SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 
                           WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 
  
  
                                  FORM 8-K 
                               CURRENT REPORT 
  
                   PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE 
                      SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 
                              ________________ 
  
 Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported):  October 16, 1998
                                                  --------------------
  
                         NORTH FORK BANCORPORATION,  INC.
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter) 
  
  

     Delaware                          1-10458                 36-3154608

 (State or Other Jurisdiction   (Commission File Number)    (I.R.S. Employer
    of Incorporation)                                       Identification No.)
  
               275 Broad Hollow Road, Melville, New York  11747
           -------------------------------------------------------
           (Address of Principal Executive Offices)     (Zip Code) 
  
  
  
 (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)     (516) 844-1004
                                                     --------------------
  
  
                                Not Applicable
        --------------------------------------------------------------
         (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report) 
  
  
  

 ITEM 2.   ACQUISITION OR DISPOSITION OF ASSETS. 
  
           North Fork Bancorporation, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("North
 Fork"), announced on October 16, 1998 that it completed the sale of four of
 its five Branford Savings Bank branches to Citizens Financial Group of
 Providence.  North Fork received a deposit premium of 9% or $6 million
 related to the $67 million of deposits sold with the branches. 
 Simultaneously, North Fork changed the name of Branford Savings Bank to
 Superior Savings of New England.  North Fork's press release announcing the
 asset sale is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by
 reference.  
  
  
 ITEM 7.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND
           EXHIBITS. 
  
 The following exhibit is filed as part of this report: 
  
  
 99.1      Press Release issued by North Fork 
           Bancorporation, Inc. on October 16, 1998. 

  
                                   SIGNATURE
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
 by the undersigned hereunder duly authorized. 
  
  
 Dated:  October 19, 1998 
  
  
                               NORTH FORK BANCORPORATION, Inc. 
  
                               By: /s/ Daniel M. Healy 
                                  -----------------------------------------
                                  Name:  Daniel M. Healy 
                                  Title: Executive Vice President and Chief
                                         Financial Officer 




                               EXHIBIT INDEX 
 
  
 Exhibit 
 Number              Description 
  
  
 99.1                Press Release issued by North Fork 
                     Bancorporation, Inc. on October 16, 1998.
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3326}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "NORTH FORK BANCORPORATION INC", "cik": "0000352510", "assigned-sic": "6022", "irs-number": "363154608", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-10458", "film-number": "98727423"}, "business-address": {"street1": "275 BROAD HOLLOW RD", "street2": "PO BOX 8914", "city": "MELVILLE", "state": "NY", "zip": "11747", "phone": "5162985000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "275 BROAD HOLLOW RD", "street2": "PO BOX 8914", "city": "MELVILLE", "state": "NY", "zip": "11747"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 
                           WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 
  
  
                                  FORM 8-K 
                               CURRENT REPORT 
  
                   PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE 
                      SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 
                              ________________ 
  
 Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported):  October 16, 1998
                                                  --------------------
  
                         NORTH FORK BANCORPORATION,  INC.
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter) 
  
  

     Delaware                          1-10458                 36-3154608

 (State or Other Jurisdiction   (Commission File Number)    (I.R.S. Employer
    of Incorporation)                                       Identification No.)
  
               275 Broad Hollow Road, Melville, New York  11747
           -------------------------------------------------------
           (Address of Principal Executive Offices)     (Zip Code) 
  
  
  
 (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)     (516) 844-1004
                                                     --------------------
  
  
                                Not Applicable
        --------------------------------------------------------------
         (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report) 
  
  
  

 ITEM 2.   ACQUISITION OR DISPOSITION OF ASSETS. 
  
           North Fork Bancorporation, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("North
 Fork"), announced on October 16, 1998 that it completed the sale of four of
 its five Branford Savings Bank branches to Citizens Financial Group of
 Providence.  North Fork received a deposit premium of 9% or $6 million
 related to the $67 million of deposits sold with the branches. 
 Simultaneously, North Fork changed the name of Branford Savings Bank to
 Superior Savings of New England.  North Fork's press release announcing the
 asset sale is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by
 reference.  
  
  
 ITEM 7.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND
           EXHIBITS. 
  
 The following exhibit is filed as part of this report: 
  
  
 99.1      Press Release issued by North Fork 
           Bancorporation, Inc. on October 16, 1998. 

  
                                   SIGNATURE
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
 by the undersigned hereunder duly authorized. 
  
  
 Dated:  October 19, 1998 
  
  
                               NORTH FORK BANCORPORATION, Inc. 
  
                               By: /s/ Daniel M. Healy 
                                  -----------------------------------------
                                  Name:  Daniel M. Healy 
                                  Title: Executive Vice President and Chief
                                         Financial Officer 

                               EXHIBIT INDEX 
 
  
 Exhibit 
 Number              Description 
  
  
 99.1                Press Release issued by North Fork 
                     Bancorporation, Inc. on October 16, 1998.