Centerport

History

What is now Centerport was originally inhabited by Matinecock Native Americans. In the 17th century, European colonists – primarily English along with some Dutch – began to settle the area. Camp Alvernia in Centerport was the first Catholic summer camp in the United States, established in 1888. The camp remained in operation as of 2026, serving over 900 local children aged 3–14 each summer. Among the best-known examples of such estates in Centerport is the estate of William Kissam Vanderbilt II, known as Eagle's Nest; it is now the Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium. The territory would have included several large estates – including the Vanderbilt estate. The proposal was defeated by residents of the proposed territory on October 24, 1931, by a vote of 49-to-40; many residents who opposed the plan feared that the proposed incorporation was an attempt by the community's large estate owners to more tightly regulate their properties and the local beaches for themselves. The portion of the community known as Little Neck refers to its geographic location on the Little (Centerport) Neck. This peninsula's name, in turn, is derived from being the smaller of two adjacent "necks" – the other being known as Great (Northport) Neck.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and , or 8.29%, is water. Centerport is highly residential, characterized by winding roads and beachfront hills.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  22,414
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  22,109
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  21,844
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  20,931
• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  20,604
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  19,474
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  16,934
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  16,523

Largest nearby schools

• WALT WHITMAN HIGH SCHOOL
  High · HUNTINGTON STATION · 1,991 students · 12.8:1 ratio
• COMMACK HIGH SCHOOL
  High · COMMACK · 1,861 students · 12.7:1 ratio
• NORTHPORT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
  High · NORTHPORT · 1,645 students · 10.8:1 ratio
• HALF HOLLOW HILLS HIGH SCHOOL EAST
  High · DIX HILLS · 1,473 students · 10.2:1 ratio
• HUNTINGTON HIGH SCHOOL
  High · HUNTINGTON · 1,410 students · 11.8:1 ratio
• COMMACK MIDDLE SCHOOL
  Middle · COMMACK · 1,322 students · 11.3:1 ratio
• DEER PARK HIGH SCHOOL
  High · DEER PARK · 1,314 students · 11.8:1 ratio
• SMITHTOWN HIGH SCHOOL-WEST
  High · SMITHTOWN · 1,270 students · 10.3:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.8 — 2025-08-05
  1 km N of Hillsdale, New Jersey
• M 3 — 2025-08-03
  0 km W of Little Ferry, New Jersey
• M 2.66 — 2014-08-14
  6 km SW of Deep River Center, Connecticut
• M 2.95 — 2009-02-03
  1 km ESE of Victory Gardens, New Jersey
• M 2.6 — 2001-10-27
  1 km NNW of Manhattan, New York