George Combs comes from a long line of baymen and rum runners in Freeport. Listen to his stories about the legendary Bill McCoy and other characters during Prohibition.
The 1920s was an interesting time on Long Island, with the passage of the Volstead Act that prohibited the importing and consuming of alcoholic beverages, ushering in the prohibition era. Many residents turned to local baymen and other boat owners to help satisfy their demand for wine and liquor through illegal smuggling and homegrown moonshine. […]
Story about the rum runners and the bay houses by Michael Combs and Carmine Marinaccio
Bay house owners face unique challenges in building and preserving their homes, due to their location in a precarious maritime environment. Storms and hurricanes, along with frequent vandalism routinely threaten these fragile structures. Hurricane Sandy in 2012 destroyed many of the bay houses, but some remain. Hard work and labor are necessary to maintain the […]
Throughout the 19th and 20th century Long Island has been the home of many boat builders, ranging from traditional boat builders such as Gil Smith of Patchogue, who constructed garveys and skiffs for local baymen, to the Scopinich & Maresca boat yards that outfitted coast guard vessels and commercial fishing boats. Numerous industries supported this […]
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 […]
Boatyards There have been many boatyards throughout the estuary that provided commercial fishermen with draggers or trawlers, garveys, skiffs, dories, and other watercraft used in both the bay and the ocean. In addition there have been boatyards, mostly in the 20th century, who specialize in recreational boats ranging from luxurious yachts to simple skiffs able […]
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 […]
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 […]
Long Island Herald reviews the opening of the Freeport Nautical Mile exhibit Read the full article. Article courtesy of LI Herald
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