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Wantagh NY Area Guide

Wantagh is located in Nassau County on the South Shore of Long Island, New York. Wantagh, in the Town of Hempstead, is a census-designated place and a hamlet, which is a populated area within a town that is not part of a village. It is in the southeastern part of the town of Hempstead. As of the 2000 census, Wantagh was home to approximately 19,000 people. Wantagh is known as “The Gateway to Jones Beach” due to its location directly north of the famous Robert Moses-developed State Park.

Wantagh History

The area of Wantagh was first inhabited by the Merokee tribe of the Algonquin Native Americans. The Merokee were part of the greater Montauk tribe that loosely ruled Long Island’s Native Americans. Wantagh was the chief of the Merokee tribe in 1647 and was later the grand chief of the Montauk tribe from 1651-1658.

Dutch settlers soon came west from their New Amsterdam colony, and English settlers came south from Connecticut and Massachusetts settlements. The English and Dutch settled their competing claims for the Long Island area in the 1650 treaty, which was conducted in Hartford. The Dutch partition included all land west of Oyster Bay, and thus the Wantagh area.

The area was first known as Jerusalem and was later renamed Ridgewood. The town’s first post office was built in 1837 for Jerusalem, but mail service from Brooklyn began around 1780. The town’s first school was established in 1790. Some time around the 1880s the area was renamed Wantagh to avoid confusion with another town in New York State with the same name.

The area that became today’s Wantagh continued primarily as a farming area until the construction of Sunrise Highway and Jones Beach in the early 20th Century, when tourism and fishing took hold, centering on Jones Beach. The Long Island Rail Road has served the town since 1885, but the town did not take on a suburban character until the housing development between the 1950s and 1970s.

Wantagh Parks and Recreation

Wantagh is dedicated to the recreational enjoyment of their residents and visitors. The community strives to maintain a clean and fun environment for all to enjoy. Wantagh offers many recreational opportunities for every one of all ages. Check out the list below to see what fits you best!

Wantagh Football Club
The Wantagh Football Club is committed to teaching the fundamentals of football and cheerleading, which include sportsmanship, teamwork, cooperation, fair play, character building, and above all else, fun. In order to achieve these goals parents, staff and administration must be role models, by example, in their conduct and stay within the boundaries of good sportsmanship and fair play. With the fulfillment of these goals all participants will leave the program with a strong sense of self-confidence and self-respect for the betterment of the youth and our community.

Click here for a Park, Reserves, and Museum directory

Wantagh Bay Yacht Club

Wantagh Warriors Cross Country

Wantagh/Seaford Stingrays

Wantagh Wrestling

American Pool players Association

Click here for a list of sporting places in and around Wantagh

Wantagh Attractions and Events

Wantagh has many exciting events and attractions for you to participate in when whether you’re a resident or just visiting! A trip to Wantagh wouldn’t be complete without a stop by the Wantagh Museum or the Jones Beach Theater. Check out everything Wantagh has to offer you and bring your family and friends!

Wantagh Museum
The Wantagh Museum resides in three structures, The Station, The “Jamaica” Railroad Car and the Original Wantagh Post Office. The Station was built in 1885. In 1966, The Station was moved to its current location to save it from demolition when the Wantagh Railroad service was expanded. After this move, The Station was restored to its 1904 appearance, and in 1982, the Wantagh Preservation Society opened the structure to the public as a museum. The ticket booth in The Station was restored to reflect the presence of Emma Whitmore, the first woman to serve as ticket agent in the Wantagh Station.

Jones Beach Theater

Sporting Places

Snowball Run

Antique Shops

Wantagh Calendar of Events

For more information about schools in the Wantagh area, please visit my Wantagh area school guide.

For more information about relocation in the Wantagh area, please visit my Wantagh relocation guide.