History of Nassau County, New York in Timeline
Nassau County, New York, is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City. It borders the Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. The 2020 census recorded a population of 1,395,774, making it the sixth-most populous county in New York State, with a 4.2% increase from 2010. Mineola is the county seat, while Hempstead is the largest town.
1906: Mineola Incorporation
In November 1898, voters selected Mineola to become the county seat. Before Mineola incorporated as a village in 1906 and set its boundaries almost entirely within the Town of North Hempstead.
1908: Long Island Motor Parkway Construction
In 1908, William Kissam Vanderbilt constructed the Long Island Motor Parkway as a toll road through Nassau County.
1912: Democrats Win Nassau County Due to Republican Party Split
In 1912, the Democratic candidate won Nassau County in the presidential election due to Theodore Roosevelt's Progressive Party splitting the Republican vote.
1917: Glen Cove City Charter
In 1917, the hamlet of Glen Cove was granted a city charter, making it independent from the Town of Oyster Bay.
1918: Long Beach Incorporation
In 1918, the village of Long Beach was incorporated in the Town of Hempstead.
1919: Garden City Boundaries
In 1919, Garden City incorporated, nor set its boundaries.
1922: Long Beach as a City
In 1922, Long Beach became a city, making it independent of the town.
1925: The Great Gatsby Setting
In 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, "The Great Gatsby," was set in the "Gold Coast" area of Nassau County.
1927: Lindbergh's Flight from Roosevelt Field
In 1927, Charles Lindberg took off for Paris from Roosevelt Field, completing the first non-stop trans-Atlantic flight from the United States.
1938: Creation of County Executive Post
In 1938, the post of county executive was created in Nassau County's governmental structure.
1940: Roosevelt Raceway Auto Racing Begins
In 1940, auto racing and harness racing began at Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury.
1946: UN Security Council in Nassau County
From 1946, the United Nations Security Council was temporarily located in Nassau County.
1947: Levittown's First Planned Community
In 1947, William Levitt built his first planned community in Nassau County, in the Island Trees section (later renamed Levittown).
June 27, 1950: Security Council Vote on Korean War
On June 27, 1950, while temporarily located in Nassau County, the United Nations Security Council voted to back U.S. President Harry S Truman and send a coalition of forces to the Korean Peninsula, leading to the Korean War.
1951: UN Security Council in Nassau County
Until 1951, the United Nations Security Council was temporarily located in Nassau County.
1964: Lyndon B. Johnson Wins Nassau County in Landslide Victory
In 1964, Lyndon B. Johnson won Nassau County in a landslide victory during the presidential election.
1968: North American Soccer League Founded
In 1968, the North American Soccer League was founded.
1969: New York Nets Play in Nassau County
From 1969, the Brooklyn Nets, then known as the New York Nets, played their home games in Nassau County at the now-demolished Island Garden arena in West Hempstead.
1970: New York Cosmos Founded
In 1970, the New York Cosmos of the former North American Soccer League were founded.
1970: Highest Population
The county's population was highest at the 1970 U.S. census.
1972: New York Nets Play in Nassau County
From 1972, the Brooklyn Nets, then known as the New York Nets, played their home games in Nassau County at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
1972: New York Cosmos Play at Hofstra Stadium
In 1972, the New York Cosmos played at Hofstra Stadium at Hofstra University in Hempstead.
1972: New York Islanders Inception
In 1972, the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League were founded and played at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale.
1973: New York Cosmos Play at Hofstra Stadium
In 1973, the New York Cosmos played at Hofstra Stadium at Hofstra University in Hempstead.
1977: Nets Move to New Jersey
In 1977, the New York Nets franchise moved to New Jersey.
1980: Long Island State Parkway Police Disbanded
In 1980, the Long Island State Parkway Police was disbanded, and Troop L of the New York State Police began patrolling all of Nassau County's state parkways.
1984: Nassau County Hosts Paralympics
In 1984, Nassau County hosted the Summer Paralympics, marking the first Paralympic Games to be held in the United States.
1984: North American Soccer League Play Last Season
In 1984, the North American Soccer League played their last season.
1985: New York Cosmos Play Last Season
In 1985, the New York Cosmos of the former North American Soccer League played their last season.
1986: Grumman Employment
In 1986, Grumman employed 23,000 people on Long Island.
1988: Last Time Nassau Was Won By Republican presidential Candidate
In 1988 Nassau was won by a Republican presidential candidate.
1988: Roosevelt Raceway Harness Racing Ends
In 1988, harness racing at Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury ended.
1990: U.S. Census Territory Exchange
Between the 1990 U.S. census, the Nassau County exchanged territory with Suffolk County and lost territory to Queens County.
1992: Bill Clinton Carries Nassau County
In 1992, Bill Clinton carried Nassau County in the presidential election.
1994: Legislature Formation
In 1994, Federal Judge Arthur Spatt declared the Nassau County Board of Supervisors unconstitutional and directed that a 19-member legislature be formed.
1996: Bill Clinton Carries Nassau County in Presidential Elections
In 1996, Bill Clinton carried Nassau County in the presidential election.
1996: Long Island Rail Road Police Consolidated
In 1996, the Long Island Rail Road Police Department was consolidated into the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police.
2000: United States Census
At the 2000 United States census, there were 1,334,544 people, 447,387 households, and 347,172 families residing in the county.
2000: U.S. Census Territory Exchange
Between the 2000 U.S. census, the Nassau County exchanged territory with Suffolk County and lost territory to Queens County.
2000: Al Gore Carries Nassau County in Presidential Elections
In 2000, Al Gore carried Nassau County in the presidential election.
2000: Population Density
In 2000, the population density in Nassau County was 4,655 inhabitants per square mile.
2002: Hofstra Stadium Renamed
In 2002, Hofstra Stadium was renamed James M. Shuart Stadium.
2002: Racial Segregation Study
The New York Times cited a 2002 study by the non-profit group ERASE Racism, which determined that Nassau, and its neighboring county, Suffolk, as the most de facto racially segregated suburbs in the United States.
2004: John Kerry Wins Nassau County
In 2004, John Kerry won Nassau County in the presidential election with a considerably slimmer margin (5.6%).
December 2006: Mineola Police Secession Proposal Defeated
In December 2006, a referendum to allow the village of Mineola to secede from the county police district and form its own police force was decisively defeated.
2007: Median Income
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income in Nassau County was $87,658, and $101,661 respectively.
2008: Barack Obama Carries Nassau County
In 2008, Barack Obama carried Nassau County in the presidential election.
2008: County Assessor Position Changed to Appointed Role
In 2008, a referendum changed the county assessor position from a six-year term to an appointed role, serving at the pleasure of the county executive.
2010: Asian Population Growth
As of 2019, the Asian population in Nassau County had grown by 39% since 2010, to an estimated 145,191 individuals.
2010: U.S. Census Statistics
At the 2010 U.S. census, there were 1,339,532 people, 448,528 households, and 340,523 families residing in Nassau County.
2010: Age Distribution
In 2010, 23.3% of the population was under the age of 18 in Nassau County, and 18.7% were 62 years of age or older.
2010: New York Cosmos Name Revived
In 2010, the New York Cosmos of the new North American Soccer League was founded to also play at Hofstra Stadium.
2010: Nassau County Population
In 2010, the United States census recorded Nassau County's population as 1,339,532 residents.
2010: Racial Makeup
In 2010, the racial makeup of Nassau County was 73.0% White (65.5% non-Hispanic white), 10.1% African American, 0.2% Native American, 7.6% Asian , 5.6% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races.
January 27, 2011: State Oversight Board Seizes Control
On January 27, 2011, a State of New York oversight board seized control of Nassau County's finances.
June 2011: Muttontown Police Department Operations
In June 2011, the Muttontown Police Department commenced operations.
2011: Jewish Population
In 2011, there were about 230,000 Jewish people in Nassau County, representing 17.2% of the population.
2012: Forbes Magazine Survey
According to a Forbes magazine 2012 survey, residents of Nassau County have the 12th highest median household annual income in the country and the highest in the state.
2012: Barack Obama Carries Nassau County
In 2012, Barack Obama carried Nassau County in the presidential election.
2012: Forbes Article on Nassau County
In 2012, a Forbes article reported Nassau County as the most expensive county and one of the highest income counties in the U.S., and the most affluent in New York state.
2012: Islanders Announce Move to Brooklyn
In 2012, the Islanders announced that starting in the fall of 2015, the team would be moving to Brooklyn and would play at the Barclays Center.
2015: Average Persons Per Household
From 2015, there was an average of 2.99 persons per household in Nassau county.
2015: Islanders Move to Brooklyn
Starting in the fall of 2015, the New York Islanders team moved to Brooklyn and began playing at the Barclays Center.
September 2016: George Maragos Switches Parties
In September 2016, George Maragos, originally elected as a Republican, became a Democrat.
2016: Hillary Clinton Wins Nassau County
In 2016, Hillary Clinton won Nassau County in the presidential election.
July 2017: Third Railroad Track Approval
In July 2017, state legislators approved a plan to add a third railroad track to the Long Island Rail Road corridor between Floral Park and Hicksville in Nassau County.
December 2017: Islanders Win Bid for New Arena
In December 2017, the Islanders won a bid to build a new 18,000-seat arena near Belmont Park in Elmont, marking their return to Nassau County.
2017: U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimate
In 2017, The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population of Nassau County to have increased by 2.2% to 1,369,514.
2018: Islanders Split Home Games
For the 2018–19 season the New York Islanders split their home games between Barclays Center and the newly renovated Nassau Coliseum.
2019: Asian Population Growth
As of 2019, the Asian population in Nassau County had grown by 39% since 2010, to an estimated 145,191 individuals.
2019: American Community Survey Income
At the 2019 American Community Survey, Nassau had a median household income of $116,100.
2019: Housing Units and Households
In 2019, there were 474,165 housing units and 446,977 family households in Nassau County.
March 2020: First Case of COVID-19 Reported
In March 2020, the first case of COVID-19 was reported in Nassau County.
2020: Joe Biden Wins Nassau County
In 2020, Joe Biden won Nassau County in the presidential election.
2020: Nassau County Population
In 2020, the United States census recorded Nassau County's population as 1,395,774, making it the sixth-most populous county in New York State.
January 12, 2021: COVID-19 Statistics Update
As of January 12, 2021, Nassau County had reported 104,078 COVID-19 cases, 3,044 deaths, and 2,102,900 tests conducted, with a 4.9% positivity rate.
June 2021: Madeline Singas Appointed to New York Court of Appeals
In June 2021, Madeline Singas was nominated and confirmed as an associate judge on the New York Court of Appeals, leading to Joyce Smith becoming the Acting District Attorney.
2021: UBS Arena Opens
In 2021, UBS Arena opened near Belmont Park in Elmont, returning the Islanders to Nassau County.
June 1, 2022: Police Department Changes in Nassau County
On June 1, 2022, the Old Brookville Police Department reverted to serving only the Village of Old Brookville, while the Village of Brookville formed a new police department, and the Village of Upper Brookville joined the Muttontown Police Department.
2022: Arthur T. Walsh Appointed Chief Deputy County Executive
In 2022, Arthur T. Walsh was appointed by Executive Bruce Blakeman as the chief deputy county executive for Nassau County.
June 2024: Nassau County Hosts ICC Men's T20 World Cup Matches
During June 2024, Nassau County hosted eight cricket matches of the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow.
June 2024: ICC Men's T20 World Cup
In June 2024, eight cricket matches of the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup were played at a temporary cricket stadium in Eisenhower Park in East Meadow.
August 2024: Nassau County Bans Face Masks in Public
In August 2024, Nassau County passed into law a ban on wearing face masks in public, making it a misdemeanor.
2024: Median Home Price
As of 2024, the median home price overall in Nassau County is approximately US$800,000.
2024: Donald Trump Wins Nassau County
In 2024, Donald Trump won Nassau County in the presidential election, earning 4.15% more of the county's votes.
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