Editing Massapequa Park, New York

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Massapequa Park, New York
| official_name      = Incorporated Village of Massapequa Park
| settlement_type    = [[Village (New York)|Village]]
| nickname           = "Masspark"; "Matzo-Pizza Park"; "The Park"
| motto              = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = Welcome to Massapequa Park.jpg
| imagesize          = 250px
| image_caption      = A Massapequa Park welcome sign in 2016
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = File:Massapequa_Park,_NY_Village_Seal.jpg
| pushpin_map        = USA New York Long Island#New York
| pushpin_label_position = top
| pushpin_map_caption = Location on Long Island##Location within the state of New York
| image_map          = Nassau County New York incorporated and unincorporated areas Massapequa Park highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 260px
| map_caption        = Location in [[Nassau County, New York|Nassau County]] and the state of [[New York (state)|New York]].

<!-- Location -->| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{Flag|United States}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = {{Flag|New York}}
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in New York|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Nassau County, New York|Nassau]]
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = [[Mayor (United States)|Mayor]]
| leader_name        = Thomas Warns
| leader_title1      = Deputy Mayor
| leader_name1
Tina Schiaffino = 
| established_title  = [[Municipal incorporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date   = 1931
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=September 20, 2022}}</ref>
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 5.82
| area_land_km2      = 5.68
| area_water_km2     = 0.14
| area_total_sq_mi   = 2.25
| area_land_sq_mi    = 2.19
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.06

<!-- Population -->| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 17109
| population_density_km2 = 3013.76
| population_density_sq_mi = 7805.20

<!-- General information -->| timezone           = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset         = -5
| timezone_DST       = EDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -4
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 7
| elevation_ft       = 23
| coordinates        = {{coord|40|41|4|N|73|26|58|W|region:US-NY|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 11762
| area_code          = [[Area codes 516 and 363|516, 363]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 36-45997
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2390968
| website            = {{URL|masspk.com}}
| footnotes          = 
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| pop_est_footnotes  = 
| population_est     = 
| subdivision_type3  = [[List of towns in New York|Town]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Oyster Bay (town), New York|Oyster Bay]]
| area_code_type     = [[Area codes]]
}}
'''Massapequa Park''' is an [[Administrative divisions of New York#Village|incorporated village]] located within the southern portion of the [[Oyster Bay (town), New York|Town of Oyster Bay]] in [[Nassau County, New York|Nassau County]], on the [[South Shore (Long Island)|South Shore]] of [[Long Island]], in [[New York (state)|New York]]. The population was 17,109 at the time of the 2020 census.

The areas south and east of the village borders are considered the [[Hamlet (place)|hamlet]] of Massapequa because they are under the jurisdiction of the Town of Oyster Bay rather than the village. The hamlet shares the same zip code, fire department and school district as the village.

==History==
The village located on the South Shore of [[Long Island]] shares the early Native American history of [[Massapequa, New York|Massapequa]]. Then in the 19th century, families of German descent relocated from [[Brooklyn]] to what is now Massapequa Park, and the community which was formed was known as Wurtenberg or Stadtwurtemburg. The main attraction and center of activity was the Woodcastle Hotel, a rooming house built in 1868 on Front Street next to the fire department as a summer resort. It was destroyed by fire in 1952 and replaced by houses.{{Citation needed|date=October 2012}}

In 1928, ''[[The New York Times]] ran'' ads for Massapequa Park, a development built by a real estate firm owned by Michael J. Brady, Frank Cryan, and Peter Colleran. The three Irish-Americans described their project as having a bit of Old Erin; the area between Sunrise Highway and Merrick Road still has mostly Irish street names.{{Citation needed|date=October 2012}}

In 1931, Massapequa Park was incorporated as a village to ensure control of land use and other issues.<ref name=":81">{{Cite book |last=Winsche |first=Richard |title=The History of Nassau County Community Place-Names |date=October 1, 1999 |publisher=Empire State Books |isbn=978-1557871541 |location=[[Interlaken, New York]] |pages=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=About Us {{!}} Village of Massapequa Park|url=https://masspk.com/about-us|access-date=August 13, 2021|language=en-US}}</ref> Several dozen [[Sears Catalog Home|kit houses from Sears Roebuck]] were built in two different areas of the village. These include some of the largest model kit houses offered by Sears.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kithousehunters.blogspot.com/2015/10/sears-houses-of-massapequa-park-new-york.html|title=Sears Houses of Massapequa Park, New York|date=October 12, 2015 |access-date=December 8, 2015}}</ref>

The village once had its own airport, the Fitzmaurice Flying Field, named in 1929 for [[James Fitzmaurice (pilot)|James Fitzmaurice]], one of a crew of three to be the first to fly a plane from east to west across the Atlantic ([[Baldonnel Aerodrome|Baldonnel, Ireland]] to [[Greenly Island, Canada|Greenly Island]] in Labrador, Canada). An estimated 100,000 people came to the dedication of the field on Spruce Street.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.massapequachamber.com/php/showContent.php?linkid=1| title=Massapequa - The City of Homes| publisher=Massapequa Chamber of Commerce| access-date=October 9, 2012| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717170159/http://www.massapequachamber.com/php/showContent.php?linkid=1| archive-date=July 17, 2012| url-status=dead}}</ref> The field was used by private planes.

The field was eventually closed and became the home for the athletic fields of the 4M Club, a popular youth athletic program founded by Larry Neusse, and supported by a wide range of local residents. Today the site is home to McKenna Elementary School (which used to be a junior high school) and the Nassau County Police Academy (which used to be Hawthorn Elementary School).<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 21, 1953 |title=FITZMAURICE FIELD BOWING TO SCHOOL; ' Cow Pasture' Airport Closed to Permit Expansion of Education in Nassau |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1953/06/21/archives/fitzmaurice-field-bowing-to-school-cow-pasture-airport-closed-to.html |access-date=August 30, 2022 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Massapegua-park-map.gif|left|thumb|223x223px|U.S. Census map of Massapequa Park]]
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the village has a total area of {{convert|1.6|sqmi|km2}}, all land, of which {{convert|2.19|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.06|sqmi|km2}} is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web |date=February 12, 2011 |title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html |access-date=April 23, 2011 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>

Massapequa Park is bordered by [[Massapequa, New York|Massapequa]] to the west, [[East Massapequa, New York|East Massapequa]] to the east, [[North Massapequa, New York|North Massapequa]] to the northwest, and [[South Farmingdale, New York|South Farmingdale]] to the north. To its south, the village is bordered by [[South Oyster Bay]]–a large bay separating Long Island from Jones Beach Island.<ref name=":0" />

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1940= 488
|1950= 2334
|1960= 19904
|1970= 22112
|1980= 19779
|1990= 18044
|2000= 17499
|2010= 17008
|2020= 17109
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of the 2010 [[census]], there were 17,008 people, 5,731 households, and 4,736 families residing in the village. There were 5,844 housing units at an average density of {{convert|2,656.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the village was 96.9% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.3% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.04% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.5% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.5% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.7% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 4.5% of the population.<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web| url=https://www.census.gov| title=Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Massapequa Park village, New York| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]| access-date=October 9, 2012}}</ref>

There were 5,731 households, out of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.7% were headed by [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.4% were non-families. 14.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.31.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

In the village, the population was spread out, with 24.6% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

The three main ethnic backgrounds are Italian (45%), Irish (28%), and German (18%), comprising over three-fourths of the village's population. The rest of the population is of English, Russian, Polish, Swedish, Scottish, Greek, French, Dutch, and other background.<ref name="Census 2010" />

The median income in the village for 2010 was $98,725 and the median income for a family was $110,417. The [[per capita income]] for the village was $38,226. About 1.0% of families and 1.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 2.5% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="Census 2010" />

Due to the sizable Jewish and Italian populations long associated with the area, the village is frequently referred to as "[[Matzah|Matzo]]-[[Pizza]] Park."<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 10, 1980 |title=Massapequa's Brash Young Star: Can't Stop The Kid From 'Matzo-Pizza' Steve Guttenberg, not yet 22, has charmed and conned his way to stardom |work=[[Newsday]] |pages=C1 |via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref>

== Government ==
As of July 2023, the Mayor of Massapequa Park is Thomas A. Warns, and the Village Trustees are Dana M. Durso, Tina Schiaffino, Todd A. Svec, and Christine M. Wiss.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Government {{!}} Village of Massapequa Park |url=https://masspk.com/government |access-date=July 16, 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref>

The Mayor and members of the Board of Trustees are each elected to two-year terms, and the village elections are held in March.<ref name=":1" />

== Parks and recreation ==
The Village of Massapequa Park owns and operates three parks main: Brady Park, Colleran Park, and Mansfield Park.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Parks & Recreation {{!}} Village of Massapequa Park |url=https://masspk.com/parks-recreation |access-date=July 16, 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref> It also owns and maintains several memorials and associated parks which are located throughout the village.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Memorials {{!}} Village of Massapequa Park |url=https://masspk.com/memorials |access-date=July 16, 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Education==
The village is located within the boundaries of (and is thus served by) the Massapequa Union Free School District.<ref name=":0" />

During the 1960s, 1970s and much of the 1980s the Massapequa School District had seven elementary schools (Carman Road, East Lake, Birch Lane, Fairfield, Unqua, Hawthorn, Lockhart), two junior high schools (McKenna and Ames) and two high schools (Massapequa and Alfred G. Berner).

In 1987, the Massapequa school district restructured the district by leasing Carmans Road elementary to Nassau BOCES and Hawthorne Elementary to the Nassau County Police Academy. John P. McKenna Jr. High School was converted to an elementary school, while Alfred G. Berner became the new junior high, later becoming a middle school. J. Lewis Ames Jr. High School is no longer a middle school, but a "9th Grade Center"– the Ames Campus of [[Massapequa High School]]. The northern section of the village and hamlet are served by the Farmingdale School District.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Long Island Index: Interactive Map |url=http://www.longislandindexmaps.org/ |access-date=August 30, 2022 |website=www.longislandindexmaps.org}}</ref>

== Transportation ==
The [[Long Island Rail Road]]'s [[Massapequa Park station]] on the [[Babylon Branch]] is located in the village.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=MTA LIRR - Massapequa Park |url=http://lirr42.mta.info/stationInfo.php?id=114 |access-date=July 16, 2023 |website=lirr42.mta.info}}</ref>

Major roads within the village include [[Merrick Road|Merrick Road (CR 27)]] and [[Sunrise highway|Sunrise Highway (NY 27)]].<ref name=":0" /> Furthermore, the Village of Massapequa Park owns roughly {{convert|30|mi|km}} of roads, which are maintained by the Village of Massapequa Park Department of Public Works.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Public Works {{!}} Village of Massapequa Park |url=https://masspk.com/public-works |access-date=July 16, 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Notable people==
<!--This list is for people who lived in MASSAPEQUA PARK, not any other place with "Massapequa" in its name.-->
* [[Phil Baroni]], mixed martial arts fighter
* [[Matt Bennett]], actor known for ''[[Victorious]]''
* [[Candy Darling]], [[Warhol superstar]]
* [[Roy DeMeo]], mafioso in the [[Gambino crime family]]
*[[Michael Durso]], member of the [[New York State Assembly]]
* [[Carlo Gambino]], late don of the [[Gambino crime family]] 
* [[Rex Heuermann]], architect charged in the [[Gilgo Beach serial killings|Gilgo Beach Serial Killings]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 14, 2023 |title=Gilgo Beach murders: Architect charged in Long Island serial killer case |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66190844 |access-date=July 15, 2023}}</ref> 
* [[Anthony Ingrassia]], American playwright, producer, and director
* [[Ron Kovic]], author ''[[Born on the Fourth of July]]'', graduated Massapequa High School in 1964
* [[Stanley Newman (puzzle creator)|Stanley Newman]], puzzle creator, editor, and publisher
* [[Sean Tyas]], trance DJ

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Massapequa Park, New York}}
* [https://masspk.com/ Official website]

{{OysterBayNY}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Oyster Bay (town), New York]]
[[Category:Villages in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Villages in Nassau County, New York]]