Jericho

Jericho, an unincorporated hamlet in the Town of Oyster Bay, began as a Quaker settlement in the 1600s. Named in 1692 for the Middle Eastern town near the Jordan River, its 14,000 residents reside with a 4.1 square mile area. It has a long history as a farming community, but today it’s a heavily residential area known for its outstanding school district.

With the Northern State Parkway and the Long Island Expressway crossing the town, it’s well-located for commuting and travel. LIRR access can be found in Hicksville, which has one of the system’s busiest stations with trains running frequently. Town of Oyster Bay permits are required to park at the station, which Jericho residents are eligible for. To the north, Syosset’s LIRR station offers another option, though service is less frequent.

Broadway, also known as Route 107, and Jericho Turnpike are the town’s two other main roads which provide access to neighboring towns and beyond. Residents can take care of shopping for most necessities locally, though Broadway Mall is located in Hicksville, which is anchored by Target and Ikea.

Two well-known Long Island landmarks are located in Jericho. The Westbury Music Fair, now known as the NYCB Theater at Westbury, began operations in the mid-1950s. It evolved from its early days as a small tent venue to its current theater-in-the-round with seating for 3,000. The Milleridge Inn is a well-known restaurant and catering establishment which began as a two-room house with a central fireplace in 1672. Today it has a restaurant and several private rooms for small functions, along with a cottage and carriage house often used for weddings. A small village features a bakery, a florist and other shops.

Jericho’s schools are often cited as the town’s best asset. The district, which educates approximately 3,000 students in three elementary schools, one middle school and one high school, has received accolades for its strong performance. In 2010, Newsweek magazine ranked Jericho High School #2 in New York and #32 nationally. The high school has a 99% graduation rate, and is one of the few schools to offer a Regents exam in Latin. Several Advanced Placement courses are available, and students can also earn college credit through St. John’s University.

The town lacks significant parkland, but open spaces aren’t too far away. Cantiague Park, a country-run facility, is located along Jericho’s south border. The park features golfing and other sports facilities, and has a large aquatic center. To the east, Syosset-Woodbury Community Park has play and picnic areas, sports facilities, and a pool. Residents can also utilize two Town of Oyster Bay beaches, Theodore Roosevelt Park and Beach, located on the Sound, and Tobay Beach, an oceanfront town park.

House-hunters will find that their money does not go as far in Jericho as it would in other parts of Nassau. The quality of the school district drives up prices, which currently begin at around $400,000. Condos and co-ops, which are usually less expensive than single-family homes, currently begin around $500,000. Despite its long history, most of the housing stock consists of ranches and splits from the 1950s and 1960s.