Montauk County Park, formerly known as Theodore Roosevelt County Park, is located approximately east of Montauk,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

. The park is in size, running from

Montauk Highway Montauk Highway is an east–west road extending for across the southern shore of Long Island in Suffolk County, New York, in the United States. It extends from the Nassau County line in Amityville, where it connects to Merrick Road, to Montauk ...

north to

Block Island Sound Block Island Sound is a strait in the open Atlantic Ocean, approximately wide, separating Block Island from the coast of mainland Rhode Island. On the west, it extends to Montauk Point on the eastern tip of Long Island, as well as Plum Isl ...

and is bordered on the east by

Montauk Point State Park Montauk Point State Park is a state park located in the hamlet of Montauk, at the eastern tip of Long Island in the Town of East Hampton, Suffolk County, New York. Montauk Point is the easternmost extremity of the South Fork of Long Island, ...

. Montauk County Park was created from 1971 to 1986 through a series of land acquisitions by Suffolk County with the help of Hilda Lindley and the Concerned Citizens of Montauk. It was named for

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

in 1998 to commemorate the centennial anniversary of his return to

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18 ...

following the

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...

, however it was renamed "Montauk County Park" in 2014 after concerns were raised about the insignificance of Roosevelt's actual involvement with the area. The park includes: * Big Reed Pond – a

National Natural Landmark The National Natural Landmarks (NNL) Program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the natural history of the United States. It is the only national natural areas program that identifies and recognizes the best ...

. * Montaukett Village – a home and burial ground of the

Montaukett = Montauketts = An indigenous Native American People. Name and Identifications The Montaukett (" Metoac" or Matouwac), currently more commonly known as Montauk. The meaning of the name ''Montauk'' is unknown. Native Americans living on Long ...

tribe of Native Americans, which includes the grave of member

Stephen Talkhouse Stephen Talkhouse (Stephen Taukus "Talkhouse" Pharaoh, ca. 1821–1879) was a Montaukett Native American of the late 19th century who was famed for his 25-50 mile daily round trip walks from Montauk, New York to East Hampton and Sag Harbor. ...

* Deep Hollow Ranch – the first cattle ranch in the United States, established in 1658 * Third House – the third residence constructed in the 18th century for cattle keepers, who brought cattle to graze in Montauk each summer. The house is open seasonally. * Camp Wikoff – where Theodore Roosevelt and his

Rough Riders The Rough Riders was a nickname given to the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, one of three such regiments raised in 1898 for the Spanish–American War and the only one to see combat. The United States Army was small, understaffed, and di ...

were temporarily quarantined after returning from the Spanish–American War in 1898

Big Reed Pond

Indian Fields Montauk Big Reed Nature Trail

Big Reed Pond Big Reed Pond is a freshwater pond located in Montauk, New York on Long Island. A site including the pond, brackish marshland and natural sand dunes was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1973. The largely undeveloped pond is located w ...

was designated as a registered

in 1973. Its ecosystem is at the confluence between fresh water and brackish water, as the pond is fresh water but some of the wetlands that border it are brackish. The local sandy soil and high rates of precipitation create a fragile homeostatic balance between fresh water and saltwater. The maintenance of the County Park as open space helps to maintain this balance.

Montaukett Village

The Montaukett tribe originally occupied this area of Long Island. In the late 17th century

Chief Wyandanch Wyandanch (''c''. 1620 – 1659 was a sachem of the Montaukett Indians in the mid-17th century on eastern Long Island.Strong, pg. 48 Initially he was a minor chief among the Montaukett,Strong, pg. 54 but due to his skillful manipulation of variou ...

gave much of the South Fork of Long Island to

Lion Gardiner Lion Gardiner (1599–1663) was an English engineer and colonist who founded the first English settlement in New York, acquiring land on eastern Long Island. He had been working in the Netherlands and was hired to construct fortifications on th ...

. The remaining Montauk were still living in the area until the Montauk peninsula was purchased by Arthur Bensen in 1879. The ruins of a sweat lodge and part of the village are still visible. The Pharaoh Museum is located in a small cabin near Third House and contains displays of the tools and pottery used by the Montaukett. Stephen Talkhouse, whose round trip walks of inspired the Paumanok Path, is buried in the cemetery.

Deep Hollow Ranch

Deep Hollow Ranch claims to be the birthplace of the American

cowboy A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the '' vaqu ...

, as it was founded as a cattle ranch in 1658. It has been operating continuously ever since; in the 21st century it offers horseback riding and hay rides. From 1990 through 1999, Deep Hollow Ranch was the site of several "Back at the Ranch" concerts to raise funds for local charities. Most of the events were produced with the help of singer–songwriter

Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor whose career has spanned six decades. He is one of the most acclaimed songwriters in popular music, both as a solo artist and as half of folk roc ...

, who owns a home near the ranch. The summer concerts had performers including

The Allman Brothers Band The Allman Brothers Band was an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman (founder, slide guitar and lead guitar) and Gregg Allman (vocals, keyboards, songwriting), as well as Dickey Betts (lead guita ...

, Edie Brickell,

James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the hono ...

Jimmy Buffett James William Buffett (born December 25, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, and businessman. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffe ...

The Cars The Cars were an American rock band formed in Boston in 1976. Emerging from the new wave scene in the late 1970s, they consisted of Ric Ocasek ( rhythm guitar), Benjamin Orr ( bass guitar), Elliot Easton ( lead guitar), Greg Hawkes ( keyboar ...

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

, Foreigner,

Don Henley Donald Hugh Henley (born July 22, 1947) is an American musician and a founding member of the rock band Eagles. He is the drummer and one of the lead singers for the Eagles. Henley sang the lead vocals on Eagles hits such as " Witchy Woman", "Des ...

, The Highwaymen,

Billy Joel William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, pianist and songwriter. Commonly nicknamed the "Piano Man" after his album and signature song of the same name, he has led a commercially successful career as a solo artist since th ...

Lyle Lovett Lyle Pearce Lovett (born November 1, 1957)Lyle Lovett Pageat Allmusic – Lovett's Genre and Styles. Retrieved February 2, 2007 is an American singer, songwriter, actor and record producer. Active since 1980, he has recorded 13 albums and releas ...

, Paul Simon and

James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-sell ...

, drawing as many as 10,000 attendees to each event.

Third House

Running from west to east, First House, Second House and Third House were the first residences constructed on the eastern tip of Long Island after the keeper's quarters at

Montauk Point Lighthouse The Montauk Point Light, or Montauk Point Lighthouse, is a lighthouse located adjacent to Montauk Point State Park, at the easternmost point of Long Island, in the hamlet of Montauk in the Town of East Hampton in Suffolk County, New York. The ...

. They were built in the 18th century for the cattle keepers who drove horses, sheep, and cattle to graze in Montauk each year from May through November. During the summers, as many as 6,000 cattle, horses and sheep roamed pastures in Montauk, having been brought from as far west as

Patchogue Patchogue (, ) is a village in Suffolk County, New York. The population was 11,798 at the time of the 2010 census. Patchogue is part of the town of Brookhaven, on the south shore of Long Island, adjoining Great South Bay. It is officially kno ...

, a distance of approximately . First House was located near what is now

Hither Hills State Park Hither Hills State Park is a state park located on the eastern end of the South Fork of Long Island near the hamlet of Montauk, New York. History The land that was to become Hither Hills State Park was once slated for private development of a re ...

in Napeague and no longer exists. Second House is located at the west end of Montauk village and is now operated as a museum. Third House is used as the headquarters of Deep Hollow Ranch. In 1879 Arthur Bensen bought virtually all of the land on the eastern end from Napeague to Montauk Point. The purchase was intended to force the Montaukett off the land. Benson made Third House his residence, hoping to develop the area as a summer resort following Austin Corbin's extension of the

Long Island Rail Road The Long Island Rail Road , often abbreviated as the LIRR, is a commuter rail system in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of New York, stretching from Manhattan to the eastern tip of Suffolk County on Long Island. With an average week ...

to Montauk.

Camp Wikoff

Benson failed to realize his plans. He sold much of the land to the federal government for Army, Navy, and eventually Air Force, bases. Camp Wikoff, constructed on of land, was used to quarantine 29,000 soldiers, including

and the

, at the conclusion of the

to prevent the spread of

yellow fever Yellow fever is a viral disease of typically short duration. In most cases, symptoms include fever, chills, loss of appetite, nausea, muscle pains – particularly in the back – and headaches. Symptoms typically improve within five days. ...

and other tropical diseases. It was named for Col. Charles A. Wikoff of the 22nd U.S. Infantry, who was killed in the San Juan Heights assaults of the Spanish–American War. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, sections of Camp Wikoff were developed for massive gun emplacements and concrete observation bunkers as part of the New York coastal defense. During the Cold War, a large radar tower was built at the

Camp Hero Camp Hero State Park is a state park located on Montauk Point, New York. The park occupies a portion of the former Montauk Air Force Station. History Military use The site known as Camp Hero, or the Montauk Air Force Station, was originall ...

section. Later the camp was abandoned by the military and sectioned off in three state parks. Three state parks that include portions of the federal military complex and its infrastructure have been established: *

Camp Hero State Park Camp Hero State Park is a state park located on Montauk Point, New York. The park occupies a portion of the former Montauk Air Force Station. History Military use The site known as Camp Hero, or the Montauk Air Force Station, was originall ...

Shadmoor State Park Shadmoor State Park is a state park located in Suffolk County, New York in the United States. Created in 2000, the park is located in Town of East Hampton on the South Fork of Long Island, east of the hamlet of Montauk. History Prior to be ...

Other portions of the camp were sold to private developers. Third House, formerly Camp Wikoff headquarters, now serves as the park headquarters. It contains a Spanish–American War exhibit with photo and memorabilia from the war and Roosevelt's disbanding of the Rough Riders. Camp Wikoff is open to the public May through October.

References

External links

Montauk County Park
– Suffolk County Park site (Page not found as of June 24, 2017)

Spanish–American War
Deep Hollow Ranch
Official website
Theodore Roosevelt Heritage Trail
Heritage New York
Montauk Bunker (Bygone Long Island)
{{EastHamptonNY East Hampton (town), New York Camp Wikoff (Montauk) Museums in Suffolk County, New York Military and war museums in New York (state) Historic house museums in New York (state) Native American museums in New York (state) Farm museums in New York (state) Parks in Suffolk County, New York