This chapter traces the dramatic transformation of Long Island from an exclusive enclave into the centerpiece of a bold new vision for public parks and recreation. Set against the backdrop of New York City’s explosive growth in the early twentieth century, the narrative explores how shifting social, economic, and political forces shaped the fight for access to green spaces. At the heart of this story is Robert Moses, whose determination would ultimately open Long Island’s landscapes to the public.
The story opens in the 1920s, a time when New York City’s population was soaring and undeveloped land within city limits was quickly disappearing. Reformers recognized the urgent need for parks—often described as the “lungs of the city”—but found themselves hampered by high land prices and competing urban priorities. Meanwhile, changes in American life, such as shorter workweeks and the rise of the automobile, gave city dwellers new freedom to seek recreation. Yet, their options were limited. Westchester’s parks were off-limits to outsiders, and while the Palisades Interstate Park was technically open, poor transportation made it nearly unreachable. Overcrowding plagued the few available spaces, pushing reformers to look beyond the city for solutions.
Long Island soon emerged as a promising alternative. Beyond the dense neighborhoods of Brooklyn and Queens lay vast stretches of open land, shaped by ancient glaciers into a landscape of bays, ridges, and dramatic coastlines. The chapter discusses this natural history, but also highlights the social barriers that kept these spaces out of reach. Local baymen, fiercely protective of their fishing grounds, enforced exclusivity through leases and ordinances. Some farmers, even aligned with the Ku Klux Klan, actively worked to keep city residents out of Suffolk County parks. Most daunting of all was the wealth and influence of America’s elite, who had transformed Long Island into their private playground.
The book paints a vivid picture of the so-called “Gold Coast,” where industrial giants like J.P. Morgan and John D. Rockefeller built lavish estates and surrounded themselves with luxury and privacy. These magnates wielded enormous power, using private guards, restrictive laws, and political connections to keep outsiders away. Public roads were neglected, the Long Island Rail Road was manipulated to discourage visitors, and nearly the entire shoreline was privatized. The few public beaches that did exist were overcrowded and uninviting, and even rare exceptions—a small beach owned by a generous widow or a federal lighthouse—were eventually closed off by legal or physical barriers.
For most New Yorkers, the dream of enjoying Long Island’s natural beauty remained out of reach. With public parks scarce and access tightly controlled, families made do by picnicking in cemeteries or on farms. Reformers’ efforts to create public parks were repeatedly blocked by the entrenched interests of wealthy landowners, leaving advocates frustrated and discouraged. Even Robert Moses, who would become the movement’s leading figure, found himself drawn to the South Shore’s wild landscapes, a reminder of both the island’s allure and its inaccessibility.
Moses’s curiosity led him to discover thousands of acres of woodland and water that Brooklyn had acquired decades earlier for water supply but never used. With official permission, he explored these hidden tracts—forests, ponds, and meadows—and began to imagine them as vibrant public parks, filled with recreational facilities rather than just passive green spaces. His vision extended to the barrier beaches, including Fire Island and Jones Beach, where he saw the potential for a grand public bathing beach, accessible by a landscaped parkway inspired by the Bronx River Parkway.
As Moses explored neglected estates and wild stretches of land, his ambitions grew. He envisioned transforming these spaces into parks with golf courses, bridle paths, and wildlife enclosures. Recognizing the shortcomings of New York State’s fragmented and underfunded park system, he proposed a sweeping plan: a $15 million bond for land acquisition and improvements, the creation of regional park commissions, and a central council to coordinate efforts. His approach blended conservation with recreation and, above all, emphasized accessibility for everyone.
The chapter closes with Moses’s campaign to win political support for his vision. Although Governor Al Smith was initially skeptical, Moses’s persuasive arguments and the groundswell of public enthusiasm eventually won him over. Impressed by Moses’s relentless drive and sweeping plans for a network of parks and parkways—spanning forty thousand acres and 124 miles of scenic roads—Smith appointed him to lead the Long Island State Park Commission. In doing so, the chapter sets the stage for a movement that would forever change Long Island, opening its natural beauty to generations of New Yorkers.