Hamlet of Barrier Beach Communities (Town of Babylon History Book, Chapter 14)

Town of Babylon History Book - Hamlet of Wheatley Heights (chapter 14; February 2025)

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Hamlet of the Barrier Beach Communities


History Highlights

The first permanent structures built on the barrier beaches were the U.S. Life-Saving Service stations at Oak Beach and Gilgo Beach, in 1872.[1] The Coast Guard took over the Life-Saving Service in 1915, and the Oak Beach station was active through World War II.[2]

Henry Livingston, editor of the South Side Signal newspaper, built the first beach cottage on Oak Island in 1879, named “Little Rest.”[3]

 

U.S. Life-Saving Station at Oak Beach, circa 1910 (left). Oak Beach Inn, circa 1935 (right).

Prior to the construction of bridges across the Great South Bay, ferry boats transported visitors to the oceanfront beaches and hotels. Sidney Van Nostrand’s Pavilion at Oak Beach and the Wa Wa Yanda clubhouse on Captree Island were premier destinations for summer travelers from New York City in the early 1900s. The Oak Beach Inn, built in 1935, replaced the Oak Beach Pavilion as a popular social spot.[4]

The West Gilgo Beach community was formed when residents of High Hill, a Nassau County beach community, were forced to relocate for the 1940s expansion of Ocean Parkway. More than 60 of 80 High Hill cottages were moved to West Gilgo Beach, within the Town of Babylon.[5]

A postcard from High Hill, circa 1910.

In 1897, spouses Dr. Edward H. Muncie and Dr. Elizabeth H. Muncie opened their namesake sanitarium on the family island. The Muncie Sanitarium, a medical facility and health resort, was later known as the Muncie Hotel. In 1910, the real estate firm Town & Country Estates redeveloped the island for private cottages.[6] Expansion of Ocean Parkway also led to the 1930 elimination of Muncie Island, named for the family who owned the island for more than 100 years.[7]

At left, the Muncies’ sanitarium in Brooklyn and Muncie Island. Above, the Muncie Island Hotel and a cottage, circa 1920.


What is a Hamlet?

A hamlet is a community. The Town of Babylon is comprised of ten hamlets and three incorporated villages.  The hamlets are: Copiague Ÿ Deer Park Ÿ East Farmingdale Ÿ North Amityville Ÿ North Babylon Ÿ North Lindenhurst Ÿ West Babylon Ÿ Wheatley Heights Ÿ Wyandanch Ÿ And, the barrier beach communities of Captree Island, Gilgo Beach, Oak Beach, Oak Island and West Gilgo Beach.

Local governments in the state of New York include counties, cities, towns and villages. The communities within Town governments are known as “hamlets.” The term “hamlet” does not have a legal definition under NYS law, but is used to identify communities within Towns (such as the Town of Babylon) that are not part of incorporated villages, sometimes referred to as “unincorporated communities.”

A hamlet does not have its own government and is under the jurisdiction of its Town for municipal services (e.g. garbage pick-up, building codes). Causing great confusion … hamlets have no official boundaries. (Outside of the state of New York, the term “hamlet” is rarely used.) The beach communities are counted as one by the U.S. Census Designated Place (CDP).

Muncie Island from Atlas of Part of Suffolk County, Long Island, New York, South Side – Ocean Shore, Volume One; published by E. Belcher Hyde. Pathways and house lots were designed for the island community but relatively few houses were built before the island was seized by the state for the construction of Ocean Parkway. There are several accounts of having cottages moved from Muncie Island – by floating them on small barges – to house lots in Babylon and Amityville. 


A Brief Look at Population of the Barrier Beach Communities

When it separated from the Town of Huntington in 1872, the Town of Babylon had a population of about 3,000 people. The chart below illustrates the population growth of barrier beach communities and the Town of Babylon over the past century. All Town of Babylon communities on the barrier island are counted as one CDP.



In the Town of Babylon, the largest and fastest increase in population occurred after World War II, commonly referred to as the “Suburban Population Boom.” From 1940 to 1960, the population of the Town of Babylon increased by 485%. The rapid increase of residents brought an increased need for housing, schools, road improvements, stores and commercial developments, and employment. In those short decades, much of the Town of Babylon and its communities changed from rural countryside to suburban neighborhoods.


Map of Oak Island Beach from Atlas of Suffolk County, Long Island, New York, Merritt B. Hyde; Published by E. B. Hyde, 1902. Historically, Oak Beach Island (sometimes, Oak Island) was a large barrier island that extended from around the Nassau County border on the west and Captree Island on the east.  Jones Island or Jones Beach Island was to its west.  These names are found on maps up through the mid-1900s.  This 1902 map shows Oak Island Beach (the large, long island) and Oak Island (the small island we identify as Oak Island today).

The 1930s construction of Ocean Parkway obliterated any denotation of the larger Oak Beach Island, by “joining” the island with a roadway.  Today, this lack of distinction between the islands can make it confusing to interpret old maps.  The name “Jones Island” is often extended from the Nassau County Jones Beach area to Captree Island, obscuring the name Oak Island Beach, as if it never existed.


Barrier Beach Communities – the Name, the Zip Code, Etc.

The Town of Babylon’s barrier beach communities, from west to east, are: West Gilgo Beach, Gilgo Beach, Oak Island, Oak Beach and Oak Beach Association, and the western part of Captree Island.  Here is a brief look at some community names:

Captree – Reportedly, the name Captree appears on nautical maps and charts dating back to the 17th century.  In the collection of Huntington Town Records, the name “Cap tree” first appears in a lease dated June 1, 1802.[9]  Throughout the Huntington Town Records both Cap Tree and Captree are used.

Oak (beach/island) – Books about Long Island, written in the 1600-1800s, often describe that the landscape was covered in scrub oak and pine trees.  The scrub oak may have been an inspiration in naming the area “Oak.”  In 1913, some of the boardwalks at Oak Beach were named for local shipwrecks:

  • Savannah Walk – wrecked in 1821, it was the first American steamboat to cross the Atlantic Ocean.
  • Brilliant Walk – wrecked in 1831; it washed up near the shore, allowing people to get to safety.
  • Drumelzia Avenue – wreaked in 1904, on Christmas Day; no lives were lost.
  • Sullivan Street – wrecked in 1852, on New Year’s Day.
  • Elizabeth Street (no longer exists) – wrecked 1850; among those who died was Margaret Fuller, a well-known writer and suffragist.

Gilgo – There is a widely circulated story that the name “Gilgo” was derived from a man named Gil Burch, a fisherman whose family lived on the South Shore, across the Great South Bay from Gilgo Inlet.  It has been said that people wanted to go to the fishing spot used by Gil Burch and it became the place where “Gil Goes.”

A few “Gils,” all of whom were born in the 1800s, have been reported to be the “Gil” who inspired the name.  However, in the Huntington Town Record, the first record of the name Gilgo appears in 1793, well before those “Gils” were born. The Gil Burch story is a fun tale, but appears to be a myth.[10] 

Another vague story attributes the name to a North Carolina family named “Gilgo” who had a son named Wallis Gilgo (born around 1826) who worked as a seaman along the Atlantic coast in the mid-to-late 1800s. Federal censuses recorded Gilgo family members in and around Carteret County, North Carolina all through the 19th century, but no connection to New York or Long Island has been ascertained. Again, the story appears to be a myth. [11]

As listed, there are five distinct communities on the Town of Babylon’s barrier islands.  By road, West Gilgo is about 8-miles from Captree Island, but for the purposes of postal and municipal services, the communities are similar.  They are all part of the Babylon School District, the Babylon Postal District (using zip-code 11702), and are protected by the Babylon Fire Department.  Here are examples of addresses in these beach communities:



Babylon School District

The Town of Babylon barrier beach communities of Captree Island, Oak Beach, Oak Island, Gilgo Beach and West Gilgo are part of the Babylon School District, including the Babylon Public Library. On the mainland, the Babylon School District is generally bounded by Little East Neck Road (north of Main Street) on the west, Route 231 on the east, and extends north to a few streets south of Sunrise Highway.

School district boundaries were established in the early-1800s. Prior to 1872, it was known as Town of Huntington School District No. 21.[12] After the Town of Babylon separated from Huntington in 1872, it became known as Town of Babylon School District No. 1, before the name Babylon Union Free School District was adopted in the early 1900s.


 Built in 1893-1894 as the Babylon Union School, the building later became the high school. Although the school has been expanded several times, and no longer reflects the style shown in this c. 1910 postcard, the original 1893 cornerstone (right) is displayed within the schools corridors. At the left corner of the postcard image, the Capt. Joel Cook monument is shown in its original location. School expansion required the monument to be relocated to Argyle Park in 1957. [13]

The first Babylon school was established in 1805. The small school was located on Main Street, and it was privately owned by a group of local residents. In 1818, the school was purchased by Town of Huntington School District No. 21, and became a public school. The school was relocated to George Street in 1859 and, in 1893, a four-story brick school was erected at the corner of North Carll Avenue and Grove Place. [14]

Although commonly referred to as Babylon High School, it served students of all grades until the two elementary schools were constructed. Babylon Memorial Grade School was named in memorial to honor local veterans.

School District Mascot – Panthers

School District Colors – Orange and Black

  • Babylon Junior-Senior High School – opened 1894 [15]
  • Babylon Memorial Grade School – opened 1955 [16]
  • Babylon Elementary School – opened 1965 [17]

Babylon Union Free School District, Central Administration, 50 Railroad Avenue, Babylon, NY 11702 – http://www.babylon.k12.ny.us/

 

 

Babylon Public Library

The origin of the Babylon Public Library dates back to a private group known as the Babylon Book Circle, formed by Adelaide Arnold, Loreign Reid and Louise A. Sammis, in 1887. Charter members paid $3 per year and exchanged books among themselves. The Book Circle occupied rented spaces through the downtown for several years.

In 1895, the Babylon Library Association was incorporated by Lillian H. Fishel (later Lillian Oliver), Antoinette Sammis, Lulu Fishel and James W. Eaton.[18] The library association held fairs and fundraisers for a permanent building, which dedicated on October 23, 1911.[19] The library was still a private organization and members paid dues of $2 per year. In 1933, the Village of Babylon subsidized the library with $2,000 and it became a public library, open for free use by village residents.[20]

In 1964, the Babylon School District assumed support of the library, by a vote of the residents. Community needs outgrew the small building and, in 1966, residents voted to erect a new library on South Carll Avenue, which was dedicated on December 14, 1968.[21] The old library building is now the Village History Museum.

 

A view of the Babylon Library before its 2006 renovation (left). Scultped by Peggy Mach,"Sea Dreams" was installed in front of the library, August 1983,  by the Babylon Beautification Society (right). Images courtesy of the Village of Babylon Historical & Preservation Society.

In 2006, the Babylon Library celebrated a grand re-opening following a renovation and expansion from 10,000 to 18,000 sq. ft. of space.[22] The library serves the Babylon School District, as described above.

Babylon Public Library, 24 South Carll Avenue, Babylon, NY 11702 – (631) 669-1624 – www.babylonlibrary.org


Babylon Fire Department

            The Town of Babylon barrier beach communities of Captree Island, Oak Beach, Oak Island, Gilgo Beach and West Gilgo are part of the fire district protected by the Babylon Fire Department.

The first effort to form a fire department in Babylon was in 1874, but the company disbanded. But, an 1876 fire at the American House stables hastened residents’ desire for local fire protection. Henry Livingston, editor of the South Side Signal newspaper, called for a series of public meetings that led to the formation of Hook & Ladder Co. No. 1 on December 1, 1877.

 

Babylon Fire Department, 1951 American LaFrance ladder truck, at the headquarters.                     Image courtesy of the Babylon Fire Department.


The petition read: “We, the undersigned, believing that the village of Babylon is in need of protection in case of fire, hereby voluntarily organize ourselves into an association, to be known as Babylon Hook and Ladder Company, No. 1, for the purpose of preventing and extinguishing fires and saving property. It is agreed that ten men, thus enrolled, shall constitute the charter members of the company; and on the completion of this enrollment they shall proceed forthwith to elect officers, adopt proper bylaws for their government; appoint suitable committees, and otherwise complete the organization and prepare for active duty.”; signed by Henry Livingston, John J. Lux, Alanson Weeks, Frank N. Jacobs, John W. Baylis, John T. Brown, Augustus A. Cornelius, Washington F. Norton, Edward V. Brown and Joseph. H. Cummins.

In July 1881, the Eagle Hose Company was formed, later named Storm Engine Company No. 1. The two companies merged in 1881 to form the Babylon Fire Department, with Henry Livingston as the first Chief. The new department was represented by 39 members in the Hook & Ladder Co. and 25 in the Storm Engine Co. The fire headquarters was built on the south side of Grove Place, which opened in 1882. In the early years, church bells were used to alert members for fire response.

The department purchased its first piece of motorized equipment in 1915. In 1926, the Babylon Municipal Building opened with the current Babylon Fire Department headquarters in the north portion of the building, facing South Carll Avenue.

  • Hook & Ladder Co. #1 – organized on December 1, 1877
  • Eagle Hose Company – formed July 1881 (named later changed to Storm Engine Co. #1)
  • Phoenix Hose Co. #1 – formed 1882
  • Sumpwams Hose Co. #2 – formed 1895
  • Argyle Hose Co. #3 – formed 1899
  • Electric Hose Co. #4 – formed 1902
  • Fire Patrol Co. #1 – formed 1931
  • Drum Corp – formed 1958
  • Rescue Squad – formed 1960
  • Drill Team – formed 1970
  • Softball Team – formed 1999
  • Marine Unit – formed 2005

Babylon Fire Department, 153 W. Main Street, Babylon, NY 11702 – (631) 669-1600 (non-emergency) – www.babylonfd.com


Monuments and Memorials

The Town of Babylon September 11th Hometown Memorial, at Overlook and Cedar Beaches. The waterfront memorial honors the lives lost on September 11, 2001, and is inscribed with the names of 48 residents and loved ones from and connected to the Town of Babylon.

Joseph J. Angelini, Jr (FDNY)  –  Joseph J. Angelini, Sr. (FDNY)  –   

Francis H. Brennan  –  Richard M. Caproni  –  Susan M. Clyne  –  Steven Coakley (FDNY)

 – Robert D. Colin  –  Joseph A. Corbett  –  Kevin M. Cosgrove  –  Vincent G. D'Amadeo

 –  Tara E. Debek –  Dep. Chief Raymond M. Downey, Sr. (FDNY)  – 

Andre G. Fletcher (FDNY)  –  Thomas Gambino, Jr. (FDNY)  –  

Lt. Geoffrey E. Guja (FDNY)  –  Lt. David Halderman (FDNY)  –  LeRoy W. Homer, Jr.

 –  William R. Johnston (FDNY)  –  Brian L. Jones  –  Peter J. Langone (FDNY)

 –  Thomas Michasel Langone (NYPD)  –  Gary H. Lee  –  Robert M. Levine

 –  Carlos R. Lillo (FDNY, Paramedic)  –  Catherine L. Loguidice  –  Louise A. Lynch

 –  Debra M. Mannetta  –  Walter A. Matuza, Jr.  –  Terence A. McShane

 –  Raymond M. Meisenheimer (FDNY)  –  Jill A. Metzler  –  Thomas Mingione (FDNY)

 –  Richard T. Muldowney, Jr. (FDNY)  –  Laurence F. Nedell  –  Dennis P. O'Berg (FDNY)

 –  Philip P. Ognibene  –  Peter J. O'Neill, Jr.  –  Michael J. Otten (FDNY)  –  

Christopher Quackenbush  –  Joseph R. Rivelli, Jr. (FDNY)  –  Paul V. Rizza

 –  Paul F. Sarle  –  Stanely S. Smagala, Jr. (FDNY)  –  John A. Spataro

 –  Michelle L. Titolo  –  Det. Joseph Vincent Vigiano (NYPD)

 –  John T. Vigiano, II (FDNY)  –  John W. Wright, Jr.


The Hometown Memorial Committee was comprised of family members of those who lost their lives on 9/11. The committee selected the design proposal for the memorial and oversaw the foundation raising money for the construction of the memorial, located between Overlook and Cedar Beaches.

Individuals and organizations raised funds for the construction of the memorial – there were fundraising dinners, golf outings and drive-in movies, people purchased bricks for a memorial walkway, a school PTA published a cookbook, and handmade quilts were raffled off.

The Town of Babylon September 11th Hometown Memorial was dedicated on September 11th, 2005 [23] in memory of those who lost their lives and were affected by the tragic events on September 11th, 2001.


Town of Babylon September 11th Hometown Memorial. Photographs from the 2005 dedication.


Historical Markers within the Barrier Beach Communities



Books About the History of the Barrier Beach Communities

Local history titles include:

  • Islands of Content: a history of Oak Island, Oak Island Beach and Captree Island, New York, by Tom Morris, Lulu.com, 2016
  • Along the Great South Bay: from Oakdale to Babylon, the Story of a Summer Spa, 1840 to 1940, by Harry W. Havemeyer, Amereon House, 1996
  • Fire Island’s Surf Hotel and Other Hostelries on Fire Island in the 19th Century, by Harry W. Havemeyer, Amereon House, 2006

On March 20, 1906, the United Fruit Company’s steamer Bodo ran aground at Hemlock Beach (now Gilgo Beach). The ship was traveling from the island of Jamaica to New York City, but went off course in a snow storm. Surfmen from the U.S. Life-Saving stations at Gilgo Beach and Oak Beach responded to the scene. No crew were hurt. The boat’s cargo of 20,000 bunches of bananas was spoiled by the cold weather and discarded on the beach.

Regional newspapers gave account of local residents sailing across the bay to witness the scene and take photographs. A group of people from Lindenhurst were stranded on Elder Island overnight on their way back from the beach, due to the freezing weather.

There was speculation that the ship would never be moved. However, after eight days on the beach, tug boats successfully pulled the steamer off the beach and it proceeded to New York City.[24]

 

Town of Babylon Parks & Recreational Facilities

Gilgo Beach and Marina, Ocean Parkway

Ocean Beach facilities include restrooms, a playground, outdoor showers, and Wi-Fi access. 

Marina facility with 57 boat slips on the main dock and a floating dock with 36 slips.  The facility also includes restrooms, outdoor showers, access to the ocean, picnic tables, a playground, grills, pump-out station and free Wi-Fi access. 

Gilgo Beach and Marina, circa 1961

Cedar Beach Bath House, 1948.


Cedar Beach, Marina, Campground and Golf Course, Ocean Parkway

Ocean Beach facilities include restrooms, pavilion, playground, concession, picnic area with grills, basketball and handball courts, and Wi-Fi access.

Marina facility with 63 boat slips on the main dock and a floating dock with 36 slips.  The facility also includes restrooms with showers, picnic tables, a playground, outdoor showers, fishing pier, horseshoe pit, pump out station, and free Wi-Fi access. 

Campground with 41 campsites, each site has electric and water.  The campground is located on the bay side of Ocean Parkway but has access to the ocean.  The facility also includes restrooms with showers, picnic tables, a playground, outdoor showers, fishing pier, horseshoe pit, pump-out station, and free Wi-Fi access.

The Cedar Beach Golf Course is a pitch-putt, Par 3, 18-hole golf course. The course is located on the oceanfront between Overlook and Cedar Beach. Ideal for new golfers, it also affords experienced golfers an opportunity to improve their short game. Golf clubs and balls are on hand for rental. The course is open daily (weather permitting) from May through October and is available for golf outings. The Town also offers youth and adult golf lessons during the summer. 

 

Overlook Beach, Ocean Parkway

Town Residents Only. Ocean Beach facilities include restrooms, playground, concession, a picnic area with grills, outdoor showers, and Wi-Fi access.

Overlook Beach, 1961



Hamlet of the Barrier Beach Communities

[1] “Life-Saving Stations – Long Island Coast Newly Equipped,” The Brooklyn Union, December 24, 1872, p. 3.

[2] “Life Savers to be in Coast Guard Service,” South Side Signal, January 22, 1915, p. 1; “Coast Guard Shuts 9 Suffolk Stations,” Newsday, November 26, 1945, page 4.

[3] “Little Rest Sold,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, August 12, 1900, p. 23; “Long Island Reflected by Pen and Camera – Oak Island and Beach a Unique Pleasure Resort,” The Brooklyn Times, December 7, 1907, p. 26.

[4] “Babylon Whistles for Water Rents,” Times Union (Brooklyn), August 8, 1935, p. 17.

[5] “Nassau Group To Move to Gilgo Beach,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, July 20, 1939, p. 14; “Beach Homes Put on Skids, Moved 7 Mi.,” Daily News, January 4, 1940, p. 4B; “Its Moving Day at Jones Beach,” Daily News, January 27, 1940, p. 20.

[6] “Babylon Local Record,” South Side Signal, July 17, 1897, p. 3; “Muncie Island to be Developed,” South Side Signal, June 18, 1910, p. 1.

[7] “State Seizes Muncie Island.” Babylon Leader, September 26, 1930, p. 1, 4; “State Gets Deed for 502 Acres of Babylon Town Land,” Babylon Leader, January 16, 1931, p. 1, 2.

[8] Population 1960-1980 from "Historical Population of Long Island Communities, 1790-1980: Decennial Census Data,” compiled and edited by State University of New York at Stony Brook Library and Long Island Regional Planning Board, August 1982.

[9] Recorded as “Leases – South Side,” Huntington Town Records, Volume 3, page 210.

[10] For more information:  “Where did the name Gilgo come from?” by Rachel Uda, Newsday, May 10, 2018.

[11] A copy of an undated and unattributed article titled “Gilgo State Park, Long Island, New York,” was shared with the Town Historian’s Office. The article contained Gilgo family history information but did not provide definitive information connecting the North Carolina family with the naming of Gilgo Beach.

[12] “Renumbering the School Districts of Babylon,” South Side Signal, March 30, 1872, p. 2.

[13] “Captain Cook Monument Unveiled – On Anniversary of Evacuation Day,” South Side Signal, November 30, 1907, p. 2; “Capt. Joel Cook Monument,” Babylon Leader, February 21, 1957, p. 1. 

[14] “The Babylon School Site,” Brooklyn Times Union, March 21, 1893, p. 3; “Babylon’s New School,” Brooklyn Times Union, April 24, 1893, p. 3; “Babylon’s New School,” Brooklyn Times Union, June 1, 1893, p. 3; “Babylon School House Dedicated,” Brooklyn Times Union, April 16, 1894, p. 3. 

[15] “Babylon Village School – A Record of 73 Years,” South Side Signal, October 19, 1878, p. 1; “Babylon’s Village School – A History of the Institution from its Beginning to the Present Time,” South Side Signal, April 21, 1894, p. 1.

[16] “Vets to Help Dedicate School,” Newsday, January 22, 1955, p. 16S; “Dedication,” Newsday, January 24, 1955, p. 15S.

[17] “News Briefs,” Newsday, November 12, 1965, p. 17C; “Babylon Holds New PS Rites,” Daily News, November 14, 1965, p. Q8.

[18] “Babylon’s Library Incorporated,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, May 1, 1895, p. 7

[19] “Fair Brigands at Work for Babylon Library,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, July 27, 1911, p. 8; “Open Babylon Library – J.W. Eaton to Make Address at the Opening Exercises Monday,” Brooklyn Times Union, October 20, 1911, p. 9; “Local Library Is Formally Opened,” South Side Signal, October 27, 1911, p. 1.

[20] “Babylon Library to Mark 50th Anniversary Monday,” Newsday, April 28, 1945, p. 11

[21] “4 Men [sic] Formed Babylon Library 73 Years Ago,” Babylon Beacon, April 25, 1968, p. 1-2; “Dedication Set For New Library,” Babylon Beacon, June 6, 1968, p. 1; “Library Nears Completion,” Babylon Beacon, October 10, 1968, p. 1; “Library to Close, Reopen In New Quarters,” Babylon Beacon, November 28, 1968, p. 1; “Booking It,” Newsday, December 4, 1968, p. 15; “Dedication of Library Saturday,” Babylon Beacon, December 12, 1968, p. 1; “New Library Dedication,” Babylon Beacon, December 19, 1968, p. 1; “History of the Babylon Public Library,” Babylon Beacon, April 30, 1970, p. 14-15.

[22] “Facing Growing Pains – Lack of space is a big problem for town’s small public library,” Newsday, June 4, 1995, p. A67, A76.

[23] “A Place to Reflect – Town of Babylon dedicates a memorial to residents killed on 9/11 in one of several solemn anniversary observances held across the region,” by Karla Schuster and Rachel Leifer, Newsday, September 12, 2005, p. 5.


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