West Gilgo Beach, New York facts for kids
West Gilgo Beach is a small, private community located in the town of Babylon, in Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is a part of the Gilgo area. This community is special because it has a gate, meaning only residents and their guests can easily enter.
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History of West Gilgo Beach
West Gilgo Beach was started on September 18, 1939. It was created for people who had to leave their homes at High Hill Beach. Their old homes were in the way of a new park being built called Jones Beach State Park.
About 60 of the original houses were moved to the new community. They were moved either by large boats called barges or by a newly built road. Since then, the West Gilgo Beach community has grown to have about 80 houses.
What West Gilgo Beach is Like
At first, West Gilgo Beach was mostly a place where people stayed only in the summer. But now, more than half of the houses have been made ready for winter. This means many people live there all year round, while others use their homes for vacations.
The community has a few helpful places:
- A small church that welcomes everyone.
- A library where you can pick out books yourself.
- A post office that doesn't have staff working there.
- Small firehouses that keep hoses on carts, ready for emergencies.
Residents get their water from a central well system. Each house also has its own septic tank for waste. West Gilgo Beach also provides the only way to get to the Unqua Corinthian Yacht Club by land.
The people who live in West Gilgo Beach do not own the land their houses are on. Instead, they rent it from the town of Babylon with a long-term agreement. In the early 1990s, there was a legal discussion where New York State tried to stop the lease from continuing. After a lot of talking, the lease was renewed, but the cost to rent the land went up.
Community Projects
In July 2011, the people living in West Gilgo Beach worked together on a special project. They painted a large mural in the tunnel that leads to the beach. This helped to make their community even more beautiful.
Geography of West Gilgo Beach
West Gilgo Beach is located on Jones Beach Island. This is a long, narrow island that sits between the Atlantic Ocean and the Great South Bay of Long Island.
West Gilgo Beach is shaped like the letter "L" and has two main roads:
- Ocean Walk: This road starts at the border between Nassau County and Suffolk County. It goes east along Ocean Parkway.
- Bay Walk: This road begins at the community's gate and heads north towards the South Oyster Bay.
You can only turn right to enter West Gilgo Beach from Ocean Parkway. It is located between Tobay Beach and Gilgo Beach.
See also
In Spanish: West Gilgo Beach para niños
