Wangerman 1

Alana Wangerman

ENGW1111

4 February 2023

Draft I Profile

Bootlegger Beachtown

An aerial view of a beach club in Atlantic Beach.

The waves crash as kids play as the ocean breeze flows over Atlantic Beach, New York.

This one-square-mile town is brimming with beach clubs all along the ocean coast and multi-

million dollar mansions on the coast facing the channel. This small beach town is in its prime

during the summer season when residents of Long Island flock down to its beaches. Beachgoers

can partake in a wide range of activities including surfing, jet skiing, paddle boarding, fishing,

and many more. In a big private cabana or an intimate public beach, people can enjoy all Atlantic

Beach has to offer. The shores are scattered with shells and driftwood creating a serene scene.
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The boardwalk provides a great view of the shore crash and sunsets while going on a stroll or

bike ride. After a long fun-filled beach day, there are plenty of restaurants to quench the appetite

that was worked up. There is even outdoor dining on the boardwalk to capture the breathtaking

ocean view and feel the sea breeze whilst enjoying a delicious meal washed down with typically

an alcoholic beverage. Drinking is a prominent occurrence in Atlantic Beach as there are bars

lining up the streets. For beachgoers above 21, it is typical to go to the bars after some fun in the

sun. But on this island, it is also a typical occurrence for teenagers compared to the main island

(Rifilato.) This sparks many questions as to why specifically the city of Long Beach has much

higher underage drinking rates.

Atlantic Beach is a town included in the Long Beach Barrier Island, which is a separate

island directly under the main Long Island. It was frequented by prominent historical figures

such as the Vanderbilts, and scenes from the Sopranos and Goodfellas were filmed at beach

clubs in the village (Atlantic Beach 11509.) Its main source of income shifted subsequently to

the 18th amendment being added to the Constitution. This began the Prohibition Era, where the

manufacturing, transportation, and selling of intoxicating alcohol were banned in order to reduce

crime and corruption, and solve social issues (History.com editors.) Considering Long Beach

Barrier Island is the southernmost shore of Long Island, it allowed for swift and smooth

shipment and transportation of illegal alcohol. There were already many bars present in the area,

making for an easy transition into speakeasies. All that had to be done was add a hidden room

where the alcohol could be stored. Still around today, Shine’s was a bar located in the West End.

It operated successfully until it was raided in 1930, but reopened shortly after. There is still

evidence of the bar’s bootlegger past, such as trap doors in the floor leading to secret basements.

Shine’s was one of 28 speakeasies located in just the West End alone, which demonstrates the
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volume of speakeasies in all of Long Beach Barrier Island. A popular bar in the West End is still

named Speakeasy to elaborate on its past identity. Atlantic Beach also had local swimmers lead

small boats full of illegal alcohol from Canadian ships anchored to shores nearby. Smugglers

lined the shores while foreign ships anchored close by for easy shipment of liquor (Rifilato

2013.)

Police dumping out illegal whiskey.

The majority of the speakeasies were reestablished into bars after the disbanding of the

18th amendment. The island’s past of heavy drinking has a drastic influence on those still living

there today. Due to alcohol being incredibly accessible, the consumption of it in this area is much

higher than in others. There are over 80 establishments within 3.5 miles to purchase alcohol. This

statistic is especially apparent among underage drinking. Underage drinking in Long Beach is

45%. Underage alcohol use on Long Beach Island remains much higher than the state average of

26.9 percent, with binge drinking more prevalent in Long Beach than in Nassau County as a
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whole and New York state (Rifilato 2012.) Many residents consider this a public health crisis.

Jennifer Newman, a resident of Atlantic Beach for 17 years, says,” Beach patrol has dramatically

increased since I have moved here. All day every day there are police driving on the beach and

boardwalks, which I had not seen a few years ago. This definitely would not be happening if

there was no concern about underage drinking on the beach or boardwalk. Even those of legal

drinking age are not allowed to bring alcoholic beverages to public beaches. It is affecting

everyone.” It is very common for teens to drink at nighttime underneath the boardwalks when

they are unable to get into the bars. This illegal pastime is dangerous as there are countless ways

the kids could get injured. This issue led to the development of the Prevention First-NY! Grant.

Another one of the reasons the Prevention First-NY! grant was initiated is because Long Beach

Island was so far above the state level for past-30-day use of alcohol (Rifilato 2012.) There is

also a not-for-profit organization called Long Beach AWARE whose primary purpose is to

address underage drinking and other drug use as a public health crisis. It was originally a part of

Long Beach Medical Center, however, it was closed due to a hurricane. After this closing it was

deemed necessary to stay open, therefore became a nonprofit. Long Beach AWARE approaches

substance abuse issues by increasing enforcement, educating, and limiting access to drugs and

alcohol. (Our Mission.) The island is still attempting to try and combat the influence the

Prohibition has had on it.

The disbanding of the Prohibition decreased crime and corruption throughout the United

States- at least for the most part. This does not mean that its profound historical impact is not still

around in the present in areas that had a huge presence during that time period. Atlantic Beach

was once and remains a hotspot for the illegal purchasing and consumption of alcoholic

beverages. Actions are being made to resist these lingering consequences even a century later.
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Works Cited

Atlantic Beach, NY 11509: Things to do, restaurants, Real Estate & More. Atlantic Beach,

NY. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.atlanticbeachny.com/

Atlantic Beach, NY. Data USA. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2023, from

https://datausa.io/profile/geo/atlantic-beach-ny#:~:text=The%205%20largest%20ethnic

%20groups,%2DHispanic)%20(1.72%25).

Google. (n.d.). Long Beach Police dump alcohol. Google search. Retrieved March 15,

2023, from https://www.google.com/search?q=long%2Bbeach%2Bny

%2Bprohibition&sxsrf=AJOqlzVQwX5S39vE3pzTq-uo_LBlx-kTBw

%3A1678933324160&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjX-

oyDst_9AhVmGVkFHVbrCVwQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1440&bih=703&dpr=2#im

grc=dfH_8htLbd_9lM

History.com editors. (2009, October 29). Prohibition: Years, amendment and definition -

history - history. Prohibition. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from

https://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties/prohibition
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New York Beach Club. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15, 2023, from

https://newyorkbeachclub.com/

Newman, Jennifer. Personal interview. Conducted by Alana Wangerman. March 1st, 2023.

Our mission. Long Beach Aware | Our Mission. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2023, from

https://longbeachaware.org/our-mission

Rifilato, A. (2012, August 1). Underage drinking in Long Beach termed a 'public health

crisis'. Herald Community Newspapers. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from

https://www.liherald.com/stories/underage-drinking-in-long-beach-a-public-health-

crisis,42462?page=2&content_source=

Rifilato, A. (2013, November 29). Shine's marks its centennial, a year late. Herald

Community Newspapers. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from

https://www.liherald.com/stories/shines-marks-its-centennial-a-year-late,51439?page=2