The Dead Horse Inn The Dead Horse Inn The Dead Horse Inn is a temporary bar installation created by Duke Riley. It exists for only one night a year providing diversion, libation, and fresh crabs for a nickel. The bar is hidden among the woods of Plumb Island, in an area known as Dead Horse Bay. It was built from the excavated ruins of the shantytown that actually occupied the island from 1891 to 1935. The Dead Horse Inn project draws a connection between the current lay of the land and the similarly transgressive spirit of its former inhabitants. Plumb Island has always been a place where people socialize in ways otherwise prohibited in New York City. The human condition unfolds outside prescribed social boundaries, reacting and looking for free spaces, creating culture on the fringe of the city, where the land meets the water. History of the Site From 1891 to 1907, Plumb Island was occupied by a group of homesteaders who set up a series of shacks and tents that eventually developed into bars and inns. Because the island was outside New York City's jurisdiction, alcohol and tobacco were tax-free. In 1907, the US army was sent by the city to break up the party and evict the homesteaders. The land was then leased to former judge Winfield Overton, who allowed the homesteaders to return shortly after his arrival. The judge quickly declared himself ruler of the island and began organizing boxing matches, which were also illegal in New York at the time. The US military was then called again to ""depose the dictator" they had unwittingly installed. In the 1930s, Robert Moses evicted the last homesteaders, demolished all of the remaining structures, and connected the island to the mainland by a strip of highway and a bridge now known as Exit 9B on the Belt Parkway, turning it into a run-down rest stop with public bathrooms. In recent years, the island's parking area has become a regular rendezvous for swingers, and the surrounding woods have become a cruising spot for gay men. The Dead Horse Inn To view large images, just click one of the thumbnails below. Ready for Opening Night I gave bad directions...every body got lost. I spent most of the night guiding people through the woods... ...and answering phone calls. So, my friend, Silke, puts finishing touches on the bar. And Jamie Mandel bartended. Juan Puntes was the first to arrive. Giving people directions under the influence of sleep deprivation... Finally people started showing up. Many costumed revelers arrived from Coney Island's Mermaid Parade. and the A LOT of people started to show up... ...and have fun Just as things seemed to be going smoothly... A surprise visit from the police. Party-goers ran for the hills. Reconnaissance Mission with Chris & Brendan. Despite the police and the rain, gradually, people made their way back to the bar. All prepared for the main event: BOXING Lefty Lorenz defends her title. Against the "Thrilla From Manila", Twazon! Round 1 Lorenz seems to have the upper hand. Round 2 Twazon struggles to deflect Lorenz's merciless blows. Throwing some below-the-belt punches. Round 3 Lorenz is starting to look worn out! Twazon making a comeback! Knock Out Then we cooked up some crabs. And feasted... And feasted... At this point it was almost dawn And we passed out. And we slept well into the day. Building The Bar To view large images, just click one of the thumbnails below. Plumb Island is one of the most remote areas in the city. Except where the Belt Parkway connects it to the mainland. The area has a lot of wood and remnants from boats that wash ashore. Some homeless people have used these remains to build shelters. It is also a popular gay cruising area. There's always a lot of activity in the bushes. The bottles used for the bar were excavated from the ground surrounding the site. Some bottles dated back to the 19th century, and most likely came from the original bars. Bar site prior to painting. Rich Sandomeno helping to clear the area. The bottles were taken home, cleaned and boiled. I built the bar using the reclaimed wood and hand tools. Joy Whalen helps carry the cross. A lot of people fish in the area. The bottles were relabelled and filled with alcohol. The local fishermen were interested in what I was doing. Fishermen ended up helping build the bar.