Archives
The Gifford, Wittstein, Miller, & Bromley house. Est. 1963-1981
Architect Horace Gifford’s second house design for Robert Miller and his partner Edwin Wittstein began as a sketch in the sand…
Fire in the Pines- 2011
Fire in the Pines November 14-15 2011. Pavilion and LaFountaine building burn…
The GMHC Morning Party 1991-1994
The GMHC Morning Party had grown up. It was time to bring it onto the beach.
Souvenirs / Paradisco Benefit @ Le Bain at the Standard Hotel 2015
A collaboration with our annual FIP event “Souvenirs 3 Decades of Classic Tea Dance” and “Paradisco” a Disco party held at Le Bain at The Standard Hotel on the Highline in NYC.
Harvey Milk on Fire Island 1950’s
You would be surprized by people who you never thought could be part of Fire Island history. Visionary civil and human rights leader, and one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States Harvey Milk is one.
PAWS Est. 1984
As the Pines community grew so did its animal population. Most noticeably the many pets that would arrive with homeowners and renters. However after season it was being noticed that some pets were left behind to fend for themselves. In addition during season pets got lost with no form of identification. So with that Pines longtime residents Myra Kahan and Lee Frey created PAWS Pines Animal Welfare Society.
“The Normal Heart” HBO films in the Pines- 2013
2013. On a summer’s day HBO arrives to film playwright Larry Kramer’s award winning play “The Normal Heart.”
Fire Island Holiday Gift Guide
Everything about Fire Island for the Holiday gift giving season.
Pines People- Bob Howard
Real Estate in the Pines historically has always had key players, and Realtor Bob Howard has been at the game for a long time. He has woven himself into the community making it a home for himself for over 40 years.
“Where Ocean Meets Sky” vintage aerial photo exhibit
In 2018 we created an exhibit of vintage 1970’s aerial photo’s. Unlike the aerial photo’s taken today using a drone, these photo’s were taken from a seaplane hired by longtime Pines resident Claudio and his then partner Jerry Gloor.
“Welcome to Fire Island Visions of Cherry Grove and The Pines” by Jack Nichols.
Jack Nichols was Gay activist who spent his entire adult life working for gay liberation. He documented his life on Cherry Grove and a Fire Island Pines coming out of its own closet…
Music history-Tom Moulton
Tom Moulton is a record producer whose name is synonymous with the Disco music. He invented the 12-inch disco single and mix. It all happened one day on Fire Island, and changed the way dance music was played in clubs forever…
Louis Katz - Murderer on Midway
Louis Katz was the owner of Uncle Charlie’s, a popular chain of gay bars in the 1980s, and infamous for murdering his ex-lovers’s new boyfriend in a love-triangle knife fight and fleeing the country.
Future Pines 2013…
In planning the new Pavilion, plans were being made for the entire properties. The Pavilion was designed by HWKN architects. The plans called for a futuristic modern feeling, so Charles Renfro at Diller Scofidio + Renfro designed the rest of the properties. Not exactly a beach esthetic, nor any nod to what had come before…
Fire Island Celebrity history- David Geffen
Business magnate, producer, film studio executive, and philanthropist David Geffen was a frequent visitor to the Pines throughout the 1980’s and 90’s. He would hang with friends designer Calvin Klein, Andy Warhol, Steve Rubell and more. He would purchase Calvin Klein’s home and get involved in the community.
Halloween History in the Pines
1970’s. It begins with a simple night at the famed Sandpiper, and evolves into Halloween in the Pines as a closing of season tradition.
The CO OPs Est. 1960
The Home Guardian of New York who were developing the Pines initially zoned the Co Op area as business. They saw it as a hotel and retail spaces. After rethinking the plan they applied to Brookhaven town to modify the zoning and were approved, and so the relatvely new concept of the CO OP became part of the Pines community.
Welcome to Fire Island Pines. A Family Community… the sign
In 1952 the Home Guardian Company of New York began planning a new community called Fire Island Pines. Designed and envisioned as what they called “A family community.” They communicated this with a large sign in the harbor.
Drag Race in the Pines 1989.
Before RuPaul coined the name “Drag Race” the Pines had one of their own…