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) May 26, 2000
                                                        ------------


                      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 Broadhollow Road Melville, New York    11747
             -----------------------------------------------------
            (Address of Principal Executive Offices)    (Zip Code)



(Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)  (516) 844-1004
                                                    --------------------




ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS.

      On May 15, 2000, North Fork Bancorporation, Inc., a Delaware
corporation ("North Fork") filed Amendment No. 3 to its registration
statement (the "Registration Statement") on Form S-4 with the Securities
and Exchange Commission relating to the offer (the "Offer") by North Fork
to exchange 0.9302 shares of North Fork common stock and $2.00 in cash for
each outstanding share of common stock of Dime Bancorp, Inc., a Delaware
corporation ("Dime"), including the associated preferred share purchase
rights issued pursuant to the Dime stockholder protection rights plan. This
current report on Form 8-K contains information updating certain
information contained in the Registration Statement.

      On May 26, 2000 North Fork issued a press release announcing that it
was extending the expiration date of the Offer until June 30, 2000. A copy
of the press release is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and the information
set forth in the press release is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1.



ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENT AND EXHIBITS.

(c)      Exhibits

           99.1         Text of press release issued by North Fork on
                        May 26, 2000.



                                 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: May 26, 2000

                                          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        Text of press release issued by North Fork on May 26, 2000.
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3392}]
{"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": "644636"}, "business-address": {"street1": "275 BROAD HOLLOW RD", "street2": "PO BOX 8914", "city": "MELVILLE", "state": "NY", "zip": "11747", "phone": "6318441004"}, "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) May 26, 2000
                                                        ------------

                      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 Broadhollow Road Melville, New York    11747
             -----------------------------------------------------
            (Address of Principal Executive Offices)    (Zip Code)

(Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)  (516) 844-1004
                                                    --------------------

ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS.

      On May 15, 2000, North Fork Bancorporation, Inc., a Delaware
corporation ("North Fork") filed Amendment No. 3 to its registration
statement (the "Registration Statement") on Form S-4 with the Securities
and Exchange Commission relating to the offer (the "Offer") by North Fork
to exchange 0.9302 shares of North Fork common stock and $2.00 in cash for
each outstanding share of common stock of Dime Bancorp, Inc., a Delaware
corporation ("Dime"), including the associated preferred share purchase
rights issued pursuant to the Dime stockholder protection rights plan. This
current report on Form 8-K contains information updating certain
information contained in the Registration Statement.

      On May 26, 2000 North Fork issued a press release announcing that it
was extending the expiration date of the Offer until June 30, 2000. A copy
of the press release is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and the information
set forth in the press release is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1.

ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENT AND EXHIBITS.

(c)      Exhibits

           99.1         Text of press release issued by North Fork on
                        May 26, 2000.

                                 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: May 26, 2000

                                          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        Text of press release issued by North Fork on May 26, 2000.