From the early days of colonization until the 20th century, many farms were located in the area (such as the Hewlett farm in
Flower Hill, on the western shore of Hempstead Harbor). Goods produced in the area would be brought to the docks along the harbor in
Roslyn (along with ports along
Manhasset Bay in
Manhasset and
Port Washington), and from there, they would be shipped to destinations in
New York City and beyond. Before
World War I, shacks were built on the marsh flats in the town-owned Hempstead Bay wetlands. in
Port Washington, prior to the
Glenwood Generating Station's demolition|alt=Environmentalists have also long expressed concern over pollution in the harbor. One of the sources of this pollution came from sewage being directly released into the water from the former Roslyn Sewage Treatment Plant. This led to the creation of the Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor in 1986. The sand that was mined in the area would be brought to Hempstead Harbor, and from there would be shipped to destinations in
New York City and points beyond. By the time sand mining operations stopped in 1989, a total of of sand were minded along Hempstead Harbor. == Parks and recreation ==