Fire Island New York NY Warrant Search

Fire Island Fire Island is a barrier island adjacent to the south shore of Long Island, New York. It is approximately 50 km (31 miles) long and varies between 160 m (0.1 mile) and 400 m (0.25 mile) wide. Fire Island is part of Suffolk County. It comprises a number of hamlets, census-designated places (CDP)s, and villages, all of which lie within the towns of Islip, Brookhaven and Babylon.The land area of Fire Island is 22.5 km2 (8.687 sq. mi.). According to the 2000 census there is a permanent population of 491, expanding to hundreds of thousands of residents and tourists during the summer months. Geography Fire Island is approximately 8.9 km (5½ miles) south of Long Island, but varies widely. It is separated from Long Island by a series of interconnected bays: Great South Bay, Patchogue Bay, Bellport Bay, Narrow Bay, and Moriches Bay. The island is accessible by automobile via Robert Moses Causeway on its western end and by William Floyd Parkway (Suffolk County Road 46) near its eastern end. Motor vehicles are not permitted on the rest of the Island, except for utility, construction and emergency access and with limited beach driving permits in winter. The island and its resort towns are accessible by boat, seaplane and a number of ferries, which depart from both Bay Shore and Sayville.Fire Island is located at 40° 39' 35' North, 73° 5' 23' West (40.653188, -73.125795). According to the United States Census Bureau, Fire Island has a total area of 22.64 km2 (8.742 mi2), which includes 0.1415 km2 of water. 2009 Beach Renourishment In the winter and spring of 2009, a beach renourishment project was undertaken on Fire Island, with the cooperation of the National Park Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Towns of Brookhaven and Islip and Fire Island residents. The renourishment program involved dredging sand from an offshore borrow area, pumping it onto the beach and shaping the sand into an approved beach face and dune template in front of the communities of Corneille Estates, Davis Park, Dunewood, Fair Harbor, Fire Island Pines, Fire Island Summer Club, Lonelyville, Ocean Bay Park, Ocean Beach, Saltaire, and Seaview. Fire Islanders agreed to a significant property tax increase to help pay for the project, which was estimated to cost between $23 and $25 million, including the cost of environmental monitoring, and was expected to add 1.376×106 cubic meters (1.8 million cubic yards) of sand in front of the participating communities. The Towns of Brookhaven and Islip, in which the communities are located, issued bonds to pay for the project, backed by the new taxes levied by community Erosion Control Taxing Districts. Geographical history The physical attributes of the island have changed over time and it continues to change. At one point it stretched more than 60 miles (97 km) from Jones Beach Island to Southampton.Around 1683, Fire Island Inlet broke through, separating it from Jones Beach Island.The Fire Island Inlet was to grow to nine miles (14 km) in width before receding. The Fire Island Lighthouse was built in 1858, right on the inlet, but Fire Island's western terminus at Democrat Point has steadily moved west so that the lighthouse today is six miles (10 km) from the inlet.Fire Island separated from Southampton in a 1931 Nor'easter when Moriches Inlet broke through. Moriches Inlet and efforts by local communities east of Fire Island to protect their beach front with jetties have led to an interruption in the longshore drift of sand going from east to west and is blamed for erosion of the Fire Island beachfront. Between these major breaks there have been reports over the years of at least six inlets that broke through the island but have since disappeared. Etymology The origin of Fire Island's name is not certain. It is believed its Native American name was Sictem Hackey, which translated to 'Land of the Secatogues'. The Secatogues were a tribe in the Bay Shore, New York, area. It was part of what was also called the 'Seal Islands.'Historian Richard Bayles suggested that the name Fire derives from a misinterpretation or corruption of the Dutch word 'vijf' ('five') or in another version 'vier' ('four') referring to the number of islands near the Fire Island inlet.At times histories have referred to it in the plural, as 'Fire Islands', because of the inlet breaks.Other versions say the island derived its name from fires built on the sea's edge by Native Americans or by pirates to lure unsuspecting ships into the sandbars. Some say it is how portions of the island look to be on fire from sea in the Autumn. Yet another version says it comes from the rash caused by poison ivy on the island.The name of Fire Island first appeared on a deed in 1789.While the western portion of the island was referred to as Fire Island for many years, the eastern portion was referred to as Great South Beach until 1920, when widespread development of the island caused the whole island to be referred to as Fire Island. Settlement William 'Tangier' Smith held title to the entire island in the 17th century, under a royal patent from Thomas Dongan. The remnants of Smith's Manor of St. George are open to the public in Shirley, New York.The first large house was built in 1795 in Cherry Grove by Jeremiah Smith. Smith was said to have lured ships to their doom and killed the crews. In the early 19th century, whenslaverywas still legal in New York, slave runners built stockades on the island by the Fire Island Inlet. The first Fire Island Lighthouse was built in 1825 and was replaced by the current lighthouse in 1858. In 1855, David S.S. Sammis bought 120 acres (0.49 km2) near the Fire Island Lighthouse and built the Surf Hotel at what today is Kismet. Sammis operated the hotel until 1892, when the state took it over. In 1908, it became the first state park on Long Island. In 1868, Archer and Elizabeth Perkinson bought the land around Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines. They built a hotel in 1880. In 1887, the Coast Guard established 11 manned lifesaving stations on the island. In 1892, troops were called out to suppress a potential riot at Democrat Point over a cholera panic. In 1908, Ocean Beach was established, followed by Saltaire in 1910. In 1921, the Perkinsons sold the land around Cherry Grove in small lots. Bungalows from the newly closedCamp UptoninYaphank, New Yorkwere ferried over the Great South Bay to build the new community. Duffy's Hotel was built in 1930. TheGreat Hurricane of 1938devastated much of the island and made it appear undesirable to many. However, Duffy's Hotel remained relatively undamaged. According to legend, the gay population began to concentrate in Cherry Grove at Duffy's Hotel withChristopher IsherwoodandW. H. Audendressed asDionysusandGanymedeand carried aloft on a gilded litter by a group of singing followers.The gay influence was continued in the 1960s when male modelJohn B. Whytedeveloped Fire Island Pines. The Pines currently has some of the most expensive property on the island and accounts for two-thirds of the island's swimming pools. In 1954,Robert Mosesbuilt theCaptree Causewayto the western end of the island. Opponents, fearing that this was the beginning of plans for the continuation ofOcean Parkway, which would have run down the middle of the island, organized and eventually stopped the Parkway. In September 1964,Lyndon Johnsonsigned the bill creating Fire Island National Seashore. Landmarks and preserves Except for the western 4½ miles (7.5 km) of the island, the island is protected as part of Fire Island National Seashore. Robert Moses State Park, occupying the remaining western portion of the island, is one of the popular recreational destinations in the New York City area. The Fire Island Light stands just east of Robert Moses State Park.A memorial toTWA 800is located on the eastern end atSmith Point County Parknear where it crashed. Inhabitants The incorporated villages of Ocean Beach and Saltaire within Fire Island National Seashore are car-free during the summer tourist season (Memorial Day through Labor Day) and permit only pedestrian and bicycle traffic (during certain hours only in Ocean Beach). For off-season use, there are a limited number of driving permits for year-round residents and contractors. The hamlet of Davis Park allows no vehicles or bicycles year-round. Fire Island also contains a number of unincorporated villages (hamlets). Two of these hamlets, known as the Fire Island Pines and Cherry Grove, are popular destinations for LGBT vacationers.Beach erosion, largely due to construction of jetties at the Moriches Inlet, opened naturally by a storm in 1931 and widened Sept 21st 1938 Hurricane of 1938, is described in a report on the geological effects of the Hurricane of 1938. Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 491 people, 138 households, and 77 families residing on Fire Island (which includes many other communities besides Cherry Grove). The population density was 52.82/mi2 (21.82/km2). There were 4,153 housing units, at an average density of 478.1/mi2 (184.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.77% White, 0.65% Asian, 0.32% Pacific Islander, 0.65% from other races, and 1.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.90% of the population.There were 138 households on Fire Island, out of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 2.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.2% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.90.Fire Island's population was spread out with 20.6% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 33.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 133.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 143.6 males.The median income for a household on Fire Island was $73,281, and the median income for a family was $83,672. Males had a median income of $46,875 versus $41,429 for females. The per capita income for Fire Island was $43,681. 0.0% of families and 3.1% of individuals were below the poverty line, including 0.0% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over. In popular culture Frank Perry's Last Summer (1969), adapted by Eleanor Perry from Evan Hunter's novel about a summer of sexual discovery on Fire Island, brought an Oscar nomination for actress Catherine BurnsThe American writer Patricia Nell Warren, known as 'the mother of Frontrunners' — the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender running/walking clubs — locates parts of her 1974 best-selling novel 'The Front Runner', as well as of 'Harlan's Race', a 1994 sequel thereof, on Fire Island.The song 'Come to Me' has been described as 'the definitive Fire Island dance classic' because of the legendary beach concert performance by the 16-year-old France Joli before an oceanfront Fire Island audience of 5000 on July 7, 1979. When Donna Summer cancelled at the last minute, Joli stepped in as a replacement and became an overnight sensation. When Ocean Meets Sky, a 2003 documentary detailing the 50-year history of the Fire Island Pines community, had its television premiere on June 10, 2006. The film includes much previously unseen archival footage.Garbo Talks (1984) has scenes of the Fire Island ferry. Longtime Companion (1990) is a drama that recreates chronologically the spread of AIDS during the 1980s. Returning Mickey Stern (2003) was shot almost entirely in Seaview and Ocean Beach; the entire cast and crew were housed on Fire Island.The Post Office scene in Men in Black II was shot outside the Fire Island Lighthouse. The mockumentary Beach Comber was filmed on Fire Island in 2004. ABC's reality show One Ocean View (2006) was shot on Fire Island. Fire Island is also the setting of Terrence McNally's play Lips Together, Teeth Apart.The 1977 Judas Priest song 'Raw Deal' has the line, 'A couple cards played rough stuff, New York, Fire Island'. Tanya Donelly's 1997 song 'Pretty Deep' has the line, 'Remember when we all went out to Fire Island / You thought you saw a body on the beach / When we got closer it was just a tire'. The song 'Gay Messiah' on the 2004 album Want Two by Rufus Wainwright makes a reference to the popularity of Fire Island for gay and lesbian tourists, remarking that when the 'gay messiah' comes, 'He will fall from the star / of Studio 54 / and appear on the sand / of Fire Island's shore'. The 2003 album Welcome Interstate Managers by Fountains of Wayne featured the song 'Fire Island' about two siblings' home-alone shenanigans while their parents vacation on the island.The Village People included a song titled 'Fire Island' on their 1977 debut album, Village People. In the song, they refer to the island as 'a funky weekend' and mention several locations on the island such as the Ice Palace, the Monster, the Blue Whale, and the Sandpiper. The song also includes the warning 'Don't go in the bushes' because 'someone might grab ya' or 'someone might stab ya.'In the 2008 movie, The Wackness, the Squires family have a beach house on Fire Island that is used in at least two scenes.Fire Island is featured prominently in Ann Brashares's 2008 novel The Last Summer (of You and Me), about two sisters and a friend who grow up together, vacationing on the island every summer.Fire Island is repeatedly referenced on the NBC sitcom Will and Grace. Many references are made to the adventures had by Will Truman and Jack McFarland during their vacations on Fire Island. The impression given in the references is that gay people are welcome and there is a loosening of one's inhibitions when there.Fire Island serves dual meanings as both a vacation destination and a homoerotic euphemism in 'Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim' by David Sedaris. In the story 'Blood Work,' David describes an instance in which he is mistaken for an erotic housekeeper and his would-be John makes frequent and emphatic mention of FIRE ISLAND as a secret code. Ignoring the awkward advances and a travel brochure featuring scantily clad men, David's only response is to ask 'do you bring your Mother to Fire Island?'Fire Island is the location of Burt Hirschfeld's 1970s best-selling novel entitled 'Fire Island'. It is the story of some show-business and television people who spend their summers with their families on the island. Locations Following are the locations on the island from west to east. Town of Babylon Fire Island Inlet Robert Moses State Park(part) Town of Islip Atlantique Corneille Estates Dunewood Fair Harbor Fire Island Light Fire Island Summer Club Kismet Lonelyville Ocean Beach(village) Robert Moses State Park(part) Robbins Rest Saltaire(village) Seabay Beach Seaview Town of Brookhaven Fire Island Wilderness Bellport Beach Blue Point Beach Cherry Grove Davis Park/Ocean Ridge Fire Island Pines Moriches Inlet Oakleyville Ocean Bay Park Otis Pike Wilderness Smith Point County Park Sunken Forest Talisman/Barrett Beach Watch Hill- National Park Service facility in the central part of the island, including a public marina, camp ground visitor center, and nature trail. Water Island Other small islands around Fire Island The following are associated islands in the Fire Island National Seashore Jurisdiction, from west to east:Sexton Island– A small island across from the Fire Island Lighthouse with approximately 20 small, private, summer houses. There is no ferry service nor electrical service. West Fire Island– A small island with about a dozen houses. It has no telephone or electrical service. East Fire Island– Another longer and larger island next to West Fire Island, this island, unlike West Fire Island, is uninhabited. People are allowed, although there is no ferry service, so the only way to get there is on your own boat. Ridge Island Pelican Island John Boyle Island Hospital Island Other locations Clam Pond– A small cove between Saltaire and Fair Harbor Famous summer residents After the Manhattan theater community began staying on Fire Island during the 1920s, the island had numerous summer celebrity residents.Gary Beach, Tony award winning actor Tina Fey, creator of30 Rock, stays during the summer at Fair Harbor Henry Fonda built a summer home in the Pines. It is now called Ocean Park