Port Washington, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Port Washington, New York
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Main Street in Port Washington, looking east on June 6, 2021.
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| Nickname(s):
"Port"
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Location in Nassau County and the state of New York.
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 Port Washington, New York
Location in New York
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  New York |
| County |  Nassau County, New York |
| Town | North Hempstead |
| First settled | 1644 |
| Named for | George Washington |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.6 sq mi (14.6 km2) |
| • Land | 4.2 sq mi (10.9 km2) |
| • Water | 1.4 sq mi (3.7 km2) |
| Elevation | 98 ft (30 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 15,846 |
| Demonym(s) | Port Washingtonian |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes |
11050–11055
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| Area code(s) | 516 |
| FIPS code | 36-59520 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0960979 |
Port Washington is a community in Nassau County, New York. It is located on the North Shore of Long Island. In 2010, about 15,846 people lived here. Port Washington is known as the main town in the larger Port Washington area.
Contents
History of Port Washington
In the 1870s, Port Washington became a very important place for digging up sand. It had the biggest sandbank east of the Mississippi River. It was easy to move the sand by boat to Manhattan. About 140 million cubic yards of sand from Port Washington were used to build famous New York skyscrapers. These include the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building.
Fifteen years ago, the old sand mines were turned into a golf course called Harbor Links. This golf course is for people who live in North Hempstead.
Port Washington is also famous for being the setting for "East Egg" in F. Scott Fitzgerald's book, The Great Gatsby.
Several historic buildings and places in Port Washington are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Thomas Dodge Homestead, Execution Rocks Light, and the John Philip Sousa House. The Knickerbocker Yacht Club has been a part of Port Washington for over 100 years.
Geography and Location
Port Washington covers about 5.6 square miles (14.6 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, but about 1.4 square miles (3.7 square kilometers) is water.
Bar Beach: A Fun Place to Visit
Bar Beach is a popular beach in Port Washington. It is right next to Hempstead Harbor beach.
Sometimes, a fireworks show happens at the beach on Memorial Day. In 2008, the beach was renamed North Hempstead Beach Park. The town of North Hempstead now manages it.
Besides the fireworks, the beach also hosts "Beachfest" every September. This festival celebrates the end of summer. It has music, games, food, and fun activities for everyone.
People and Population
Port Washington's Community in 2010
In 2010, the population of Port Washington was 15,846 people. Most residents (82.2%) were White. About 8% of the population was Asian. Around 13.4% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.
The average income for families in Port Washington was about $127,813. This shows that it is a well-off community.
Places to Worship
Port Washington has many different places where people can worship.
Churches
- St Stephen's Episcopal Church
- Lutheran Church of Our Savior
- 1st Church of Christ Scientist Port Washington
- United Methodist Church of Port Washington
- Faith Korean Church of Long Island
- Our Lady of Fatima (Roman Catholic)
- St Peter of Alcantara (Roman Catholic)
- Bible Church-Port Washington
- New York Philadelphia Presbyterian Church
- Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church
Synagogues
- Temple Beth Israel (Conservative)
- The Community Synagogue (Reform)
- Port Jewish Center (Reform)
- Chabad of Port Washington (Orthodox)
- Chevrat Tefillah (Conservative)
Getting Around Port Washington
Train Service
Port Washington is the last stop on the Port Washington Branch of the Long Island Rail Road. This train line started carrying passengers in 1898.
Bus Service
The n23 bus also serves Port Washington. It runs from Manorhaven to Mineola. The bus travels along Main Street and Port Washington Boulevard.
There is also a local bus called the Port Washington Shuttle. It helps people get around the hamlet and the wider Port Washington area. It also offers some service to the nearby Village of Roslyn.
Economy and Homes
Local Economy
Port Washington has many small shops and six shopping centers. There are also four strip malls. On the east side of Port Washington, near Hempstead Harbor, there is an industrial area. Several large companies have offices there, including Entertainment One, NPD Group, Pall, and Systemax.
Real Estate and Housing
One well-known housing area in Port Washington is New Salem. It was built by a famous Long Island housing developer named Cy Williams.
In 2017, Forbes magazine said that Port Washington was the 418th wealthiest ZIP Code. The average price for a home sold there was about $1,323,271.
Education in Port Washington
School District
Port Washington is part of the Port Washington Union Free School District. This means that all public school students living in Port Washington go to schools within this district.
Library Services
The Port Washington Library District serves the entire area of Port Washington.
Notable People from Port Washington
Many famous people have lived in or are connected to Port Washington. Here are a few:
- Marv Albert (born 1941), a well-known sportscaster.
- Carlos Beltrán (born 1977), a professional baseball player.
- John Cassavetes (1929–1989), an actor and film director who graduated from Port Washington High School.
- Daniel Guggenheim (1856–1930), a famous industrialist and giver of money to good causes.
- W. Averell Harriman (1896-1991), a former Governor of New York.
- William Randolph Hearst (1863–1951), a powerful publisher.
- Margaret Marian McPartland (1918-2013), an English-born jazz pianist.
- Condé Montrose Nast (1873–1942), another important publisher.
- Anthony Scaramucci (born 1964), a businessman and former White House Communications Director.
- John Philip Sousa (1854–1932), a famous composer.
- Sean Spicer (born 1971), the 30th White House Press Secretary.
- Burt Young (born 1940), an actor known for the Rocky movies.
Gallery
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Kayak launching pad at Town Dock
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Moored boats
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Long Island Rail Road Station
Images for kids
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U.S. Census map of Port Washington.
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The Hilton Garden Inn in Port Washington on July 30, 2022.
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The Sandminers Monument, located off of West Shore Road, pays tribute to the area's historic sand-mining operations.
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Paul D. Schreiber High School on June 6, 2021.
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The Main Street School in 2011.
See also
In Spanish: Port Washington (Nueva York) para niños
