Old Bethpage

Old Bethpage is a hamlet in the Town of Oyster Bay. Initially called Bethpage, it added “Old” to its name when the neighboring hamlet of Central Park, tired of sharing a name with the Manhattan landmark, co-opted the name Bethpage. Old Bethpage wanted to remain autonomous and distinctive, and modified its name. Today, the hamlet is home to 5,500 people.

Despite its name connection with Bethpage, Old Bethpage shares a library, school district and municipal services with its sister hamlet Plainview. The Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District educates 5,200 students from the two communities. All kindergarten students begin together at the kindergarten center, and then continue to one of four elementary schools. Both Plainview-Old Bethpage Middle School and Mattlin Middle School are located in Plainview. Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School has a top-notch science research program, and very high Regents passing rates.

The hamlet is well-located, with easy access to surrounding towns. Old Country Road, one of Nassau’s major thoroughfares, forms the northern border. Its eastern edge is the border of Suffolk County. The Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway has an exit which takes drivers directly into Old Bethpage. The closest LIRR station for most residents is Farmingdale, which issues permits to non-residents and also has metered parking. Bethpage’s LIRR station is also conveniently located, where parking is reserved for Town of Oyster Bay residents with permits.

Old Bethpage itself has minimal commercial activity with the exception of Old Country Road. Manetto Hill Road in Plainview has addition shopping, including the first suburban location of the popular grocery store Fairway. Broadway Mall, located in nearby Hicksville, is anchored by Target, Macy’s and Ikea, with a movie theater and over 100 stores.

Approximately two of the hamlet’s 4.1 square miles are taken by Bethpage State Park, which has five world-class golf courses. The park has hosted the U.S. Open Golf Championships twice, in 2002 and 2009. Play and picnic areas and tennis courts are also available. Battle Row County Park and Campground is a 44-acre space with 64 campsites, playing fields and bathroom and shower facilities. Plainview-Old Bethpage Community Park offers play and picnic areas, a pool and lighted tennis courts. The Town of Oyster Bay also operates two beaches, the South Shore’s Tobay Beach, and Theodore Roosevelt Park and Beach on the Long Island Sound.

Old Bethpage Village Restoration, one of Long Island's most well-known historic sites, has 209 acres with 51 historic buildings and 7 reconstructed buildings. Civil War re-enactments are held on a regular basis. The park is a popular field trip destination for Long Island schools.

Despite its name, Old Bethpage’s housing stock is thoroughly modern. The vast majority of the homes were constructed during the postwar boom of the 1950s and 1960s. Split levels and ranches dominate, currently ranging in price from around $400,000 to $700,000. Like nearly all of Nassau County, property taxes are high. There are no co-ops or condominiums.