Eastern Nassau Eastern Nassau: Wantagh, Seaford, Massapequa, Amityville and Jones Beach At first glance the eastern part of Nassau County resembles a typical post-war suburban region with few historic maritime structures or activities, in stark contrast to the working waterfronts of Freeport and Point Lookout in the western region. However its past was directly connected […]
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 […]
Fish Markets & Eateries Waterfront hotels and clam bars have marked the landscape of the south shore since the late 19th century, when more visitors, including estate owners, sportsmen and recreational fishermen began exploring the region, during summers and on weekends. Soon afterwards various investors began building summer hotels, from Long Beach to Patchogue, most […]
Summer Bungalows Since the 1870s out of town residents have built summer homes along the south shore, in order to escape the oppressive heat and high population density of New York City. The most popular communities for summer homes were Freeport, Point Lookout, Long Beach, Babylon, Oak Beach, Fire Island, Bay Shore, Patchogue, Blue Point, […]
Bay Houses Bay houses stand on the fragile marshlands in the Town of Islip and the Town of Hempstead. Built by fishermen and baymen, duck hunters and recreational boaters, they come in all shapes and forms, with as many variations as there are builders. Most of the houses that stand today range in age from […]
Commercial Fishing Since the 1700s there has been an active commercial fishing economy on the south shore. Baymen and fishermen have harvested eels, killies, clams, oysters, scallops, blue claw crabs, bait crabs, fluke and flounder and other marine species. While the fishing economy has declined drastically since 1985, when the brown tide decimated the scallop […]
Baymen’s Homes The earliest European colonists were fishermen and baymen, along with farmers and various tradespeople, all of whom depended on each other for their livelihoods. They settled throughout Long Island, with English settlers living primarily on the East End, and Dutch settlers in the western areas. By the mid-1700s English and Dutch families coexisted […]
Maritime Programs One of our main goals as an organization is to help preserve the traditions of commercial and recreational fishermen. Since the 1700s Long Island’s history has centered on the bays, rivers, oceans and estuaries. Baymen have harvested clams, oysters, eels and killies for their living. They have built garveys and duck boats, bay […]
Artist Profiles Long Island Traditions works with a variety of traditional artists and musicians who carry on traditions learned within their families and communities. They include: Ethnic Artists Maritime Artists and Fishermen Occupational Folk Artists Most of these artists are available for public and school programs through Long Island Traditions. To arrange a program, please […]