Wheatley Heights is a quiet, compact community sandwiched among Half Hollow Hills, Wyandanch, Melville and Dix Hills.

The rural hamlet is home to the Henry Kaufmann Campgrounds and the Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts on Colonial Springs Road.

While Wheatley Heights has only one gas station and a strip shopping center, there are many shops and services in neighboring communities. "We share a lot of things," says Angela Brown, a resident and owner/broker of Harvest Homes Realty. "The library is on Vanderbilt in Dix Hills, the train station is in Wyandanch."

The multicultural community features tree-lined neighborhoods where high ranches, split- ranches and Colonials dominate.

"Young professionals are moving in," adds Sandy Thomas, president of the Concerned Tax Payers of Wheatley Heights-Dix Hills Civic Association Inc. "And then you have us older professionals," she adds with a laugh.

Buyers can also find one co-op development, and there are one- bedroom apartments for tenants 55 years and older at Wheatley Hollow Gardens.

Wheatley Heights has two parks - Kevin Ver Pault Memorial and Hermann Griem - which include playing fields, ball courts and playgrounds.

While Wheatley Heights is in the Town of Babylon, the majority of students attend the Half Hollow Hills school district in Huntington. The remainder of students attend the Wyandanch school district.

- Lisa Doll Bruno (4/2/2004)