Picture a place where Gilded Age mansions once stood. This is Sands Point New York. Sands Point, a village on the North Shore of Long Island, boasts a rich history and unique character.
Sands Point got its name from the Sands family. The village was officially incorporated in 1910. Sands Point expanded by absorbing nearby communities. Barkers Point and Motts Point joined in 1912. Harbor Acres followed in 1932.
Originally, three families owned the land. These were the Sands, Vanderbilts, and Cornwells. In 1917, Daniel Guggenheim purchased Hempstead House. It was formerly known as Castle Gould. Later, his son Harry Guggenheim built his estate named Falaise nearby in 1923. Harry Guggenheim founded Newsday. Today, the Sands Point Preserve maintains the estate.
Sands Point has evolved over time. In the 1960s, building codes were less strict. This led to the construction of many homes on smaller parcels. Current zoning laws require larger subdivisions of 2 acres or more.
The Sands Family Cemetery is a historical landmark. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.
Sands Point’s geography is defined by water. It is bordered by the Long Island Sound, Manhasset Bay, and Hempstead Harbor. Sands Point is located on the Cow Neck Peninsula. It is also known as the Port Washington Peninsula.
The village has a humid subtropical climate. Average temperatures range from 31.8°F in January to 75.3°F in July.
Sands Point is primarily a residential community. Many residents commute to New York City for work. The village has no commercial or industrial zones.
Sands Point offers various recreational opportunities. The Sands Point Golf Club and the Village Club of Sands Point are popular spots. Nassau County’s Sands Point Preserve is also located here.
Sands Point is part of the Port Washington Union Free School District. Children attend Port Washington schools. The Guggenheim Elementary School is located within the village.
Sands Point operates its own water and police departments. The Sands Point Police Department provides police services. The Village of Sands Point Water Department manages the water system.
Several notable people have called Sands Point home. These include sportscaster Marv Albert and suffragette Alva Belmont. Baseball player Carlos Beltrán and publisher William Randolph Hearst also lived here.
Sands Point is known as East Egg in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. The novel depicts it as a place of inherited wealth and old money. Though reports incorrectly suggest that F. Scott Fitzgerald used the mansion of Herbert Bayard Swope on Hoffstot Lane as the inspiration for the fictional Buchanan home in East Egg, the author would visit parties at the home Swope was residing. This residence was adjacent to Lardner’s home on Shore Road in Great Neck. Beacon Towers is believed to have inspired Jay Gatsby’s mansion.
Sands Point remains a desirable place to live. Its quiet atmosphere, beautiful surroundings, and rich history make it special. It is a unique blend of old-world charm and modern living.