Robert Moses State Park (Long Island)
Robert Moses State Park - Long Island is a state park that is located in the state of New York. The park lies in southern Suffolk County on the western end of Fire Island, one of the central barrier Islands off the southern coast of Long Island. It is known for its 5 mi (8 km) stretch of splendid beaches on the open Atlantic Ocean and is a popular summer recreational destination in the New York City area. The park is accessible from Long Island by the Robert Moses Causeway across Great South Bay. This 875-acre (3.54 km2) facility is the oldest state park on Long Island.
Attractions
The park is perhaps best known for its 5 miles (8.0 km) of beach, which visitors can use for swimming, surfing, or fishing. Umbrella rentals are available at each field, and guests can also use the four bathhouses on the property. Anglers can fish from either the beach or the piers. A day use boat basin that can accommodate up to 40 boats is also available. On the west end of the park is an 18 hole pitch and putt golf course. The course is fairly secluded and meanders through native beech trees and vegetation. It is typically open April through November and equipment rental is available. The park also contains four concession stands (one at each field), volleyball courts, first-aid stations, picnic areas, and a new playground at Field 5.
Immediately to the east of the park is the Fire Island National Seashore. The ocean beach of the Seashore, next to this park, is known as Lighthouse Beach and is a legal and family oriented Clothing optional beach. There is signage on the beach 150 feet (46 m) beyond the boundary of the Seashore to alert unsuspecting visitors that "Beyond this point, you may encounter nude sunbathers."[1]
Since there is no parking at the Seashore itself, many day visitors park at Field 5 in order to walk to Lighthouse Beach, the Fire Island Lighthouse and Museum as well as the nearby community of Kismet. New York State officials estimate that about 30% of the users of Field 5 avail themselves of the Lighthouse Beach and the Lighthouse itself.[2]
Access
The park is accessible by automobile from the Robert Moses Causeway, which connects Fire Island with mainland Long Island. The park is open year-round from sunrise to sunset and parking is available, though fees vary by season. Charging starts each season during the first weekend in April. Vehicle fees are $10.00 during the peak season (Memorial Day through Mid-September) and $8.00 during the off-season (April through Memorial Day and Mid-September to the last weekend of November). Charging hours are 8:00am–4:00pm on weekdays and 7:00am–6:00pm on weekends and holidays. Patrons age 62 and over are eligible for free entry during weekdays (holidays excluded) with their New York State driver's license. Portions of the park are open 24 hours a day to fishermen and stargazers with the appropriate permit.
This season Vehicle Use Fees will be collected at Robert Moses State Park until November 13, 2011 on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
Suffolk Transit's S47 route also serves the beach seasonally connecting it with the Babylon Long Island Rail Road station on the Babylon Branch.
History
Initially named Fire Island State Park, the facility attracts about 3.5 million visitors a year.
The west end of Fire Island was part of a Colonial grant to William "Tangier" Smith. In 1825 the federal government acquired the westerly tip to build a lighthouse and David Sammis bought about 120 acres (0.49 km2) to the east in 1855 and built the Surf Hotel.
In 1892, fears of a cholera epidemic spread by passengers on ships arriving in New York prompted the state to acquire the hotel property to establish a quarantine station. Irate local citizens obtained an injunction blocking the quarantine station and occupied the site for a while despite the arrival of troops.
Eventually the state decided the land would better serve as a park and established the Fire Island Park Commission in 1908 to run it. A 1918 fire destroyed the boardwalk and the few buildings on the site.
In 1924, the state established the Long Island State Park Commission headed by "master builder" Robert Moses as part of a statewide park and parkway program, also run by Moses. The commission obtained from the federal government four miles (6 km) of beach west of the lighthouse that had been formed by shifting sand. In 1926 the first bathhouse was erected. After the hurricane of 1938 devastated the park, the commission decided to rebuild farther east near the lighthouse and in 1940, the first modern bathhouse opened to the public.
Ferry service was maintained from Babylon to the park until 1964 when Robert Moses Causeway opened and the park was renamed for Moses. Attendance boomed, so three parking fields with bathhouses were added.
100th Anniversary
Robert Moses State Park celebrated its 100th anniversary June 27, 2008.
The $700,000 rehabilitation of the bathhouse at Field #3, which originally opened to the public in June 1940, was completed largely by parks staff. The renovation included removal of a glass and metal storefront added to the building in the 1980s, allowing the food concession, beach shop and first aid offices to be enlarged with the construction of a new exterior, which complements the original architecture of the building. In addition, the park's cupola and clock have been restored to working order.
Inside, the bathrooms were completely renovated and reconfigured to allow more space and better traffic flow to the changing areas. A new family bathroom has been added to what was formerly closet space in the center entryway of the bathhouse. Renovation of the restrooms involved re-tiling the walls, the floors, new partitions and fixtures. The entire interior and exterior were repainted.
The renovations were part of a $132 million capital improvement spending plan in the 2008 state budget for New York's 178 state parks and 35 historic sites.
Robert Moses
The park, originally Fire Island State Park, was renamed for Robert Moses, a "master builder" of mid 20th century New York City, Long Island, and Westchester County, New York, president of the Long Island State Park Commission in the early and middle 20th century who oversaw the expansion of the state park system on Long Island.
It is one of two state parks in New York to bear this name "Robert Moses State Park". The other, Robert Moses State Park - Thousand Islands, is in northern New York along the St. Lawrence River.
See also
References
- ^ "Detailed Maps of Lighthouse Beach Fire Island". The Long Island Travasuns Inc.. http://www.travasuns.org/Travasuns/Detail_Map_of_Lighthouse_Beach.html. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
- ^ "MEETING WITH NEW YORK STATE PARK OFFICIALS Sept 16, 2010". Long Island Travasuns, Inc.. http://www.travasuns.org/Travasuns/Beach_Status_2.html. Retrieved 7 March 2011. "... approximately 30%, by their estimation, of those parking in Field #5 of Robert Moses State Park are doing so in order to avail themselves of facilities on the federal property, namely the Lighthouse, and even more often the beach near it, commonly known as Lighthouse Beach, which is one of the most popular clothing-optional beaches in the entire Northeast U.S."
External links
|
|
Federal |
|
|
State |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Allen Lake • Altmar • Ambler • Armlin Hill • Arnold Lake • Artic China • Ashland Pinnacle • Baker School House • Bald Mountain • Balsam • Balsam Swamp • Barbour Brook • Basswood • Basswood Pond • Bates • Battenkill • Battle Hill • Beals Pond • Bear Creek • Bear Swamp • Bearpen Mountain • Beartown • Beaver Creek • Beaver Dams • Beaver Flow • Beaver Meadow • Beebe Hill • Berlin • Big Brook • Big Buck • Birdseye Hollow • Black Creek • Blenheim • Bobell • Bombay • Bonaparte's Cave • Boutwell Hill • Boyce Hill • Brasher Falls • Brokenstraw • Brookfield Railroad • Broome • Bryant Hill • Buck Hill • Bucks Brook • Buckton • Bucktooth • Bully Hill • Bumps Creek • Burnt-Rossman Hills • Burnt Hill • Bush Hill • Cadyville • Cairo Lockwood • Calhoun Creek • California Hill • California Road • Cameron Mills • Cameron • Canacadea • Canada Creek • Canaseraga • Cascade Valley • Cat Hollow • Cattaraugus • Catherineville • Catlin • Chalres E. Baker • Charleston • Chateaugay • Chautauqua Gorge • Chenango • Cherry Valley • Chestnut Woods • Cinnamon Lake • Clapper Hollow • Clark Hill • Cliffside • Clinton • Cobb Brook • Cobb Creek State Forest • Cold Creek • Cold Spring Brook • Cole Hill • Columbia Lake • Coon Hollow • Cotton Hill • Cotrell • Coventry • Coyle Hill • Coyote Flats • Crab Hollow • Crary Mills • Cuyler Hill • Daketown • Danby • Dannemora • Decatur • Deer River • Degrasse • Delaware • Depot Hill • Deruyter • Dobbins • Dog Hollow • Donahue Woods • Downerville • Dry Run • Dunkin's Reserve • Dutch Settlement • Dutton Ridge • Earlville • East Branch Fish Creek • East Osceola • East Otto • Edwin Hollow • Edwin Mountain • Eldridge Swamp • Elkdale • English Hill • Exeter • Fall Brook • Fairfield • Farmersville • Featherstonhaugh • Fire Fall • Fish Creek • Five Streams • Flat Rock • Florence Hill • Fort Jackson • Frank E. Jadwin • Franklin • Franklin 10 • Frozen Ocean • Furnace Creek • Gas Springs • Gates Hill • Gee Brook • Genegantslet • Gillies Hill • Glenmeal • Golden Hill • Goose Egg • Gorton Lake • Gould Corners • Groundry Hill • Grafton Lakes • Granger • Grant Powell • Grantville • Greenwood • Greenwood Creek • Griggs Gulf • Hall Island • Hammond Hill • Harris Hill • Harry E Dobbins • Hartwick • Harvey Mountain • Hatch Creek • Hawkins Pond • Hemlock Ridge • Hewitt • Hickok Brook • Hickory Lake • High Flats • High Knob • High Towers • High Woods • Hill Higher • Hiltonville • Hinckley • Hogsback • Honey Hill • Hooker Mountain • Hoxie Gorge • Huckleberry Ridge • Huntersfield • Hunts Pond • Independence River • Indian Pipe • Italy Hill • Jackson Hill • Jenksville • Jersey Hill • Karr Valley Creek • Kasoag • Keeney Swamp • Kennedy • Kerryville • Ketchumville • Kettlebail • Keyserkill • Klipnocky • Klondike • Knapp Station • Lafayetteville • Lake Desolation • Lassellsville • Lebanon • Leonard Hill • Lesser Wilderness • Lincklaen • Lincoln Mountain • Line Brook • Lonesome Bay • Long Pond • Lookout • Lost Nation • Lost Valley • Ludlow Creek • Lutheranville • Lyon Brook • Macomb Reservation • Mad River • Mallet Pond • Maple Hill • Maple Valley • Marisposa • Marsh Pond • McCarthy Hill • McDonough • Meads Creek • Melondy Hill • Michigan Hill • Middle Grove • Milford • Mohawk Springs • Montrose Point • Moon Pond • Morgan Hill • Morrow Mountain • Moss Hill • Mount Hunger • Mount Pisgah • Mount Pleasant • Mount Tom • Mount Washington • Muller Hill • Murphy Hill • Nanticoke Lake • Nelson Swamp • Newfield • New Michigan • Nimham Mountain • Nine Mile Creek • North Harmony • O'Hara • Oak Ridge • Oakley Corners • Ohisa • Onjebonge • Orebud Creek • Orton Hollow • Ossian • Otselic • Otsquago • Otter Creek • Palmer's Pond • Peck Hill • Painter Hill • Panama • Papish Pond • Partridge Run • Patria • Pease Hill • Penn Mountain • Perkins Pond • Petersburg • Phillips Creek • Pigeon Hill • Pigtail Hollow • Pinckney • Pine Hill • Pine Ridge • Pitcher Springs • Pittstown • Plainfield • Plattekill • Pleasant Lake • Plum Bottom • Point Rock • Popple Pond • Potato Hill • Pulpit Rock • R. Milton Hick • Raecher • Rakph Road • Raymondville • Red Brook • Relay • Rensselaer Number 3 • Rensselaerville • Robinson Hollow • Rock City • Rock Creek • Rockwood • Roeliff Jansen Kill • Roosa Gap • Roseboom • Rural Grove • Rush Creek • Saint Lawrence • Saint Regis • Salmon River • Sand Bay • Sand Flats • Sandy Creek • Scott Patent • Sears Pond • Shawangunk • Shindagin Creek • Shindagin Hollow • Silver Hill • Skinner Hill • Skyline Drive • Slader Creek • Snow Bowl • Sodom • Sonyea • Spring Brook • South Bradford • South Hammond • South Hill • South Mountain • South Valley • Southville • Stammer Creek • Steam Mill • Steuben Hill • Stewart • Stissing Mountain • Stockton • Stone Barn • Stone Hill • Stone Store • Stoney Pond • Sugar Hill • Summer Hill • Susquehanna • Swancott Mill • Swift Hill • Taconic Hereford • Taconic Ridge • Tassell Hill • Taylor Creek • Taylor Valley • Terry Mountain • Texas Hill • Texas Hollow • Texas School House • Three Springs • Tibbetts • Titusville Mountain • Tomannex • Toothaker Creek • Tracy Creek • Tri-County • Triangle • Trout Brook • Trout Lake • Trout River • Tug Hill • Tuller Hill • Turkey Hill • Turkey Point • Turkey Ridge • Turnpike • Urbana • Ushers Road • Vandermark • Vernooykill • Wagner Farm • Wassaic • Webster Hill • Wellman • West Branch • West Hill • West Mountain • West Oscela • West Parishville • Whalen • Whaupaunaucau • Whippoorwill Corners • Whiskey Flats • White Pond • Whittacker • Wiley Brook • Windfall Creek • Winona • Wolf Brook • Wolf Lake • Woodhull • Wurtsboro Ridge • Yatesville Falls • Yellow Barn • Yellow Lake
|
|
Wild Forests
|
Aldrich • Balsam • Black River • Blackhead • Blue Mountain • Bluestone • Cherry Ridge • Colgate Lake • Cranberry Lake • Crystal Lake • Debar Mountain • Dry Brook • Ferris Lake • Fulton Chain • Grass River • Halcott Mountain • Hammond Pond • Horseshoe • Hunter Mountain • Independence River • Jessup River • Kaaterskill • Lake George • Middle Mountain • Moose River Plains • Overlook Mountain • Phoenica • Raquette Boreal • Saranac Lakes • Sargent Ponds • Shaler Mountain • Shandaken • Sundown • Taylor Pond • Vanderwhacker Mountain • Watson East Triangle • White Hill • Wilcox Lake • Willowemoc • Windham High Peak
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other |
|
Eugene and Agnes Meyer Nature Preserve • Santanoni Preserve • Arthur W. Butler Memorial Sanctuary • Indian Brook Assemblage • Marrion Yarrow Preserve • Mildred E. Grierson Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary • Mount Holly Preserve • Long Pond Preserve • Mianus River Gorge Nature Preserve • Henry Morgenthau Preserve • Mount Holly Sanctuary • Otter Creek Preserve • Uplands Farm Nature Sanctuary • Atlantic Double Dunes • Pine Neck Nature Sanctuary • Long Island Center for Conservation • Ruth Wales Sanctuary • Calverton Ponds • Accabonac Harbor • Peconic Estuary Big Woods Preserve • Mashomack Nature Preserve • Montauk Mountain Preserve • Shadmoor Preserve • Andy Warhol Visual Arts Preserve • Coon Mountain Preserve • Gadway Sandstone Pavement Barrens • Silver Lake Bog Preserve • Spring Pond Bog Preserve • Everton Falls Preserve • Clintonville Pine Barrens • O.D. von Engeln Preserve at Malloryville • El Dorado Beach Preserve • Chaumont Barrens Preserve • Freund Wildlife Sanctuary • Lewis A. Swyer Preserve • Hannacroix Ravine Preserve • Kenrose Preserve • Limestone Rise Preserve • Whitbeck Memorial Grove • Stewart Preserve • Lordsland Conservancy • Nellie Hill Preserve • Pawling Nature Reserve • Roger Perry Memorial Preserve • Thompson Pond and Stissing Mountain Preserve • Schunemunk Mountain Preserve • Sam's Point Preserve • Christman Sanctuary • Lisha Kill Natural Area • Moccasin Kill Sanctuary • Denton Sanctuary • Lower Poultney River and Saddles Preserves • West Branch Preserve
|
|
|
|
|