Point of Woods, New York
Encyclopedia
Point O' Woods is a seasonal hamlet on Fire Island, New York, in Suffolk County. It is accessible only by a private ferry which is open only to residents and their guests. The ferry departs from Bay Shore on Long Island
.
assemblies, in approximately 1898. Today it serves as a summer community for families from New York, New Jersey
, Connecticut
primarily, but the families include members in New England
, the Midatlantic States, California
, many other states, and some foreign countries.
The small flat-bed diesel driven rail service, which is the only one on Fire Island, runs from the dock to the General Store.
While known for its storied reclusiveness, Point O' Woods has established intramural relationships with summer camp sports programs with other Fire Island communities. The Volunteer Fire Department regularly trains with counterparts in Ocean Bay Park
.
The location between Ocean Bay Park and Cherry Grove
is near the Sunken Forest, a park situated below mean high tide level.
Elizabeth sank after running aground on the Fire Island sandbar just off of Point O' Woods. Famed feminist author Margaret Fuller
perished in the wreck along with her infant child. Three days after the sinking, Fuller's friend Henry David Thoreau
arrived at Point O' Woods to search for her remains. Her body was never recovered.
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
.
Location and history
The hamlet was originally organized for religious retreats, some from the ChautauquaChautauqua
Chautauqua was an adult education movement in the United States, highly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s. The Chautauqua brought entertainment and culture for the whole community, with...
assemblies, in approximately 1898. Today it serves as a summer community for families from New York, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
primarily, but the families include members in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, the Midatlantic States, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, many other states, and some foreign countries.
The small flat-bed diesel driven rail service, which is the only one on Fire Island, runs from the dock to the General Store.
While known for its storied reclusiveness, Point O' Woods has established intramural relationships with summer camp sports programs with other Fire Island communities. The Volunteer Fire Department regularly trains with counterparts in Ocean Bay Park
Ocean Bay Park, New York
Ocean Bay Park is a hamlet in the Town of Brookhaven in Suffolk County, New York, on Fire Island.The ZIP Code for Ocean Bay Park is 11770. To reach Ocean Bay Park, one must take a ferry or watertaxi from Maple Avenue, Bay Shore on the mainland....
.
The location between Ocean Bay Park and Cherry Grove
Cherry Grove, New York
Cherry Grove is an unincorporated hamlet in the Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is located on Fire Island, a barrier island separated from the southern side of Long Island by the Great South Bay...
is near the Sunken Forest, a park situated below mean high tide level.
The Wreck of the Elizabeth
On July 19, 1850 the English barqueBarque
A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing vessel with three or more masts.- History of the term :The word barque appears to have come from the Greek word baris, a term for an Egyptian boat. This entered Latin as barca, which gave rise to the Italian barca, Spanish barco, and the French barge and...
Elizabeth sank after running aground on the Fire Island sandbar just off of Point O' Woods. Famed feminist author Margaret Fuller
Margaret Fuller
Sarah Margaret Fuller Ossoli, commonly known as Margaret Fuller, was an American journalist, critic, and women's rights advocate associated with the American transcendentalism movement. She was the first full-time American female book reviewer in journalism...
perished in the wreck along with her infant child. Three days after the sinking, Fuller's friend Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau was an American author, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, tax resister, development critic, surveyor, historian, and leading transcendentalist...
arrived at Point O' Woods to search for her remains. Her body was never recovered.