Massapequa Author Lectures on Fire Island History

Historian Linda Frank may come from Massaqua but her love of Fire Island led her to want to know more about it's history.

Last week  she shared what she learned in a special presentation at the  .

After frequenting Fire Island often with her husband, Frank, a former science professor at Hofstra and Adelphi, was intrigued and felt she needed to learn more. Over the last 15 years, she has spent time studying the land and all its history. 

"I never really understood how Fire Island developed," said Frank during her presentation held at the . "The formation of the communities is really so interesting to me. It was owned by very few people and was eventually bought out before the big real estate development in the 1920s." 

Her presentation showcased the origins of the barrier island and the changes it has undergone through the years including development as well as drug trafficking, piracy and the formation of the famous lighthouse.

"I've done other programs before about self-publishing, but never about Fire Island before tonight," Frank said. "I enjoyed it and would love to do it again."

Frank's love for Fire Island carried over into the setting of her debut novel, "The Madonna Ghost", the first in a mystery series about 17-year old detective Annie Tillery. A few years ago, Frank said she could have never guessed a published author would be the next part of her resume, but she is now embracing her new career.

"When I was in school, I hated to write more than anything," she explained. "As I went on to teach forensic science, I always wrote case studies for my students and they loved them. I put characters in and it took off from there."