Suffolk County, New York

Suffolk County, New York
Westhampton, on the East End of Long Island
Flag Seal
Location in the state of New York
New York's location in the U.S.
Founded	1683
Named for	Suffolk, England
Seat	Riverhead
Largest town	Brookhaven
Area
• Total	2,373 sq mi (6,146 km2)
• Land	912 sq mi (2,362 km2)
• Water	1,461 sq mi (3,784 km2), 62%
Population
• (2010)	1,493,350
• Density	1,637/sq mi (632/km²)
Congressional districts	1st, 2nd, 3rd
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website	www.suffolkcountyny.gov

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Suffolk County /ˈsʌfək/ is a suburban county on Long Island and the easternmost county in the U.S. state of New York. At the 2010 census, the county's population was 1,493,350, estimated to have increased to 1,502,968 in 2014,^[1] making it the fourth-most populous county in New York. Its county seat is Riverhead,^[2] though some county offices are located in Hauppauge.^[3] The county was named after the county of Suffolk in England, from where its earliest European settlers came.

Suffolk County incorporates the easternmost extreme of the New York City metropolitan area. The largest of Long Island's four counties and the second-largest of 62 counties in New York State, Suffolk measures 86 miles (138 km) in length and 26 miles (42 km) in width at its widest (including water).^[4]

Major scientific research facilities in Suffolk County include Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton and Plum Island Animal Disease Center on Plum Island.

History

Suffolk County was an original county of the Province of New York, one of twelve created in 1683. From 1664 until 1683 it had been the East Riding of Yorkshire. Its boundaries were essentially the same as at present, with only minor changes in the boundary with its western neighbor, which was originally Queens County but has been Nassau County since the separation of Nassau from Queens in 1899.

According to the Suffolk County website, the county is the leading agricultural county in the state of New York, saying that: "The weather is temperate, clean water is abundant, and the soil is so good that Suffolk is the leading agricultural county in New York State. That Suffolk is still number one in farming, even with the development that has taken place, is a tribute to thoughtful planning, along with the excellent soil, favorable weather conditions, and the work of dedicated farmers in this region."^[5]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,373 square miles (6,150 km²), of which 912 square miles (2,360 km²) is land and 1,461 square miles (3,780 km²) (62%) is water.^[6] It is the second-largest county in New York by total area and occupies 66% of the land area of Long Island.

Suffolk County occupies the central and eastern part of Long Island, in the extreme southeast of New York State. The eastern end of the county splits into two peninsulas, known as the North Fork and the South Fork. The county is surrounded by water on three sides, including the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound, with 980 miles (1,580 km) of coastline. The eastern end contains large bays.

The highest elevation in the county, and on Long Island as a whole, is Jayne's Hill in West Hills, at 401 feet (122 m) above sea level.

Adjacent counties

• Nassau County - west
• Fairfield County, Connecticut - northwest
• New Haven County, Connecticut - north
• Middlesex County, Connecticut - north
• New London County, Connecticut - north
• Washington County, Rhode Island - northeast

National protected areas

• Amagansett National Wildlife Refuge
• Conscience Point National Wildlife Refuge
• Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge
• Fire Island National Seashore
• Sayville National Wildlife Refuge
• Seatuck National Wildlife Refuge
• Target Rock National Wildlife Refuge
• Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1790	16,400		—
1800	19,735		20.3%
1810	21,113		7.0%
1820	23,936		13.4%
1830	26,780		11.9%
1840	32,469		21.2%
1850	36,922		13.7%
1860	43,275		17.2%
1870	46,924		8.4%
1880	52,888		12.7%
1890	62,491		18.2%
1900	77,582		24.1%
1910	96,138		23.9%
1920	110,246		14.7%
1930	161,055		46.1%
1940	197,355		22.5%
1950	276,129		39.9%
1960	666,784		141.5%
1970	1,124,950		68.7%
1980	1,284,231		14.2%
1990	1,321,864		2.9%
2000	1,419,369		7.4%
2010	1,493,350		5.2%
Est. 2014	1,502,968		0.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9] 1990-2000[10] 2010, 2014[1]

As of the census^[11] of 2010, there were 1,493,350 people and 569,985 households residing in the county. The population of Suffolk County was estimated by the U.S. Census to have increased by 0.4% to 1,499,738 in 2013, representing 7.6% of the Census-estimated New York State population of 19,651,127 and 19.4% of the Census-estimated Long Island population of 7,740,208.^{[12][13][14][15]} The population density was 1,637 people per square mile (633/km²)with 569,985 households at an average density of 625 per square mile (242/km²). However, by 2012 with an estimated total population increasing moderately to 1,499,273 there were 569,359 housing units.^[16] The racial makeup of the county was 80.78% White, 7.45% African American, 0.36% Native American, 3.41% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 5.56% from other races, and 2.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.49% of the population.

In 2006, the racial or ethnic makeup of the county was 83.6% White (75.4% White Non-Hispanic). African Americans were 7.4% of the population. Asians stood at 3.4% of the population. 5.4% were of other or mixed race. Latinos were 13.0% of the population.^[17] The most common ethnicities in Suffolk County in 2007 were Italian (29.5%), Irish (24.0%), and German (17.6%).^[18]

In 2002, the New York Times cited a study by the non-profit group ERASE Racism, which determined Suffolk and its neighboring county, Nassau, to be the most racially segregated suburbs in the United States.^[19]

In 2006, there were 469,299 households, out of which 37.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.00% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.20% were non-families. 18.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.36.

In the county the population was spread out with 26.10% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 31.20% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 11.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males.

In 2008, Forbes magazine released its American Community Survey and named Suffolk County number 4 in its list of the top 25 richest counties in America.

The median income for a household in the county was $84,767,^[20] and the median income for a family was $72,112. Males had a median income of $50,046 versus $33,281 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,577. About 2.40% of families and 4.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.70% of those under age 18 and 2.30% of those age 65 or over.

Suffolk County ranks at number 21 on the list of the most populous counties in the United States.^[21]

Racial groups, ethnicity, and religious groups on Long Island
compared to state and nation

Place	Population 2010 census	% white	% black or African American	% Asian	% Other	% mixed race	% Hispanic/ Latino of any race		% Catholic	% not affiliated	% Jewish	% Protestant	Estimate of % not reporting
		Race					Ethnicity		Religious groups
Nassau County	1,339,532	73.0	11.1	7.6	5.9	2.4	14.6		52	9	17	7	15
Suffolk County	1,493,350	80.8	7.4	3.4	5.9	2.4	16.5		52	21	7	8	11
Long Island Total (including Brooklyn and Queens)	7,568,304	54.7	20.4	12.3	9.3	3.2	20.5		40	18	15	7	20
NY State	19,378,102	65.7	15.9	7.3	8.0	3.0	17.6		42	20	9	10	16
USA	308,745,538	72.4	12.6	4.8	7.3	2.9	16.3		22	37	2	23	12
Source for Race and Ethnicity: 2010 Census[22] American Indian, Native Alaskan, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander make up just 0.5% of the population of Long Island, and have been included with "Other".
Source for religious groups: ARDA2000[23][24]

Law and government

Presidential elections results

Year	Republican	Democratic
2012	47.5% 282,131	51.2% 304,079
2008	46.5% 306,815	52.5% 346,379
2004	48.5% 309,949	49.5% 315,909
2000	42.0% 240,992	53.4% 306,306
1996	36.1% 182,510	51.8% 261,828
1992	40.4% 220,811	38.9% 229,467
1988	60.5% 311,242	38.7% 199,215
1984	66.0% 335,485	33.7% 171,295
1980	57.0% 256,294	33.3% 149,945
1976	54.1% 248,908	45.3% 208,263
1972	70.3% 316,452	29.4% 132,441
1968	58.2% 218,027	32.7% 122,590
1964	44.4% 144,350	55.5% 180,598
1960	59.3% 166,644	40.6% 114,033

Suffolk County had long been a Republican bastion in New York. U.S. Congressman Rick Lazio, who opposed Hillary Clinton in the 2000 Senate race, was from Suffolk County. However, recent elections have turned the county more toward the Democrats. In 2003, Democrat Steve Levy was elected county executive, ending longtime Republican control. In 2001, Democrat Thomas Spota was elected District Attorney, and ran unopposed in 2005. Although Suffolk voters gave George H. W. Bush a victory here in 1992, the county voted for Bill Clinton in 1996 and continued the trend by giving Al Gore an 11-percent victory in the county in 2000. 2004 Democratic candidate John Kerry won by a much smaller margin of one percent, in 2008 Democratic candidate Barack Obama won by a slightly larger 4.4 percent margin, 52%-47%.

Suffolk County is represented by three congressional districts, the first, and parts of the second and third. The third is held by the Democratic Party, while the first and second are held by Republicans. Lee Zeldin, represents the first district, which includes almost half of the county, from Smithtown to Montauk, including The Hamptons and Riverhead.

The second district, is represented by Republican Peter King, and after redistricting includes parts of southern Suffolk and Nassau counties. The third district, which was mainly in Nassau County, but includes some middle-class coastal areas of southwestern Suffolk County, is represented by Steve Israel. It was redistricted in 2012 as well to include the northern sections of Suffolk and Nassau counties. A Democrat, Israel won the seat vacated by Rick Lazio in 2000 when he made his unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate.

As a whole both Suffolk and Nassau counties are considered swing counties. However, they tend not to receive significant attention from presidential candidates, as the state of New York has turned reliably Democratic at the national level. Despite this, in 2008 and 2012, Hofstra University in Nassau County hosted a Presidential debate.

Suffolk County Executives

Suffolk County Executives

Name	Party	Term
H. Lee Dennison	Democratic	1961–1973
John V.N. Klein	Republican	1973–1979
Peter F. Cohalan	Republican	1979–1986
Michael A. LoGrande*	Republican	1986–1987
Patrick G. Halpin	Democratic	1987–1991
Robert J. Gaffney	Republican	1992–2003
Steve Levy**	Democratic	2004–2010
Steve Levy**	Republican	2010–2012
Steve Bellone	Democratic	2012–present

* Appointed to complete Cohalan's term

** Levy was originally elected as a Democrat, but became a Republican in 2010.

Suffolk County Legislature

The county is divided into 18 legislative districts, each represented by a legislator. As of 2015, there are 10 Democrats, 6 Republicans, 1 member of the Independence Party of New York, and 1 member of the Working Families Party:

District	2014-2015 Legislature	2012-2013 Legislature	2010-2011 Legislature	2008-2009 Legislature	2006-2007 Legislature	2004-2005 Legislature
1	Al Krupski (D)	Al Krupski (D)	Edward P. Romaine (R)	Edward P. Romaine (R)	Edward P. Romaine (R)	Micheal J. Caracciolo (R)
2	Jay Schneiderman (I)	Jay Schneiderman (I)	Jay Schneiderman (I)	Jay Schneiderman (I)	Jay Schneiderman (R)	Jay Schneiderman (R)
3	Kate M. Browning (WF)	Kate M. Browning (WF)	Kate M. Browning (WF)	Kate M. Browning (WF)	Kate M. Browning (WF)	Peter O'Leary (R)
4	Thomas Muratore (R)	Thomas Muratore (R)	Thomas Muratore (R)	Brian Beedenbender (D)	Joseph T. Caracappa (R)	Joseph T. Caracappa (R)
5	Kara Hahn (D)	Kara Hahn (D)	Vivian Viloria-Fisher (D)	Vivian Viloria-Fisher (D)	Vivian Viloria-Fisher (D)	Vivian Viloria-Fisher (D)
6	Sarah Anker (D)	Sarah Anker (D)	Sarah Anker (D)	Daniel P. Losquadro (R)	Daniel P. Losquadro (R)	Daniel P. Losquadro (R)
7	Robert Calarco (D)	Robert Calarco (D)	Jack Eddington (I)	Jack Eddington (I)	Jack Eddington (D)	Brian X. Foley (D)
8	William J. Lindsay III (D)	William J. Lindsay (D)	William J. Lindsay (D)	William J. Lindsay (D)	William J. Lindsay (D)	William J. Lindsay (D)
9	Monica R. Martinez (D)	Ricardo Montano (D)	Ricardo Montano (D)	Ricardo Montano (D)	Ricardo Montano (D)	Ricardo Montano (D)
10	Tom Cilmi (R)	Tom Cilmi (R)	Tom Cilmi (R)	Cameron Alden (R)	Cameron Alden (R)	Cameron Alden (D)
11	Thomas F. Barraga (R)	Thomas F. Barraga (R)	Thomas F. Barraga (R)	Thomas F. Barraga (R)	Thomas F. Barraga (R)	Angie Carpenter (R)
12	John M. Kennedy, Jr. (R) / Leslie Kennedy (R) since 2015	John M. Kennedy, Jr. (R)	John M. Kennedy, Jr. (R)	John M. Kennedy, Jr. (R)	John M. Kennedy, Jr. (R)	John M. Kennedy, Jr. (R)
13	Robert Trotta (R)	Lynne C. Nowick (R)	Lynne C. Nowick (R)	Lynne C. Nowick (R)	Lynne C. Nowick (R)	Lynne C. Nowick (R)
14	Kevin J. McCaffrey (R)	Wayne R. Horsley (D)	Wayne R. Horsley (D)	Wayne R. Horsley (D)	Wayne R. Horsley (D)	David Bishop (D)
15	DuWayne Gregory (D)	DuWayne Gregory (D)	DuWayne Gregory (D)	DuWayne Gregory (D)	Elie Mystal (D)	Elie Mystal (D)
16	Steven H. Stern (D)	Steven H. Stern (D)	Steven H. Stern (D)	Steven H. Stern (D)	Steven H. Stern (D)	Allan Binder (R)
17	Louis D'Amaro (D)	Louis D'Amaro (D)	Louis D'Amaro (D)	Louis D'Amaro (D)	Louis D'Amaro (D)	Paul J. Tonna (R)
18	William R. Spencer (D)	William R. Spencer (D)	Jon Cooper (D)	Jon Cooper (D)	Jon Cooper (D)	Jon Cooper (D)

Republicans controlled the county legislature until a landmark election in November 2005 where three Republican seats switched to the Democrats, giving them control. In November 2007, the Democratic Party once again retained control over the Suffolk County Legislature, picking up one seat in the process. In November 2009, the Republican Party regained the seat lost in 2007 but still remained in the minority for the 2010-2011 session. In November 2011, the Democratic Party maintained control over the Suffolk County Legislature picking up one seat that had been held by an Independence Party member. In November 2013, the Republican Party gained the 14th district seat, but remains in the minority.

For the 2014-2015 session, 15th district legislator DuWayne Gregory serves as the Presiding Officer. 7th district legislator Robert Calarco is the Majority Leader, 12th district legislator John M. Kennedy, Jr. was Minority Leader until his election in November, 2014 to the seat of County Comptroller. Since 2015 Legislator Kevin McCaffrey of the 14th district serves as Minority Leader.

Law enforcement

Police services in the five western towns (Babylon, Huntington, Islip, Smithtown and Brookhaven) are provided primarily by the Suffolk County Police Department. The five "East End" towns (Riverhead, Southold, Shelter Island, East Hampton, and Southampton), maintain their own police and other law enforcement agencies. Also, there are a number of villages, such as Amityville, Lloyd Harbor, Northport and Westhampton Beach, that maintain their own police forces. In an unusual move, the Village of Greenport in 1994 voted to abolish its police department and turn responsibility for law and order over to the Southold Town Police Department. After the Long Island State Parkway Police was disbanded in 1980, all state parkways in Suffolk County became the responsibility of Troop L of the New York State Police, headquartered at Republic Airport. State parks, such as Robert Moses State Park, are the responsibility of the New York State Park Police, based at Belmont Lake State Park. In 1996, the Long Island Rail Road Police Department was consolidated into the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police, which has jurisdiction over all rail lines in the county. Since the New York state legislature created the New York State University Police in 1999, they are in charge of all law enforcement services for State University of New York property and campuses. The State University Police have jurisdiction in Suffolk County at Stony Brook University.

The Suffolk County Sheriff's Office is a separate agency. The sheriff, an elected official who serves a four-year term, operates the two Suffolk County correctional facilities (in Yaphank and Riverhead), provides county courthouse security and detention, service and enforcement of civil papers, evictions and warrants. The Sheriff's Office is also responsible for securing all county-owned property, such as county government office buildings, as well as the campuses of the Suffolk County Community College. As of 2008, the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office employs 275 Deputy Sheriffs, 850 Correction Officers and about 200 civilian staff.

Suffolk County has a long maritime history with several outer barrier beaches and hundreds of square miles of waterways. The Suffolk Police Marine Bureau patrols the 500 square miles (1,000 km²) of navigable waterways within the police district, from the Connecticut and Rhode Island state line which bisects Long Island Sound - , to the New York state line 3 miles (5 km) south of Fire Island in the Atlantic Ocean. Some Suffolk County towns (Islip, Brookhaven, Southampton, East Hampton, Babylon, Huntington, Smithtown) also employ various bay constables and other local marine patrol, which are sworn unarmed peace officers with full arrest powers, providing back up to the Suffolk Police Marine Bureau as well as the United States Coast Guard.

This includes Fire Island and even parts of Jones Island barrier beaches and the islands of the Great South Bay. Marine units also respond to water and ice rescues on the inland lakes, ponds and streams of the District.

Courts

Suffolk County is part of the 10th Judicial District of the New York State Unified Court System; is home to the Long Island Courthouse of the Federal U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York;^[25] and has various local municipal courts. The State Courts are divided into Supreme Court, which has general jurisdiction over all cases, and lower courts that either hear claims of a limited dollar amount, or of a specific nature.^[26][27] Similarly, the local courts hear claims of a limited dollar amount, or hear specific types of cases. The Federal Court has jurisdiction over Federal Claims, State Law claims that are joined with Federal claims, and claims where there is a diversity of citizenship.^[28]

Supreme Court

• The Suffolk County Supreme Court is a trial court of unlimited general original jurisdiction, but it generally only hears cases that are outside the subject-matter jurisdiction of other trial courts of more limited jurisdiction. The Suffolk County Clerk is the Clerk of the Court of the Supreme Court.

• The main courthouse for the Supreme Court is in Riverhead, which has been the court's home since 1729. The original courthouse was replaced in 1855, and that courthouse was expanded in 1881.^[29] The courthouse was damaged by fire and rebuilt in 1929. In 1994, a new court building was added to the complex. This Courthouse was dedicated as the "Alan D. Oshrin Supreme Court Building" on August 1, 2011.^[30]

• The Supreme Court also shares space in the Cohalan Court Complex in Central Islip^[31] with several other courts and county agencies. Matrimonial actions are heard in the Supreme Court, and those matters are generally heard in the Supreme Court section of the Cohalan Court Complex.

Other Superior Courts

• The Suffolk County Court is a trial court of limited jurisdiction. It has jurisdiction over all of Suffolk County, and is authorized to handle criminal prosecutions of both felonies and lesser offenses committed within the county, although in practice most minor offenses are handled by the local courts. It is the trial court for felonies, or where a person is indicted by a Grand Jury in Suffolk County. The County Court also has limited jurisdiction in civil cases, generally involving amounts up to $25,000. The County Court is located in the Cromarty Court Complex Criminal Courts Building in Riverhead.

• The Suffolk County Surrogate's Court hears cases involving the affairs of decedents, including the probate of wills and the administration of estates, guardianships, and adoptions. The Surrogate's Court is located in the County Center in Riverhead.

• The Suffolk County Family Court has jurisdiction over all of Suffolk County in petitions filed for Neglect & Abuse, Juvenile Delinquency/Designated Felonies, Persons in Need of Supervision, Adoption, Guardianship, Foster Care, Family Offense (Order of Protection), Custody & Visitation, Paternity, Support Matters (Child & Spousal), Consent to Marry. The court also has a Juvenile Drug Court and Family Treatment Court. Individuals, attorneys, and agencies may initiate a proceeding in the Family Court with the filing of a petition. The Suffolk County Family Court is located in the Cohalan Court Complex in Central Islip^[31] and maintains a facility in Riverhead. Case assignment is dependent upon the geographical location of the parties.

Local courts

The District Court and the Town and Village Courts are the local courts of Suffolk County. There are more than 30 local courts, each with limited criminal and civil subject matter and geographic jurisdictions. The local criminal courts have trial jurisdiction over misdemeanors, violations and infractions; preliminary jurisdiction over felonies; and traffic tickets charging a crime. The local civil courts calendar small claims, evictions, and civil actions.

• Suffolk County District Court has geographic jurisdiction over the 5 western towns of Suffolk County (Babylon, Brookhaven, Huntington, Islip & Smithtown). The Criminal division of the Suffolk District Court is in the Cohalan Court Complex, Central Islip, and includes Domestic Violence Courts, Drug Court, and a Mental Health Court. The Civil division is divided up in the 5 "outlying" courthouses in Lindenhurst, Huntington Station, Hauppauge, Ronkonkoma, and Patchogue. Civil actions may be filed up to $15,000, and small claims actions up to $5000. Actions are commenced by filing with the court. Summary proceedings under the RPAPL are filed in the district where the property is located.
• The Town Courts of East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southampton, and Southold have geographic jurisdiction over the 5 eastern towns of Suffolk County. Each town maintains a courthouse where judges hear criminal cases (including a regional Drug Court) and civil actions. Civil actions are commenced by serving a summons and complaint for claims up to $3,000, and small claims actions are heard up to $3000. Summary proceedings under the RPAPL are filed in the town where the property is located.
• The Village Courts of Amityville, Asharoken, Babylon, Belle Terre, Bellport, Brightwaters, Head of the Harbor, Huntington Bay, Islandia, Lake Grove, Lindenhurst, Lloyd Harbor, Nissequogue, Northport, Ocean Beach, Old Field, Patchogue, Poquott, Port Jefferson, Quogue, Sag Harbor, Saltaire, Shoreham, Southampton, Village of the Branch, West Hampton Dunes, and Westhampton Beach have geographic jurisdiction within each incorporated village. Criminal and civil subject matter jurisdiction varies in each court.

Most non-criminal moving violation tickets issued in the 5 west towns are handled by the Traffic Violations Bureau, which is part of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, not the court system.

Education

Colleges and universities

Suffolk County is home to numerous colleges and universities:

Public

• Branches of the State University of New York
  • Stony Brook University, including Stony Brook Southampton campus
  • Farmingdale State College
  • Suffolk County Community College in Riverhead, Selden, and Brentwood

Private

• Adelphi University - branch campus at Hauppauge
• Briarcliffe College - three campuses, one in Suffolk at Patchogue
• Dowling College - campuses in Oakdale, Shirley and Melville
• Five Towns College - Dix Hills
• Long Island University - branch campuses in Brentwood and Riverhead
• New York Institute of Technology-Campus in Central Islip Home to the Vocational Independence Program
• Polytechnic Institute of New York University (formerly Polytechnic University, now part of NYU) - has a "Long Island Graduate Center" at Melville
• Saint John's University - has a Graduate Center in Oakdale^[32]
• Saint Joseph's College - branch campus at Patchogue
• SBI-Melville - Sanford-Brown Institute campus at Melville
• Touro College
  • Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center - in Central Islip
  • Touro College School of Health Sciences - in Bay Shore
• Watson School of Biological Sciences - Cold Spring Harbor

Transportation

Major highways

• I-495 (Long Island Expressway) traverses the county from the Nassau County line in the West to Riverhead in the East. Original plans called for the Expressway to extend further past Riverhead and along the island's North Fork, possibly to Orient Point, where a crossing to Connecticut could be built. The expressway connects to Manhattan via the Queens-Midtown Tunnel.^[33]
• New York State Route 27 crosses the county from the Nassau County line in the West to Montauk Point in the East, which is also the easternmost point in New York State. The road is limited-access from West Babylon to Southampton.

Airports

Several airports serve commuters and business travelers, most notably Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip, Republic Airport in East Farmingdale and Francis S. Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach.

Media

Newspapers

• Newsday
• The Times Beacon Record
• South Shore Press
• The East Hampton Star
• The Southampton Press
• Dan's Papers
• Smithtown Messenger
• Brookhaven Review
• Ronkonkoma Review
• Patchogue Advance
• Port Jefferson Record
• The Suffolk Times
• The Riverhead News-Review
• The Shelter Island Reporter

Suffolk seashore

Fire Island Lighthouse was an important landmark for many trans-atlantic ships coming into New York Harbor in the early 20th century. For many European immigrants, the Fire Island Light was their first sight of land upon arrival in America.

The Fire Island Inlet span of the Robert Moses Causeway connects to Robert Moses State Park on the western tip of Fire Island.

The Great South Bay Bridge, the first causeway bridge, had only one northbound and one southbound lane, was opened to traffic in April 1954. The span of 2 miles (3 km) across Great South Bay to Captree Island features a main span of 600 feet (200 m), with a clearance for boats of 60 feet (20 m).

After crossing the State Boat Channel over Its 665-foot (203 m)-long bascule bridge, the causeway meets the Ocean Parkway at a cloverleaf interchange. This interchange provides access to Captree State Park, Gilgo State Park and Jones Beach State Park.

The Fire Island Inlet Bridge continues the two-lane road, one lane in each direction, across Fire Island Inlet to its terminus at Robert Moses State Park and The Fire Island Lighthouse. Robert Moses Causeway opened in 1964.

Suffolk County has the most lighthouses of any other United States county, with fifteen of its original twenty-six lighthouses still standing. Of these fifteen, eight are located in Southold township alone, giving it more lighthouses than any other township in the United States.

Secessionist movements

At various times, there have been proposals for a division of Suffolk County into two counties. The western portion would be called Suffolk County, while the eastern portion of the current Suffolk County would comprise a new county to be called Peconic County. Peconic County would consist of the five easternmost towns of Suffolk County: East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southampton and Southold, plus the Shinnecock Indian Reservation.

The proposed Peconic County flag showed the two forks at the east end of Long Island separated by Peconic Bay. The star on the north represents Southold. The stars on the South Fork represent Southampton and East Hampton. Riverhead is at the fork mouth and Shelter Island is between the forks.

The secessionist movement has not been active since 1998.

The End of the Hamptons: Scenes from the Class Struggle in America's Paradise, by Corey Dolgon (New York University Press, 2005^[34]) examined the class roots of the secessionist movement in the Hamptons. In his review, Howard Zinn wrote that the book "[t]akes us beyond the much-romanticized beaches of Long Island to the rich entrepreneurs and their McMansions, the Latino workers, and the stubborn indigenous residents refusing to disappear. The book is important because it is in so many ways a microcosm of the nation."^[35] The book won the Association for Humanist Sociology's 2005 Book Prize and the American Sociological Association's Marxist Section Book Award in 2007.

Finance and taxation

Currently, Suffolk County has an 8.625% sales tax, compared to an overall New York State sales tax of 4%, consisting of an additional 4.25% on top of the state and MTA assessment of .375%^[36]

Communities

In New York State, a town is the major subdivision of each county. Towns provide or arrange for most municipal services for residents of hamlets and selected services for residents of villages. All residents of New York who do not live in a city or on an Indian reservation live in a town. A village is an incorporated area which is usually, but not always, within a single town. A village is a clearly defined municipality that provides the services closest to the residents, such as garbage collection, street and highway maintenance, street lighting and building codes. Some villages provide their own police and other optional services. A hamlet is an informally-defined populated area within a town that is not part of a village.

Towns

Villages

• 

  West Gilgo Beach, New York - Oak Beach

• 

  Huntington Bay, New York

• 

  Riverhead, New York

• 

  Watermill, New York

Gardiners Island

Gardiners Island is an island off eastern Suffolk County in the U.S. state of New York.

The Island is 6 miles (10 km) long, and 3 miles (5 km) wide and has 27 miles (43 km) of coastline.

The same family has owned the Island for nearly 400 years, one of the largest privately owned islands in America or the world.

It is, however, the only American real estate still intact as part of an original royal grant from the English Crown.

Robins Island

Robins Island is an Island in the Peconic Bay between the North and South folks of eastern Suffolk County.

It is within the jurisdiction of Town of Southold in Suffolk County, New York.

The Island is 435 acres (1.8 km²) and presently undeveloped.

The island is privately owned and not accessible to the public.

Indian reservations

Two Indian reservations are located within the borders of Suffolk County:

• Shinnecock Reservation
• Poospatuck Reservation

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Suffolk County, New York
• Suffolk County, Farmland Development Rights
• USS Suffolk County (LST-1173)
• List of counties in New York

Notes

References

• http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/05/photogalleries/best-green-beaches-2009/ Top 10 U.S Beaches
• http://www.co.suffolk.ny.us/police/marine.htm
• http://www.nycroads.com/roads/robert-moses/

External links

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Suffolk County.

• Suffolk County at DMOZ
• Long Island History: Suffolk County
• Suffolk County Police
• Suffolk Historical Newspapers
• Map of Suffolk County CDPs in 2010
• Map of Suffolk County CDPs in 2000

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