Commack

 

(kō'măk) , uninc. town (1990 pop. 36,124), Suffolk co., SE N.Y., on central Long Island. It is chiefly residential.

Commack, New York
Coordinates: 40°50′42″N 73°17′0″W / 40.845, -73.28333
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Suffolk
Area
- CDP	sq mi (km²)
- Land	sq mi ( km²)
- Water	sq mi ( km²)
Elevation	ft ( m)
Population (2000)
- CDP
- Density	/sq mi (/km²)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	11725
Area code(s)	631
FIPS code	36-17530
GNIS feature ID	0947221

Commack is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 36,367 at the 2000 census.

Commack is partly in the Town of Huntington and the Town of Smithtown. It is located on Long Island.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Commack, NY CDP has a total area of 31.2 km² (12.1 mi²), all land.

The name Commack comes from the Secatogue Indians who lived on the south shore between Copiague and Bayport. They named their northern lands in the center of the island Winnecomac meaning "Pleasant lands." This is what they must have thought when they looked over this area of flat lands with rich soil, and thick oak forests abounding with plants and wildlife. From the earliest days Commack was known for its fertile soil, abundance of game, and wood. It can be debated, but one of the first settlers was Andrew Brown who was a general during the French and Indian War.

Today all of Commack is settled and suburbanized and, like most unincorporated areas of Long Island, does not have a true, walkable downtown or "Main Street." The community is served by four major thoroughfares: the Long Island Expressway, the Northern State Parkway, the Sunken Meadow State Parkway and the at-grade Jericho Turnpike. It also includes the historic Long Island Motor Parkway, which itself included the Spur to NY 25 that later became Harned Road.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 36,367 people, 11,697 households, and 10,176 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,164.3/km² (3,014.9/mi²). There were 11,824 housing units at an average density of 378.5/km² (980.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 44.43% White, 37.25% African American, 0.05% Native American, 9.03% Asian, 0.48% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.10% of the population.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $84,009, and the median income for a family was $88,406. Males had a median income of $61,475 versus $39,124 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $30,840. About 2.0% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.

Connections to History

The New York Nets (now the New Jersey Nets) originally played at the Long Island Arena in Commack, the location of which is now a shopping center that includes a Sports Authority, Borders Bookstore, and Target. A minor league hockey franchise, the Long Island Ducks also played at the arena. John F. Kennedy spoke at the arena during his campaign for the presidency in 1960.

The Commack Fire Department (see links) celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2006.

On November 14, 2006, radio station WBLI rated the Commack Motor Inn second of the seven wonders of Long Island, ^[1][2] just behind the Flanders Duck and ahead of the Montauk Lighthouse. The Commack Inn gained notoriety by its advertisements on late night television and radio, extolling "the perfect romantic getaway", its "plush beds", "mirror ball disco room" and "heart-shaped love tubs”. By the 1980's, the Commack Motor Inn had become such an accepted part of Long Island life, that it's gift certificates were prizes at social clubs.^[3]. In an 1994 interview, actress Rosie O'Donnell recounted "That's where everyone in high school went to have their first sexual experience." ^[4]

Famous Residents

• Sportscaster Bob Costas was raised in Commack.
• Entertainer Rosie O'Donnell grew up in Commack.
• Broadway performer Craig Schulman grew up in Commack.
• Pitcher Pete Harnisch is from Commack.
• Hofstra University football coach Dave Cohen is from Commack.
• Opera singer Ruth Ann Swenson was raised in Commack.
• Actress and comedienne Julie Halston grew up in Commack.
• Big Brother winner Eddie McGee grew up in Commack.
• Parisa Montazaran of the MTV series The Real World: Sydney

References in Popular Music

The song "Wannabe Gangster" by alternative rock band Wheatus mentions going 'back to Commack.'

See also

• Commack School District

References

1. ^ WBLI Morning Show
2. ^ A.J. Carter, Inside Stories, Newsday, November 20, 2006
3. ^ Shawn Kennedy, Motels Profit From Search for Privacy, NY Times, February 22, 1980;Page A16
4. ^ Todd S. Purdum, Hey, Rosie! It's No Dream. It's Broadway, And You're On, NY Times, May 8, 1994; Section 2, Page 8

External links

• Coordinates: 40.845037° N 73.283196° W
• The Record: a weekly newspaper covering Commack
• Commack History
• Commack Fire Department

Town of Huntington, New York
County	Suffolk County, New York
Villages	Asharoken · Huntington Bay · Lloyd Harbor · Northport
Hamlets	Centerport · Cold Spring Harbor · Commack · Dix Hills · East Northport · Eatons Neck · Elwood · Fort Salonga · Greenlawn · Halesite · Huntington Station · Huntington · Melville · South Huntington
Website:   town.huntington.ny.us

Town of Smithtown, New York
County	Suffolk County, New York
Villages	Head of the Harbor · Nissequogue · Village of the Branch
Hamlets	Commack · Fort Salonga · Kings Park · Lake Ronkonkoma · Nesconset · Smithtown · St. James
Website	smithtowninfo.com

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