Carle Place

Carle Place, a small, densely populated hamlet, is an unincorporated area in the Town of North Hempstead. It’s located in central Nassau County, with about 5,000 residents living in 2.4 square miles.

The hamlet, which most people refer to as a town, derives its name from early resident Silas Carle, who built the 32-room Carle House in the 1800s. Early in its history, the town was referred to as “Frog Hollow.” The name still hangs on, most notably as name of the high school sports team, the Frogs. William Levitt, who gained fame as the builder of Levittown, bought 19 acres in Carle Place. He built 600 houses, testing the efficient, inexpensive process he later used to build Levittown.

Despite its small size, several of Nassau’s major roads pass through Carle Place. Old Country Road, which is a major east-west artery, and Glen Cove Road, which travels north-south, features almost all of the town’s commercial activity. The Long Island Rail Road offers direct service from the Carle Place station, with travel time averaging about forty minutes. Fuschillo Park, with playing fields, facilities for sports and a community room, is the only park. However, Eisenhower Park and its 930 acres are nearby, with golf courses, playgrounds, swimming facilities and picnic areas.

Immediately to the east, Westbury offers abundant shopping, and the trend continues in Carle Place on a smaller scale. The Country Glen Center underwent a significant expansion a few years ago, adding a Stop & Shop and overhauling its Barnes & Noble. Several other stores and restaurants share the space. Parkway Plaza, anchored by TJ Maxx, also has several other local and national retailers.

Carle Place’s school district is one of the smallest in the state, with 1,465 students. It includes small parts of Mineola and Westbury. There are only three schools: Cherry Lane for kindergarten through second grade, Rushmore Avenue for grades three through six, and a combined junior-senior high school. The district’s results are very good, with high passing rate on the elementary and middle school state exams in math and English. At the high school level, Regents passing rates are also excellent. Twelve Advanced Placement classes are offered, and 99% of the Class of 2012 graduated, with 97% going on to college.

Its small size means housing inventory is limited, and there are no co-ops or condos. Property taxes are high. However, Carle Place’s residential streets give it a small-town feel, with the advantages of great schools, a convenient location, and excellent shopping opportunities.