At the turn of the 20th century, Long Islands North Shore, the so-called Gold Coast, was becoming the most desirable residential area in the United States. Estates belonging to American captains of finance and industry lined the bluffs and bays from the city line to Eatons Neck. Some of the nations most renowned familiesincluding the Astors, Bakers, Huttons, Morgans, Pratts, Sloans, Roosevelts, Whitneys, and Vanderbiltsused their yachts for racing, cruising, commuting, or epic voyages. These vessels regularly plied the waters of the North Shore and bolstered the development of yacht clubs like the New York and Seawanhaka Corinthiancity institutions that established stations at Glen Cove and Centre Island, respectively. These clubs served to provide many outlets for the social gatherings that accompanied this pastime. Although the Great Depression and then World War II would bring the era of the great yachts to an end, a wealth of images remain that can be marveled at a century later.

For more than five centuries, the waterways surrounding Long Island have profoundly shaped its history. Familiar subjects of lighthouses, shipwrecks and whaling are found alongside oft-forgotten oddities such as Pan-American flying boats landing in Manhasset Bay in the early days of transatlantic flight. From the British blockade and skirmishes during the American Revolution to the sinking of merchant vessels by Germany in World War II, the sea brought wars to these shores. By the later part of the 20th century, Gold Coast millionaires commuted in high-speed yachts to Manhattan offices as the island's wealth grew. Historian Bill Bleyer reveals Long Island's nautical bonds from the Native Americans to current efforts to preserve the region's maritime heritage.

A trip into the Long Island history of ships, lighthouses, ports, shipbuilders, shipwrecks and much more. Webster’s Dictionary defines the word “maritime” as, “on, near or living near the sea”, so you can see that the basic membership requirement to be a part of the story is easily satisfied. Just having an address in either Nassau or Suffolk County pretty much meets the criteria, and then the things that you do with your time can determine how big a role you play in this tale. Own a boat and fish from it? That gives you an even greater claim to being a “nautical” or “maritime” person. Go clamming in the bays, sail in regattas, help clean up a beach, be a member of a yacht club etc.? I think you get the point, and hopefully have by now come to realize that your very existence on Long Island is tied in with the pioneers who taught us how to prosper on this amazing island, and enjoy a lifestyle that is almost unique in the entire United States.

At the outbreak of World War I, the Gold Coast of Long Island was home to the most concentrated combination of financial, political and social clout in the country. Bankers, movie producers, society glitterati, government officials and an ex-president mobilized to arrange massive loans, send supplies and advocate for the Allied cause. The efforts undercut the Wilson administration's official policy of neutrality and set the country on a course to war with Germany. Members of the activist families--including Morgans, Davisons, Phippses, Martins, Hitchcocks, Stimsons and Roosevelts--served in key positions or fought at the front. Historian Richard F. Welch reveals how a potent combination of ethno-sociological solidarity, clear-eyed geopolitical calculation and financial self-interest inspired the North Shore elite to pressure the nation into war.

From the North Shore to the South Shore and out to the East End, Long Island is home to a nationally recognized and historic boat building industry. The Steiger Craft boats of Bellport are a local household name, trusted for their ability to navigate the shallow bay waters of the South Shore. Freeport legend Al Grover sold boats around the world for generations, built Verity skiffs for gas-conscious consumers in the 1980s and holds the Guinness World Record for the first outboard motorboat crossing of the Atlantic. The Hanff and Clarke boat yards in Greenport are more than just world-class boat builders--at more than 150 years old, they are historic landmarks. Author and folklorist Nancy Solomon shares the history and stories behind Long Island's traditional boat yards and boat builders.