Rocky Point is a hamlet (and census-designated place) in Suffolk County,
New York on the North Shore of
Long Island. As of the United States
2000 Census, the CDP population was 10,185.
Rocky Point is a community in the Town of Brookhaven
The beach at Rocky Point Landing
Geography
The community is on the shore of the Long Island Sound.
Rocky Point is located at 40°57′13″N, 72°55′38″W (40.953706,
-72.927259)1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of
26.8 km² (10.4 mi²), all land.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 10,185 people, 3,557 households, and 2,593 families residing
in the CDP. The population density was 379.9/km² (984.4/mi²). There were 3,949
housing units at an average density of 147.3/km² (381.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.60% White, 0.68% African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.21% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.80% from other races, and 1.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.02% of the population.
There were 3,557 households out of which 42.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.0% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.1% were
non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or
older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.32.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 30.3% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 37.1% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from
45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 99.9 males.
For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $52,463, and the median income for a family was $60,423. Males had a median
income of $46,804 versus $35,205 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was
$22,050. About 6.7% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty
line, including 9.0% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.
History
Rocky Point is home to the site where American radio company RCA once operated a very large
transmitting and transmitter research facility, known as Radio Central. RCA began to transmit transatlantic radio messages from Radio Central after its opening on
November 5, 1921. Early Radio Central transmissions were received by many European nations, including Britain, Spain, France,
Germany, Italy, Austria, and Poland.
On January 7, 1927, AT&T initiated the first transatlantic commercial telephone service; linking London and New York.
AT&T's transmitter was at Radio Central and their receiver was in Houlton, Maine. The
radiotelephone signal from Radio Central was received by the British General Post
Office's receiver facility in Cupar, Scotland.
Radio Central was one of the many original operating and touring sites of Guglielmo
Marconi's radio shack, which now is displayed at Rocky Point's Frank J. Carasetti Elementary School.
The 5200 acre Rocky Point site was decomissioned and demolished in the 1970s and now consists
of many concrete ruins and downed telephone poles and radio towers.The site is an interesting insight into the 1920s, because — being in the middle of the forest — the footprints of the site remain largely untouched since its
operational period.
A secret project held in Radio Central's building #10 became the world's first color television.
Rocky Point, along with neighboring village Shoreham, was also the home to inventor and
scientist Nikola Tesla's early research facilities.
As an additional point of interest, Rocky Point is the home of the only Paragliding site (as designated by the
USHPA) on Long Island.
External links
Coordinates:
40.953706° N 72.927259°
W
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