Historic and Natural Districts Inventory Form

Unless indicated below, this is a transcript of the original Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities/Town of Brookhaven survey form. Corrections to obvious typographical and spelling errors have been made. Corrections to factual errors, updates or comments on the information are either enclosed in [square brackets], or will be clearly indicated as updated material. Since most of the surveys were conducted in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, much of the information reflects that time period. Included in this category are sites for which some documentation may exist but are no longer extant often with little or no modern evidence at the site.

Sites which have a suffix of “S” are supplemental sites not included in the original surveys.

ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE INVENTORY FORM

Fire Place & Old Inlet Beach Clubs

Archeological Site Inventory Form

Fire Place Manse or Parsonage Lands

 If checked, this is a Supplemental Form, not in the original surveys.
Inventory Code:   Br01.6-S 
Prepared Date:   2011-03-06 
Last Modified:   1970-01-01 
Submitter
Submitter Name:   John Deitz
Submitter Address:   7 Locust Rd.

Brookhaven, NY 11719  
Organization:  
Identification
1-Site Name:   Fire Place & Old Inlet Beach Clubs 
2a-County:   Suffolk    2b-Town:   Brookhaven    2c-Village:   Hamlet of Brookhaven
Address:    
Ownership
   4a-Public Site    4b-Private Site
4-Present Owner:  Fire Island National Seashore   5a-Address:  Fire Island National Seashore 120 Laurel Street Patchogue, NY 11772-3596 631-687-4750
Historic and Architectural Importance

There were originally two private clubs situated very close to each other in the eight mile zone of the Fire Island National Seashore known as Old Inlet. One was the Old Inlet Club and the other was the Fireplace Beach Club. The Fireplace Beach Club consisted of 1.04 acres; the Old Inlet Club consisted of 3.2 acres. Both sites were bay to ocean. Since the Seashore at its inception in 1968 had no immediate plans for these areas, the two clubs were permitted to use the areas (for a fee). These permits were not renewed in 1974. The facilities at the Fireplace Beach Club were removed. Most of the facilities at the Old Inlet site were removed. Today, the Old Inlet site contains boat slips and restrooms, and access to the beach. Only day-use only is permitted.

The Old Inlet Club was strictly a membership only club; only members and guest of members were permitted to use the Club facilities. While the Fire Place Beach Club was also privately owned, its shares were owned and the facilities were maintained by the Brookhaven Village Association; all residents within the boundaries of the BVA were welcome to use the facilities. As a result, the Old Inlet Club membership tended to be from the Village of Bellport. Sometime before the National Seashore became a reality, the Village of Bellport purchased a site on Fire Island as a village beach. This property was to the west of the Old Inlet Club. Since this property was owned by a public entity, the National Seashore was not able to purchase it; and it remains today as a village owned beach accessible only to Village of Bellport residents.

A more comprehensive history of these two beach clubs may be found at the additional pages links.

  
6- Description, Condition, Evidence of Site
 

As was the early custom, a large tracts of land (called a manse, or parsonage lands) were set aside by the Town of Brookhaven for the benefit of the ministers of the Town church, in general as a farm to provide for their sustenance. Such a tract was provided in Fire Place for the Church at the South (the South Haven Presbyterian Church).  This tract included the section north of the northern boundary of the Corwin farm (the present LIRR right-of-way), between Old Town Road/South Country road on the west, the southern boundary of the Great Division of Lots (Montauk Highway), and east to Little Neck Run. (See map).

 6a-Standing Ruins

 6b-Cellar Hole with Walls  

 6c-Surface Traces Visible  6d-Walls Without Cellar Hole
 6e-Under Cultivation  6f-Erosion
 6g-Underwater  6h-No Visible Evidence
 6i-Other  
7- Collection of Material from Site
 7a- Surface Hunting By Whom:    Date:  
 7b-Testing By Whom:  Date:  
 7c-Excavation By Whom:  Date: 
 7d-None
7e-Present Repository of Materials  
8- Prehistoric Cultural Affiliation or Date
   
9-Historical Documentation of Site
 
10- Possibility of Site Destruction or Disturbance
Most of the original beach club structures have been razed by the Fire Island National Seashore.  «»
11-Remarks
12- Map Location
    [If an original form, the source map images were not reproducible.]
12a- 7 1/2 Minute Quad. Name: 
12b- 15 Minute Quad. Name:   
12c- U.S.G.S Coordinates:   
12d- D.O.T. Coordinates:  (if known):   
Other Maps:   
13- Photographs
  Photos and images  
Supplemental Material
The Fire Island National Seashore: a history: H. Lee Koppelman and Seth Forman. SUNY Press. 2008. A comprehensive account of the history of the Fire Island National Seashore since its creation in 1964.

«»
Prepared By
  John Deitz