About Us
LGBTQ+ history cannot be fully understood without an appreciation of Fire Island Pines. A world renowned Gay Mecca, it is a community whose people have made significant contributions to human rights, healthcare, politics, philanthropy, the arts, and culture. In so doing they have helped shape the trajectory of LGBTQ+ life.
The Fire Island Pines Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2010. Our mission is to collect, preserve, display, and celebrate the rich and colorful history of Fire Island Pines for current and future generations.
We believe every community has a responsibility to preserve and share its history. Doing so celebrates achievement, strengthens identity and offers future generations both inspiration and guidance.
Failing to do so risks loss and erasure—an especially urgent truth for LGBTQ+ communities, whose stories have often been overlooked, suppressed, or deliberately targeted.
Our work centers on gathering the stories and artifacts of the people, organizations, and events that shaped the Pines; preserving them digitally; and sharing them widely. It includes:
Finding Fire Island, Season 2, a multi-episode documentary series available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms that takes a deep dive into the forces that shaped the culture of the Pines through in person interviews with community members and celebrities
Fire Island Art: 100 Years, a first of its kind history of the visual arts in all mediums that have been created on Fire Island since the 1930s
House and Walking Tours of the Pines with docents who share the history and gossip of the community
Our Pines Profiles and Archival Records that share the stories of the people, organizations and events that have shaped the Pines and the LGBTQ+ community in America.
We believe history needs to be an active part of a community’s dialogue so we maintain an active social media presence (primarily Facebook and Instagram) and we do special presentations and community projects on issues related to the history of the community. We also serve as a resource for historians, researchers, museums, media, and other institutions seeking to understand and interpret this extraordinary community.
Our work is made possible through the generosity of supporters like you. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation using the link below.
In 2024, Bobby gave a talk at the Long Island Museum on The History of Fire Island Pines. Check it on YouTube.
Our Founder
The Fire Island Pines Historical Society was founded by Bobby Bonanno in 2010. Although he had no background as a historian or archivist, Bobby saw the compelling need to capture, preserve and share the vital history of the Pines and took action. It was a labor of love that he bore willingly for more than a decade before stepping down as President in 2024.
Check out his history here:
Our Board
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John Dempsey
PRESIDENT
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Bobby Bonanno
FOUNDER
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Bo Fridsberg
TREASURER
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Bill Hildebrandt
BOARD MEMBER
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Gianfranco Lentini
BOARD MEMBER
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Virun Rampersad
BOARD MEMBER
Our Community
We are powered by the Fire Island Pines community members and our supporters. In 2025 and 2026 we also received grants from The Pines Foundation that supported the creation of Finding Fire Island Season 2, Fire Island Art: 100 Years and two upcoming projects. In 2026 we were recognized by SAGE with the Community Engagement Award.
Our work is informed and energized by engagements with community members and supporters. Beginning in 2025 we took things to a new level, launching our annual summer cocktail party. Joy and celebration have always been a part of LGBTQ+ culture and the event allows us to celebrate the community, share news, exchange ideas and toast successes. In 2026 we introduced the Pines Icon Award to celebrate outstanding members of the community for their contributions to the Pines and the broader LGBTQ+ community.
2025 Celebration
2026 Celebration
