When Long Island was first settled in 1643 by colonists crossing over the Long Island Sound from Connecticut, present day East Meadow lied wholly within the Great Hempstead Plains -17,000 acres of plainsland around the frontier settlement of Hempstead.

By 1658, sheep grew fat from grazing on East Meadow grasses. Over 14,000 sheep grazed here by the end of the 1700's providing much of the country's wool.

East Meadow grew tremendously after World War II, its population exploding from just 2,000 to over 25,000 in about 10 years. It was also during this time that the farmers began to sell off their land to developers creating the beginning of the "end" for the meadowlands in East Meadow.

At the time of World War II, East Meadow was predominantly a farming community with a population of 2,000. With the post-war economic boom and the suburban development rush, East Meadow became a thriving residential community in short order. In 1951 the population in the East Meadow School District was 25,000, which more than doubled six years later. In the early 1960's, the population peaked at approximately 60,000. The present district population is 51,000.

Come join in the rich history and tradition of this great city. With so many major centers close by, East Meadows is ideal for raising a family or living the single life.