Long Island Traditions

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  • Collection DOI:
    Principal Investigator:
    Nancy Solomon
  • Folklorist Nancy Solomon has documented the maritime culture of Long Island through these interviews spanning the years 1987 – 2016. The collection includes baymen, fishermen, boat builders and other maritime tradition bearers.   

Interviewee Collection Sort ascending Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
Tom Kuhner Long Island Traditions

The interview with Tom Kuhner, conducted by Mary Lee on June 11, 2001, provides a comprehensive narrative of his life as a fisherman on Long Island. Born in Freeport, Kuhner’s earliest memories include crabbing and clamming, and starting a lucrative salmon bait business as a child. His fishing career spans various locales, from Freeport to Patchogue, before settling in West Babylon in the mid-1970s. Kuhner’s experience is enriched by his relationship with a commercial fisherman who lived with his family during his youth, significantly influencing his skills and career path.

Mary Lee Babylon, NY Long Island Traditions
Rick Verity Long Island Traditions

On May 11, 1988, Nancy Solomon interviewed Rick Verity as part of the Long Island Traditions Oral History Collection. Rick is a skilled bayman who learned the art of eeling from his father, Elwood Verity. He shares his lifelong experiences as a bayman, inheriting his knowledge and skills from his father and uncle. He discusses his early introduction to clamming, the intricacies of eel trapping and combing, and the craftsmanship behind creating various types of traps and nets.

Nancy Solomon Lindenhurst, NY Long Island Traditions
Carmine Marinnacio Long Island Traditions

On May 7, 1987, Nancy Solomon interviewed Carmine Marinaccio, a passionate fisherman and charter boatman. Carmen discusses his early years, detailing his family's move from the Bronx to Long Beach, and his experiences growing up near the water, where he developed a love for fishing and boating. The interview covers his career transition from a charter boatman during the Great Depression to making fishing lures. Carmen shares his perspectives on the challenges small-scale fishermen face, including economic hardships and the impacts of regulatory changes.

Nancy Solomon Freeport, NY Long Island Traditions
Cory Weyant Long Island Traditions

On May 27, 1987, Nancy Solomon interviewed Cory Weyant as part of the Long Island Traditions Oral History Collection. Cory is a full-time commercial fisher from Freeport, New York, who traps eels, killies, crabs, and other finfish. His family lived in the area for over 60 years, and he remembers family boat trips and time spent sailing with his father. Cory discusses the decreased fish population and ties it to the pollution from speedboats and yachts.

Nancy Solomon Freeport, NY Long Island Traditions
Don Bevelander Long Island Traditions

This oral history interview, conducted on July 1, 2000, by Steve Warwick for Long Island Traditions, features Donald Allen Bevelander, a long-time bayman from Sayville, New York. Born on June 17, 1912, in West Sayville, Bevelander provides a detailed account of his life and experiences working on the Great South Bay. He discusses his early life, including moving to Sayville in 1940 and his service during World War II. Bevelander recalls his involvement in community activities, such as organizing the Sayville Little League and serving in the Sayville Fire Department for several decades.

Steve Warrick Sayville, NY Long Island Traditions
Lenny Nilson Long Island Traditions

This is an interview with Leonard "Lenny" Nilson, conducted by Steve Warrick on July 15, 2000, at L & L Bait and Tackle in Islip, Long Island. Lenny Nilson was born in July 1947 in Bay Shore, Long Island. He grew up in a family deeply rooted in commercial fishing, with his father immigrating from Sweden in 1929 and establishing a fishing and bait business on West Fire Island. Nilson's early years were spent working alongside his father, gaining hands-on experience in the industry.

Steve Warrick Islip, NY Long Island Traditions
Cory Weyant Long Island Traditions

On December 8, 2003, Nancy Solomon interviewed Cory Weyant, a bayman and dragger fisherman from Freeport, New York.  Cory discusses the significant changes he has witnessed in his fishing career over the past fifteen years, reflecting on the decline of fish populations and the impact of overfishing. He describes the transition from small trawlers and local fish markets to the current state where strict regulations and reduced fish populations have drastically altered the fishing industry.

Nancy Solomon Freeport, NY Long Island Traditions
Charles Brower Long Island Traditions

On December 8, 1989, Nancy Solomon interviewed Charles Brower, a former cod fisherman from Baldwin. Brower, who began fishing at fifteen, comes from a lineage of fishermen, with his father and uncles also deeply involved in the trade. The interview delves into the evolution of fishing techniques and equipment, particularly the use of gillnets and the transition from cotton to nylon lines. Brower describes the process of gillnetting and cod fishing, highlighting the seasonal nature of these activities and the physical demands involved.

Nancy Solomon Baldwin, NY Long Island Traditions
Edward Lowell Ockers Long Island Traditions

On July 6, 2000, Steve Warrick interviewed Edward Lowell Ockers, or Lowell, as part of the Long Island Traditions Oral History project. Ockers was born in West Sayville in 1933 and has remained a lifelong resident of the area. After serving in the Navy, he began to work on the bay, catching eels using traps purchased from his father–who had also made a living as a local bayman. Ockers discusses various fishing techniques and materials, providing an in-depth description of pound traps and gillnets.

Steve Warrick West Sayville, NY Long Island Traditions
Tony Sougstad Long Island Traditions

On May 8, 1987, Nancy Solomon interviewed Tony Sougstad as part of the Long Island Traditions Oral History Project. Sougstad is a seasoned ocean fisherman and captain of the boat E.T. His first discussion with Solomon covers his entry into the fishing industry, the species of fish he harvests, the gear he uses, and the seasonal nature of his profession. After working as an engineer for a time, Sougstad decided to make a living out on the water, specializing in trawl or bottom fishing.

Nancy Solomon , Freeport, NY Long Island Traditions