Oyster Bay, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Oyster Bay, New York
Town
Town of Oyster Bay
From left to right: Downtown Oyster Bay, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, a winter's day in downtown Massapequa Park, a street in South Farmingdale, and Mill Neck Manor
Flag Seal
Nickname(s):  TOBAY; ToB
Location in the state of New York and Nassau County.
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Nassau
First settled	1653; 372 years ago (1653)
Incorporated as a town	1687; 338 years ago (1687)
Government
• Type	Town Council
Area
• Total	169.40 sq mi (438.73 km2)
• Land	103.74 sq mi (268.69 km2)
• Water	65.65 sq mi (170.04 km2)  38.75%
Elevation	180 ft (55 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	301,332
• Density	1,778.82/sq mi (686.828/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Area codes	516, 363
FIPS code	36-56000
GNIS feature ID	0979336

The Town of Oyster Bay is a large area on Long Island, New York. It is the easternmost of the three main "towns" in Nassau County, New York. What makes it special is that it's the only town in Nassau County that stretches all the way from the North Shore to the South Shore of Long Island.

In 2020, about 301,332 people lived here, making it one of the most populated towns in New York State. The Town of Oyster Bay includes 18 villages and 18 smaller areas called hamlets. These places are organized into different ZIP Codes for mail delivery.

There's also a specific place called Oyster Bay hamlet on the North Shore, which is inside the larger Town of Oyster Bay. Near this hamlet, you can find Sagamore Hill. This was the home and summer office of former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. Today, it's a museum you can visit! Many of the villages and hamlets in the town are located along Oyster Bay Harbor, which is an inlet of Long Island Sound.

History of Oyster Bay

George Bradford Brainerd (American, 1845–1887). Camp Fire, Oyster Bay, Long Island, ca. 1872–1887. A historical photo showing a camp fire in Oyster Bay.

For thousands of years, different groups of Native Americans lived in this area. When Europeans first arrived, the Lenape people, specifically a group called the Matinecock, lived here.

Early European Settlements

In 1639, the Dutch West India Company bought land on Long Island from the Native Americans. At the same time, the English also had colonies on Long Island. There were some disagreements about who owned what land. In 1640, English settlers came to what is now Oyster Bay, but the Dutch arrested them because of these land disputes.

In 1650, the Treaty of Hartford tried to set a clear border between the Dutch and English lands. This border was set at "Oysterbay." However, the Dutch and English had different ideas about where "Oysterbay" actually was!

Land Purchases and English Control

In 1653, English settlers bought land in Oyster Bay from the local Matinecock tribe. They paid with items like kettles, tools, clothing, and beads. After a change in government in England, King Charles gave Long Island to his brother James in 1664. This led to the Dutch giving up control of all their lands in New Amsterdam, which included parts of Long Island.

In 1667, Oyster Bay officially became the "Township of Oyster Bay" under the new English colony of New York. By 1687, all the land was sold by the Native Americans, and few remained in the area by 1709.

Oyster Bay in the American Revolution

During most of the American Revolution, the town was controlled by British forces. This was a challenging time for the people living there.

Growth and Development

The town was originally part of Queens County. But in 1898, the western part of Queens County became part of New York City. Then, in 1899, Nassau County was created, and Oyster Bay became part of it.

After World War II, many farms in Oyster Bay were replaced by new homes. The population grew a lot, from about 40,000 people in 1950 to over 290,000 by 1990.

Oyster Bay is also home to the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club, which is one of the oldest yacht clubs in the Western Hemisphere. It opened in 1871. There are 40 buildings and sites in the town that are recognized as Town of Oyster Bay Landmarks because of their historical importance.

Geography of Oyster Bay

Aerial view of Mill Neck Creek and Oyster Bay on the North Shore of Long Island.

The Town of Oyster Bay stretches from Long Island Sound in the north all the way south to South Oyster Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. It shares borders with the town of North Hempstead to the northwest and the town of Hempstead to the southwest. To the east, it borders Suffolk County.

The total area of the town is about 169.5 square miles (438.73 square kilometers). About 104.4 square miles (268.69 square kilometers) of this is land, and 65.1 square miles (170.04 square kilometers) is water. Just like most of Long Island, the northern part of Oyster Bay has hills, while the southern part has sandy beaches. The area in between is mostly flat.

Population and People

In 2020, the population of Oyster Bay was 301,332 people.

Diversity in Oyster Bay

The people living in Oyster Bay come from many different backgrounds.

• In 2019, about 75.5% of the people were non-Hispanic white.
• About 2.3% were Black or African American.
• Around 12.5% were Asian.
• About 8.1% were Hispanic or Latin American.
• The rest were from two or more races, or American Indian/Alaska Native.

Households and Families

In 2000, there were about 99,355 households in the town.

• About 36% of these households had children under 18 living with them.
• Most households (68.9%) were married couples.
• The average household had about 2.93 people.
• The average family had about 3.27 people.

Age and Income

The median age in Oyster Bay was 40 years old.

• About 24.5% of the population was under 18.
• About 15.9% was 65 years or older.

In 2007, the average income for a household in the town was about $99,873. For families, it was about $115,095. A small number of families and people lived below the poverty line.

Economy and Businesses

Several companies have offices or headquarters in the Town of Oyster Bay.

• Aer Lingus, an airline, has its United States office in Jericho.
• Cablevision Systems, a big cable company, has its main office in Bethpage, New York. It also has another office in Jericho.
• Acclaim Entertainment, a video game company, used to be located in the hamlet of Oyster Bay.

Education in Oyster Bay

The town is home to several colleges and universities.

• State University of New York at Old Westbury is located in Old Westbury.
• New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) is also in Old Westbury.
• LIU Post, a large campus of Long Island University, is in Brookville.

Transportation

Getting around Oyster Bay is possible by train, bus, and car.

Train Lines

The Hicksville LIRR station in 2019.

The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) serves the town with several lines:

• The Oyster Bay Branch runs through the northern part of the town.
• The Main Line goes through the center, with stations in Hicksville and Bethpage.
• The Port Jefferson Branch starts in Hicksville and goes through Syosset.
• The Babylon Branch serves the southern part of the town, with stations in Massapequa and Massapequa Park.

Bus Service

Most bus routes in Oyster Bay are run by Nassau Inter-County Express (NICE Bus). Some buses from Suffolk County Transit also come into the eastern part of the town.

Major Roads

Many important roads and highways pass through the Town of Oyster Bay:

• Interstate 495, also known as the Long Island Expressway, is the only interstate highway here.
• Northern State Parkway is a major road that continues from the Grand Central Parkway. Trucks are not allowed on this road.
• Bethpage State Parkway is a smaller parkway that goes to Bethpage State Park.
• Southern State Parkway crosses the southern part of the town.
• Ocean Parkway runs along Jones Beach Island and serves Tobay Beach.
• Other important state routes include:
  • New York State Route 24
  • New York State Route 25A
  • New York State Route 25
  • New York State Route 27
  • New York State Route 27A
  • New York State Route 105
  • New York State Route 106
  • New York State Route 107
  • New York State Route 109
  • New York State Route 135
• Other important local roads include Old Country Road and Merrick Road.

Famous People from Oyster Bay

Many notable people have lived in or are connected to the Town of Oyster Bay:

• John Barry (1933–2011), a famous film composer who won Academy and Grammy Awards.
• Nicholas Braun (1988-), an Emmy-nominated actor known for the TV show Succession.
• Oleg Cassini (1913–2006), a well-known fashion designer.
• Marie Colvin (1956–2012), an award-winning reporter.
• David Cory, who wrote many children's books.
• Anna Drezen, a comedian and former head writer for Saturday Night Live.
• Sean Hannity (1961–), a conservative media personality and TV host.
• Brian Kilmeade, a Fox News host who grew up and lives in Massapequa.
• Adrienne King, an actress.
• Rupert Murdoch, owner of Fox News and other media companies.
• Dan Ingram (1934–2018), a Radio Hall of Fame member and famous disc jockey.
• Steve Israel (1958–), a former U.S. House Representative.
• Billy Joel (1949–), a famous singer-songwriter.
• Kate McKinnon (1984-), a former cast member of Saturday Night Live.
• Thomas Pynchon (1937–), a novelist who won a National Book Award.
• Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), the 26th President of the United States, who lived at Sagamore Hill.
• Henry Norris Russell (1877–1957), a famous astronomer and professor at Princeton University.
• Tyce Thompson (1999– ), an ice hockey player for the New Jersey Devils.
• John Townsend (1608-1668), one of the people who signed the Flushing Remonstrance, an important document about religious freedom.
• Robert Townsend (1753–1838), a member of the Culper Ring, a spy group that helped George Washington during the American Revolution.
• Ryan Tveter (1994-), a racing driver.
• Charles Wang (1944–2018), a Chinese-American businessman and former owner of the New York Islanders hockey team.

Images for kids

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  Westbound NY 24 at its interchange with NY 135 in Plainedge in 2009.

See also

In Spanish: Oyster Bay (Nueva York) para niños