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High Hill Beach, New York
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High Hill Beach was
located east of where Zach's Bay Bathing area is now at the
famous Jones Beach, Long Island. High Hill was a colony of
bungalows and cottages, consisting of individually owned and
rental unit, as well as a medium sized guesthouse called The
Breakers. |
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Standing alone on a
large parcel of land was a larger and well know summer hotel and
pavilion known as Savages Hotel and Casino. Savages had forty
rooms available for daily and weekly rental from May until
October, being the busiest throughout the summer months. Savages
was famous for their large dance hall with entertainment and a
baseball game areas, as well as a large private beach.
High Hill
Beach covered an area from the bay on the north side to the
Atlantic Ocean on the south. Summer guests had options of
swimming and boating in the bay or swimming in one of the most
famous salt=water surfs. This area would become in later years
one of the most famous beaches in the world developed by Robert
Moses, the legendary developer and figurehead of the New York
State Park System.
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Traveling to High
Hill Beach
To arrive at High
Hill beach from New York City like Levonius boys Carl and Hubert
did in 1923, one had to travel by train and boat. Starting from
Corona, Queens, they would take the "EL" to the train, or the
Pennsylvania Railroad. Traveling eastbound the station stop
would be the Village of Bellmore. From Bellmore transportation
was provided by a boat to High Hill Beach. As no roads lead to
High Hill Beach the only transportation was by water.
In looking back,
High Hill Beach was definitely a destination for the relatively
wealthy people and their friends. The transportation charges and
the fancy hotel prices were not within reach of most people
during this period in time. Click here
to see a Savage's ad from this era.
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One of Many
Good Friends the Boys Had |
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Jenny Levonius
became friends with Emma and William Klobus, parents of Billy.
Carl, Hubert and Billy were to become the best of friends, later
playing sports, camping, dating and racing boats. Billy's father
was a very successful businessman having a glass window business
on Astoria Boulevard in Astoria, Queens, New York.
He would make leaded
glass windows for churches throughout the New York City area.
William Klobus, as told by and interviewed relative Linda
Klobus, was a very wealthy man, and treated the boys to stay out
at High Hill beach and attend the boys camp in the summer. How
fortunate to have such friends during this tough period of time.
When possible their mother Jenny would go out for a holiday
also. As the boys became teens they raced boats. Billy always
owned boats and his family belonged to the Elmhurst Yacht Club.
Carl and Hubert remained friends until Billy left for the
service and eventually became a Captain in the United States
Navy.
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