Preserving and restoring
Frank Carrington passed on July 3, 1975. Aside from occupancy by Park Ranger Bob Freda, his wife Joan and their 3 daughters until 1998, this historic site has been idle. The 6.2 acres of paradise was placed on the National Registry of Historic sites in 2014 because of its importance to LGBTQ history. Carrington was an extremely private person and left few clues of his life. What he did leave was an amazing body of work, much still to be discovered and this is all a part of it. The Friends of Carrington’s mission is to steward and advocate for the historic Carrington Estate while restoring and honoring its history and potential as a welcoming and inclusive center for arts and culture. This mission is supported by the LGBTQ+ communities of Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines and the National Parks Service, as a project which will not only benefit the Fire Island communities, but the United States at large, with the creation of a place where LGBTQ+ stories, histories and talents are shared and honored. Frank Carrington, in partnership with Antoinette Scudder, founded the Papermill Playhouse in Milburn, New Jersey in 1934. He visited this site as early as 1920 and purchased the property in 1927. He sold it to the National Park Service in 1969 and lived there until his death in 1975. His desire was to create a museum. The original lot’s address is Lewis Walk Cherry Grove, 2 lots were added, one in 1946 and the last in 1955. The second lots were purchased from the Home Guardian, developer of Fire Island Pines. Consistent with the visionary creativity of the Papermill Playhouse, he added a cottage from 2 buildings that were part of the US Coast Guard station at was then known as the Lone Hill Life Saving Station. The Lone Hill Cottage became his personal artists program. His first tenant, Lincoln Kirstein and Fidelma Cadmus, were followed by tenants and guests that include Jerome Robbins and Truman Capote as renters; and Joan McCracken, Paul Cadmus, Jared French, Harper Lee as guests. There are many other artists from the worlds of dance, literature, photography, music and drawing and painting that touched this property. All in a 50-year period of an exploding culture that is overlayed by evolution of gay rights and recognition. The Team Bureen Ruffin and Dan Lobitz from Cherry Grove and John Krawchuk and Bill Hildebrandt from the Pines have engaged with The Superintendent of the Fire Island National Seashore, Alexcy Romero to get this effort off the ground. In addition, we have added Henry Robin, Amy Schreiber and Peggy Samson as ex officio board members. It is the intent to expand our board to residents of both communities and others that can make relevant contributions. The National Parks Service and the Fire Island National Seashore FINS, under the auspices of the NPS, has the responsibility to preserve and encourage the public use of this great National treasure. In addition to 32 miles of mostly unspoiled barrier beach, it includes the Fire Island Lighthouse, Sailors Haven and Sunken Forest, and Watch Hill. It is our mutual wish to add the Carrington Estate as a new destination to this amazing inventory.