Around
Central Islip focuses on a modern renaissance village that evolved
through numerous and diverse cultures. It was a small English settlement
of the 1800s when Come to Central Islip, Good Work, Good Pay was
advertised in the newspapers in Ireland. This brought an influx of
settlers from nearly every county in Ireland. The area became known as
Little Ireland in America. At the turn of the century, Central Islip
housed one of the largest psychiatric centers in the country. Village
life centered around this establishment for many decades.
Decentralization of the hospital in 1955 resulted in the abandonment of
numerous buildings with a degenerative effect on the village; blighted
neighborhoods became commonplace. The transformation brought about by
the arrival of the New York Institute of Technology resulted in the
community's revitalization and beautification. Today, Central Islip is a
vibrant and dynamic community.
