Amidst the rise of the automobile and the financial optimism of the Roaring �20s, New York State vested Robert Moses with the presidency of the Long Island State Parks Commission. Moses� first project was a massive reclamation effort at Jones Island in Wantagh, which opened as Jones Beach State Park in 1929. The park proved incredibly popular, with 1.5 million people visiting the beach during its first full year of operation.
