My first night here in the Point... Tom Bauer's story

My first visit to Point Lookout was in the summer of 1964 when I rented a bungalow at 71 Bellmore Avenue for a two week period during the New York Worlds' Fair. My sister and her four children were visiting during the fair and Point Lookout was recommended by a friend.

The house was owned at that time by a Greek Orthodox priest. Several years after the visit, I was contacted by Father Volatis, the priest who owned the house and told it was available for sale.

Believe it or not - in 1964 there were numerous one and two lot bungalows on the market for substantially under $20,000 (that's twenty - not two hundred thousand). The house was purchased and I spent my first night as a resident on the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend 1968.

Late that evening as I sat on the front porch of the house, I heard a strange sound in the street and when I looked I saw a lone bagpiper in his kilts heading toward Lido Blvd, playing his bagpipe. In reality he was a remnant of an earlier wedding celebration, but that sight and sound has remained a vivid memory of my first night here in the Point.

Although the changes in this town have continued through those 32 years since I arrived - and we have gone from a "summer only" place to a year round place - the special nature of this town, so close to the acknowledged "Capital of the World" - has remained essentially one of small town America. Let's hope that we keep that nature unchanged for future generations to enjoy.