Holtsville, New York

Holtsville is a hamlet (and census-designated place) in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 17,006 at the 2000 census.

Holtsville is the location of an IRS Processing Center (which has the lowest assigned numerical ZIP Code, 00501) and is in the Town of Brookhaven and the Town of Islip.

History and Overview

The hamlet known today as Holtsville included only a few farmhouses in the late 18th century. In 1843, the Long Island Rail Road opened its Waverly Station. Maps from that period label the area as Waverly, and a stagecoach line ran north-south along present day Waverly Avenue. As another town named Waverly already existed in Upstate New York, the name of the town was changed to Holtsville in 1860, in honor of U.S. Postmaster General Joseph Holt. As of 1874, Holtsville consisted of 15 houses, a school, and a general store.^[1] The train station retained the name "Waverly" for some time, but was eventually also changed to Holtsville, probably in the 1890s, after farmers complained about their shipments going to upstate by mistake.^[2][3] In 1916, the Suffolk County Tuberculosis Sanatorium opened on land that was considered Holtsville at the time, but is now part of the hamlet of Selden.^[4] The site later became the location of the main campus of Suffolk County Community College.

The Internal Revenue Service opened a large processing center on a 67-acre (270,000 m²) site in the hamlet in 1972.^[1]

The rail era in Holtsville ended in 1998, when a number of LIRR stations closed due to low ridership.^[5] Holtsville commuters were advised to use Medford and Ronkonkoma stations; more use Ronkonkoma due to the fact for, except for a few peak-hour trains terminating in Mineola or HIcksville, boarding at Medford would require transfer to an electric train at Ronkonkoma anyway.

Attractions

Holtsville is home to the Harold H. Malkmes Wildlife Education and Ecology Center, a public zoo and ecological park located on the site of a former landfill.^[6]

Geography

Holtsville is located at (40.813394, -73.047175)^[7].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 7.0 square miles (18 km²), all land.

Demographics

As of the census^[8] of 2000, there were 17,006 people, 5,316 households, and 4,454 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2,444.3 per square mile (943.4/km²). There were 5,418 housing units at an average density of 778.8/sq mi (300.6/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 87.0% White, 1.11% African American, 0.18% Native American, 1.74% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.21% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.1% of the population.

There were 5,316 households out of which 43.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.4% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.2% were non-families. 12.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.19 and the average family size was 3.47.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 28.2% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $68,544, and the median income for a family was $71,784. Males had a median income of $50,361 versus $31,709 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $24,031. About 2.4% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.

Schools

• Sachem School District

Former and current residents of note

• Billy Alvino, professional baseball player
• Amy Fisher, former convict, current pornographic actress and journalist
• Holtsville Hal, The Groundhog Day mascot
• Neal Heaton, former Major League Baseball player
• Diane Nelson, former professional horse jockey
• Hugh Maclachlan, former professional middleweight boxer
• Pat Perritt, former collegiate lacrosse player who won National Championship at Syracuse
• Dr. David "Roosevelt" Beech, former Democratic party district mascot
• Chris R. Vaccaro, editor with Aol, professor at Hofstra University and author

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Newsday: Holtsville: The Taxman Sets Up a Regional Shop". http://www.newsday.com/community/guide/lihistory/ny-historytown-hist004g,0,6589762.story. Retrieved 2009-08-06. 
2. ^ Bayles, Richard Mather. Bayles' Long Island Handbook (Budget Steam Print: Babylon, New York, 1885) (1885 guidebook notes that the train station is called Waverly)
3. ^ "Holtsville History Recalled as a Result of Handbook Story". Mid-Island Mail. November 13, 1935. ("According to the Terrys and Mr. Bates the name was changed in 1897, on petition of the residents, mostly farmers, of Selden and Farmingville.")
4. ^ "COLLEGE SITE CHOSEN; Suffolk Picks Vacant Building at Holtsville Sanatarium". The New York Times. May. 24, 1960. 
5. ^ Sengupta, Somini (Mar. 15, 1998). "End of the Line for L.I.R.R.'s 10 Loneliest Stops". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1998/03/15/nyregion/end-of-the-line-for-lirr-s-10-loneliest-stops.html. Retrieved Aug. 6, 2009. 
6. ^ "Holtsville's free zoo is the big cats' meow". Newsday. Dec. 13, 2008. http://www.newsday.com/long-island/holtsville-s-free-zoo-is-the-big-cats-meow-1.884573. Retrieved Aug. 6, 2009. 
7. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
8. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 

External links

• Wildlife & Ecology Center