Lynbrook, New York

History

The area currently known as Lynbrook has had other names, including Rechquaakie (originally), Parson's Corners, and Bloomfield. It was later named Pearsall's Corners, after Mr. Pearsall's General Store, because this store became a famous stagecoach stop for travelers coming from New York City to Long Island. Alternatively, it was called "Five Corners" because the stagecoach stop was at the crossing of Hempstead Avenue, Merrick Road, and Broadway. It became known as Lynbrook in 1894 and the village was incorporated in 1911. The name "Lynbrook" is derived by dividing "Brooklyn" into its syllables and transposing them, a tribute to the original home of many of the town's turn-of-the-century residents.

Since 1912, Lynbrook has been served by the Lynbrook Police Department. The Chief of the Department is Brian Palladino. Since 1879, the Lynbrook Volunteer Fire Department has served Lynbrook. The department has six firehouses around Lynbrook. The Chief of the Department is Christopher Ambrosio. Lynbrook is also served by its own Department of Public Works, which provides sanitation management. The superintendent is Phil Healey.

In 2008, three houses in Lynbrook were listed on the National Register of Historic Places: House at 251 Rocklyn Avenue, House at 474 Ocean Avenue, and House at 73 Grove Street. The Rockville Cemetery was listed in 2015. The Lynbrook Public Library was subsequently added to the NRHP in 2025.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 2.0 sqmi, all land.

Lynbrook neighbors Malverne to the north, Valley Stream to the west, Hewlett to the southwest, East Rockaway to the southeast, and Rockville Centre to the east.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the 2010 census the population of the village was 85.3% White, 77.7% Non-Hispanic White, 3.7% African American, 0.1% Native American, 4.5% Asian, 4.3% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13% of the population.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 19,911 people, 7,369 households, and 5,239 families residing in the village. The population density was 9,960.8 PD/sqmi. There were 7,570 housing units at an average density of 3,787.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 92.08% White, 0.92% African American, 0.06% Native American, 2.99% Asian, 2.51% from other races, and 1.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.28% of the population.

There were 7,369 households, out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.4% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.0 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $68,373, and the median income for a family was $88,023. Males had a median income of $50,795 versus $36,545 for females. The per capita income for the village was $27,211. About 2.5% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Village government

As of November 2025, the Mayor of Lynbrook is Alan C. Beach, the Deputy Mayor is Michael N. Hawxhurst, and the Village Trustees are Robert Boccio, Michael Habert, Michael N. Hawxhurst, and Ann Marie Reardon.

Representation in higher government

Town representation

Lynbrook is located in the Town of Hempstead's 4th Council District, which as of November 2025 is represented on the Hempstead Town Council by Laura A. Ryder (R–Lynbrook).

County representation

Lynbrook is located in Nassau County's 14th Legislative district, which as of November 2025 is represented in the Nassau County Legislature by C. William Gaylor III (R–Lynbrook).

New York State representation

New York State Assembly

Lynbrook is located in the New York's 21st State Assembly District, which as of November 2025 is represented in the New York State Assembly by Judy Griffin (D–Rockville Centre).

New York State Senate

Lynbrook is located in the New York State Senate's 9th State Senate district, which as of November 2025 is represented in the New York State Senate by Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick (R–Malverne)

Federal representation

United States Congress

Lynbrook is located in New York's 4th Congressional District, which as of November 2025 is represented in the United States Congress by Laura Gillen (D–Rockville Centre).

United States Senate

Like the rest of New York, Lynbrook is represented in the United States Senate by Charles Schumer (D) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D), as of November 2025.

Education

Public education

School-aged children residing within the Village are eligible to attend one of the five public school districts that are within its boundaries: the East Rockaway Union Free School District, the Hewlett–Woodmere Union Free School District, the Malverne Union Free School District, the Lynbrook Union Free School District, and Valley Stream's school districts (including Valley Stream Central High School District), depending on where they reside within the village.

Private education

The village is also home to Our Lady of Peace Roman Catholic Elementary School.

Transportation

Long Island Rail Road service to the New York City boroughs of Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn is available at the Lynbrook station, located off Sunrise Highway between Peninsula Boulevard and Broadway in the heart of the village. There is also the Westwood station, located off Whitehall Street; the station straddles the Lynbrook–Malverne border.

Lynbrook is also served by the n4, n25, n31, and n32 bus routes. All four routes are operated by Nassau Inter-County Express (NICE) and travel through the village.

In popular culture

Television appearances

• The sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond is set in Lynbrook. The fictional Marie and Frank Barone reside at 319 Fowler Avenue. Their son Raymond Barone and his family reside across the street at 320 Fowler Avenue, a real street in the center of town. The filming took place at Warner Bros. Burbank Studios in Burbank, California.[[File:Fowler Avenue, Lynbrook, NY August 8, 2022.jpg|thumb|Fowler Avenue in 2022]]
• In a Seinfeld episode, the gang mentions going to a mall in Lynbrook. There is no mall in Lynbrook, but Green Acres Mall is in nearby Valley Stream.
• Lynbrook's Trainland on Sunrise Highway was prominently featured in The Sopranos episode, "The Blue Comet" (aired June 3, 2007), with many scenes shot inside the store.

Movie

• Scenes from the motion picture After.Life, starring Christina Ricci, Liam Neeson and Justin Long, were filmed on Atlantic Avenue.

Notable people

• Tex Antoine (1923–1983), early TV weatherman who would draw cartoons with the weather reports.
• Raymond J. Barry (born 1939), actor, was raised in Lynbrook and attended Lynbrook High School.
• Whittaker Chambers (1901–1961), Time magazine editor and former Communist-turned-anti-Communist activist, was raised in Lynbrook and lived there as an adult.
• Alan Colmes (1950–2017), radio and television personality, was raised in Lynbrook.
• Edward Field, poet, was raised in Lynbrook and attended Lynbrook High School.
• Joe Gatto, improv comedian, Impractical Jokers was a resident from Summer 2015 to 2019.
• Bob "Captain Kangaroo" Keeshan (1927–2004) was a television personality; he was born in Lynbrook.
• Quint Kessenich, sportscaster for ABC and ESPN television covering lacrosse, basketball, football, hockey, wrestling and horse racing since 1993.
• Tony Kornheiser, Pardon the Interruption television personality, was raised in Lynbrook.
• Charles Nam, sociologist.

References

References

1. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau.
2. "History of Lynbrook Website".
3. Schifman, Jonathan. (July 6, 2017). "How did Lynbrook get its name?".
4. {{NRISref. 2009a
5. (November 27, 2015). "National Register of Historic Places Listings". National Park Service.
6. Mullarkey, Maureen. (2025-09-15). "Lynbrook library added to National Register of Historic Places".
7. (February 12, 2011). "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". [[United States Census Bureau]].
8. "Long Island Zoning Atlas".
9. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov.
10. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau.
11. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
12. "Mayor & Village Board".
13. "Town Map {{!}} Hempstead Town, NY".
14. "Laura A. Ryder {{!}} Hempstead Town, NY".
15. "District 14 - C. William Gaylor III {{!}} Nassau County, NY - Official Website".
16. "Judy Griffin - Assembly District 21 {{!}}Assembly Member Directory {{!}} New York State Assembly".
17. "NY Senate District 9".
18. "Representative Laura Gillen {{!}}".
19. "U.S. Senate: Contacting U.S. Senators".
20. "Nassau Inter-County Express - Maps and Schedules".
21. [[carol Strickland. Strickland, Carol]]. [https://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/01/nyregion/can-sitcom-make-it-with-li-setting.html "Can Sitcom Make It With L.I. Setting?"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', December 1, 1996. Accessed June 1, 2022. "On the show, the frequent exterior shot of a Long Island Cape home, complete with two upstairs dormers, is ''a real Long Island house,' Mr. Rosenthal said. In the writer's mind, the show is set in Lynbrook rather than non-specific Nassau County."''
22. "After Life Film Locations - On the set of New York.com".
23. Berkun, Todd. [https://placesnomore.wordpress.com/2017/01/27/tex-antoine-a-career-on-the-air/ "Tex Antoine: A Career on the Air"], LI & NY Places that are no more, January 27, 2017. Accessed June 1, 2022. "Tex moved into a four bedroom house in Lynbrook, Long Island, and made many island area public appearances until the 1960s when he got married."
24. (1952). "Witness". Random House.
25. Vinciguerra, Thomas. [https://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/30/nyregion/ghosts-rest-at-whittaker-chambers-home.html "Ghosts Rest at Whittaker Chambers Home"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', March 30, 1997. Accessed June 1, 2022. "But thanks to Sam Tanenhaus's ''Whittaker Chambers: A Biography'' (Random House), the controversial anti-Communist crusader has been recalled as a native son of Long Island – Lynbrook, to be precise, – where he grew up and to which he returned while working as the embattled foreign news editor of Time magazine."
26. Smollins, Mike. [https://www.liherald.com/stories/former-lynbrook-resident-fox-news-host-alan-colmes-dies-at-66,88662 "Former Lynbrook resident, Fox News host Alan Colmes dies at 66"], ''Long Island Herald'', February 23, 2017. Accessed June 1, 2022. "Former Lynbrook resident and political commentator Alan Colmes died Thursday after battling a brief illness. He was 66."