Franklin Square, New York

Geography

Franklin Square is located at 40°42′6″N 73°40′36″W (40.701722, -73.676549).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.9 square miles (7.5 km²), all land.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census the population was 29,320. The makeup of the population was 75.1% Non-Hispanic White, 3.2% African American, 0.11% Native American, 7.2% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.75% from other races, and 2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.3% of the population.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 29,342 people, 10,187 households, and 7,833 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 10,169.2 per square mile (3,920.1/km²). There were 10,364 housing units at an average density of 3,591.9/sq mi (1,384.6/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 93.97% White, 0.99% African American, 0.11% Native American, 1.79% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.75% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.89% of the population.

There were 10,187 households out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.1% were non-families. 19.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.30.

In the CDP, the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $80,164, and the median income for a family was $87,485 as of a 2007. Males had a median income of $50,805 versus $35,207 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $24,149. About 3.7% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.8% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

Franklin Square has large Italian-American (40%), Irish-American (16%) and German-American (11%) populations.

History

What is now Franklin Square was near the center of the Hempstead Plains, and used as grazing land, and later farmland, by the first white settlers. The southern portion included oak and dogwood forests.

In late 1643, Robert Fordham and John Carman made a treaty with members of the Massapequak, Mericoke, Matinecock and Rockaway tribes to buy roughly 100 square miles upon which they intended to start a new settlement. They purchased this tract, including much of what are now the towns of Hempstead and North Hempstead. The source of the name "Franklin Square" is unclear. It has been speculated that the name honors Benjamin Franklin, but he had no historical connection to the area. It has been suggested that it was named for some now-forgotten local settler or notable.

In 1790, George Washington passed through the town while touring Long Island. He wrote in his diary that the area was "entirely treeless except for a few scraggly fruit trees." Walt Whitman spent three months in the spring of 1840 as the schoolmaster of the Trimming Square school district, in the area where Franklin Square, Garden City South and West Hempstead intersect.

In 1852, one Louis Schroerer built a hotel near a tollgate (by what is now Arden Boulevard) of the Hempstead-Jamaica Turnpike (toll road). The hotel attracted an increasing number of visitors and immigrants (the latter often German) from New York City to the formerly rural hamlet. Population grew steadily until the sudden intensified surge of suburbanization into post-World War II Long Island reached the village. By 1952, the farms were all gone, replaced by newly built houses full of emigrants from nearby New York City. Franklin Square is part of the Town of Hempstead and is represented by 3rd District Council Member, Councilman Bruce Blakeman.

Franklin National Bank

Franklin Square was the home of the Franklin National Bank, once the nation's 20th largest bank. Under the leadership of Arthur T. Roth, the Franklin National Bank introduced many banking innovations, such as the bank credit card, the drive up teller window (1950), junior savings accounts (1947), and a no-smoking policy on banking floors (1958).

On October 8, 1974, the Franklin National Bank was declared insolvent due to mismanagement and fraud, involving losses in foreign currency speculation and poor loan policies. This caused massive losses for its stockholders, resulted in jail and disgrace for its management; Italian financier and CEO Michele Sindona was poisoned in his cell in 1986, while serving a life-sentence for his part in this affair. It was at the time the largest bank failure in the history of the country, and forced US banking policymakers to reexamine and reassess regulation of international banking.

The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.

Schools

Franklin Square is served by two school districts 13 and 17. The Valley Stream Union Free School District 13 that covers the Franklin Square four public elementary schools (Willow Road School is located in Franklin Square under Valley Stream District) and two public high schools (North Valley Stream H.S. is located in Franklin Square under Valley Stream District). The Franklin Square Union Free District 17 covers Washington Street School, John Street Elementary School, H. Frank Carey High School, Garden City Public Schools, and Polk Street School.

The private St. Catherine of Sienna elementary school closed in June 2012.

Below are the schools in Franklin Square, and their respective grade levels and districts.

Town infrastructure

Franklin Square has a volunteer fire department and is served by the Nassau County Police Department's Fifth Precinct.

Franklin Square residents are served by two public libraries, The Elmont Public Library and the The Franklin Square Public Library. Sanitation and recycling services are provided by Town of Hempstead District 6. The Town of Hempstead department of Parks and Recreation operates and maintains Rath Park, which includes Rath Park Pool, basketball, handball, and tennis courts, football and baseball fields, and a playground. There is a snack commissary and recreational equipment rental facility that operate during the summer, while the pool is operational.

Groups

There is an active Chamber of Commerce and a historical society. Franklin Square has the Franklin Square Warriors youth football program, Franklin Square Raiders youth soccer program, the Franklin Square Little League, and Franklin Square Seminoles II baseball and softball club.

The Plattdeutsche Volksfest Vereen was established in Franklin Square in the early 1900s. One was designated for an "old folks' home" and the other for a building and beer garden for the society. These are currently the Plattdeutsche Home and Renken Apartments, operated independently by the Plattdeutsche Home Society. The Vereen holds an annual fundraising festival called the Volksfest each July and the Plattdeutsche has many clubs, sports leagues and a brass band, the Foehrer Musik Freunde.

Newspapers

Franklin Square has a print weekly newspaper, the Franklin Square Bulletin, and is covered by another local print and online newspaper, the Three Village Times.

Notable people