Old Westbury, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Old Westbury, New York
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| Incorporated Village of Old Westbury | |
Old Westbury Village Hall, Police Station, and Post Office on August 25, 2021.
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Location in Nassau County and the state of New York
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 Old Westbury, New York
Location in Long Island
Old Westbury, New York
Location in New York
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  New York |
| County | Nassau |
| Towns | North Hempstead Oyster Bay |
| Incorporated | 1924 |
| Named for | Westbury, Wiltshire, England |
| Area | |
| • Total | 8.57 sq mi (22.20 km2) |
| • Land | 8.57 sq mi (22.20 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 164 ft (50 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 4,289 |
| • Density | 500.35/sq mi (193.18/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code |
11568
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| Area codes | 516, 363 |
| FIPS code | 36-54705 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0959332 |
Old Westbury is a small village in New York, located on Long Island. It is part of two towns: North Hempstead and Oyster Bay. In 2020, about 4,289 people lived there.
Old Westbury is known for being one of the wealthiest villages in the United States. It is also considered the second-richest zip code in New York State. In 2007, a magazine called Business Week said Old Westbury was New York's most expensive suburb. The famous Old Westbury Gardens is also located here. It has been called one of the best public gardens in the world.
Contents
History of Old Westbury
The area was first settled by Edmond Titus and Henry Willis. It started as a quiet Quaker farming community. Things changed when the railroad arrived in 1836. After the American Civil War, wealthy New Yorkers discovered the area. They liked its flat, wooded land for raising horses. They also enjoyed activities like fox hunting and playing polo at the Meadow Brook Polo Club.
How Old Westbury Got Its Name
The village of Old Westbury officially became a village in 1924. It separated from the nearby area called Westbury. The "Old" was added to its name to avoid confusion. There was another town named Westbury in Cayuga County. This helped with postal services. The name Westbury itself came from Henry Willis. He named it after his hometown, Westbury, Wiltshire, in England.
The area was first called Wallage by Native Americans. This name meant something like "ditch" or "hole." Later, it was known as Wood Edge or Plainedge. The name Westbury started being used around 1683.
Famous Estates and Homes
Many famous and wealthy families built large homes in Old Westbury.
- Westbury House was the home of John Shaffer Phipps. Today, it is known as Old Westbury Gardens, a beautiful public garden.
- Old Acres was built by Robert Low Bacon. It was designed like an Italian villa.
- Other important landowners included the Thomas Hitchcock family and Harry Payne Whitney. His wife, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, founded the Whitney Museum in New York City.
- The estate of Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney is now divided. It includes the Old Westbury Country Club and New York Institute of Technology.
- The architect Thomas Hastings built his own home, 'Bagatelle', in 1908.
- The A. Conger Goodyear House was built in 1938. It was designed by the famous architect Edward Durell Stone. This house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. This helps protect it from being torn down.
- The estate of Robert Winthrop, a banker, has also been preserved.
Old Westbury During World War II
During World War II, a tall tower in Old Westbury helped the military. It was 187 feet high. This tower was used as a lookout point to spot enemy aircraft. It was originally built as a water tower for the Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney home. Today, it is a main feature of the Old Westbury Golf & Country Club.
Changes to Transportation
When Robert Moses planned the Northern State Parkway, people in Old Westbury asked him to move it. They wanted it built five miles south of the village. Later, many residents realized the parkway was not so bad. They even regretted making their commutes longer. In the 1950s, land was bought from Charles Erwin Wilson. He was a former president of General Motors. This land was used to build the Long Island Expressway.
Geography of Old Westbury
Old Westbury covers an area of about 8.57 square miles (22.20 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 1,264 | — | |
| 1940 | 1,017 | −19.5% | |
| 1950 | 1,160 | 14.1% | |
| 1960 | 2,064 | 77.9% | |
| 1970 | 2,667 | 29.2% | |
| 1980 | 3,277 | 22.9% | |
| 1990 | 3,897 | 18.9% | |
| 2000 | 4,228 | 8.5% | |
| 2010 | 4,671 | 10.5% | |
| 2020 | 4,289 | −8.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 4,228 people living in Old Westbury. There were 1,063 households, which are groups of people living together. Most households (82.2%) were married couples. About 43.2% of households had children under 18. The average household had about 3.33 people.
The median age in the village was 35 years old. This means half the people were younger than 35 and half were older.
Education in Old Westbury
Old Westbury has several schools and colleges.
Public Schools
Students in Old Westbury go to one of four public school districts. These are the East Williston Union Free School District, the Jericho Union Free School District, the Roslyn Union Free School District, and the Westbury Union Free School District.
Two high schools are located within the village itself:
- Westbury High School
- The Wheatley School
Private Schools
- Holy Child Academy is a private Catholic school. It teaches students from kindergarten to 8th grade.
Colleges and Universities
- New York Institute of Technology is a private university. It offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees.
- SUNY Old Westbury is a public college. It focuses on liberal arts studies.
Famous Landmarks
- Meadow Brook Polo Club: This club is known as the birthplace of American polo. It is the oldest running polo club in the United States.
- Old Westbury Gardens: This is a public garden designed in the English style. It is a popular place to visit.
Notable People from Old Westbury
Many interesting people have lived in Old Westbury. Here are a few:
- Carol Alt, a famous supermodel and TV personality.
- Ashanti, a well-known musician.
- Robert Low Bacon, a banker and congressman.
- Bethenny Frankel, a TV personality and author.
- Anson Goodyear, the first president of the Museum of Modern Art.
- Victoria Gotti, a reality TV star and author.
- C. Z. Guest, a socialite and celebrity gardener.
- Thomas Hastings, a famous architect.
- Kevin James, a popular actor.
- Peter S. Kalikow, a real estate and car collector.
- Ed Kranepool, a former New York Mets baseball player.
- Nicole Krauss, an author.
- Nas, a famous rapper.
- Brandon Nimmo, an MLB outfielder for the New York Mets.
- Henry Phipps, Jr., a partner in Carnegie Steel Company and a philanthropist.
- Lilly Pulitzer, a well-known designer.
- Igor Sikorsky, who developed airplanes and was a major producer of helicopters.
- Howard Stern, a famous entertainer.
- Beatrice Straight, an Academy Award-winning actress.
- Consuelo Vanderbilt, a Vanderbilt family heiress.
- Gloria Vanderbilt, a Vanderbilt family heiress, designer, and artist.
- William Kissam Vanderbilt II, a Vanderbilt family heir and motor racer.
- George Herbert Walker, a banker and businessman. He was the grandfather of U.S. President George H. W. Bush.
- Jimmy Walker, a former New York City Mayor.
- Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, a Vanderbilt family heiress and founder of the Whitney Museum of American Art.
- Harry Payne Whitney, a famous horse breeder.
- Marylou Whitney, a socialite and philanthropist.
- Alexei Yashin, a professional hockey player.
Wealth in Old Westbury
Old Westbury is known for being a very wealthy place. In 2011, Bloomberg/Businessweek magazine said it was the second "richest" town in the United States. It was only behind Palm Beach, Florida. The magazine also called it "New York's wealthiest suburb."
Many of New York's and America's richest families have lived here. These include the Phippses, Vanderbilts, and Whitneys. Even today, many wealthy business people, collectors, athletes, and entertainers live in Old Westbury.
An investor named Steven Schonfeld once said that buying land in Old Westbury was the "wisest investment" he ever made.
See also
In Spanish: Old Westbury para niños
