Hey Long Island … Do U Remember?

With more than 130 photographs, many of them seen here for the first time, Hey Long Island… Do U Remember? offers a stunning portrait of this one-of-a-kind location.

This book brings to life Long Island’s iconic people and places, including cherished memories of culture, music, food, fashion, festivals, businesses, amusements, sports, estates, art, and landmarks. These nostalgic and historic images and stories reveal a window into the past, showing life as it was then, and how life became what it is today.

Hey Long Island … Do U Remember? began in 2008 when lifelong friends from Oceanside, New York, started a Facebook group to share pictures and history of Long Island’s memorable places and landmarks. It is now one of Facebook’s largest New York history groups with more than 150,000 members sharing pictures and information about Long Island’s incredible past.

Five questions with our authors

1. What is it about Long Island that is so fascinating to everyone who visits, lives or lived there?

Long Island is more than a geographical location, it is really a mindset. On Long Island, you have everything you could want, and all in one place: beautiful beaches and parks, music, arts and entertainment, proximity to New York City, vineyards, farms, fashion and shopping, sports… Long Island has something for everyone. Whether a person is from, has visited or lived, or lives in Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau or Suffolk, there is an ever-lasting connection for anyone who has experienced Long Island.

2. Why was it important for you to keep the “Hey Long Island... Do U Remember?” Facebook group going?

The “Hey Long Island… Do U Remember?” Facebook group is a wonderful resource allowing people to come together to share thoughts and memories of happier, simpler times. People can reconnect and revisit their childhood. Remembering friends and cherished memories have become increasingly important, especially after facing the pandemic and having restrictions on travel and gatherings with friends and family. And as new generations emerge, history only continues to build on the foundation of the past.

3. The Hey Long Island Facebook community has almost 160,000 followers and is one of the most dynamic and growing sites in New York. Why is this subject so fascinating to so many people?

Long Island means so much to so many people. The history, nostalgia, culture, people and places all create a common bond with anyone who has a connection to Long Island. Group members love to share their own stories and memories and to read those of other Long Islanders. It is that common bond that drives people to our online community. Unlike other historical sites, our community allows people to share their personal thoughts and experiences as part of what Long Island means to them.

4. What surprised you most when you were researching this book?

Although we all were born and raised on Long Island and thought we knew a lot about our birthplace, it was truly amazing to learn more details about individual areas and to explore deeper into Long Island’s incredibly rich history. One of the great aspects of the book Hey Long Island… Do U Remember? is that readers will not only get to reminisce about places they already know but will also get insights into places and history they didn’t know existed.

5. Where did you find the photos in this book? Was there one that particularly stood out to you?

We were fortunate to have a lot of support from our loyal members from the Facebook page “Hey Long Island… Do U Remember?” as well as assistance from a myriad of local historians and historical societies. Photographs and artwork from Long Island photographers, artists, and family photos from our group members were a big part of telling the story of Long Island in our book. From our research and all of the amazing photos we acquired and included in the book, it’s difficult to select just one photo that stands out. However, some of the great photos include Long Island’s The Big Duck, the 1964-1965 World’s Fair Unisphere, Nunley’s Carousel, and of course, the Montauk Lighthouse which graces the book’s cover.

Stacy Mandel Kaplan, Kimberly Towers, Scott J. Mandel and Jordan Kaplan

UNIQUE

This book captures so many amazing memories of growing up on Long Island, and shares cool stories, some you may know, some you’ll learn about for the first time. Hey Long Island... Do U Remember? brings our history to life through unique pictures that make you want to turn each page to see, remember, and learn more. Long Island is my home, I love it, and it deserves to be celebrated.

Joe Rock musician and WBAB Radio Personality

LIKE NO OTHER

Long Island is truly a place like no other, and these pages burst with a deep history that showcases Long Island’s past and present with beautiful photographs and wonderful stories. It brings Long Island’s history to life and is indispensable for anyone who loves and appreciates Long Island, as I do.

Ernie Canadeo Chairman of the Board, Long Island Music Hall of Fame

VIVID IMAGES

The photographs and stories of Hey Long Island... Do U Remember? share with us a collective history about where we live, work, worship, volunteer, and play. Reading this book lets us vividly imagine the past and envision our future. Grab a copy and experience why Long Island is such a special place to call home.

Ray Thomas advisory board member of PinkTie.org

SPECIAL MEMORIES

Hey Long Island... Do U Remember? gives us the chance to cherish our local history as we remember it, but also reveals the history most of us never knew. Every person with a connection to Long Island will love this book.

Vanessa Nastro Archivist and Special Collections Curator, The History Center, Port Washington Public Library

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