This Island, known as
Seven Mile Beach, contained 2,725 acres and the price paid was seventy pounds,
ten shillings or about $380.00. The island is approximately seven miles in
length and is but three or four city blocks in width, with the Inland Waterway
to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Stone Harbor occupies the
southern half of the island extending from 80th Street to Hereford
Inlet.
In 1891, the first building, an inn, was erected near 80th Street, followed by others, until finally, there were seven cottages to form the original resort. Today, Stone Harbor contains more than 3,000 properties with total ratables of more than $800,000,000.00
It was not until 1907 that dunes were leveled off and salt marches filled in. Street, pavements and curbing were laid out, two basins dredged from land adjacent to the Inland Waterway and one natural basin deepened. We now have seven basins. Bulkheads and seawalls were constructed as protection for land adjacent to basins, waterways and ocean, while eight jetties were built to protect beaches from erosion.
In 1909, a sewage system was developed and completed. Thirty miles of sewage lines are now in operation. The first artesian well was driven to a depth of 856 feet to reach the famous "Kirkwood Sands" from whence our supply of pure water is obtained. Our pumping station at 96th Street and 2nd Avenue was built in 1924. A new well, our fourth, was drilled in 1981. We are now supplying a total of 200,000,000 gallons of water each year to meet the demands of our population.
Along about 1910, our school started with five pupils and one teacher in a private home.
As far back as 1889, the first railroad entered Stone Harbor from the north via a bridge over Townsend's Inlet. This was the only means of getting into Stone Harbor until 1911, when a highway at 96th Street, with two bridges over the inland waterways, was opened to the public.
Back in 1912, one guard was assigned to the beach at 94th Street. Today our beaches are protected by 21 locations with 50 guards, all under the supervision of a Captain and Assistant Captain.
Also during the year of 1912, the first policeman was appointed holding the title of Watchman. Today, the police force is comprised of 18 full-time officers, 4 dispatchers, supplemented in the summer by additional officers.
The Voluntary Fire Department was born in 1912 with twenty members. The force now consists of forty-five members with five pieces of fire fighting equipment. A new 7 bay firehouse was built in 1974.
On May 12, 1914 the Borough of Stone Harbor was incorporated.
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