The summer I moved to New York, I spent the work week looking forward to the drive out to the the People’s Beach at Jacob Riis Park. I spent the afternoon in the waves, in between trying kombucha for the first time and finding myself one towel over from a girl I once harbored a week-long crush on in Berlin. The People’s Beach has been a gay landmark since the 1940s, and I’m grateful that its protected status means it’ll be around for years to come.
Sincerely,
Gateway National Recreation Area
Created in 1972, Gateway is located in the outer New York-New Jersey Harbor, protecting more than 26,000 acres of land and offering an array of recreational, cultural and natural experiences. More than 330 species of birds and 71 species of butterflies live within the park or stop over at Gateway during their seasonal migrations. Gateway's buildings, landscapes and archaeological sites offer great examples of America's coastal defenses from the Revolutionary War through the Cold War.
State(s): New Jersey New York,
Established: 1972
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