History of Wantagh

Wantagh’s history began in 1643, when Capt. John Seaman and Robert Jackson purchased land from the local Indians, including the areas now known as Want agh and Seaford.

At the time, Wantagh was inhabited by the Merokee tribe of the Metoac Indians before Dutch and English colonists arrived. Then, the Dutch petitioned to obtain every thing west of Oyster Bay.

The area was known as Jerusalem by the Dutch. The name still stands in the names of local institutions. The area was named Ridgewood in the 1880s. In 1891, because Ridgewood was already being used by another New York town, the members of the Memorial Congregational Church helped change the name to that of a Merokee amd Montauk sachem from the 1640s.

The Wantagh Post Office was rebuilt in 1907 to replicate the original 1837 look. It currently sits across from the Wantagh Preservation Society and the 1912 Jamaica parlor car at 1700 Wantagh Ave.

On March 17, Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered all schools and nonessential businesses closed, in response to the global Covid-19 pandemic. Many have reopened, but the region has been plunged into uncertainty.

Courtesy Wikipedia Top photo: The Wantagh Preservation Society was founded in 1965 to save the old train station and preserve artifacts like the Jamaica parlor car.

Courtesy Town of Hempstead First row left photo: The society preserves landmarks from the town’s history, such as the Seaman-Venier house.

Alexandra Dieckmann/Herald-Citizen First row right photo: The society seeks to save buildings like this house on Wantagh Avenue, next to the museum.

Courtesy Town of Hempstead Second row left photo: Announcing a landmark anniversary. The society continues to lobby to preserve buildings of historical significance.

Herald file photo Second row right photo: The society is maintained by volunteer docents like Carol Reisert, left, and Carol Poulos.

Courtesy trainsarefun.com Third row left photo: The Wantagh railroad station in 1908.