The History of West Babylon, NY
West Babylon is a high-end residential community located within the coastal town of Babylon on Long Island. The hamlet is served by the Lindenhurst Village post office and is more often than not treated as part of the Village. The population of West Babylon was a little over 40,000 residents during the 2010 national census. The hamlet is located approximately 50 kilometers from mid-town Manhattan.
The first European settler in today’s Babylon Town was Nathaniel Conklin. At the time of his arrival, the area was known as South Huntington. In 1803, Conklin changed the name of the town to “New Babylon”, borrowing from the ancient capital of Babylonia. Historical data suggests that modern-day West Babylon was settled from sometime in the late 1700s. The area’s first school was constructed a few years into the 19th century along the South Country Road.
For the better part of the 19th century, Babylon town received an incredible number of rich vacationers who acquired land and built summer resorts through the town. Some of these vacation homes were located within West Babylon next to Beaver Lake. As the years went by, the rich vacationers sold off their properties and were slowly replaced by middle-class families. Eventually, the area became a popular residential community and the summer vacation homes were converted to permanent residencies. This marked the beginning of West Babylon; one of the most popular neighborhoods in the town.
After the Second World War, the population of West Babylon shot to the roof as hundreds of returning soldiers moved into the area with their families. During the same period, Dutch settlers established several prominent flower plantations that became the backbone of the hamlet’s thriving flower industry during the second half of the 20th century.
Today, the village of West Babylon boasts of state-of-the-art infrastructure, family-friendly recreational facilities, a growing tourism industry, and a well-established hospitality industry. The hamlet is served by two major school districts and is the location of the highly-rated West Babylon High School. This has significantly contributed to the fast-growing population of young families living in the area.
West Babylon is named for its location in the western section of Babylon Town. It is also located west of the incorporated village of Babylon. It is by far one of the largest neighborhoods in Babylon Town and one of Long Island’s best-selling neighborhoods thanks to the affordable cost of living and the robust real estate industry.