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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRO-1 RO-1 LJ HISTORIC AND NATURAL DISTRICTS FOR OFFICE USE ONLY INVENTORY FORINT 103 10,001283 UNIQUE SITE NO. 1 DIVISION FAR HISTORIC PRESERVATION QUAD. NEW YORK STATE PARKS AND RECREATION SERIES ALBANY,NEW YORK (518)474-0479 NEG_ NO. YOUR NAME: Town of Southold/2PLIA DATE:Oct• 3, 1985 YOUR ADDRESS: Town Hall , Main Road TELEPHONE: 516/765-1$92 Southold, L. I. , N.Y. 11971 ORGANIZATION (if any): Southold Town Community Development Office I. NAME OF DISTRICT: Robins Island 2. COUNTY: Suffolk TOWN/CITY: 'Southold VILLAGE: 1k 3. DESCRIPTION: Robins Island lies about 1 mile south of the Hamlet of New Suffolk, across the waters of the North Race, and on the south, across the South Race it looks towards Southampton.. It comprises about 435 acres of land, mainly wooded, and is 12 miles in circumference , with aroad running north to south. Its lowest levels are along the beaches of the north and eastern sides ; the bluffs on the southern and western sides rise up to over 80 feet. Its structures are clustered in the northern central half of the island. 4. SIGNIFICANCE: The island's importance lies in the preservation of rare and endangered species of bird and plant life, foremost the piping plover and the least tern. The island lies in the Belt of t e Eastern Flyway path of migrating birds traveling along the Atlantic seabord. It is also the last uninhabited island of its size in the State of New York and is cherished for its rare in- sular seclusion. Its history is an integral part of that of the East End and has its beginnings in 1636 when the Earl of Sterling deeded it to his agent James Farrett. It was owned over the centuries by se- veral figures who are prominent in the history of eastern Long Island and the State of New York. In the ninet6enth century a brick kiln was in use on the island; tbe; bricks produced were used in the construction of many buil- dings in the nearby communities. Later in the century and in the early part of the twentieth century the island was in turn the site of an exclusive hunting club and a private hunting preserve. 5.MA Ps New York State DOT Southampton Quad - see attached Mackay, John W. , Robins Island, Exposition Press, Inc. , Smithtown, N.Y. 1984 - see attached HP-2 ' L R©-1- 6. SOURCES: Bayles , Richard M. , Historic and Descriptive Sketches of Suffolk County with a Historic Outline of Long Island. Port Washington L. I. , N.Y. 1874, 19 2, PP. 371, 372• Butterworth, Marjorie Moore. The New Suffolk Story, Greenport , N.Y. , 1983, pp. 15, 16. Peters , George , The Trees of Long Island. The Long Island Horticultural Society, 1973, PP• 26, 36, 37P 38t 53. 82. Wells , Betty, Robins Island, 1981. (cont. ) 7 . THREATS TO AREA; BY ZONING ❑ BY ROADS E3 BY DEVELOPERS IX BY DETERIORATION ® OTHER ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Clay of the finest quality abounded on the north extremity of the island. Ira Tuthill made here a million and a half bricks a year. 8. LOCAL ATTITUDES TOWARD TIIL AREA: There is a strong movement towards conservation in the area. 9 PHOTOS. 1" r � lf8 Vii, RO-rsm I--18 Duck breeder pond From the west RO-1 SOURCES : Mackay, John W. , Robins Island, Exposition Press, Inc. , Smithtown, N.Y. 1984 Sbutenburgh, Paul. "Robin' s Island, Jewel of the Peconic. "The Conservationist , July- Aug. 1984, Vol. 39, # 1, PP. 42-45. Conversation with Michel Scheibel, Depart- ment of Environmental Conservation N.Y.S. , Stony Brook L. I. , 11/14/1985. 4 - Significance (continued) : Ira Tuthill owned in 19th century. Island was sold to Robbins Island Club in 1881 who built an impres- sive Queen Anne clubhouse (now gone) . Later leased to Horace Havemeyer and J. Watson Webb. Lane heirs sold in 1951 to Joseph Krupski who sold it to John Mackay. RO-1 N.Y.S . DOT - Southam ton guad to 4h. ew..` aid Cove ° acht Club ,•� .�, +�Efit . •UF O 12 'r ', yip: .,. �.:•.;,,...r�_. . . .. • . �. Kimo encrm. •r .�' • �,, tl • r • ooka • S, L ;.4 t . 3 r a 30 y N O R T H R A C V 6 r, 17 9 ��• �y r6 i r � to � • tll R6bins ,Islan,d / 7 r t< 1 ` rl� 1 57131Y' - I 270 000 Sunda �r a 23 to I Mackay, John W. , Robins Island. Exposition Press, Inc. Smithtown, N.Y. 1984 1 NORTH POINT 2 SOUTH POINT 3 NORTHEAST WOODS 4 NORTHWEST MEADOW 3 FIELD NORTH OF CLUBHOUSE 6 POND NEAR NORTHEAST WOODS 7 ROBINS POND 1 '• '' 8 BREEDER POND 1r, 9 SOUTH POND f ` 10 CLAY PIT POND • II THE FORT rx ' 12 CLUBHOUSE 13 CARETAKERS HOUSE 11 s J:io, 14 SOUTH POINT COVERT �f •+ 15 THE DOCK 15 4 3 7 131 p B N 10 ROBINS IS. E 14 .� Z 5 RO-1 Points of interest : Duck breeder pond (remains of duck shed) Osprey nests * 5-6 nests 4-5 along eastern shore on bluffs 1 on boulder (S -W) 1 several hundred feet east of boat dock (N) # Interview 11/15/85 Michel Scheibel, Dept. Env. Conserv. N.Y.S. , State University of Stony Brook, Stony_ Brook N. Y. (516) 751 7900. Specimen Tree , a national champion American Elder Elderberry Sambucus Canadensis reported by George H. Peters, Trees of Long Island, 1973 Chestnut oak and mockernut are two native trees that Peters noted on Robins Island. f 03 RO-1 Alto.O ss the North Race F e •irzg retired. rLllie eat boat, a sailing Ic;rtcd to a motor Ac of copper and This feature made .'4�. ` Refs. . sailed with it only n„ the weather as did LA1DE but the G:mieskeeper's House Caretaker's House years it had simply IE was in opera- sears it actually it • r Photo. Jean Beebe "Duck l"m" Main Residence or the present at Island now but its where Bob lives ames Lane. In the 'y ts, caretakers, and _ its northern end, Unfinished Manor he south end of i not yet standing, I at the caretaker's y 1958 the build- Photos' Jean Beebe t,l Betty Wells , Robins Island, 1981 RQ-1 1 S ROBINS ISLAND See articles : LONG ISLAND FORUM November 1945 , Vol . VIII , No . 11 February 1946 , Vol . IX, No. 2 March 1947 , Vol . X, No. 3 November 1947, Vol. X, No. 11 February 1969 , Vol. XXXII , No. 2 August 1969 , Vol. XXXII , No. 8 May 1971 NEWSDAY Monday, ,lune 14 , 1976 , Part II , pp. 1 A, 4 A - 5 A SUFFOLK LIFE NEWSPAPERS Week of November 23 , 1975 , Vol. 15 , No. 37 , pp. 1 , 7 (Section 3?) THE SUFFOLK TIMES Thursday , December 18 , 1975 , pp. 1 , 2 . RO-1 BIG TREE SURVEYS 53 unofficial in its strictest sense." And it may be added, likewise, for any Long Island Champion. The most recent nation-wide census is currently in progress and the results are expected to be published in early 1973. How- ever, advance information received from the American Forestry Association discloses that Long Island will achieve the unprecedented number of eighteen National Champions! They are as follows: Common Name Scientific Name 'I Girth Hgt. Sprd.I Location Striped Maple Acer pennsylvanicum ` 3'11" 40' 30' Lattingtown "Tree-of-Heaven Ailanthus altissima 19' 8" 60' 80' Head of the Harbor Pagoda Dogwood Cornus alternifolia 5' 8" 30' 50' Old Westbury Kansas Hawthorn Craraegus coccinioides 2'10" 25' 30' Brooklyn Glossy Hawthorn Craraegus nitida 2' 8" 15' 30' Brooklyn Rost-of-Sharon Hibiscus syriacus 1' 3" 15' 15' Farmingdale Mountain Winterberry Ilex montane 2' 1" 40' 80' Brooklyn - Yellow Cucvmberrree Magnolia cordata 1' 3" 18' 10' Upper Brookville Garden Plum Prunus domestics 3' 2" 25' 30' Brooklynx` Britmn Oak Quercus brittoni 3' 8" 35' 45' Bayville Scarlet Oak Quercus coccinea 16'10" 65' 80' Massapequa Chestnut Oak Quercus prinus 21'10" 75' 100' Northport Saul Oak Quercus sauli 12' 2" 70' 80' Brooklyn Black Oak Que-cus velutina 201-7-'__1 80' 140' Lloyd Neck Elderberry -­ Sam'ucus canadensis _.,I' 4" 15' 20' Robins Island Smailflower Tamarisk amarsx parrs ora 1' 6" 15' 20' Brooklyn Poison Sumac 'Tox.codendronvernix 3' 1" 20' 25' Robins Island �ti Jujube Ziziahus jujuba V 8" 25' 20' rooklya LONG ISLAND'S LARGEST TREES In the closing pages of this publication the results of the three tree surveys undertaken by the Long Island Horticultural Society have been consolidated and tabulated. Listed in alphabetical order by its scientific name, followed by the common name, is the largest specimen of every species of tree, native and exotic, reported as having grown or sti_l krowing on Long Island. The comparative circumference of the gunk in 1952, 1962 and 1972 and the height above the ground at which the circumference was measured are given in this tabulation. Thus the data in the original "The Trees`of Long Island" and "Supplement 1" have been combined with the Third Census results in this book. Trees of Long Island. George H. Peters 1973 I Circumference— Flt. le.f—J Botanical Name Common Name 1952 1962 1972 Taken at I location Salix babylonica crispa Ringleaf Weeping Willow N.R. N.R. 0.10" 4' 6" Brooklyn; Botanic Garden Salix blanda Wisconsin Weeping Willow N.R. N.R. 5.11" 4' 6" Brooklyn; Botanic Garden Salix caprea Goat Willow N.R. N.R. 0' 6" 4, 0" Brooklyn; Botanic Garden Salix discolor Pussy Willow N.R. 2'10" 3' 5" 3' 0" Freeport; 233 Miller Ave. Salix elaeagnos Elaeagnos Willow N.R. N.R, 8' 0" 0' 0" Brooklyn; Botanic Garden Salix elegantissima Thurlow Weeping Willow N.R. N.R. 1' 4" 4' 6" Brooklyn; Botanic Garden Salix fragilis Brittle Willow I7,10" 18, 6" 18'11" 4' 6" Old Westbury; Old Westbury Gardens Salix lucida Shining Willow 1' 0" Gone Gone 4' 6" Brooklyn; Botanic Garden Salix matsudana tortuosa Contorted Hankow Willow N.R. N.R. 7' 4" 2' fi" Farmingdale; 1 Hickory Street Salix nigra Black Willow N.R. N.R. 9' 2" 3' 0" Riverhead; S. of Citirens.,Press Bldg. Salix pentandra Laurel Willow 3' 0" 4' 7" 5' 7" 4' 6" Nissequogue; Short Beach Rd., G. T. Hall Salix purpurea Purpleosier Willow N.R. N.R. 2.10" 1' 6" Brooklyn; Botanic Garden Salix rubens Whitecrack Willow N.R. N.R. 19' 2" 0. 0" Brooklyn; Botanic Garden Salix sepulcralis Solomon Weeping Willow 3' 7" 7' 2" 4' 6" Brooklyn; Botanic Garden Sambucus canadensis---_____�American Elder ..�.�N.R. N.R. 1' 4" 4' 6"�Robins Island; J. Mackay Estate„ �y . Sambucus nigra European Elder r_ N.R. N.R. '11-211 4' 6" '�outhol-d_*Town Harbor La., W. Woodward Sapindus drummondi Western Soapberry N.R. N.R. 3' D" 1' D" Brooklyn; Botanic Garen Sassafras albidum Common Sassafras 7' 3" 8' 8" 9' 3" 4' 61, Rockville Centre; 42 Brower Ave., J. Tuthill Sciadopitys verticillata Umbrellapine 4' 1,, 4' 9" 5' 4" 1' D" Southampton; Parrish Museum Sequoiadendron giganteum Giant Sequoia 6' 7" 1' 3" 7.10" 4' 61, Lloyd Harbor; Jennings Rd., IHB Home d Sinowilsonia henry! Henry Wilsontree 1' 9" 3' 0" 3' 8" 1' 0" Upper Brookville; Planting Fields Arboretum Sophora japonica Japanese Pagodatree N.R. 17' 8" 18' 6" 4' 6" Sag Harbor; Main St., Mrs. D. F. Mulvihill p Sophora japonica pendula Weeping Pagodatree N.R. 4' 10', 5' 7" 4' 6" Glen Cove; Mrs. J. Morgan Estate Z �i Sorbus americana American Mountainash 2' 7" Gone Gone 4' 0" Douglaston; 1102 Shore Drive Sorbus aucuparia European Mountainash N.R. 4'10" 5' V 4' 0" Brooklyn; Greenwood Cemetery Sorbus aucuparia pendula Weeping European Mountainash N.R. N.R. 1' 2" 4' 0" North Hills; 1. U. Willets Rd., A. Summers > Sorbus commixta Korean Mountainash 3. 0" Gone Gone 2' 6" Brooklyn; Botanic Garden z Sorbus domestica Servicetree Mountainash 8.10" Gone Gane 4, 6" Flushing; 26.15 Union Street d W Sorbus hybrida Oakleaf Mountainash 2, 4" 3' 9^ 4' 8" 2' 6" Brooklyn; Botanic Garden Sorbus intermedia Swedish Mountainash 4' 5" 5' 6^ 5.111, 1' 0" Brooklyn; Botanic Garden 4 I RO-1 FROM THE NATURE CONSERVANCY - 1975 AN ECOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF ROBINS ISLAND, NY - FALL 233 Prepared by the: Seatuck Research Program Cornell Lab. of Ornithology Box 31 , Islip , NY 11751 R) -1 `FIRST DRAFT INTRODUCTION Robins Island (400581N, 72027'30"W) is a 435 acre island located in Peconic Bay between the North and South Forks of eastern Long Island, Suffolk County, N.Y. . The island lies in the region between Great Peconic Bay to the west and Little Peconic Bay to the east. An ecological inventory of the island was conducted by the Seatuck Research Program, Islip, N.Y. . Field surveys of the island were conducted on 19-23 July and 19--20 August 1982. The island's geology, histc,ry, flox•a, and fauna were studied. It was determined that the island is glacial in origin and that human occupation has played a major part in determining the present ecology of the island. Since Europeans arrived at Robins Island in the 1640's the. island has been cleared, farmed, grazed, mined, and stocked with exotic flora and fauna. The appearance of the island today is mainly a result of these human activities. (2) FIRS] DRAFT RQ-1 HISTORY OF ROBINS ISLAND The history of Robins Island is one of human use and exploitation of the island's resources. Before the arrival of European settlers in 1640 the Indians used the island as a portage across Peconic Bay and as a fishing and shellfishing station. Clay from the island was used for pottery and the iron-rich water from the spring near the clay pit was thought to have medicinal properties. The Indians called the island Anchattnok or "a place full of timber". As early as 1656 records mention that colonists were grazing cattle on the island. Apparently. through the late 1600's and early 1700's the island was farmed but that there was still wooded areas on the island. A tannery was operated on the island in 1712 and this operation probably used oaks growing on the island as a source of tannin. In the middle to late 1700's farming continued to grow on the island with records of cattle and sheep being grazed and various grains and flax being grown. In 1750 the first of several brick making kilns operated on the island. Fuel was probably supplied by the island's woods and clay was mined from the clay pit on the west side of the island. Between 1790 aLd 1792 a single stare in Cutchogue had purchased 100,000 bricks from the island. By 1813, apparently, the majority of the remaining woods on the island was cut. Between 1811 and 1813 $20,000 worth of wood was removed from the island. Farming; continued through the. 1800'x. When the island was offer=d for sale in 1849 it was described as being part young ,growth woods and the rest being agricultural land. In 1859 brick making resLmed on the island along with an iron smelting operation which processed the iron-rich black sand near the spring at the clay pit into iron that WLS used t ) make high grade cutlery. It is likely that to support these two industries on the island fuel had to be shipped in from some other location. 4 .-FIRST DRAFT a RO-1. From 1881 to 1979 the use of the island shifted from agriculture and mining to being managed as a shooting preserve. Starting with The Robins Island Club, Inc. and continuing through to the ownership of the island by John Makay, the primary activity on the island was the raising of game birds. This included the planting of feed grains and the :Mocking of pheasants, quail, wild turkey, and other game birds. During the period a large part of the island was allowed to grow back to woods. by 1931 about half the island was wooded and today between 80-90% of the island, is woodland. In 1979 the island was sold to the Southold Developement Corporation which plans to develop housing on the island. (5) f I RBST DRAFT RO-1 SUMMARY OF THE HISTORY OF ROBINS ISLANDI 8000 B.C.- 1640 A.D. - Peconic Bay area occupied by Indians of progressively more advanced cultures. At the time of the arrival of Europeans the island was named Anchannok or "a place full of timber". The Indians used the island as a fishing and shelifishing station and mined the clay found on the island for pottery. In addition, stone from the island was fashioned into tools and weapons. The iron-•rich water from the clay pit on the west shore of the island was used for medicinal purposes. 1636 - The island was first deeded to Furopeans. At the time the island .was referrgd to as Roberts Island. 1656 - The owners of the island continued to allow the Indians to fish and harvest shellfish on the island. A deed written at the time mentions that cattle were being grazed on the island. 1673 - Nathanial Sylvester became the sole owner of the island and of Shelter Island. Records show that he made barrels from the white oaks on Shelter Island but there is no r,�cord of whether he cut trees on Robins Island. 1703 - The island became the property of William Nicole who apparently did not use the island at all until he sold it in 1715. • 1712 - The island was sold to Joseln Wickham who farmed the island and also operated a tannery. It is likely that he used the island's oaks as a source of tannin to tan the hides. 1749-1784 - The Wickham family continued farming the island. Records show that sheep and cattle were grazed and that livestock grains and flax were grown on the island. 1750 Early diaries indicate that the King family operated a brick kiln on the island. Clay was mined from the clay pit on the west side of the island and wood to fuel the kilns was probably cut on the island. 1783 - At this time the island was being referred to as Robins Island. 1784 - The Wickam's lost title to Robins Island after the Revolutionary War and the island was sold to Ezra L'Hommedieu. Mr. L'Hommedieu was interested in experimental agriculture. For the 27 years that he owned the island he tested new farming ideas such as crop rotation and the use of fertilizer. 1790-1792 - During this period over 100,000 bricks were bought from the island's brick kilns by one store in Cutchogue. 1811-1813 - After 1811 the island was owned by several persons. Records show that more than twenty-thousand dollars worth of wood was cut off the island. Seaweed was harvested off the beaches to be used fox insulating buildings. Livestock was stili being raised and the island was still f armed. . . FIRST DRAFT RO-1 3 GEOIIOGY OF ROBINS ISLAND1 Robins Island is the westernmost of a series of islands and tombolos that are found in Peconic Bay, New York. The island is a part of a glacial moraine archipelligo that characterizes the highest elevations of the partially drowned coastal plain of southern New England (see figs. 1,2,and .3) . The geology of Robins Island is best known from the work of Fuller (1914) who first described it. His section on the west side of the island in(-ludes complexly folded exposures of -what he identified as Gardiners clay overlain by Jacob sand, Herod gravel, and Montauk till. He also mentioned the occasional occurance of fossils (Fuller, 1914, fig. 3, p. 110) but did not identity them. Without stratigraphic control it is difficult to uncritically accept Fuller's stratigraphic sequence. It is clear, however, that considerable portions of the island are underlain by severely distorted, apparently ice-shoved, Pleistocene clays and sands which are generally capped by a mildly or completely undisturbed outwash-till sequence (Fuller, 1914, fig. 74, p. 99 and fig. 98, p. 110) . Some of the sections observed in July of 1982 demonstrated that this basic stratigraphy is frequently incunsistant. Fullers Figures 165 and 166 (op. cit. , p. 145) , that were sketched in the field in 1904, reinforce this interpretation (see fig. 5) . The surface of Robins Island is undulating with modest local relief except for the island's edges where bluffs frequently exceed 10 meters in height. There are numerous kettle-like depressions but few are conical or otherwise symmetrical (see fig. 4) . Aerial photographs reveal a subtle east-west linearity in the surface swales and hills of the island's me ainal topography. This apparent "washboard" effect could be a subtle surficial expression of 1 This section was written by Steven Englebright, Museum of Long Island Natural Sciences, S.U.N.Y. at Stony Brook. Ct I RS r DRAFT R -1 SUMMARY OF THE HISTORY OF ROBINS ISLAND (con.inued) 1849 - The property was offered for sale. The advertisement for the property describes the island as: ". . .400 acres - on part of which there is a fine young growth of wood - the other part which affords a great range is appropriated to the pastures of sheen, cattle, and horses great quanities of seaweed annually lodge on the shores. . ." 1359 - The island was bought by Ira B. Tuthill who resumed making bricks on the island and also continued farming. 1859-1885 -- During this period a deposit of iron-rich black sand' located near the spring at the clay pitiwas mined and smelted on the island. The iron that was produced was used to make high grade cutlery. 1.881 - The island was sold to The Robins Island Club, Inc. which operated a shooting preserve on the island. Pheasants, quail, wild turkey, and other game birds were raised on the Island and stocked during the shooting season. Fields of wheat, rye, buckwheat, and Indian corn were planted to supply food and cover for the game bird:. 1884 - Between November a:id January of this year over 10,000 quaLl were shot on the island. 1917 - The island was sold to James Lane who mainta [ned a game preserve and also raised prize cattle and dogs. 1919 - Construction of the the large "Lane House" was started. After Mrs. Lane died in 1919 work on the building stopped and the structure was abandonned. The house is standing today. 1927 - After Mr. Lane died his relatives retained ownership of the island but it was leased to several individuals who operated shooting preserves on the island. 1927-1979 - Although during this period the island has had several owners the island was still used primarily as a shooting press=rve. Between 1947 and 1956 about 3,500 rheasants a year were stocked on the island. C 1958 - During this year John MAay bought Robins Iiiand. The channel between the salt pond and the bay was closed, thus creating a higher concentration of fresh water in the pond. Windmills were used to pump water into several of the ponds on the island to maintain water levels. 1979 - The island was sold to the Southold Developement Corporation. 1 This historical summary was abstracted from Wells, B. 1981 . Robins Island. Privately published by B. Wells, Southoii, NY. 71 pp. 7 RO-1 - ------_---_ ?:'- - _ __ CAPE coo RHODE C ---,MASSACHUSETTS a.-- f' I & / YGAa,w[ { t _ I Ar.� CAP CSo hannn I el ici w_waaut t �� { rS f7©DE + r BAY t Lobe y C... , �o `,, sur+..au+[ riroo[ � & � � I Lobt + _� 1 ISLAND - aKc.or coarse- 1 � `+.� -�`�� - L- • aoT,OY YaTLPY 4i.tt I ^ ti O �\ CONNECT! T ; �• `1 1 � direction of I � 5 �►�: � r It:e f lover f � I ..OTs, � • - � ®Jt TT� VINE YARD BLOCK HANTVCKEi �� oRx�. '�` 15cAr,r, term nal .. ,� moraine ori v � o io ro au o an ■ nch. zr• is s' +o z �ae w. �. 1 Figure 1. General glacial geology of southeastern New 'England. End moraines (terminal and recessional) of Wisconsin stage of the Pleistocene. Arrows indicate dlrection of ice flow and moraines indicate positions of ice standstill (from Schafer and hartshorn in Quaterr}ary of the U.S. , 1965; Strahler, 1966. and Woodworth and Wigglesworth, 1934). w gir t�- r ^ • MY V � 71* r I.r1s � SVKw1 "lion map moraine-& acurr with (hhd lines, afTcT fLtit a t �"'�- •--•.•••• ••_ ._.... t (1971)and Connally and Simin(1973).Inset:Figure 7.L.I. -Long lslaad B.I. - Block Island,M.V. Martha's Vtncyud. u iroconsinan glacial lubes.dmh border,and muraines: Np rasm%rn lobe- Maur and present Mon.auk Dnft borders lunglr hachure, Iter,; ConnrcllcUl lobe and late '1l tsconsinan (for example, fie. %orcharn' dnft bofdcrs Idc,uble hachured lines'; inlrrlobate positions it moraine%. Ronkonkoma 'R;, Harbor 11,11 (Ha,Charlestown lCl; Conrir. nrut(CI;,Narraganseti Baf IN). 1'1g . z. (After Sirken , 19-6 ) to C } M L 0 M6 1 S LATFD SO0K0 ~•� Li ti 1' �! �N1 H �.,. � ^t■ NiLL5 .r}?{yF •• FIELD Tlllr STOPS ^•- 0 M A h L R A k N L 1 PORI WASMINCTOW SAND PITS 1111 �Ly 2 TARGET RCfK NATIONAL 0.t!!. ( r-LLO+ HILLS MrF� � ,�EITO MILDLIFE �[rUGE I+ILLS ILLS 1� 'I MLMSON YALLET LOSE I_1 11 9 1 1 1 1 1 t 0 N G I S L A N D • �� �`' COMNECTICCT LONE U II K 11 P 11 11 MAR51AGAMSETT DAT LOSEOki 11 I 11 1 II 1 it 1 Fig. 3. '1e=mira,,I moraines and icbate model of Wisconsinan glacial margins on Long Island . Varragarnsett l,ay lobe is early-Wisconsinan; all others represent late-Wisconsinan ice stands. Probable and possible interlobate positions are also shown. Marbor Hili and Ronkonkoma moraines after Fuller, 1914) . � O 1 (After Si rken ?llc: 'Fills, 1975) ~ w ) F.iRST DRAFT RQ-1 ice--shoved "carpet wrinkles" of the clay unit that is so pervasively distorted wherever it is exposed in the island's bluffs. It seems likely that at least a portion of the island's relief is due to the deposition of kame morainal features as described by Fuller (1914) (see fig. 6). Recent interpretation of the events that created the major surficial features of eastern Long Island (Sirken, 1975, 1976, 1977; Englebright, 1982) have indicated that they are ascribable to two advances of a continental glacier during, respectively, mi.ldle and late Wisconsinan time. Fnglebright's (1982) work on Shelter Islind suggested that the leading edge of the late Wisconsinali glacier plowed into the earlier Pleistocene clay deposits of the Peconic Bay which then temporarily halted or substantially slowed its forward advance toward the south fork. According to this interpretation, clay acted as a structurally incompetent unit in the frozen and effectively lithified sand-clay sequence that the toe of the glacier directly effected. The clay, therefore, sustained most of the deformational effects that occured as the ice front first slowed (as it plowed into the clay) , and then passed over what is now Peconic Bay before reaching its terminal position along the north side of the early Wisconsinan moraine further south. The most prominent geomorphic feature of eastern Long Island, the modern Ronkonkoma Moraine of the south fork, is a composite of two terminal moraines of early and late Wisconsinan age. According to Englebright (1982) , as the late Wisconsinan glacier slowed in its forward motion upon entering the Peconic Bay basin, corstant melting and profuse outwash stream deposition enabled a relatively thick 'Package of ice contact and preglacial alluvial fan (sandur) depGsits to accumulate along the leading edge of the ice Front . Today the land masses of Robins Island, Little Hogs Neck, Great Hogs Ne2k, Shelter Island, and Gardiners Island delineate this former, and subsequently overridden, Ice front position. Englebright (op, cit.) has named these islands and tombolos the Peconic Bay Moraine. Sirken (1977) suggested that ShFlter Island marks a recessional position of the last (12) 8 RO-1 �• 4 AL �. ' 16 in any # a C) c = CC -�• TOPOGRAPHIC MAP ROBINS ASLAND ii ntou interval 10 feet scale 1 :12,000 �� 1 Standar y i RO-1 �3 f1. Flava[I2b—6e tion on east side of Rol rats IsLaDd.showing disturbed tads r00 feet of lierw rrasel rnesii er. O F GUILT Ir. —6e.lion on west aide or Rol,inl Island,saov Ing thrust fault in Ilerod gravel mcml,er. •o,o+�°A.•�"" '�o•o.p,%oft-, =.��"���,,"___ o' eO�a oo O P �'-tt_ _ .O `u i-_ 'mob p�p'�^�_ O ♦ �' ' Flarai 166—Fisc tion oneast sfdeul R(bin,Islrnd a.Hampne&4 rmre � •'©� � o a` o' tnemher, b.Montauk ti.l memter.r,Herodrrr\el memr,er Flotaa[ 16G—5etllun/oa eb�st alda of Robirn Islrnd (1.. taut-rill member, b,H :rasel ared a,!(on- fmember, c O loo Feet Ftat'str 193—section on sreEt side of RobiLs Islam a, Hempstead gravel meml-er,b,unr-nformitp marked 1,1'las er or ferrtg,nwrs Cemented grasel.r,Sand.rravel,and via%()u,ot,sand,, d,darl-gra), green,and pur dish clay ((;ar.ltners clay). �!?+] eGtY FetS Vlotrge IIs—Fu•tionno•tbwer i of Fhrnnnvrl' Canal,Sharma, at and tau'emg Li Herd Travel men .cr Fig. 5- Sketches showing sediment deformation on ,and near Robins Island as recorded by Fuller, 1914 , NOTE : The triple- liget figure numbers are those of Fuller. FIRST DRAF1 }. RO-1 glacier. One of these interpretations is probably correct: it is likely that the islands of Peconic Bay, including Robins Island, are end--morainal in origin and that as the late Wisconsinan glacier became stranded or retreated it left a thin, ubiquitous, and generally undistorted ablation till at the surface everywhere in the Peconic Bay region. Glacial erratics are common on Robins Island. Many appear to be randomly distributed across the surface of the island and frequently have most of their volume exposed. The northeastern interior of the island exhibits a group of more or less linearly arranged erratics that may represent a boulder train. The rocks in question are few in number, less than one half dozen, but are alligned along a northeast-southwest axis and, composed of a distinctive granitic gneiss. Numerous erratics ire also found along the coast of Robins Island. In the water they mark former shoreline positions and evidence the island's gradually shrinking size. The source for these boulders is in the bluffs where they are common in the undistorted till near the top of the bluffs. Robins Island's soils are sandy but appear to be richer in silt and clay-sized particles than those generally found on nearby Shelter Island. This may be indicative of the inevitable gouge-mixing that occured when Robens Island's clay substrate was overridden by ice. It may also reflect the relative proximity of Robins Island to the "farmland belt" region of rye north fork which was all apparent locus of aeolian loess deposition (Neiter, 1975). Some of the cliff sections of Robins Island reveal thin (.25 to .5 meter) loess deposits that are frequently identifiable even from a distance by the Iresence of numerous bank swallow nesting; cavities in this horizon. On the western side of Robins Island where the bluffs reach their greastest heights, seasonal on-shore winds, primarily from the northwest, are deflected upwards with enough velocity to lift the sand-sized particles over the top of is' 1 Ka l ll htif- 1 ! RO-1 the bluffs. Where the bluffs reach their highest elevation, an unusually thick accumulation (.25 to 1.5 meters thick) of aeolian sand has formed small dunes that have advanced over a small portion of the island's shrub-level vegetation which is immediate to this particular site, Robins Island is apparently lacking in any notable fresh water holocene deposits although such sediments may exist beneath the surface of the salt marsh on the northern end of the island. This marsh, the largest wetland on the island, was not cored. The presence of at least one aboriginal shell pit revealed in cross section in an eroding bluff near the overg,rov.i site of a 19th century clay pit on the northwestern side of Robins Island suggests that the active spring seeps observed along the edges of the excavation are Quite old. No meaningful hydrogi-ological studies have ever been carried out on the island (Soren, August 1482, personal communication) . However, n.rzst of the island's inevitably sraall freshwater reserves are probably contained in the first 10 maters of sediment below mean sea levle. Spring seeps such as those seen at the abandoned clay pit suggest that the ice-shoved clay deposit:a have facilitated local development of perched water table conditions. The island's sole large salt marsh and its adjacent dune, beach, intertidal, and shallow subtidal deposits (see fig. 4) is one of the best natural. examples of this suite of coastal depositional environments in New York St::te. Limited field study in July, 1982 indicated that these depositional systens are virtually ens oiled. Extensive low coastal dunes, ralict beach ridges, and over-wash deposits in various stages of vegetative recovery are largely pristine. These deposits and the entire c,iastal zone of the island present superb opportunities for research into the relationship between marine and maritime organisms and the physical processes that govern their populations. 116 RO-1 a r k Stolon af+osing mod' of formallan and prcfllry of mar,Anal °tory a, vz tol of emergra-v of fir ler. b.SW d;trrla fan r,l+ulated cune 4f r.Rulr ru�tour, d.lrrrvblar rote, e,coaflutl l coun, A.kell It. a, d t d f'ruf++les of mursinal tunes a,fsolated casae,b,3erai5•one. c,roaflb► sot oonel of sbmblar msgr.bbude;d,conflueal coons of rarlaus lues, 1'iDepositional origins of naoraina1 tapography (After Fuller, 1914) r� • S� R©-1 The salt marsh had one small, s} allow inlet with a distinctive active flood-tide delta in the summer of 1982. At lea,;t one (and possibly several other) former inlet sites and inactive marsh channels were also observed. It seems likely that the salt marsh experiences periodic inlet closure due to the construction of storm berms across the naturally shallow, low volume discharge inlets that apparently characterize this marf.h. The beach-dune habitat is, in the vicinity of the inlets, generally quite narrow and considerable tidal exchange through the beach might still occur during the presumed occasions of inlet closure. Along with the constant seepage of freshwater from the morainal topography that bounds the marsh on its eastern and southern sides, such tidal exchange could buffer against the development of lethally high salinity conditions inside the marsh. Depending upon the duration of inlet closures, there may be opportunities for speciation to occur due to genetic isolrtinn rimong the marine biota trapped inside of the salt pond/marsh. Certain endemic fishes have been identified from analogous habitats on Cardiners Island (fenny, 1980, personal communication). Unfortunately, all similar habitats within the Katherine Ordway Preserve of the Mashomack Preserve on Shelter Island (where similar conditions probably once existed) were severely altered by human activity in this century and it is unlikely that other environmental conditions for endemic refuges exist elsewhere within the Peconic Bay estuary. In this context the brackish basin habitats of Robins and Cardiners IsLinds may be of comparable biological significance and they, along with the biological and geological circumstances of these sites are deserving of preservation and research. SOILS The soils of Robins Island c;)nsist primarily of Carver, Montauk, Plymouth, and Riverhead soils. ) The soils all tend to be well drained, strongly acid to very strongly acid, and showing low natural ferLiII dy. They -vary primarily in their ability to hold availible moisture. There are svverel smatL fa(.r.ly drained l � FI RST DRAFT Ro-1 (3 areas with muck soils in small depressions along; the west side of the island. The tidal marsh area consists primarily of an organic mat layer underlined by sand. 's (19) ` KEY TO THE SOILS OF ROBINS ISLAND Ro-1 Bc - Beach CpC - Carver-Plymouth sands - 3 to 15% slope CpE - Carver--Plymouth sands - 15 to 35% slope Hak - Haven loam - 2 to 6% slope MfA - Montauk fine sandy loam - 0 to 3% slope MfB - Montauk fine sandy loam - 3 to 8% slope MfC - Montauk fine sandy loam - 8 to 15% slope MkA - Montauk silt loam - 0 to 3% slope MkB - Montauk silt loam - 3 to 8Z slope Mu - Muck P1B - Plymouth loamy sand - 3 to 8% slope PIC - Plymouth loamy sand - 8 to 15% slope RdA - Riverhead sandy loam - 0 to 3% slope kdB - Riverhead sandy loam - 3 to 8% slope kdC - Riverhead sandy loam - 8 to 15% slope Tm - Tidal marsh We - Wareham loamy sand - 0 to 31 slope Description of Major Soil Series Montauk - Dpap, well drained to moderately well drained soils, Mmder ,tely coarse to medium textured. Moderate to moderately rapid permiabili ty at the surface with a fragipan at about 63 cm. Strongly acid to vary strong1 v acid. Natural fertility is low. Moderate to high available maisturc capacity. Carver - Deep, Excessively drained soils. Coar .e textured with rapid permiahility. Vary strongly acid. Natural fertility low. Low avaiiable molstur, capacity. Plymouth - Deep, excessively drained so ls. Coarse textured with rapid permiability. Strongly acid to v. r strongly acid. Natural fertility is low. Low to very low available moisture_ rapacity. Riverhead - Deep, well drained soils. Moderately coarse textured. Pe -miahility is moderately rapid at the surface and in the subsoil and very rapid in the substratum. Strongly acid to very strongly acid. Natural fertility is low. Moderate to high available moisture capacity. 1 Warner, .l.W. , W.E. Hanna, et al. 1975. Soil Survry of SufFolk Co"nty, N.Y. . United States Apartment of AKricultu RK , foil Conservation Service. 204 pp. 20 • RO-1 ✓ MfA PIB Tm ` MfB Rd B. d G� ZZ'1 M f p�f� PiC' Rd B S obins l �_ CPE MkB PIC PIB RdA RcI 0 f RdB PIC ' Cp E PIA RdC -- PtC f fB I R d C r 'C' d G x SOIL MAP OF F;DINS ISLAND � C 12Rim = 1aOn PIC Bc (21)