06/04/2022
Lot's of history here.
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT OUR ISLAND
The Deep Hollow Ranch in Montauk is the site of the oldest cattle ranch in America, built in 1658, and birthplace of the American cowboy.
Mastic was the home of William Floyd, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Fire Island got its name in the 17th century when people built fires to identify the coastline to the ships out in the ocean.
Long Island's first two settlements were Southold and Southampton, in 1640.
In one week in 1925, Long Island sent 56,000 ducks to market in NYC in time for the Feast of Tabernacles, a Jewish Holiday. The finest ducks brought .32/lb at market.
The Lighthouse at Montauk became NY's first coastal beacon in 1796. George Washington commissioned the Montauk Lighthouse so that the ships coming in from Europe could identify the Atlantic Ocean from the Long Island Sound.
The first radio transmission, by wireless inventor Guglielmo Marconi, was in 1901 on Fire Island Avenue in Babylon
In 1927, Charles Lindbergh took off from Roosevelt Field, as he embarked on the first non-stop solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean.
America's first supermarket, King Kullen, started on Long Island in 1930.
Levittown, the first suburbia in the U.S., was built on Long Island in 1947.
The Lunar Module which landed men on the moon in 1969, was
built on Long Island by the Grumman Corp.
The only working water mill and windmill in the US are located in the Long Island community of Water Mill.
Richard Nixon's dog Checkers is buried at Long Island's Bide-a-Wee Pet Cemetery.
When the Brooklyn Bridge was completed in 1883, it became the first land -transport route between Long Island and mainland USA. Before that, the only way to travel between the two was by boat.
Long Island was sculpted by melted glaciers, which is why there is a clear difference between the hilly North Shore and the flat South Shore of Long Island.
Long Island is the most populated island in the United States and the 17th most populated island in the world.
Long Island is more populated than the entire country of Jamaica and of Ireland!
If Long Island was its own state, it would rank 12th in terms of population.
The North Shore is known for its large mansions, exclusive vacationing, and rich history of its affluent citizens and architecture. The South Shore is more laid back and hosts more entertainment and sports venues.
The largest industrial park in the US is located on Long Island. The Hauppauge Industrial Park which houses 1,300 companies and employs more than 55,000 people.
Together Nassau and Suffolk counties' nearly 180 fire agencies possess more fire trucks than New York City and Los Angeles County combined.
There used to be over 250 family owned dairies in Suffolk County. Urban and suburban developement changed things and wiped them out.
Suffolk County is the leading agricultural county in New York State based on the wholesale value of its farm products.
More 7-Eleven coffee is purchased on Long Island than in all of California.
After World War II, the Japanese were nationalized and able to fly to just 5 places in the country with Idlewild Airport (JFK International) being one, which is why Canon, Nikon and Olympus located their corporate offices there.
In 1840 Suffolk County, there were 5,473 horses and mules; 22,236 head of cattle; 46,751 sheep; 20,534 pigs, 51 doctors and 12 attorneys.
The Town of Hempstead with 800,000 residents is the largest township in the country, larger than Boston, San Francisco and Baltimore.
The Nassau and Suffolk population is greater than 20 of 50 states.
Long Island is the largest college town in the US with 175,000 students registered in 21 colleges.
Long Island has the highest level of volunteerism in the world.
