New York · National Seashore trail

Squirrel Lane Trail: White Cross Memorial

in New York · centroid 34 mi from Bridgeport

The crosses before you bear the names of Black laborers engaged at the Floyd Estate. While numerous family memoirs, journals, and other writings suggest that the crosses here mark the graves of enslaved workers, the historical records of the Estate are much less clear. It is possible that these crosses do not mark actual graves, but rather serve as memorials.

Our research is ongoing, but these names are beginning to come into focus. “Lon” likely referred to London Edwards, called “Uncle Lon” or “Lun” by Floyd family members. We do not know the details of his birth or how he came to the Floyd Estate, but from the 1850 census we know that he was born in New York around 1775, just one year before the signing of the Declaration of independence.

He was an agricultural laborer, enslaved by William and/or his son Nicoll Floyd and manumitted, or “released from slavery,” around 1820. After manumission, Lon continued to work on the estate’s farm, while his wife Hannah “cooked up at the house.” He took pride in his boats, and is remembered navigating “[Home Creek] and [Moriches] Bay in search of crabs, eels, and bunkers…” Like other enslaved people at the Floyd Estate, Lon and Hannah lived in a cabin about a mile distant from the manor house. Their cabin, along the banks of what became known as Lon’s Creek, was an informal gathering spot for the community of Black and Indigenous workers traveling between the Poospatuck Reservation, other cabins for enslaved and later free workers, and the estate.

States: New York
Trail type: National Seashore trail
Centroid nearest city: Bridgeport, CT · 34 mi · ~60 min drive
Centroid coords: 40.7752°, -72.8270°

About Fire Island National Seashore

National Seashore

This trail is inside Fire Island National Seashore, a national seashore managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.

Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/squirrel-lane-trail-white-cross-memorial.htm

Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/fiis/index.htm

Plan your hike

Practical notes

Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.

Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.

When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.

If you've hiked Squirrel Lane Trail: White Cross Memorial and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.

Stay nearby

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Driving in? The nearest documented metro is Bridgeport, CT — 34 miles away (~60 min drive). See accommodation in Bridgeport on Booking.com → RoamFound earns a small commission if you book through this link, at no extra cost to you. How we handle affiliate links.