Calverton, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Calverton, New York
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Grumman Memorial Park
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U.S. Census map of Calverton.
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 Calverton, New York
Location in Long Island
Calverton, New York
Location in New York
Calverton, New York
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  New York |
| County | Suffolk |
| Town | Brookhaven Riverhead |
| Area | |
| • Total | 26.71 sq mi (69.19 km2) |
| • Land | 26.21 sq mi (67.90 km2) |
| • Water | 0.50 sq mi (1.29 km2) |
| Elevation | 30 ft (9 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 5,934 |
| • Density | 226.36/sq mi (87.40/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern Time Zone) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 |
| ZIP Code |
11933
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| Area code(s) | 631, 934 |
| FIPS code | 36-11781 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0945505 |
Calverton is a small community, also called a "hamlet," located on the eastern part of Long Island in New York. It's in Suffolk County, United States. In 2020, about 5,934 people lived there. Most of Calverton is part of the Town of Riverhead. A smaller, less developed part south of the Peconic River is in the Town of Brookhaven.
Contents
History of Calverton
Calverton was first known as "Baiting Hollow Station" when the Long Island Rail Road arrived in 1844. The train station closed in 1958. However, its old shelter was still standing in 2007.
The Native American name for this area was Conungum or Kanungum. This name meant "fixed line" or "boundary." In 1868, the Calverton post office opened. It was named after Bernard J. Calvert. For a long time, Calverton was a small farming community. Farmers grew cranberries in the wet areas along the Peconic River.
Calverton's history is closely linked to the Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant, Calverton. In 1953, the United States Navy bought about 6,000 acres (24 km2) of land near Calverton. They bought it from a local farmer named Harry Edwards. This land also included a large house that belonged to a grandson of Frank Winfield Woolworth.
The Navy bought this land so that Grumman, an aircraft company, could test and finish their jet planes there. A very long runway, about 10,000 feet (3,000 m) long, was built. Many of Grumman's famous planes, like the F-14 Tomcat and E-2C Hawkeye, were worked on at this plant.
In 1965, Nelson Rockefeller suggested using the base as a fourth major airport for the New York metropolitan area. But Grumman and local people were against the idea, so it did not happen.
Calverton National Cemetery
In 1978, over 1,000 acres (4 km2) of the base were used to create Calverton National Cemetery. This is now the largest and busiest national cemetery in the United States. Many veterans are buried there every day.
In 1995, the company Northrop bought Grumman. The new company, Northrop Grumman, decided to leave the base. The Navy then started to sell off the land.
TWA Flight 800 and Skydive Long Island
In 1996, before the base could be fully given to the Town of Riverhead, it was used for an important purpose. The wreckage of TWA Flight 800 was brought there. This plane had crashed about 20 miles (32 km) south in the ocean. The pieces were put back together at the base to help investigators understand what happened.
In 2000, Skydive Long Island, a skydiving company, moved to the airport. To this day, many skydivers from New York come to Calverton for their jumps.
Future Plans for the Base
For many years, there were big discussions about what to do with the old base. Some people wanted to turn it into a huge complex with a NASCAR race track. Others wanted a giant ski resort with an artificial indoor ski mountain, about 350 feet (110 m) high.
In January 2008, the Riverhead Town Board decided to sell the airport for $155 million to a company called Riverhead Resorts. Their plan was to build the ski mountain, remove the airport runway, and replace it with a lake. This decision went against an earlier vote to allow the NASCAR track. However, on November 12, 2010, the town of Riverhead voted to cancel all plans for the indoor ski resort and water park.
Today, parts of the former base are being developed into an industrial and office park. Several new companies, like Crown Recycling and a Federal Express Distribution Center, have opened in the area.
Geography of Calverton
Calverton covers a total area of about 28.5 square miles (73.8 km2). Most of this area, about 28.0 square miles (72.5 km2), is land. The remaining 0.5 square miles (1.3 km2) is water.
The former Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant, Calverton, is a notable feature in the area. It has an airport code of "CTO."
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 5,934 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,704 people living in Calverton. The population density was about 203.7 people per square mile (78.7/km2). There were 2,539 households in the area.
The average household had about 2.24 people. The average family size was 2.88 people. About 20.3% of the population was under 18 years old. About 25.6% of the population was 65 years or older. The average age of people in Calverton was 43 years old.
Economy
Splish Splash Water Park is a popular amusement park located within Calverton.
Media
- WPTY is a radio station that is licensed to serve Calverton.
See also
In Spanish: Calverton (Nueva York) para niños
