A Brief History of Long Island
Long Island has a rich cultural history. Native American
tribes, including the Lenape (called the Delawares by
Europeans) have inhabited the island for thousands of years,
and while their populations have mostly been replaced with the
descendants of immigrants from across the world, two
reservations uphold this legacy on Long Island. The
Shinnecock and Poospatuck reservations, now federally
protected, are the homes of these tribes, and each year
visitors are welcome to the Shinnecock reservation to learn
about and participate in the seasonal festivals.
Early colonial figures included Wyandanch, Captain Kidd,
Lionel Gardner, and John Underhill. The West of Long Island
was settled by the Dutch, and the East settled by Puritans
from Massachusetts. Long Island was the scene of several witch
hunts, including one involving Lionel Gardner in Easthampton.
The English and Dutch were the first European settlers on Long
Island, but came under English rule in 1664 when the entirety
of the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam was brought under English
rule. From that time Native American populations began
to decline as the population of European settlers grew.
The largest battle of the Revolutionary War, the Battle of
Long Island, was a major loss for General George
Washington. Since it remained under British control
throughout the war, Long Island became one of General
Washington’s most strategic areas for espionage.
Long Island’s beautiful north shore attracted both wealthy
Americans and Europeans during the Gilded Age whose large and
lavish estates earned this region the title of “The Gold
Coast.” Today these estates have been reborn as gold
courses, parks, subdivisions and museums, and while the former
wealth that once inhabited the area is gone, the tradition of
fine homes and wealthy landowners is still alive along the
north shore.
Long Island remained largely rural and agricultural throughout
the 19th century. Nassau County experienced the largest
growth in the United States between 1950 and 1970, setting off
a chain reaction of suburbanization and economic development
across Long Island.
Today Nassau and Suffolk Counties are ranked among the most
expensive areas to live in the United States, and are home to
some of the nations best public and private schools and most
effective community offices.