Kings Park is a small hamlet of the Town of Smithtown, bordering on Nissequogue, Fort Salonga, Commack, and Smithtown proper. It is perhaps most famous for the now defunct Kings Park Psychiatric Center, which operated from 1885 through 1996 and is the...
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Kings Park is a small hamlet of the Town of Smithtown, bordering on Nissequogue, Fort Salonga, Commack, and Smithtown proper. It is perhaps most famous for the now defunct Kings Park Psychiatric Center, which operated from 1885 through 1996 and is the current subject of much discourse concerning how best to utilize the land it stands on. The town began to transform from a hospital community to an active suburb in the 1960’s and 70’s as the Psychiatric Center grew exponentially less populated. Its most famous natives include MLB All-Star Craig Biggio, NHL defenseman Jim Pavese, and roughly half of the highly influential Progressive Metal band, Dream Theater (guitarist John Petrucci, bassist John Myung, and former keyboardist Kevin Moore). More recently, Kings Park has become renowned for the quality of its school district and multiple parks, amongst which is Sunken Meadow State Park.
Sunken Meadow’s defining feature is its three-mile strip of North Shore beach and corresponding 3/4 mile-long boardwalk, however, it also bears softball and soccer fields, a picnic area, and playgrounds. For golf enthusiasts there is a driving range, putting green, and both a 9 and 18-hole course. Hikers can enjoy six miles of trails through the park’s wooded hills, while cross-country runners can test their mettle against a 5 km track featuring the grueling “Cardiac Hill.” The park is also home to facilities for biking and horseback riding.
As of the 2010 Census it had a population of 17,282 people and 6,469 households with an average of three persons per household. The median income per household was $68,819, per family was $80,952, for males was $53,125 and for females was $36,008.
