Wheatley Heights

In 1710, Jacob Conklin built the first home in present Wheatley Heights. However, it is his notoriety for having once sailed with Captain Kidd that has fascinated generations of people.

Situated in the lower Half Hollow Hills, which have long been cherished for their natural properties, the clay and sand were found to be ideal for brick making. During the late 1800s, over 1.6 million bricks a year were produced in Wheatley Heights and Wyandanch brickyards and shipped by rail for use in New York City. Capitalizing on the popularity of the region's mineral springs, some companies bottled and commercially sold the spring water, touting their health benefits.

Wheatley Heights was historically part of the hamlet of Wyandanch, known as West Deer Park until the mid-1800s, though the community was separated by two school districts. The name Wheatley Heights comes from a 1913 development mapped out by real estate investor William Geiger. A portion of the renowned Vanderbilt Motor Parkway, operated from 1908 to 1938, ran through Wheatley Heights.