Fire Island National Seashore Essay

Fire Island National Seashore was established by congress as a unit of the National Park Service on September 11, 1964 but its roots date back to 1653. A man by the name of Isaac Stratford constructed a whaling station on the Island, giving it the name of Whalehouse Point. During the 18th and 19th centuries whaling was an essential part of their culture because whales provided meat, oil, and blubber. In 1825 the Federal government constructed the Fire Island Lighthouse at the western tip of the island. This was significant because it served as an important landmark for ships coming to New York (“Fire Island History” 1). Skipping ahead about 125 years, Real Estate began to boom, and Fire Island appeared as the foremost summer retreat. As of today, there are about 23 towns that are present on the Island, 17 of which are
Included in this territory are beaches, dunes, maritime forests and wetland habitats, where a multitude of different animals reside (“Natural Features & Ecosystems” 4). Fire Island is a home to a wide variety of both migratory and resident bird species because it is located along the Atlantic migratory flyway. Over 330 species of birds have been recorded on Fire Island; Grey Egrets, Little Blue Herons, Canadian Geese, Mallard Ducks, Piping Plovers and Herring Gulls being the most prevalent (“Birds of Fire Island” 5). Another common animal found on Fire Island would be the Horseshoe Crab, for over 300 million years’ horseshoe crabs have journeyed the world's oceans and still have the same appearance as they did years ago. The name horseshoe crab refers to the shape of the