Saltaire is a

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred ...

Fire Island Fire Island is the large center island of the outer barrier islands parallel to the South Shore of Long Island, in the U.S. state of New York. Occasionally, the name is used to refer collectively to not only the central island, but also Lon ...

in the southern part of the

Town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an o ...

of Islip in Suffolk County,

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 * '' ...

, United States. The year-round population was 37 at the 2010 census, which, as a summer beach community, increases many times over in the summer.

History

Saltaire was founded in 1910 and incorporated in 1917. The village was heavily damaged and six residents killed in the

Hurricane of 1938 The 1938 New England Hurricane (also referred to as the Great New England Hurricane and the Long Island Express Hurricane) was one of the deadliest and most destructive tropical cyclones to strike Long Island, New York, and New England. The st ...

. In early 2009 the village underwent a beach restoration project. The village sustained damage by

Hurricane Sandy Hurricane Sandy (unofficially referred to as ''Superstorm Sandy'') was an extremely destructive and strong Atlantic hurricane, as well as the largest Atlantic hurricane on record as measured by diameter, with tropical-storm-force winds spann ...

in 2012.

Transportation

An individual has three ways to get to the community (and the island in general). One could ride the Fire Island Ferries, arrive by private boat or travel by car (restricted). Use of the ferries is by far the most popular means of getting to Saltaire. It is also possible to reach Saltaire by foot or bicycle from other Fire Island communities, by one of the inland walks or on the beach.

Geography

The village is located on the western part of

between the

Great South Bay The Great South Bay is a lagoon situated between Long Island and Fire Island, in the State of New York. It is about long and has an average depth of 4 feet 3 inches and is 20 feet at its deepest. It is protected from the Atlantic Ocean by Fire ...

and the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

and between the hamlets of Kismet (to the west) and Fair Harbor (to the east). 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 village has a total area of , of which is land and , or 18.04%, is water. Among other things, Saltaire is known for its great softball league in the summer. The village encompasses the widest portion of Fire Island at approximately . There are 459 housing units in the community, as well as a

Village Hall A village hall is a public building in a village used for various things such as: United Kingdom In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building which contains at least one large room (plus kitchen and toilets), is owned by a local ...

and Court, general market, Fire House, two churches, and a members

yacht club A yacht club is a sports club specifically related to yachting. Description Yacht clubs are mostly located by the sea, although there some that have been established at a lake or riverside locations. Yacht or sailing clubs have either a mar ...

. Saltaire is the second largest

community, and it is situated on the widest area on the Fire Island (approximately one-half mile). Fire Island Ferry service to Saltaire leaves from the

Bay Shore Bay Shore is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Town of Islip, New York, United States. It is situated on the South Shore of Long Island, adjoining the Great South Bay. The population of the CDP was 29,244 at the time of the 20 ...

Fire Island ferry terminal. Saltaire consists of boardwalks and sand paths. Not many full-sized cars are found on the roads. Bicycles are the main form of transportation.

Demographics

The following demographics represent year-round Saltaire households (not representative of total ownership, or summer population): 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 43 people, 14 households, and 9 families residing in the village. 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 155.0 people per square mile (59.3/km²). There were 401 housing units at an average density of 1,445.2 per square mile (553.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 79.07%

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 ...

, 9.30% Asian, and 11.63% 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 2.33% of the population. There were 14 households, out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% 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 28.6% were non-families. 14.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.07 and the average family size was 3.50. In the village, the population was spread out, with 37.2% under the age of 18, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 16.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 152.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.7 males. The median income for a household in the village was $75,252, and the median income for a family was $49,500. Males had a median income of $51,250 versus $41,250 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 village was $17,125. None of the population and none of the families 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 ...

Government

The Village is governed by a Mayor and Board of Trustees.

Fire company

The Saltaire Volunteer Fire Company, Inc., was established in 1969 to provide fire suppression services to the village. In 1986, the fire company became the first Fire Island fire department to provide Emergency Medical Services to the village and surrounding communities. The department currently has two (pumper) engines, one utility rescue truck, two fire/EMS first response Mules, one ambulance, one EMS transport vehicle and a Chief's/personnel vehicle. These vehicles are often modified for use in the unique Fire Island geography with

four-wheel drive Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer ca ...

, lifted suspensions, and large-diameter tires.

Education

Children of year-round residents are zoned to

Fire Island School District Fire Island Union Free School District No. 14 is a school district headquartered in the Town of Islip and on Fire Island, in New York. The school is adjacent to but not in Ocean Beach. The district includes, portions of Fire Island west of Ocean ...

. They attend the sole school of the district, Woodhull School in Ocean Beach until grade 6, at which point they are bussed to

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 ...

for grades 7-12, with a choice of either the Bay Shore School District (which operates Bay Shore Middle School and

Bay Shore High School Bay Shore High School is a public high school located in Bay Shore, New York. The school serves about 2,000 students in grades 9 to 12.Islip School District (which operates

Islip High School Islip High School is the public high school in Islip, in Suffolk County, New York on the South Shore of Long Island. It is a part of the Islip School District. the principal is Lara Gonzalez. The complete lists of current and past graduates, Re ...

). They may also be bussed to one of the many private and parochial schools on the mainland.

Saltaire Yacht Club

The Saltaire Yacht Club, founded in 1911, underwent rebuilding in winter 2015 due to damage from Hurricane Sandy. All property owners and renters in the village are eligible to join. The club has five

Har-Tru A clay court is one of the types of tennis court on which the sport of tennis, originally known as "lawn tennis", is played. Clay courts are made of crushed stone, brick, shale, or other unbound mineral aggregate depending on the tournament. T ...

tennis courts which can be used by tennis members and their house guests. In addition, it has a bar and the only restaurant in the village which serves dinner six nights a week for its members. Each summer it offers a wide variety of activities and in the past has featured Broadway comedians, singers and entertainers. The club owns a fleet of boats and offers sailing lessons to children during the week. Adult members may take private sailing lessons on the weekend, and competent sailors are permitted to use the club boats. Approximately 250 of the 400 households in the village are members of the club. The club and the village are separate organizations but work closely together. The club allows the village to host its annual Labor Day show put on by the children in the village, show children's movies once a week, and use the club for other activities during the summer.

References

External links

Fire Island official website

Village of Saltaire official website

Saltaire Volunteer Fire Company Website
{{authority control Fire Island, New York Islip (town), New York Villages in New York (state) Villages in Suffolk County, New York Populated coastal places in New York (state)