Setauket-East Setauket, New York

Setauket-East Setauket, New York
—  CDP  —
Setauket's local postal office
Setauket-East Setauket, New York
Coordinates: 40°55′48″N 73°6′7″W
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Suffolk
Area
• Total	9.3 sq mi (24.0 km2)
• Land	8.5 sq mi (21.9 km2)
• Water	0.8 sq mi (2.1 km2)
Population (2000)
• Total	15,931
• Density	1,882.3/sq mi (726.8/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
FIPS code	36-66481

Setauket-East Setauket ( /səˈtɔːkɪt/) is an affluent census-designated place (CDP) in Suffolk County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island; It is located along the island's "Gold Coast." As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 15,931. It is one of the wealthiest communities in the state of New York and the nation. In 2010, the neighborhood of Old Field was named the 25th most expensive town in the United States, with a median home sale price of $1,846,878 and a median household income of $185,398.

The CDP encompasses the hamlets of Setauket and East Setauket in the Town of Brookhaven. The former, once known as West Setauket, now includes the Old Setauket Historic District around the Setauket Mill Pond.

Geography

A park in East Setauket with water that connects to Setauket Harbor

Setauket-East Setauket is located at 40°55′48″N 73°06′07″W. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 9.3 square miles (24 km²), of which, 8.5 square miles (22 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²) of it (8.64%) is water. The ZIP Code for Setauket is 11733.

The Setaukets are located on the North Shore of Long Island in western Suffolk County. They form the eastern half of Brookhaven's "Three Village" area, a neighborhood grouping largely described by the Three Village Central School District. During the 17th century, Setauket was synonymous with the colonial Town of Brookhaven, New York.

Neighboring Old Field has numerous waterfront estates on Long Island Sound, many from the early and middle 1900s. Setauket has a New England-style village green with a mill pond and park, a quaint post office, and the Caroline Church, built in 1729, and the Setauket Presbyterian Church established in 1660. The Emma S. Clark Library, also on the Village Green, is often considered one of the best on Long Island. During the American Revolutionary War, a minor skirmish (the "Battle of Setauket") was fought on the village green. Some of the bullets were embedded into the walls of Caroline Church. The Jerusalem Patriarchate in America of the Greek Orthodox Church is headquartered in Setauket.

The "Setaukets" refers to the area between Stony Brook and Port Jefferson Harbors, including parts of the State University of New York at Stony Brook. As such, they comprise all of Old Field, Strong's Neck, Poquott, South Setauket and East Setauket. The Setaukets are the "Three Village" area minus the Stony Brook neighborhoods.

The three major east-west roads are New York State Route 25A (also known as Northern Boulevard), N.Y.S. Route 347 and Sheep Pasture Road. The colonial-era Sheep Pasture Road is split among Upper and Lower Sheep Pasture roads for a short stretch between Gnarled Hollow Road and Pond Path. Setauket is accessible from the Long Island Expressway via Exit 62 and Nicolls Road.

Almost all of the commercial establishments in Setauket are concentrated in three areas: on Route 25A (here also known as North Country Road), Belle Meade Road (formerly called Terminal Road after the oil terminal), and on New York State Route 347/Nesconset Highway. Numerous medical and professional offices are located on Belle Meade Road, along with other businesses that service them.

The remainder of Setauket is residential except for schools. A smattering of shops and factories were established before modern zoning rules went into effect. A couple are located on Gnarled Hollow Road, and a few on Comsewogue Road.

Demographics

The Setauket Mill Pond

As of the census of 2000, there were 15,931 people, 5,521 households, and 4,289 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,882.3 per square mile (727.1/km²). There were 5,632 housing units at an average density of 665.4/sq mi (257.0/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 87.76% White, 1.27% African American, 0.17% Native American, 8.80% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.61% from other races, and 1.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.43% of the population.

There were 5,589 households out of which 39.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.6% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were non-families. 17.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.26.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 27.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $96,986, and the median income for a family was $105,472. Males had a median income of $80,276 versus $46,281 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $37,736. About .9% of families and 1.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including .8% of those under age 18 and 0.3% of those age 65 or over. Housing prices in East Setauket range from $450,000 to upwards of $10,000,000.

Local history

The region was first settled by Europeans in the 1650s, English migrants from New England. This was the first settlement in what became the Town of Brookhaven.

John Woolman noted in his journal attending a Quaker meeting at "Setawket" in the spring of 1747.

During the American Revolutionary War, the Culper Spy Ring, headed by Benjamin Tallmadge, passed information about British troop movements gathered in New York City to George Washington. The 1777 Battle of Setauket was fought here.

The name "Setauket" is derived from the historic Algonquian-speaking Setalcott Indians, who had lived in the area at the time of English settlement.

Education

Ward Melville High School

The Three Village Central School District serves the Setauket community.

• Ward Melville High School - named after the local philanthropist who donated land for the school. It is renowned nationally for its InSTAR science research program, which produces a high number of Intel Semifinalists for the Intel Science Talent Search. The school also has a regional reputation for its lacrosse team.
• Paul J. Gelinas Junior High School - named after Paul J. Gelinas, the first district superintendent.
• Murphy Junior High School - named after Robert C. Murphy, a local naturalist.
• William Sydney Mount Elementary School - named after a local 19th-century artist known for his portrayals of everyday life.
• Setauket Elementary School
• Nassakeag Elementary School
• Minnesauke Elementary School - Setauket Indian word for "Little Neck", the name for what is now known as Strong's Neck.
• Arrowhead Elementary School
• Christian Avenue School - Original buildings dating back from earlier part of the century. Used for Kindergarten and 1st grade before closing in late 1970s. Demolished and redeveloped as residential homes in the 1990s.
• North Country School - Former elementary school, closed in 1980s. Some of the districts administrative offices are located there as well as rented to BOCES.
• The Stony Brook School (Private) - local urban myth (which is incorrect) is that this is the very school J. D. Salinger attended and wrote about in Catcher in the Rye.^{[citation needed]}
• Emma S. Clark Library
• State University of New York at Stony Brook
• Torah Tots, Chabad Hebrew school

Food

Most of the food service establishments including restaurants in Setauket are on Route 25A, which is also the road with most of the commercial establishments in Setauket. Route 25A has more numerous but smaller shops while Route 347 has fewer but larger shops. Most of the restaurants on Route 347 are chain restaurants but most of the restaurants along Route 25A are not part of a chain. Major grocery stores also have deli counters. It is also home to what some consider to be the best deli in the world "Se-port Deli".

Attractions

The Emma S. Clark Public Library

Historic churches include the Caroline Church (Episcopal) (built 1730) and Setauket Presbyterian Church (first building dated to 1674, but the congregation uses a 19th-century church), both built on the Setauket Green. The Greek Orthodox Monastery of the Holy Cross was a later development in the area.

Other attractions include the Village Green, the Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, the Three Village Garden Club Arboretum and Nature Preserve, the historic Setauket Post Office located near the Setauket Mill Pond, Setauket Neighborhood House and . All the above attractions are within easy walking distance of each other (all within a thousand feet), and are popular sites for wedding photographers. The Setauket Mill Pond has a resident population of ducks, geese and swans, is stream fed and is stocked with bass. Fishing in the Mill Pond requires a NY fresh water license.

The Thompson House (91 North Country Road at Old Town Road) is another registered historic place in Setauket. Another house museum is the c. 1830 Sherwood-Jayne Museum.

The Long Island Museum in nearby Stony Brook features one of the largest collection of horse-drawn carriages in the world. It has a collection of art, including paintings by William Sydney Mount, and a growing collection of folk art and local crafts. It hosts an annual folk festival.

Regional and local newspapers

• Newsday (daily)
• The Village Times Herald (weekly)
• Stony Brook Statesman (Stony Brook University)
• Stony Brook Press (Stony Brook University)

Notable residents

• Michael Jackson, singer
• Bulent Arel, composer (1919–1990)
• Bud Abbott, comedian (1897–1974)
• Ray Anderson (jazz musician)
• Mick Foley, professional wrestler
• John Fugelsang, actor/writer
• Amy Goodman, radio journalist
• Frederick Lenz "Rama" religious leader and guru
• Ward Melville, businessman and local philanthropist (1887–1977)
• William Sydney Mount, painter (1787–1869)
• Robert Cushman Murphy, naturalist (1887–1973)
• Terrance Hobbs, musician/sound engineer/lead guitar
• James Harris Simons, cryptanalyst, mathematician, hedge fund founder, and philanthropist
• Dee Snider, radio personality and singer from Twisted Sister
• Angel Viloria, merengue musician
• Kevin James, comedian/actor
• Todd Sauerbrun, NFL punter
• Joseph P Dibernardo Captain FDNY rescue 3 survivor Black Sunday (1970–2011)

Various musical groups have been associated with the Setaukets, including

• Autopsy
• Blue Öyster Cult
• Twisted Sister
• Stray Cats
• Bayside (band)

Gallery

• 

  The Setauket Elementary School
• 

  Frank Melville Memorial Park around the Setauket Mill Pond
• 

  The park includes The Bates House, operated as a house museum

External links

• Three Village Historical Society
• City-data.com's information
• School District Information on Setauket
• Setauket Volunteer Fire Department