Rockville Centre, New York

History

The Reckouakie tribe of Native-Americans lived in the area that would become Rockville Centre until the typical mix of germs and violent expropriation dislocated them with the arrival of Dutch and English settlers. The hamlet was named "Rockville Centre" in 1849, after local Methodist preacher and community leader Mordecai "Rock" Smith. It was incorporated as a village in 1893. Rockville Centre emerged in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century as a commuter community connected to New York by the Long Island Rail Road. In 1915, the New York Tribune went so far as to declare that Rockville Centre was a place in which "the average mortal could live happily."

Like many Long Island communities at the time, Rockville Centre's population included a considerable number of supporters of the Ku Klux Klan during the 1920s. When the white supremacist organization placed a wreath at the town's memorial to its war dead in 1923, the American Legion removed it in protest, but the city police received so many calls of complaint in response that they were forced to replace the wreath. In the late 1960s, the village of Rockville Centre received a stinging rebuke for its failure to maintain public housing units primarily inhabited by African-Americans. A report from Nassau County's Human Rights Commission stated Rockville Centre was "at best indifferent to, if not actually in favor of, Negro removal." Martin Luther King Jr. visited Rockville Centre in 1968, where he addressed a large audience at South Side Junior High School on 26 March 1968.

The Rockville Centre Post Office was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

2010 census

At the time of the census of 2010, there were 24,111 people residing in the village, 9,201 households and 6,468 families. The population density is 7,496.5 people per square mile (2,892.0/km²). There are 9,419 housing units at an average density of 2,874.0 per square mile (1,108.7/km²); as of 2010,. The racial makeup of the village is 78.3% White, 8.6% Black or African American, 9.7% Hispanic or Latino, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.0% Asian alone, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 0.1% Some Other Race, and 1.2% Two or More Races.

There are 10,002 households, of which 32.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% are married couples living together, 9.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% are non-families. 27.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 32.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.64 and the average family size is 3.28. The population is spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 40 years. For every 100 women there are 87.9 men. For every 100 women age 18 and over, there are 81.9 men.

2000 census

At the time of the census of 2000, there were 24,568 people residing in the village, 9,201 households and 6,468 families. The population density is 7,496.5 people per square mile (2,892.0/km²). There are 9,419 housing units at an average density of 2,874.0 per square mile (1,108.7/km²); as of 2004,. The racial makeup of the village is 84.3% White, 9.8% African American, 7.8% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 1.5% Asian, 0.08% Native American, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 3.0% from other races, and 1.03% from two or more races.

There are 9,201 households, of which 33.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.1% are married couples living together, 9.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% are non-families. 26.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 13.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.64 and the average family size is 3.25. The population is spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 40 years. For every 100 women there are 87.9 men. For every 100 women age 18 and over, there are 81.9 men.

According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the village is $99,299, and the median income for a family is $128,579. Males have a median income of $70,149 versus $43,800 for females. The per capita income for the village is $40,739. 5.0% of the population and 2.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 7.0% of those under the age of 18 and 5.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Geography

Rockville Centre is located at 40°39'48" North, 73°38'13" West (40.663390, −73.636831). The village has a total area of 3.4 square miles (8.8 km²), of which, 3.3 square miles (8.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²) of it is water. The total area is 2.38% water.

Education

Rockville Centre has five public elementary schools: The Watson School, The Covert School, The Wilson School, The Hewitt School, and The Riverside School. In addition to the elementary schools, Rockville Centre also consists of South Side Middle School and South Side High School. The district extends beyond Rockville Centre's borders, including part of South Hempstead, and Hempstead. Covert Elementary School is located in South Hempstead.

According to www.schooldigger.com, South Side High School ranks 116th out of 752 schools in New York State. This is based on actual test scores. [3], In 2012, South Side High School was ranked #22 by U.S. News & World Report's Best High Schools, and #2 in the state of NY. It has also consistently rated in Newsweek's The Top of the Class: The complete list of the 1,300 top U.S. Schools, #42 in 2008, #44 in 2007, #32 in 2006, #45 in 2005 and #65 in 2003.

Rockville Centre has one private K-8 Catholic day school; The Saint Agnes Cathedral School. The Saint Agnes Cathedral School occupies a single campus. The Saint Agnes Cathedral School provides a day school education for Kindergarten through Eighth Grade for families across Nassau County. The Saint Agnes Cathedral School's upper school (9–12), though now defunct, shared the complex at one time. The school is widely regarded for their consistently high-rated academic program among Long Island private schools, as well as their diverse secondary school placement.

Notable people

Notable current and former residents of Rockville Centre include:

In popular culture