From Grumman and Gatsby to Sagamore and Sandy
Before America had suburbs, there was Levittown.
Before America landed on the moon, engineers in Bethpage figured out how.
Before wireless communication circled the globe, Tesla and Marconi experimented on Long Island.
Before "Jaws" terrified beachgoers, Frank Mundus was chasing sharks off Montauk.
Long before most Americans had heard of Long Island, the island kept quietly inventing, testing and redefining the country itself.
Here are 25 times Long Island changed the country.
John Valenti, a Newsday reporter since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press, Society of the Silurians and National Headliner Awards for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing. He is the author of “Swee'pea,” about New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. His debut crime novel, “For Nothing Is Hidden,” rooted in 1950s Long Island, was released in October 2025.
Up close with Gilgo killer's court officer ... Deadly Suffolk shooting ... Blakeman's pitch to slash income tax ... Yanks strike first in playoffs
