Shelter Island (town), New York
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shelter Island is an island and a town located at the eastern end of Suffolk County, New York, USA. As of the United States 2000 Census, the town population was 2,228.
The Town of Shelter Island is at the eastern end of the county, and separated from the rest of the county by water.
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[edit] Geography
Shelter Island is nestled between the North and South Forks of Long Island. The island is surrounded on three sides by Shelter Island Sound. The fourth side, on the east, is adjacent to Gardiners Bay. It can be reached by ferry from Greenport to the north (approximately 15-minute trip) or from North Haven to the south (approximately 5-minute trip). New York State Route 114 runs through the island.
The island is around 8,000 acres in size, however, vast tracts are protected wetlands nature preserve marshland. Nearly one-third of the island is owned by The Nature Conservancy and kept in a forever-wild state. The Preserve has four nature and bird-watching trails, varying in length from 1.5 miles to 11 miles, as well as a barrier-free Braille trail for the visually impaired.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Shelter Island has a total area of 70.2 km² (27.1 mi²). 31.4 km² (12.1 mi²) of it is land and 38.7 km² (15.0 mi²) of it (55.20%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 2,228 people, 996 households, and 656 families residing in the town. The population density was 70.9/km² (183.6/mi²). There were 2,370 housing units at an average density of 75.4/km² (195.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.32% White, 0.72% Black or African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.09% from other races, and 2.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.38% of the population.
There were 996 households out of which 20.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.75.
In the town the population was spread out with 18.1% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 20.1% from 25 to 44, 29.1% from 45 to 64, and 28.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $53,011, and the median income for a family was $63,750. Males had a median income of $41,508 versus $36,316 for females. The per capita income for the town was $30,346. About 4.7% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.0% of those under age 18 and 1.4% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Communities and locations
[edit] Villages (incorporated)
- Dering Harbor, on the north side of the island.
[edit] Hamlets (unincorporated)
- Montclair Colony, on the south side of the island.
- Shelter Island, the hamlet of Shelter Island.
- Shelter Island Heights, on the north side of the island.
- Silver Beach, on the southwest side of the island.
- Westmoreland, on the west side of the island.
[edit] Geographic features
- Coecles Harbor, an inlet on the east side of the island.
- Smith Cove, an inlet on the south side of the island.
- West Neck Harbor, an inlet at the southwest end of the island.
[edit] History
A partnership of four wealthy sugar merchants from Barbados purchased Shelter Island from the Manhanset Native Americans. Their intent was to harvest the island’s white oak to build the barrels required for the business. Of the four, only Nathaniel Sylvester settled there, bringing his 16 year old bride Grissel in 1652. [1]
In the late 19th Century, the island developed as a Methodist retreat and summer camp. Some of the homes from this era are still found in Shelter Island Heights, including the Chequit Inn, which was used as a church meeting hall. Nathenial Sylvester one of the wealthy sugar merchants settled on Shelter Island with his young 16yr. old bride a Miss. Brindly/Brinly in about 1651. It is claimed that Nathenial Sylvester veiwed this island and Fisher Island, and other land holdings on Long Island as his sole property. However, these estates where a partnership with the other sugar merchants ( which where Nathenial's brothers)who never set foot on any of these Long Island properties, so at the time of Nathenial's death it states in his will that he belived he was the sole owner of these lands and gave them to his wife and sons---encluding Sylvester Manor.
[edit] Politics
Shelter Island has been known as a center for political conservatism on Long Island. Residents have consistently voted Republican. In the 1996 presidential election, it was the only town on Long Island to vote for Bob Dole. However, in 2004, John Kerry became the first Democrat in recent history to win Shelter Island, even though he failed to receive as many votes as Al Gore did four years earlier throughout Long Island. However, none of this is of much consequence since Shelter Island's population is so small.
[edit] Religion
There are six places of worship on Shelter Island:
- Grace Evangelical Church, non-denominational, Shelter Island Public Library basement, 37 North Ferry Road.
- Our Lady of the Isle, Roman Catholic, 5 Prospect Avenue, in Shelter Island Heights. Founded in 1907.
- Shelter Island Friends Meeting, Quakers, Sylvester Manor, 116 North Ferry Road (May-October), Havens House, 16 South Ferry Road (November-April)
- Shelter Island Presbyterian Church, 32 North Ferry Road
- St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 26 St. Mary's Road
- Union Chapel in the Grove, interdenominational, Bay Avenue, in Shelter Island Heights. Open June-September.
There is a methodist camp, Camp Quinipet, on the northwestern tip of the island. It is used as a camp in the summer and as a retreat center for churches throughout the year.
[edit] Notable residents
Shelter Island has been the home for many notable residents, both fulltime and part-time homeowners. Among them:
- Simon Doonan -- English-born creative director of Barney’s. Newspaper columnist and author of Confessions of a Window Dresser, Nasty: My Family and Other Varmints, and Wacky Chicks: Life Lessons from Fearlessly Inappropriate and Fabulously Eccentric Women.
- Otto Kahn (1867-1934) -- German-born financier. Beginning in 1924, Kahn owned property in what is now Mashomack Nature Preserve.
- Robert Lipsyte -- American-born sportswriter for The New York Times. Also a successful author of books for young readers, including Raiders Night, The Contender, The Brave, The Chief, and Warrior Angel. Lipsyte won an Emmy award for the public affairs show The Eleventh Hour.
- Leon Uris (1924-2003) -- American-born novelist. His first novel, Battle Cry, was based on his own experiences in the Marine Corps. Among his bestsellers were Redemption, Trinity, Exodus, QB VII, and Topaz, among others. Uris passed away in June 2003 at his Shelter Island home on Chase Creek.
[edit] External links
- Town of Shelter Island (official site)
- Shelter Island
- Shelter Island Historical Society
- Shelter Island Reporter
- South Ferry Company
- Shelter Island Real Estate Information
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- Satellite image from WikiMapia, Google Maps or Windows Live Local
- Street map from MapQuest or Google Maps
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image from TerraServer-USA
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