Montauk, New York
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Montauk is a hamlet (and census-designated place) in Suffolk County, New York on the South Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the hamlet population was 3,851. It is the easternmost area in Long Island, and thus the easternmost area in New York State. It is home to Montauk Point State Park, site of the Montauk Point Lighthouse. It is named after the Montauk Indians.
Montauk is in the Town of East Hampton.
Geography
Montauk is located at (41.038310, -71.950608)[Geographic references#1GR1].According to the United States Census Bureau, the hamlet has a total area of 51.2 km² (19.8 mi²). 45.3 km² (17.5 mi²) of it is land and 5.9 km² (2.3 mi²) of it (11.53%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 3,851 people, 1,593 households, and 992 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 85.0/km² (220.1/mi²). There were 4,815 housing units at an average density of 106.3/km² (275.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the hamlet was 87.04% White, 0.86% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.83% Asian, 9.76% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.92% of the population.There were 1,593 households out of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 20.0% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 33.9% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 105.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.2 males.
The median income for a household in the hamlet was $42,329, and the median income for a family was $50,493. Males had a median income of $40,063 versus $28,299 for females. The per capita income for the hamlet was $23,875. About 8.3% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.9% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.
History
In 1926, automotive and real estate pioneer and promoter Carl G. Fisher (1874-1939), who is credited with the successful development of Miami Beach, Florida, began working on a "Miami Beach of the north". His project at Montauk was to provide a warm season counterpart to the Florida development, near Manhattan. He and four associates purchased 9,000 acres (36 km²) and built a luxurious hotel, office building, marina, and attractions. The project built roads, planted nurseries, laid water pipes and built houses. However, the Stock Market Crash of 1929 cut short the promotional efforts, and the project went into receivership in 1932.In modern times, Montauk remains a small but popular tourist destination.
Near Montauk there is an abandoned military radar facility called Camp Hero, now part of Camp Hero State Park. A popular urban legend says the base was home to the Montauk Project, in which time travel was achieved.
Miscellaneous
- Montauk plays a prominent role in the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and is the site of the so-called Montauk Project, said to be a sinister secret experiment.
- The Memory Motel is in Montauk on Long Island and near The Church Estate that Andy Warhol bought in 1972. According to Arthur Schneider, who owns the Memory Motel, The Rolling Stones stayed at Warhol's estate when they were on tour in 1975-76. (They were good friends with Warhol, who designed the Sticky Fingers album cover.) The Memory Motel was said to be the only place in the area with a pool table and a piano, and The Stones were purported to come by and hang out at the bar. The song "Memory Motel" was written during this period.
- Due to its large number of hotels, Montauk is very popular with vacationers and tourists. Many of the other East End towns have few accommodations and Montauk benefits from this.
- Montauk is nostalgically praised by singer/songwrighter Billy Joel, who had summered in this posh hamlet for years. The song "The Downeaster 'Alexa'" , from his album Storm Front, tells the story of a Long Island fisherman's journey on his ship, named after Joel's daughter, through Montauk Sound.
- Montauk also is the title of a novel by the Swiss writer Max Frisch (1974), and is centered around the narrator's relationship with Lynn, an American journalist, and their cabana boy, Jack Behan. Their key scenes are located there.
- Montauk is mentioned on the final track of Long Island band Brand New's acclaimed album Deja Entendu. The track is called "Play Crack The Sky" and mentions Montauk Point and the lighthouse.
- The final track on Circa Survive's album Juturna is entitled "Meet Me in Montauk", a reference to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
- The town has in recent years become immensely popular with college students from around the globe living and working in the US on the summer working holiday visa, in particular large numbers of Irish students.
- The fifth track on Bayside's self titled album released in 2005 is titled "Montauk".
- The famous American Dream Show® is filmed here every month at the seaside resort Gurney's Inn. World-wide on http://www.WADTV.com/
External links
- [Montauk On The Web] A Montauk Community Website.
- [Montauk Lighthouse] Lighthouse info and area photos.
- [Montauk] information and area photos.
- [Newsday: 1926: Carl Fisher Creates Montauk]
- [Newsday: Mogul of Montauk]
The NYU short film 3:20 was shot entirely on location in Montauk, NY.
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