Deer Park is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 27,745 at the 2010 census.
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Deer Park is a residential hamlet located in the pine barrens in the northwest corner of the town of Babylon. It grew out of Jacob Conklin's 1610 settlement of the Half Way Hollow Hills, later Wheatley Heights. Charles Wilson started what is now Deer Park in 1853 about eleven years after the Long Island Railroad arrived in 1842-when he established a large and productive farm. A post office was opened in 1851, closed in 1872 and re-opened on July 1, 1873. Deer Park had an elementary school in 1874. Prior to 1923, the Deer Park School District took in Deer Park and Wyandanch.[1]
Farming was a staple of this small town for most of its history. Known as the "fruit basket" of New York State, the area is also famed for its dahlia cultivation. It was not until the effects of the post-World War II boom reached Deer Park that its economy ceased to be agricultural.
Deer Park had two industries before 1940: the Walker and Conklin firm baked red bricks in West Deer Park (now Wheatley Heights), and the Golden Pickle Works (1902) prepared pickles in Deer Park. Deer Park was the locale of the Edgewood State Psychiatric Hospital (1938–1969)-originally a tuberculosis sanatorium, and later an Army hospital during World War II. The Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation established a factory in Deer Park in 1956.[2]
There are many famous individuals who made Deer Park a part of their lives. The area has been visited by actor Alan Alda, Sen. Jacob Javits, Sen. Robert Kennedy, singer Ethel Merman, actor Donald O'Connor, and Governor Nelson Rockefeller. Comedian and nightclub owner Rodney Dangerfield was born and raised in Deer Park.
Deer Park is reputed to have been the favorite summer spot of President John Quincy Adams, his favorite vacation destination from 1835 until his death. However, this fact has never been verified.[2] The John Quincy Adams Elementary School, opened in 1964, is said to be located on the actual Adams estate.
On October 22, 2008, the controversial $300 million dollar[3] Tanger Outlets at the Arches opened. The 2009 recession has, for the time being, quelled the fears of excessive traffic on major Deer Park highways.
Deer Park is located at (40.760698, −73.330072).[4]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 6.3 square miles (16 km2), all land.
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 28,316 people, 9,516 households, and 7,422 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 4,525.0 per square mile (1,746.5/km2). There were 9,698 housing units at an average density of 1,549.8/sq mi (598.2/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 83.5% White, 9.0% African American, 0.2% Native American, 2.9% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 2.1% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.6% of the population.
There were 9,516 households out of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.7% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.0% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.37.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $60,254, and the median income for a family was $67,128 (these figures had risen to $72,173 and $87,500 respectively as of a 2007 estimate[5]). Males had a median income of $47,266 versus $32,743 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $24,196. About 3.3% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
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