Wantagh, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wantagh, New York
Hamlet and census-designated place
An aerial view of Wantagh in 2021.
Motto(s):  "The Gateway to Jones Beach"
Location in Nassau County and the state of New York.
Wantagh, New York Location in Long Island Show map of Long Island Wantagh, New York Location in New York Show map of New York
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Nassau
Town	Hempstead
Area
• Total	4.13 sq mi (10.69 km2)
• Land	3.83 sq mi (9.92 km2)
• Water	0.30 sq mi (0.77 km2)
Elevation	23 ft (7 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	18,613
• Density	4,859.79/sq mi (1,876.49/km2)
Demonym(s)	Wantonian
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	11793
Area codes	516, 363
FIPS code	36-78146
GNIS feature ID	0968763

Wantagh is a small community called a hamlet and a census-designated place (CDP) in Nassau County, New York. It is located on Long Island within the Town of Hempstead. In 2020, about 18,613 people lived there.

Wantagh is often called "The Gateway to Jones Beach" because it's a main route to this famous park.

Exploring Wantagh's Past

Wantagh has a long and interesting history, going back hundreds of years.

A historic marker in Wantagh

A historic marker about George Washington's 1790 journey

Early Days: The 1600s

Before European settlers arrived, the Wantagh area was home to the Merokee tribe of Metoac Native Americans. These tribes were part of the larger Montauk tribe that lived across Long Island. A leader named Wantagh was the chief of the Merokee tribe in 1647. He later became the grand chief of the Montauk tribe from 1651 to 1658.

Dutch settlers came from their colony of New Amsterdam (which is now New York City). English settlers also arrived from Connecticut and Massachusetts. In 1650, the English and Dutch agreed on who owned which parts of Long Island. The Wantagh area was in the Dutch part. Later, Long Island became part of the British colony of New York.

From Jerusalem to Wantagh: The 1700s

Early settlers called Wantagh "Jerusalem." The creek that runs through Wantagh was originally known as the Jerusalem River. The first post office opened in 1837. Mail service, however, started much earlier, around 1780. The town's first school was built in 1790.

Around the 1880s, Jerusalem was renamed Ridgewood. The local LIRR station was also called "Ridgewood Station." But because there was another town in New York with the same name, Ridgewood was later changed to Wantagh.

George Washington's Visit

George Washington rode through Jerusalem on April 21, 1790. This was part of his five-day trip around Long Island. A special plaque on Hempstead Turnpike remembers his journey. During the Revolutionary War, British ships would come up Jones Inlet to raid farms in Jerusalem.

Oldest Families and Homes

The Jackson and Seaman families were among the first settlers in Wantagh. Their history is still visible today. For example, the Cherrywood shopping center was once the large estate of Captain John Seaman.

Wantagh has many New York State Historical Markers that tell its story:

• The Cherrywood estate of Captain John Seaman, from 1644.
• The 1666 Jackson House, home to important early figures.
• The Grist Mill Site, granted in 1704, on the Jerusalem River.
• The Cornbury Patent, which gave the land for what is now Jones Beach to Major Thomas Jones.
• The 1644 home of Robert Jackson, an early settler.
• North Jerusalem Road, built in 1644.
• The 1777 home of Richard Jackson, a captain in the Revolutionary War.

The Samuel and Elbert Jackson House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.

Historic Cemeteries

Wantagh has several old cemeteries:

• The Jackson Cemetery is the oldest. It holds the graves of many Jackson and Seaman family members. One notable person buried there is Thomas Jackson, who fought in the Revolutionary War.
• The Rierson burial plot was for the Rierson family, who were Loyalists during the Revolutionary War.
• The Jerusalem Society of Friends Cemetery is behind the Christian Tabernacle Church. It was used by Quakers and contains graves of three Civil War veterans.
• The St. John of Jerusalem Cemetery served German Methodists who moved to the area around 1850. It has graves of veterans from many wars.

Modern Wantagh: The 1900s

Wantagh remained mostly a farming area for a long time. This changed with the building of Sunrise Highway and Jones Beach in the early 1900s. Tourism and fishing became important. The Long Island Rail Road has served the town since 1885. Wantagh became more suburban with new housing developments between the 1950s and 1970s. The LIRR tracks were raised above ground in 1968.

A famous resident of Wantagh was Checkers, the dog of former U.S. President Richard Nixon. Checkers is buried at the Bide-a-Wee Pet Cemetery in Wantagh.

Wantagh's Location and Climate

Wantagh covers about 4.1 square miles (10.6 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Weather in Wantagh

Wantagh has a warm temperate climate. This means it has cool winters, hot summers, and mild springs and autumns. Rain falls fairly evenly throughout the year. Wantagh is in a special hardiness zone (8a) because it's on the south shore, which is a bit warmer than most of Long Island.

Who Lives in Wantagh?

The intersection of Wantagh Avenue and Sunrise Highway

In 2000, there were about 18,971 people living in Wantagh. Most residents were white (96.75%). About 1.89% were Asian, and 3.26% were Hispanic or Latino.

Many households (41.2%) had children under 18. Most families (73.8%) were married couples living together. The average household had about 3 people.

Parks and Fun Places

Wantagh has several parks where people can enjoy the outdoors:

• Jones Beach State Park
• Mill Pond
• Twin Lakes Preserve
• Wantagh Park

Schools in Wantagh

Wantagh has several schools for students of all ages.

High Schools

• MacArthur High School
• Wantagh Senior High School

Middle Schools

• Wantagh Middle School

Elementary Schools

• Forest Lake Elementary School
• Mandalay Elementary School
• Wantagh Elementary School

Most of Wantagh is part of the Wantagh Union Free School District. However, some areas are served by the Seaford Union Free School District or the Levittown Union Free School District.

Libraries

Wantagh is served by the Wantagh Library District and the Seaford Library District.

Getting Around Wantagh

Wantagh has good transportation options for residents and visitors.

Train Service

Commuter rail service is available at the Wantagh station on the Long Island Rail Road's Babylon Branch. A train ride to Penn Station in New York City takes about 45 minutes.

Bus Service

Bus service in Wantagh is provided by Nassau Inter-County Express (NICE). Key bus routes include the n19, n54, and n55.

Major Roads

Several important roads pass through Wantagh, making it easy to travel by car. These include Merrick Road, the Seaford–Oyster Bay Expressway, Sunrise Highway, Wantagh Avenue, and the Wantagh State Parkway.

Famous People from Wantagh

Many notable people have connections to Wantagh, including:

• Rob Cesternino, a reality TV star and podcast host.
• Keaton Nigel Cooke, an actor and singer.
• Al Iaquinta, a mixed martial artist.
• Trent Kowalik, a Tony Award-winning actor.
• James Preller, an author.
• Jason Reich, an Emmy Award-winning television writer.
• Lonny Ross, an actor and comedian.
• John Silver, a professional wrestler.
• Alan Zweibel, an author and comedy writer.

Images for kids

• 

  Jerusalem historic marker in Wantagh

• 

  A historic marker noting President George Washington's 1790 journey on Babylon Turnpike

• 

  Intersection of Wantagh Avenue and Sunrise Highway

See also

In Spanish: Wantagh para niños