A Brief History of Rockville Centre

The village of Rockville Centre is a suburban haven on Long Island. Beginning in the eighteenth century with families like the DeMotts, this small farming community quickly grew. Ship captains left their families here while they sailed, and the arrival of the South Shore Railroad brought the wealthy from New York City. Residents established churches, schools, restaurants, newspapers, hotels and shops. Some of these, like the English Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity and the Fortnightly Women’s Club, are still part of Rockville Centre’s vibrant community. As the village continues to grow, the legacy of its past preserves its tight knit atmosphere. Local author Marilyn Devlin presents Rockville Centre’s unique history in these pages.