sewage treatment plant or disposal. Sanitary sewers are a type of gravity sewer and are part of an ...

system serving the hamlet.

Water

The

Port Washington Water District The Port Washington Water District is a public water utility district in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. Description The Port Washington Water District was established in 1913. As of 2019, the district serves over ...

provides water for the heavy majority of the hamlet, with the exception being the portion of the hamlet located within the Roslyn Union Free School District's boundaries, which is served by the

Roslyn Water District The Roslyn Water District is a public water utility district in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. History The Roslyn Water District was established in 1910. Communities served The Roslyn Water District serves the f ...

Healthcare and emergency services

Healthcare

There are no hospitals located within Port Washington. The nearest hospital to the hamlet is St. Francis Hospital in Flower Hill.

Fire

The heavy majority of Port Washington is located within the boundaries of (and is thus served by) the Port Washington Fire District, with the exception being the portion of the hamlet located within the Roslyn Union Free School District's boundaries, which is located within the boundaries of (and is thus served by) the Roslyn Fire District.

Police

The

Port Washington Police District The Port Washington Police District is a police district serving portions of the Town of North Hempstead in Nassau County, Long Island, New York, United States. The district includes Baxter Estates and Port Washington North, and nearly all of ...

provides police protection for the heavy majority of the hamlet, with the exception being the portion of the hamlet located within the Roslyn Union Free School District's boundaries, which is served by the Sixth Precinct of the

Nassau County Police Department The Nassau County Police Department is the law enforcement agency of Nassau County, New York. History In 1925, concerned about rising crime rates, the County Board of Supervisors voted to create the Nassau County Police Department, replaci ...

Landmarks

The Thomas Dodge Homestead, William Landsberg House, Main Street School, and the Monfort Cemetery are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

Notable people

John Fasano John Michael Fasano (August 24, 1961 – July 19, 2014) was an American screenwriter, film producer and director. In the length of his career, Fasano directed six films, produced twenty more, and wrote screenplays for at least eighteen others. F ...

(1961-2014), screenwriter and director. * William H. Folwell (1924-2022), American Episcopal prelate. * Lucy Fradkin (born 1953), visual artist. * Howard Gould (1871–1959), financier. * Bob Griffin (born 1980), American-Israeli basketball player, and English Literature professor. *

William Randolph Hearst William Randolph Hearst Sr. (; April 29, 1863 – August 14, 1951) was an American businessman, newspaper publisher, and politician known for developing the nation's largest newspaper chain and media company, Hearst Communications. His flamboya ...

(1863–1951), publisher. *

Craig M. Johnson Craig M. Johnson (born April 21, 1971) is an American politician and former Democratic Party member of the New York State Senate for the 7th district. Education and early career Johnson earned a B.A. degree (''magna cum laude'') from Amherst ...

(born 1971), former New York State senator. * Dave Kerpen (born 1976), serial entrepreneur, ''New York Times'' best-selling author, global keynote speaker. *

Katie Lowes Katie Quinn Lowes (born September 22, 1982) is an American actress and theater director. She is best known for her role as Quinn Perkins in the ABC political drama series ''Scandal'' (2012–2018) and her portrayal of Rachel DeLoache Williams i ...

(born 1982), actress. * Margaret Marian McPartland (1918-2013), English-born jazz pianist. * Evelyn Mulry Moore (1942–2012), wheelchair athlete. * Nancy Overton (1926-2009), singer. * Susan Quittmeyer, opera singer. *

Anthony Scaramucci Anthony Scaramucci ( ; born January 6, 1964) is an American financier who briefly served as the White House Director of Communications from July 21 to July 31, 2017. Scaramucci worked at Goldman Sachs's investment banking, equities, and priva ...

(born 1964), founder of

SkyBridge Capital SkyBridge Capital is a global investment firm based in New York City, United States. It is run by founder Anthony Scaramucci, Brett S. Messing, Raymond Nolte and Troy Gaveski. SkyBridge produces the SkyBridge Alternatives Conference, or "SALT" C ...

; former White House Communications Director to President

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...

. * Richard Shindell (born 1960), singer-songwriter; grew up in Port Washington. *

Sean Spicer Sean Michael Spicer (born September 23, 1971) is a former American political aide who served as the 30th White House Press Secretary and as White House Communications Director under President Donald Trump in 2017. Spicer was communications dire ...

(born 1971), 30th White House Press Secretary. * Jean Swain (1923-2000), singer. *

Jon "Stugotz" Weiner Jonathan Brian Weiner (born July 29, 1972), known professionally as Stugotz, is an American sports talk radio host based in Miami, Florida. He is best known for his work on ''The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz'' on ESPN Radio, where he is the ...

(born 1972), co-host of ''

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz ''The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz'' is a syndicated sports talk show hosted by Dan Le Batard and Jon "Stugotz" Weiner broadcast out of Miami. It was also carried on many ESPN Radio Network affiliates nationwide and simulcast nationally on v ...

.'' *

Burt Young Gerald Tommaso DeLouise (born April 30, 1940), known professionally as Burt Young, is an American actor, author and painter. He played Rocky Balboa's brother-in-law and best friend Paulie Pennino in the ''Rocky'' film series. He was nominated for ...

(born 1940), actor best known for appearing in ''Rocky'' and its sequels.

References

External links

Port Washington Chamber of Commerce official website

Port Washington Public Library
{{authority control Census-designated places in New York (state) Hamlets in New York (state) Long Island Sound Town of North Hempstead, New York Census-designated places in Nassau County, New York Hamlets in Nassau County, New York Populated coastal places in New York (state)