New York Magazine - 19.08.2019 - 01.09.2019

LOWERBAY

SWINBURNE

From a 1929 newspaper report: “Swinburne Island,

abandoned Federal plague station, known and dreaded by superstitious immigrants as the Island of the Dead, has been despoiled by vandals from Staten Island beaches nearby. Drunken bathers ofboth sexes have broken into the mortuary. Using the old crematory as the scene of their destruction, theyhavesmasheddozensofurns, scattering to the winds theashesofforeignerswhodied at America’s gateway.”

JAMAICA

BAY

RUFFLEBAR

On Seper 2, 9, and16in1888,theWindwardClubRaces,

an a yachtingcontest,wereheldonaten-milecoursefromBarIslandinJamaicaBay.“Fourveryhandsome

silvercreofferedbytheclubforthefirstandsecondboats

ineass,”wrotetheboatingcorrespondentfortheNewYork‘SThebayoffersunusualinducementsforsmallcraftandursailers[sic],andhasalargenumberofeach.

Theboaeareputationofbeingasfastastheycanmake’em.”

LONGISLANDSOUND
SOUTH BROTHER

Cl

aimed for the Dutch West India Company in 1614 by Captain Adriaen

Block (namer and claimer of Rhode Island’s Block Island), South Brother

hasbeenmanythings:thesummerhome,startingin1894,ofJacobRuppert, abrewerandtheowneroftheNewYorkYankeeswhenBabeRuthwason

theteam;thesiteofthe1901Bronxbaseballchampionship;aworkers’retreatasenvisagedbyJohnGerosa,aroofing-companypresident,

whoplannedcottagesonthesevenacres;andaheronsanctuary,

afterthecity,attheurgingoftheAudubonSociety,boughtitin2007.

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