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East Meadow, New York
Hamlet and census-designated place
Nassau University Medical Center, one of the most prominent landmarks in East Meadow.
Nassau University Medical Center, one of the most prominent landmarks in East Meadow.
Location in Nassau County and the state of New York
Location in Nassau County and the state of New York
East Meadow, New York is located in Long Island
East Meadow, New York
East Meadow, New York
Location in Long Island
East Meadow, New York is located in New York
East Meadow, New York
East Meadow, New York
Location in New York
Country  United States
State  New York
County Nassau
Town Hempstead
Area
 • Total 6.33 sq mi (16.39 km2)
 • Land 6.30 sq mi (16.32 km2)
 • Water 0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2)
Elevation
72 ft (22 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 37,796
 • Density 5,996.51/sq mi (2,315.31/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Code
11554
Area code(s) 516, 363
FIPS code 36-22502
GNIS feature ID 0973378

East Meadow is a community located in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island. It's known as a hamlet and a census-designated place (CDP). A hamlet is a small community, and a CDP is an area that looks like a town but isn't officially incorporated.

East Meadow is part of the Town of Hempstead. In 2024, about 36,856 people lived here. Many residents travel to Manhattan for work, which is about 30 miles (48 km) away.

East Meadow was chosen to host eight cricket matches for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup in June 2024.

History of East Meadow

Early Days and Grazing Lands

In 1655, surveyors for Hempstead found that the "east meadow" was a great place for animals to graze. This area quickly became a spot for cattle. Later, in the 1700s, it became famous for its sheep. The sheep from East Meadow provided more than half of the wool needed in the United States at that time!

Revolutionary War and Famous Visitors

During the American Revolutionary War, British forces took control of East Meadow. They wanted the large numbers of livestock (farm animals) that were kept there. The British stayed until the war ended.

Two big farms existed in what is now East Meadow: the Barnum farm and the Carman farm. It's said that President George Washington might have stayed a night at the Barnum farm in 1790 during a trip across Long Island. A toll booth (where people paid money to use a road) was located near the Carman farm on the Hempstead Turnpike.

Old Estates and New Buildings

East Meadow was once home to many large, fancy estates from the Gilded Era. The old Hoeffner homestead is now where Veterans Memorial Park and East Meadow's Post Office are located. Part of the old Barnum farm is now Barnum Woods Elementary School. The main road near the school, Merrick Avenue, was originally called Barnum Avenue.

The Oliver and Alva Belmont estate, called Brookholt, was a huge property. It even included the Brookholt School of Agriculture for Women for a short time.

Today, Carman Avenue is an important road. It's home to East Meadow High School, the Nassau County Correctional Facility (a jail), and the Nassau University Medical Center. The Medical Center is the tallest building you can live or work in within Nassau County.

The name "East Meadow" comes from being the meadow of Hempstead Plains that was east of the Meadow Brook. This brook is now a parkway with the same name.

Geography

East-meadow-ny-map
U.S. Census Map

Land and Water

East Meadow covers about 6.3 square miles (16.3 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Flat Land

The land in East Meadow is mostly flat. The elevation (how high it is above sea level) ranges from about 32 feet (9.8 meters) near its southwest side to 82 feet (25 meters) along Hempstead Turnpike in the north.

Sadly, almost no actual meadow remains in East Meadow or the Hempstead Plains. This is because of a lot of building and growth after World War II, which led to many new neighborhoods.

People of East Meadow

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
2000 37,461 —
2010 38,132 1.8%
2020 37,796 −0.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2010, there were 38,132 people living in East Meadow. There were 12,062 households. A household is a group of people living together in one home.

About 35.8% of households had children under 18 living with them. Many households (67.2%) were married couples living together. About 17.9% of all households were made up of individuals living alone.

The average household had about 2.94 people. The average family had about 3.34 people. The median age of people in East Meadow was 39 years old.

East Meadow's Economy

East Meadow has been home to several important companies.

Getty Oil, a company that deals with oil, has its main office in East Meadow.

Snapple, a well-known drink company, used to have its headquarters here. Now, the Epilepsy Foundation of Long Island uses that office space.

Lufthansa, a major airline, had its United States headquarters in East Meadow starting in the 1970s. They moved from Manhattan to save money. In 2019, they moved their headquarters to Uniondale.

Schools in East Meadow

East Meadow High School New York
East Meadow High School

East Meadow has nine public schools. They are managed by the East Meadow Union Free School District. This school district was first set up in 1812. At one point, it was the third largest school district in New York State!

The very first school building was on Front Street, where the East Meadow Public Library is today. Four different schoolhouses stood at the corner of Newbridge Avenue (now East Meadow Avenue) and Front Street between 1814 and 1950.

Elementary Schools

  • Barnum Woods
  • Bowling Green
  • George H. McVey (used to be Meadowlawn)
  • Meadowbrook
  • Parkway

Middle Schools

  • Woodland
  • W. Tresper Clarke

High Schools

  • East Meadow High School
  • W. Tresper Clarke High School

Former Schools

Some schools in East Meadow have closed or changed:

  • Front Street School: This school burned down and was replaced by the East Meadow Public Library.
  • Prospect Avenue School: Students from this area now go to Barnum Woods.
  • Newbridge Road Elementary School: This building is now apartments.
  • McCleary Junior High School: This school was replaced by a housing development.
  • Salisbury School: This building now serves as the school district's offices and an alternative school.

Places of Worship

  • Christ Alive Church, 493 East Meadow Avenue
  • East Meadow Beth-El Jewish Center, 1400 Prospect Avenue, a Conservative synagogue
  • East Meadow United Methodist Church, 470 East Meadow Avenue
  • Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, 369 Green Avenue
  • Long Island Muslim Society, 475 East Meadow Avenue
  • St. Raphael Parish, 600 Newbridge Road, a Roman Catholic Church

Important Places to See

Eisenhower Park Main Entrance
Nassau County's Eisenhower Park (formerly Salisbury Park), seen here in 2007, is located within East Meadow.
  • East Meadow water tower
  • Nassau University Medical Center: This large hospital is a very noticeable building in the area.
  • Nassau County Jail
  • East Meadow Public Library
  • Mitchel Manor military housing complex
  • Eisenhower Park: This large park hosts many events, like cultural nights and free concerts. It also has an attraction called Safety Town.

Movies Filmed Here

  • The Hot Rock (1972)
  • Let the Good Times Roll (1973)
  • Compromising Positions (1985)
  • Married to the Mob (1988)
  • Pieces of April (2003)
  • Enjoy the Show (2005)
  • September 12th (2005)
  • Knight of the Peeper (2006)
  • Scum (2009)
  • The Smurfs (2011)
  • I Am Here (2016)

Notable People

Many interesting people have connections to East Meadow:

See also

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