The Local History Display case theme for July/August is the story behind the name of Jones Beach.
The land that Robert Moses developed in Jones Beach in the late 1920s was originally the estate of Thomas Jones. Major Jones, a British sea captain/privateer, acquired the first 300 acres when he married Freelove Townsend of Oyster Bay. Over the years he expanded his holding to 6 thousand acres. His granddaughter, Arabella Jones, married a neighbor, Richard Floyd. Their son, David Floyd, a patriot, changed his name to Floyd-Jones to save the property from confiscation after the American Revolution. A small part of the property was still in the Jones family until 1994.
Robert Moses’ favorite project opened as a public beach in August 1929. It welcomes over 10 million people every year!
Come to the Jericho Public Library display case on the second floor next to the Local History Archives.
—Submitted by the Jericho Public Library
The new Local History Display Case.
(Photo courtesy the Jericho Public Library)
