Park Archives: Gateway National Recreation Area

Gateway National Recreation Area embraces an area known for more than a century as the "Gateway to America." Covering more than 26,000 acres, the park extends from Sandy Hook, New Jersey, along the south side of Staten Island to Jamaica Bay and Breezy Point in New York. Assembled from city parks, military sites, and undeveloped land, Gateway weaves together history, nature, and recreation areas to create an extraordinary national park. Congress established Gateway National Recreation Area in 1972 as one of the first urban parks in the National Park System. Today the park showcases the importance of open space, adds to the quality of life for city residents, and preserves habitat for hundreds of species of plants and animals. This connection between ecological and urban systems is a hallmark of Gateway National Recreation Area.

Having Fun at Your Park Gateway National Recreation Area is a great waterfront park with outstanding recreational facilities for fun and self-expression. You can enjoy ocean swimming, sailing, sunbathing, and fishing. Off the beach, you can find places for cycling and jogging, golf and archery, hiking and horseback riding, and birdwatching, picnicking, or reading a book after a tough day at work. There are fields and courts for baseball, soccer, rugby, and basketball. If you feel a creative impulse, you'll find that the park is home to actors and artists, gardeners and musicians, modelmakers and astronomers. Best of all, Gateway is a place where you can choose to just relax in an exceptional setting.

Life-long Learning Gateway is more than a playground—it is an outdoor classroom where people of all ages can learn about history, nature, and stewardship. You can visit historical areas that explain the defense of New York Harbor, the growth of aviation, and the building of navigational aids that have guided ships in the harbor for centuries. If you like nature you can learn about ecosystems, shoreline dynamics, plants and animals, and more. Stewardship—saving our natural and cultural resources for future generations—is something everyone can enjoy. Activities range from butterfly counts to the preservation of historic aircraft. Help us safeguard this special place by treating it with care and respect. You can join in the commitment and be a steward for your national park.

Protected/Preserved
Gateway's thousands of acres protect habitats as diverse as the sand dunes at Sandy Hook and the backwaters of Jamaica Bay. Our active resource management gives you a chance to enjoy outdoor experiences, from quiet walks in coastal woodlands to fun in the Atlantic surf.

Habitat Enhancement
Stewardship is an important principle of the National Park Service at Gateway. Rangers, volunteers, and environmental groups work together to accomplish environmental goals in the park, such as reestablishing grasslands and wetlands. You can help—call the park for information.

Plants to Surprise You
Trees as varied as holly and oak, grasses short or as tall as you, and wildflowers of all colors; grow profusely in the protected habitats at Gateway. Prickly pear cactus—a surprise to many visitors—is well adapted to the sandy, dry interdunal areas in the park.

Birds Galore
More than 330 species of birds—from as far north as the Arctic and as far south as South America—have been recorded in the park. Thousands rest and feed here during migrations along the Atlantic Flyway. Their numbers make Gateway one of the best birdwatching spots in the Northeast.

Animals on the Move
Gateway is a migratory bonanza. Bats, butterflies, birds, and fish stream through Gateway's rich environs on their annual migrations along the coast. Spring is marked by the return of horseshoe crabs to the park's shallow bays. In fall, thousands of hawks migrating south hunt along the dunes.

The United States defended its shores for centuries with a complex system of fortifications. One heavily defended area was New York City, the nation's center for business and finance. The harbor defense system started in lower Manhattan and eventually extended to Sandy Hook, New Jersey. Principally active during wartime, New York's harbor system defended the region until the late 20th century. Two of the best remnants of these harbor defenses are in the park.

Fort Wadsworth Staten Island's Fort Wadsworth—Guardian of the Narrows—guarded the entrance to New York Harbor for 200 years. Because of its strategic location, Fort Wadsworth continually evolved as new technology became available. From Battery Weed, the Civil War-era gun battery, to more modern anti-ship batteries that served through World War II, Fort Wadsworth presented a formidable defense. Today, you can see these fortifications while viewing the harbor from the city's highest point.

Fort Hancock The Sandy Hook Peninsula has long served as a site of military importance and innovative technological developments. In 1874, the U.S. Army established the nation's first weapons' proving ground here, and, in 1895, built Fort Hancock as the outermost defense point for New York City. Over the years, the defenses included concrete gun batteries, antiaircraft positions, and advanced Nike missiles. You can explore this 19th-century military post, one of the best preserved in the Northeast.

Floyd Bennett Field Boasting of its strong concrete runways and modern facilities, Floyd Bennett Field opened as New York City's first municipal airport on May 23, 1931. In the 1930s the airfield became legendary for its record-breaking flights by aviators such as Wiley Post, Howard Hughes, and Jacqueline Cochran. Ownership of the field passed to the U.S. Navy in 1942, and it was the busiest military airport in the United States during World War II.

Jacob Riis Park In 1936 Robert Moses, the influential New York City parks commissioner and politician, designed Jacob Riis Park with an innovative eye for public space. The city developed the site in 1912 as a public beach, but Moses put forward plans that remodeled the bathhouse and introduced landscaped walkways, boardwalks, and courtyards. The site's name is a salute to Jacob Riis, the prominent social commentator and photographer. The park is a refreshing getaway on hot summer days.

Sandy Hook New York City merchants, wanting to guide cargo safely through the harbor to Manhattan, financed the building of the Sandy Hook Lighthouse. First lighted on June 11, 1764, the Sandy Hook Light is the oldest lighthouse in the nation, and it is still an active aid to navigation. The lighthouse originally stood at the end of the peninsula, but centuries of shifting currents have driven sand northward. Today, the lighthouse is more than a mile from the tip of the peninsula.

The park areas of Jamaica Bay, Floyd Bennett Field, and Breezy Point cover thousands of acres in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. You can explore natural and historic areas. Here you can relax alone or have fun with your friends and family. Call the park areas about activities, fees, facilities, permits, regulations, and safety.

Floyd Bennett Field
Famous aviators used New York City's first municipal airport for record-breaking flights during the pioneering days of aviation. The field became one of the country's most important naval air stations. Activities: aircraft restoration, biking, birdwatching, exhibits, gardening, group camping, hiking, military history, nature study, picnicking.

Jacob Riis Park
New York City created this park in the early 1900s to give city residents a new seaside recreation area. Activities: basketball, biking, golf, paddle tennis, picnicking, sunbathing, swimming, volleyball. Caution: Lifeguards are on duty in summer only.

Fort Tilden
From World War I through the Vietnam War, this important fort defended New York Harbor. Activities: art exhibits, athletic fields, biking, birdwatching, hiking, military history, music and theater performances, nature study, picnicking.

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is one of the largest bird sanctuaries in the northeastern United States. More than 330 species of birds have made this an important stopping point along the Atlantic Flyway. Activities: birdwatching, hiking, nature-study programs.

Canarsie Pier
This historic pier offers you a place to relax or to do some of the best fishing on Jamaica Bay. Activities: playground, fishing, picnicking.

Frank Charles Memorial Park
This park's tree-lined paths in the Howard Beach section of Queens offer a refuge from urban life. Activities: baseball, basketball, handball, picnicking, playground, tennis, walking track.

The diversity of the Staten Island Unit reflects the character of the island, with open spaces and a history that dates to the early Dutch settlements. Sites extend along the south shore of the island and include Fort Wadsworth, Miller Field, and Great Kills Park. Natural habitats include shoreline and dunes, grassy uplands, woodlands, and freshwater wetlands. Call the park for information about activities, facilities, fees, permits, regulations, and safety.

Fort Wadsworth
Fort Wadsworth is one of the oldest military sites in the United States. Remnants of military times that you can see and learn about include Civil War-era gun batteries and 20th-century anti-ship batteries. Activities: biking, birdwatching, fishing, hiking, panoramic views of New York City, ranger-led tours of historic fortifications, self-guiding tours.

Miller Field
This 187-acre open space is a mecca for thousands of people who enjoy organized athletics. Activities: biking, community gardening, hiking, organized sports, picnicking, playground.

Great Kills Park
This park on the southeastern tip of the island offers a quiet getaway in a coastal environment. Activities: beaches, biking, birdwatching, boating, fishing, hiking, in-line skating, jogging, nature study, picnicking, swimming. Caution: Lifeguards are on duty in summer only.

Sandy Hook features ocean beaches, Sandy Hook Bay, salt marshes, historic Fort Hancock, and Sandy Hook lighthouse. Hiking trails lead to dunes, ponds, a maritime holly forest, and some of the richest bird habitat in New Jersey.

Sandy Hook Visitor Center
The 1894 Spermaceti Cove Life-Saving Station serves as the park visitor center. Trails lead to salt marshes and a maritime holly forest. Activities: birdwatching, bookstore, exhibits, hiking, ranger-led tours, tour planning.

Beaches The six miles of ocean beaches here are among the finest on the New Jersey shore. From North Beach you can see a breathtaking view of the New York skyline. Activities: beachcombing, birdwatching, fishing, sunbathing, surfing, swimming, windsurfing. Caution: Lifeguards are on duty in summer only.

Fort Hancock
This coastal post was the outermost defense for New York Harbor from 1895 until 1974. The fort is a complex of more than 100 buildings and 12 gun batteries that dot the northern end of the Sandy Hook peninsula. Visit the Fort Hancock Museum, Battery Potter, parade ground, and History House, a restored officer's home. Activities: exhibits and historic sites (seasonal), military history.

Sandy Hook Lighthouse
The nation's oldest lighthouse has guided ships into New York harbor since 1764. Activities: lighthouse tours (seasonal).

Floyd Bennett Field
Subway: IRT #2 (#5 rush hour) to Flatbush Ave., take Q35 bus. Ask driver to let you off at the park.

Bus: Connect with Q35 green bus lines on Flatbush Ave., corner of Nostrand, Kings Hwy., Fillmore Ave., or Avenue U (Kings Plaza). Ask driver to let you off at park entrance.

Jacob Riis/Fort Tilden
Subway: IRT #2 (#5 rush hour) to Flatbush Ave., take Q35 bus to park. Or: IND A or S to Rockaway Park, then Q35 or Q22 bus.

Bus: Connect with Q35 green lines on Flatbush Ave. at the corner of Nostrand, Kings Hwy., Fillmore Ave., or Avenue U (Kings Plaza), to Ft. Tilden or Riis Park. Or: Q21 or Q53 to Beach 116th St., then Q22 or Q35 to park.

Auto: Belt Pky. to Exit 11S, then Flatbush Ave. south across Marine Pky. Bridge to park. Or: Woodhaven Blvd. to Cross Bay Blvd, west on Beach Channel Drive to park.

Canarsie Pier
Mass transit: BMT L subway to Rockaway Pky., transfer to B42 bus to pier.

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
Subway: IND A to Broad Channel Station. Walk on Noel Rd. to Cross Bay Blvd., turn right, go about 3/4 mile to visitor center.

Bus: Green line Q21 from Liberty Ave. (Queens) or 116th St. (Rockaway). Or: Q53 Triboro express bus from 61st St. & Roosevelt Ave. (Queens) to refuge.

Auto: Belt Pky. to Exit 17, Cross Bay Blvd. Go south on Cross Bay Blvd. over North Channel Bridge. The refuge is about one mile past bridge at traffic light.

Miller Field
Train: SIRT at Staten Island Ferry Terminal to New Dorp Station, then S76 bus to Miller Field.

Bus: S76 from Staten Island Ferry Terminal to New Dorp Lane and entrance to Miller Field.

Auto: Verrazano-Narrows Bridge from Brooklyn or the Goethals Bridge from New Jersey to the Staten Island Expressway, Rt. 278; take Hylan Blvd. exit. Go south on Hylan Blvd.; go east on New Dorp Ln.

Great Kills Park
Bus: S78 from Staten Island Ferry Terminal or S79 from 95th St. at 4th Ave., Brooklyn to the park entrance.

Auto: Verrazano-Narrows Bridge from Brooklyn or the Goethals Bridge from New Jersey to the Staten Island Expressway, Rt. 278; take Hylan Blvd. exit. Go south on Hylan Blvd. to park entrance.

Fort Wadsworth
Bus: S51 from Staten Island Ferry to park entrance on Bay St.

Auto: Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, after toll take Bay St. exit to park. Or, Staten Island Exp. (Rt.278) east to Bay St. exit; left at light and follow road to Bay St. and park.

Sandy Hook
Train: New Jersey Transit's North Coast Line to Red Bank, then NJT M24 bus to Highlands

Bus: New Jersey Transit M24 bus stops near the park entrance. Academy Bus Lines from New York City to Highlands, NJ.

Auto: Garden State Pky. to Exit 117; follow Rt. 36 east for 12 miles to park. Boat: In the summer, ferry service operates between Manhattan and Sandy Hook. Call the park for information.

Activities and Services
Contact the park about activities, services, and special events at the places you want to visit.

Events Calendar
A free quarterly calendar, Gateway Visitor Program Guide, describes activities and special events. Contact the park to get your copy.

Safety and Regulations
Ask the park for information about safety, regulations, and permits. • In natural areas watch out for ticks and poison ivy. Do not enter or disturb habitat areas. • Pets must be leashed at all times. • Swim only in guarded areas. • Drive carefully. Vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians share park roads. • All natural and cultural resources, including wildlife, rocks, plants, and structures are protected by federal law. Do not disturb or destroy.

The contents of brochures, site bulletins and trading cards (denoted with a colored caption) can be viewed by clicking on the cover. Most modern-day brochures, however, are cover only (denoted by a white caption) due to photograph copyrights. These items are historical in scope and are intended for educational purposes only; they are not meant as an aid for travel planning. The dates under each brochure do not reflect the complete range of years that a particular brochure was issued.

Date Unknown
1978-1979		cover only 1989-1994		cover only 2001
cover only 2003-2017		2023

cover only Floyd Bennett Field Date Unknown		cover only Floyd Bennett Field: The Municipal Airport 1931-1941 Date Unknown		cover only Fort Wadsworth Walking Tour Date Unknown
Fort Hancock Walking Tour October 2010		Fort Hancock 2007		Fort Hancock Map June 2013
Fort Hancock Date Unknown		Sandy Hook's Lifesavers Date Unknown		The Defenses of Sandy Hook June 2013
Sandy Hook: An Old Army Town June 2013		Sandy Hook Lighthouse 2005		Sandy Hook Lighthouse Date Unknown
cover only Sandy Hook Date Unknown		Sandy Hook 1999		Sandy Hook Date Unknown
cover only Sandy Hook Date Unknown	Sandy Hook Date Unknown	Sandy Hook Volunteers-In-Parks 2006	Riis Park Date Unknown	Boaters...Endangered Species Need Your Help! Date Unknown	Have a Safe Trip: Enjoying Your National Parks Date Unknown
Sandy Hook Unit Visitor Programs and Events, Winter 2011-2012 c2011		Jamaica Bay Visitor Programs and Events, Winter 2011-2012 c2011		Staten Island Unit Visitor Programs and Events, Winter 2011-2012 c2011
Sandy Hook Unit Visitor Programs Fall 2008		Jamaica Bay Visitor Programs Autumn 2008		Staten Island Unit Visitor Programs Fall 2008
The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Date Unknown	The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Date Unknown	Jamaica Bay Finfish Date Unknown	Jamaica Bay Institute Date Unknown
Trading Cards
(©Jefferson National Parks Association)

Metrics of Resilience and Recovery in West Pond South, 2014-2016 NPS Natural Resource Report NPS/NCBN/NRR—2017/1507 (Norbert P. Psuty, Monica Patel, Katherine Ames, Andrea Habeck, Elizabeth Haussner, William J. Schmelz, Kelly Butler and Joshua Greenberg, September 2017)

State of the Park, Gateway National Recreation Area: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011