South Huntington, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
South Huntington, New York
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The Ezra Carll Homestead, one of South Huntington's best-known landmarks.
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U.S. Census map
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 South Huntington, New York
Location in New York
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  New York |
| County | Suffolk |
| Town | Huntington |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.42 sq mi (8.85 km2) |
| • Land | 3.42 sq mi (8.85 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 207 ft (63 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 9,561 |
| • Density | 2,799.71/sq mi (1,080.90/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
11746
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| Area code(s) | 631 |
| FIPS code | 36-69254 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0965788 |
South Huntington is a small community called a hamlet. It is also a census-designated place (CDP). This means it's an area the government uses for counting people. South Huntington is located in Suffolk County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. It's part of the larger Town of Huntington.
In 2020, about 9,561 people lived here. Even though it's called South Huntington, residents get their mail through a Huntington Station postal address. South Huntington is well-known as the birthplace of the famous poet Walt Whitman. The large Walt Whitman Shops Mall is also nearby. The area is home to important schools like St. Anthony's High School and Walt Whitman High School. It also has the South Huntington Public Library.
Contents
Walt Whitman Shops: A Shopping History
The Walt Whitman Shops used to be called the Walt Whitman Shopping Center. In 1956, a department store company bought land here. They planned to build a big shopping mall. Their own store would be the main part of the mall.
Building the Mall
Work on the shopping center began on April 20, 1961. The first store, Abraham & Straus, opened on March 28, 1962. Another big store, Macy's, opened a few months later. The entire shopping center officially opened in November 1962. It was the first fully enclosed mall on Long Island. The mall had 75 stores. It also featured lighted fountains and a reflecting pool. The parking lot was huge, with space for 5,000 cars.
Mall Updates and New Stores
The mall was updated in 1998. This included changes to the main walkways. An elevated parking deck was also added. During this time, three new department stores joined the mall. Bloomingdale's opened in August 1998. Lord & Taylor followed in November 1998. Saks Fifth Avenue opened in March 1999.
Another big renovation finished in November 2013. This added 70,000 square feet to the mall. The outside of the building was also remodeled. A statue of Walt Whitman was placed at the mall. Today, the Walt Whitman Shops are owned by the Simon Property Group.
Geography of South Huntington
South Huntington is a land area. It covers about 8.8 square kilometers (about 3.4 square miles). There is no water area within its borders.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 9,561 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 9,465 people living in South Huntington. They lived in 3,299 households. Most households (64.2%) were married couples. About 32.3% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.77 people.
The population had people of all ages. About 22.4% were under 18 years old. About 16.6% were 65 or older. The average age was 40 years old.
Education in South Huntington
South Huntington has excellent schools and a modern library.
St. Anthony's High School
St. Anthony's High School opened in South Huntington on September 12, 1984. It moved to the site of the former Holy Family High School. St. Anthony's used to be an all-boys school in a different town. It moved because Holy Family High School closed. This move caused some protests from parents and students.
Walt Whitman High School
Walt Whitman High School is part of the South Huntington Union Free School District. In 2024, it was ranked as one of the top three public high schools in Suffolk County, New York. The school district itself was ranked in the top six in Suffolk County.
A new high school was needed because the number of students was growing fast. Funding for the 48-classroom Walt Whitman High School was approved in February 1950. The cost was over $3.1 million. This included buying 32 acres of land. The school was designed for 1,500 students. Construction began on March 14, 1955. The school officially opened on September 6, 1956. In the 2015–16 school year, 1,898 students attended Walt Whitman High School.
South Huntington Public Library
The South Huntington Public Library is very modern. It is 49,000 square feet in size. The library opened on July 24, 2004. People voted to approve $11.9 million to build it. They wanted more space for books and computers. They also wanted a bigger room for community events. The library also has an outdoor garden with patio seating. The library was built where the old Pidgeon Hill Elementary School used to be.
Getting Around: Transportation
The Walt Whitman Shops mall is a major place for buses. Several bus routes stop there. These include:
- Suffolk County Transit Routes 1, 3, and 6
- Huntington Area Rapid Transit Routes H20, H30, and H40
- Nassau Inter-County Express Route n79
See also
In Spanish: South Huntington para niños
