Fun Facts About Long Island

Glass Expo Northeast™ (GENE) ’19, the region’s largest event dedicated to the architectural glass and metal industry, is headed to the Long Island Marriott in Uniondale, N.Y., March 27-28. GENE attendees can expect to have their days filled with education and networking, which doesn’t leave a lot of time to get to know Long Island intimately. Not to worry though, we’ve got you covered with this list of fun and obscure facts about Long Island.

Charles Lindbergh’s Famous Flight Began on Long Island.

At 7:52 a.m. on May 20, 1927, Lindbergh took off from Roosevelt Field, part of a long-gone airport in Nassau County. Thirty-three hours and 30 minutes later, he touched down in Paris, ending the first solo, nonstop transatlantic flight in human history. It is also interesting to note that Lindbergh’s flight took off in roughly the same area that Glass Expo Northeast is being held.

Long Island Is and Isn’t Part of NYC.

The New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens encompass the west side of the island, but the term Long Island is usually reserved for just Nassau and Suffolk County. Including the two boroughs, Long Island is made up four counties, with Suffolk County taking up the eastern two-thirds of the island. But remember, if you’re talking to a New Yorker, Long Island does not include Brooklyn or Queens.

Long Island is Known for Being Supernatural.

The “Amityville Horror” house was thrust into the spotlight in 1974, when Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered six family members there. The house was subsequently purchased by George and Kathleen Lutz. The couple’s story unfolded in a 1977 book written by Jay Anson, wherein he details their stay in the house for what they described as 28 horrifying days.

Just kidding, the whole thing was a hoax and the house was never really haunted. The dreadful encounter claimed by the Lutz’s was totally fabricated. Jay Anson further inflated the story for his novel, and by the time the tale made it to the screenwriters, any shreds of truth that might have been there were completely gone.

Long Island is the Home of the Great American Novel.

Long Island’s Gold Coast served as the backdrop to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel, The Great Gatsby. The novel takes place in the fictitious areas known as “West Egg” and “East Egg,” which are based on Great Neck and Port Washington peninsulas on Long Island.

Long Island Isn’t Even an Island.

The last, and most controversial fact we’ll share, is that Long Island is not actually an island. In 1985, the U.S. Supreme Court heard a case called United States v. Maine that challenged the federal government for control of the Block Island Sound. The waters surrounding an American island are legally considered “open sea,” and as such, fall under the federal government’s control. But the states argued that so-called “Long Island” was really a peninsula. The Supreme Court unanimously sided with the states and Long Island regained control of its surrounding waterways and is now considered part of the mainland.

If you have yet to register for GENE ’19, please click here to do so today. If you pre-register before March 11, you can save up to $89 depending on the type of registration. You can also save money on your hotel room if you book before March 4. The Long Island Marriott is offering a room rate of $179 on a first-come first-served basis, so be sure to reserve your room before they’re all booked.

Glass Expo Northeast ’19 is co-sponsored by the Long Island Glass Association (LIGA), USGlass magazine, USGNN.com™ and Architects’ Guide to Glass & Metal.