Parkie Uniforms of Yesteryear

By: Joshua Cortez, NYS OPRHP Archive Curator

Photo Credit: NYS OPRHP Long Island Regional Archives

When Jones Beach opened on August 4, 1929, Robert Moses was intent on

making it a nautical paradise for New Yorkers to enjoy. Everything from the

wooden boardwalks to the steam ship funnel trash cans were meant to evoke

the feeling of being on a cruise liner.

Since its opening, women park workers have been at the forefront of park

operations. Like their male counterparts, women park workers wore uniforms

clearly inspired by World War I sailor uniforms. Both uniforms feature the wide

sailor’s collar with stripes, a predominately blue color with white accents, and

even stripes or chevrons on their sleeves which normally indicate ranks in the

navy. An all-white variation of these uniforms also existed, as seen in the

photograph showing two female park workers siting in one of Jones Beach State

Park’s famous steamship funnel trash cans.

Meanwhile, office workers such as those pictured near the administrative

building, were able to wear their own clothing. This picture shows ten

women near the administrative building at Jones Beach in the late 1930s.

Unlike the roaring twenties, these women wore outfits typical of this

time including skirts hemmed near the calf, tailored fitted silhouettes

with defined waistlines, and tilt hats.

Women park workers continue to play a vital role in park operations

today. The uniforms worn today reflect the trend towards more casual

and personalized clothing. Unlike the stark differences between men’s

and women’s park uniforms a hundred years ago, NYS OPRHP has now

adopted a unisex uniform defined by the branded green polo shirts and

button-down shirts.