Kings Park, New York
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| Kings Park, New York | |
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  Kings Park, New York
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| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Suffolk |
| Area | |
| - Total | 6.3 sq mi (16.3 km²) |
| - Land | 5.9 sq mi (15.3 km²) |
| - Water | 0.4 sq mi (1.0 km²) |
| Elevation | 174 ft (53 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 16,146 |
| - Density | 2,740.4/sq mi (1,058.1/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 11754 |
| Area code(s) | 631 |
| FIPS code | 36-39672 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0954667 |
Kings Park is a census-designated place (CDP) and town located in the Town of Smithtown, Suffolk County, New York. The population was 16,146 at the 2000 census. Kings Park is noted for its schools, numerous parks, and natural beauty. Many educated professionals have moved to Kings Park in the last decade.
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[edit] Geography
Kings Park is located at (40.888497, -73.242582)[1].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 6.3 square miles (16.3 km²), of which, 5.9 square miles (15.3 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km²) of it (6.21%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 16,146 people, 5,480 households, and 4,197 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2,740.4 per square mile (1,058.4/km²). There were 5,574 housing units at an average density of 946.1/sq mi (365.4/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 92.45% White, 4,95% African American, 0.13% Native American, 1.89% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.33% of the population.
There were 5,480 households out of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.1% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.4% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.32.
[edit] Kings Park Psychiatric Center
The Kings Park Psychiatric Center was built by Kings County (before becoming part of New York City) in 1885 after Dr. Oliver Dewing's successful campaign to develop a hospital for the mentally ill on an 870-acre plot of land. The hospital was originally called Kings County Farm, a care center for the poor and mentally ill operated by Brooklyn officials. Kings County Farm is the origin of the name Kings Park.
In 1954 the Center's patient population peaked at 9,303. The Center was a key source of employment for the area during this time period, and was perhaps the most important factor in the hamlet's development.
As patient totals declined, so did employment at the center. The decrease in state employment caused a demographics shift, as an increasing percentage of the population became employed in New York City.
In 1996, the KPPC property closed. The remaining patients were transferred to Pilgrim Psychiatric Center. The State of New York has abandoned a deal to sell the property to Cherokee Northeast/Arker Companies for remediation and future redevelopment. The plans have been opposed vehemently by many townspeople, most notably the Kings Park Coalition Against High Density Housing, and has become an important political issue in many local political campaigns.
[edit] Claims to fame
Kings Park is the hometown of Houston Astros catcher/second baseman/outfielder Craig Biggio. Biggio has been named one of the 5 greatest second baseman of all time by renowned baseball statistician Bill James. He is also the modern-era record-holder for HBPs with 273, and the only player in history to be named an All-Star at both the catcher and second baseman positions.
Kings Park is also the hometown of John Petrucci, John Myung, and Kevin Moore, founding members of influential progressive metal band Dream Theater.
Kings Park was home to the Long Island Kingsmen Drum and Bugle Corps from 1965-1984. The Kingsmen were the American Legion National Champions in 1978 and 1979 and the VFW National Champions in 1979. The corps also placed 21st in 1979 and 16th in 1980 at the Drum Corps International (DCI) World Championships.
[edit] Other landmarks
Sunken Meadow State Park borders the Long Island Sound and is accessible by the Sunken Meadow State Parkway. It is a part of the New York State Parks system. In addition to the water, the park boasts 6 miles of public trails and 27 holes of golf. The park's facilities make it ideally suited for many activities, among them various distance running competitions. The infamous "Cardiac Hill" is well known by local runners.
The Nissequogue River, 6 miles in length, empties into the Long Island Sound and is readily accessible for all manner of water activities. The scenic river snakes through the recently christened Nissequogue River State Park.
[edit] References
- ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
- Kings Park Chamber of Commerce
- Kings Park Central School District
- A High-Quality PDF Map and a Photo Essay of the Abandoned Hospital
- Kings Park, New York is at coordinates Coordinates:
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