Fun Facts
- In 1927, Charles Lindbergh took off from Roosevelt Field, as he embarked on the first non-stop solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean.
- America’s first supermarket, King Kullen, started on Long Island in 1930.
- Levittown, the first suburbia in the U.S., was built on Long Island in 1947.
- The Lunar Module which landed men on the moon in 1969, was built on
Long Island by the Grumman Corp. - The Long Island Rail Road is the oldest railroad still operating under its original name in the US, and is also the busiest commuter railroad in North America.
- Though many think it a monument, the large structure you view as you approach Jones Beach is actually a water tower.
- Many famous bands and musicians came from Long Island, including Dream Theater, Twisted Sister, Mariah Carey, Blue Öyster Cult, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and Billy Joel.
- Long Island’s Gold Coast served as the backdrop to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel, The Great Gatsby.
- Glen Cove was the first Long Island community to have telephone service.
Law and Government
The county legislature has 19 members.
Geography
Nassau County occupies a portion of Long Island immediately east of New York City, in the southeastern portion of New York State.
Demographics
As of 2018, the population of Nassau County is 1,369,514 (est.). It was named for William of Nassau, Prince of Orange, who became King William III of England. Its county seat is Mineola. Nassau and Suffolk counties are generally referred to as “Long Island” (as distinct from New York City) by area residents. Some also consider the New York City borough of Queens, just west of Nassau, to be part of Long Island (which, geographically, it is).
