Farmingdale

Farmingdale sits near the eastern end of what was the Hempstead Plains-the vast, treeless prairie then covering what is now central Nassau County. Englishman Thomas Powell purchased about 15 square miles, including the area that became Farmingdale, from the Marsapeque Indians for 140 pounds in 1695. He and his children divided the land into lots and began more than a dozen decades of agriculture in the area.

Over time, a gristmill, a tavern and a few other businesses were established. The community that formed called itself Hardscrabble. Whose idea that was remains unknown.

Real estate speculator Ambrose George opened a general store in Hardscrabble in 1841 and bought several acres of land. He changed the name of the hamlet to Farmingdale by 1845, subdivided his land and laid out streets. Within a few decades, industry began to locate in Farmingdale, including a lumberyard, a brickworks and at least six pickle factories. The bricks were used for buildings as near as Garden City and as far as Chicago.

The village incorporated in 1904. The farms provided an impetus for the state to establish the Agricultural and Technical College in 1914. Many of the remaining farms were bought out in the years after World War I, when aircraft companies - particularly Liberty - looked for manufacturing space. The industrialization resulted in the doubling of the village's population  by the mid-1930s. The last open spaces were taken by the post-World War II building boom.

Interesting event: Charles Murphy's famous Mile-A-Minute bicycle ride - a publicity stunt in which Murphy tried to keep up with a Long Island Rail Road train and wound up setting a bicycle speed record - took place in Farmingdale.

Where to Find More: "Farmingdale: A Short History From the Ice Age to the Present,'' by Dorothy Vining, published in 1983, and other material available at the Farmingdale Public Library.

Based on excerpts from a Newsday summary (copyright © 2004, Newsday, Inc.)   
 

Farmingdale Public Schools

Dr. Roberta A. Gerold, Superintendent
50 Van Cott Avenue
Farmingdale, NY 11735
516-752-6510

PRIVATE SCHOOLS 

        St. John Baptist de La Salle Regional School
        Christine Bendish, Principal
        50 Cherry Street
        Farmingdale, NY 11735
        516-694-3610

 

Neighborhood Groups	Contact information

CIVICS
Farmingdale Chamber of Commerce	Debbie Podolski, President P O Box 1166 457 Main Street, Farmingdale, NY 11735 516-733-4079
Knights of Columbus, Farmingdale Council #2204	Greg Warnokowski, Grand Knight 1 Morton Street Farmingdale, NY 11735  631-755-2204
Farmingdale - Bethpage Historical Society	PO Box 500 Farmingdale, NY 11735
SENIORS
Farmingdale Adult Day Care Center	Sister Carmelina Lally, Coordinator                       407 Main Street Farmingdale, NY 11735 516-293-8928
St. Luke’s Prime Timers	Carol Fehleisen, President  145 Prospect Street Farmingdale, NY 11735 516294-1220
Senior Citizens of Farmingdale	Adelaide Kethcam, Coordinator 7 Van Cott Ave Farmingdale, NY 11735 516-249-3205
St. Killian Seniors	Marge Palma, Coordinator 485 Conklin Street Farmingdale, NY 11735 516-249-3787
VETERANS
VFW, Cpl. George Benkert, Jr. Post #516	Robert Fullam, Commander  635 Main Street Farmingdale, NY 11735 516-293-4645
American Legion, Hugh C. Newman III Memorial Post #449	James Cotwell, Commander PO Box 4000 Farmingdale, NY 11735  Meets 2nd Tuesday, Recreation Hall,  Allen Park
SPORTS
Farmingdale Baseball League, Inc.	Tom Sabellico, President 34D Hempstead Turnpike Farmingdale, NY 11735 516-249-7375
Farmingdale Hawks Youth Football & Cheerleading	Tim Jones, President                 PO Box 152                        Farmingdale, NY 11735 516-752-0604
Farmingdale Soccer Club	516-420-1149
Farmingdale Swim Club	VirginiaBoccio,President                        Contact via e-mail: farmingdaleswimclub@yahoo.com
Farmingdale Police Athletic League	31 North Front Street Farmingdale, NY 11735                        516-249-6825

Nassau County (http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/official/county/website
Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi
1 West Street
 Mineola, NY 11501

Oyster Bay Town (http://oysterbaytown.com/)
Supervisor John Venditto
Town Hall East
54 Audrey Avenue
Oyster Bay, NY 11771
516-624-6387

Incorporated Village of Farmingdale (http://www.farmingdalevillage.org/)
Mayor George Starkie
361 Main Street
Farmingdale, NY 11735
516-249-0093

Farmingdale Observer  
Jamie Tomeo, Editor
132 East 2nd Street
Mineola, NY 11501
516-747-8282
 

SUNY Farmingdale (http://www.farmingdale.edu/)
 2350 Broadhollow Road
 Farmingdale, NY 11735
 631-420-2000

 Bethpage State Park (http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/park_page.asp?parkID=67)
 Bethpage Parkway
 Farmingdale, NY 11735
 516-249-0701