Daily Almanac for
Nov 12, 2009
Search White Pages
Search: Infoplease Info search tips
Search: Biographies Bio search tips
Encyclopedia

Fire Island

Fire Island, barrier beach, 32 mi (52 km) long, off the south shore of Long Island, SE N.Y., separating Great South Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. Robert Moses State Park is at its west end. Once accessible only by boat, Fire Island is now linked with Long Island by bridge and causeway, but automobile access is limited; ferry services connect it with South Shore towns. A retreat of New York City residents, Fire Island has long been noted for its varied communities, including resorts favored by gay vacationers. The Fire Island National Seashore. (est. 1964) embraces all of the island except the state park (see National Parks and Monuments, table).

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

    • Cite
    • Print
    • Bookmark

More on Fire Island from Infoplease:

See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. Physical Geography