Small coastal communities stand up to the giant of mid-20th century urban development in this chronicle of a true David and Goliath drama. With its unspoiled, tranquil shorelines, Fire Island has been an oasis for vacationers for well over a century. But from the late 1930s into the early 1960s, it was an obsession for Robert Moses, the political power broker and "master builder" who reshaped much of New York. His urban development projects helped create Long Island’s suburbs, and he dreamed of turning Fire Island into an extension of Ocean Parkway. Standing up to those ambitions were the seventeen individualistic communities of Fire Island, unified in their love for their sun-washed sandy beaches. To maintain a traditional way of life with limited access to motor vehicles, the community began the fight for federal protection through the creation of the Fire Island National Seashore.

The birth of Fire Islands modern era may well be the day it was declared a national seashoreSeptember 11, 1964. From this day on, the barrier island would remain forever persevered under custody of the National Park Service. Today, automobiles are the exception, not the rule, thanks to men and women who fought to prevent a paved highway from being constructed on the barrier island over 50 years ago. The islands culture has always embraced its own distinct path. Fire Islands maritime roots are still evident and alternate lifestyles flourish, while the simple and mundane pleasures of a beautiful day at the beach remain intact. Fire Island continues to spark the imagination of tourists, vacationers, and residents alike who revel in the beauty of this unique place. Today, Fire Island is so many things to so many people.

*A Town and Country Must-Read Book of Summer?* *A BUZZFEED BEST BOOK OF JUNE* *A Washington Post “Book to Read This Summer”* *AN ADVOCATE BEST LGBTQ+ BOOK OF 2022* *A USA Today "Book to Celebrate Pride Month"* *A New York Times "Editor's Pick"* *A Kirkus Reviews Hottest Book of Summer* A groundbreaking account of New York's Fire Island, chronicling its influence on art, literature, culture and queer liberation over the past century Fire Island, a thin strip of beach off the Long Island coast, has long been a vital space in the queer history of America. Both utopian and exclusionary, healing and destructive, the island is a locus of contradictions, all of which coalesce against a stunning ocean backdrop. Now, poet and scholar Jack Parlett tells the story of this iconic destination—its history, its meaning and its cultural significance—told through the lens of the artists and creators who sought refuge on its shores. Together, figures as divergent as Walt Whitman, Oscar Wilde, James Baldwin, Carson McCullers, Frank O'Hara, Patricia Highsmith and Jeremy O. Harris tell the story of a queer space in constant evolution. Transporting, impeccably researched and gorgeously written, Fire Island is the definitive book on an iconic American destination and an essential contribution to queer history.

A comprehensive account of the history of the Fire Island National Seashore since its creation in 1964.

On February 5th, 1946, the Ferguson brothers were concluding a night out celebrating Charles Ferguson's reenlistment in the Army... Charles, wearing his military uniform, walked with his brothers Alphonso, Joseph, and Richard towards the Freeport Bus Terminal to go home. A provisional Freeport police officer named Joseph Romeika stopped the brothers over a disorderly conduct complaint. Words were exchanged, and Officer Romeika killed Charles, Alphonso and shot Joseph within minutes of the initial stop. Following the unarmed shooting, Romeikia was acquitted despite changing stories of eyewitnesses. Discover how the shooting became a catalyst for civil rights efforts and immortalized in a Woody Guthrie protest song.

New York State offers a variety of spectacular natural settings—mountains and valleys, lakes, rivers, and sea and shore. Provided here is the historical and geologic background necessary for the full enjoyment of these scenic pleasures. Both native and visitor alike will appreciate the local lore surrounding our most fascinating scenic localities, and the geologic information will enhance their delight in each panorama. Included are: Niagara, The Ridge Road, The Rock Cities, Allegany State Park, Allegheny Reservoir, Letchworth State Park, Mendon Ponds Park, The Finger Lakes, Harris Hill, Watkins Glen, Enfield Glen, Taughannock Falls, Ithaca College Campus, Mormon Hill, Chimney Bluffs, Montezuma Marshes, Clark Reservation, Little Falls Gorge, Moreland Park, Whetstone Gulf, The Thousand Islands, The Adirondacks, Mount McGregor, Prospect Mountain, Lake George, Mount Defiance, Gore Mountain, Indian Pass, Blue Mountain Lake, Long Lake, Lower Ausable lake, High Falls Gorge, Whiteface, Mount Marcy, Ausable Chasm, Cohoes Falls, The Indian Ladder, Howe Caverns, The Taconic Range, Bash Bish Falls, The Catskills, Wall of Manitou, Kaaterskill Falls, Scenic Chair Lifts, Mohonk and Minnewaska, Sam's Point, Mount Beacon, Storm King Mountain, West Point, Bear Mountain, The Palisades, Ward Pound Ridge, Central Park, Fort Tryon Park, Inwood Hill Park, Bronx Park, Fort Wadsworth, Prospect Park, The Great Sand Barriers, Caumsett State Park, Orient Point, Hither Hills, Montauk Point, Byways and Detours.

The editor, Cheryl Dunbar Kahlke, has woven five written accounts about Fire Island into a very readable book, generously complemented with photographs and postcards of the 1920s to the 1940s era. The five narratives are universal in emotion and yet simultaneously immensely personal in detail. That private quality triggers the reader's sensation of a personal knowledge of the feelings and experiences of each. In addition, each tale is enhanced by that presenter's honest abandon as they penned their memories in their own vernacular and individual colloquial style.Overall, the subject matter, Fire Island, universalizes the outpourings. Factual and historic details in timelines, maps, charts, newspaper articles, and other memorabilia add to the book. These keep the stories grounded in historic reality, which is useful for those who desire a deeper background of the times.

The book provides new perspectives from leading researchers accentuating and examining the central role of the built environment in conceiving and implementing multifaceted solutions for the complex challenges of climate change, revealing critical potentials for architecture and design to contribute in more informed and long-term ways to the urgent transition of our society. The book offers a compilation of peer-reviewed papers that uniquely connects knowledge broadly across practice and academia, from the newest technologies and methods to indigenous knowledge, community engagement, techniques for ecosystem regeneration, nature-based solutions, and more. The book is part of a series of six volumes that explore the agency of the built environment in relation to the SDGs through new research conducted by leading researchers. The series is led by editors Mette Ramsgaard Thomsen and Martin Tamke in collaboration with the theme editors: - Design for Climate Adaptation: Billie Faircloth and Maibritt Pedersen Zari - Design for Rethinking Resources: Carlo Ratti and Mette Ramsgaard Thomsen (Eds.) - Design for Resilient Communities: Anna Rubbo and Juan Du (Eds.) - Design for Health: Arif Hasan and Christian Benimana (Eds.) - Design for Inclusivity: Magda Mostafa and Ruth Baumeister (Eds.) - Design for Partnerships for Change: Sandi Hilal and Merve Bedir (Eds.)

By the close of World War II, Long Island had transformed from a rural corridor to a suburban behemoth. The region became a nationally recognized manufacturing and innovation hub for the military and possessed one of the fastest-growing middle-class populations in the country. But behind the manicured lawns and cookie-cutter cape homes, locals were adapting to new Cold War conflicts and facing anxieties of a potential nuclear fallout. Secret nuclear missile sites and classified government laboratories were established on the outskirts of Suffolk County, often among unaware residents. Soviet spy rings traversed across the island, seeking to steal industry secrets and monitor military installations. Author Christopher Verga and veteran journalist Karl Grossman bring to life the often overlooked history of the Cold War era in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

The first Fire Island Lighthouse was constructed in 1826 after numerous shipwrecks along the barrier island. A replacement tower built in 1858 incorporated innovations in lighthouse design such as the Fresnel lens. Vessels anchored offshore, known as lightships, augmented the lighthouse for many years. The Coast Guard shut down the site in 1973. Through the efforts of the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society and the National Park Service, the beautiful structure was meticulously restored and the tower relit in 1986. Along with a selection of wonderful color photographs depicting the grandeur of the lighthouse, author Bill Bleyer charts the history of Long Island's cherished Fire Island Lighthouse.