20th century Montauk, New York

1 20th century

1.1 20th century
1.2 mid 20th century
1.3 late 20th century

20th century
early 20th century

in 1924, robert moses began condemning benson land establish state parks on either end of montauk − hither hills state park in west , montauk point state park in east. 2 parks connected via montauk point state parkway.

in 1926, carl g. fisher bought of east end of long island (10,000 acres (40 km)) $2.5 million. planned turn montauk miami beach of north , tudor village sea . projects included blasting hole through freshwater lake montauk access block island sound replace shallow fort pond bay hamlet s port; establishing montauk yacht club , montauk downs golf course; , building montauk manor, luxury resort hotel; montauk tennis auditorium, became movie theater (and montauk playhouse); , six-story carl fisher office building (later montauk improvement building , tower @ montauk, residential condominium). last building remains east hampton s tallest occupied building, zoning ordinances restricted heights of later buildings. 30 or buildings fisher put between 1926 , 1932 designed in tudor revival style. fisher had developed miami beach before beginning montauk project, although continued pour money development, extent of $12 million in total, lost fortune due wall street crash of 1929, , of enterprises shut down. other hotels opened @ time of fisher s project include gurney s inn, built w. j. , maude gurney, had managed fisher hotel in miami beach.

in great hurricane of 1938, water flooded across napeague, turning montauk island. flood waters hurricane inundated main downtown, , moved 3 miles (5 km) south, next atlantic ocean.

anfps-35 radar @ camp hero, became centerpiece of montauk project conspiracy theory (41.0622009,-71.8740265)


mid 20th century

during world war ii united states navy bought of east end, including montauk manor, turn military base. fort pond bay became seaplane base. u.s. army established camp hero 16-inch (410 mm) guns protect new york shipping lanes. several concrete bunker observation posts built along coast, including 1 east of montauk lighthouse. base buildings disguised appear above new england fishing village.

in 1951, sport fisherman frank mundus began lead charter fishing trips out of lake montauk, looking bluefish finding fishing sharks more lucrative. sport of monster fishing became montauk s signature draw.

on september 1, 1951, pelican, captained eddie carroll, capsized in shoals off montauk point, resulting in deaths of 45 passengers , crew. 42-foot (13 m) pelican carrying 64 people, of whom had taken fisherman s special trains montauk lirr station new york city. boat left fishangrila dock @ fort pond bay @ 7:30 a.m., severely overloaded. after fishing in atlantic ocean on south side of montauk several hours, returned home, encountering engine trouble on way. weather turned stormy, , northeast wind developed against outgoing tide, resulting in standing waves of several feet @ endeavor shoals, off point. vessel, wallowing in heavy seas, became unstable in overloaded state, capsized , foundered @ 2:10 p.m. nearby vessels able rescue 19 passengers. wreck secured fabled sport fisherman frank mundus , towed lake montauk coast guard. result of disaster, strict new regulations regarding overloading of fishing vessels adopted nationwide.

in 1957, army closed camp hero, , taken on united states air force, in 1958 built 100-foot-wide (30 m) an/fps-35 radar. massive building erected house computers.

shops on main street (2013)


late 20th century

in 1959, following kitchen debate between united states vice president richard nixon , soviet premier nikita khrushchev, designers of kitchen, including raymond loewy, announced plans sell affordable prefabricated houses, called leisurama, used second homes. 1 of houses exhibited on 9th floor of macy s. 2 hundred of houses, largest installation, assembled @ culloden point in montauk

in 1967, united states coast guard announced plans tear down montauk lighthouse , replace taller steel tower. erosion had reduced buffer edge of cliff 300 feet (91 m) when built less 100 feet (30 m). after protests, coast guard backed down plan. in 1982, air force base formally closed, , military began selling surplus property.

montauk friends of olmsted parks llc, established in 1994 protect extensive system of beaches , waterfront properties , roadways.

in 1995, montauk became birthplace of extreme surfcasting technique known skishing. sport involves donning wetsuit , flippers , swimming ocean rod , reel catch fish while drifting offshore. - without benefit of boat or land, fight considered fisherman anyway, on more equal terms. skishers swim hundreds of yards shore water on heads, flippers , buoyancy of wetsuits keeping them afloat. montauk credited birthplace of skishing , combination of fishing, swimming, , water skiing.