Trinidadian steelbands have been in existence since the 1940s, when Trinidadians turned metal containers left by U.S. military forces stationed in Trinidad and Tobago into musical instruments. The groups were originally formed by young men and teenagers from economically depressed neighborhoods in Trinidad’s capital Port-Of-Spain and subsequently spreading to outlying towns such as Arouca, a […]
John Remsen is a traditional boat builder from Freeport, NY. He is featured in the Freeport Waters exhibit in Freeport.
Listen to Al Grover of Freeport describe his voyage across the Atlantic Ocean in 1985 aboard his verity skiff.
Fred Scopinich comes from a long line of boat builders. In the early 1900s they built traditional fishing boats for Freeport residents. During the 1920s they built vessels for both rum runners and law enforcement. Like other builders during the two world wars they built military craft for the navy and other defense agencies. After […]
Long Island Traditions sponsors “Boating with the Baymen” a boat tour with local baymen and other maritime tradition bearers. This event is a unique educational opportunity to learn about the traditions of local baymen, commercial fishermen, decoy carvers, boat builders, clamshell artists, and other tradition bearers whose families have lived on the water for several […]
For information on our upcoming Bay House Tours, visit our Events page. Since 1992, Long Island Traditions has sponsored a bay house tour in Freeport. Bay houses are small shacks that stand on the marshlands that were originally built in the 1700 and 1800s by fishermen, baymen, and duck hunters for shelter while they harvested […]
On The Bay is a book on the bay houses within the Town of Hempstead. Written by Nancy Solomon, executive director of Long Island Traditions, the book documents the architecture of these unique structures originally built by baymen, fishermen and duck hunters in the early 19th century for shelter while clamming, fishing, harvesting salt hay or […]
Long Island Traditions, in collaboration with City Lore and the Village of Freeport, installed Freeport Waters,, a permanent trail of artful signage that highlights the personal stories, histories, and traditions of Woodcleft Canal, also known as the Nautical Mile. Woodcleft Canal is a major historic working waterfront corridor that is the site of various historic buildings including the Freeport […]
Western Nassau Western Nassau: Atlantic Beach, Long Beach, Point Lookout, Freeport, Baldwin and Merrick This region was originally settled by Dutch merchant traders in the 1600s, looking to transport goods to Europe and to New Amsterdam, later renamed New York when the English conquered the area. They came to the south shore, working as traders, […]
South Shore Survey Welcome to the survey and nomination section of the South Shore Estuary Reserve portal site. In 2004 LI Traditions conducted a maritime survey of the communities spanning from Oakdale to Brookhaven Hamlet, focusing on boat yards, fishermen and baymen, duck hunters and decoy carvers, summer homes, bungalows and commercial fishing operations. Visit […]