Port Washington, New York

Port Washington is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Nassau County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the community population was 15,846.

Overview
Port Washington is a hamlet within and directly governed by the Town of North Hempstead. The Great Neck peninsula is across Manhasset Bay to the west; Manhasset and Plandome are to the south; Roslyn lies southeast.

According to Forbes, Port Washington is ranked as the 418th wealthiest ZIP code as of 2017, with a median home sale price of $1,323,271.

History
In the 1870s, Port Washington became an important sand-mining town; it had the largest sandbank east of the Mississippi and easy barge access to Manhattan. Some 140 million cubic yards of local sand were used for concrete for New York skyscrapers like the Empire State and Chrysler buildings, in addition to the New York City Subway. In 1998, the sand mines were redeveloped as Harbor Links, which is a golf course for North Hempstead residents.

In 1930, Pot Washington tried to incorporate itself as a city, which would have had the same boundaries as the Port Washington Union Free School District's, excluding Sands Point, which had already incorporated itself as a village. The plan ultimately failed when the bill was killed after Baxter Estates, Flower Hill, and Manorhaven incorporated themselves as villages in order to retain local control.

The Thomas Dodge Homestead, Execution Rocks Light, Gould-Guggenheim Estate, William Landsberg House, Main Street School, Monfort Cemetery, Sands-Willets Homestead, and John Philip Sousa House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Pan-Am Base in Port Washington
In the late 1930s, prior to the opening of the Marine Air Terminal at LaGuardia Airport, Port Washington was Pan-American World Airways' New York base for their Yankee Clipper Boeing B-314 flying boats; the waters of Manhasset Bay were ideal for flying boat operations. Common destinations served included London, Southampton (UK), the Azores, and Bermuda.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 5.6 sqmi, of which 4.2 sqmi is land and 1.4 sqmi (25.22%) is water. Port Washington is bordered on three sides with bodies of water. Manhasset Bay on the western side, Long Island Sound on the northern side and Hempstead Harbor on the eastern side.

Port Washington has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) bordering a humid subtropical climate (Cfa). Average monthly temperatures in the central CDP range from 31.8° F in January to 75.3° F in July.

The hardiness zone is 7b except on the north-to-south ridge where it is 7a.

Port Washington is located on the Cow Neck Peninsula.

Greater Port Washington area
The Greater Port Washington area is home to four incorporated villages:


 * Baxter Estates
 * Manorhaven
 * Port Washington North
 * Sands Point

The Greater Port Washington area also encompasses part of the village of Flower Hill, which is split between Manhasset, Port Washington, and Roslyn.

2010 Census
As of the 2010 census, the population was 15,846. The racial makeup of the population was 82.2% White 74.7% Non-Hispanic White, 2.4% African American, 0.2% Native American, 8% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 4.8% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 13.4% of the population. The median income for households in Port Washington, New York is $127,813, while the mean household income is $189,892.

2000 Census
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,215 people, 5,521 households, and 4,168 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 3,613.7 per square mile (1,395.4/km$2$). There were 5,662 housing units at an average density of 1,344.8/sq mi (519.3/km$2$). The racial makeup of the CDP was 85.97% White, 2.81% African American, 0.11% Native American, 6.07% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.15% from other races, and 1.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 11.20% of the population.

There were 5,521 households, out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% were married couples living together, and 24.5% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $105,837 and the median income for a family was $122,646. Males had a median income of $91,024 versus $59,299 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $53,815. About 3.1% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.5% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
There are numerous small stores in Port Washington with 6 shopping centers, 4 strip malls and an industrial complex on the east side of Port Washington next to Hempstead Harbor, off West Shore Road. Entertainment One, NPD Group, Pall, and Systemax are located in that industrial complex.

Real estate
Homes in Port Washington vary from $435,000-$12,900,000 while Co-Ops and Condos are available from $229,000-$1,400,000. The average residence in Port Washington costs around $1,200,000. Some more luxury style homes are in nearby Sands Point, which also use the Port Washington school district. The average property tax rate for Port Washington is $23.35 / $1,000 of assessed house value while the average property tax in the United States is $11.78 / $1,000 of assessed property value. These taxes do not include school, library or other taxes.

One notable housing development in Port Washington is New Salem, which was developed by Long Island housing developer Cy Williams.

Schools
Port Washington is served by the Port Washington Union Free School District, and is also home to various private schools.

Elementary schools

 * Guggenheim Elementary School
 * John J. Daly Elementary School
 * John Philip Sousa Elementary School
 * Manorhaven Elementary School
 * South Salem Elementary School
 * Vincent Smith School (private)

Junior high schools

 * Carrie Palmer Weber Middle School
 * Vincent Smith School (private)

High schools

 * Paul D. Schreiber High School
 * Vincent Smith School (private)

Fire department
The Port Washington Fire Department is a not-for-profit private corporation providing contractual public safety services to the area known as the Port Washington Fire Protection District. The Port Washington Fire Protection District is an 11 sqmi area on the Northern Peninsula of Nassau County Long Island that includes:


 * Incorporated Village of Sands Point
 * Incorporated Village of Port Washington North
 * Incorporated Village of Manorhaven
 * Incorporated Village of Baxter Estates
 * Portions of the incorporated Village of Plandome Manor
 * Portions of the incorporated Village of Flower Hill
 * Portions of the unincorporated areas of the Town of North Hempstead

The Port Washington Fire Department is a volunteer department composed of four companies.


 * Ladder Company: Atlantic Hook & Ladder Company #1
 * Engine Company: Protection Engine Company #1
 * Engine Company: Flower Hill Hose Company #1
 * Emergency Medical Service Company: Fire Medic Company #1

Police district
The Port Washington Police District provides police protection for the unincorporated area of Port Washington in the Town of North Hempstead as well as the incorporated villages of Baxter Estates and Port Washington North.

Transportation
Port Washington is the terminus of Port Washington Boulevard (NY-101) and of the Port Washington Branch of the Long Island Rail Road, which opened for passengers in 1898. Shoreline roads, such as West Shore Road, connect it to Manhasset and Roslyn, New York.

The n23 bus operated by Nassau Inter-County Express, which runs from Manorhaven to the Mineola Intermodal Center in Mineola also serves Port Washington, running along Main Street and Port Washington Boulevard.

Golf courses
Port Washington has a total of four golf courses. The Sands Point Golf Course and the Village Club of Sands Point are both located in Sands Point. The North Hempstead Country Club is located in Flower Hill. The fourth golf course, the Harbor Links Golf Course, is a public course operated by the Town of North Hempstead.

Parks
There are six public parks in Port Washington with three of them requiring an entrance fee to park from Memorial Day until Labor Day. The ones that require an entrance fee are the Manorhaven Beach Park, Bar Beach Park and the Town of North Hempstead Aerodrome. The three that do not require any fees are the Mill Pond Park, Baxter Estates Pond, and Stannards Brook County Park.

Bar Beach
Bar Beach is a beach located on the North Shore (Long Island), in Port Washington. It is adjacent to Hempstead Harbor beach.

A fireworks display sometimes takes place at the beach on Memorial Day but not in 2007. The absence of fireworks has been blamed on the Americana Manhasset and Wheatley Plaza by the Town of North Hempstead. Fireworks returned to Bar Beach (renamed as North Hempstead Beach Park in 2008) on Memorial Day, with the Town of North Hempstead fully sponsoring the event. In late 2007, the Town assumed management of the neighboring beach, Hempstead Harbor, from Nassau County. After beginning renovations to this portion of the beach, the entire property was re-opened in the spring of 2008 as North Hempstead Beach Park.

In addition to the annual Memorial Day fireworks show, the beach is host to "Beachfest", an end of summer festival which is held each September. Beachfest features music, games, food vendors, and attractions for all ages.

Sousa Band Shell
On lower Main Street located in Sunset Park you will find the John Philip Sousa Band Shell. This is a location for free concerts hosted by the Town of North Hempstead during the summer. It is named for American composer John Philip Sousa, who lived in Port Washington at one point.

Port Washington Town Dock
The town dock is located on the lower end of Main Street where people can stroll the border of the dock, tie up their boats to pick up or discharge passengers and pump out their holding tanks. Very often you will find people trying their luck fishing.

Yacht Clubs
Port Washington is the home of 3 exclusive yacht clubs: the Port Washington Yacht Club, the Manhasset Bay Yacht Club, and the North Shore Yacht Club. There was a fourth yacht club, the Knickerbocker Yacht Club until 2009 when they disbanded and the location became a luxury yacht hotel and apartments.

Notable people

 * Harry B. Anderson, former chairman of Merrill Lynch
 * Alva Belmont (1853–1933), socialite and suffragette
 * Carlos Beltrán (born 1977), professional baseball player
 * Len Berman (born 1947), television sportscaster and morning radio host
 * John Cassavetes (1929–1989), actor and film director; graduated from Port Washington High School in 1947
 * Perry Como (1912–2001), singer
 * John Fasano (1961-2014), screenwriter and director
 * Lucy Fradkin (born 1953), visual artist
 * Howard Gould (1871–1959), financier
 * Bob Griffin (born 1980), American-Israeli basketball player, and English Literature professor
 * Daniel Guggenheim (1856–1930), industrialist and philanthropist
 * W. Averell Harriman (1896-1991), former Governor of New York
 * William Randolph Hearst (1863–1951), publisher
 * Craig M. Johnson (born 1971), former New York State senator
 * Dave Kerpen (born 1976), serial entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author, global keynote speaker
 * Kenneth Langone (born 1935), co-founder (financial backer) of The Home Depot
 * Edgar F. Luckenbach (1868–1943), shipping magnate
 * Margaret Marian McPartland (1918-2013), English-born jazz pianist
 * Condé Montrose Nast (1873–1942), publisher
 * Nancy Overton (1926-2009), singer
 * Edmund T. Pratt, Jr.(1927-2002), chief executive of Pfizer Inc.
 * Susan Quittmeyer, opera singer
 * Jean Ritchie, (1922-2015), folk singer; lived in Port Washington 1956-2010
 * Charles Cary Rumsey (1879–1922), sculptor, husband of Mary Harriman Rumsey
 * Mary Harriman Rumsey, (1881-1934), founder of The Junior League, member National Women's Hall of Fame
 * Felix Sater, real estate developer and former managing director of Bayrock Group
 * Anthony Scaramucci (born 1964), founder of SkyBridge Capital; former White House Communications Director to President Donald Trump
 * Richard Shindell (born 1960), singer-songwriter
 * John Philip Sousa (1854–1932), composer
 * Sean Spicer (born 1971), 30th White House Press Secretar
 * Jean Swain (1923-2000), singer
 * Herbert Bayard Swope (1882–1958), editor and journalist
 * Burl S. Watson (1893-1975), President and CEO of Cities Service Company
 * Jon "Stugotz" Weiner (born 1972), co-host of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
 * Burt Young (born 1940), actor best known for appearing in Rocky and its sequels
 * Marv Albert (born 1941), sportscaster
 * Frank Costello (1891-1973), mobster, crime boss, racketeer
 * William Tavoulareas (1919-1996), president Mobil Oil Company
 * Don Vultaggio (1951/1952), founder of Arizona Beverage Company

In popular culture
Port Washington is depicted as the area of East Egg in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby.

A scene from the 1947 movie, 'Miracle on 34th Street' was filmed in Port Washington.

Scenes from the 1970 movie, 'Husbands' were shot in the Port Washington Cemetery.

Scenes from the 2000 movie, 'Meet the Parents' were shot in Louie's Shore Restaurant and along Main Street and Port Washington Blvd in Port Washington. Scenes from Episode 19 Season 2 of Gossip Girl was filmed on Bar Beach and in neighboring town Roslyn