Village of Amityville (Town of Babylon History Book, Chapter 15)

 Town of Babylon History Book - Village of Amityville (chapter 15; April 2026)

For more information, please contact the Town of Babylon Historian's Office. Use the "Contact Us" section on the home page. 

Village of Amityville

History Highlights

Formerly known as West Neck South, the Amityville area was settled by Huntington farmers, beginning around 1658. The name Amityville was adopted in 1846.[1] During an argumentative community meeting, local mill owner Samuel Ireland reportedly suggested naming the community after his boat named Amity, meaning friendly.

  Ireland’s Mill which stood at the foot of Ireland’s Pond, on the north side of Montauk Highway, Amityville.  Razed in 1915.[2]  Picture taken from a watercolor made by Mrs. E. Worth Squires in 1903, and owned by Mrs. Gladys Haight.

The village became an important transportation center. In 1867, the South Side Railroad first arrived in Amityville.[3] Beginning in 1909, the Cross Island trolley line operated from Huntington to Amityville. The following year, a trolley line was built east to Babylon village.[4] Bowing out to the popularity of automobiles, the Cross-Island Line ended in 1919.[5] Convenient travel established Amityville as an ideal vacation spot, with many waterfront hotels, including New Point Hotel, Hathaway Inn, and Narraganset Inn.[6]

A number of notable medical facilities were formed in the small community. Opened in 1881 by John Louden, the Long Island Home was originally named the Long Island Home for Nervous Invalids, and later became South Oaks Hospital. Brunswick Hospital was established in 1887 as a children’s hospital, and Louden Hall Psychiatric Hospital was founded 1886.[7]

Amityville LIRR Station, circa 1910 (left). A trolley car heading to Huntington is seen on the overpass. The Long Island Home hospital, which stood on Louden Avenue (right).

The stately Triangle Building was built in 1892, in downtown Amityville.[8] Over the decades, the landmark building has housed municipal offices and private businesses. In 1894, Amityville became the second incorporated village in the Town of Babylon.[9] That same year, the village built its first fireproof, red brick high school at the corner of Park Avenue and Ireland Place.[10]

The Triangle Building in downtown Amityville, circa 1934.

Excerpt from Map of Suffolk County, L.I., N.Y.: from actual surveys, 1858, J. Chace, John Douglass, and Robert Pearsall Smith; Published by John Douglas, Philadelphia, PA.

“Geographic Amityville” vs. “Social Amityville” 

What is Amityville? Amityville is the name of a village, a school and library district, a fire district, fire department and a post office.

What is North Amityville? North Amityville is the name of a hamlet, a fire district and a fire department.

What is the difference between Amityville and North Amityville? There is not much difference to many people. The differences that do exist are related to services (e.g. Who maintains the roads?). Not just in Amityville, but across Long Island, overlapping districts can cause confusion.

Ú Your Task Ú	Village of Amityville	Hamlet of North Amityville
Register children for school.	Amityville School District	Amityville School District (western part)	Copiague School District (eastern part)
Apply for a building permit, or seek road repair.	Village of Amityville	Town of Babylon
Need garbage pick-up.	Village of Amityville	Town of Babylon
Visit the post office.	Amityville Post Office	Amityville Post Office
Visit the public library.	Amityville Public Library	Amityville Public Library (western part)	Copiague Memorial Public Library (eastern part)
Get a summer pass for Overlook Beach or North Amityville Pool.	Town of Babylon	Town of Babylon
Vote in local elections.	Village of Amityville and Town of Babylon	Town of Babylon
Call 911 for an ambulance.	Amityville Fire Department	Depending on the address of the emergency, responding agencies may include the fire departments from North Amityville, Amityville, East Farmingdale and North Lindenhurst.

Both communities – Hamlet of North Amityville and Village of Amityville – are within the district served by the Amityville Post Office. Although some of their other municipal services are different, they are united by their postal code, 11701.  Typically, all of these areas are simply referred to as “Amityville.”

Geographically, “Amityville” is the Village of Amityville. Socially, “Amityville” usually refers to the larger area that uses the mailing address “Amityville, NY 11701.”

The “geographic” vs. “social” naming is common across Long Island. In fact, our Long Island has its own name difference. Geographically, Long Island is the fish-shaped island that runs from Brooklyn in the west to Montauk in the east. However, when someone says that they are “from Long Island,” they are typically stating that they are from Nassau or Suffolk County. If someone lives in Brooklyn or Queens, which are part of New York City, they are likely to give their hometown as Brooklyn, Queens or the neighborhood in which they live, but not “Long Island.”

It is typical to find articles describing the Town of Babylon as 30-35 miles east of New York City. However, that is not really accurate. We are 30-35 miles from Manhattan, but we are only about 16-20 miles from the border of Queens County, which is also the border of the City of New York. (Consider, also – a straight line drawn from Amityville to Manhattan is about 30 miles – “flying distance”. However, if you drive from Amityville to Manhattan, it is about 35-40 miles.)

  

Amityville – the Name, the Zip Code, Etc. 

The area that is now the Village of Amityville was part of a land deed known as the “Indian Deed of Three Necks, Southside,” recorded by Town of Huntington in 1658.[11] Two of the necks, or peninsulas, comprise the southern part of the Village of Amityville – West Neck and Josiah’s Neck.

Huntington Town records documented that West Neck, between Narrasketuck Creek and Amityville Creek, was referred to as “Araca” by the Native Americans, believed to mean “beyond” or “furthermost.” Josiah’s Neck, between Amityville Creek and Ketcham’s Creek, was reportedly known as “Surraway,” believed to mean “snake place.”[12]

Prior names for the Amityville area included West Neck South. One of the first residential homes in what is now the Village of Amityville was the Elijah Chichester House built around 1735 on Park Avenue, later moved to Avon Place and then Mill Street.

The naming of Amityville is attributed to Samuel Ireland (1789-1869), owner of a local grist mill. Legend states that during an antagonistic community meeting, in 1846, he suggested that the community adopt the name “Amityville,” taking the name from his boat, the Amity, meaning friendly. As printed below, left, local newspaper announced the new name.

Long Islander, August 14, 1846

South Side Signal, June 20, 1891

Not just in the Town of Babylon, but across Long Island, the assignment of zip codes can cause confusion about “where” things are located. Originally named West Neck South or Huntington West Neck South, the Post Office was established around 1850, with James H. Porter as Postmaster.[13] The name Amityville was adopted in 1846, as detailed above. The Post Office was originally located at the stagecoach stop, to the west of Amityville, at Carman’s and Merrick Roads. In 1858, it relocated to the northwest corner of Broadway (i.e., “Road to Farmingdale”) and Merrick Road (i.e. “Babylon-Hempstead Turnpike”).

Up through the early 1900s, residents picked up their mail from the post office. A letter addressed to “Miss Mary Jackson, Amityville, New York” was sufficient to have the letter delivered to the Amityville Post Office, where it would wait for Miss Jackson to pick it up. If letters were not retrieved in a timely manner, a notice may have been printed in the local newspaper as a reminder. The Amityville Post Office started residential mail delivery in 1920.[14] Delivery was extended to the Amity Harbor neighborhood in 1947.[15]

The Amityville Post Office was headquartered in the Triangle Building until the mid-1900s, pictured circa 1910.

In 1963, the U.S. Postal Service introduced the basic 5-digit zip code, across the country. The Amityville Post Office was assigned 11701. Using the digits 11701, mail addressed to Amityville, North Amityville or Amity Harbor, will reach its destination, although the Post Office name is just Amityville. The zip code assigned to addresses is based on the post office assigned to deliver the mail, but can be confused with all of the other facilities associated with an address. 

Mail delivery is an important part of our lives, to receive packages, holiday greetings and utility bills. However, postal addresses do not describe everything about an address. Here are four examples of addresses under the jurisdiction of the Amityville Post Office: 

Address	Post Office	School/Library	Fire Dept.	Village or Town
4 Barry Road	Amityville	Copiague	Copiague	Amity Harbor community, Hamlet of Copiague, Town of Babylon
12 Elm Place	Amityville	Amityville	Amityville	Village of Amityville
7 Jefferson Avenue	Amityville	Amityville	North Amityville	Hamlet of North Amityville, Town of Babylon
121 Miller Avenue	Amityville	Copiague	North Amityville	Hamlet of North Amityville, Town of Babylon

 

Following: Amityville map from Atlas of Suffolk County, Long Island, New York, Merritt B. Hyde, 1902; Published by E. B. Hyde. 

 

A Brief Look at Amityville Population

When it separated from the Town of Huntington in 1872, the Town of Babylon had a population of about 3,000 people. The chart below illustrates the population growth of the Village of Amityville and the Town of Babylon.

Decade	Amityville Population	Town of Babylon Population	Please note: The Village of Amityville incorporated in 1894, thereby establishing its boundaries, which are used to define its census area. It is undetermined whether the 1880 census figure represents the area now known as the Village of Amityville, or whether it represented a larger/smaller area.
1880	1,063 (16)	4,739
1900	2,038	7,112
1920	3,265	11,315
1940	5,058	24,297
1960	8,318	142,309
1980	9,076	203,483
2000	9,441	211,703
2020	9,500	218,223

The largest and fastest increase in population occurred after World War II, commonly referred to as the “Suburban Population Boom.” From 1940 to 1960, the population of the Town of Babylon increased by 485%. The rapid increase of residents brought an increased need for housing, schools, road improvements, stores and commercial developments, and employment. In those short decades, much of the Town of Babylon and its communities changed from rural countryside to suburban neighborhoods.

While hamlets in the Town of Babylon experienced tremendous population growth between 1940 and 1960, growth in the Village of Amityville was less extreme because the community had experienced steady residential and commercial growth over the previous century. 

Amityville School District

The Amityville School District is comprised of the Village of Amityville and the western half of the hamlet of North Amityville. School district boundaries were established in the early-1800s. Prior to 1872, it was known as Town of Huntington School District No. 23.[17] After the Town of Babylon separated from Huntington in 1872, it became known as Town of Babylon School District No. 6, before the name Amityville Union Free School District was adopted in the early 1900s.

The first Amityville school was a private school built around 1848 on Cedar Street. The two-story public school built in 1872 still exists as a business building at 162 Broadway, opposite Avon Place. The school on Broadway was discontinued in 1895 when Amityville’s first high school opened.[18] As the only district school, it served all grades up through high school, and later became known as Park North.

From around 1874 to 1895, the district also operated a small school on Albany Avenue, just north of Sunrise Highway (which did not exist at the time) known as “Colored School No. 6” (the “No. 6” designation was a reference to Town of Babylon School District No. 6). At the urging of Civil War Veteran Charles D. Brewster and other district residents, the Albany Avenue school was closed and the Park Avenue school became the sole, integrated school for the district.[19]

Amityville school class, circa 1933 (left). Amityville High School, circa 1915 (right), commonly referred to as Park North. The building now houses the district’s administration offices.

Park Avenue Memorial Elementary School and Amityville Memorial High School were both named in memorial honor to local veterans. The Edmund W. Miles Middle School was named for a long-time Amityville educator, who was an elementary and junior high school principal, and was chairman of the mathematics department at Amityville High School.

School District Mascot – Warriors

School District Colors – Maroon and Grey

• Park North Elementary School (originally Amityville High School) – opened 1895, closed 1972  and became district administration offices [20]

• Northeast Elementary School – opened 1957 [21]
• Northwest Elementary School – opened 1957 [22]
• Park Avenue Memorial Elementary School (originally Amityville High School and, later, Park Central) – opened 1924 [23]
• Edmund W. Miles Middle School (formerly Junior High School) – opened 1963 [24]
• Edmund W. Miles (1917-1979)[25] was a former elementary and junior high school principal, and later chairman of the mathematics department at Amityville High School. 
• Amityville Memorial High School – opened 1952 [26]

For further reading: Amityville’s 1894 School House, by William T. Lauder and Charles F. Howlett (available at the Amityville Historical Society and the Amityville Public Library).

Amityville Union Free School District, Central Administration, 150 Park Avenue, Amityville, NY 11701 • www.amityvilleschools.org

Amityville Public Library

The origin of the Amityville Public Library dates back to a private group known as the Amityville Literary Society.[27] The society held meetings at member’s homes but, eventually, they needed a permanent headquarters.

In 1907, the society received a New York State library charter and St. Mary’s Church Parish Hall was used as the library headquarters, with 67 circulating books.[28] A few years later the organization built a small wooden building on Broadway, near Ireland Place. In 1927, it was replaced by a charming brick building, which still stands at 166 Broadway.[29]

Former Amityville Public Library, on Broadway, pictured circa 1940. Image courtesy of the Amityville Historical Society.

In 1969 voters approved changing the Amityville Free Library to the Amityville Public Library, and what started as a private association became part of the Amityville School District.[30]

The current library was opened in 1971,[31] and serves the Amityville School District, which includes the Village of Amityville, part of East Massapequa and the western part of the Hamlet of North Amityville.

Amityville Public Library, 19 John Street, Amityville, NY 11701 – (631) 264-0567 – www.amityvillepubliclibrary.org

Amityville Fire Department

The first fire company in Amityville – Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1 – was established in 1886,[32] and several companies followed. Early volunteer firefighting companies also responded to calls beyond the Village of Amityville, into present Copiague and Massapequa. In 1905, all of the volunteer companies were organized under one village department – the Amityville Volunteer Fire Department.[33]

Former headquarters of the Amityville Fire Department, on Greene Avenue, circa 1925 (left). The building was also the headquarters for the Amityville Police Department and the village hall. Town of Babylon Rescue Service responding to an emergency at Brunswick Hospital, Amityville, 1960s (right). Image courtesy of the North Lindenhurst Fire Department.

·       Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1., est. 1886

·       Hose Company No. 1, est. 1893

·       Dauntless Hose Company No. 2, est. 1894

·       Chemical Hose Company No. 3, est. 1914

·       Drill Team – “The Villains,” est. 1921

·       Hose Company No. 4, est. 1922

·       Fire Police, est. 1950

·       Emergency Squad, est. 1974

·       Ladies Auxiliary, est. 1975

·       Juniors, est. 1978

·       Water Rescue, est. 1990

Amityville Fire Department, 55 Oak Street, Amityville, NY 11701 – (631) 264-1130 (non-emergency) – www.amityvillefiredept.org

Monuments and Memorials  

This large memorial commemorates the sacrifices of those who served in World Wars with an honor plaque, including the names of those who died in the line of duty during World War I (marked below with “¶”). There is also has a gold plaque commemorating the 60th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy in WWII.

Originally erected in 1920 and re-erected in 1984, the tower has a clock upon its top, and a plaque citing a rededication in 1988 with the expansion of the Triangle park area. The “Triangle” park is located at the intersection of Broadway and Park Avenue.[34]

To Those Citizens of Our Country Who Did Their Duty in the World War --- To the Memory of Our Veterans Who Have Served in the Armed Forces During All Conflicts and the Memory of Those Who Have Honorably Served This Village –

Albra S. Adams • Giacomo Affusa • James J. Affusa • Michael Agresti • Harold C. Albertson • William R. Albertson • Percy E. Arnold • William Aufdenfeld • Jesse M. Austin • Frederic A. Baker • Arthur M. Baldwin • Frank B. Ball • Charles S. Barcellona • George Baromona • Russell Bartow • Charles T. Bassler • John Bazola • Frederick W. Becher • Arthur K. Bennett • Joseph Bernagozzi • Angelo Bogni • Wilmer Bonds • Louis Boselli • Richard Brandt, Jr. • John F. Brewerton • Alexander Brewster • Charles E. Brewster • Frederick Brewster • Gouverneur B. Brewster • Irving Paul Brewster • William Brewster • Archie James Brooks • James S. Brown • Charles Frank Brush • Charles J. Buckholz • Everard R. Burch • Raymond L. Burch • Frank S. Burgwin • Harry P. Burgwin • Arthur R. Burns • Hugo G. Campagnoli • Forrest P. Carman • Stephen B. Carpenter • Pasquale Caruso • James B. Cass • Carl Chichester • Benjamin Cirrincione • Robert W. Combes • Louis Compitello • Walter P. Corns • Anson W. Corson • Emil F. Cron • John J. Cullinan • George Howland Dalzell • Lloyd Hunter Dalzell • Horace A. Darling • Kenneth Darling • Jesse Gordon Davis • George J. Diehl • Frank J. Drake • Charles Rulef Duryea, Jr. • John Ebert • Frank H. Edgette • Milton A. Erwood • George F. Eschwei • Vito Fagone • Vincent Fattaruso • Herbert W. Fiedler • Clarence C. Fleming, Jr. • Peter B. Fleming • Nicholas Follo • Clarence Fowler • Alphonse C. Frevele • Joseph F. Frevele • Walter J. Gardiner • Francis Gayer • Frederick C. Gehrke • Joseph A. Geiger • Guiseppe Giarratano • Henry H. Giesse • Harold A. Gilman • Wallace S. Gilman • Natalie Giorgini • Thomas Green • Alfred S. Griffiths • Benjamin Gutowitz • Louis D. Gutowitz • Charles Haab • James Hayes Haff • Robert W. Haff • George B. Hall • Stanley J. Handy • George S. Hardy • Eric Stanly Hart • George H. Harvey • Joseph Heimbucher • William Henry Hendrickson • Isaac A. Henry • Arnold A. Hepp • Emanuel Hirsch • Charles O. Homan • Aaron Derby Howe • Joseph A. Howell • Stanley Howell • Sigvald E. Hunsbedt • Arthur H. Hunter • John Oliver Hunter •  Royal F. Hunter • Walter F. Husted • Einer A. Jensen • George W. Ketcham • Jesse H. Ketcham • Royal P. Ketcham • William Marsh Ketcham • Frederick W. King • Louis W. Kinzer • Willard Kohen • Reginald Kortright • Martin Lang, Jr. • Claud H. Lapsley • Thomas Lauder, Jr. • Elbert Laurie • Julius H. Lawrence • Louis T. Learned • Thomas Lee • Adolph W. Lottman, Jr. • Harry B. Lottman • Charles Ludlow, Jr. • George B. Ludlow • Bernard F. McDonald • Thomas E. McDonald • Charles J. McGovern • John H. Maher, Jr. • Louis C. Martin • Alvin Clinton Mayhew • Philip Mazza • Thomas Mazza • Jahew Miller • William  McKinley Miller • ¶ Gormly J. Montgomery ¶ • Silvio Orlando • ¶ Michael F. O'Rourke ¶ • Angelo Palermo • Benjamin Parodi • Adolph Pape, Jr. • Michael Pembroke • August W.  Peterson • Wayman A. Pierce • William F. Ploch • Harold F. Post • Benjamin F. Powell • Charles S. Powell • Herbert S. Powell • Royal S. Powell • Louis Richter • Philip Rizzuto • Gustav Schaefer, Jr. • William Schimpf, Jr. • Robert E. Scurlock • Anthony Segale • Louis C. J. Shafer • Patrick Sheridan • James Gerard Shevill • Frank W. Shoush • Harry  L. Simonson • Carl Burr Smith • Frederick E. Smith • Raymond B. Smith, Jr. • Roger Smith • Walter Allen Smith • Philip Sparicino • David Aaron Steele • George W. Steele • Arthur F. Squires • Howard F. Squires • John H. Squires, Jr. • George L. Swift • Caesar Tassinari • Hugo Tassinari • Daniel F. Terry • Francis Trongiolito • George Troumbas • Israel VanNostrant • Garry J. Velsor • George A. Walters • Arthur L. Wanser • Ainslie M. Wardle • Oliver Warren • Elliott P. Watson • ¶ Robert E. Watson ¶ • Arthur Cornwall Wells • Frederic Hart Wells • John H. Wendel • Peter Wendel, Jr. • Willet F. Whitmore • Clifford H. Wicks • Frank H. Wolff • William H. Wood • Frank L. Wortmann • Charles I. Yates • ¶ John Yeswoit ¶

 This Enhanced Triangle Area is Hereby Rededicated as of May 30, 1988.

Emil G. Pavlik, Jr., Mayor

_______________________________

Veterans memorial at the former site of American Legion Post #1015 (now, New Testament Church); 79 Park Avenue.

In Memory of Those Who Served in the Vietnam Conflict and Made the Supreme Sacrifice Ÿ In Memory of Those Who Made the Supreme Sacrifice in the Korean Conflict  Ÿ Dedicated to the Memory of Our Youth Who Served in World War II – Let None Forget They Gave Their All and Faltered Not When Came the Call

_______________________________

Veterans monument stone and Howitzer gun located in front of VFW Sergeant John J. Kreyer Post #7223; 30 Broadway.

To All Those Who Served in the Armed Forces in All Wars Erected by VFW Post 7223, May 1988

_______________________________

Amityville has two veterans posts named in honor of local soldiers.

American Legion, Hunter Squires Jackson Post No. 1218, 133 Dixon Avenue, Amityville, NY 11701 • The post was established in 1938 and named in honor of three local World War I veterans of the 15th Regiment (later 360th Regiment) – Arthur Hunter, Arthur Squires and Frederick Jackson.

Veterans of Foreign Wars, Sgt. John J. Kreyer Post #7223, 300 Broadway, Amityville, NY 11701 Ÿ The post was named for Amityville resident John J. Kreyer, Jr. (1923-1945), Amityville High School Class of 1942. Killed in action, World War II, April 16, 1945, while on a flight over China.

Historical Markers within the Village of Amityville

Marker Name and Location	Text	Notes
Amityville Trolley Routes -- Commemorates the trolley routes that operated from Amityville, north to Huntington, and east to Babylon; at the railroad station – Oak Street at Ketcham Avenue.[35]	Between 1909 And 1920, Two Trolley Lines Operated Through Amityville.  The Cross-Island Line Came From Huntington To Amityville.  The Babylon Railroad Line Ran From Amityville To The Ferry Docks In Babylon Village.	Dedicated jointly by the Village of Amityville and the Town of Babylon on June 11, 2010.
Babylon Railroad Trolley -- Commemorates the electric trolley route between Amityville and Babylon; south side of Union Avenue, between Broadway and Bayview.35	From 1910 To 1920, The Babylon Railroad Electric Trolley Line Traveled Along Union Avenue.  The Full Fare From Amityville And Babylon Was 10¢.	Dedicated jointly by the Village of Amityville and the Town of Babylon on June 11, 2010, honoring the 100th anniversary of the trolley route.
Brunswick Home -- Commemorates a local hospital, formed in 1887; north side of Louden Avenue, west of Broadway, Amityville.	Brunswick Home – Stephen R. Williams Formed 1887 For Disabled Children And Later Adults. Became Brunswick Hospital 1931. Building Razed 2012.	Dedicated in 2017, funded by a grant from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.
Cross Island Trolley -- Commemorates the electric trolley route between Amityville and Huntington; southeast corner of Ocean and Richmond Avenues.35	The Cross Island Trolley Line Traveled From Huntington To Its Southern Terminus At The Amityville Docks, From 1909 To 1919.  Trolley Passengers Could Transfer To Ferries Bound For The Barrier Beaches.	Dedicated jointly by the Village of Amityville and the Town of Babylon on June 11, 2010.
Early Church -- Commemorates a local house of worship, formed in 1797; east side of Broadway, just north of Merrick Road.	Early Church – Methodist Congregation Formed By 1797. Church Built Here 1891. Cornerstone Placed By Reverend B. M. Adams And Dedicated July 10, 1892.	Dedicated in 2023, funded by a grant from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.
First Guided Missile -- Commemorates the first guided missile launch, 1916; Richmond Avenue and Unqua Place.	September 11, 1916 – Here, Lawrence B. Sperry First Demonstrated To U.S. Navy Personnel The Sperry Aerial Torpedo – The First Guided Missile.	Dedicated by Sperry Gyroscope Company, 1960.
Former High School -- Commemorates the community’s first high school; west side of Park Avenue, just south of Ireland Place.	Former High School -- Opening In 1895 Led To District Racial Integration. Bell Tower Removed 1915. School Closed 1972, Converted To Administration Building.	Dedicated in 2019, funded by a grant from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.
Marker Name and Location	Text	Notes
Hartmann’s Pond – Commemorates local Jewish businessman and his bottling and ice harvesting businesses; at Peterkin Park, Oak Street.[36]	Hartmann’s Pond – Jewish Immigrant Jacob Hartmann, 1842-1922, Owned Suffolk Bottling Works Here Beginning 1891. Also Sold Ice Harvested From This Pond.	Dedicated in 2022, funded by a grant from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, by Long Island Jewish Historical Society.
Ireland’s Mill -- Commemorates a local business, a saw and grist mill; north side of Merrick Road, opposite Ocean Avenue.	Ireland's Mill -- Purchased In 1793 By Thomas Ireland. Four Generations Ran Saw & Grist Mill Here. Sold Feed, Grain, Hay & Ice Until Ca. 1913. Razed 1915.	Dedicated in 2018, funded by a grant from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.
Naomi W. Griffiths -- Commemorates a local supporter of voting rights for women; west side of Bayview Avenue, near Avon Place.	Naomi W Griffiths -- First Amityville Suffrage Club President, Formed 1914. Held Local Meetings And Socials Supporting Voting Rights For Women.	Dedicated in 2017, as part of the NYS Suffrage Centennial, funded by a grant from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.
South Side Railroad -- Commemorates the first railroad to arrive through Amityville; west side of Ketcham Avenue, north of Oak Street.[37]	South Side R.R. -- Railroad From NYC Completed October 1867. First Depot Erected 1868 For Travelers, Local Commerce And Mail. LIRR Assumed Line By 1876.	Dedicated in 2017, funded by a grant from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.
St. Mary’s Church -- Commemorates a local house of worship, formed in 1886; east side of Broadway, across from Ireland Place.	St. Mary's Church -- Congregation Est. 1886 Chapel Built 1888 By Wesley Ketcham Under Rev. James H. Noble. Consecrated By Bishop A.N. Littlejohn In 1889.	Dedicated in 2020, funded by a grant from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.
Suffolk County -- Commemorates the 1683 formation of Suffolk County; at Peterkin Park, Oak Street. (A duplicate of this marker is located at Melville Road and Oak Street, East Farmingdale.)	Suffolk County -- Organized Nov. 1, 1683. One Of The Original Counties Of The Province Of New York. Originally East Riding Of Yorkshire.	Dedicated by the Suffolk County American Revolution Bicentennial Committee in 1975.
Unqua Corinthian Yacht Club – Commemorates a local yacht club that has operated for over a century; at 52 Unqua Place.	Unqua Corinthian – Yacht Club Incorp. 1900. Clubhouse Opened Following Year On Land Donated By John E. Ireland. Hosted First Regatta In July 1901.	Dedicated in 2022, funded by a grant from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.
Walt Whitman -- Commemorates the former family home of Walt Whitman, part of which was moved to Amityville; at 41 Park Avenue.	Walt Whitman – The Southern Portion Of This House Was The Poets Home In West Babylon And Was Moved To This Site In 1900.	Dedicated by the Town of Babylon in 1986.

Historical Societies and Books About Amityville History   

The Amityville Historical Society has written and supported several local history books over the years, many of which are available through their “Salt Hay Gift Shop” at the Lauder Museum. Local history titles include:

·       The Golden Avenue, by Doug Robinson, Lulu.com, 2018

·       My Amityville: memories of a golden time, by Doug Robinson, Lulu.com, 2015

·       Amityville (Postcard History Series), by Karen Mormando Klein, Arcadia Publishing, 2012

·       Amityville (Images of America), by Amityville Historical Society, Arcadia Publishing, 2006

·       The Streets of Amityville: Wood Avenue is not named for the forest, by Kate Sweeney, 2006

·       Amityville’s 1894 School House, by William T. Lauder and Charles F. Howlett, Amityville Historical Society, 1994

·       A Walk Through History: a community named Amityville, by Janet Perrin and Charles F. Howlett, Heart of the Lakes Publishing, 1993

·       Amityville History Revisited, by William T. Lauder, Amityville Historical Society, 1992

·       Amityville Remembered: a pictorial history, by Seth Purdy, Jr. and Elodie Dibbins, Amityville Historical Society, 1986

·       A Backward Glance, edited by Elodie Dibbins, Seth Purdy Jr. and Cecil H. Ruggles, Amityville Historical Society, 1980

·       Amityville, Your Community, by Amityville Activities Council, 1973

Amityville Historical Society and Lauder Museum, 170 Broadway, Amityville, NY 11701 – (631) 598-1486 – The Amityville Historical Society was established in 1969 and opened the Lauder Museum, in 1973, in downtown Amityville village.

The museum name honors former Town Supervisor and Village of Amityville Historian William T. Lauder who helped secure the historic bank building for the historical society.

The Amityville Historical Society’s Lauder Museum, pictured circa 1975. The building was built in 1909 as the Bank of Amityville.

The mission of the Amityville Historical Society is to operate and maintain a museum to encourage and promote the discovery, collection, preservation and display of historical objects. In addition, the society undertakes the dissemination and publication of historical and noteworthy facts and knowledge about the activities, sites, memorabilia, materials, and history of the South Shore of Long Island and around Amityville and the surrounding and adjacent communities.

Village Government

The Village of Amityville was incorporated on March 3, 1894. The village is governed by an elected Mayor and four Trustees. The Village of Amityville also has a Police Department.

 

The present Amityville Village Hall, which also serves as the police headquarters, opened in 2008.

Mayors of Amityville Village

The first Village election was held April 10, 1894.[38] New York State law mandated the title change from Village President to Village Mayor, as July 1, 1927.

	Title	Name	Term of Office
1.	President	Charles Wood [39]	1894-1895 **
2.	President	Samuel P. Hildreth [40]	1895-1896 **
---	President	Charles Wood *	1896-1897
3.	President	James H. Purdy [41]	1897-1898
---	President	Samuel P. Hildreth *	1898-1900 **
4.	President	John P. Haff [42]	1900-1901
5.	President	William T. Louden [43]	1901-1903
6.	President	John P. Haff *	1903-1904
7.	President	Edgar P. Foster [44]	1904-1908 **
---	President	Samuel P. Hildreth *	1908-1913
8.	President	Christian Molle [45]	1913-1917
9.	President	Frederick B. Powell [46]	1917-1921
10.	President/Mayor	John F. Louden, Jr. [47]	1921-1928
11.	Mayor	Claud Lapsley [48]	1928-1929
---	Mayor	Edgar P. Foster *	1929-1935
12.	Mayor	Charles R. Duryea, Jr. [49]	1935-1947
13.	Mayor	Nelson S. Osborn [50]	1947-1953
14.	Mayor	Herbert L. Carpenter [51]	1953-1955
15.	Mayor	George Kennedy [52]	1955-1961
16.	Mayor	William L. Burns [53]	1961-1965
17.	Mayor	James A. Caples, Sr. [54]	1965-1966
18.	Mayor	Louis T. Howard [55]	1966-1969
19.	Mayor	Humbert O. Martin, Jr. [56]	1969-1979
20.	Mayor	Victor S. Niemi [57]	1979-1987
21.	Mayor	Emil G. Pavlik, Jr.	1987-1997
22.	Mayor	Peter T. Imbert	1997-2013
23.	Mayor	James P. Wandell	2013-2017
24.	Mayor	Dennis M. Siry	2017-2025
25.	Mayor	Michael W. O’Neill	2025-present

* Previously elected to a non-consecutive term     ** Re-elected to a non-consecutive term     

Amityville Village Police Department

Amityville village incorporated in 1894 and hired its first constable, Charles Howenstein, who patrolled the village streets on foot by day and by bicycle at night, for a salary of $15 a month. By 1904, the department consisted of a Police Chief and two constables. With the advent of the automobile, Amityville village became notoriously known as a speed trap. In 1921, a police booth was installed at Broadway and Greene Avenue, and the residents raised enough money to purchase a motorcycle and an ambulance. Two patrol cars were purchased and equipped with one-way radios, in 1935.

Amityville Police Officer Bill Kay, 1941.

By 1959, Amityville’s Police Department consisted of fifteen officers. Multiple generations of local families have proudly served the independent force. Amityville is the only village in the Town of Babylon to still employ their own police force.

Amityville Village Hall, 21 Ireland Place, Amityville, NY 11701 • (631) 264-6000 • www.amityville.com

Village of Amityville Parks & Recreational Facilities

Amityville Municipal Bathing Beach, southern end of Bayview Avenue

Facilities include concession stand, bay-side beach, fishing pier, playground and volleyball courts. Peter Papas Pavilion at Amityville Beach (bathroom and kitchen facilities available). Dog Park at Amityville Beach.

A postcard view of the Amityville Municipal Bathing Beach, 1940s.

Village Triangle and Gazebo, downtown Amityville, intersection of Broadway and Park Avenue

The village green is a gathering place for parades and celebrations, and consists of a gazebo, memorial clock tower and benches.

Avon Lake, a landscaped area between East and West Lake Drives, formerly Ireland’s Pond

Avon Lake reportedly takes its name from Avon Place (to the north), named by William W. Skinner, one of the village’s first Trustees, who established the road and named it after his native Avon, England.

Delano Nature Trail, Union Avenue, east of Broadway

The trail, which follows the stream, is named for Charles F. Delano, founder and publisher of the Amityville Record newspaper which started in 1904. His family donated the land in his honor.

Edmund W. Pearsall Park, Bayview Avenue

A nature park for meditation. Facilities include gazebo and seating area. The park is named for the former owner of the property, which was donated by his daughter, Edna Hawhurst Pearsall.

James A. Caples Memorial Park, southern end of Bayview Avenue

Facility includes a playground, lighted softball fields, and a boat ramp. The park is named for Amityville resident and Mayor James A. Caples Sr., a former Suffolk County Police Commissioner.

Peterkin Park, Oak Street

Facility includes playground, Hartman’s Pond and footpath. The park is named for Walter G. Peterkin, who donated the property to the Village of Amityville.[58]

9/11 Memorial Park, 259 Broadway, Amityville (downtown near the train trestle)

Commemorates Village residents lost in the tragic events of September 11, 2001.

Amityville Nautical Park, south side of Merrick Road at Ocean Avenue

Facilities of this waterside park include benches, paths and a gazebo.

Maxine Postal Memorial Park, south end of Unqua Place on the Great South Bay

The park was dedicated in memory of Suffolk County Legislator Maxine Postal (1942-2004),[59] 15th Legislative District, to be left in its natural state.

---

Village of Amityville

1.      “Change of Name,” Long Islander, August 14, 1846, p. 2.

2.     “Tear Down Ireland’s Mill – Old Landmark More Than 120 Years Old,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, March 5, 1915, p. 12; “Removing A Landmark,” South Side Signal, March 5, 1915, p. 4.

3.     “The South Side Railroad …,” Long Islander, October 18, 1867, p. 2; “A depot for the accommodation …,” Corrector (Sag Harbor), December 12, 1868, p. 2.

4.     “Real Rapid Transit for Babylon Town Now. Trolley Service Between the Villages of Amityville, Lindenhurst and Babylon to be Formally Inaugurated Today,” South Side Signal, June 11, 1910, p. 2; “Babylon Railroad Suspends Service,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, May 18, 1920, p. 3.

5.     The Cross-Island Line: the story of the Huntington Railroad, by Vincent F. Seyfried, 1976; “Trolley Celebration Grand Success,” South Side Signal, August 28, 1909, p. 2; “Justice Faher …,” South Side Signal, September 26, 1919, p. 5

6.     (New Point) “Amityville,” South Side Signal, June 24, 1893, p. 3; (Hathaway) Advertisement, The Sun (New York), May 9, 1909, p. 38; (Narraganset) “Town Topics,” South Side Signal, May 28, 1915, p .5.

7.      (Long Island Home) “Amityville,” South Side Signal, April 9, 1881, p. 3; (Brunswick Home) “Babylon Local Record,” South Side Signal, February 12, 1887, p. 3; (Louden Hall) “Amityville,” South Side Signal, June 18, 1887, p. 3.

8.     “Amityville is Booming,” South Side Signal, June 25, 1892, p. 4.

9.     “Amityville,” South Side Signal, March 3, 1894, p. 3.

10.  “Amityville’s New School Building,” South Side Signal, April 28, 1894, p. 2.

11.   “Indian Deed of Three Necks, Southside,” recorded August 17, 1658. Huntington Town Records, including Babylon, Long Island, N.Y., 1653-1688, with Introduction, Notes and Index by Charles R. Street, 1887.

12.   The Indian Place-Names On Long Island and Islands Adjacent, with Their Probable Significations, by William Wallace Tooker, G.P. Putnam’s Sons: New York, 1911. Please note: Spellings and pronunciations of Long Island Native American words and names are subjective and typically determined by community residents. The Native Americans had a spoken language, and records kept by Colonists, starting in the 1600s, contained interpretations of the Native American language. The European settlers typically used phonetic spellings, which often differed among documents and writers. The meanings of Native American words can also differ among historians and researchers.

13.   “Postal History – Postmaster Finder,” about. usps.com.

14.   “Town Topics,” South Side Signal, December 12, 1919, p. 5.

15.   “Amity Harbor to Get Home Mail Delivery,” Newsday, December 30, 1946, p. 6.

16.   Population 1880 – 1980 from "Historical Population of Long Island Communities, 1790-1980: Decennial Census Data,” compiled and edited by State University of New York at Stony Brook Library and Long Island Regional Planning Board, August 1982.

17.   “Renumbering the School Districts of Babylon,” South Side Signal, March 30, 1872, p. 2.

18.  “Amityville’s New School Building,” South Side Signal, April 28, 1894, p. 2.

19.   “Color Line Drawn in the Amityville Public School,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, February 27, 1895, p. 7; “Amityville,” South Side Signal, March 2, 1895, p. 3.

20.  “Old School Converts Into Place for Offices,” Daily News, January 30, 1972, p. B4.

21.   “Seven Schools Here Open to 3,406 Children,” Amityville Record, September 5, 1957, p. 1.

22.  “Seven Schools Here Open to 3,406 Children,” Amityville Record, September 5, 1957, p. 1.

23.   “First of School Affairs Tonight,” Amityville Record, June 20, 1924, p. 1; “Flag and Bible For High School,” Amityville Record, October 3, 1924, p. 1; “It’s Not The ‘Old High School,” Park School South’s The Name,” Amityville Record, August 21, 1952, p. 1.

24.  “Schools Plan Opening as Boycott Looms,” Amityville Record, August 29, 1963, p. 1.

25.  “Death Notices – Edmund W. Miles,” Newsday, October 19, 1979, p. 37.

26.  “Auditorium is Jammed In New High School – Many Inspect Building For First Time,” Amityville Record, June 26, 1952, p. 1; “Memorial High School Set For Its First Year of Classes,” Amityville Record, August 28, 1952, p. 1

27.  “Amityville,” South Side Signal, February 20, 1904, p. 3; “Amityville,” South Side Signal, August 5, 1905, p. 3; “Library to Celebrate 50^th Anniversary,” Amityville Record, April 18, 1957, p. 1; “Amityville Library Started Informally,” Amityville Record, April 25, 1957, p. 4; “Library Has 50^th Birthday Party,” Amityville Record, May 9, 1957, p. 1; “Amityville’s Library,” by Cecil H. Ruggles, from A Backward Glance, published by the Amityville Historical Society, 1980.

28.  “Amityville,” South Side Signal, March 30, 1907, p. 2; “Amityville,” South Side Signal, April 13, 1907, p. 3; “Library Starts Auspiciously,” Amityville Record, April 19, 1907, p. 2; “Amityville,” South Side Signal, November 23, 1907, p. 3.

29.  “Men in Amityville Back Plan to Raise Funds for Library,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, July 8, 1926, p. 2 L.I.; “Amityville Raises Fund For Library,” Brooklyn Times Union, September 28, 1926, p. 1A; “Will Sing For Library,” Brooklyn Times Union, October 23, 1927, p. 8.

30.  “Amityville Boards Differ on Library Expansion,” Newsday, April 8, 1969, p. 19; “Vote Set On Library Propositions,” Newsday, November 7, 1969, p. 24; “Amityville Oks 2 Library Votes,” Newsday, November 24, 1969, p. 23; “Long Island News Calendar,” Newsday, April  7, 1970, p. 28A.

31.   “Library Gains At Amityville,” Daily News, July 30, 1972, p. SQ6.

32.  “Amityville,” South Side Signal, March 20, 1886, p. 3; “Amityville,” South Side Signal, May 8, 1886, p. 3.

33.  “Amityville,” South Side Signal, July 23, 1904, p. 3; “The idea of electing a chief …,” Amityville Record, October 13, 1905, p. 2; “Milford H. Ketcham Fire Chief,” Amityville Record, November 17, 1905, p. 2.

34.  “The Honor Roll Project - Amityville, New York.” Tripping Over My Roots, 1 Feb. 2020, https://trippingovermyroots.blogspot.com/2020/02/the-honor-roll-project-amityville-new.html.

35.  “A trip to Babylon’s past,” by Denise M. Bonilla, Newsday, June 12, 2010, p. A10.

36.  “Historical society seeks marker for pond built by Jewish businessman,” by Denise M. Bonilla, Newsday, March 1, 2022; “Marker at Amityville’s Peterkin Park pond honors Jacob Hartmann, early Jewish resident and businessman,” by Brinley Hineman, Newsday, December 11, 2022.

37.  “Leaving their Markers,” by Denise M. Bonilla, Newsday, May 8, 2018, p. A25.

38.  “Amityville,” South Side Signal, April 14, 1894, p. 3.

39.  Charles Wood (1822-1900); “Amityville,” South Side Signal, June 16, 1900, p. 3

40. Samuel P. Hildreth (1867-1950); “Suffolk’s Law Dean Buried Yesterday,” Newsday, August 17, 1950, p. 28; “S.P. Hildreth, 83, Suffolk Attorney,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, August 15, 1950, p. 7.

41.   James H. Purdy (1851-1903); “Amityville,” South Side Signal, June 20, 1903, p. 3; “Funeral of James H. Purdy,” Brooklyn Times Union, June 19, 1903, p. 9.

42.  James P. Haff (1838-1904); “Amityville,” South Side Signal, July 9, 1904, p. 3.

43.  William T. Louden (1865-1922); “Attacked While Home for a Short Interval in Yacht Cruise Around Island; Had Long Public Career,” Amityville Record, August 18, 1922, p. 1; “W.T. Louden Dies; Babylon Supervisor,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, August 16, 1922, p. 9.

44.  Edgar P. Foster (1866-1937); “Edgar P. Foster, Once Mayor of Amityville, Dies – Lawyer With Offices on Broadway, Manhattan, Succumbs in Babylon,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, April 14, 1937, p. 15.

45.  Christian Molle (1857-1930); “Christian Molle Rites – Amityville Resident Will Be Buried From Church Tomorrow,” Brooklyn Times Union, June 16, 1930, p. 42.

46.  Frederick B. Powell (1866-1934); “Frederick P. Howell,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, April 24, 1934, p. 15.

47.  John F. Louden, Jr. (1875-1928); “Dr. John F. Louden Of Amityville Dies – Former Mayor Was Director of South Shore Sanitarium,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, April 24, 1934, p. 15.

48.  Claud Lapsley (1877-1964); “Claud Lapsley, 87, Ex-Justice of the Peace,” Newsday, November 16, 1964, p. 40.

49.  Charles R. Duryea, Jr. (1900-1978); “Charles Duryea Jr., Ex-Mayor,” Newsday, October 10, 1978, p. 41.

50.  Nelson S. Osburn (1904-1975)

51.   Herbert L. Carpenter (c.1880-1963); “Herbert L. Carpenter, 83, Inventor and Businessman,” Newsday, August 24, 1963, p. 46; “Herbert L. Carpenter, 83, Dies; Engineer Invented Fiber Drum: Vice President of Grief Bros, Cooperage Corp. Was Civic Leader in Brooklyn Joined Phone Company,” New York Times, August 24, 1963, p. 19.

52.  George Kennedy (1903-1977); “George Kennedy, Ex-Mayor,” Newsday, March 4, 1977, p. 45.

53.  William L. Burns (1913-2005)

54.  James A. Caples, Sr. (1926-1968); James A. Caples, 60, Amityville Trustee,” Newsday, March 2, 1968, p. 29.

55.  Louis T. Howard (1923-2016); “Lou Howard, former Amityville High School football coach and Suffolk County lawmaker, dies,” by Rick Brand, Newsday, January 27, 2016.

56.  Humbert O. Martin, Jr. (1923-1989); “Humbert Martin JR., 65, Was Amityville Mayor,” Newsday, February 13, 1989, p. 33.

57.  Victor S. Niemi (c.1943-1999); “Victor S. Niemi, Ex-Amityville Mayor,” Newsday, December 3, 1999, p. 81.

58.  “Ceremonies to Dedicate Peterkin Park on June 24,” Amityville Record, June 14, 1956, p. 1; “Park Donor Honored at Dedication Rite,” Amityville Record, June 28, 1956, p. 1, 8.

59.  Obituary – “Longtime Suffolk County Legislator Remembered,” by Katie Thomas, Newsday, January 3, 2004, p. 19; “End of a Formidable Run – Suffolk lawmaker Maxine Postal dies of brain disorder,” by Katie Thomas, Newsday, January 3, 2004, p. 4.