Long Island is full of strange stories, forgotten places and moments that deserve a second look. From bizarre news that made national headlines to local spots that only live in our memories. Too fun to forget. Here’s a list of some favorites.
THE GARBAGE NOBODY WANTED…
Long Island literally had a pile of garbage we couldn’t get rid of. I give you, the “Long Island Garbage Barge” of 1987. In March of that year, an actual barge of garbage set to the seas, shipping to a far away land to be put to rest. Only to be refused at multiple ports. Finally, it the barge came back to NY to be laid to rest.
THE EAST END. NOT JUST WINE COUNTRY…
Long Island has a long agricultural history. Today, we know the East End for their vineyards & wineries. We see pumpkin picking and corn mazes in the autumn, pick your own strawberries in the spring. But many years ago, spuds were the name of the game. Long Island was once known as the Potato Capital of the World!
YOU CAN SKI ON LONG ISLAND?!?!
Yes, you heard that right. There actually used to be downhill skiing on Long Island. Known for its treacherous(ish) 200 foot drop, the Bald Hill Ski Bowl gave Long Islanders a place to carve up a slope (or more accurately, a slight hill). Operations of the Ski Bowl started in the mid 60’s and closed up shop in 1980.
THE ATOMIC AGE THAT NEVER CAME…
In the 1960s, the Long Island Lighting Company (LILCO) announced plans to build a nuclear power plant in Shoreham, Long Island. Construction began in 1973 and continued through 1984. Not surprisingly, the project faced intense opposition over environmental and safety concerns. Suffolk County ultimately determined that an adequate evacuation plan could not be established for the surrounding area. The plant never entered commercial operation and was officially decommissioned in 1994.