ABOUT THE VILLAGE


The Mayflower landed in Plymouth in 1620. In the spring of 1644 thirty to forty families left Stamford, Connecticut, crossed Long Island Sound, landed in Hempstead Harbor and eventually made their way to the present site of the Village of Hempstead where they began their settlement. By 1843, as written in a history compiled by Benjamin F. Thompson and published in that year, Hempstead Village had 200 dwellings, 1,400 residents, was connected to New York City by a Turnpike and a railroad, had dry soil, excellent water and pure air and wasVillage of Hempstead Chamber of Commerce Building in short, the principal place of mercantile and mechanical business in this part of the country. The Village of Hempstead was incorporated on May 6, 1853, becoming the first community in Nassau County to do so.

Hempstead can boast of its share of celebrities. Eleanor Roosevelt lived here for a time as did Lionel Barrymore. Christopher Morley was so enamored with the place that on the three hundredth anniversary of its founding wrote a beautiful essay in tribute. After he became President, George Washington made a tour of Long Island, stopping overnight at Sammis Tavern here. In 1704 the first stage coach on Long Island stopped to water its horses here.

"All roads lead to Hempstead" and Hempstead was always the "Hub". Hempstead merchants established routes out to outlying farms, and served as a distribution point for many firms. Wagons would leave Hempstead loaded with tobacco, candy and cigarettes and return in a week to restock. Bakeries covered routes from Baldwin to Far Rockaway daily. Butchers ran routes to Seaford, Elmont, Valley Stream, Wantagh, East Meadow, Creedmore, East Rockaway and Christian Hook. Drugs, medicines, perfumes, extracts, aprons, children's coats and dresses and men's clothes were peddled about the country by Hempstead merchants. People came from all sections of Queens to purchase stoves, and there were few places outside Hempstead where stoves could be purchased.

Hempstead was Nassau County's shopping center for more than two centuries. The development that is now underway follows in the natural path prepared by our visionary retail and commercial predecessors.

©2010 3Sevens Media, Incorporated