This chapter traces Robert Moses’s intense ambition and transformative leadership during a crucial era for New York’s parks and parkways, with a spotlight on the creation of Jones Beach and the rapid growth of Long Island’s park system. After a heated dispute over bathhouses, Moses found himself not victorious, but anxious. He realized that Governor Al Smith’s looming departure could jeopardize both his political backing and the future of his grand plans. With time running out, Moses turned August Belmont’s mansion into a bustling headquarters, where he enforced strict deadlines and demanded detailed, fact-based updates from his staff. His relentless work schedule, often stretching from sunrise to midnight, set a grueling pace that his team felt compelled to match. Even during family outings, Moses’s dedication was on full display, inspiring those around him to keep up.
Despite the pressure, Moses managed to foster a sense of unity and excitement among his staff. The demanding environment became a shared adventure, strengthened by a familial atmosphere. He often brought his own family into the workplace and organized informal gatherings that helped colleagues bond. Moses encouraged his team to think creatively, insisting on unique design touches like distinctive bridges and wooden guardrails reinforced with steel cable. He welcomed imaginative ideas, such as the playful signage at Jones Beach. Although he lacked formal training in law or engineering, Moses’s broad knowledge and sweeping vision motivated his team to push beyond their limits, tackling enormous physical and political obstacles with determination.
The building of Jones Beach showcased the scale of these challenges. Moses and his team faced brutal winter weather, with surveyors working in isolation and surviving on little more than pancakes as they completed crucial surveys. They soon discovered that the barrier beach was dangerously low, which meant they had to undertake a massive hydraulic fill operation using the country’s largest dredges. To combat the problem of blowing sand, workers planted millions of clumps of beach grass by hand. When money ran short, Moses didn’t hesitate to borrow $20,000 from his mother to pay the workers, demonstrating his willingness to make personal sacrifices. Legal and political roadblocks, including disputes with wealthy landowners and resistance from Babylon Township, were met with Moses’s characteristic persistence and strategic maneuvering.
The battle for Babylon’s land reached its climax in a contentious referendum. Moses used legal loopholes and manipulated voting procedures to secure the outcome he needed. Although this sparked outrage among locals, it allowed the state to acquire Jones Beach and press ahead with the rapid construction of the Southern State Parkway and causeway. By 1928, Moses had expanded Long Island’s park system from a single park to fourteen, built an extensive network of parkways, and preserved scenic sites upstate, making parks accessible to millions. His accomplishments, closely aligned with his original vision, reshaped the region’s landscape and recreational life, securing his reputation as a visionary builder and public servant.