Brookhaven, New York

Brookhaven is a town located in Suffolk County on Long Island in the state of New York. With a population of around 486,040 as of the 2010 census, it is the most populous of the ten towns in Suffolk County.

History

The land that is now Brookhaven was purchased from local Native Americans by English colonists in 1655. The town was founded in 1655 as Setauket after Setauket Harbor. It was incorporated as the Town of Brookhaven in 1686 under the Dongan Patent, becoming the first English settlement in what would become Suffolk County. The name “Brookhaven” comes from its location between the Connecticut River and the East River. Some key moments in Brookhaven’s history include:

Revolutionary War: Brookhaven was the site of fortifications along the south shore of Long Island during the Revolutionary War including Fort Tyler and the Carlos Earthworks.
Shipbuilding Industry: In the 19th century, Brookhaven became an important center of shipbuilding and home to many skilled shipbuilders.
Railroad: The town was connected to New York City and other points by the Long Island Rail Road beginning in 1844.
Suburban Growth: Like much of Long Island, Brookhaven saw significant suburban residential development and population growth after World War II.

For more detailed information on the history of Brookhaven, visit the Brookhaven Town History page on the official town website.

Geography and Population

Brookhaven covers an area of 259 square miles, making it the largest town by area in New York state. It is located approximately 60 miles east of Manhattan in central Suffolk County, Long Island. It is bordered by the Long Island Sound to the north, the hamlets of Shirley and Mastic to the south, Riverhead to the east, and Smithtown and Islip to the west.

As of the 2020 census, the population of Brookhaven was 477,746. Some of the hamlets and villages located within the town include:

Port Jefferson
Stony Brook
Setauket
Centereach
Coram
Patchogue
Shirley
Rocky Point
Lake Grove

Government

Brookhaven is governed by a town council made up of 7 members, including the town supervisor. The town hall is located at 1 Independence Hill Farmingville, NY 11738. Contact information:
Phone: (631) 451-9000

Website: https://www.brookhavenny.gov/

Brookhaven is located within Suffolk County on Long Island. The county government is located at:
H. Lee Dennison Building
100 Veterans Memorial Hwy

Hauppauge, NY 11788

Phone: (631) 853-4000
Website: https://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/

Economy

Some of the major industries and employers in Brookhaven include:

Healthcare: Stony Brook University Hospital, Brookhaven Memorial Hospital, Mather Hospital
Education: Stony Brook University, Suffolk County Community College
Technology: Brookhaven National Laboratory
Retail: Smith Haven Mall, Independence Plaza
Manufacturing: Amtek Company Inc., Quality King Distributors
Defense: Northrop Grumman

For more information on economic development in Brookhaven, visit the Economic Development page on the town website.

Education

Public education in Brookhaven is provided by several school districts including Three Village Central School District, Sachem Central School District, Longwood Central School District, Middle Country Central School District, and William Floyd School District. There are also private and parochial schools located in the town.

Links to school district websites:

Transportation

Brookhaven is served by several major highways including Interstate 495 (Long Island Expressway), Northern State Parkway, and Sunrise Highway. The Long Island Rail Road provides train service with stations throughout the town. Suffolk County Transit bus routes serve the area.

The town contains the Brookhaven Airport and is located about 15 miles west of Islip MacArthur Airport.

Tourism and Attractions

Some of the major attractions and landmarks in Brookhaven include:

Fire Island Lighthouse – Historic lighthouse located at the eastern end of Fire Island. Address: Robert Moses State Park, Babylon, NY. Website. GPS Coordinates: 40.6539°N, 73.1665°W
Brookhaven Town Beach – Public beach located on the Long Island Sound. Address: 286 West Meadow Rd, Brookhaven, NY 11719. GPS Coordinates: 40.7951°N, 73.1200°W
Whalehouse Point – Historic site that was once a processing station for whaling ships. Address: 301 Whalehouse Point Ln, East Setauket, NY 11733. GPS Coordinates: 40.9513°N, 73.1009°W
Stony Brook Village – Quaint historic village with shops, restaurants and museums. Website
Tanger Outlets – Large outlet mall featuring over 200 brand name stores. Address: 1770 W Main St, Riverhead, NY 11901. Website.
Splish Splash – Popular water park with rides, slides, and pools. Address: 2549 Splish Splash Dr, Calverton, NY 11933. Website.

For more information on things to do and local attractions, visit the Suffolk County travel guide.

Parks and Recreation

Brookhaven contains over 70 parks and recreational facilities offering amenities such as sports fields, hiking trails, playgrounds, picnic areas, boat launches, fishing access, and dog parks. Some of the major parks include:

Holtsville Ecology Site and Animal Preserve
Cathedral Pines County Park
Beaver Dam Creek Preserve
West Hills County Park
Heckscher State Park

For a full directory of parks, visit the Brookhaven Parks page.

Libraries

Brookhaven contains 7 libraries that are part of the Brookhaven Free Library system. These include:

Bellport Library
Brookhaven Free Library
Center Moriches Free Public Library
Comsewogue Public Library
Longwood Public Library
Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library
Patchogue-Medford Library

For more details and hours of each library, visit the Brookhaven Free Library website.

Facebook

Brookhaven has an official Facebook page where they share announcements, events, job openings, and other community updates. View the page at www.facebook.com/TownofBrookhavenNY

Sports

The Long Island Ducks is a minor league baseball team based in Central Islip, NY that plays at Fairfield Properties Ballpark. To learn more, visit the Long Island Ducks website.