West Hampton Dunes, New York

West Hampton Dunes, New York
Village
Village of West Hampton Dunes

New houses on the ocean in West Hampton Dunes
West Hampton Dunes
Coordinates: 40°46′30″N 72°43′3″W / 40.77500°N 72.71750°W / 40.77500; -72.71750Coordinates: 40°46′30″N 72°43′3″W / 40.77500°N 72.71750°W / 40.77500; -72.71750
Country United States
State New York
County Suffolk
Area
 • Total 0.4 sq mi (1.1 km2)
 • Land 0.3 sq mi (0.9 km2)
 • Water 0.08 sq mi (0.2 km2)
Elevation 7 ft (2 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 55
 • Density 130/sq mi (50/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 11978
Area code(s) 631
FIPS code 36-80186[1]
GNIS feature ID 0979943[2]
Website whdunes.org

West Hampton Dunes is an incorporated village in Suffolk County, New York, United States, on the South Shore of Long Island. The population was 55 at the 2010 census.[3]

History

West Hampton Dunes is located on a barrier island in the Town of Southampton. The barrier island was part of Fire Island until a nor'easter in 1931 split the island creating Moriches Inlet. The inlet created a geographic oddity whereby the town of Brookhaven actually has jurisdiction on land immediately west of West Hampton Dunes although Brookhaven land access to it involves a nearly 20-mile (32 km) drive through Southampton.

The village incorporated in 1993 in attempt to have more control over its precarious state since it was obliterated in the Great Hurricane of 1938, 1991 Halloween Nor'easter ("The Perfect Storm") and again in a 1992 nor'easter. Specifically, the village wanted to have a say in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers handling of the barrier beach—particularly in response to a series of groynes at Shinnecock Inlet that have created major beach erosion "downstream" in the longshore drift. Almost immediately after incorporation, Gary Vegliante, the village's first and to date only mayor, sued the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for $200 million. The Corps settled the suit and began replenishing the beach leading to a building boom on what had been a devastated empty section of beach.[4]

The American Shore and Beach Preservation Association named West Hampton Dunes one of America's top restored beaches.[5] In 2007, resident Yale Nelson finished a documentary on the town history which premiered October 20, 2007, in Westhampton at the Hamptons Film Festival.

In 1996, West Hampton Dunes was the closest community to the crash of TWA Flight 800, which occurred in the ocean about 10 miles (16 km) due south of it, although news reports focused on the much larger communities across Moriches Bay that provided the water response.

Police

In 1996, the village, under the authority of a court order, formed a law enforcement agency to better serve the needs of the community. The West Hampton Dunes Police Constabulary consists of approximately 12 members, including a department commissioner and two sergeants. The members are certified as peace officers with the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) and are trained at either the Suffolk Police and/or Suffolk Sheriffs academy. The members of the department also receive the required DCJS courses for peace officers to perform traffic enforcement duties including Radar/LIDAR, Standard Field Sobriety, and Basic Crash Management.

Geography

West Hampton Dunes is located at 40°46′30″N 72°43′3″W / 40.77500°N 72.71750°W / 40.77500; -72.71750 (40.774871, -72.717624).[6]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 3.9 square miles (10.1 km2), of which 0.35 square miles (0.9 km2) is land and 0.077 square miles (0.2 km2), or 20.45%, is water.[3]

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
200011—
201055400.0%
Est. 201458[7]5.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 11 people, 7 households, and 3 families residing in the village. The population density was 32.2 people per square mile (12.5/km²). There were 172 housing units at an average density of 503.6 per square mile (195.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 90.91% White and 9.09% Asian.

There were 7 households out of which none had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were married couples living together, and 42.9% were non-families. 42.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 28.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.57 and the average family size was 2.00.

In the village the population was spread out with 18.2% from 25 to 44, 36.4% from 45 to 64, and 45.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 58 years. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 266.7 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $67,083, and the median income for a family was $127,308. Males had a median income of $32,083 versus $0 for females. The per capita income for the village was $57,150. None of the population and none of the families were below the poverty line.

References

  1. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  2. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  3. 1 2 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): West Hampton Dunes village, New York". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved 2012-12-21.
  4. ↑ - Founding Westhampton Dunes - The Movie - Dan's Papers June 15, 2007
  5. ↑ - American Shore and Beach Preservation Association: West Hampton Dunes named one of America's Top Restored Beaches - May 18th, 2007
  6. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  7. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.

External links

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