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History · Plainedge

Half of Plainedge’s homes were built after 1956

Most of Plainedge was built recently: 3% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1956. Below: maps from 1901 on and the census since 1990.

0on the National Register
3%homes built before 1940
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What stands out about Plainedge’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 Plainedge are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19017 editions of the USGS map, 1901 to 1994. Watch Plainedge change.Old housesHalf of Plainedge’s homes were built before 1956.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Plainedge’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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On the map

Plainedge on the map, 1901 to 1994

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

Plainedge on the 1901 USGS mapPlainedge on the 1919 USGS mapPlainedge on the 1947 USGS mapPlainedge on the 1954 USGS mapPlainedge on the 1969 USGS mapPlainedge on the 1979 USGS mapPlainedge on the 1994 USGS map1901Babylon sheet · 1:62,500

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

The story

How Plainedge came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Plainedge.

Read it all →

Plainedge was originally acquired from Marsapeque Indian chiefs Sowwamacus, Wm Choppy, Soureekenny, Wamassum, Sascomoma and Ruampass land as part of the Bethpage Purchase of 1687 by Thomas Powell of the Huntington settlement. At the time, initial purchases from various settlers would occupy the "Plain Edge District" within various districts. The first of note came in 1690, through the efforts of eighteen joint ventures, with the purchase of the "West Neck" that occupied the western arena of Plainedge. In 1694, William Frost purchased all land south of Boundary Avenue, which was gifted to him by Indians Chippie, Maomie and Seruckon. There was still a remainder of land yet to be obtained, however. Through the efforts of Powell, the "Rim of the Woods Purchase" of 1699 acquired the remaining land in the northern section of Plainedge (Boundary Avenue, north to Old Motor Parkway, and Hicksvil…

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

No old photos in the archives yet

Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.

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People over time

Plainedge, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,00020002020Peak: 9,517

Between 8,739 and 9,517 people in every census since 1990.

4 censuses, 1990–2020.

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

Famous people

Famous people close to Plainedge

Nobody well known was born in Plainedge itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Alec BaldwinAmerican actor · b. 1958
Madison BeerAmerican singer · b. 1999
Julius ErvingAmerican basketball player · b. 1950
Henry Norris RussellAmerican astronomer · b. 1877
Stephen BaldwinAmerican actor and political activist · b. 1966
William BaldwinAmerican actor, producer, and writer · b. 1963
Stories next door

History across the town line

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

LevittownIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townOyster Bay61 historic placesA−Hempstead29 historic placesANorth MassapequaIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townBethpageIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townSouth FarmingdaleIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townFarmingdale1 historic placeA−

Questions about Plainedge’s history

Memory lane

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

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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 Wikipedia, 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.