Island Park was developed by the Island Park-Long Beach Company as a resort community in the 1920s, after previous development plans for the area were cancelled due to the outbreak of World War I and the subsequent wartime efforts.[2][3]
Island Park incorporated itself as a village in 1926. Its first mayor was Charles N. Talbot, who served in that capacity for 12 years.[2][3]
In the 1950s, there was a proposal in which Island Park would have annexed the adjacent hamlet of Harbor Isle.[4][5][6] The proposal was ultimately defeated, and to this day, Harbor Isle remains an unincorporated hamlet governed by the Town of Hempstead.[6][7]
The Village of Island Park is part of the Outer Barrier of Long Island and is bordered on the west by a man-made canal running parallel to Suffolk Road. Its northern borders follow another channel, while its eastern and southern borders are delineated by the rails of the Long Beach Branch of the Long Island Rail Road.[9]
As of the census of 2010, there were 2,032 people, 1,603 households, and 1,872 families residing in the village. The population density was 8,865.7 inhabitants per square mile (3,423.1/km2). There were 1,715 housing units. The median home value was $721,600. The racial makeup of the village was 94.6% White, 1.9% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% from other races. 1.8% were from two or more races. 2.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[8] The primary ethnicities are Italian and Irish.
There were 1,685 households, out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.8% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.17.[8]
In the village, the population was spread out, with 22.1% aged 19 and under, 6.1% from 20 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.8 years. Female population was 51.1% and male population was 49.9%.[8]
The median income for a household in the village was $162,500, and the median income for a family was $192,765. Males had a median income of $157,018 versus $177,764 for the female population per capita income. The per capita for the village was $28,149. 8.6% of the population and 0.1% of families were below the poverty line. 0.01% of those people were under the age of 18 and 11.1% were 65 and older.[8]
Government
Mayor Michael McGinty addressing the crowd at a summer concert at Masone Beach. The Village Board is behind.
The community of Island Park is run by the Incorporated Village of Island Park which performs the majority of municipal services for residents, businesses and other community organizations. The Village is controlled by a 5 member village board which consists of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and three trustees, all of whom serve four year terms.[11] The board votes on all resolutions in the village and are chiefly responsible for all municipal operations. The Village Clerk runs the day to day operations of the Village and acts as a supervisor for all Village staff.[11]
As of May 2022, the Mayor of Island Park is Michael G. McGinty, the Deputy Mayor is Matthew Graci, and the Village Trustees are Irene P. Naudus, Robert Tice, and Barbara A. Volpe-Ried.[12]
Education
Island Park is located entirely within the boundaries of the Island Park Union Free School District,[13] which provides education to all children in the Village of Island Park who attend public schools through grade 8.[9][14] Students in grades K-4 attend the Francis X. Hegarty Elementary School, and those in grades 5-8 attend Lincoln Orens Middle School. Children in grades 9–12 used to have the choice of attending either Long Beach High School or West Hempstead High School – but now just attend the former.[9][14]
Transportation
Road
Major roads within Island Park include Island Parkway, Austin Boulevard, Long Beach Road, and Warwick Road. All of which are owned by Nassau County and are maintained by both the Village and County through a shared services agreement. [9]
Vinny Palermo, former de facto head of the New Jersey DeCalvacante mafia family and basis for character Tony Soprano from the HBO series The Sopranos. Lived in Island Park with his family in the 1990s.[citation needed]
^Gates, Anita. "John Good, Architect of F.B.I.'s Abscam Sting Operation, Dies at 80", The New York Times, October 18, 2016. Accessed October 19, 2016. "John F. Good, who developed and directed the F.B.I.'s Abscam investigation, resulting in grainy black-and-white videotapes on the evening news that showed elected officials accepting bags and envelopes of cash from what appeared to be an Arab sheikh, died on Sept. 28 at his home in Island Park, N.Y."
