East Rockaway, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
East Rockaway, New York
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| Incorporated Village of East Rockaway | ||
East Rockaway Village Hall on April 25, 2009.
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Location in Nassau County and the state of New York.
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 East Rockaway, New York
Location in New York
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  New York |
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| County |  Nassau County, New York |
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| Town | Hempstead | |
| Incorporated | 1900 | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 1.03 sq mi (2.67 km2) | |
| • Land | 1.02 sq mi (2.64 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) | |
| Elevation | 10 ft (3 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 10,159 | |
| • Density | 9,979.37/sq mi (3,852.97/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code |
11518
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| Area code(s) | 516 | |
| FIPS code | 36-22876 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0949233 | |
East Rockaway is a small village located in Nassau County. It sits on the South Shore of Long Island, in New York, United States. In 2020, about 10,159 people lived here.
The full name is The Incorporated Village of East Rockaway. It's right next to the Rockaway Peninsula. Other nearby towns include Hewlett Harbor, Hewlett, Rockville Centre, Lynbrook, and Oceanside. East Rockaway is an inner suburb, which means it's close to a big city. It's only about 24 kilometers (15 miles) from downtown Manhattan. Many people living here have Italian or Irish backgrounds. There is also a notable Jewish community in the Waverly Park area.
Contents
Discovering East Rockaway's Past
How East Rockaway Began
East Rockaway was first called Near Rockaway. It started as an important place for shipping and trading goods on the South Shore of Long Island. Ships liked this spot because the water channels were deep, allowing them to travel far inland.
In 1688, Joseph Haviland built a grist mill on the Mill River. A grist mill grinds grain into flour. This mill, called the Haviland-Davison Grist Mill, is still around today in Memorial Park. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. Later, a large oven was bought to bake bread for the people living nearby. The village grew and became successful in shipping and milling over many years.
Name Change and Village Growth
The village's name officially changed to East Rockaway in 1869. Then, in 1900, East Rockaway became an "incorporated village." This means it formed its own local government. Floyd Johnson was the first president of the village. When it became incorporated, East Rockaway had a population of 969 people.
East Rockaway's Location and Size
East Rockaway is a small place. It covers about 2.67 square kilometers (1.03 square miles) in total. Most of this area is land, about 2.64 square kilometers (1.02 square miles). A very small part, about 0.03 square kilometers (0.01 square miles), is water.
Population Over Time
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 509 | — | |
| 1900 | 739 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,200 | 62.4% | |
| 1920 | 2,005 | 67.1% | |
| 1930 | 4,340 | 116.5% | |
| 1940 | 5,610 | 29.3% | |
| 1950 | 7,970 | 42.1% | |
| 1960 | 10,721 | 34.5% | |
| 1970 | 11,795 | 10.0% | |
| 1980 | 10,917 | −7.4% | |
| 1990 | 10,152 | −7.0% | |
| 2000 | 10,414 | 2.6% | |
| 2010 | 9,818 | −5.7% | |
| 2020 | 10,159 | 3.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The population of East Rockaway has changed quite a bit over the years. In 1880, only 509 people lived here. By 1970, the population reached its highest point with nearly 11,795 people. In 2020, the population was 10,159.
Learning in East Rockaway
East Rockaway has two main school districts. These are the East Rockaway School District and the Lynbrook Union Free School District.
East Rockaway School District
This district has three schools:
- Rhame Avenue Elementary School
- Centre Avenue (Elementary) School
- East Rockaway High School - This school serves students from 7th to 12th grade.
Each grade at the high school has about 100 students. The school's sports teams are called "The Rocks." Their team colors are orange and black. East Rockaway High School has teams for football, cross country, volleyball, basketball, softball, baseball, and track. They also team up with schools in the Malverne district for sports like soccer, lacrosse, and tennis.
Students and the community love the school musicals and a fun inter-class competition called "Rock Rivalry."
Other Schools in East Rockaway
St. Raymonds Catholic school is also located in East Rockaway on Atlantic Avenue. It teaches students from Pre-kindergarten through 8th grade.
Some parts of East Rockaway, like the Waverly Park and Northwestern neighborhoods, are part of the Lynbrook School District 20. Students in these areas go to four main schools:
- Waverly Park Elementary School (located in East Rockaway)
- Marion Street Elementary School (located in East Rockaway)
- South Middle School (in Hewlett)
- Lynbrook Senior High School (in Lynbrook)
Fun and Games: Parks and Recreation
East Rockaway has a great place for sports and outdoor activities called the John Street Complex. This complex has one baseball field and two basketball courts. There's also a concession stand where you can grab snacks. People play flag football, baseball, and basketball here.
Getting Around: Transportation
East Rockaway has two train stations for the Long Island Rail Road. Both stations are on the Long Beach Branch line. The main station is between Ocean Avenue and Atlantic Avenue. The other station, called Centre Avenue station, is a bit northwest of the main one. There used to be a third station at Atlantic Avenue, but it closed in 1951.
Keeping East Rockaway Safe
The Nassau County Police Department helps keep the village safe. The 4th Precinct covers most of East Rockaway. Fire and ambulance services are provided by the East Rockaway Fire Department. This department is made up entirely of volunteers who help their community.
Famous People From East Rockaway
Many interesting people have come from East Rockaway:
- Gary Giddins (born 1948) – A well-known writer.
- Reid Gorecki (born 1980) – A professional baseball player.
- Brian Keith (1921–1997) – An actor, famous for Family Affair.
- Don Murray (1929-2024) – An actor, known for Bus Stop.
- Bruce Sussman (born 1949) – A talented songwriter.
See also
In Spanish: East Rockaway para niños
