Type State park Area 1,657 acres (6.71 km) | Nearest city East Islip, New York Phone +1 631-581-2100 | |
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Location Heckscher Parkway Field 1
East Islip, New York Created February 1929 (1929-02) Operated by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Address 1 Heckscher Spur Dr, East Islip, NY 11730, USA Similar Bayard Cutting Arboretu, Sunken Meadow State Park, Connetquot River State Park Pres, Belmont Lake State Park, Robert Moses State Park | ||
Heckscher state park swimming biking
Heckscher State Park is a 1,657-acre (6.71 km2) state park on the shore of the Great South Bay at East Islip in Suffolk County, New York, USA.
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Heckscher state park east islip ny us part 1
HistoryEdit
The park includes 1,469 acres (5.94 km2) that was once the 19th-century estates of George C. Taylor and J. Neal Plum. Islip's founder, William Nicoll, originally built his estate on this property. Despite opposition from wealthy local residents, the parkland was purchased by New York State with the aid of a donation from August Heckscher, under guidance from urban planner Robert Moses and with the backing of Governor Alfred E. Smith. The park officially opened in February 1929.
Beginning in 1972 and continuing until 2008, the New York Philharmonic played at Heckscher State Park as part of its free "Concerts in the Parks" series. The annual event was held on summer evenings in an open field near the campground and was open to the public. In 2009, the New York Philharmonic chose to cancel the event for the summer of that year due to financial constraints. After one year without a concert at the park, the Long Island Philharmonic was able to put on a successful performance in 2010. The new generation of concerts commenced with a theme of American composers, including George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein, John Philip Sousa, John Williams, and Billy Joel.
Park descriptionEdit
Heckscher offers a beach, picnic tables with pavilions, a playground and playing fields, recreation programs, hiking and biking, fishing, cross-country skiing, a boat launch, and a food concession. It includes the Heckscher Forest, a dedicated disc golf course established in the summer of 2014. The park formerly offered a campground with tent and trailer sites, as well as an Olympic-sized swimming pool, which were closed due to budget cuts.
Heckscher State Park is known as the "Home of the White-tailed Deer", as deer are fairly populous throughout the park. Additionally, about 280 bird species can be observed in the park.
The park is accessible by the Heckscher State Parkway, and falls within the district protected by the Great River Fire Department.
The Long Island Greenbelt Trail starts its 31-mile (50 km) route in Heckscher State Park. It ends in Sunken Meadow State Park.