Orchard Beach, Row Boats, 1938

Named for the orchards that (once) stood behind it, Orchard Beach is a man-made engineering marvel covering a crescent-shaped mile and 115 acres along Long Island Sound in Pelham Bay Park. Conceived as the "Riviera of New York" by none other than that good guy/bad guy Parks Commissioner Robert Moses via New Deal WPA funding, Orchard Beach opened to much fanfare on July 25, 1936. History buffs can revel in every detail of its development by reading an in-depth report by the Landmarks Preservation Commission; the New York Times provides a more digestible layman's version. Clearly, as shown two years on in this image, Orchard Beach became an extremely popular recreation destination.