Brookhaven

Brookhaven is a town in Suffolk County on Long Island in the United States, stretching from the Atlantic coast to the Long Island Sound. The area includes several independent villages, miles of beaches, and large nature reserves connected by residential areas and smaller town centers.

English settlers founded the first permanent colony in 1655 in the area around present-day Setauket, where they traded with the native tribe. Over the following centuries the area grew through farming and later through the railway connection, which drew commuters from New York City.

The name comes from the small stream that ran through the original settlement, whose wooded banks offered shelter to the first colonists. Today the landscape is marked by sprawling residential neighborhoods with single-family homes, while coastal sections with their boardwalks are especially used by families on weekends.

Several Long Island Rail Road stations connect the various hamlets to Manhattan, with the journey taking between one and two hours depending on the station. Visitors exploring coastal areas should use a car, as many beaches and natural areas are not directly accessible by public transport.

The Brookhaven National Laboratory was built immediately after World War II on a former military base and grew into one of the leading research centers in the country. Seven Nobel Prizes went to scientists who worked here or made their discoveries at the facility.

Location: Suffolk County

Inception: 1655

Elevation above the sea: 24 m

Shares border with: Islip, Riverhead, Smithtown, Southampton

Website: http://brookhaven.org

GPS coordinates: 40.77917,-72.91528

Latest update: December 13, 2025 19:29