Flower Hill, New York

Flower Hill is a village in Nassau County, on the North Shore of Long Island, in New York, United States. The eastern half is considered part of the Greater Roslyn area, which is anchored by the Incorporated Village of Roslyn. Western and northern parts are more closely associated with Manhasset and Port Washington. The population was 4,794 at the time of the 2020 census.

The Incorporated Village of Flower Hill is located entirely within the Town of North Hempstead, and has been recognized as a Tree City USA since 2013.

History

Before the village (pre-colonization – 1930)

The location of Flower Hill was originally inhabited by Matinecock Native Americans. In the 17th century, Dutch and English colonists began to settle the area. Members of the family settled in the area during this time, and constructed the former Hewlett Homestead circa 1713.

During this time, the area consisted of many farms, and was in an ideal location for them, as the goods produced in the area would be brought down to either Manhasset Bay in Manhasset or Port Washington, or to Hempstead Harbor in Roslyn for shipment to destinations in New York City and beyond.

At this time, the heart of Flower Hill was located where modern-day Port Washington Boulevard, Bonnie Heights Road, and Country Club Drive intersect.

The two lines intersected at a junction located at the intersection of Middle Neck Road and Northern Boulevard. Upon hearing these rumors, residents of Flower Hill feared that the Flower Hill area would be placed within the boundaries of the proposed City of Greater Port Washington if those plans were ultimately to be approved. As a result, the residents of Flower Hill saw a need to incorporate the locality as a village, in order to prevent the area from becoming part of the rumored city. Carlos Munson was originally selected to serve as its first Mayor but turned down the position, which was subsequently given to Arthur G. Elvin. When founded, the population of Flower Hill was 288. The first village meeting took place in Carlos Munson's real estate office; Village Hall now occupies this parcel of land. One of the most notable, early developments constructed during this period is the majority of the Flower Hill Estates development, which was built by Walter Uhl. Work on the development began along Country Club Drive – in the vicinity the North Hempstead Country Club – in the latter half of the 1930s, before progressing southwards. Uhl built many of the homes in Flower Hill Estates in the colonial style, to ensure that they would fit in with existing buildings and surroundings. Some of these homes were also built with reused wood from nearby barns, which were incorporated into their ceiling designs. During the development's construction process in 1939, an old Spanish "piece-of-eight" was unearthed by a construction worker. The coin, dating back to 1793, was presented by Uhl to the Port Washington Public Library. Many of these new developments were built over former estates (such as the Chanticlare at Flower Hill subdivision, which was built over the former estate of Jesse Ricks), farms (such as the Hewlett Farm subdivision, which was built over portions of the former Hewlett Homestead), and even former sand mines (such as certain parts of the Wildwood at Flower Hill development, built on land once owned by the Colonial Sand & Stone Company). A notable housing development built during this time is Flower Hill Country Estates, which was developed by Country Estates, Incorporated. The firm also built the Country Estates subdivision of nearby East Hills around the same time, over Clarence Mackay's former estate.

In 1946, Marjorie Church Logan (wife of William John Logan) was murdered in her home on Bonnie Heights Road – and her daughter, Marjory Jeanne, was shot and raped. The suspect, Ward Beecher Caraway, was a butler and chauffeur at another estate in Flower Hill, and was ultimately sentenced to death for the crimes. It was designed by Roslyn-based architect Henry W. Johanson, and is located where Carlos Munson's real estate office had previously stood; it opened in 1949.

The construction of so many new housing developments and homes in the village – and the subsequent influx of children – prompted the Roslyn Union Free School District to construct the Roslyn–Flower Hill Elementary School, to better serve the needs of the section of area of Flower Hill zoned for Roslyn's schools, as well as to resolve overcrowding at the district's other schools; this was one of several schools constructed in the district during this era. Built and opened in the early 1950s and sandwiched between the Wildwood and Broadridge developments, the Roslyn–Flower Hill Elementary School served the community until September 1980, when it was closed due to the declining enrollment numbers following the end of the baby-boom era. The former school's property was later subdivided to become the Mashady Estates subdivision in the 1980s, and now consists of multiple single-family homes; it was developed by the N & H Development Corporation.

The early 1950s saw Walter J. Black, Inc. – at the time the nation's second-largest book advertiser – move its corporate headquarters from New York City to an office building along Northern Boulevard in Flower Hill.alt=The former site of the Flower Hill School. After the school closed, the land was sold, sub-divided, and now contains multiple single-family homes. Note part of the former school's fence and the old, faded school district sign attached to it.|thumb|The former site of the Roslyn–Flower Hill Elementary School in 2020

Between 2012 and 2016, Elaine Phillips served as the mayor of Flower Hill. She served in this capacity until being elected to the New York State Senate in November 2016. The Phillips Administration oversaw the rehabilitation and modernization of the village-owned Flower Hill Park, which included the installation of a state-of-the-art playground for children.

On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy made landfall, and caused widespread damage throughout the New York metropolitan area. The entirety of the Village of Flower Hill lost power as a result of this storm. Due to communication errors from the Long Island Power Authority, some residents were without power for two unusually cold weeks. This program helped the village become recognized as a Tree City USA. In the deal, Nassau County would repair and repave the road, thence sell it to Flower Hill for $1. Prior to this transfer, the village had purchased the Flower Hill Park and the segment of Stonytown Road within its borders from Nassau County. McNamara's administration also implemented a construction impact fee for large construction projects within the village.

McNamara, who long-suffered from health complications, died on April 15, 2020. Then-Deputy Mayor Brian Herrington subsequently assumed the duties of Mayor, in light of McNamara's passing.

On August 4, 2020, Hurricane Isaias struck the New York metropolitan area as a strong tropical storm, causing widespread power outages and damage across the region. Many trees in Flower Hill were uprooted, and much of the village lost power. Due to communication errors from PSEG Long Island, many delays took place in restoring power to the entirety of the village, resulting in some residents being without power for more than a week. Village officials designated Village Hall as a cooling center and phone charging center for residents that were without power, following COVID-19 social distancing guidelines. The election ultimately took place on Tuesday, September 15, 2020. The election, which was highly contested, saw then-Trustee Kate Hirsch challenging incumbent Mayor Brian Herrington.

On February 23, 2021, the Arbor Day Foundation designated Flower Hill as a Tree City USA for the seventh consecutive year.

In early 2022, ownership of Middle Neck Road was officially transferred to the Village from Nassau County.

In 2023, the Village of Flower Hill created a gallery at Village Hall, known as the Flower Hill Village Historical Gallery. The gallery covers the history of Flower Hill and the surrounding areas.

Geography

left|thumb|U.S. Census map of Flower Hill

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.

Additionally, Flower Hill is located on the southern portion of the Cow Neck Peninsula.

At 40º48' N, Flower Hill is located at roughly the same latitude as Canton, Ohio, Lincoln, Nebraska, Madrid, Spain, Aomori, Japan, Goshogawara, Japan, and Naples, Italy.

Topography

thumb|Mason's Overlook on Colony Lane in 2022, with the [[Empire State Building and New York skyline visible in the distance]]

Like the rest of Long Island's North Shore, Flower Hill is situated on a terminal moraine, known as the Harbor Hill Moraine. This moraine was formed by glaciers during the Wisconsin Glacial Episode, and is named for Harbor Hill in Roslyn; Harbor Hill is the highest geographic point in Nassau County.

The highest point in Flower Hill is on Ridge Drive East, at . The lowest point is Hempstead Harbor, which is at sea level. Both the highest and lowest points in Flower Hill are within the portion of the village served by the Roslyn Post Office.

Drainage

Flower Hill is split among three minor drainage areas: Inner Hempstead Harbor (part of the Hempstead Harbor Watershed), Leeds Pond, and Whitney Pond (both of which are part of the Manhasset Bay Watershed).

Furthermore, the village, as a whole, is located within the larger Long Island Sound/Atlantic Ocean Watershed. Accordingly, the village experiences hot, humid summers and cold winters, and experiences precipitation throughout the entirety of the year.

Plant zone

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Flower Hill is located within hardiness zone 7b.

Economy

Flower Hill is a bedroom community of the City of New York. As of 2021, the hospital employed approximately 3,573 people, also making it the third-largest employer overall within the Town of North Hempstead.

| align = right

| align-fn = center

Racial and ethnic composition

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Flower Hill village, New York – Racial and ethnic composition

!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |Pop 2020

!% 2000

!% 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020

|White alone (NH)

|3,726

|3,670

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,423

|82.65%

|78.67%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |71.40%

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|46

|34

|style='background: #ffffe6; |32

|1.02%

|0.73%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.67%

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|style='background: #ffffe6; |7

|0.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.15%

|Asian alone (NH)

|465

|591

|style='background: #ffffe6; |904

|10.31%

|12.67%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |18.86%

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0

|0.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%

|Other race alone (NH)

|style='background: #ffffe6; |29

|0.13%

|0.15%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.60%

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|84

|92

|style='background: #ffffe6; |119

|1.86%

|1.97%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.48%

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|181

|271

|style='background: #ffffe6; |280

|4.02%

|5.81%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |5.84%

|Total

|4,508

|4,665

|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,794

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, Flower Hill had a population of 4,794. The median age was 43.1 years. 25.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 95.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.5 males age 18 and over.

100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 1,473 households in Flower Hill, of which 43.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 78.3% were married-couple households, 7.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 12.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 8.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Of the 1,477 households, 39.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 78.1% were married couples living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.9% were non-families. 11.8% of households were one person, and 6.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.29.

The age distribution was 26.1% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 22.8% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% 65 or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.

The median household income was $121,999 and the median family income was $133,075. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $49,688 for females. The per capita income for the village was $64,997. About 2.0% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.

As of 2000, Flower Hill had the 8th largest Iranian population in the United States – behind Great Neck Plaza, New York and ahead of Roslyn, New York – with 7.5% of Flower Hill's population reporting Iranian Jewish ancestry.

Government

Village government

thumb|The meeting room inside Flower Hill Village Hall in 2023

The Village of Flower Hill is governed by the seven-member Village of Flower Hill Board of Trustees, consisting of an elected mayor and six elected trustees; one trustee is selected each year to additionally serve as the deputy mayor. All seven members of the Board of Trustees are elected at-large to serve two-year terms and are unpaid.

As of April 2026, the mayor of Flower Hill is Randall Rosenbaum, the deputy mayor is Frank Genese, and the village trustees are Mary Jo Collins, Claire Dorfman, Max Frankel, Frank Genese, Gary Lewandowski, and Arthur J. Smith.

The following is a list of Flower Hill's mayors, from 1931 to present:

County representation

Flower Hill is located entirely within Nassau County's 10th Legislative district, which as of April 2026 is represented in the Nassau County Legislature by Mazi Melesa Pilip (R–Great Neck).

State representation

New York State Senate

Flower Hill is located entirely within New York's 7th State Senate district, which as of April 2026 is represented by Jack M. Martins (R–Old Westbury).

New York State Assembly

Flower Hill is located within New York's 16th State Assembly district, which as of April 2026 is represented by Daniel J. Norber (R–Great Neck).

Federal representation

United States Congress

Flower Hill is located entirely within New York's 3rd Congressional district, which as of April 2026 is represented in the United States Congress by Thomas R. Suozzi (D–Glen Cove).

United States Senate

As with the rest of New York, Flower Hill is represented in the United States Senate by Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D) and Charles E. Schumer (D).

Politics

Flower Hill contains four election districts which are located wholly within the village. All of these districts are located within New York's 16th State Assembly district (AD 16):

AD 16 – ED 059
AD 16 – ED 060
AD 16 – ED 061
AD 16 – ED 062

Additionally, the North Hempstead Country Club and one residence are located within AD16 – ED055. This district is shared between parts of unincorporated Port Washington and this part of Flower Hill, and like the other four election districts in Flower Hill, it is also located within New York's 16th State Assembly district.

Parks and recreation

Flower Hill Village Park – A village-owned park, featuring with walking trails, a stage, a sports wall, and a playground, among other amenities.thumb|An entrance to the Flower Hill Village Park in 2021
North Hempstead Country Club – A private country club, located in the northeastern part of the village.
Elderfields Preserve – A historic farm, museum, and nature preserve; it is owned by Nassau County. This special district owns and operates numerous parks and parking facilities throughout the Greater Manhasset area. As such, children who reside within Flower Hill attend public school go to school in one of these three districts, depending on where they reside within the village. This private school is located off Port Washington Boulevard and serves students in grades one through twelve.

Library districts

Flower Hill is served by three library districts, which correspond with the school district boundaries:

Media

Newspapers

The Incorporated Village of Flower Hill has three newspapers of record: The Manhasset Press–Times, The Port Washington News–Times, and The Roslyn News–Times. All three of these papers are owned by Schneps Media.

Other major newspapers serving Flower Hill include Newsday, the New York Post, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.

Television

Flower Hill is one of North Shore TV's fourteen member villages. North Shore TV provides Flower Hill and the other member villages with public-access television programming, through Altice USA and Verizon Fios – the main cable television providers in the area. These four bus routes travel through the area via Northern Boulevard and Old Northern Boulevard, along the southern border of Flower Hill.

Historic trolley line

Between the 1900s and the 1920s, the Port Washington Line of the New York and North Shore Traction Company, ran between Mineola and Port Washington, via Roslyn.

Power

PSEG Long Island provides power to all homes and businesses within the Village of Flower Hill, on behalf of the Long Island Power Authority.

Sewage

Most places in Flower Hill are not connected to a sanitary sewer system – although there were failed plans in the 1970s to create a sewer district for much of northwestern Nassau County, which would have included Flower Hill in the second phase of the $122 million (1972 USD) project. As such, the majority of homes and businesses in Flower Hill rely on cesspools and septic systems.

Trash collection

Trash collection services in Flower Hill are provided by Meadow Carting, under contract with the Village of Flower Hill.

Water

The Village of Flower Hill is served by three water districts, which roughly correspond with the school district boundaries:

The Manhasset–Lakeville Water District – Serves the section of Flower Hill zoned for the Manhasset UFSD. St. Francis Hospital is regarded as one of the top heart care centers in the United States and is the only specialty designated cardiac center located within the State of New York.

Additionally, a GoHealth urgent care center is located in the Roslyn section of the village, on Northern Boulevard (NY 25A). This walk-in clinic is operated by Northwell Health.

Fire

The Village of Flower Hill is served by three fire districts:

The Manhasset–Lakeville Fire District – Serves most of the section of Flower Hill zoned for the Manhasset UFSD.

Police

The Village of Flower Hill is served by the Nassau County Police Department's 6th Precinct, with RMPs 607, 610, and 619 assigned as the patrol cars for the village.

Landmarks

thumb|The Sands-Willets Homestead, now home to the Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society

The Flower Hill Cemetery – A historic cemetery located in the village; it was designated a Village of Flower Hill Historic Landmark in 2023. It is also known as the "Burtis Cemetery" and the "Old Cemetery at Flower Hill".
The George Washington Denton House – Located on West Shore Road, this property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, and is also listed on the New York State Register of Historic Places and further designated as a Village of Flower Hill Historic Landmark.
The Sands Barn – An old barn, dating back to the 17th century; it is operated by the Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society and located at their museum in the village. It is also a designated New York State Landmark, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Hewlett-Munson-Williams House – Another original, surviving farm house located within the village. This home is now part of Nassau County's four-acre (1.6 ha) Elderfields Preserve, and is home to the Art Guild.
Mimi Benzell – Actress and singer for Broadway and the Metropolitan Opera. Benzell lived on Cardinal Road, and was married to Walter Gould, the brother of American composer Morton Gould.
Nathalie Brown – First murder victim of serial killer Ricardo Caputo; murdered at her parents' home in the village on July 31, 1971, at age 19.
Emil V. Cianciulli – Businessman, lawyer, Korean War veteran, and the former chairman of the Hofstra University Board of Trustees; lived on Oaktree Lane.
Perry Como – Singer, actor, and television personality. Como moved to Flower Hill in 1946.
Carson Daly – NBC television and radio personality, as well as a talk show host.
Connie Desmond – Sports broadcaster and singer.
Edwin Díaz – MLB baseball player for the New York Mets.
Daniel Dorff – Classical composer and musician; grew up on Crabtree Lane.
Manoug Exerjian – Architect; Exerjian was born in the Ottoman Empire and immigrated to the United States in 1923. He designed North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset and lived on Bonnie Heights Road.
Frank Genese – Architect and Village Trustee; has served as Deputy Mayor since 2023.
Edmond Guggenheim – Businessman and philanthropist; member of the Guggenheim family.
Horace Hagedorn – Businessman; lived on Farmview Road.
Benjamin Heller – Lawyer known for participating in the creation of the New York City Code of Ethics. Served as the Mayor of Flower Hill between 1963 and 1970.
Milton Hopkins – Biology professor and author. Hopkins was the husband of Elizabeth Hewlett Hopkins, of the Hewlett family; they resided in the Hewlett Homestead.
Victor W. Kliesrath – Former vice president of the Bendix Corporation; co-inventor of the Bragg-Kliesrath Brake.
Kenneth G. Langone – Founder, The Home Depot. Formerly lived on Elderfields Road.
William John Logan – Banker, college football player, and the widower of Marjorie Church Logan. Served as the Mayor of Flower Hill between 1931 and 1937; lived on Bonnie Heights Road.
Robert Manning – Journalist.
James F. McCann – Businessman; founder of 1-800 Flowers.
Harold Blaine Miller – Former Public Relations Director of the United States Navy and rear admiral (USN), Eisenhower appointee, pilot, public relations executive, college administrator, and author; served as Village Trustee.
Christopher Mullin – Former NBA basketball player.
Patrice Munsel – American opera singer; Munsel was the youngest singer to ever star at the Metropolitan Opera, at the age of 17.
Carlos W. Munson – President of the Munson Steamship Company; resided at Elderfields. Munson was the founding father of Flower Hill.
Norman F. Penny – Banker, insurance broker, and politician who had served in the New York State Assembly from 1938 to 1942; major Republican figure in Nassau County. Lived on Knolls Lane.
Günter Reimann – Economist and writer from Germany; vocal critic of Adolf Hitler, antisemitism, fascism, and the Nazis.
Jesse J. Ricks – Former board chairman of Union Carbide; his estate, Chanticlare, was subdivided in the 1960s and became the Chanticlare at Flower Hill housing development.
Barry Scheck – Attorney and legal scholar; grew up in Flower Hill.
Robert C. Schuler – Advertising and public relations executive; Patrice Munsel's husband.
Ben Selvin – Musician, band leader, and Guinness World Record-holding record producer known as "The Dean of Recorded Music"; lived on Reni Road.
Walter Slezak – Austrian actor; lived in Flower Hill until his death.
Thomas J. Stevenson, Sr. – Shipping executive who founded the T. J. Stevenson & Company; lived on Elderfields Road.
Michael J. Tully, Jr. – Former lawyer and politician; Tully served as the Town of North Hempstead Supervisor and as a New York State Senator. He died of a heart attack in his home on Elderfields Road in 1997.
Charles F. Vachris – Civil engineer and politician; lived on Ridge Drive West and later on Dogwood Lane. Vachris held various roles in Flower Hill's government, including Village Trustee and Village Engineer.
John W. Walter – Mayor of Flower Hill between 1988 and 1996, and following that, the Village Historian until his death in 2018.
Burl S. Watson – President and CEO of Cities Service Company.
Bagley Wright – Real estate developer and philanthropist, notable for being a developer of the Space Needle in Seattle. Wright and his family moved to an Aspinwall & Simpson-designed home on Elderfields Road around 1940.

In popular culture

Over the years, scenes for several movies and television shows have been filmed in the Village of Flower Hill – including scenes for A Stranger Is Watching, Boardwalk Empire, Too Big to Fail', The Outcasts, and Billions. Additionally, scenes for a David Chase movie were filmed in a home on Bonnie Heights Road, and TruTV shot a show on tag sales in Flower Hill.