Copiague History
Copiague is located on the south shore of Long Island, New York, in
the Town of Babylon and the County of Suffolk. Copiague is bordered by Amityville Village,
Lindenhurst Village and the Great South Bay. It is approximately 35 miles east of New York
City and 70 miles west of Montauk Point. The Copiague Union Free School District creates
our borders which results in patrons residing in Copiague, Amityville and Lindenhurst. 
Copiague, an Indian name which means Place of Shelter, was
originally inhabited by native American Indians. In 1693, Chief Wyandanch sold land, which
included Copiague, to early settlers, who renamed it South Huntington, for 12 coats, 20
pounds of gunpowder, 20 hatchets and 20 knives. During the Revolutionary War settlers
joined the Suffolk County Militia, among these was Zebulon Ketcham, our most noted local
patriot. President George Washington toured Long Island while in office and dined at the
Ketcham Inn. The Inn is no longer standing, but a stone marker, located on the corner of
Deauville Bouelvard and Merrick Road diagonally across from the Copiague Library, depicts
its' original location. By the 1800's, Copiague had changed its' name several times
including Huntington South, Great Neck and Amityville South before finally, once again,
becoming Copiague.
At the turn of the century, Copiague became home to a large
population of Italian immigrants. John Campagnoli, an Italian engineer, purchased the land
north of the railroad tracks and renamed it Marconiville in honor of his close friend,
Guglielmo Marconi, inventor of the wireless telegraph. Mr. Marconi, beginning in 1912 and
for several years thereafter, visited Copiague each summer. Many streets in this area bear
the name of famous Italians.
In the 1920's, an area which was named the American Venice
was constructed in Copiague. It was designed to resemble Venice, Italy with canals and
arched bridges. Local residents could be seen riding gondolas in the canals.
With the end of World War II, the Copiague community boomed.
New homes began to line the streets and avenues of the community. Stores, banks and
restaurants followed. The Copiague School District, originally a one building structure,
now includes three elementary schools, one middle school and a high school which serves a
population of 25,000. 
Today, Copiague has a diverse population which continues to
change and grow. A large Hispanic and Eastern European influx has taken place adding to
our multi-cultural heritage.
Visitors may travel via the Long Island Railroad and all
major roadways. Tanner Park, a recreational area which includes a beach located on the
Great South Bay, is a town cultural center that houses the Tanner Park Senior Citizen
Center, baseball and soccer fields and a boat marina.
Library
History ....
