Merrick is a suburban, residential community on the south shore of Long Island, about 30 miles from New York City. A little history... It is named after the Meroke Indian tribe, the earliest residents of this region. The name is said to mean "peaceful." In the mid-1600's, settlers came from England looking for a better way of life and of course, freedom of religion. Agriculture was their chief occupation. The first railroad came through in 1867 and, naturally, impacted the population growth and business. Up until that point, there were about 1,000 year-round residents. It wasn't until after World War I, that Merrick's development began to grow in leaps and bounds. The first large scale real estate development in Merrick were the "Gables" built south of Sunrise Highway. They were built b... 02/01/2011