Elmont, New York

Elmont is a hamlet (and census-designated place) in Long Island, Nassau County, New York, in the Town of Hempstead. The population was 32,657 at the 2000 census.

Elmont is famous as the home of Belmont Park Race Track, which has the world's largest dirt thoroughbred racecourse and is world famous as the site of the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown.

Tree-lined streets, parks, old churches and temples, cultural festivals and parades, restaurants, low-crime rates (In 2005, Forbes magazine listed Long Island as having 2,042 crimes per 100,000 residents; the lowest crime rate in the country and less than half the U.S. average), outstanding schools, a diverse neighborhood, and proximity to New York City make Elmont a unique part of the Town of Hempstead and Long Island.

Ex-NFL Quarterback and Heisman Award winner Vinny Testaverde grew up in Elmont and graduated from Sewanhaka High School.

History

In 1650, Christopher and Thomas Foster purchased a large plot of land controlled by Dutch settlers with the intention of raising cattle and sheep. They named this place “Foster’s Meadow”—a name which would remain for the next 200 years of the village’s history. Control of the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam shifted to England in 1664, marking the first gradual cultural shift in Foster’s Meadow with the establishment of a community of predominantly English, Protestant farmers and their families. In 1683, Long Island was divided into three regions, Kings, Queens and Suffolk Counties; under this new structure, Foster’s Meadow was counted a part of Queens County. The current boundaries of Elmont were decided upon in 1898; at this point, Nassau County was created as a new district, leading to conflict over land and monies owed as a result of Elmont’s boundary shift from Queens. It was during the mid-19th century that Foster’s Meadow experienced its second cultural shift, with the influx of farmers from Brooklyn and Middle Village to the west. These groups were largely of German descent and practiced Catholicism. Indeed the Catholic population in Foster’s Meadow grew to the extent that St. Boniface Catholic Church was built in 1852, providing a focal point for the gradual development of a Catholic population base.

The community underwent its next political reshuffling in 1882, when the regions were subdivided into districts with unique names and boundaries (including Alden Manor and Locustwood); it was at this time that Foster’s Meadow was renamed Elmont. Arguably the most significant milestone in the development of modern-day Elmont was the building of the Belmont Racetrack in 1905. In this year, 620 acres were purchased on the edge of the region and by 1915, the Racetrack was opened to the public, attracting both visitors and migrant workers to the area. Housing developments and businesses grew in the area surrounding the racetrack to meet the needs of these workers; this process of development to meet the workers’ needs continued in successive waves, ultimately representing a shift in Elmont from rural farmland to suburbia.

With the opening of Belmont Racetrack in 1905, Elmont reached a turning point in its history. The many farms were sold and transformed in houses, most of which were owned by people that worked at Belmont Racetrack. Many business were formed on Hempstead Turnpike to support the blooming suburban location. The first air race in the United States was held at Belmont Racetrack, including a race from Elmont to the Statue of Liberty and back.

The first intercity airmail service between New York and Washington, D.C. in 1918 used Belmont Park in Elmont as the terminal for New York.

Education

Long Island and Nassau County specifically are consistently ranked nationally for providing outstanding education.

Elmont is served by two Nationally Recognized Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence, Elmont Memorial High School and Sewanhaka High School, part of the Sewanhaka Central High School District. Elmont Memorial High School recently was recognized as having the largest percentage of African-American high school students receive a "3" or higher on Advanced Placement tests nationally.

The Elmont Union Free School District provides outstanding primary school education for Elmont residents. In 2005, the Elmont Union Free School District was recognized by the New York State Comptroller as one of 5 out of 52 districts cited as "well managed".

Elementary Schools

Dutch Broadway School(Grades K-6, Students: 985)
Clara H. Carlson School(Grades K-6, Students: 885)
Gotham Ave. School(Grades K-6, Students: 774)
Covert Ave. School(Grades K-6, Students: 721)
Alden Terrace School(Grades K-6, Students: 550)
Stewart Manor School(Grades K-6, Students: 344)

High Schools

Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High School(Grades 7-12, Students: 2,039)
Sewanhaka High School(Grades 7-12, Students; 1,567)

Closest Colleges and Universities

Nassau Community College (Full time Enrollment: 13,710; 5 miles, Garden City, NY)
Adelphi University (Full time Enrollment: 4,074; 5 miles, Garden City, NY)
CUNY Queensborough Community College(Full Time Enrollment: 7,431; 6 miles, New York, NY)
St. John's University-New York (Full Time Enrollment: 15,070; 7 miles, Jamaica, New York, NY)
Hofstra University (Full Time Enrollment: 10,842; 8 miles, Hempstead, NY)
CUNY Queens College (Full Time Enrollment: 10, 278; 9 miles, Flushing, New York, NY)

Transportation

Elmont is located near the border of Nassau County and Queens County of New York City. This provides residents with quick access to the New York City Subway system and Metrobus system. The Long Island Bus system(part of Metropolitan Transit Authority-New York City) also provides connections to the New York City bus sytem.

Closest airports include:

John F. Kennedy International Airport7 miles, New York, NY)
LaGuardia Airport(13 miles, New York, NY)
Sands Point Airport(public use, 10 miles, Port Washington, Long Island, NY)
Flushing Airport(public use, 10 miles, Flushing, New York City, NY)

Elmont's terminal on the Long Island Rail Road is Belmont Park, however it is subject to the opening schedule of the Belmont Park. Elmont is also proximal to the Floral Park and Valley Stream terminals of the LIRR.

Geography

Elmont is located at (40.701641, -73.702458).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 8.81 km² (3.4 mi²), all land.

Elmont is located near the Queens(NYC)/Nassau County border, thus earning it the name "The Gateway to Long Island".

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 32,657 people, 9,902 households, and 7,842 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 3,697.6/km² (9,589.9/mi²). There were 10,151 housing units at an average density of 1,149.4/km² (2,980.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 45.56% White, 34.69% African American, 0.43% Native American, 9.09% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 5.69% from other races, and 4.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.31% of the population.

There were 9,902 households out of which 39.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% were married couples living together, 17.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.8% were non-families. 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.29 and the average family size was 3.68.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.9 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $62,511, and the median income for a family was $68,646. Males had a median income of $40,182 versus $35,203 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $22,111. About 5.4% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.3% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

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