Flower Hill
Flower Hill is an incorporated village in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York. It is a village which takes immense pride in its rich history, high-achieving schools, bucolic and tree-lined streets, and in being one of the most tight-knit, friendly, and welcoming communities on Long Island.
Understand
[edit]
Overview
[edit]Flower Hill was incorporated on May 25, 1931, as a result of Port Washington's plans to incorporate itself as the "City of Port Washington" with the same boundaries as the Port Washington Union Free School District. Carlos W. Munson, heir to a steamship fortune and Flower Hill's founding father, said so. As much of Flower Hill is located within the Port Washington UFSD, much of the area now within village limits would have been absorbed by the City of Port Washington, and would have been its major source of tax income, according to Munson (Sands Point was already incorporated when the proposals were made in 1930). The residents of Flower Hill were successful in establishing Flower Hill as a village, and stopping these plans; to this day, Port Washington remains an unincorporated hamlet governed by the Town of North Hempstead.
When incorporated, Flower Hill's population was 288, whereas in 2020 it was home to 4,794 residents.
Flower Hill is one village anchored by three of the Town of North Hempstead's major communities; the western parts are anchored by the hamlet of Manhasset (which is also the Town Seat of North Hempstead), the northern parts are anchored by the hamlet of Port Washington, and the southern and eastern parts are anchored by the Incorporated Village of Roslyn.
As such, the "Manhasset portion", "Port Washington portion", and "Roslyn portion" of Flower Hill each have their own unique touches, values, and feels to them, but at the same time are also intertwined and united as one village; residents take pride not only in their portion of Flower Hill – but also the entirety of the village, and enjoy working and living together as one proud, unified village.
| “ | You have the quaint feel of Roslyn, you have Main Street of Port Washington, and then you have downtown Manhasset. | ” |
—Elaine R. Phillips, Mayor (2012 – 2016) | ||
Areas
[edit]As stated above, Flower Hill consists of three main areas:
- The Manhasset portion
- The Port Washington portion
- The Roslyn portion
Generally, people residing in Flower Hill consider themselves to be from one of these three areas (i.e. the Roslyn portion) as opposed to from a smaller housing development (i.e. Wildwood at Flower Hill) when asked what part of Flower Hill they live in.
Housing developments
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Flower Hill consists of many housing developments. Many of these subdivisions were built at different times, and many of them have their own unique feels and styles to them, as well as different types of street layouts. This is exaggerated by the varied geography and the size of Flower Hill. A visitor may find it very interesting seeing the wooded serenity of Bonnie Heights Road and Manhasset Woods Road, and then traveling slightly east to Sand Miner's Overlook at the top of Woodland Road and seeing the Long Island Sound and the hills of Westchester County.
Get in
[edit]By car
[edit]Flower Hill has excellent road access. Two major state routes travel through it. Those routes are Northern Boulevard (NY 25A) and Port Washington Boulevard (NY 101). Additionally, it is served by the Long Island Expressway (I-495) and the Northern State Parkway, via Searingtown Road (which becomes Port Washington Boulevard at its intersection with Northern Boulevard) or Mineola Avenue (which becomes Willis Avenue south of the Long Island Expressway, in Roslyn Heights).
By bus
[edit]Flower Hill has great bus service, provided by Nassau Inter-County Express (NICE). Several NICE routes serve Flower Hill: the n20H (Great Neck – Hicksville), the n20X express bus (Flushing – Roslyn), the n21 (Great Neck – Glen Cove), and the n23 (Mineola – Manorhaven).
By train
[edit]While there are no train stations in the village, all of Flower Hill has good access to the Long Island Rail Road's Port Washington Branch. The southeastern portion of Flower Hill also has great access to the Oyster Bay Branch (although residents make more use of the Port Washington Branch). In fact, portions of Flower Hill's western border are formed by the Port Washington Branch.
The nearest stations to Flower Hill are Manhasset, Plandome, and Port Washington on the Port Washington Branch and the Roslyn station on the Oyster Bay Branch. Most residents will advise for you to take the Port Washington Branch (which sees significantly better, more frequent service than the Oyster Bay Branch does), assuming that you do not need to go through Jamaica or Mineola.
Get around
[edit]The easiest ways to travel around Flower Hill are by walking, riding a bicycle, or by driving.
Additionally, it is possible to move about Flower Hill by bus. The n20H, n20X, and n21 run west–east near the southern boundary of the village with Roslyn Estates via Northern Boulevard and Old Northern Boulevard. The n23 runs north–south through the heart of Flower Hill via Port Washington Boulevard.
See
[edit]- 1 Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society, 336 Port Washington Boulevard, ☏ +1 516-365-9074. The main historical society for the entirety of the Cow Neck Peninsula. It is located within Flower Hill, at the historic Sands-Willets House, which the organization operates as a museum and as their headquarters.
The Sands-Willets House in September 2020. It is home to the Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society. - 2 Elderfields Preserve, 200 Port Washington Boulevard, ☏ +1 516-571-8130. A historic preserve, museum, and art gallery. The Elderfields Preserve consists of the historic Hewlett-Munson-Williams House. This was the home of Carlos W. Munson, the founding father of Flower Hill, and was named "Elderfields" by him.
- 3 Flower Hill Cemetery, Country Club Drive, ☏ +1 516-627-5000. Dating back to the 18th century, this historic cemetery was active between 1798 and 1896, and many prominent locals of the time – including some people involved in the American Revolution – are buried here. It was restored in 2022 and designated a Village of Flower Hill Historic Landmark in April 2023.
- 4 Flower Hill Village Park, ☏ +1 516-627-5000. A park owned by the Village of Flower Hill. It consists of walking paths, a stage, a field, a playground and sports facilities, and an exceptionally-planned and maintained garden. The park was purchased by Flower Hill from Nassau County in the 2000s, and was redesigned and beautified after the purchase by arborist and former Village Trustee Ann Frankel.
- 5 North Hempstead Country Club, 291 Port Washington Boulevard, ☏ +1 516-365-7500. A private country club, featuring a large, bucolic golf course designed by the late, famed golf course architect A.W. Tillinghast.
Do
[edit]- Explore local history – after all, Flower Hill takes great pride in its history and heritage. The community and the village's government make exploring and learning about the history of the area very fun and very easy.
- Flower Hill Historic Trail, ☏ +1 516-627-5000. A huge, self-guided historic walking tour network of the village. It was created by the village in 2021 and has over 100 stops, and with all 7 routes combined is over 50 miles in length, with some routes covering the entire village while others are area-specific or subject-specific.
- 1 Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society, 336 Port Washington Boulevard, ☏ +1 516-365-9074. The main historical society for the entirety of the Cow Neck Peninsula. It is located within Flower Hill, at the historic Sands-Willets House, which the organization operates as a museum and as their headquarters.
- Flower Hill Village Historical Gallery, ☏ +1 516-627-5000. The village's very own local history museum, located inside Village Hall. Covers the history of the village and the surrounding areas, and has an extensive, highly-detailed guidebook. Admission is free for all visitors.
- Visit the beautiful Flower Hill Park and enjoy all it has to offer. Complete with some of the finest park landscaping you can possibly find, the park has a beautiful, winding path network, a stage, a huge, a state-of-the-art playground with multiple climbing frames and swings, a basketball court, a self-service library, a pollinator garden, and a sports wall. It is not uncommon for community events (i.e. plays by local performing arts groups, 5K runs, etc.) to take place here, and one can forget they are in the middle of the New York suburbs when strolling along the park's lush pathways, surrounded by nature.
- Take art classes at the Art Guild, located at the Elderfields Preserve.
- Dine or drink at any of Flower Hill's upscale restaurants or the Landmark Diner.
- Shop at the stores along the village's business district, extending from Port Washington Boulevard at its west end (diagonally from the Americana Manhasset) all the way to Mineola Avenue and Fernwood Lane at its east end. Flower Hill has some great stores – even an Aston Martin/McLaren dealership.
- Look in awe at what you can see from the scenic overlooks throughout the village. Thanks to Flower Hill's hilly terrain, you can see so many memorable and iconic things. From Mason's overlook, for instance, you can see the Manhattan Skyline, you can see the Long Island Sound and Westchester County from Sand Miner's Overlook, etc.
- Drive along the beautiful, tree-lined streets of the village, and drive past some of the most beautiful mansions you will ever see when driving along Bonnie Heights Road, Elderfields Road, Knolls Lane, and Manhasset Woods Road. A drive along roads like these four – as well as Country Club Drive and Stonytown Road – will make you completely forget that you are less than 20 miles away from the hustling and bustling concrete jungle known as Midtown Manhattan.
Buy
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- 1 Aladore One, 1085 Northern Boulevard, ☏ +1 516 277-1308. A trendy clothing boutique. It is located in the Roslyn Town Square shopping center.
- 2 Pearle Vision, 1085 Northern Boulevard, ☏ +1 516 365-4066. The Flower Hill location of this terrific store for top-quality eyeglasses and sunglasses. They also offer vision tests. It is located in the Roslyn Town Square shopping center.
- 3 Arhaus, 15 Port Washington Boulevard, ☏ +1 516 627-5498. An upscale furniture store.
- 4 Long Island Sports Cars, 1047 Northern Boulevard, ☏ +1 516 478-4326. If you like cars, this is your place. This car dealership sells Aston Martins and McLarens – some of the most expensive cars money can buy – and they are beautifully displayed. A popular location for car enthusiasts to hang – even if just to look at the cars.
- 5 Madison Reed Color Bar, 1045 Northern Boulevard, ☏ +1 516 908-5559. The Flower Hill branch of the popular hair care store.
- 6 Roche Bobios, 1023 Northern Boulevard, ☏ +1 516 365-9755. Another great, upscale furniture store within the village.
Eat & drink
[edit]- 1 Bryant & Cooper, 2 Middle Neck Road, ☏ +1 516-627-7270. A very popular and highly-rated steakhouse. Being regarded as one of the best steakhouses on Long Island, people come here to eat from all over the region.
- 2 Dunkin', 1063 Northern Boulevard, ☏ +1 516-627-2499. The Flower Hill location of this popular coffee and donut chain. Contains a Baskin Robbins. This location was the very first Dunkin Donuts on Long Island when it first opened.
- 3 Baskin Robbins, 1063 Northern Boulevard, ☏ +1 516-627-2499. Located inside Dunkin', this is the treasured chain's Flower Hill location.
- 4 Landmark Diner, 1027 Northern Boulevard, ☏ +1 516-627-4830. The first prefabricated double-deck diner in the country. Includes a great bar upstairs.
The Landmark Diner in 2022. - 5 Limani, 1043 Northern Boulevard, ☏ +1 516-869-8989. A super popular, upscale Mediterranean restaurant. Features a terrific bar and offers outdoor seating. Great food and a very ambient atmosphere.
- 6 Subway, 1087 Northern Boulevard, ☏ +1 516-627-4526. The popular sandwich chain's Flower Hill location. Located within the convenience store at the BP station at the corner of Mineola Avenue and Northern Boulevard.
- 7 Wild Fig, 1085 Northern Boulevard, ☏ +1 516-918-9700. A popular Mediterranean restaurant and grill. It is located in the Roslyn Town Square shopping center.
Sleep
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- 1 Holiday Inn Express Roslyn – Long Island, 1053 Northern Boulevard, ☏ +1 516-627-2460. Despite the name, this is the popular hotel chain's Flower Hill location and is located within the village. Features include a fitness center and free breakfast. Wifi is available to guests.
Stay safe
[edit]Overview
[edit]Flower Hill, in its entirety, is an extremely safe and friendly place to visit – both during the day and at night. On the rare occasion something does happen, it is usually due to someone leaving valuables exposed in their vehicle, leaving their key fobs in their cars, or neglecting to lock their car's doors overnight, leading to their car being broken into. Any suspicious activity gets noticed very quickly by locals and the police and is not tolerated. In fact, any questionable behavior will likely lead to you being questioned about your intentions.
You can reach emergency services (including the Nassau County Police Department and other emergency services) by dialing 911.
Speeding
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Speeding is usually the biggest safety issue in Flower Hill, especially along roads like Woodland Road and Ridge Drive East. The speed limit on all of Flower Hill's village-maintained streets is 25 miles per hour (40 km/h) – having been lowered from 30 mph (48 km/h) in November 2022. And as many children tend to be outside to walk, bike, or play when it is nice out, speeding is a big concern amongst the locals. Please be mindful of pedestrians, and remember to "drive like your kids live here" like the signs say.
Walking on streets
[edit]Except for most of Northern Boulevard, Mineola Avenue, and West Shore Road, portions of Middle Neck Road and Old Northern & Port Washington Boulevards, and the bicycle/pedestrian pathway along Stonytown Road, sidewalks and designated foot/pedestrian paths along roads seldom exist (most streets lacking sidewalks, however, are quiet residential streets and are not needed). Along portions of Port Washington Boulevard lacking sidewalks, the shoulders are very generous in size, and are safe & legal to walk or bike along (in fact the n23 has numerous stops along the wide shoulder). However, more caution should be used along the portion of Middle Neck Road lacking sidewalks, and following detours along side streets might be a smart move if walking with dogs or small children, or riding a bicycle.
If taking an evening stroll be sure to wear light, reflective colors, as they make it easier for you to be seen by drivers.
Stay healthy
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Flower Hill is home to St. Francis Hospital, which is the only specialty-designated cardiac center in New York, and is recognized nationally as being one of America's top heart care centers. The hospital includes an emergency room with state-of-the-art equipment.
There is also a GoHealth/Northwell Health walk-in urgent care center located on Northern Boulevard in the southern portion of Flower Hill.
Cope
[edit]Parking on streets overnight without a permit provided by Flower Hill is prohibited between the hours of 2 AM and 6 AM. Doing so will most likely result in a parking ticket being placed on your windshield by the Nassau County Police Department when doing their overnight patrols.
Parking on streets during snowstorms is also prohibited in Flower Hill when the snow accumulates to at least two inches; this is to ensure the safety of motorists and to allow for the streets to be plowed safely and efficiently.
Religious services may be attended at Saint Francis Hospital's chapel.
ATMs can be found in several local businesses, and many major banks (such as Capital One and Citi) have Flower Hill branches.
If you become lost and need directions, ask a local for help. You will find that the village's residents will be more than happy to assist in getting you wherever you are trying to go.
Media
[edit]The most popular major newspapers amongst the locals in Flower Hill are The New York Times, Newsday, The New York Post, The New York Daily News, and The Wall Street Journal. Other, more local papers which are popular in Flower Hill are The Manhasset Press, The Port Washington News, and The Roslyn News (owned by Anton Media) – along with The Manhasset Times, The Port Washington Times, and The Roslyn Times (owned by Blank Slate Media). You will also find the legal notices for the village and any news pertaining to it in the three papers owned by Anton Media; those three papers are the official newspapers of record for Flower Hill, designated as such by the village's government. All of these papers also have websites and the articles are available online.
On television, local news is provided by many stations. These channels include News12, ABC, CBS, NBC, and PIX11. However, News12 is the most Long Island-oriented of those news channels.
Respect
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Flower Hill is a very friendly place to visit and live in. The average neighbors care about their fellow neighbors, treat each other with respect, look after & help each other, and care about their community and their fellow residents. Residents take great amounts of pride in keeping a very clean, safe, welcoming, and tight-knit community.
If you are walking with dogs, please be mindful of neighbors and pick up after them.
Connect
[edit]- 1 Flower Hill Village Hall, 1 Bonnie Heights Road, ☏ +1 516-627-5000. M-F. Flower Hill's seat of government, containing all government offices and is where the village's board and the Village Justice Court are located.
Telecommunications
[edit]Cellular coverage is widely available throughout the entirety of the village for all three major American carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon). Very few, if any, "dead zones" exist in Flower Hill, and there is no reason to expect for your call to be disconnected from such a blind spot. The best carrier coverage in Flower Hill, however, is through T-Mobile and Verizon.
Go next
[edit]Town
[edit]- North Hempstead – the larger town in which the village is located.
Adjacent hamlets and villages
[edit]- Manhasset – one of the village's three anchor communities.
- Port Washington – another of the village's three anchor communities.
- Roslyn – another of Flower Hill's three anchor communities.
- The Plandomes – a set of three villages located to the west of Flower Hill.
| Routes through Flower Hill |
| Queens ← Manhasset / Munsey Park ← | W  E |
→ Roslyn → Calverton |
| END ← | S  N |
→ Port Washington → Sands Point |