East End (Long Island)
Encyclopedia
The East End of Long Island
is constituted by the five townships at the eastern end of New York
's Suffolk County
, namely Riverhead
, Southampton
, Southold
, Shelter Island
, and East Hampton
. Long Island's North Fork
and South Fork
are part of the East End. "The East End" is sometimes shortened as "The End", but this latter term is also applied only to Montauk, New York
, the most easterly hamlet of the contiguous land mass.
The East End includes the most well-known part of Long Island's Viticultural Area
, as well as The Hamptons and related resort areas. While other Suffolk County communities have long been considered suburban to New York City, the more rural East End townships have traditionally relied more upon agriculture and recreation. Residents of the five eastern townships had occasionally advocated seceding from Suffolk County to form a proposed "Peconic County", named for the Peconic Bay
at the center of the East End's geography. The East End's North Shore
is bounded by Long Island Sound
, while its east and south are bounded by Block Island Sound
and the Atlantic Ocean; the west is bounded by Brookhaven, New York
.
The East End is also home to Gabreski Air Base
, Plum Island
's Animal Disease Center
, and the Shinnecock Indian Nation
's Shinnecock Reservation.
, the five East End towns and the Shinnecock Reservation had a land area of 900.581 km² (347.72 sq mi), or about 38.12 percent of Suffolk County's land area. Its total population was 125,442 inhabitants, or about 8.84 percent of the county's population. Its average population density
was 139.29/km² (360.76/sq mi).
Suffolk County's five western townships (that is, Suffolk County without the East End) have a total land area of 1,462.001 km² (564.482 sq mi) and an adjusted 2000 census population of 1,293,927 inhabitants, for a population density of 885.04/km² (2,292.24/sq mi), more than six times that of the East End.
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
is constituted by the five townships at the eastern end of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's Suffolk County
Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...
, namely Riverhead
Riverhead (town), New York
The town of Riverhead is in Suffolk County, New York, on the north shore of Long Island. The population was 33,506 at the 2010 census. The name signifies that the mouth of the Peconic River is in this town...
, Southampton
Southampton (town), New York
The Town of Southampton is located in southeastern Suffolk County, New York, U.S., partly on the South Fork of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the town had a total population of 54,712...
, Southold
Southold, New York
Southold is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is located in the northeastern tip of the county, on the North Fork of Long Island. The population was 20,599 at the 2000 census...
, Shelter Island
Shelter Island (town), New York
Shelter Island is a town and island at the eastern end of Long Island in the U.S. state of New York. It forms the tip of Suffolk County and is separated from the rest of the county by water. The population was 2,228 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, and East Hampton
East Hampton (town), New York
The Town of East Hampton is located in southeastern Suffolk County, New York, at the eastern end of the South Shore of Long Island. It is the easternmost town in the state of New York...
. Long Island's North Fork
North Fork
-Communities:*North Fork, California, town in Madera County*North Fork, California, former name of Korbel, Humboldt County, California*North Fork, California, former naem of Seneca, California*North Fork Township, Illinois...
and South Fork
South Fork
South Fork may refer to:In towns:* South Fork, Saskatchewan* South Fork, Butte County, California* South Fork, Madera County, California* South Fork, Mendocino County, California* South Fork, Colorado* South Fork Township, Minnesota...
are part of the East End. "The East End" is sometimes shortened as "The End", but this latter term is also applied only to Montauk, New York
Montauk, New York
Montauk [ˈmɒntɒk] is a census-designated place that roughly corresponds to the hamlet with the same name located in the town of East Hampton in Suffolk County, New York, United States on the South Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 3,851 as of 2000...
, the most easterly hamlet of the contiguous land mass.
The East End includes the most well-known part of Long Island's Viticultural Area
Long Island AVA
The Long Island AVA is an American Viticultural Area encompassing Nassau and Suffolk counties of New York, including the smaller offshore islands in those counties. The AVA was established in 2001, over 15 years after two smaller AVAs were created at the eastern end of Long Island...
, as well as The Hamptons and related resort areas. While other Suffolk County communities have long been considered suburban to New York City, the more rural East End townships have traditionally relied more upon agriculture and recreation. Residents of the five eastern townships had occasionally advocated seceding from Suffolk County to form a proposed "Peconic County", named for the Peconic Bay
Peconic Bay
The Peconic Bay is the parent name for two bays between the North Fork and South Fork of Long Island in the U.S. state of New York. It is separated from Gardiners Bay by Shelter Island....
at the center of the East End's geography. The East End's North Shore
North Shore (Long Island)
The North Shore of Long Island is the area along Long Island's northern coast, bordering Long Island Sound. The region has long been the most affluent on Long Island, as well as the most affluent in the New York metropolitan area, which has earned it the nickname "the Gold Coast." Though some...
is bounded by Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
, while its east and south are bounded by Block Island Sound
Block Island Sound
Block Island Sound is a strait in the open Atlantic Ocean, approximately wide, separating Block Island from the coast of Rhode Island in the United States...
and the Atlantic Ocean; the west is bounded by Brookhaven, New York
Brookhaven, New York
The Town of Brookhaven is one of the ten towns into which Suffolk County, New York, United States, has been divided. Part of the New York metropolitan area, it is located in central Suffolk County and is the only town in the county that stretches from the North Shore to the South Shore of Long...
.
The East End is also home to Gabreski Air Base
Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base
Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base is a former military airport located in Westhampton, north of the central business district of Westhampton Beach, in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York, United States...
, Plum Island
Plum Island (New York)
Plum Island is an island in the Town of Southold in Suffolk County, New York in the United States. The island is in Gardiners Bay, east of Orient Point, off the eastern end of the North Fork coast of Long Island. It is about long and wide at its widest point...
's Animal Disease Center
Plum Island Animal Disease Center
Plum Island Animal Disease Center is a United States federal research facility dedicated to the study of animal diseases. It is part of the DHS Directorate for Science and Technology....
, and the Shinnecock Indian Nation
Shinnecock Indian Nation
The Shinnecock Indian Nation is a federally recognized tribe, headquartered in Suffolk County, New York, on the south shore of Long Island. Shinnecock are an Algonquian people from Long Island...
's Shinnecock Reservation.
Area and population
At the 2000 census2000 Census
The following countries conducted a census of the general population in 2000:* Costa Rica, the ninth federal census, conducted at irregular intervals* Indonesia* United States, the 22nd decennial federal census...
, the five East End towns and the Shinnecock Reservation had a land area of 900.581 km² (347.72 sq mi), or about 38.12 percent of Suffolk County's land area. Its total population was 125,442 inhabitants, or about 8.84 percent of the county's population. Its average population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 139.29/km² (360.76/sq mi).
Suffolk County's five western townships (that is, Suffolk County without the East End) have a total land area of 1,462.001 km² (564.482 sq mi) and an adjusted 2000 census population of 1,293,927 inhabitants, for a population density of 885.04/km² (2,292.24/sq mi), more than six times that of the East End.