Fun Facts About Long Island

Here are some fun facts about Long Island. What a great place for our 2014 convention!

America's March King, John Philip Sousa, made his home at Sands Point, Long Island. To this day, Sousa's music is heard on many Carousel Band Organs.

Mastic was the home of William Floyd, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Long Island's first two settlements were Southold and Southampton, in 1640.

Deep Hollow Ranch in Montauk is the site of the oldest cattle ranch in America, built in 1658, and birthplace of the American cowboy.

The first radio transmission, by wireless inventor Guglielmo Marconi, was in 1901 on Fire Island Avenue in Babylon.

Americas first supermarket, King Kullen, started on Long Island in 1930.

Levittown, the first suburbia in the U.S., was built on Long Island in 1947.

The Lighthouse at Montauk became NY's first coastal beacon in 1796.

Long Island is the largest island among the 48 contiguous states.

The only working water mill and windmill in the US are located in the Long Island community of Water Mill.

Richard Nixon's deceased dog Checkers is buried at Long Island's Bide-a-Wee Pet Cemetery.

Long Island was sculpted by melted glaciers, which is why there is a clear difference between the hilly North Shore and the flat South Shore of Long Island.

In 1927, Charles Lindbergh took off from Roosevelt Field, as he embarked on the first non-stop solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Nearly 1000 people came to Roosevelt Field to see Charles Lindbergh take off on his famous flight to Paris. This location is now the site of The Nunley Carousel.

Long Island is the most populated island in the United States and the 17th most populated island in the world. Interesting fact: Long Island is more populated than the entire country of Jamaica and of Ireland!

If Long Island was its own state, it would rank 12th in terms of population.

When the Brooklyn Bridge was completed in 1883, it became the first land-transport route between Long Island and mainland USA. Before that, the only way to travel between the two was by boat.

The North Shore is known for its large mansions, exclusive vacationing, and rich history of its affluent citizens and architecture. The South Shore is more laid back and hosts more entertainment and sports venues.

The largest industrial park in the US is located on Long Island - The Hauppauge Industrial Park which houses 1,300 companies and employs more than 55,000 people.

Together Nassau and Suffolk counties' nearly 180 fire agencies possess more fire trucks than New York City and Los Angeles County combined.

The Lunar Module which landed men on the moon in 1969, was built on Long Island by the Grumman Corp. As the breathtaking success of NASA's Apollo 11 mission is remembered and celebrated, several heritage companies of today's Northrop Grumman are recognized for the vital roles they played in the achievement.

Suffolk County is the leading agricultural county in New York State based on the wholesale value of its farm products.

More 7-Eleven coffee is purchased on Long Island than in all of California.

For questions about our 2014 convention, contact Don Largent.