So named because it is at the entrance to the great New York-New Jersey estuary, the recreation area was created by Congress in 1972 to reclaim the parkland's ocean beaches, dunes, wooded uplands and bays from the effects of urbanization, which had decimated the region's bird, fish and animal populations.
Among the numbers of replenished wildlife are more than 300 species of birds that frequent the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge and Sandy Hook Unit along the Atlantic flyway.
The Jamaica Bay Unit includes Breezy Point, historic Fort Tilden, Jacob Riis Beach, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, Bergen Beach, Canarsie Pier, Plumb Beach, Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn and Frank Charles Memorial Park. The Staten Island Unit consists of Fort Wadsworth, Great Kills Park and Miller Field. The Sandy Hook Unit in Highlands, N.J., includes a beach, a lighthouse and Fort Hancock.
Historical, educational, cultural and recreational events are presented throughout the year. The beaches are open daily and lifeguards are on duty Memorial Day weekend-Labor Day.
Exhibits highlighting the history of Floyd Bennett Field are featured at the William Fitts Ryan Visitor Center. Floyd Bennett Field is open daily dawn-dusk. The William Fitts Ryan Visitor Center is open daily 9-4:30, early March through mid-November; Wednesday through Sunday 10-4, rest of year.
For further information contact the Public Affairs Office, Gateway National Recreation Area, 210 New York Ave., Staten Island, NY 10305. Phone (718) 354-4606.