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–Not graded
History · Old Bethpage

Half of Old Bethpage’s homes were built after 1965

Most of Old Bethpage was built recently: 4% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1965. Below: maps from 1904 on and the census since 2000.

0on the National Register
4%homes built before 1940
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Sullynyflhi · Public domain

What stands out about Old Bethpage’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Old Bethpage are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19043 editions of the USGS map, 1904 to 1984. Watch Old Bethpage change.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Old Bethpage’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Old Bethpage’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Old Bethpage on the map, 1904 to 1984

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Old Bethpage. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Old Bethpage on the 1904 USGS mapOld Bethpage on the 1942 USGS mapOld Bethpage on the 1984 USGS map1904Islip sheet · 1:125,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Old Bethpage.

The story

How Old Bethpage came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Old Bethpage.

Read it all →

In 1695, Thomas Powell bought about 10,000 acres (40 km2) from local Indian tribes, including the Marsapeque, Matinecoc, and Sacatogue, for 140 English pounds. This land, which includes modern Bethpage, East Farmingdale, Farmingdale, Old Bethpage, Plainedge, Plainview, South Farmingdale, and part of Melville, is known as the Bethpage Purchase and is approximately 3.5 miles (5.6 km) east to west and 5 miles (8.0 km) north to south.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Old Bethpage, 1904 to 1964

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 20th century
  2. 1904On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  3. 1949Born hereJohn Savage is born here
  4. 1956Born hereJim Youngs is born here
  5. 1964Born hereEric Mendelsohn is born here
By decade

Old Bethpage, decade by decade

Today2 recent
OB Sign2011OB SignWelcome to Plainview and2007Welcome to Plainview and
People over time

Old Bethpage, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0004,5005,0005,5006,0006,5007,00020002020Peak: 6,403

Between 5,400 and 6,403 people in every census since 2000.

3 censuses, 2000–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Old Bethpage’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

3 famous people were born in Old Bethpage

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
John SavageAmerican actor · b. 1949
J
Jim YoungsAmerican actor · b. 1956
E
Eric MendelsohnAmerican film director · b. 1964
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

BethpageIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townFarmingdale1 historic placeA−PlainviewIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townOyster Bay61 historic placesA−Melville3 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townHuntington99 historic placesABabylon6 historic placesB

Questions about Old Bethpage’s history

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (2), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps and U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.