Riverhead

History

European colonists purchased the "Southold land" from the local Algonquian-speaking Native Americans and Shinnecock Indian Nation in 1649. An additional portion was purchased from Col. William Smith and divided among settlers in 1742. The town of Riverhead was created in 1792 as part of new jurisdictions after the American Revolution. The New York State Legislature divided it from the town of Southold, New York, which lies to the north and east. Riverhead was separated at the behest of its inhabitants, who "represented to the Legislature that their town is so long that it is very inconvenient for them [people of western regions of Southold] to attend at town meetings, and also to transact the other necessary business of the said town, and have prayed that the same may be divided into two towns". The poor western sections of Southold, with no harbor and little commerce, were thus divided. On March 13, 1792, the Legislature passed a bill splitting off this section under the name River Head. The new enclave's first town meeting was scheduled to be held April 3, 1792. River Head was named the county seat of Suffolk County (called a "county town" at the time), and its name was later combined as Riverhead. By 1902, its approximate population was 2,500.

Geography

Riverhead is bounded by Long Island Sound to the north, Southold to the east, Southampton to the southeast, and Brookhaven to the southwest and west. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (66.53%) is water. The town is partly on the North Fork of the county. The eastern terminus of the Long Island Expressway is in Riverhead. Long Island has one of the northernmost humid subtropical climates (Köppen Cfa) in the United States. The National Weather Service numbers are from the Research Farm near Long Island Sound.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  13,808
• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  12,979
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  12,410
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  11,733
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  11,048
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  10,678
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  10,201
• American herring gull, Smithsonian Gull

  Larus smithsonianus Coues, 1862 · Aves
  9,467

Largest nearby schools

• RIVERHEAD SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
  High · RIVERHEAD · 2,001 students · 14.3:1 ratio
• WESTHAMPTON BEACH SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
  High · WESTHAMPTON BEACH · 964 students · 11.9:1 ratio
• RIVERHEAD MIDDLE SCHOOL
  Middle · RIVERHEAD · 827 students · 12:1 ratio
• RIVERHEAD CHARTER SCHOOL
  Other · CALVERTON · 823 students · 13.5:1 ratio
• PULASKI STREET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
  Middle · RIVERHEAD · 740 students · 12.5:1 ratio
• HAMPTON BAYS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
  Elementary · HAMPTON BAYS · 682 students · 12:1 ratio
• HAMPTON BAYS MIDDLE SCHOOL
  Middle · HAMPTON BAYS · 597 students · 10.9:1 ratio
• PHILLIPS AVENUE SCHOOL
  Elementary · RIVERHEAD · 578 students · 10.5:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 3.04 — 2019-04-09
  63 km SSE of Sagaponack, New York
• M 2.66 — 2014-08-14
  6 km SW of Deep River Center, Connecticut