Lake Ronkonkoma

by Dale Spencer

Overview

The town of Lake Ronkonkoma began as a small farming community. By the 1870s, the lake's reputation as a vacation destination was spreading among wealthy New York City residents. The completion of the Long Island Motor Parkway in 1911 made the lake accessible to early automobile enthusiasts, and over time, as more could afford automobiles, the rich and poor alike flocked to its sparkling shores for swimming, boating, and fishing. In 1921, local businessman George C. Raynor created Raynor's Beach, the first in the lake's era of grand beach pavilions. By the mid-1920s, beach pavilions were located all around Lake Ronkonkoma's three miles of shoreline. Lake Ronkonkoma provides a view into the rich history of this unique community and its transformation to a bustling summer resort.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467123211
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	08/03/2015
Series:	Postcard History Series
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	1,068,593
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Dale Spencer is the curator for the Lake Ronkonkoma Historical Society Museum and the coauthor of Images of America: Lake Ronkonkoma. Janet Rischbieter is the assistant curator and membership director for the Lake Ronkonkoma Historical Society. This history is captured in vintage postcards selected from the historical society archives and private collections.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 6

Introduction 7

1 The Early Days 9

2 Life at the Beach 33

3 The Business Life 61

4 Schools and Churches 79

5 Town Services 93

6 People and Homes 105

About the Organization 127