Where Is Long Island?
Long Island is part of New York State. Viewed on a map, the island resembles a big fish that swam right up to continental New York. The "tail" of the fish on the East End comprises the North Fork and the South Fork, which are separated by Peconic Bay.
Long Island's beautiful South Shore beaches lie on the Atlantic Ocean, and its North Shore faces Long Island Sound. You can see Connecticut in the distance. Some of the barrier beaches on Long Island's South Shore, including Long Beach, Jones Beach, and Fire Island, are famous for their powder-fine sands. The East River lies between Long Island's western flank and Manhattan.
Very Brief History:
While the English eastern region of Long Island was first settled by the English, the western portion of Long Island was settled by the Dutch; until 1664, the jurisdiction of Long Island was split between the Dutch and English, roughly at the present border between Nassau County and Suffolk County.
How Old is Long Island?
While the island today is most suburbanized (asphalt: everywhere), there is still a lot of evidence of its geological history. Long Island's “basement” bedrock is 230 to 350 million years old and is made of metamorphic rock.
How Was It Formed?
Massive continental glaciers once covered Connecticut, carrying huge amounts of boulders and soil that were deposited to the south after the glaciers melted. "The result is a deposit called till," explains Alden, "a mixture of everything from clay to house-sized boulders."
You can see some boulders which are glacial deposits at the beach at Garvies Point Preserve. For an in-depth look at Long Island's geology and archaeology, consider visiting the Garvies Point Museum, which features exhibits about the geological and early cultural foundations of Long Island.
What is the oldest town on Long Island?
The Oldest Town on Long Island is Southold. Southold Town occupies the extreme north eastern tip of Long Island on what has been termed variously the North Fork, the North Fluke and the North Branch.
Is Long Island Really Long?
Fish-shaped Long Island stretches out for about 118 miles. At its widest, it measures over 20 miles. It is the largest island in the contiguous United States.
What Is the Highest Elevation?
Don't get out your mountain climbing gear or expect to ski down sheer slopes on Long Island. This isn't exactly the Himalayas. Most of Long Island is flat as a pancake. The highest elevation on Long Island is at Jayne's Hill (a.k.a. High Hill), which rises to an underwhelming 400 feet above sea level in Suffolk County. Be thankful that you won't get a nosebleed scaling the heights of Jayne's Hill.
Is Brooklyn Part of Long Island?
Well, yes and no. Brooklyn is geographically on Long Island's western flank. But are Brooklynites Long Islanders? No, because politically, Brooklyn is part of New York City. So geographically, Brooklyn is part of Long Island, but people from Brooklyn are not Long Islanders. That name relates only to people from Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
Is Queens Part of Long Island?
The answer to this is the same as the one about Brooklyn: Yes and no. Queens is the largest of New York City's five boroughs. Although it physically sits on the western flank of Long Island, it is not politically part of Long Island. People who live in Queens are residents of New York City. They pay NYC taxes, vote in NYC elections, and do not pay Long Island property taxes or vote in their local elections, no matter how far east they may live. So Queens residents are not Long Islanders.
Long Island is part of New York State. Viewed on a map, the island resembles a big fish that swam right up to continental New York. The "tail" of the fish on the East End comprises the North Fork and the South Fork, which are separated by Peconic Bay.
Long Island's beautiful South Shore beaches lie on the Atlantic Ocean, and its North Shore faces Long Island Sound. You can see Connecticut in the distance. Some of the barrier beaches on Long Island's South Shore, including Long Beach, Jones Beach, and Fire Island, are famous for their powder-fine sands. The East River lies between Long Island's western flank and Manhattan.
Very Brief History:
While the English eastern region of Long Island was first settled by the English, the western portion of Long Island was settled by the Dutch; until 1664, the jurisdiction of Long Island was split between the Dutch and English, roughly at the present border between Nassau County and Suffolk County.
How Old is Long Island?
While the island today is most suburbanized (asphalt: everywhere), there is still a lot of evidence of its geological history. Long Island's “basement” bedrock is 230 to 350 million years old and is made of metamorphic rock.
How Was It Formed?
Massive continental glaciers once covered Connecticut, carrying huge amounts of boulders and soil that were deposited to the south after the glaciers melted. "The result is a deposit called till," explains Alden, "a mixture of everything from clay to house-sized boulders."
You can see some boulders which are glacial deposits at the beach at Garvies Point Preserve. For an in-depth look at Long Island's geology and archaeology, consider visiting the Garvies Point Museum, which features exhibits about the geological and early cultural foundations of Long Island.
What is the oldest town on Long Island?
The Oldest Town on Long Island is Southold. Southold Town occupies the extreme north eastern tip of Long Island on what has been termed variously the North Fork, the North Fluke and the North Branch.
Is Long Island Really Long?
Fish-shaped Long Island stretches out for about 118 miles. At its widest, it measures over 20 miles. It is the largest island in the contiguous United States.
What Is the Highest Elevation?
Don't get out your mountain climbing gear or expect to ski down sheer slopes on Long Island. This isn't exactly the Himalayas. Most of Long Island is flat as a pancake. The highest elevation on Long Island is at Jayne's Hill (a.k.a. High Hill), which rises to an underwhelming 400 feet above sea level in Suffolk County. Be thankful that you won't get a nosebleed scaling the heights of Jayne's Hill.
Is Brooklyn Part of Long Island?
Well, yes and no. Brooklyn is geographically on Long Island's western flank. But are Brooklynites Long Islanders? No, because politically, Brooklyn is part of New York City. So geographically, Brooklyn is part of Long Island, but people from Brooklyn are not Long Islanders. That name relates only to people from Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
Is Queens Part of Long Island?
The answer to this is the same as the one about Brooklyn: Yes and no. Queens is the largest of New York City's five boroughs. Although it physically sits on the western flank of Long Island, it is not politically part of Long Island. People who live in Queens are residents of New York City. They pay NYC taxes, vote in NYC elections, and do not pay Long Island property taxes or vote in their local elections, no matter how far east they may live. So Queens residents are not Long Islanders.