Port Washington

Port Washington is located in and governed by the town of North Hempstead. The community of Port Washington is actually comprised of several incorporated villages: Baxter Estates, Manorhaven, Port Washington North, and Sands Point. Originally called “Cow Neck” by its earliest English inhabitants, Port Washington’s location on the north shore of The Long Island Sound has shaped the nature of the community throughout its history. In the 1870s, it was an important sand-mining town. Some 140 million cubic yards of local sand were used for concrete to build iconic New York skyscrapers like the Empire State and Chrysler buildings. In the early 20th century, wealthy families built grand mansions along the waterfront and the location earned the moniker “The Gold Coast.”