Fire Island Pines (often referred to as The Pines, simply Pines, or FIP) is a hamlet in the Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is located on Fire Island, a barrier island separated from the southern side of Long Island by the Great South Bay. Fire Island Pines and the adjoining Cherry Grove are the areas most strongly associated with the gay community on Fire Island. The island has been referred to as America's first gay and lesbian town and served since the 1920s and 1930s as a refuge for vacationers and others who desired the more liberal attitude the island's occupants allowed. The Pines, which has the most expensive real estate on Fire Island, has approximately 600 houses and a 100-unit condominium complex on its square mile of location. It has two-thirds of the swimming pools on Fire Island. Its summer seasonal population is between 2,500 and 3,000. In 2004, 12 people listed it as their full-time residence. Transportation is via foot on the boardwalks. If a person wishes to carry groceries, the traditional way to do so is to pull red wagons (commonly the popular Radio Flyer). History Fire Island Pines derives its name from the scrub pine trees in the area, which, according to legend, started growing after a ship with Christmas trees and holly foundered off its coast in the late 19th century. The Pines was originally the site of a Coast Guard station built in 1876 and known as Lone Hill Saving Station. The area was purchased by the Home Guardian Company in 1924. As no development occurred, the area became a popular nude beach. Squatters erected temporary buildings. The "harbor" is the area where all the commercial buildings are located, including docks for yachts, the passenger ferry from Sayville, and freight operations. In the 1960s, the Sandpiper opened, a gay dance club; it is now called the Pavilion. Fire On November 14, 2011, a large fire destroyed the Pavilion, including its commercial tenants. That iteration of the building had been built in 1980. Forty-three Long Island fire companies responded to the blaze, which began around 8 pm, with 400 firefighters working in shifts through the night to contain and extinguish the fire. Developers and real estate owners The Smadbecks Plans for development first began in 1952 when Warren and Arthur Smadbeck, doing business as the Home Guardian Company, announced plans