Brentwood, New York

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Brentwood is a hamlet and CDP (census-designated place) in the Town of Islip in Suffolk County, New York on Long Island. As of the 2000 census, the CDP had a total population of 53,917.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Brentwood is located at 40°46′54″N, 73°14′39″W (40.781805, -73.244060)GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 26.1 km² (10.1 mi²), all land.

[edit] History

Brentwood used to be known as Modern Times. Modern Times was an individualist anarchist, utopian colony begun on March 21, 1851 on 750 acres (3 km²) of land on Long Island, New York, Josiah Warren and Stephen Pearl Andrews. By contract, all land was bought and sold at cost, with three acres being the maximum allowable lot size. The community was said to be based in the idea of "individual sovereignty" and "individual responsibility." There was an understanding that there was to be no initiation of coercion, leaving all individuals to pursue their self-interest as they saw fit. All products of labor were considered private property. The community had a local private currency based upon labor exchange in order to trade goods and services (see Mutualism). All land was private property, with the exception of alleys which were initially considered common property but later converted to private property. No system of authority existed in the colony. There were no courts, no jails, and no police; yet, there are no reports of any problem with crime existing there. This appears to have given some credence to Warren's theories that the most significant cause of violence in society was most attributable to policies and law which did not allow complete individuality in person and property. However, the modest population of the colony might be considered a factor in this characteristic. The Civil War, as well as a gradual infiltration into the community by those that did not share the same libertarian and economic philosophy, is said to have contributed to its eventual dissolution. The colony's location is now known as Brentwood, New York. Almost all of the original buildings that existed in Modern Times have been destroyed.

Modern Times was renamed Brentwood after the village Brentwood, Essex in England.

Site of Pilgrim State Hospital, once the world's largest mental institution; now known as Pilgrim Psychiatric Center.

[edit] Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 53,917 people, 12,580 households, and 10,894 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2,069.3/km² (5,357.3/mi²). There were 13,039 housing units at an average density of 500.4/km² (1,295.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 47.73% White, 18.06% African American, 0.57% Native American, 2.01% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 25.44% from other races, and 6.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 54.25% of the population.

There were 12,580 households out of which 46.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.2% were married couples living together, 17.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.4% were non-families. 9.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.23 and the average family size was 4.19.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 29.9% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 100.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $59,208, and the median income for a family was $57,047. Males had a median income of $31,022 versus $25,946 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $15,833. About 7.5% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.7% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Notable Residents

  • EPMD - hip-hop pioneers, raised in Brentwood
  • David W. Halderman Jr. - lieutenant, FDNY; killed during the 9/11 attacks
  • Buddy McGirt - boxing champion and trainer
  • William H. Ross, M.D. - psychiatrist, founder of the Ross Health Resort on Suffolk Avenue in 1898; after whom the Ross Building of Brentwood High School and Ross Nursing Home are named
  • Michael H. Waye - vice president, Marsh and McLennan; killed during the 9/11 attacks

[edit] Churches

  • Hope Baptist Church
  • Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Candlewood Road
  • St. Ann's R.C. Church, Second Avenue
  • St. Luke's Church

[edit] Bibliography

  • Dyson, Verne. A Century of Brentwood. by Verne Dyson, 1950, Brentwood: Brentwood Village Press, 1950.
  • Dyson, Verne. Supplement and Index: An After-piece to A Century of Brentwood, Brentwood: Brentwood Village Press, 1953.
  • Wunderlich, Roger. Low Living and High Thinking at Modern Times, N.Y. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 1992. ISBN 0-8156-2554-5

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Town of Islip, New York

County

Suffolk County, New York

Villages

Brightwaters · Islandia · Ocean Beach · Saltaire

Hamlets

Bay Shore · Bayport · Baywood · Bohemia · Brentwood · Central Islip · East Islip · Great River · Hauppauge · Holbrook · Holtsville · Islip · Islip Terrace · Lake Ronkonkoma · Oakdale · Ronkonkoma · Sayville · West Bay Shore · West Islip · West Sayville

Website Islip.org
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