Jones Beach State Park, Causeway and Parkway System

Jones Beach State Park occupies the western part of a long coastal barrier island off the south shore of Long Island, in Nassau County. Before the 1920s the island was nearly inaccessible, so causeways were central to the design. Wantagh and Meadowbrook causeways cross the bay to the mainland, Loop Parkway links the park to Long Beach, and Bay and Ocean Parkways carry traffic within the park. Engineers dredged fill from the bay to raise the island about fourteen feet and built artificial dunes before construction began. The park follows a formal Beaux-Arts plan. A 231-foot brick and sandstone water tower, completed in 1930, anchors the central traffic circle, with symmetrical bathhouses, a mall and a long boardwalk nearby. Other features include pools, golf courses, parking fields, a theater on Zach's Bay and service buildings. Development came in three phases between about 1926 and 1954. The district was listed as a key part of the Long Island State Park and Parkway System, with significance certified at the national level.