Imagine wealthy New Yorkers seeking country homes. That vision gave rise to Manhasset after the Long Island Railroad arrived in 1898. Today we explore this hamlet on Long Island’s North Shore.
Manhasset’s story begins long before the railroad. Native Americans called this area Sint Sink. It means place of small stones. They were the Matinecock. They lived by Manhasset Bay and made wampum from oyster shells. The Dutch West India Company claimed the area in 1623. They forced English settlers to leave in 1640.
English settlers returned in 1643 after a land purchase. This area became known as Cow Neck. It had good grazing land. By 1659 over 300 cows grazed here. A fence separated Cow Neck. Settlers agreed. Each got one cow per fence section built. In 1677 the area was divided. Manhasset became Little Cow Neck.
During the American Revolution Little Cow Neck suffered. British forces burned and damaged property. The 1719 Quaker Meeting House suffered. In 1784 North Hempstead split from Hempstead. The North wanted independence.
In 1801 a trip between Roslyn and Spinney Hill cost two cents. This was on the new North Hempstead Turnpike. It is now Northern Boulevard.
The name Manhasset was adopted in 1840. It comes from the word Manhanset. It means the island neighborhood. Dairy farming thrived. The oyster industry grew. The Long Island Railroad’s arrival in 1898 changed Manhasset. Wealthy New Yorkers sought homes here. They wanted easy access to New York City. Manhasset Valley and Spinney Hill drew skilled workers. Immigrant families also came.
The North Hempstead Town Hall opened in Manhasset in 1907. Before this town councilmen met in Roslyn taverns. The Manhasset Valley School served children. These children were from the Gold Coast Estates. Later it served Manhasset’s African American community. It closed in the 1960s due to a desegregation lawsuit. Today it is a community center.
Manhasset is served by the Nassau County Police Department. The Sixth Precinct is on Community Drive. In 2005 the Wall Street Journal ranked Manhasset highly. It was the best town for raising a family in the New York metro area.
Manhasset offers an approximately 40-minute commute to Penn Station or Grand Central. Express trains take less than 30 minutes during rush hour.
The Americana Manhasset mall opened in 1956. It is on Manhasset’s Miracle Mile. Manhasset’s commercial center is near the train station. It is on Plandome Road. You will find bakeries pizzerias and coffee shops here. A small park and gazebo sit in the town center. The library is near the historic Quaker Meeting House.
Before the railroad Manhasset Valley was the commercial center. It was along Manhasset Bay.
Manhasset’s name reflects its history. It connects to the island and its neighborhoods. The town continues to evolve. It balances its past with modern life. It remains a desirable place to live and visit.