True stories, fun facts, and photos that reveal the little-known secrets of New York’s Long Island. Long Island’s history is filled with fascinating firsts, magnificent mansions, and colorful characters. From Glenn Curtiss, the first pilot to fly a plane on the island, to Earle Ovington, who carried the country’s first airmail, the area has been known as the cradle of aviation. Millionaire William K. Vanderbilt’s Long Island Motor Parkway, remnants of which still remain, was the nation's first highway. The desolate ruins of an exiled Albanian king’s estate lie in the midst of the woods of the Muttontown Preserve. Captain William Kidd, pirate chaser turned pirate, is rumored to have buried treasure on the island. With these stories and more, Richard Panchyk reveals the rapidly vanishing traces of Long Island’s intriguing history. “Amazing and unknown historical gems.”— Queens Gazette
Author
Richard Panchyk is the author or editor of 14 books on a diverse range of topics, including children's nonfiction (science, history, art, politics/government) and adult nonfiction (history and folklore). His works have been translated into four languages. Among his books are the award-winning and bestselling World War II for Kids, which is available at bookstores and museum gift shops across the nation. This book is considered as one of the top books ever published for teaching kids ages 9 and up about the war, and is used in schools and by homeschoolers from New York to Alaska. It features a foreword from the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, John McCain. He is also the author of the lavishly illustrated Galileo for Kids, featuring a foreword by the astronaut Buzz Aldrin. To order autographed copies of any of his books, or for more information, you may contact the author at panchyk@yahoo.com. Richard Panchyk's latest books are German New York City, published as part of the famous Images of America series by Arcadia and 101 Glimpses of Long Island's North Shore, published by The History Press. German New York City is the first-ever major book to cover the story German population in one of the world's biggest cities. It features nearly 200 historic photographs. 101 Glimpses is a pocket-sized book offering a snapshot of different beautiful locales along the historic North Shore, and features a foreword by Thomas Suozzi. Coming in 2009 - The Keys to American History, featuring more than 60 of America's most important documents and speeches.
