 Long Island is
one of the largest islands in the United States, located just
east of Manhattan on the southeastern tip of New York State.
It is 118 miles in length and 20 miles in width, and has more
than 1,000 miles of shoreline. There are 55,000 acres of
park land, 113 golf courses, and 429 marinas and yacht clubs. Suffolk County, occupying the eastern two thirds of Long Island, is 911 square miles with 566,466 acres. It is 86 miles long and 20 miles at its widest point, and has a population of approximately 1.4 million people. It is one of the oldest counties in the United States, originally settled at Southold and Southampton in 1640. In 1683, the English established Suffolk as one of the 12 counties of the colony of New York. Following the Revolutionary War, Suffolk became one of the counties of New York State. Riverhead was chosen as the county seat. In 1959, a charter was adopted calling for a chief administrative officer, The County Executive. In 1970, a County Legislature was established with 18 districts based on population. Suffolk County
is known for its lovely and diverse landscape, including rolling
hills, meadows, sandy beaches, sparkling lakes, and fertile farmland.
Suffolk is a large producer of ducks, and is famous for its potatoes,
fish and shellfish. The County enjoys a mild climate, bathed
by cool breezes from the Atlantic Ocean and the Long Island Sound.
The water of the Atlantic, Long Island Sound, and the many sheltered
bays and inlets are ideal for sailing, motorboating, bathing
and salt water fishing. In the 17th Century,
Babylon Town was part of the town of Huntington, which had been
settled by English colonists in 1653. Farmers in the north
part of Suffolk County would travel to Babylon town because of
the abundance of salt hay growing along the Great South Bay,
which was vitally needed for the diet of their cattle.
The two main trails for salt hay traffic were along the path
of today's Route 110 and Deer Park Avenue. It wasn't until
about 1760 that the first house was built in the Babylon Village
area, now know as the Conklin house. A new era began to
unfold when the railroad came to the South Shore in 1867.
The easier access brought a stream of newcomers from New York
City. In 1870, the village of Breslau (now Lindenhurst)
was formed, settled largely by German immigrants. In 1872,
the township of Babylon was born. As Babylon moved into
the 20th Century, the population doubled between 1910 and 1930.
Growth continued rapidly when master builder Robert Moses ran
the new Southern State Parkway through the town's northern section.
By 1970, the town was almost fully developed.
Islip Town was
formed by a succession of land purchases from Indians between
1683 and 1708, but most of that land was occupied by large family
landholders, a condition that continued well into the 19th century.
In 1710, the town was officially created by a colonial legislature.
By 1850, the census count had only reached 2,602. But, the building
of the Fire Island Lighthouse and the arrival of the LIRR created
an influx. Shellfish became a major industry, and wealthy New
Yorkers discovered the Islip shore as a haven for summer homes.
After World War II, farmland gave way to commercial development,
and baby-boomers created demand for schools and shops.
The postwar decades brought the development of Islip's Fire Island
as a full-fledged resort adjoining the seaside pleasures of Robert
Moses State Park.
West Islip is located on the south shore of Long Island about 45 miles east of New York City. A principal hamlet of the Town of Islip in Suffolk County, West Islip is bordered on the north by Brentwood, on the east by Bay Shore, on the south by the Great South Bay, and on the west by the Village of Babylon. West Islip's western boundary is a natural one formed by Sumpwams Creek, Hawley's Lake, Deer Lake and Swan Lake. The first people to settle in this area more than one thousand years ago were the Secatogue Indians. The unearthing of an Indian burial ground north of West Islip beach enabled historians to reconstruct a village of these Indians who lived along the edges of the Great South Bay, Sumpwams Creek, Trues Creek and Willetts Creek. One of the main Indian trails was Udall Road which was the first road in Suffolk County to run north and south. It was named for the Richard Udall family who had an estate on South Country Road (now Montauk Highway). In the early 1600's, the West Islip area came under the influence of the Dutch. In 1664, it came under English rule when the Duke of York claimed Long Island with the permission of King Charles II. In 1692, this land was purchased by Thomas and William Willetts through an agreement with the Secatogue Indians. These settlers found the area well suited for farming and hunting and the many waterways abundant with fish and shellfish. Since the Willetts owned most of West Islip, additional families did not arrive until late in the 1 770's when parcels of land were sold to others. The tax rolls of 1757 only listed Willetts. During the 1800's, the community became a popular haven of wealthy estate owners. Among these were the Magoun, Udall, Gerek and Smith families. Farming, charcoal production, lumbering and fishing were the main occupations. In the mid 1800's, the completion of the Long Island Railroad brought travelers to West Islip and helped make the La Grange Inn a popular attraction. The Inn had been established in the mid 1700's by the Higbie family. The first schoolhouse was started in 1807 and was located on South Country Road. One of our first teachers, G.M. Bishop, taught for thirty-three years and, by 1872, had sixty-four students in his class. West lslip's population continued to grow slowly and the 1930 census recorded 734 residents. In the early part of the Twentieth Century, many Ukranian people settled in West Islip seeking refuge from political repression and economic hardships. Some worked as gardeners on the estates while others became farmers, land owners and owners of small businesses. The Ukranian heritage is still part of our community. From 1940 until 1970, West Islip experienced most of its population growth. It had become an attractive suburban home community with its own fire department, post office, public library and Good Samaritan Hospital. While a short drive on the Robert Moses Causeway affords access to good fishing and swimming at the Captree Boat Basin and the Robert Moses State Park, West Islip boasts its own beach and marina. Today West Islip
is situated on over 4,000 acres and approximately 35,000 residents
make West Islip their home. Numerous community groups offer
support services and cultural enrichment for our residents.
In addition to the various clubs and organizations affiliated
with our schools and churches, there are the Beautification Society,
the Lions Club, American Legion, the Chamber Orchestra Society,
Youth Enrichment Services, and the Chamber of Commerce, all working
to maintain and enhance the fine reputation our hamlet has attained.
In addition, every September the West Islip Bicentennial Committee
sponsors a country fair which has focused much positive attention
on West Islip. |
||||||||||||||||