Valley Stream

History

In the year 1640, 14 years after the arrival of Dutch colonists in Manhattan (New Amsterdam), the area that is now Valley Stream was purchased by the Dutch West India Company from Rockaway Native Americans, they were part of the Algonquian-speaking Lenape people. Reckouwacky, or the modern translation, Rockaway, means “place of our own people,” "sandy place," or “place of laughing waters”

With populations concentrated to the west, this woodland area was not developed for the next two centuries. The census of 1840 lists approximately 20 families, most of whom owned large farms. At that time, the northwest section was called "Fosters Meadow". What is now the business section on Rockaway Avenue was called "Rum Junction", because of its taverns. The racy northern section was known as "Cookie Hill", and the section of the northeast that housed the local fertilizer plant was called "Skunks Misery". Hungry Harbor, a section that has retained its name, was home to a squatters' community.Robert Pagan was born in Scotland on December 3, 1796. In or about the late 1830s, Robert, his wife Ellen, and their children emigrated from Scotland. On the journey to the United States, one of their children died and was buried at sea. The 1840 U.S. Census for Queens County lists Pagan's occupation as a farmer. Two children were born to Robert and Ellen Pagan after they settled in the Town of Hempstead.

At this time, the community did not have a post office, so residents had to pick up their mail in the village of Hempstead. After Pagan petitioned authorities for a post office, he was appointed postmaster and it was based in his farmhouse, now known as the Pagan-Fletcher House. He was advised that the community needed a name. Pagan chose "Valley Stream" based on the topographical appearance of the area and because of the Valley Stream Brook, which runs through it. In 1843, the U.S. Post Office formally accepted the name of Valley Stream. As a consequence, Pagan is credited with naming the community. Pagan died on March 25, 1870.

His wife, Ellen, also played a significant role in early village history. Tired of traveling to Lynbrook for religious services, she began holding services in her home. A Methodist minister was hired for periodic stops at the Pagan home, and the first congregation in Valley Stream was founded.

In 1853, Hempstead Turnpike was the only road that connected Valley Stream to Jamaica and New York City. The main streets in Valley Stream that connected the small village to the turnpike were Mill Road (which is Corona Avenue today) in the west, Sand Street (Central Avenue) in the south, and Dutch Broadway in the north. That year Merrick Road, a planked, one-lane road, was constructed through Valley Stream, connecting the village to Merrick in the east and Jamaica to the west. With the new thoroughfare in the area, Valley Stream residents and industry began to move southward.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 3.5 square miles (9.1 km2), of which 3.4 square miles (8.8 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2), or 0.86%, is water.

Communities bordering Valley Stream are Elmont (home of Belmont Park racetrack), Lynbrook, Malverne, Franklin Square, Hewlett, Woodmere, and Rosedale (a neighborhood in Queens in New York City).

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Valley Stream had a population of 40,634. The median age was 40.1 years. 21.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.3 males age 18 and over.

100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 12,494 households in Valley Stream, of which 39.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 55.5% were married-couple households, 13.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 17.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 12,925 housing units, of which 3.3% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 3.4%.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 37,511 people, 12,484 households, and 9,600 families residing in the village. The population density was 10,569.5 inhabitants per square mile (4,080.9/km2). There were 12,688 housing units at an average density of 3,687.5 per square mile (1,423.8/km2). The racial make up of the village was 57.25% White, 18.57% African American, 0.3% Native American, 11.38% Asian, 8.97% from other races and 3.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino were 22.24% of the population. The median household income was $62,243 and the family income was $72,585.

There were 12,484 households, of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.5% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.1% were non-families. 20.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.37.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.

Income and poverty

Median household income for the village was $77,905, and the median income for a family was $84,273.

Males had a median income of $80,094 versus $56,260 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $66,334. About 1.0% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 0.4% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

The village is home to significant Italian American, Irish American and German American populations, with 31.8% of the population identifying themselves as being of Italian ancestry in the 2000 census.

Transportation

Road

NY 27

Peninsula Boulevard (CR 2)

Mill Road/Central Avenue

Merrick Road

Southern State Parkway

Bus

n1: Elmont & East Rockaway

n4: Jamaica & Freeport

Elmont Flexi: New Hyde Park & Green Acres Mall

n25 (Weekends n25/58): Great Neck Plaza & Lynbrook

Q5: Jamaica & Green Acres Mall (weekends only)

Q87: Jamaica & Green Acres Mall

Q89: Jamaica & Green Acres Mall

Q111: Jamaica & South Valley Stream

Rail

LIRR Far Rockaway Branch: Valley Stream, Gibson.

LIRR Long Beach Branch: Valley Stream

LIRR West Hempstead Branch: Valley Stream, Westwood.

Education

Valley Stream has many separate elementary school districts (the Valley Stream 13, 24, and 30 Union Free School Districts) which share the same central high school district: the Valley Stream CHSD.

In addition, children living in some of the southern portions of the Village are instead zoned to attend the Hewlett-Woodmere Union Free School District's schools.

Hewlett-Woodmere Union Free School District 14

Franklin Early Childhood Center

Ogden Elementary School

Hewlett Elementary School

Woodmere Middle School

George W. Hewlett High School

Valley Stream School Union Free School District #13

Howell Road Elementary School

James A. Dever Elementary School (Originally Corona Ave Elementary School)

Wheeler Avenue Elementary School

Willow Road Elementary School

Valley Stream Union Free School District #24

Brooklyn Avenue Elementary School

Robert W. Carbonaro Elementary School

William L. Buck Elementary School

Valley Stream Union Free School District #30

Clearstream Avenue Elementary School

Forest Road Elementary School

Shaw Avenue Elementary School

Valley Stream Central High School District

Valley Stream Central High School

Valley Stream Memorial Junior High School

Valley Stream North High School

Valley Stream South High School

Twilight Alternative Program

Economy

Green Acres Mall is partially located in Valley Stream.

National Amusements Movie Theater chain started in Valley Stream.

Ninety-Nines were started in Valley Stream.

Snapple Beverage Co. – and the drink, itself – started in Valley Stream.

Films

Portions of the films Married to the Mob, Goodfellas, Trees Lounge, The Brothers McMullen, The Lords of Flatbush, Frankenhooker and Desperate Endeavors were filmed in Valley Stream. Also, Valley Stream is the setting for a section of The Honeymoon Killers. The Netflix show Maniac, and Ed Burns show Bridge and Tunnel (TV series) filmed some scenes in Valley Stream.