History & Culture · Long Island
Amityville Still Reads Like a Friendly Bay Village
Amityville's official self-portrait leans toward bayfront parks, a historic museum, downtown renewal, and its Friendly Bay Village identity.
Published July 6, 2026 · Last verified July 6, 2026
Amityville’s own description points toward the bay. The village was settled in the 1600s. It was incorporated on March 3, 1894, and became known as The Friendly Bay Village. The name fits its many public spaces.
Small green and waterfront places are spread through the village. They include the Village Triangle and Gazebo on Broadway, Avon Lake, Delano Nature Trail, Pearsall Park, and Peterkin Park. Nautical Park sits at Merrick Road and Ocean Avenue. Maxine Postal Memorial Park is on the Great South Bay. The Amityville Beach Complex is at the south end of Bayview Avenue. Caples Park adds a playground, lighted softball fields, and a boat ramp.
There is a museum piece too. The Lauder Museum is home to the Amityville Historical Society, giving the village a place to hold its older story while downtown keeps changing.
Amityville is more than a train stop about an hour from New York City. It is a bay village with small parks, civic corners, fishing and boating, and a museum for local history.