Oakdale, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Oakdale, New York
Hamlet and census-designated place
Oakdale, New York Location in New York
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Suffolk
Area
• Total	3.79 sq mi (9.83 km2)
• Land	3.18 sq mi (8.23 km2)
• Water	0.62 sq mi (1.60 km2)
Elevation	10 ft (3 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	7,430
• Density	2,338.68/sq mi (903.03/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	11769
Area code(s)	631
FIPS code	36-54144
GNIS feature ID	0959162

Oakdale is a small community in Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is known as a hamlet and a census-designated place. In 2020, about 7,430 people lived there. Oakdale is part of the Town of Islip. It was once home to huge mansions from the Gilded Age, a famous sports club, and Dowling College. Today, it is home to Connetquot River State Park Preserve.

History of Oakdale

Oakdale started around 1820 with a tavern owned by Eliphalet Snedecor. This tavern was in what is now Connetquot River State Park Preserve. Rich people from New York loved to visit Snedecor's Tavern. They enjoyed fishing and hunting in the area.

In 1866, the railroad reached Oakdale. Snedecor's wealthy guests formed the Southside Sportsmen's Club. Soon, many rich families built amazing estates in the thick forests near Great South Bay.

Some of the most famous people who built homes here were William K. Vanderbilt, Frederick Gilbert Bourne (who led the Singer Sewing Machine Co.), and Christopher Robert II. Also, William Bayard Cutting, a lawyer, built his estate nearby in Great River.

Oakdale's name likely came from a descendant of William Nicoll. Nicoll founded Islip Town in 1697. Oakdale has other important historical sites. St. John's Episcopal Church, built in 1765, is the third oldest church on Long Island. In 1912, Jacob Ockers started the Bluepoint Oyster Co. in Oakdale. It became the biggest oyster company in the country.

Gilded Age Estates

The Gilded Age was a time in the late 1800s and early 1900s when many wealthy people built very fancy homes. Oakdale was famous for these grand estates.

Idle Hour Mansion

In 1882, William Kissam Vanderbilt built the most famous estate, called Idle Hour. It covered about 900 acres (3.6 km²) along the Connetquot River. This huge wooden house had 110 rooms.

On April 15, 1899, the house burned down while Vanderbilt's son, Willie K. II, was on his honeymoon there. Willie and his new wife escaped safely. The mansion was quickly rebuilt with red brick and gray stone. It cost $3 million and was considered one of the finest homes in America. Vanderbilt's daughter, Consuelo, also spent her honeymoon there in 1895.

After Vanderbilt died in 1920, Idle Hour was used for many different things. For a short time, it was even home to an artists' colony. Famous artists like George Elmer Browne lived and worked there. Most recently, it was the campus for Dowling College, which closed in 2016.

Pepperidge Hall

Around 1888, Christopher R. Robert II built a spectacular castle called Pepperidge Hall. It was just east of Idle Hour. The castle was decorated in a French style for his wife. However, the couple did not get along well. The mansion was later used in silent movies from 1916 to 1920. It eventually fell apart and was torn down in 1941.

Indian Neck Hall

Frederick Gilbert Bourne

In 1897, Frederick Gilbert Bourne completed his mansion, Indian Neck Hall. It was on the east side of Oakdale. Bourne started with 438 acres (1.77 km²) and later owned land all the way to West Sayville.

Bourne was very involved in the local community. He was the leader of the Sayville Yacht Club and helped the local fire department. After he died in 1920, parts of his estate became the West Sayville County Golf Course and the Long Island Maritime Museum.

In 1926, the mansion became La Salle Military Academy. This was a school run by the Christian Brothers, a Catholic group. In 1993, the academy changed into a school for kindergarten through high school. La Salle closed in 2001 and was bought by St. John's University.

Geography

Oakdale is located at 40°44′23″N 73°8′23″W / 40.73972°N 73.13972°W / 40.73972; -73.13972. It covers about 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²). Most of this area is land, and a smaller part is water.

Population Information

In 2020, there were 7,430 people living in Oakdale. About 14.7% of the population was under 18 years old. About 24.1% of the people were 65 years or older. The average household income in Oakdale was about $112,464.

Education

Students in Oakdale go to schools in the Connetquot Central School District. The main high school for the area is Connetquot High School.

Transportation

You can get to Oakdale by train using the Long Island Rail Road. The Montauk Branch serves the Oakdale station. Suffolk County Transit buses also run through Oakdale, with stops near the train station.

Notable People

Many interesting people have lived in Oakdale, including:

• William Kissam Vanderbilt
• William Kissam Vanderbilt II
• Consuelo Vanderbilt
• Harold Stirling Vanderbilt
• Alva Erskine Smith
• Frederick Gilbert Bourne
• Michael Carbonaro
• Dutch Schultz
• Jane Monheit
• Jimmy McNeece
• Tom McNeece
• Ginny Fields
• Mike Pellegrino

See also

In Spanish: Oakdale (Nueva York) para niños